Popular Mechanics 1923-01: Vol 39 Iss 1

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Popular Mechanics Magazine REGISTERED IN U. S. PATENT OFFICE WRITTEN SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND IT

Vol. 39 JANUARY, 1923 No. 1 Magnetic Brake Designed to Stop Airplanes A IAGNETIC braking device has re- located at various points throughout the {AX cently been designed, that has for its iron platform and are energized by ect the stopping of airplanes landing turning on the current from an electric the deck of a ship, the roof of a build- generator, in such a manner that ad or other limited area. Two some- jacent sections are of opposite polar it similar schemes are proposed, both ity. Iron-shod skids on the plane are at vhich involve the use of an iron land-_ tracted to the platform with a force that platform. In one, electromagnets are can be regulated, and in this manner the

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1 -,. = | Ship Equipped with Magnetic Brakes soma | Designed to Enable Airplanes to Land td . : _— } on the Deck: Below is Shown a Detail — = | of the Magnetized Landing Platform Which Consists of Adjacent Sections of Opposite Polarity < ee __ LANDING aw is Bs IRON PLATFORM co NN —* SKIDS fo) ~--%-------- — MAGNETS

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2 POPULAR MECHANICS landing of the plane is controlled and checked to within a short distance, de- pending upon the strength of the mag- nets. The other scheme contemplates the use of electromagnets directly attached to the landing shoes, and an electric gen erator and control system installed in the airplane. RIFLE AND SHOTGUN COMBINED IN FOUR-BARRELED GUN Four-barreled guns are the latest thing ba) 2 in the American hunting world. Guns of Above: Gun with Two Shotgun Barrels above Two Rifle Barrels. Below: Two 12-Gauge Barrels with a Ride Barrel Above and Below this type, as made by an eastern gun- smith, generally have two rifle and two shotgun barrels, although the arrange- ment is occasionally varied. Two shot- gun barrels of the same gauge are usually placed on top, while below them are two rifle barrels, one of high caliber and the other of low caliber. In some designs the POSTAL MOTOR CARS some time ago, estab- lished a_ service of automobiles over mountain roads in Switzerland, the fed- eral postal administration has now gone a step farther, and started a similar service over several of the highest Alpine passes, including the Klausen, 6,404 feet, and St. Gothard, 6,936 feet high. In spite of the difficulties to be contended with, such as sharp, narrow curves, and steep grades, these motor cars have been entirely suc- After having, rifle barrels are placed one above and one below the two shotgun barrels. This type of gun is of particular advantage for hunting in a territory where a wide variety of game abounds. The weight of the guns is about 8'4 pounds. STAGE-TO-DRESSING-ROOM CALL SYSTEM INVENTED BY ACTOR The call boy, a position that has meant for many actors the first stepping stone on the road to theatrical fame, may be eliminated as a result of an electrical ar- rangement developed by an actor. This man is so fond of mechanics in an experi- mental way, that he carries a special tray of tools and materials for his tinkering insisting that for him it is more than a mere fad. His own call system saves him great anxiety and is a benefit to all the members of his company. rhe call boy’s chief duty is to hurry to dressing rooms, inform the players that the curtain will go up in one or two min- utes, and then report back to the stage manager. This actor thought that too much depended upon the reliability of the boy, so he worked out an electric call sys- tem using microphones. From his own dressing room he is able to listen in on every word uttered on the stage. Two receivers have been placed in the foot- light trough, one on each side of the stage, and these are wired to his dressing room. Similar connections are made to the rooms of the other leading members of the cast. As the show proceeds from one city to another this equipment is in- stalled, and it is thought that some the- aters may make it part of the house equipment. cessful, and have attracted many addi- tional tourists. Besides the ordinary roadsters, there are observation cars, each equipped with a 40-horsepower mo- tor, and having accommodation for over a dozen passengers, ail seated facing forward with an unobstructed view of the scenery. The car has three powerful brakes, and by means of special steering apparatus, takes the sharpest curves with- out the necessity of backing up.

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“Ae: ; en ¥ na sit eee > Swiss Postal Motor Car on Road: The Rhone Glacier is Seen in the Back- My \3 zround. by Ps an Alpine Road of a Century Hem oree xX wa Zou SY r the Furka The Sketch Below Shows Grimsel Pass, An Observation Car at the Summit of the Klausen Pass, Which Here Reaches an Alti- tude of 6,404 Feet Ago ye %.

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POPULAR MECHANICS r; BER: AR et ee Bears, The Towers Inclose the Overhead Counterweights That Are Characteristic of This Type of Bascule Modern American Bascule Bridge Adorned with Towers and Ornaments of an Ancient Chinese Style of Architecture, Now being Erected over the Pei River, at Tientsin: OPYRIGHT, THE STRAUSS BASCULE BRIDGE CO. AMERICAN BASCULE BRIDGE FOR TIEN- TSIN, CHINA Now being erected over the Pei River, at Tientsin, China an entirely modern bridge o the latest American bascul type, adorned with pagoda like towers and Chines: ornaments, will, when com pleted, be an interesting com bination of the very old wit! the very new. The bridge wil have a total length of 280 fee: between abutments, and wil consist of a vertical over head-counterweight doubk leaf span in the center, 13 feet long between trunnions flanked on each side by 75 foot fixed Spans. The over head concrete-counterweight type was adopted because the extreme high-water level only a few feet below the roadway level. It also fur nished an opportunity for suitable Chinese architectural treatment, as the counte: weights could be convenient ly inclosed in the two pagoda like towers. The bridge wi have a clear roadway, 35 feet wide, and two 7-foot side walks on the bascule span. A double-track electric railway will be carried in the center of the roadway. Each pier consists of two reinforced concrete cylinders, 10 feet in diameter, joined at the top by two reinforced-concrete beams with brackets, 21 feet 9 inches long. The operating machinery, which consists of a pinion engaging a curved rack on the bottom chord of the tail end of each truss, is arranged in four units, one at the end of each pier below the bridge floor. Each pinion is driven by a 15-hcrsepowe motor, through a train of re duction gears, and will op« the bridge in 1% minutes Above the machinery ar four operators’ houses, from which the bridge can _ be operated by hand. Normally both leaves are controllec from one of these houses. ONL A NS I were ee

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TP TG A OE DUPLICATION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC ATTRACTION By H. A. LANE DUPLICATION of 4 electromagnetic at- iction without using e customary coils of re has been produced nd utilized in a practi- | manner by two Dan- engineers, Knut Rah- ck and Alfred John- n. Instead of coils, ites are used. One of ese plates must be a etallic electrical con- ctor—iron, copper, ss, or like substance ng satisfactory—while e other must be but a rtial conductor, ed on the of this description stituted their ex- mental outfit. Using this equipment, connect electri tinfoil side of the e engineers e wire of an | circuit to the +} e I wer te plate, and the er wire to the me- lic plate. When the ent 1s switched on, plates are attracted each other. The itching off of the rent, however, im- ‘diately deénergizes plates, causing them issume their natural te. While this in- ntaneous attraction, sticking together of such as agate, and cov- bottom with tinfoil. A Rapid- itieieaiien Machine Which Prints from 400 to 2,000 Letters a Min ute and Which is Based on the Phenomenon of Attraction betw a Metal Disk and a Tinfoil-Covered Agate Plate the two bodies is nota di covery nor ppara- unfamiliar phenomenon, the adaptatior to which this princip! a has been put by the tw AGATE PLATE cia” somiie” Maiiaeminniitiani men are imteresting \~« - METAL HOOK Crude Apparatus Which Constituted Experimental Working Outfit: A Small Current Suffices to Produce Nonmagnetic Attraction the ery the of an Sound Box of a Mandolin, with Other Equipment, is Used Two Views for the Tr Adaptation of the Attraction ansmission of Principle, in Which Musical Tones the concrete One of the adapta- tions of t | is propert has resulted in the )- duction of a rapid-tele i ipl ing machine whic it is possib F i@ Ss a { \nother use is tl O 1 ifvi telephor Ine¢ sages \\ reies ilso in led in the li oT possibilitie hic the utilization of attraction ha uided. Al though development o but little past the e periment il stage present vork co stantly be ng cart 1 o with this incip! s it basis. @To eliminate the un- sightly appearance of b] lines resulting from the use of the com mon bitum 1 ror crt icks «1 aCK inous fillers and pavements, a substitute concret ored filler has been de- veloped by the U. S. Bureau of Public Roads. joints i e-col The filler consists of a mixture of resin, crude rubber, and sufficient barium sulphate to give the desired color

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6 POPULAR CORRECT POSTURE POSSIBLE WITH NEW TABLE With a new table, for the design of which a noted efficiency engineer is re- sponsible, it is possible to assume a sci- This Convenient Reading or Writing Table can be Tilted at the Proper Angle for Fatigue Elimination and for Comfort entifically correct posture. It forms part of a deep, comfortable rocking-chair, and is intended to be tilted to a convenient angle so as to relieve the strain upon the muscles and eyes usually following upon the constant shifting of when writing or reading at the ordinary table. position BINDER-TWINE CUTTER AIDS GRAIN THRESHING \ novel device for cutting the twine with which bundles of grain are bound, is intended to be worn on the worker’s left hand. It consists of a leather sheath to which is attached a copper support for a detachable and highly tempered steel are Above: Close-Up | of Twine-Cutting | Device Worn on the Left Hand. | Left: Twine Cut- | ter, Showing How the Worker may Use Both Hands to Tie the Bundles ] MECHANICS blade having a saw-tooth edge so shaped that the twine is cut with little effort. The worker thus has both hands free, and is not so likely to cut himself as with the ordinary loose knife. ADDED ODOR GIVES WARNING OF GAS DANGER In order to render the escape of natural gas readily detectable, experiments have recently been made at Little Rock, Ark., for the purpose of finding a suitable sub stance to give the gas a distinct odor. A formula has finally been worked out, and the substance prepared from it is reported to be odoriferous, harmless, and with no effect upon the gas except as a mark of identification. NONSLIPPING SPIKED SHOE NOW WORN BY FIREMEN All of the $5,000,000 worth of army buildings at the Presidio, San Francisco, have steep shingle roofs, and to enable army firemen to climb these roofs with- Safety Sandal for Slipping over the Shoes of Fire men: The Sharp Metal Spikes Pre- | vent Slipping out danger of falling, the fire chief has designed a safety sandal that can be strapped over the shoes in five second while on the way to a fire. The sandal is provided with a thick leather sole that covers all but the heel of the shoe to which it is strapped. In this sole are number of sharp metal spikes that pene trate the wooden shingles, and prevent any possibility of slippage. @ Scientists have developed a process for extracting from wheat the vitamines and mineral salts that constitute its most val- uable food elements. The vitamine ex- tract can be used for increasing the food value of any article of diet, but is pri- marily intended for making whole-wheat bread of pure-white color.

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A PLAGUE-PROOF CITY IN INDIA By J.#7. Stephens aft =e, peed Pe ap — st ASS ~ Part of the Native Indian City of Bangalore, Showing the Congestion of the Low, Mud-Roofed Houses This Is One of the Sections of the City Where Plague Is Most Prevalent, Resulting from the Absence of Fresh Air and Sunlight. The Streets Are Narrow and the Houses Are Overcrowded urticle—Mr. J. H. § Banga Ss. 1 me! l 1 i t l A THOUGH Eu- : for expansion wit wes had _ sut out congestiot1 ed from many Thus, unwitting istatbens of . the caste svste plague before and during the Middle 1 7 . adopted one oft t most eff \ges, it was not : measures for p until the nine venting the teenth century that ing of dis plague came to Unde B India. 1.dministra This was due to tion. caste rule the prevalence in were less strict! India of the an- observed, and tl difterent caste tended to convet whilst congestio increased, resul in the first appe cient caste system of the Brahmins, hich resulted in separation and seg- regation. The higher castes lived apart from the low- ; er castes, and be : tween each of such segregations open sore, South Indi spaces were left Pe ee F It broke out first is which allowed the ; the most congested circulation of fresh An Indian Female Deity being Carried in Procession quarter, where BE ge ; . Accompanied by Tom-Toms, and Whose Aid is : air, and provided Invoked during Visitations of Epidemics light and air we ance of plague 1 the city of Bang lore, capital of tl native state of My

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oer POPULAR MECHANICS the Settlement Is This Part of Site One-Twentieth of Some Finished and Some Still under Construction : Richer Quarters. Showing a Number of Small Detached Houses, for Occupation by Poor Natives, and Is as Uncongested as the Part of the Plague-Proof Settlement, Each House Stands on a and of This Area Only One-Third is Occupied by the Building in Extent, Acre an excluded or polluted. The natives were used to cholera and smallpox, but this new disease appalled them and they appealed to their trusted friend, the British government, for help. Then rational and preventive means of stamping out the disease were sought for. It was found that plague often appeared and reap peared in the same house. Upon carefully examining such houses it was observed that their locations were damper than those of more immune houses. It had already been found in Bangalore that mois ture is one of the contributing causes of plague. In dry weather the disease will almost entirely dis appear, reappearing immediately in wet periods, when it is at its worst. In other parts of India the disease acts differently, but in Bangalore it was found that while deficient sun- light and air were causes of the plague, the nature of the soil has also a great deal to do with its mitigation or the reverse. In seeking a permanent prevent ive of plague it was found that the disease had a peculiar affinity for rodents, and the house rat, being the commonest rodent, becomes its first victim. The fleas from the dead rat carry it to human beings. The rats, however, although they were the first victims of the disease, were not its first cause. This was found to be the absence of light and air that resulted from congestion. The first remedy to be adopted, therefore, was to find a place where neither of these conditions would exist. As a first step in this direction, about 50 acres of agricultural land, with open ground all around it, was acquired on the outskirts of Banga- lore, and this was laid out as a new plague-proof settlement. The roads and streets were made very wide for India, and were sunk about 18 inches below the ground level. Thus the building sites between the roads and streets were in the form of ele- vated platforms, which kept the houses high and dry and free from dampness and moisture during the wettest season. Small detached houses for the poor were erected with open yards around each house. The site of each building was one- twentieth of an acre, and was di-

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POPULAR MECHANICS 9 A Congested Part of the City of Bangalore Which has been Greatly Improved by the Removal of Some of the Small Overcrowded Houses, Thus Allowing the Admittance of Fresh Air and Sunlight to the Remaining Houses: ided into three parts, only one of which ould be built cn, the other two parts be- g left as an open yard. This made the ew town not only plague-proof, but also particularly healthy and agreeable place to live in. The town has become very popular, and is financially a great success, preading rapidly in every direction. The ttle houses are all built on raised foun- dations with basements 1% feet high and vith hard floors and roofs to make them roof against invasions by rats and aid in eeping the houses dry. This measure as first met with opposition on the part ' the natives, who considered a raised ouse destructive of the privacy they de- This Was a First Means of Plague Prevention mand for their women, but this gradually subsided. This town has been under careful supervision for several years and it has been found to be quite plague proot. Bangalore has now learned that plague is a preventable disease, and that its bit ter experiences of the past could have been avoided if overcrowding had been checked and kept under proper control. Younger cities may learn valuable les- sons from these experiences. Cities are going to expand more rapidly in the fu- ture than in the past, and if nature’s laws are strictly observed, a healthier race of city population will come into being. The Indian Method of Disposal of the Dead: At the Left is Shown the Manner of Carrying the Corpse to the Hindu Cemetery. Upon Its Arrival There, It is Laid on the Funeral Pyre. To the Right, the Pile of Wood has been Set on Fire

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eas 10 POPULAR PUNCH PRESS OPERATIVE BY FOOT OR POWER A small punch press that, by changing the position of a bolt with a screwdriver, Combination Punch Press: By Changing the Position of the Bolt with the Slotted Head, the Press can be Operated Either by Foot or by Power can be converted into either a foot or power press, has recently been placed on the market. It has an actuating mechan- ism of the pendulum type, and when op- erated as a foot press, the bolt is posi- tioned so as to put this in connection with a swinging foot lever. By changing the position of the bolt, the pendulum is put into operating connection with the belt-driven flywheel, which is 12 inches in diameter. The stroke of the press is l inch, and the ram can be vertically ad- SELF-ALINING AND CENTERING INSIDE MICROMETER GAUGE Specially designed for gauging automo- bile cylinders quickly and accurately, a Self-Alining and Centering Inside Micrometer Gauge being Used to Measure the Bore of a Cylinder: The Small Setscrew Is for Locking It before Removal self-alining and centering micrometer and height gauge consists of a micrometer body that has a sliding fit in the bushing MECHANICS of an alining base. This base is so con- structed that it can be moved along the cylinder wall by means of a wire handle, and a downward pressure on this accu rately centers the tool. The spindle of the micrometer is then screwed out until it touches the opposite wall of the cylin der, giving the exact diameter on the thimble, which is graduated in thou sandths of an inch. COMBINED LOCK AND ALARM HAS BELL AND LIGHT Protection against burglars or other prowlers is provided by a combined lock and alarm in which are incorporated wit ing connections tor an electric bell and light. The lamp and gong may be mounted a considerable distance from the lock, and the wires extended to them. When any one inserts a key into the lock or other wise tampers with the bolt after the alarm has been set, current supplied from Combined Lock and Alarm, Showing the Batteries on the Left, the Alarms with Selective Switch in the Center, and Lock at the Right a bank of batteries immediately causes the bell to ring or the lamp to light. COLLAR SAVES SUCKLING PIGS FROM SUFFOCATION BY SOW A collar, in connection with a body band studded with pointed steel bosses, has been de- vised for strapping onto the body of a suckling pig to prevent it from being smothered by the sow. The points prick the sow if she lies on the young pig, causing her to re- lease it.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 11 Hydraulic Testing Machine for Large Welded-Steel Pipes, Built in England, Where These Pipes Are in Exten- sive Use in Water Mains: The Pipe Shown under Test Is 16 Feet 6 Inches Long, 48 Inches in Diameter, % Inch Thick, and is being Tested at a Pressure of 260 Pounds per Square Inch HYDRAULIC TESTING MACHINE FOR WELDED-STEEL PIPES \s welded-steel water mains are com- ng into extended use in England, a hy- draulic machine has been specially de- signed there for testing the pipes of which such mains are composed. The pipe sec- tions are of exceptionally large diameter and length, and the testing machine will admit a pipe up to 6 feet in diameter with a length of 25 feet, and will apply a pres- sure on the pipe up to 300 pounds per square inch. The machine is composed of two large triangular heads built of riv- eted plates, and stiffened so that they are exceedingly strong. The heads are tied together by three large square bars that have recesses along their entire lengths for holding stop blocks by which the ma- chines can be adjusted for various lengths of pipe. The pressure is applied hydrau- lically, sometimes subjecting the heads to a thrust of nearly 400 tons. COMBINING POTATO DIGGING AND LOADING IMPLEMENTS In potato harvesting, by connecting a loader to the rear of a digger, both being hauled by a tractor, the potatoes can be dug and loaded simultaneously into a horse-drawn wagon moving alongside the combination. One of the two potato ele- vators of the loader is arranged to dump the potatoes into the wagon. These ele- vators are constructed with separated steel slats so that any dirt left on the po- tatoes will fall to the ground. The eleva tors are driven by a system of sprockets and chains in connection with the wheels of the loader. Combined Potato Digger and Loader Drawn by a Tractor and So Arranged That the Potatoes can be Dug and Loaded Simultaneously into an Accompanying Wagon: This Combination, Moving at a Speed of Three Miles an Hour, can Dig and Load Approximately 800 Bushels in a 10-Hour Day

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POPULAR MECHANICS 13 FRENCH QUADRUPLANE HAS ORIGINAL FEATURES A new type of giant flying boat, now under test in France, preliminary to its use in an already partly established pas- senger service over the Mediterranean, embodies many radical features of design. The V-bottomed hull is designed for rough seas and is completely separate from the cabin which seats 20 passengers. rhe four alternately staggered wings, each fitted with ailerons and having a vidth of only 6 feet 10 inches to a span MACHINE TRIMS AND \new machine issaidto §& have a capacity of trim- ming and pasting a roll of wallpaper in three minutes. A roll of paper is mounted underneath the table and near one end of the machine, and the paper which is fed from it under a guide roller to the top side of a paste roller. It is then led around another and larger roller, where the surplus paste is wiped off by a brush, and the selvage trimmed off by a revolving cut- ter. The paper is finally drawn back over the table and cut. passes Portable Air-Compressor Unit Driven by a Gasoline Engine, Ar- in three ranged to Give a Power Impulse to Each Compres- sion Stroke « he Compressor of 69 feet, are also unusual. The double seat for the pilots, located in the forward end of the fuselage, is accessible from the cabin and is provided with twin controls. There is also a signaling system to the engine room, similar to that on board steamships. The total weight of the air- ship is slightly over 10 tons and it is pow- ered with four 250-horsepower engines arranged in two groups, connected to the two prope lers. PASTES WALLPAPER FSET CLR ~ kermene New Machine Which Trims the Selvage with a Revolving Cutter, Applies the Paste, and Wipes the Surplus from the Pulled through the Rollers: Wallpaper as the Sheet is It is Said to Have a Capacity of One Roll of Wallpaper in Three Minutes PORTABLE COMPRESSOR OF UNUSUAL DESIGN A portable air compressor that is of different design from the or dinary units for similar service provides gas-engine cylin ders direct-connected to each compressor cylinder, arranged to give a power impulse to each compression stroke of the com pressor. The crank arrangement enables the maximum mean ef fective pressure of the engine to be applied against the heaviest part of the air-compression stroke, and the absence of gears or other transmission devices re frictional losses to a mini- These units are supplied for differ- two duces mum 31zeS, suitable capacities.

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14 POPULAR MECHANICS NOVEL MEANS USED TO RECOVER BODIES FROM WELL A fine example of resourcefulness was given in the recovery of the bodies of two men _ asphyxi- coasts. tively toward the American and European The American larve reach their destination in one year, whereas it takes the European species three years to com- plete their migration. In each case, the larve require ated at the bot- tom of a 60- foot well, which accidentally filled with gas while being sunk. One of the men was overcome, and dropped from a rope into the well when he went to inves- tigate the dis- appearance of the other. A threshing - ma- chine blower with an auto- mobile engine as motive pow- er, was then rigged up to clear the well of gas, after which ropes were lowered and the bodies were brought to the surface. STRENUOUS LIFE OF THE EEL IS AN IN- TERESTING STORY There is a slight differ- ence between American and European eels, but the in- teresting story of their cu- rious lives seems to be about the same. These ap- parently sluggish creatures go through the most strenu- ous experiences imaginable, at least in their youth. The larve of both the American and the European eel are born in the spring at the bottom of the Atlantic, at a depth of about 1,000 feet, on a limited tract about 500 miles northeast of the Lee- ward Islands, approximately 2,500 miles southwest of England and, of course, very much nearer to any part of the American coast. During the first summer of their lives, the larve move about 10 This Illustrates How a Thresh- ing-Machine Blower, Driven by an Automobile Engine,“was Used to Purge a Gas-Filled Well from Which It was Desired to Re- move the Bodies of Two Men Asphyxiated There months to de- velop into young eels, or “elvers,” and to prepare to make their way, as they do at the end of that time, up the rivers to the most remote inland pools. An extraordi nary feature about these migrations is that, though the larve of the two species breed on the same spot, and are actually sometimes taken in the same net, no American larva ever starts for Europe, and no European for America. The American species com- pletes its larval stage, when it must get into fresh wa- ter, in about one year, and if it started for Europe it would still be in the middle of the Atlantic when this condition is reached. If the Isuropean species went to America it would have t float about the coast fo: two years. By some mar velous instinct each species unerringly goes in the right direction. In both cases. after their arrival in inland fresh water, they remain there until they become ma ture, at about the age of! six years, when they return seaward in winter, traveling about 10 miles nightly, anti they reach their old breed- ing grounds, where, in thei: turn, they propagate new larve, and where they re- main for the rest of their lives. These curious facts have been: ascertained by Dr. Johannes Schmidt, a Danish zodlogist. after years of investigation. up toward the surface, and in their sec- ond summer they start to migrate respec-

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POPULAR MECHANICS TRAVELING DREDGE OPERATES FROM BANKS OF CANALS HE most recent development in methods of keeping irrigation ditches and canals clear of the silt, is the use of a type of dredge that operates from the banks of the canals. A pair of endless chains with dredg- ing buckets, such as are used on excavators, is mounted on a saddlelike support that hangs over the canal bank and reaches below the surface of the water. In connection with this, on the bank side, are two wheels, one in front for steering, and another in the rear which is the traction wheel. A third wheel is on the end of a heavy axle that reaches the opposite bank in narrow canals, or is supported on a barge in wider ones DRAWING ROOM INCORPORATED IN MOTOR BUS RAWING ROOM seats are a feature of one of the latest motor busses to be placed in service in Chicago as shown in the accompanying picture. The passenger capacity of the vehicle is 25 persons, of which 13 may ride out in the open air at the front, the remaining 12 occupying the richly upholstered drawing room at the rear. The front seats extend across the car, facing forward, while the seats in the closed compartment are arranged so that the occupants face each other. Around the edge of the drawing-room roof is a guard rail which provides a convenient place to carry the passengers’ baggage.

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— “MAJESTIC” NOSED TO A PIER BY EIGHTEEN TUGS N a recent occasion, because of exceptionally high wind and tide, 18 tugs were required to nose the ‘‘Majestic,” the largest ship afloat, into its berth on the North River, in New York City. Nine tugs were lined up on each side of the huge vessel. With large fenders on their bows, they gradually brought the ‘“‘Majestic’”’ alongside the pier. 16

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POPULAR Massachusetts: The World’s Largest Steamship, the “Majestic,” Shown py | the World’s Largest Drydock at The Vessel Remained in the Dock for a MECHANICS Boston, ew Days Undergoing Repairs. The Dock Is 244 Feet Longer and 49 Feet Wider than the Largest Ship Afloat WORLD’S LARGEST STEAMSHIP DRYDOCKED AT BOSTON The White Star liner “Majestic,” the orld’s largest steamship, was recently laced for repairs in the world’s largest lrydock, at Boston, Mass. This dock, hich is 1,200 feet long, 149 feet wide, and 15 feet deep, and is one of a number of iter-front improvements that has added creatly to shipping facilities, as completed during the war, and sold to the government in 1919. At the time he “Majestic” was docked in it, it was upposed to be the only drydock in the vorld large enough to accommodate this vessel. This aroused some contro ersy in England, and the Mersey Docks nd Harbor Board pointed out the fact that they had a dock, known as the Glad- tone Graving Dock, which is 1,050 feet long, 155 feet wide, and 46 feet deep, be ing, therefore, quite capable of accommo lating vessels even larger than the “Ma- lestic.” There is in this country also an- ther dock, at Portsmouth, N. H., which ould accommodate the “Majestic,” be- ing 1,022 feet long, and proportionately vide and deep. Boston's PLIABLE-STEEL PAPER CLASP IS USEFUL IN OFFICES Made of thin flexible steel, a narrow band clasp, 61% inches long, holds a file of correspondence of from 2 to 100 sheets for handy reference, keeps the contents of a brief case separate, is useful for holding papers on desk pads, or on the paper holders of computing machines, and is convenient in many other ways. It Flexible-Steel Paper Clasp, 6% Inches Long, That will Hold a File of Correspondence of from 2 to 100 Sheets, When Slipped In as Shown Above takes the place of rubber bands and pa per weights, and can be easily slipped over any bundle of papers up to 1 inch in thickness.

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_MUSHING WITH BEARS IN a b ahd mguypyl ALASKA | By STRATFORD F. CORBETT N Alaska they are talking of what may materialize into one of the most in- teresting experiments ever attempted in the north country: The Alaskan fur trader would train the polar bear to pull his sledge! It was the representative of a large fur company who first conceived the scheme. Mushing along the northernmost rim of the continent in search of furs, he was surprised to come upon an Eskimo boy with a small sledge pulled by two polar cubs. Both bears had been in harness for some time, were fairly well broken, and showed no signs of viciousness or stubbornness. While the Eskimo is, by necessity, too busy with hunting and fishing to attempt training the bear in a serious way, the manager of the fur company referred to sees actual possibilities in the idea for his kind of work. Polar bears—naturally swift, capable of running long distances without tiring, and strong enough to pull heavy loads—would make the most pow- erful sledge teams in the Arctic. Two of the species might easily pull a load that dogs could not budge, and, with six of them in harness, furs or other commodi- ties could be transported in loads now unthinkable. In selecting the team care would have to be exercised in eliminating animals showing predisposition to temper. It is conceded by zoodlogists that there is as much difference in the dispositions and 18 tendencies of animals of the same species as there is between humans of the same race. For example, two bears may be captured together, may be members of the same family, yet one will show signs of friendliness, a willingness to adapt itself to its new surroundings, while the other will be unruly, unmanageable, and therefore, entirely unsuitable for training. It would be folly, of course, to waste time on an animal of bad character. There should be little trouble with a team, well-trained—and there is much to be gained, not only in heavier loads but in speed. While the Eskimo dog usually averages anywhere from 20 to 40 miles per day the bear under the same condi- tions is capable of doing 100 miles o: more. Even Perry, who, if anyone, knew how to get the best from his dogs, never expected to make more than 50 miles a day consistently.” The polar bear can travel twice that distance and do it day in and day out. On the march, large quantities of food, seal, fish, and birds, would have to be carried for the team—a much larger quantity than the dogs would consume but even allowing for this extra weight, the bear would be a far better transport animal than the best of dogs. This one fact is a great advantage, and it may be that what is now a sport in a small section of Alaska will in time be come a common practice all through the Arctic.

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YQ - atin ae Se — nk ~~ Wy) | r) if if \ a iy) as) bs lier me // | ; pareulll “iy 4 KS \ hye distances without tiring, the bears would make the most powerful sledge teams in the Arctic.” ! A \ } ‘ ’ | ; _— —— i ‘ | ’ — - - if) } j i ‘ VA \ SSS

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20 POPULAR HUGE OIL TANK SET ON FIRE BY ELECTRIC DRILL A burning oil tank of 50,000-barrel ca- pacity, near Whittier, Calif., recently attracted a curious throng of onlookers. The oil was ignited by sparks from an electric drill which workmen were oper- ating near the top of the tank for the purpose of installing a gauge. Flames and dense black smoke immediately rose into the still air for a distance of 600 feet, in a huge column, and then spread out like a mam- moth fan over the heads of the spectators. Efforts to quench the fierce blaze proved unavail- ing, and the picturesque fire continued until the contents of the tank, esti- mated to be worth $100,000, were destroyed. @ Anew marine life belt, resem- bling the old form of body belt, but with buoyancy suff- cient to support five or six persons cling- ing to life lines attached to it, has been demonstrated in France. Rose in a Column over the Huge Oil Tank Which was Set on Fire by Sparks from an Electric Drill, Showing How the Dense Clouds of Black Smoke Heads of the Spectators before Spreading Out in the Shape of a Large Fan MECHANICS PLAYING TIME IS INCREASED ON PHONOGRAPH RECORDS By controlling the speed of a revolving phonograph record, an English inventor gets 20 minutes of music on one side of a 12-inch record, instead of the usual four minutes or thereabouts. When the record disk revolves at a uniform angular speed, as at present, the outer groove of the record moves more swiftly than any other groove that is nearer to the center. Thus, although the outer groove is about four times as long as the inner one, it can con tain no more music, making necessary a va riation in the recording speed. In the new method, the recording speed is made constant, and by correspond- ingly control- ling the speed of the record, the impression upon it of a very much greater number of sound vibra- tions is made possible. When being played, the record revolves slowly at the start, and then gradually speeds up. RESULTS OF EXPLORATIONS MADE IN COLORADO In Mesa Verde National Park, Colo- rado, explorers from the Smithsonian In- stitution recently unearthed a new pre- historic ruin, to which the name of “Pipe Shrine House” was given because over a dozen clay tobacco pipes were found in the shrine, where they had been thrown down centuries ago during ceremonial rites. The pipes were in a circular pit, 20 feet deep and about the same in diam- eter, that was in the middle of a rectan- gular building, about 75 feet square and one story high, with a circular tower 15 to 20 feet high. In a cemetery near this house one of the skeletons was left with- out moving a single bone, and an inclo- sure was built around it on which a wa terproof covering was placed, through which a visitor can observe the skeleton, with the food bowls and other relics, just as they were left over 500 years ago. This is the first time, it is said, a relic has been so preserved. '

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POPULAR CHURCH FURNISHES STONE FOR AUTOMOBILE ROAD [he complaint is often heard nowadays it churches and automobiles are mat- ers of conflicting interest. But such a ymplaint cannot be made at Naperville, carried out at Bombay, India. of a great inclosing sea wall, four miles MECHANICS vi EXTENDING BOMBAY, INDIA, BY RECLAMATION WORK Extensive work is being sy means reclamation long, 1,145 acres of Back Bay for the Church of ints Peter and Paul has tually furnished part of e stone ballast for the mecrete automobile road ; etween Aurora and Chi- ro. This was, however, ot a spontaneous gift on J part of the church, r it was due to a fire ch gutted the church ort time ago, and left er Ledieee ei, é Top: Church at Naperville, Illinois, the Fire-Gutted Walls of Which Furnished Ballast for an Automobile Road. Above: Crusher Break- ing Up the Stone Walls of the Church. Right: Temporary Belfry Where Chimes are Hung Until New Church is Completed only the walls and part of the beliry willbe reclaimed. The estimated quantities tanding. of material required for this wall in cubic \s the church was built of limestone’ feet are: rubble, 9,223,280; heavy pitch- ith a facing of concrete, it was bought ing stone, 3,465,500, and concrete, 3,694,- vy the contractors for the ballast it 690. An additional work of smaller im ould make. Limestone often bursts portance is another reclamation of some vith explosive violence, as is well known 132 acres. The estimated total cost of by campers, who avoid using it in or near these enterprises, less interest during the camp fire, and the walls of the church six years required for completion, is ere badly cracked, though not show £583,333. The reclamation will have a ng from the outside. During the fire system of wide roads and a well-planned he bursting limestone could be heard © street-railway service, all laid out so as to \ quite a distance. The church will be provide for a future subway system, rebuilt as soon as. possible, and in the which will eventually be necessary. Along chimes belfry eantime the In a temporary hung where have been near by, they ring out a reminder of the hours of worship. the sea front will be a promenade at least 40 feet wide. At the southern end of the reclamation, there will be a military reser- vation of about 265 acres.

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22 POPULAR THREE TUBES WORK AS SIX IN “REFLEX” RADIO SET Three vacuum tubes do the work for- merly allotted to six, in a compact radio- receiving set displayed by an eastern manufacturer of wireless apparatus at the recent Boston radio show. The set provides three stages of radio- frequency amplification and two stages of audio-frequency amplification. The cir- cuit is arranged in such a manner that after the radio frequency of the incoming wireless waves has been ampli- fied three times by the vacuum tubes,the waves are passed back through two of the tubes for further amplifi- cation at audio frequency. The circuit used in passing back the waves through the samie tubes is termed a“reflex circuit,’ and the set a reflex re- ceiving set. The manufacturer of the set claims that it is even more efficient than a set providing six tubes, each one used for a separate amplification, while the user of the set saves the cost of additional tubes and the space that would be needed for the amplifying unit containing the tubes. The entire set, with the exception of Left: Collapsed Loop Antenna of the “Reflex” Radio-Receiving Set, Together with the Metal Plate Which is Used to Hold the Loop Rigid When It is Opened. Readiness for the Reception of Broadcasting MECHANICS batteries and the antenna, is housed in box approximately 8 by 8 by 6 inche and weighs only 8 pounds. It is state that it has a reception range of 1,000 mile with its tiny indoor loop antenna. The range can be enlarged through the use « an outdoor antenna, connections fo: which are provided on the face of the box The set is controlled by a single tunin; knob, allowing the novice to operate it efficiently. The indoor loop antenna used with the set is collapsi ble and very simple in con struction. Six teen strands of fine wire form the loop, and when set up i is only 2 feet high and 2 feet wide. Its base rests in a socket in the recei\ ing set and the operator Ca! swing it around easily with one hand. The fou: arms of the antenna, whet in use, are held rigidly in ex tended position by means of a Square metal plate at the crossing point of the arms, to which it is fastened by thumbscrews When it is desired to take down the an tenna, these screws can be quickly re moved with the fingers and the antenna arms closed up, in much the same man ner as an umbrella, into a compact bundle. Right: Set Shown Erected in ) > Above: Exposure Meter | for Setting Camera to Different Lighting Condi- tions and Shutter Open- ing. Left: Exposure Meter in Use EXPOSURE METER SIMPLIFIES PHOTOGRAPHY A handy exposure meter has just been brought out that shows the operator how to set his camera to obtain properly ex posed pictures under the existing light conditions. It consists of a metallic scale with a slide and five circular windows of graduated degrees of transparency. The object to be photographed is first viewed from the most transparent window, and then the slide is moved to the other win dows until the one is reached through which the object is just dimly visible. The correct shutter speed and diaphragm opening will be indicated on the chart

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POPULAR MECHANICS 2% ’ NAVAL AIRPLANES TESTED AT DETROIT AIR MEET [he Curtiss marine flying trophy race the same rating. The race was won by . + the recent air derby held at De- the “TR-1,” piloted by Lieut. A. W. Gor- eC oit, offered a welcome opportunity to ton, U. S. N., at an average speed of try out a number of small planes designed by the ireau of Aeronautics of , e U. S. Navy and in- t ended to be carried on ard ships from which E ey would operate. , fhe object was to de- elop a small and com- ict plane, easily taken lown and assembled ard ship, that would ive efficient flying char- . teristics. To that end | wires and turnbuckles n the wind bracing were eliminated, and the fuel nk was located in the . ver wing, so that it é could be dropped over- Small Compact Biplane Recently Developed by the United States Navy: ; It is Adapted for Alighti n Water, or Fitted with Landi Gea ird by a quick release , eee Se ay eee ee ee, : - n case of fire by an incendiary bullet. 112.65 miles an hour over the total dis- \nother feature was the provision of in- tance of 160 miles, which consisted of changeable landing gear for either eight laps around a closed circuit of 20 1d or water, according to the service miles. Out of a field of eight that started, quired. Aside from these points com- only one other contestant finished, owing non to all, the planes also were all made to a series of unfortunate accidents. ith a wing spread of 25 feet and a length While all of the engines mentioned 24 feet 7 inches, but the TR-type dif- were developed at the request of the fered from the TS-type in that planes of Navy Department to meet the require- that designation were fitted with special ments of this particular type of air craft, cing wings. it is exceptionally gratifying to our aero- In order to obtain information on nautical engineers that the winner car- ried a power plant repre- senting the arst success- ful American air-cooled airplane engine. A satis- factory engine of this type is particularly im- portant in naval planes because of the reduced weight and the absence of the :adiator which is so vulnerable to machine- gun fire. wae @An electrical transmis sion line, consisting of three 600-foot spans of steel-core aluminum ca- ble on four 65-foot steel towers, was recently erected at Purdue Uni- versity for experimental planes of the same type with different purposes. On the 40-foot crossarms are i engines, two were equipped with radial 15-unit insulators, hung so that they may air-cooled 220-horsepower engines, and be moved freely without taking down the two with water-cooled engines of about cables. " New Shipboard Type of Airplane Equipped with Pontoons for Water : Service: Power is Furnished by an American Radial Air-Cooled Motor

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ee ae MAKING MOTION PICTURES AT THE SUMMIT OF MOUNT HOOD By MEL WHARTON HE difficulties of mountain scaling in the Pacific Northwest are stupendous under any conditions, but filming dra- matic action on the slopes of ice-cre- vassed, wind-torn, and snow-swept peaks for the purpose of educating the world to the mountain climbs and snow sports in our own United States, presents obstacles which only those stanch of heart and firm of muscle dare undertake. A complete troupe of actors and tech- nical men, 15 in all, after 14 hours of fa- tiguing toil, recently reached the summit of Mt. Hood—a hazardous ascent with- out the impediment of motion-picture cameras and equipment. The expedition was the first in history to film dramatic action on the summit of a major snow- capped mountain. One woman, Miss Irene Marvin, leading lady, made the as- cent. She is the first of her sex to defy the northeast slope of Mt. Hood, stay all night on top, and descend the opposite side. The party arose at midnight, and at one o'clock, with flashlights and lanterns flickering against the foliage of the tim- ber line, started upon the perilous climb. Before the first shafts of light illuminated the crest of Old Hood, they had reached the edge of the ice field which marks the beginning of the actual climb. After a short wait to rest pack-tired shoulders, the members slid into the loops of a life line and started the ascent. Stops were made to take movies of the troupe in action on the mountainsiue. Miss Marvin was thrown down a cre- vasse, for a “thriller’—into the waiting meshes of a life net, to be sure, but never- theless a nerve-trying ordeal because the ice is never to be trusted, and an insecure net means a catastrophe. The theater- going public feeds upon excitement, and the weaving of America’s scenery into a story with red-blooded plot “puts over” the idea to be conveyed. Early in the afternoon the expedition arrived at the end of the ice field, in which more than 5,000 steps were cut to insure footing for the heavily loaded movie car- avan. Ice picks and alpenstocks were discarded because they are useless on the last thousand feet of sheer climb known as the “final ascent.” The angle of in- clination here is 80 degrees—so abrupt that, in places, strips of rope were hung over the edge of rocks to afford hand- holds. The warm sun, which melted sup- porting layers of ice under overhanging 24 rocks, sent thousands of bowlders of vary- ing sizes—from a thumb to a bungalow— down the slope at awful speed. sy crouching under overhanging ledges, death was cheated numerous times while thundering masses of rock poured over- head like black waterfalls. To increase the difficulties of the climb, a snow and sleet storm raged as the expe- dition reached the top at three o’clock in the afternoon. Every person was fatigued and famished. Food packs had been left at the foot of the ice field, it being thought certain the descent could be made without difficulty. Within a few minutes after the top was reached, the summit and slopes of Mt. Hood were in- cased in a thick ice blanket, rendering re- turn out of the question. Through a blizzard that lasted the en- tire night, and a windstorm that attained a velocity of 50 miles an hour, the party of 15 huddled together, watching shafts of lightning play hide and seek overhead. A tedious and wearying night at last shaded into a lighter though violent dawn. That the climb to the summit might not be for naught, the actors performed their roles in the raging tempest and recorded a film which is unusual. A consultation and investigation of the northeast slope revealed the impracticabil ity of descent that way, and it was deter- mined to go down the easier south side. Fatigued and weak from hunger, the troupe marched into the teeth of the storm down the mountain, and in the middle of the afternoon reached a govern ment camp, where food and shelter were obtained. ._The record of the trip in pic- tures was perfect, and the hardships of the journey were requited by the fact that a true message had been registered to in- form the world that in America are to be found year-round snow and mountain sports the equal of any. WIDEN OLD HIGHWAY BRIDGES IN PENNSYLVANIA The widening of over 1,800 old highway bridges, that are less than 16 feet wide, is to be begun next season by the State Highway Department of Pennsylvania. Most of these bridges, some of which are 100 years old, are too narrow to allow the passing of two trucks 90 inches wide, that are permitted to operate under the state law. The new bridges will be at least 24 feet wide.

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Movie-Production Party Climbing Mount Hood on the Scenic America Expedition: Insert Shows the Making of a “Thriller,” in Which the Leading Lady of the Troupe is Thrown into a Crevasse OPYRIGHT, FRED H, KISER

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26 POPULAR LAYING STREET-CAR RAILS 420 FEET LONG Rails, 420 feet long, were recently laid at This unusual length on one of the street-railway Washington, D. C.

Rails, 420 Feet Long, Made by Welding Together They were Laid as Units Standard Lengths: : of rail was put down during a time when the car tracks were being relaid and, order to avoid interruption to traffic, sev- eral standard rail lengths were together during the day. In hours of the early morning the track replaced the old rails with the new units. Plug-type renewable

i STANDARD i) LAMP BASE 7] a wa FUSE ELEMENT FIBER WASHERS “CENTER CONTACT

At the Left Is a Sectional View of the Plug-Type fuses, having dicating or pilot lamps, are a protection against annoying delays when using elec- ranges, tric irons, washing machines, 5 - ya PILOT LAMD / .< FIBER SLEEVE = BOBBITT

welded dull gang PLUG-TYPE RENEWABLE FUSE HAS INDICATING LAMP Renewable Fuse Which Contains an Indicating Lamp. Right:

General View of Fuse in in- MECHANICS vacuum cleaners, and similar household appliances. The fuse is designed to fit in any standard distribution panel or fuse block. When a fuse “blows,” its lamp lights, showing instantly just where the trouble lies. Any novice may then un- screw the pilot lamp, insert a new fuse wire, of which a supply is wrapped on a bobbin at the side of each fuse, replace the lamp, and thus quickly restore the interrupted power. COTTON-FABRIC BELTING MADE BY CHEMICAL PROCESS By means of a new chemical treatment cotton fabric is made suitable material for the manufacture of such products as belt- ing, conveyors, trunks, and shoes. Accord- ing to this method as many sheets of cot- ton cloth as are desired to be formed to- gether, are passed through highly con- centrated sulphuric acid, at such a rate that the cotton is kept in the acid only a predetermined length of time. This causes the surface of the cotton to be- come partly jellified, and while in this

Piece of Six-Ply Material Made from Chemically Treated Cotton Fabric, That Is Suitable for Shoes, Trunks, Belting, and the Like state, the sheets are squeezed together between heavy rolls which also wring out the acid. The fabric is next passed through a water bath to which neutraliz- ing agents have been added to stop the action of any remaining acid.

MACHINERY RAPIDLY REMOVED AND INSTANTLY INSTALLED A remarkable instance of what can be done by systematic preparation occurred recently in moving machinery from one automobile plant to another several miles away. A group of cylinder-block machines were kept running in their old location until the truck backed up to move them. Then the machinists checked out, and took street cars to the new location. The car lines were somewhat tortuous but, even so, the men were surprised when they reached their destination to find their machines already installed, with everything ready for setting up a piece of work and starting operations.

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MINE CAR STOPS ON GRADE IF HOIST ROPE BREAKS NEW type of safety mine car has I% been designed that operates on in- lined planes. Tests have shown that, vhen loaded with from 2,000 to 6,000 pounds of timber and turned over an incline without the hoisting rope, it will stop after running about 30 feet, and By GEORGE F. PAUL either direction, but the moment this limit is passed, whether through the breaking of the hoisting cable, failure of the hoisting machinery, lack of attention on the part of the engineer controlling the hoist, or any other cause, the car will be brought to rest. The sheave wheel is a steel casting, which, for the sake of greater safety, is = : Above: Safety Car near the Top of Incline, Stopped Automatically after Running 25 Feet with the Hoisting Rope Cut. Upper Left: Side View of Car with Hood Open, Showing | Details of Safety Device. Right: Car on Grade with Hoisting Rope Disconnected = ' also that, if the rope is cut while the car is proceeding up an incline, the car will not recede or back down more than 3 inches. The car is brought to rest by the appli- cation of brakes to sheaves that are so arranged as to take an effective hold on } cables placed within the tracks. The operation of the brakes is governed by the speed of the car. So long as the speed does not exceed that for which the governor is set, the car is free to move in equipped with a pawl and ratchet in ad- dition to the brake. The brake band is automatically actuated through a ernor of the fly-ball type. As typical of what the new car will do in use, may be cited the tests made with one of these cars on the plane of the Am- herst Coal Co., at Amherstdale, W. Va. The incline of this mine is 850 feet in length and of considerable steepness, varying from 25 degrees at the bottom to 38 degrees at the top. gov- - 27

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28 POPULAR MECHANICS The report of one of the state mine inspectors on these tests included the fol- lowing statements: “First a short rope hitching was made from the hoisting cable to the car. This was provided so that the rope could be readily severed. The car was _ hoisted about two-thirds of the way up the plane. at which point the rope was cut. The car traveled back down the hill not more than 3 inches. It contained two occu- pants, one of whom cut the line. It did not seem to make any appreciable move- ment when the rope was severed. “As a second test, men were stationed on the incline at approximately 100-foot intervals. The car was hoisted to the top of the plane, the hoisting rope was dis- connected, and with one man operating the hand brake the car descended the hill, stopped at the different points.and picked up the entire party, bringing them to the bottom of the plane. “The next demonstration was con- ducted entirely at the top of the hill. Two thousand three hundred pounds of dead weight was loaded onto the car; then it was turned loose over the knuckle. This was accomplished in the following manner: A short rope hitching was made as before, this being severed with a knife as the car came onto the steep grade. The car with its load started down the hill, but stopped automatically 25 ft. 7 in. from the top, at a point where the pitch was 35 degrees.” After these tests it was considered per- fectly safe to give the coal company per- mission to carry as many men in a car as it will accommodate. NONSINKABLE BARGE MADE OF BALSA WOOD A San Francisco man has con- structed a barge of balsa wood which is considerably lighter than cork although it has much greater structural strength than the latter. The balsa wood was ob- Top: Nonsinkable Barge Made of Balsa Wood Obtained from Life Preservers, Shown High and Dry on Land. Above: A View of the Completed Barge in the Water tained from life pre- servers which were fastened together and to drive the barge and to operate the winches. Addition- al buoyancy is pro- vided by 38 air tanks placed at va- rious points ] ] iat an throughout the barge. In the cen- ter of the deck a large hole is pro- Above: Close-Up of the Deck- house in the Center of Which the Two Engines are Located. Left: Hole in Deck through Which Grappling Chains are Operated vided for a winch-oper- ated grappling chain and irons, used in rais- the seams filled in with pitch. The barge, which is used mainly for salvage work, is 30 feet long, 14 feet Three smaller holes in the ing sunken objects. deck act as self-bailers for the barge. Individual gas- oline tanks for the engines are placed on the root of the deckhouse. wide, and draws 15 inches of water. Two 30-horsepower gasoline engines are used

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Waey vere oR I ae CCS ny ¢ \] 1} } 1] COMMENT 4nd REVIEW [These pages were printed November 27, 1922. IKE a prodigal son at the apex of his luxurious living, our legislators, city, county, state, and national, are appropriating billions of dollars yearly, some of it with apparent disregard as to the necessity of the appropriation, or at least its absolute necessity at the present time. It is easy for the army of reformers and advocates of the The almost countless improvements—both moral and physical—to Menace of offer endless and convincing argument why this thing, and that, —e : is fundamentally good. Few or none of them, in their competi- Taxation tion to get legislation favorable to their own pet idea, stop to f ct: S— consider where the money is coming from or how the already overburdened taxpayer is to provide the funds. Many of these objects are admittedly good in themselves, just as a favorite daughter may insist on fur coats and automobiles of a quality and quantity exceeding father’s ability to afford. The coats and cars are good in themselves beyond question, but how about father? Do our governments, city, state, and national, exist to serve the people, or do the people exist to serve the governments? If you have been so busy paying taxes you have failed to realize the giant growing up in our midst, it is worth while to ponder these figures: In fiscal year 1913-14 taxes were 6.4 per cent of all we earned. In fiscal year 1920-21 taxes were 13 per cent of all we earned. In calendar year 1921 taxes were one-sixth of our entire national income; and are still going strong. It is too early to determine the figures for 1922, but regardless of this appalling increase in so few years, congressmen are lugging in bills by the armsful for all sorts of excuses to spend millions upon millions on their favorite hobbies. We are not yet through scrappimg war material; we have pensions of the Civil War, Spanish-American War, and the recent war. There is the (at this writing) proposed bonus to soidiers who were uninjured; we have a big war debt and a billion yearly interest on ii, all in addition to endless accumulated appropriations of previous congresses to be renewed yearly, and the fast increasing expenses of the necessary departments of the government. At home our state legislators are building stadia and other structures at state universities; there is the natural increase in new buildimgs to care for the increasing number of blind and insane, the way- ward, and all the other state asylums. It would surely seem that we have reached the point where daughter should be content for a time with what she now has, and not add more furs and cars to father’s already crushing burden. The overbalance of centralized power, even centuries ago, caused the downfall of great and once powerful governments. Federal Judge James H. Wilkerson declared in a recent address that national encroachment on state rights presents a problem to this country as serious as was the issue of the Civil War. The Federal Government should not do for the people of a state what the state can and should do for itself. The steady and rapid invasion of the Government of those operations which properly belong to the states, and which, with perhaps a few unimportant excep- tions, are being sufficiently well done by the states, is simply appalling. Especially is this true in the so-called welfare activities of Federal aid to states. During the past 50 years the Federal payroll has grown until it now exceeds 500,000 officials and employes, or ten times what it was in 1870, while the population in the same period has increased to less than three times what it was then. The Roman Empire was wonderful and the most wealthy in the world at its height, but Spencer, in reviewing conditions during its decline, says, “So numerous were the receivers in comparison with the payers, and so enormous the weight of taxation, that the laborer broke down, the plains became deserts, and woods grew where the plow had been. It was impossible to number the officials who were rained upon every province and town, who each raised the valuation—as a proof of service done; and so the imposts went on increasing.” Judge E. H. Gary says: “Legislation represents the effort of human beings to promote moral, physical, and property rights and to promote general prosperity. There are two kinds of legislation, prohibitive and constructive. There is the third foolish kind: overlegislation, destructive and interfering. As to overlegislation, so S05 ft Sa 29

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aE AEE er OO tik Lae

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POPULAR MECHANICS

brilliantly discussed by Herbert Spencer, it has been the curse of nations, the cause of their downfall; it has interfered with liberty and human progress for as many years as we have records.” The greatest fallacy in this country today is that the taxes which come directly out of the “rich” only, are not in fact shared by every other man, woman, and child earning a living, or living without earning, in the entire country, regardless of how small that income may be. The more men the Government employs, the fewer there are left in a productive capacity. The less the production of any necessity, the greater its cost to the consumer. We do not think to fear the avalanche because it has never yet crushed us, nor the earthquake and cyclone which have never leveled our homes, nor the threat of ultimate taxation beyond endurance; for we have not quite reached the breaking point. The picture seems impossible, but, doubtless, the Romans in their day of prosperity also thought likewise. 1/0} ) Sie outspoken position taken by the investment bankers of the country during their recent national convention in regard to Government becoming its own manufacturer of supplies should receive a hearty response from the public. There are some things which require Federal administration. The Post | Office Department is one which all governments assume to them- Govern- selves, but any business man who has studied the proposition

ment in knows well enough that a corporation organized to handle, trans- ; port, and deliver the mails, would do so more efficiently in many Business ways, at less cost to the public, and still pay better salaries. id - ; Incidentally it would save the yearly appropriation of millions to make up the deficit in that department. The present proposal to establish government factories for the manufacture of supplies for the Army and Navy, is decidedly a step in the wrong direction, as viewed from all standpoints. Manufacturing firms and corporations as they exist, have in the past, and unquestionably will in future—if undisturbed—by reason of their active competi- tion, guarantee a larger, better, and more efficient production of government sup- are and at a vastly less cost to the taxpayers than can possibly occur in Federal actories. Railroads are not suspected of paying any more than they can help for their supplies, yet how few of the thousands of articles they buy are made by any rail- road. Car wheels furnish a ready example; the roads and car builders consume practically all the car wheels made, yet less than one per cent of all these wheels are manufactured by the users. The almost tragic demonstration of what the Government did, and particularly did not do, when it undertook to manage the railroad systems of the country, should suffice as an object lesson for at least a century. “The railroads,” to quote the opinion of one of the highest operating officials of a well-known major road, “will not recover their previous morale and state of trained efficiency in a quarter of a century.” During the course of each year there actually are few, if any, articles which are bought to use in stores, factories, and homes, either for ordinary or extraordinary requirements, which do not appear upon the vouchers of every good-sized railroad. The roads however realize they cannot make these things as cheaply, for the same quality, as the manufacturers who specialize in these multitudinous articles. It is only the Government which can afford (!) this waste, with a nation of taxpayers to stand the inevitable loss. Not only is the effort of the Government to go into the manufacturing business a vicious one, but it kills competition and equipment and organization to produce, so that when the emergency comes and vast supplies are wanted on the instant, the Government would find itself limited for a time to what its own factories could turn out. A few years ago, a successful business man offered to give whatever bonds the Government required to insure perfect performance; to save the annual appropria- tion to cover the deficiency; and to pay the Government the sum of $5,000,000 each year for the concession of handling the mails; and to do all this without increasing the rate of postage on any class of mail. Does anyone doubt that an organization of bankers could and would collect the income taxes at vastly less cost than the revenue department does now? If

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POPULAR MECHANICS 31

number of millions, they would either have to give up collections or increase the charge several times. Examples can be multiplied until all the pages of this magazine would scarcely contain the first chapter. One easily and quickly grasped is a comparison of the telephone in this country and abroad. Here we have 12.4 phones for every 100 people and these are managed by a big corporation, which provides the best tele- phone service in the world; and voluntarily improves it constantly. The average in Europe is only 1.2 phones to every 100 people. France, where the telephones belong to the government and are operated by its post-office depart- ment, has for two years imposed a penalty charge of 700 francs for each application for a new phone to be put in, for the express, and admitted, purpose of restricting the number of users—government inability to manage what had become—for it— an unwieldy function. Our Government, undoubtedly, would not do quite as badly, but even in the || earliest days of telephone exchanges here, it was never necessary for the little companies which were organized at the start, to impose such penalties, or even any at all, in order to hold back service and progress. i all the banks spent as much time as the Government takes to collect an equal

| In 1850, Herbert Spencer wrote: “A function to each organ, and each organ _ to its own function, is the law of all organization. To do its work well, an appa- | Yratus must possess special fitness for that work; and this implies unfitness for any | other work;” also, “In assuming any office besides its essential one, the state | [Federal government] begins to lose the power of fulfilling its essential one.” | Just now a lot of congressmen entirely without personal experience in the | management of any large operation, or even a small one, seem obsessed with the idea of committing the Government to managing all sorts of things which are | being satisfactorily managed by the states. While this opens doors to thousands | of political appointments, it would crush the public as direct or indirect taxpayers. | As a matter of economy and efficiency it would be better and cheaper to even subsidize private concerns—which of course is absolutely unnecessary—than to undertake to do such work itself. | With the exception of some secret process which it must guard, there is so very little in favor of the Government making supplies which private firms and | corporations can produce, that any step in that direction should be met with a storm of disapproval from one end of the country to the other. oo |B ae map the year 1921, it cost the railroads of this country $1,250,000 for acci- dents where automobiles and trains collided. In only a comparatively few cases were the railroads unquestionably to blame. The overwhelming majority were due to inexcusable carelessness on the part of the drivers

| of the automobiles. Railroad trains are large and noisy, they can The be seen and heard usually a considerable distance away. In most Tide states, certainly in all the densely settled ones, in addition to the regulation danger sign maintained by the railroads, there are Turns similar signs usually set several hundred feet from the crossing warning autoists to exercise caution in approaching the track.

At other points are gatemen; flashing red lights; warning bells. The engineer seldom fails to sound his whistle warning at a safe distance, and the locomotive bell rings. In spite of all these precautions grade-crossing accidents are multiplying rapidly, and the loss of life is appalling. People seem regardless of danger, or become so occupied in conversation they are unconscious of it. The chief of the accident-claim department of a very large road, told me of one such, which occurred recently. A long freight train was nearing a country highway, at not over 18 miles an hour, over a level track. It was a bright sunny day. The locomotive and several cars had already passed over the highway, when the conductor and one brakeman looking out the cupola window, saw an open car approaching at rapid speed and fully a half mile away. The highway was also level and there was nothing what- ever to obstruct the view from either automobile or train. The auto approached | without in the least slackening its speed, and struck the second freight car from the ee ee I ll EARN +

rear end of the train. The auto was a complete wreck, but its four male occupants escaped permanent injuries. Their explanation was they underestimated the length

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32 POPULAR MECHANICS ee ST and speed of the freight train and didn’t think it was worth while to slacken speed, | much less stop, as they expected to shoot across just behind the caboose. The railroads have borne without much complaint the burden of such accidents all these years, but the tremendous increase in the number of cars, and apparently, in the carelessness of their drivers, has reached a point where they may be expected to react. In other words, the worm is beginning to turn. We have evidence of this in a recent court decision, where a driver sued the Pennsylvania Railroad for damages to his car, which plainly resulted from his having carelessly run into a fast passenger train. The railroad sued the man for damage to its gates, which were proved to be down, and through which the car crashed because its driver failed to reduce his speed. The case is interesting as the first of its kind, and as the prospect is that other roads will likely follow the same course, it evidently behooves the driver of an auto to stop, look, and listen, and have his car under control before he decides to run down the cannon-ball flier or even a way freight. H. H. WINDSOR =} ANCIENT POTTERY METHODS STILL IN USE By D. C. RETSLOFF ONG before white men peopled Amer- ica the Cliff Dwellers,in what is now known as New Mexico and Arizona, Earthen Vessel in the Process of Manufacture, Show- ing How the Base is Molded Inside of a Mor- tar and the Top Shaped by Hand made pottery vessels from clay. Their art, by lessons and by word of mouth, has been handed down from generation to generation, and among the Mexicans and Indians of the southwestern part of the United States are found many expert pottery artists. Earthen vessels of all sizes are being made today in southern California, and the manufacturing proc- ess is largely the old-fashioned one. Both men and women do the work and display with pride the articles they create. “Ollas,” as most of the vessels are called, are used as receptacles to hold water, food, or grain, although it is not uncom- mon to see some highly decorated ones set aside as purely ornamental. Many of the common ollas have the favorite ovolo molding at both base and lip. Others are broad at the base and taper to a slender neck. If a colored design is put on an olla, the work must be executed with great rapidity. The clay absorbs the col- ors very quickly and if a line is inter- rupted, the joining is quite perceptible. The material is cheap, but the good workmanship of the artist makes the olla handsome and in some instances expen- sive as well. Frequently the clay is kneaded by barefooted workmen. After it has been properly worked up, the olla is shaped by hand. The final smoothing of both outside and inside is done with a piece of chamois wrapped around the workman’s index finger. A mortar, cast at the base of the olla, is used to shape the lower half, the upper part being built without any support whatsoever. Small ollas, however, are molded without any casts and are turned out in great num- bers by expert potters. After the molding is done, the vessels are left to dry in the sun for several days, and then baked in a kiln like common brick. “

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POPULAR MECHANICS 33 ee Asta. A al 6 MODERN ROAD-BUILDING EQUIPMENT ADOPTED BY SIAM ODERN road-building equipment has been adopted by the government of Siam as a consequence of a recently conducted campaign for the betterment of that country’s highways. The accompanying pic- ture shows one of the mammoth dry dredgers which have been put in operation lately. The King of Siam and members of his official family attended the elaborate dedication ceremonies. This dredging outfit will re- move approximately 250 cubic yards of earth in an hour and is operated by a gasoline engine. CORN LISTER PLANTS FOUR ROWS AT ONE TIME Planting, or listing, four rows of corn and so cheaply contrived, that other in- at one time, is achieved by a Kansas_ terested farmers could easily try it. farmer who has thus practically doubled his efficiency during the planting season. His ma- chine is a combination of. vo corn planters. Tak- ing the drivewheels from pair of these imple- ments, the farmer at- tached them to a hitch crossbar behind a small tractor. When the grain is placed in the ground, it is not crosschecked, s that the speed of the out- fit may be greatly in- creased over that at- tained by the customary — corn planter. The ar- Corn Lister Which Plants Four Rows at One Time: The Speed of This . ae ; : Machine, When Crosschecking is Eliminated, may be Greatly In- rangement 1S so simple, creased over That Obtained When Using an Ordinary Planter

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34 POPULAR MECHANICS ICE-HOUSE CONDENSER BUILT OF CREOSOTED TIMBER To avoid the costly upkeep of steel ice- house condensers, a New Jersey com- pany has built a condenser out of creo- Ice-House Condenser Built of Creosoted Timber: It Is 32 Feet Square at the Open Lattices of the Base, 78 Feet High, and 27 Feet Square at the Top soted timber. The structure is 32 feet square at the base, 78 feet high, and 27 feet square at the top. The wooden sides of the condenser are solid and substan- tial, with a tier of open latticework at the bottom, and an opening at the top, so that a current of fresh air rises con- tinuously through the condenser, helping to cool the water that flows from top to bottom of it, and is then forced to the ammonia condenser on the top floor of the ice house by a pump with a capacity of 1,000 gallons a minute. @ Nungesser, French flying ace in the late war, is reported to be building a large egg-shaped airplane, which experts de- clare will make 250 miles an hour. It will be a 700-horsepower monoplane with wings forming a forward-opening “V” with an angle of 120 degrees. TICKLESS CLOCK OPERATES ON NEW PRINCIPLE A clock that is tickless, because it operates without the usual lever, was one of the specimens recently exhibited by German scientist in demonstrating, before a group of scientists and other interested persons, a new form of energy trans formation. By this principle, which he discovered while studying the manner in which oscillating radio currents transmit energy to one another, energy of motion in one direction is converted directly into energy of motion in another direction and the waste energy such as occurs in reciprocating machinery is eliminated. It is said to promise many important results when applied to high- speed engines, air planes, the propulsion of ships, and other energy-utilizing devices. GAS-ENGINE PISTON VISE FOR USE IN GARAGES Intended specially for use in garages and repair shops, a gas-engine piston vise has been devised that can be adjusted to hold pistons of different sizes rigidly and in any position. The vise is of the circu lar type, and is clamped to the piston by means of an annular interior spring wit! an equal pressure on all parts of the pi ton. This spring is closed up by seeders with its handle a shaft that operates in U-shaped lateral extension of the clamp Flanged to one end of the clamp is square plate that is drilled for bolting to a workbench or any other support. The gow Vise oie a Ready for Inserting a_Pis- ton. The Vise is Then Clamped to the Piston by Turning the Handle at Left. Right: Machinist Using the Vise When Bolted to the Bench : nami clamp can be used on small pistons by inserting a smaller spring bushing in the clamping spring. ee

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Prima Donna and Members the Lights are Extinguished: n Black Stage Hangings, Both of Which Bring the Pearl Trimming Out in Clear Relief Shown at Their Note the Black Costumes of the Ballet, Respective Stati ys on the Stage Just Before the Performers, the PHOSPHORESCENT JEWELS FOR PEARL DANCE By H. A. LANE iF caertenes e ¢ r | ay l e Is ! mn donna 10 ballet girls ( ( leay pe ed , SCeGMme aS a “ to a p¢ irl o” re lered ry I this cene, the ive ingings iré lack ind the cos- es otf the ballet » of a black \s the co pletes tc’ (| Te- es into the wings r Oo the et ippear t pea he C4 vO | ( don then ears tor n en- \ d the lights Beautiful “Pages” of the Pearl Ballet, Who Carry the of Their Glowing Jewels Is Just as Startling i Ide ¢ euished L ive audience mazed { ‘ nothin 1 the blackn S ¢ ceé t the de ind f »" , the « tumes, the pe ir] standing out in clear re ef with i ereenish white 4 \ , a9 Saag gviow. Veither the taces nor the arms are visib stand in the dark ness, moving slight ly to and fro to heighten the effect When the encore finished, the light of the performers 1 i © as are switcned on ind Amazing Silhouette Picture Produced When the Lights are Extinguished, Leaving Only the Glowing Pearls Outlined against the Blackness of the Costumes and Stage Hangings: To Heighten the Effect, the Ballet Members Sway Slowly To and Fro, Causing the Phosphorescent Jewels to Undulate in the Darkness

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30 POPULAR the scenes some 45 minutes before this “pearl” number is put on, however, re- veals the caretaker of these costumes gingerly removing them from a specially designed trunk. The trunk is_ thickly padded with cotton to prevent damage to the pearl-trimmed dresses, which contain 250,000 pearls of various sizes and are in- sured for $100,000. After the gowns are removed from the trunk they are hung on the wall of the dressing room, and a bat- tery of powerful arc lamps is trained upon them. For 20 minutes they are subjected to the dazzling glare of the lamps, while the attendant painstakingly arranges and turns them so that each part will receive a full share of the illumination. \t the end of this period, the ballet girls appear and don the costumes. Then, with their eyes protected by black goggles, 1 hey, too, stand in the brilliant light, slowly turning round and round before the lamps, awaiting their cue to enter the Stage. In the meantime, the pearls on the gown of the prima donna must also be bathed in IECHANICS light, and this is accomplished by throw- ing spotlights upon her as she renders the song number. Thus, while the audience is listening to the song, it does not realize that the spotlights are, during those few minutes, being used for a double purpose. The bathing of the pearls in an intense light serves to revivify or invigorate a peculiar pastelike preparation with which they are filled, so that they will radiate a glow for approximately 15 minutes after being removed from the light. The paste, which is a combination of calcium sul- phide, calcium fluoride, barium sulphide, and other ingredients, is the product of a French inventor. The quarter million of paste-filled pearls were delivered in bulk to the producers of the show in this coun- try, who employed garment manufac- turers to string them upon linen cords, similar to fishline, and trim the costumes. While this phosphorescent product is not a discovery, the adaptation of it in this particular instance is a departure from ordinary uses, the presentation as a whole being a thing of charm and beauty. HOMEMADE CORN HARVESTER RUN BY ONE MAN A combination corn picker and tractor, that harvests and loads 10 wagons with corn in 10 hours, has been made by an ingenious farmer of the middle West, who built the machine from parts of automobiles and other equipment pur- chased from secondhand dealers. The harvester is surmounted by a large box into which the corn is hoisted from the wagon conveniently located and the con- tents emptied. The machine is of simple construction and is said to work smoothly and economically. One man can without difficulty operate the tractor and manipu- late the corn-harvester equipment. DREDGINGS FROM MOBILE BAY TO MAKE MOTOR HIGHWAY Dredgings from the navigating channel of Mobile Bay, in Alabama, are being de- This Homemade Combination Corn Picker and Tractor Harvests and Loads 10 Wagonloads of Corn in 10 Hours, and is Operated by One Man. It is Built from Parts of Automobiles and Various Other Equipment pickers by an elevator. When the box is filled, the machine is moved over to a posited along its east- ward side, with the in- tention of ultimately using the thus formed new land as the foundation for an automobile drive. The proposed highway will extend from Mobile to Fort Morgan, situ- ated at the mouth of the bay, and will have a length of 30 miles. An enormous amount of sand and mud is washed down from the Alabama river system every year. This is dredged out by the government, to main- tain the necessary 30-foot depth in the channel, in such quantities that suf- ficient material will soon be on hand to permit the beginning of the roadway. a ~enew

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| FILMING A BUFFALO STAMPEDE By FRED. A. HERR HEAVY redwood barricade, filled with sand and earth to offer greater istance to the onrushing horde cf buffaloes, was the means employed re- cently by a company of film folk to cause ind portray a wild-buffalo stampede. En- trenched behind it, with the cameras “4 heavy bar- ade filled th sand and th. . . was used se and portray ild-buffalo stam ede... . Even the blasé performers watched with open-mouthed are, it recalled to their memories how the sturdy pioneers had cncountered these ed man and the monarchs of the plains roamed gleaming over the top of the breastworks like the batteries on the banks of the lit tle Somme River in France, the motion- picture troupe witnessed one of the most pectacular scenes ever staged for the in dustry. A wild-eyed, bellowing, of buffaloes, enraged by a many journey over rough country roads, to be used in the filming of episodes from Emerson Hough’s.story “The Covered Wagon,” were stampeded past a battery of four cameras on Antelope Island, near Salt Lake City, Utah. The herd com- prised approximately 10,000 animals and charging mass miles’ is the last of the large herds surviving in America. This island, also known as 3uffalo Island, was leased by the motion- picture company for the filming of the picture. Many of the stunts were in the nature of the common events of a motion- picture life. But even the most star’s as the herd of buffaloes thundered by the stock addcened beasta wh the western la? d 4 open ] blasé performers W itched if awe, as the herd oft buttfaloes mouthed thundered by the memories how the sturdy stockade It recalled to their . pioneers had encountered these maddened beasts when the red man and the monarchs of the plains roamed the western land The barricade was 8 feet high, built in the form of a triangle, with the apex fac ing the direction from which the picture was to be taken. California redwood timbers, 10 inches thick, were driven into the ground in the manner of the old-time stockade. The interior was filled with sand and earth, to solidify the structure

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" od and lend more resistance should the ani- mals charge the stand. The rear was painted to resemble rocks. Atop was placed all the material used in the scene. A dozen actors, the directors, and the camera men Jikewise occupied seats on top of the barrier. From this were first filmed individual scenes. Small herds were driven up, and into them plunged the actors afoot or on horseback. To film the grand finale, all the animals on the island were rounded up and driven to a point several miles east of the platform. A small hill inter- vened, so that the stampeding herd could be filmed as it mounted the horizon with POPULAR MECHANICS manes flying, and charged full tilt down the hillside toward the stockade. Sitting in their assigned positions, the camera men and directors were eating lunch when the advance guard of the herd appeared on the hill to the east. The leaders of the herd swept over the top and charged in a surging mass straight for the stockade. From the barricade the cameras were in action, shooting the maddened herd as it tore onward, leaping and rearing. Charging forward, the herd seemed to make straight for the platform. A short distance beyond the stockade it veered to the left and disappeared over the brow of the distant hills. NEW GUARD FOR MOTORCYCLES CLAMPED UNDER ENGINE \ metal plate for motorcycles, which acts as a guard against pebbles picked up from the road by the front wheel and Above is Shown How the Metal Plate Curves under the Engine, Protecting It from Loose Pebbles. Below Is a Bottom View of the Guard, Showing Its Ample Width thrown backward, is one of the latest im- provements in this field. The device con- sists of a broad arch-shaped plate extend- ing beneath the motorcycle frame from the front footrest bar to the muffler. Clamped close to the frame, it protects engine and rider from stones, serves as a means of cliding over obstructions on the road sur- fate, and with the added weight tending to lower the center of gravity, makes bal- ancing less difficult. CAVALRY BOARD DEVELOPING PACK COOKING OUTFIT The U.S. Army Cavalry Board has been experimenting for several years to develop a suitable pack cooking outfit for troop ers, an article recommended as necessary by practically every officer who witnessed the disad vantages of individual cooking, when in the Mexican campaign the men were separated from their field ranges. Of a number of designs sub mitted, all have been dropped for one reason or another, after test, except the one receiving consid eration at present. It consists of two side loads for a packhorse each load containing a number of boilers, bake pans, and kitchen utensils, nested in two fire frame which can be hooked together to form a container for them. The outfit is simple and, ex cept for the fire frames, contains only articles already issued by the quartermaster corps. The weight will not exceed 200 pounds, including pack saddle or aparejo, to which the outfit can be lashed. report is tavorable, it is proposed to de- velop suitable hangers to avoid the neces sity of using lashings, which are an in convenient form of fastening. @A simple compound is reported to have been perfected that counteracts the effec tiveness of poison gas, and the French government has provided funds for the manufacture of 35,000 pounds of the chemical. It is now undergoing a field test, upon conclusion of which, if the bad — - ee RIT

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POPULAR MECHANICS 39 System of Parking Automobiles at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology: Readily from the Any Car can be Backed Out Spaces Outlined in White tor Them upon the Gravel of the Parking Yard. To the Right Is the Space Specially Reserved for Motorcycles with Their Sidecars ANY CAR EASILY REMOVABLE IN NEW PARKING SYSTEM \t the Massachusetts Institute of Tech- nology, at Cambridge, many of the stu- dents have automobiles, and a system of parking them has been evolved by which iny car can be driven away quickly at any time of the day. For each car a space is outlined in white upon the gravel of the yard reserved for parking. These lines are laid out at an angle so that a car can be backed out readily from its berth into the ample space that is left be- tween the rows of cars. A separate space is reserved for motorcycles. CHOCOLATE SAVED FROM HEAT BY AIR-INSULATED BOX For the purpose of packing chocolate so that it will resist high temperatures during shipment > > to tropical coun- _ tries, a container has been de- vised on the prin- ciple of the vacu- um bottle. Al- though ordinarily chocolate will melt, or at least become soft, at a temperature of 90°F., in these boxes it remains hard at as high as 120°. The boxes are rectangular and telescopic, similar. in construction to the baggage carriers once so universally known as “telescopes.” Inside the outer box is a similar one in both halves of the telescope, these smaller ones fitting to- gether in the same manner as the larger ones, and leaving a space, about %4 inch wide, between the two on all Air is a poor conductor of heat, and this air space all around the container forms a good enough insulation to keep the heat from reaching the chocolate. sides. SIMPLE “FOUNTAINS” BUILT ALONG CALIFORNIA ROAD Motorists over the recently completed Gaviota Pass road in California are de- lighted to find that the road _ builders paused for a moment at each natural spring they encountered along the road, took a few shovelfuls of concrete from the mixture they were laying for the road foundation, and fashioned a rude basin for the water from the spring. The water is cool and refreshing, and also furnishes a convenient source of supply when it is desired to refill the radiator. , pweorrr.. . One of the Crude Basins Built around Natural Springs along Gaviota Pass Road in California

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MONUMENTS IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE WORLD T'

Monument to John Howard Payne, Author of the Words of the Song “Home Sweet Home,” Erected by the Old Guard of At- lanta, upon the Site of the House of Chief Van, of the Cherokee Nation: Here Payne was Imprisoned on Suspicion of having In- cited the Indians to Revolt. , He was Found Not Guilty iN MEMORY OF . er ANE JOHN WL Ant ao £ sae one DAWSON 5 Sore rie 5 oem Sere Hate

~ ; FIRST SETTLERS | oe me - . ROVE 3 BLOOMING & . ~~ ue ERECTED 1922

—— Memorial to First Set- tlers of Blooming Grove, Illinois, Erected on Site of Its First Log Cabin —— Pad .)

Nps “se eae was te aor sa Ptgenieg grey

: COPYRIGHT, UNDERWOOD & UNDERWOOD Memorial to Eugene Field, Poet Beloved by Countless Children, Erected in Lincoln Park, Chicago: The Front Group Illustrates His Most Famous Character, “‘Little Boy Blue,” in the Land of Nod

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TO HEROES IN MILITARY AND CIVILIAN LIFE Plaster Cast of a Heroic Statue of a Canadian Sol- dier, Designed by a Noted Canadian Sculptor, and Sent to a Seattle Foundry to be Cast in Bronze: The Statue will be Erected in Vancouver, British Co- lumbia, in Honor of the Soldier Dead of the Dominion ——_—— — COPYRIGHT Monument to Missouri's Victims of the War, Erected at Cheppy France: The Figure, Cast in Bronze, Is the Work of Nancy C Hahn, of St. Louis, and is Placed on a 10-Foot Granite Pedestal, Bearing the State’s Coat of Arms as Its Only Inscription Statue of Pasteur, the Great Bacteriologist, Mounted upon the Beau- tiful Monument That was Erected in Paris for the Celebration of the Centennial of the Great Scientist's Birth, December 27, 1922: The Monument was Paid For by Public Subscription

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$2 POPULAR INSTRUMENT SETS THAT HELP IN RULING AND LETTERING Neatly packed in a small case, a com- bination of drawing instruments adapted to facilitate fine lettering, is now on the lines market. For drawing inked owe AM aod Seven Ruling Pen Points and, in Inset, One in Socket Ready for Use: is Shown in To Right and Above, the Socket Use with Ordinary Pen Point and lettering of different thicknesses, eight pen points are provided, each of which consists of a small pointed tube of white metal for holding a supply of ink. Into this tube inserted an ink feeder that can be extracted from the tube for cleansing purposes. The pen point fits into a socket that can be attached to any ordinary penholder. This socket can also be used with any small pen point. Included with each set is a line-ruling in- strument for use with a straightedge or a T-square. is GAS BURNER WITH AIR BLAST GIVES HIGH TEMPERATURE A new gas burner has been: designed to overcome the necessity of using oxy- gen in working “high-melting” glasses and metals. It is said to maintain easily a flame temperature of over 3,000° F., New Gas Blast Burner, Designed to Eliminate the Use of Oxygen in Working “High-Melting”- Point Glasses and Metals MECHANICS with either natural or artificial gas unde: a pressure of 2 to 4 inches of water, or with an air blast of 3 to 5 pounds pres- sure per square inch. The burner will operate efficiently in any position, and by manipulating the control valves, a wide range of flame temperatures is possible as an oxidizing or a reducin, flame. Another feature is the change in the width of flame made possible by sliding sleeve on the barrel tube. is also SCRAPPING IRON AND STEEL WITH EXPLOSIVES In scrapping iron castings or steel plates by means of explosives, such a dynamite, various methods are being use: in England. The cartridges are made by covering with compressed clay a charg of the explosive. In the case of cast iron which is most easily fractured by shock a number of these cartridges are place together at the strongest part of the cast ing. In the case of a steel plate, whic! is most easily fractured by a cutting 01 shearing process, the cartridges ar placed end to end in a line across the plate. In heavy cast-iron blocks, a hole about an inch in diameter, is drilled to the center of the strongest part of the casting, is then chambered out, and filled with the cartridges. This method has been applied to the scrapping of ships and the demolishing of wrecks. NEW DEVICE EASILY LOCKS TIRE TO CARRIER RIM The spare auto tire may be easily locked to the rear carrier rim with a hinged steel clamp now be- ing sold. The device is shaped to fit the tire rim and tire, and has a small opening for the regular threaded stud. To install it, the front part is slipped over the stud from which the original nut and rim wedge have been re- moved, the nut is replaced and tightened, the hinged band swung into place, and finally, a padlock hooked through both ends of the clamp and a small bracket mounted on the carrier rim.

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mar POPULAR MECHANICS 43 NEW CRAWLER-TYPE CRANE OPERATES IN SWAMP \ crawler type of crane, recently placed casting, as in automobile practice, and the market, has distinctive features in the front axle is also a steel casting. It design that apparently account for its is operated by one man and regularly rformance in constructing a ew road through a swamp. In is instance it operated from rze wooden floats which were oved ahead as it advanced, though ordinarily it will rn herever the ground will sus- iin a weight of 10 pounds to the tare inch. The rear axle is around a hollow steel Above: New Crawler-Type Crane That Has a Capacity of 10 Tons at a 12-Foot Radius and 3 Tons at 30-Foot Radius. Left: Crane Mounted on Wooden Floats, Building a Swamp Road equipped with a gasoline- engine driving unit, that uses kerosene equ itty well, but electric-moto1 or steam-engine drive is ac. > men furnished when desired. NOISELESS PUNCHING BAG up, and can be put into place and rigidly FOR APARTMENTS secured in less than one minute, and re- moved as easily. For a long time a serious problem has The platform has a spring shock-ab fronted apartment dwellers who de- sorbing equipment and all the practical red to take their physical cul- re via the punching bag. In e general type of such an out- ' ht, noise and vibration would ring protest—and often worse— rom other tenants, while defac- of walls or woodwork neces- ary to securing it in place, is out ot the question. The problem has been solved vith an “apartment” punching i bag platform free from vbnian === a ind noise. Its construction is Left: Noiseless Punching-Bag Platform That Fits in Doorway ich that it fits any doorway without Marring Woodwork and is Quickly Put Up and ; - . , Removed. Right: Punching-Bag Holder in Use 1 standard dimensions, being eld firmly in place without screws, bolts. features required by the bag puncher. It or nuts, and padded with felt where it is neat in appearance, made of seasoned touches any woodwork. It is adjustable stock in fumed-oak finish, and all metal » any height for use by a child or grown parts are nickeled.

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44 POPULAR HAND-CRANKED GENERATOR USED IN FIELD RADIO A hand-cranked electric generator has been developed for field service in con- nection with radio - pack sets of the Signal Corps of the U. S. Army. It is a self-contained unit, rated at 250 watts, and, at a speed of 3,333 revolu- =— tions a min- ute, will gen- erate a 500- cycle current. The crank- shaft, which is intended to be turned by a pair of cranks at a speed of 33 to 50 revolutions a minute, is back-geared 100:1 to the armature shaft, which carries a fly- wheel for smooth running. It is arranged to be mounted on a collapsible four- legged stand. VALVELESS SUCTION. PUMPS OF NOVEL TYPE For air, gas, water, and viscous fluids, a type of reciprocating pump that is en- tirely valveless, and that is claimed to . possess the highest possi- ble cylinder efficiency, is now being manufactured in England The body of the pump is in the form of a cylindrical casing, which has a fixed pistonlike head at each end, with an annular clear- ance between its outer rim and the inside wall of the casing. On the upper head is a stuffing box through which passes a rod that operates the recipro- cating plunger. This is in the form of a MECHANICS cylinder, open at both ends and divided into equal compartments by a diaphragm at its center, to which the plunger rod is connected. The reciprocation is done by means of a crankshaft mounted above the casing, and in connection with which are means for rotating the plunger at the end of each stroke. The purpose of this rotation is to close the inlet and dis- charge ports in the plunger that register with corresponding ports in the casing these being open respectively during the up and downstrokes. The skirts of the plunger pass between the wall of the cas- ing and its fixed heads during the recipro cation. NEW CAST-IRON COAL CHUTES WITH WIRE-GLASS DOORS Coal chutes for building into founda- tion walls are now being made of cast iron instead of steel, and it is said that the former do not rust out as soon asthe latter, and will last as long as the building it- self.* These cast-iron coal chutes are also being made with wire-glass doors, for the purpose of making them more visible, located, as they usually are in the darkest part of the cellar wall. The chutes are equipped with an automat latch on the inside of the door. LARGE FLOCK OF TURKEYS WALKED TO MARKET A flock of more than 1,/00 turkeys went on a cross-country hike in Walla Walla County, Washington, recently, when two farmers, living near Waitsburg, decided to drive their feathered charges to the market at the city of Walla Walle. The going was over fairly rough ground, and the 18-mile trip between the two towns consumed over a week. Grasshoppers, ants, seeds, acorns, and other bits furnished natural food along the way, and this diet was supplemented by coarse meal mixed with cracked corn each night, to keep the birds in market- able condition.

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» RK lv an tate tS eee ee England House of Concrete Which is So Cleverly Designed and Constructed That It cannot be Distin- guished from a Wooden te has Been the Subject o Even Though the Observer Stands But Much Interesting Discussion among Noted Architects a Few Feet Away: It A NEW ENGLAND HOUSE OF CONCRETE THAT CANNOT BE TOLD FROM WOOD By A. J. R. CURTIS 1 SIDENC] al - particularly the vicinity of staid old Boston emselves in a quandary over a very ual concrete house recently designed uilt by a distinguished member of rofession. It is a concrete house looks like a wooden house—so mucl it one may approach within a few of it without discovering the differ- e. Yet walls, floors, roofs, stairs, and within and without, as well as such ils as moldings, gutters, cornices, and imns, are entirely of reinforced con- chitects te so placed that it is all one mono- ic mass, Is it proper to another ?” to architect material an use and one “Ts hin the bounds of good ethics when he ingeniously uses one material that it not be told from another?” are the ‘stions that are being discussed. The ding which has offered the reason the argument is unquestionably not architectural classic, but it is ly mistaken in the community for general an example of white-enameled wooden surfaces so common in the better districts of New England. The architect explains that the old New England farmhouse design, from which this house was created, is good for its own sake, regardless of the materials of which it is constructed; that the simple lines and proportions, not the material, make the architecture. In the acceptance of new materials of construction he does not see why good architecture of the past has to be abandoned, when it can be used to enrich, and really deserves preser- vation in permanent materials of more recent adaptation. A study of the design and of the method of construction shows how skill- fully form marks have been concealed, and the attention drawn from minor sur- face flaws by the expedient of building the forms in simple plank panels in the reverse of drop siding. All work is thus 45

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at Above Is a Rear View of the Concrete House Displaying Some of Its Harmonious Structural Lines. Below at the Left is Seen the Side Entrance of the Dwelling. The Topmost Plan Shows the Second-Floor Room Arrangement, and That Below the Third Floor Prem %4 4 4 * cI ’ - 4 4 | * t f — CE —

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iii ie ANS. SOG ei a ee ee i a ee a ee. we At the Top of the Page Is Another View of the Concrete House, Showing a Garage of the Same Material Erected at the Rear. he Plan Shown in the Center Gives the First or Ground-Floor Room Arrangement. At the Bot- tom is Seen the Interior of the Spacious and Tastily Fur- nished Living Room wae ey donee

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Ls POPULAR started and stopped at these definite hori- zontal lines, doing away largely with pos- sible blemishes and irregularities at the juncture of one day’s work with the next. The ridges corresponding t make it possible to use a tion of form, ) drop siding very small sec- as the joints between form well concealed. This a great deal of expense in constru ot settings are saves iction. The interesting house is located at 217 Common Street, Belmont, a suburb of Boston. It has eight large rooms and spa- cious hallways. The old-fashioned hard- MECHANICS ware fittings, including door latches and lighting fixtures, were all made by hand by a smith whose work alone makes the house worth a visit. The structure is 30 feet by 44 feet in greatest dimension and has walls 10 inches in thicknes which include two 4-inch with a 2-inch air space between. The re inforcing of 14-inch deformed steel bars, placed 8 inches apart in eacl direction. Thus insulated, the plastering was safely applied directly to the inne: surface of the concrete. concrete wall consists ROAD TO “BIG-TREE” COUNTRY DIFFICULT TO BUILD The recently comple necting Santa Cruz, Tree’ country, is of the unusual along the route and the problems confronting the road build ers. The _§ straightest that 1 ted Calit., ot scenery highway with the “ interest con- Big be cause route W as feasible to adopt, was found to lie alons the canons followed by the Southern Pacific Railroad, and it required great care in the handling of materials to kee; any from dropping down and interfering with traffic, as in many places the hig] way was built on a steep slope over 100 feet above the tracks. Four sidehill cul verts and 16 concre constructed te retaining walls were in order to provide for tl roadbed in such places, and in a number of them the outside edges were supported by bents, 20 feet high, the inner edge be ing buried in the bank. To prevent undermining of the supports by the seep age of water from the hillside, a 14-inc! layer of granite waste, available from a near-by quarry, was packed into the bank for several feet beyond the edge of the pavement. The longest of these viaducts is 160 feet long and is provided with an expansion joint about midway. Simi lar joints, consisting of a tar filler be tween the rail ends and the post, wer: put in at 40-foot intervals on the railing The pavement is 16 feet wide except at sharp curves, where the width is 18 feet. Left: One of the Concrete Viaducts, Built alon Cafion Wall 100 Feet above Railroad Tracks, on Highway uter Edge of the Viaducts were Supported by Bents Right: One of the Curves of the Big-Tree Highway to “Big-Tree” Country. In Places, the 20 Feet High.

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a POPULAR MECHANICS 49 First Steel Scow to be Used on the Lakes of Maine in Connection with the Lumber Industry: This Scow Has a Load Capacity of 30 Tons, and is Pushed through the Water by the Powerful Motor- boat at a Speed of Six Miles an Hour in Calm Weather LARGE STEEL SCOWS FOR USE ON THE LAKES OF MAINE \s the endless-tread tractor has sup- planted horses for long-distance hauling in the lumber woods of Maine, so has the steel scow of from 20 to 40 tons’ capacity, propelled by a gasoline motorboat, taken the place of the small wooden craft. whose load capacity did not exceed three or four tons, and which was driven through the waters by rowboats in taking fall supplies across the lakes to camps. The first of these scows has just been put into operation on Mooselookmeguntic Lake, in the Rangeley region. It is 38 feet long, 15 feet wide, and has a load capacity of 30 tons. It is pushed through the water by a powerful motorboat astern. The bow of this motorboat rests against specially constructed steel bumper, while heavy poles, for all the world like a pair of buggy shafts, extend from the end of the scow along the sides of the motor- hoat to which they are lashed. In calm veather the motor craft will-drive the loaded steel scow at the rate of six miles an hour. @ As the result of several months of in- vestigation, and of the testimony of an expert hydraulic engineer, the Massachu setts Department of Public Utilities has stopped the sale of securities in connec- tion with a tide-motor project. ALARM CLOCK LIGHTS ALCOHOL LAMP A Frenchman has made a novel use of an alarm clock in adapting it to light, at a predetermined time, an _ alcohol burner used for heating water or for sim- ple cooking purposes. At the time the alarm sounds, the spring releases a lever which removes the cap from the burner wick. Then a flint-and-steel device strikes a spark that ignites the burner, over which the cooking vessel has previously been placed. Alcohol Lamp and Alarm-Clock Device Which Lights the Lamp for Those Who Prepare Their Own Light Breakfast

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09 POPULAR NEW METHOD OF DECIPHERING BURNED RECORDS Acting upon requests to decipher illegi- ble documents and papers, particularly those that have passed through fire with- Charred Paper, the Writing on Which was Made Legible on Photographic Plates after Two Weeks’ Contact in the Dark out being burned to ashes, the Bureau of Standards has worked out a methed that is very effective and comparatively simple. It is based on the principle that a photo- graphic plate or film, besides being sensi- tive to light, is also sensitive to certain Zases or vapors. Some of these have the property of fogging or rendering develop- able such portions of the plate as are exposed to their action, while others par- tially or completely desensitize the plate. The specimen under investigation is placed between two photographic plates and kept in intimate contact with the sen- sitized coating in the dark, for a period of two weeks in the case of fast plates. On Appearance of Developed Negative after Two Weeks’ Contact with Charred Paper: Writing on Both Sides of the Paper Is Visible MECHANICS development in the usual manner, a per fect copy of the writing and printing is ob tained; from which it is evident that the charred paper gives off gases that fog th: plate, and that, where ink is present, there is little or no effect, the ink apparently acting like a screen and preventing th« emanation of gas. It is interesting to note that the writing on both sides of th charred paper appears, that on the bach being fainter than that on the face, indi cating that the ink penetrates the paper to such a depth that its residue reduce the amount of gas escaping from beneat!] the ink. FIRE-HOSE SHUT-OFF VALVE HAS NEW FEATURES A new quick shut-off fire-hose valve has been developed that combines simplicity of construction with assured water-tight ness. The valve, the body of which is integral with the fire-hose nozzle, is some what like a shut-off cock, but instead oi being solid, the plug is cast in two parts. The larger part has an opening for the passage of water and also carries the stem Fire-Hose Shut-Off Valve Which Combines Simplicity of Construction with Assured Water-Tightness by which the plug is turned. Two small holes drilled through the valve allow the water pressure to force the smaller part of the plug against the valve seat. No packing is required, and the single washe used is held tight against the ground joint of the cap. PROVE ELECTRIC ARC A SOURCE OF COAL-DUST IGNITION That coal dust suspended in the air, un der conditions likely to occur in pulvet ized-coal plants or in coal mines, can be exploded by an electric arc, has been proved by recent tests made by the Bu reau of Mines. These tests indicate that in such places, all electrical equipment and devices should be housed in compart- ments that will prevent contact with the dusty atmosphere.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 51 IMPROVED LOADER HAS SELF-CONTAINED For handling econom- = = - ally such materials as ind, gravel, coal, or oke, a new type of port- le loader is an im- rovement in many re- ects upon other ma- ines of this kind. Elevator in Position for Trans- porting the Self-Propelling Loader, Which is Driven by the Same Motor as the Elevator The machine is mounted with three-point suspen sion on the portable frame in connection with two pairs of wheels that travel on the _ endless- tread principle. The ma chine is. self-propelling, either gas or electrically driven, and has two wer . Portable Loader Shown Digging into a Pile of Material and Loading It speeds ye for moving from a Height of 9 Feet 6 Inches into a Motor Truck ae Is, one = ¥ from place to place and Che loader is composed of an endless link a slower speed for digging into the pile belt with digging buckets connected to it of material. The loader will discharge that have renewable steel cutting edges. ata height of 9 feet 6 inches. SPEEDY MOTORBOATS MANNED BY GAME WARDENS The state of Illinois — has purchased a fleet of eight high-powered mo- torboats for the water police service, in order to avoid the necessity, that has existed in the past, of having to com- mandeer private launches when patrol duty was necessary. It is hoped that with the help of these new motorboats violations of the game and fish laws will be sup- pressed. Manned by game wardens, these boats will patrol the rivers of the state, and the efficiency Gianeee e at — of the department should One of the Fleet of Eight Patrol Boats Bought by the State of Illinois he inee to Help the Game Wardens Round Up Violators € increased. of the Game and Fish Laws

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POPULAR STEREOSCOPIC DEVICE AIDS MOTION STUDY 3y means of a simple device, the inven- tion of an expert motion-study engineer, Simple Device That Aids Motion Study of Workers and Machines, Photographed by a Stereo- scopic Moving-Picture Camera apprentices and students can study the movements of a proficient worker who has been photographed with a stereo- scopic motion-picture machine. The de- vice consists of an ordinary set of stereo- scopic lenses suitably mounted on a frame carrying two rolls, from which the film is wound and unwound. NOVEL MEANS OF TRANSPORT FOR SMALL LOADS \ new device used in Germany for transporting small loads, consists of a metal plate encircled by a rubber tire, similar to a motorcycle wheel, and fas- — Above: Trans- port Device Taken Apart, | ae Recep- tacle for Vari- | eus Articles, Right: Device Assembled and | Ready for Use L MECHANICS tened to a bent handle, through which it passes. A piece of pan-shaped metal forms, with the wheel to which it is at tached, a receptacle for liquids, books, or other material. A load of 100 pounds can easily be pushed a long distance by hand or the carrier can be used as a trailer fo: cycles. Larger machines are being built. AUTOMATIC TIRE INFLATER HANDY FOR THE AUTOIST An extremely handy device for inflat ing a tire is in the form of a small, strong drum that is filled with a gas, harmless to rubber, and sufficient in quantity to inflate a tire to 65 pounds’ pressure, with out jacking, in a few seconds. In th: cap of the drum is a threaded hole into which screwed the tire-valve stem. The drum is turned until it is apparently tight on the stem, and then the cap is held with one hand while the drum is is Novel Tire Inflater That is Screwed onto the Valve Stem and Inflates the Tire to 65 Pounds’ Pressure in a Few Seconds turned with the other in the same direc tion, causing the gas to flow into the tire. A reverse motion stops the flow ot the gas. EGYPTIAN OFFICIALS ARRIVE FOR AUTOMOTIVE COURSE Six representatives of the Egyptian ministry of transport and communication recently arrived in this country for the purpose of taking a course in automotive engineering. Their entire expenses are being paid by that country. While the exact curriculum for these men has not been definitely decided upon for the length of time they will be here, the first year, at least, will be spent at a Michigan school. Here they will be taught tractor mechanics, tire and battery repairing. oxyacetylene welding, automotive elec tricity, and general machine-shop work.

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ae MAN-MADE MILLION-VOLT LIGHTNING N the days of Benjamin Franklin, of whom it was said that he wrung the lightning from the gods and gave it to man for his service, little was known of its na- ture, and the familiar zigzag line long remained its only graphic representation. Now, with the high-speed pho- tographic lens taking the place of the human eye, and the discharge of enormous electric pressures, ] the laboratory, supplanting nature’s display, tl bolt resolves itself into a maze of filmy threads derful beauty and orderly formation The picture herewith was taken in the General Electric Company’s laboratories, when a charge of 1,000,000 volts broke through the gaps between three electrodes, forming a 9-foot equilateral triangle.

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POPULAR MECHANICS HIGH - POWERED VACUUM TUBES FOR RADIO WORK : “3 te gee High-powered vacuum me : pages tubes have recently been successfullv used in transatlantic radio work signals having bee: transmitted and received between Nauen, Ge: many, and Rocky Point L. I. The tubes were oi 20-kilowatt capacity. De- velopment of these vacu um tubes has proceeded steadily from a _ begin ning of .1 or .2 watt, uw i

i to the point where the, s now handle 20,000 watts Tubes even larger than this are now under con struction. One of them designed for a capacity oi Left: High-Powered Vacuum | 100,000 watts, promises to Tubes, of 20,000-Watt Capacity, be fully as successful Which are Used in Tramatlantic | those now in use, in ad Shown as a Comparison with the dition to possessing High-Powered Appliances. Above: | higher efficiency, becaus. ‘ pared with the Size of a Man | it will have such an eno: = ee A RS TS J/ mous amount of power

LOCAL CITY HALL FOR PHILADELPHIA SUBURB In Germantown, which is a section of with white marble. It will be of fireprooi Philadelphia, about six miles distant from construction throughout, and will have a its city hall, a local city hall is to be large front portico with Ionic columns, erected at a cost of $450,000, which will 24 feet in height. Beneath a tower, capped contain offices for the transaction of every with a dome, 122 feet above ground level, kind of city business excepting that which will be a rotunda, 33 feet in diameter and might require the attention of a court of 37 feet high, in which will be housed record. The new sectional city hall is to collection of World War memorials. In be located on the site of what is known’ the tower will be placed the clock and as Town Hall, a building almost a century bell from the old town hall. Later on, old. The design of the new building is ,; similar buildings may be located in of the Colonial period,and it will be faced § other sections of the A city.

— I bd Sa da aka dt Mat Aad dash a |

L<-ft: Side Elevation of a Model of a Sectional City Hall That is About to be Erected in Germantown, a Sub- urb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Right: Another View of the Building, Showing Its Portico with Ionic Columns, 24 Feet in Height, and Its Tower with a Dome, 122 Feet above Ground Level

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POPULAR MECHANICS 59 First Main-Line Electric Locomotive to Appear in Britain: It was Constructed for Use between York and New- castle, One of the Most Important of the English Railways, but was First Given a Trial BRITAIN’S FIRST MAIN-LINE ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVE Electric locomotives over the Short for suburban and nterurban traffic have been used in Brit- in, as in America, for a number of but owing to various difficulties, principally of a financial nature, Britain, unlike America, has been slow in devel oping this type of engine for main-line ork, and it is only now that its first high-speed electric-railway engine has ap- peared. It is designed to travel at a safe maxi- mum speed of 90 miles an hour, and will maintain an average of over a mile a minute on a long-distance journey. Built for one of the most important English railways, it was first tried on the short York and Darlington run—a distance of 141, miles—which is at present covered in ‘3 minutes by steam locomotives, or at a peed of 61.7 miles an hour. This is claimed to be the fastest run in the country. engine is now used to pull the ondon and Scotch express over the east- ‘oast route between York and Newcastle. Of 1,800 horsepower, it is capable of per- forming the above-mentioned high speed auling a load of about 500 tons. It is fitted with a small electrically heated hoiler for producing steam for heating the passenger coaches. years, | nis @A bank building under construction in Oak Park, Ill, will have a room suitably fitted to handle the business of juvenile patrons exclusively. Run between York and Darlington PAINTING SMALL BOLT HEADS IN LARGE QUANTITIES Very small bolt heads are painted rap- idly, and in large numbers, by inserting them into perforations in a plate large enough to hold hundreds, or even thou- sands, of them. When the bolts are thus a, Perforated Plate in Which Small Bolts are Inserted for Painting Their Heads: This Plate Holds 1,800 Bolts, and It Takes 45 Minutes to Insert Them inserted, with their heads in rows, and all flush, a few strokes of the brush is all that is required to paint them.

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This Hydroglider, Built by an American Youth, Draws Only 1% Inches of Water at a Speed of 45 Miles an Hour, and is Equipped with a Six-Passenger Automobile Body SOME NEW HYDROGLIDERS By R. C. FOLGER ECENT designs of hydrogliders indi- cate the development of a type of water craft that is of interest to speed en- thusiasts and may well be adapted to more useful purposes. The hydroglider, which combines some of the features of the hydroplane and the flying boat, is characterized by its light draft and air propeller. One of the latest of these is a cabin hydroglider now being built by a French concern. This craft carries 10 passengers, attains a speed of 45 to 50 miles an hour, draws 8 inches of water, and is propelled by a 190-horsepower en- gine and air propeller. A smaller glider, which is made by the same firm, and is said to be quite popular abroad, weighs only 350 pounds, draws 3 inches of water, and is driven by a 10-12-horsepower mo- tor and air propeller that gives it a speed of 15 miles an hour. Another French glider that has been developed as the resuit of recent experi- ments, features a new idea in the form of a-water propeller that lifts the boat from underneath and enables an engine and air 56 propeller, of relatively low power, to drive the boat at great speed. One of the most interesting, which is the product of an American youth, draws 6 inches of water at a standstill and only 1% inches at a speed of 45 miles an hour. It is non sinkable and noncapsizable, for it has two pontoons, each with nine water-tight com partments. The regular six-passenger au tomobile body, placed on a 10-point sus- pension spring between the pontoons, is equipped with self-starter, windshield, lights, and one-man top and side curtains, making it serviceable in all weathers. It is said that on account of the method of suspending the body, practically no wave vibration is felt, even in a fairly rough sea @A trio of 11-passenger flying boats have maintained a four-trip daily service be tween Detroit and Cleveland, without a single accident or fatality among the 2,521 passengers carried during the pres- ent season. The traveler makes the 90 minute trip in a luxurious cabin that excludes noise and wind.

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po Small and Hydroglider Which Weighs 350 Pounds, Draws 3 to 4 Inches o Makes 15 Miles an Hour 10-12-Horsepower Motor Water, with a Above: Glider with Lifter Propeller, That Enables a High Speed to be Attained with Light Draft and Small Motor. Below: Ten- Passenger Cabin Glider of French Design, That Draws 8 Inches of Water and Has a Speed of About 50 Miles an Hour

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vd POPULAR MECHANICS CHARGING HOIST EFFECTS ECONOMY IN FOUNDRIES New Cupola-Charging Hoist with a Drop-Bottom Bucket Loaded with Coke: The Hoist is Operated Electrically, and the Charging Arm Also Carries a Magnet for Handling Pig Iron and Scrap A hoist, recently devel oped, for charging mate rials into foundry cupo las, reduces the labor of this work and promise other savings in th maintenance of the cu pola linings. The hoist which travels on an | beam, consists of a cast iron cantilever arm fron which is suspended, by cables, a magnet fo handling pig iron an scrap, or a bottom-dump bucket in the case of coke. With this method all the charged materials are deposited in the cen ter of the cupola with out any abrasive action fe _ on the lining, and the charge is evenly distrib uted. The hoist has a capacity of 400 pounds. CATCH BASS WITH LIVE MICE AND TOY BALLOONS Outwitting the wary bass by a combi- nation of live mice and toy Balloons, was the latest successful scheme of an angler in an effort to secure a string of these fish. Bass, as is well known by fishermen, are particularly fond of mice. With this fact as the basis,a sports- man, after procuring sev- eral live mice in traps, fas- tened one of these, just ahead of the hooks, on his line. One or two balloons were then at- tached to the line in such a manner that the mouse was kept afloat and was free to paddle around in the water. With this odd tackle, a number of large bass were caught in a lake known to be well sup- plied with fish, which, however, were the despair of an- glers who had tried to catch them with bait of the or- dinary variety. According to the fisherman, his catch was only limited by the supply of mice and balloons. Above: Attaching Live Mouse i to the ine, Right: Rod and Line with Balloons Attached Above: Catch of Bass Which was Only Lim- ited by Supply of Mice | and Balloons

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POPULAR MECHANICS 59 Two Views of Specially Designed Frame for Handling Heavy Truck Engines: The Frame can be Turned by Hand or Power FRAME FOR TRUCK ENGINES FACILITATES REPAIRS The repairing of extremely heavy mo- or-truck engines has been facilitated by e introduction of a frame on which the engine, after it has been removed from e chassis, may be securely bolted. The rame is about waist-high, and has a itchet and gear attachment with which it ay be tilted to any desired angle. The iechanic is thus enabled to place the out- in various positions, may sit down or tand up as he wishes, and always has mvenient access to any of the parts. his frame was designed by the shop iperintendent of a large truck company nd has proved a successful means of re- icing the overhauling costs of its many gines. PECULIAR STONE RESEMBLES HUMAN WORKMANSHIP \ queer-looking found a short ie ago in the mountains near Chatta- ga, Tenn., at first appeared to be a ic of the workmanship of an ancient eople, but a more careful examination howed it te be an odd geological speci- en. The stone is an approximate cube sandstone, 3 feet on a side, on the top which appear more than 150 pigeon- olelike openings, the partitions of these eing of iron. Many of these spaces are lled to the top with sand, which under the action of the sun and elements has ecome baked and hardened into a solid; others are open and fully 2 inches deep. stone So much do the holes resemble the work of human hands it is difficult to believe the stone was not in use by prehistoric man. However, geologists are inclined to Appearance of Pigeonholes Made by Prehistoric Man believe that the particles of iron have in bygone ages become associated in the partitions that now form the holes. Seams between the partitions make the resem blance to human workmanship the more striking.

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60 POPULAR GERMAN POLICE WILL WEAR BULLET-PROOF ARMOR Members of the German criminal-police force are to be shielded in the future with armor in the form of a coat of mail for the body, and a bullet-proof helmet for the head that will afford almost complete pro- tection for the eyes. This armor has beer proved by test to be capable of withstanding the fire of high - powered automatic pis- tols. The throat and neck are also pro- tected with a bullet-proof collar above the coat of mail. COPYRIGHT, UNDERWOOD « UNDERWOOD SELF-BAKED RENEWABLE TYPE OF FURNACE ELECTRODE An electric-furnace electrode that is claimed to be everlasting, is built, baked, and renewed in its actual location in the furnace of which it is a part. Once in- stalled, it will last at least as long as the furnace. Into a casing made of thin sheet iron, that serves as a mold, ordi- nary electrode mixtureis tamped. The lower part of the electrode protrudes from this cas- ing, and is placed in the smelting fur- nace, where it is baked by the heat from the crater, and also by that developed by the current in the electrode. Thus it consists of a iower internal baked part, and an upper MECHANICS external unbaked part. It is suspended in the furnace by means of an adjustable clasp holder. The electrode is very long and around its upper part is a platform where the casing can be lengthened by welding on a new section. The electrod is then lengthened by tamping in new electrode mixture. NEW SEPARABLE SPARK PLUG THAT IS EASILY CLEANED Without disturbing the porcelain or the packing, a recently patented spark plug = can be thoroughly and readily cleaned. It is = a modification of the separable type of spark plug, and is con- structed so that part of the iron shell that screws into the cylin- der can be unscrewed from the rest of the plug, making it easy to clean both the elec trodes and the porce lain insulation, with out having to remove any gland nut, or to interfere with the gas kets, as in separable plugs. The facility with which it is taken apart eliminates dan ger of breakage. SELF-ADJUSTING LAMP ARMS FOR LOCALIZED LIGHTING A type of self-adjusting arm with el bow, wrist, and telescopic action, is a fixture for local electric lighting, by means of which the light can be moved ina direct line from one point to an- other. In con- nection with the arm, each of the flexible joints consists of two dished cast-iron disks held to- gether by a screw that ; passes loosely through the center of one disk. and is screwed rigidly into the cen ter of the other.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 61 = Sn ay ae? a ae ¥ ~ o . “ 7 At the Left Is a General View of One of the Six Units of Moreland Courts, the $30,000,000 Apartment-House Development Now under Way in Shaker Heights, an Exclusive Residential Section of Cleveland, Ohio. At the APARTMENT-HOUSE PROJECT TO COST $30,000,000 the largest building projects attempted in this country is now way in Cleveland, Ohio, where round has been broken for the begin- ng of a $30,000,000 apartment-house de- elopment. The project consists of six ructures which will accommodate 1,000 milies. In addition to the vast number ' apartments, there will also be included markets, an English inn, and a otion-picture theater. The structures ll typify the history of English archi- ecture. Types of Georgian, Jacobean, lizabethan, and Tudor architecture, will arranged so as to blend harmoniously, | yet retain all the distinctive charac ristics of these different periods. The - is located in Shaker Heights, an ex- lusive residential district. The finished partments will vary in size from 4 up to 12-room suites, all possessing the latest mprovements in heating, lighting, re- rigeration, and garbage incineration, and is thought that they will relieve, to a ‘reat extent, the general lack of apart- iment dwellings in that city. qi At One of sf rT nder tores, the present time over $15,000,000.- 10) is invested in public utilities in this ountry, Right is Seen One of the Many Beautiful Entrances in the Group of Buildings HANDY POCKET CASE PROTECTS MICROMETERS A new pocket case made by a tool manufacturer provides a convenient place in which to keep micrometer calipers, be- sides affording protection against dirt and injury. Made of metal, leather-covered and plush-lined, it is shaped to fit into the pocket without causing much of a bulge, while the inside is properly formed to hold the instrument tightly. There are several styles for different types. Above: Convenient Pocket Case for Micrometers Shown Closed. Below: Case Open, Showing How It is Constructed to Fit the Micrometer

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PERILS OF THE SEA STRIKINGLY ILLUSTRATED aa E F i F } ae Above: Oil Tanker “Ly- ] man Stewart,” after Being in Collision with Another Steamship off the Golden Gate, is Seen Drifting Help- THe, PET oe. ry we ation ig lessly onto a Reef beside the Cliffs of Land’s End. Below: Canadian Steam- boat on the Rocks at Black Point, About Four Miles from the City of St. John, New Brunswick, as the ~ t : Result of Getting off Its *) Course in a Dense Fog _ | Ts Pel N ———*

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WRECKS IN WIDELY SEPARATED LOCALITIES Went Ashore near Wester- ly, Long Island i all Above: Biggest Fire in Cincinnati Harbor for 50 Years. Four Steamers, One of Which, the “Island Queen,” is Seen in the Foreground, were De- stroyed, as Well as the Two Wharves Seen Burn- ing to the Right. Below: Steam Yacht ‘‘Taro,’’ Which, While Bound from Newport to New York, Bhs * %, pn eres re

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64 POPULAR SLIDE WATERFALL FOR IN SOUTH SEA ISLE What appears to be a combining the thrills of SPORT unique sport, tobogganing, MECHANICS METHOD OF VAPOR-COOLING AUTOMOBILE ENGINES In a vapor-cooling system for automo- bile engines, recently developed, the vapo: or steam from the cylinder jacket Above: A Native Girl Shooting the Falls at Papa-Seea, in the Sa- moa Islands. The Pic- ture to the Right Gives a Good Idea of the Beauty of the L Surroundings wherein the water is constantly boiling, goes to the bottom tank of the radiator instead of, as usual, to the top. Consequently there is never any water in the radiator, and therefore the work ing surface can be kept at a very high temperature. With this sys tem, the working surface is never cooler than 210° F., which mean that, with the air as high as 80 there is a difference of 130 Thus there is a very high heat transfer and a correspondingly high radiator efficiency. More over, when alcohol is added to the water in winter it will be con densed automatically, and since the system is closed, there will be no loss by evaporation. Another most important feature is that the high average temperature al lows the size of the radiator to skiing, and diving, is indulged in at Papa-Seea, near the town of Apia, in the Samoan Island group. At Papa-Seea, amid picturesque tropical surroundings, nature has fashioned an almost perfect water glide with a drop of about 60 feet. The action of the water has worn the rock smooth, the stream is large enough to give the human slider plenty of mo- mentum, and the deep pool at the bottom is so small that even a poor swimmer can make shore. The sport is in great favor with native girls, who make a pretty pic- ture as they shoot down. MOTOR-BUS SPEAKING TUBE IS AID TO DRIVER One of the recent models of motor busses has, along with numerous other conveniences, a speaking tube which ex- tends from the outside rear of the ma- chine to a point inside, at the front near the driver, who is thus enabled to hear the signals of cars approaching from be hind that desire to pass. It is expected that this feature will be of great service to drivers of these busses in aiding them to allow the speedier machines to pass feadily and without danger of accidents, which might be caused by crowding and consequent skidding off the roadway. be greatly reduced, at a conse quent economy in first cost and in weight. This system may have a wa ter filler at the bottom of the tank, or the customary top cap may be used. CONVENIENT IRONING-BOARD SUPPORT ALSO A TABLE A combination breakfast table and ironing-board support, which folds into a narrow closet, is one of the latest kitchen novelties. When ready to iron, a lowe: door hinged to the bottom of the closet is pulled outward to serve as a brace The table in its folded position is then put in place as a support for the ironing Left to Right: Support and Ironing Board Concealed in Wall; Support Let Down as Table, and Ironing Board Ready for Use board, also kept in the closet. Unfolded the support makes a small breakfast table

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POPULAR MECHANICS it English Women Are Fond of Golf Seems Evident from This Picture Which Shows the Bunkers before the “Target Net’ at the Outdoor Golf School at the Kensington Gardens, London OUTDOOR GOLF SCHOOL IN LONDON PUBLIC PARK outdoor golf school, with a shed for almost entirely occupied by them It ing in wet weather, bunkers, and a seems to be a habit with some to break rge “target net” is arranged at the Ken- away from housework for an hour or so gton Gardens in Lon- mn There are several nusual advantages to be found in connection with school, not the least which is the fact that, though located in the pen, it is not far re- moved from the main usiness and theatrical tricts. By means of pecially built bunkers nl a great target net inted with white cir- cles, it is possible to prac- tice any kind of shot. lhe results of the drives each case can be ac- curately determined by itching the section of Each Stall in This Shed is Fitted with a Teeing Ground So That Long ie net to which the ball Drives may be Practiced. The Protection Afforded Permits hit. new Seaneen in Playing in Disagreeable Weather don are taking up the sport, and it is each day. During the unusual to find the school bunkers noon hour iness men, also, come for a short peri

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66 POPULAR MECHANICS FIRE ESCAPE IS HOME OF BEE FAMILIES High on the fire escap. of a building in a co: gested section of Bosto live several colonies « honeybees. There are bh: tween 40,000 and 60,00 of them, according the owner, who makes hobby of keeping the i: sects. In order to ob tain nectar to live o: and pollen to feed thei young, the bees ar forced to fly from 2 1 5 miles to the flowers public parks and play grounds. They neve bother the hundreds « people working in ne by buildings. The Beehives Arranged on This Fire Escape in a Congested District of Boston, House More than 40,000 Bees; This in Spite of the Fact That the Bees must Fly Several Miles Before Flowers are Reached HARD SYNTHETIC WOOD MADE FROM CELLULOSE This synthetic product will be muc cheaper than real wood because it made from vegetation -available in large Cellulose, a compound of carbon, hy- drogen, and oxygen that forms the funda- mental cell structure of all plants, is a main constituent of a vast number of quantities, much of which is of othe textiles, in the manufacture of which it’ wise little or no value, such as straws « does not have to be hardened. In the all kinds, banana and other leaves, a1 past it has been hardened sufficiently to any kind of grass. In all its characte: produce substances used in many indus- _ istics it resembles hard wood, not bei: tries, and now, in Germany, a textile brittle like many other cellul expert has discovered a process by products, and being easily c which it can be hardened suffi- ¢ and machined. Moreover, it ca: ciently to produce synthetic woods be molded into any shape, su that will serve as substitutes for as boards, slabs, and parts o oak, mahogany, walnut, indeed for any inlaid pattern, thus savin any hard wood—even, it is said, a large amount of labor. | for ebony. Moreover, the ma- has other advantages, for terial can be dyed homogene- ously in any color from bright yellow to deep black, and can then be polished and made to look exactly like natural wood. is not so inflammable wood,and it has wonderful insulating qualities against both electricity and high o: low temperatures. Bundle of G with Samples of the Synthetic Wood Made from This Cellulose Material: The Broken Sample ee Shows How It is Formed of Layers of Cellulose Pressed Together. It can be Molded into Any Shape, and Is as Hard as Oak, or Even Ebony

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le ILLINOIS MAKES ITS HIGHWAYS SAFE HE state of Illinois, in tak- up the marking state highways, | not follow any stem practiced by ther states, but evised a plan of own. This plan designed to erve a twofold irpose: First, to ike the highways sate as possible der present-day fic conditions; econd, to give complete direc- information to he traveling public ould be ) ic- 11 ie, Lo accomplish f first purpose, vod signs, 42 hes wide and 24 hes high, with letters on a white background, were words “State Road” completed highways. erected along the (aa aT ae By R. FRANKLIN MUNDORFF DANGER STATE ROAD This Sign Has “Danger’’ Lettered in Red on a White Background, While the Words “State Road” Are in Smaller Black Letters 5 inches high and 2! These signs, which are located 400 feet each way from every point oft potential danger, are carried on 4 by 4-inch woodet posts, set 15 feet from the center of the pavement on the right-hand side; the bottom edge of the sign being 4 feet above the pave ment. On all side and crossroads connect ing with the state roads, the signs ead: ‘‘Danger State Road”: the word “Danger” be- ing painted red on a white background, and the letters 7 inches high and 4°, inches wide. The are in black letters 2 inches wide. (CAUTION | S-cuRVE-R ‘CROSS ROAD SHARP cURVE L _SIDE ROADS Left: Signs Indicating Caution over a Certain Distance Have Black Letters on a White Field with ppapenal Black and White Border. Center: Sign Denoting the Reason for Caution. and-White Sign Indicates Slowing Down, and Degree of Care Right: This Black- Necessary

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68 POPULAR On paved roads the signs read: “Look,” “Caution,” or “Danger,” depending upon the location; the first being used where the driver need not slacken speed but should be on his guard; the second, where some speed re- duction and care are neces- sary, and the last-mentioned where there is imminent dan- ger. The letters in the words “Look” and “Caution” are7 inches high and are black ona white back- ground, and in the word “Dan- 9” e 1 ger ort tne me height, ut are red on a white back- Street Intersection. Right: ground. se neath these words, the nature of the danger is indicated. Where continuous care for a certain distance is necessary, caution zones have been established. These are marked at each end with a board lettered “Caution Zone.” These signs have a border of diagonal black and white stripes approximately 2 inches wide. Throughout ro MECHANICS Left: Aluminum Route Marker Denoting Curve or Turn at a Back of Warning Sign at road, Bearing Outline of State Border and Giving Route and ileage Numbers To accomplish the second purpose that of furnishing directory informatio: to the traveling public—signs are used in the following manner: At the corporate limit of each city and village, a sign board of th same size those carryin the warnin signs is erected The name « the city and the words “City Limit” appea on that side o the sign face by the trav eler when ay proaching the city. Here al is found, o1 the right-han side of the road as tl traveler leave the city, a sig: on which at lettered the name of the next town an the distance to it, as well as the name the next principal objective point on t! route and the distance thereto. Cross- All state routes are numbered. Th: back of each warning sign carries thi number. On that side the borders of = =a the state are outlined black, and within this out the zone all poles, bridge rails, and other stationary objects, and where neces- sary, special posts near the points of potential danger, are painted with diagonal black and white stripes, in order to avoid a great num- ber of confusing separate signs. Before the final adoption of this system of warning signs, a 60-mile stretch of road was marked in this a manner and studied for : ‘ inner an 1 studied for a Sign That period of several months. This study resulted in a _ That number of modifications, which, however, did not essentially alter the system. As finally placed, the sign- boards are set normal to the center line ef the road. At this angle, the signs are quite conspicuous at 1,000 feet or more, and can be read at night at distances of 50) to 100 feet. SPRINGFIELD CITY Limit Bears the the City, and Warns the Autoist the City Limit has been Reached line the route number aj pears in black numerals 5: inches high. Above or be low the outline the distanc: along the route from it northerly or easterly ter minus is noted in red nu merals. At crossroads and roads leading to near-b cities and villages, an alumi num plate appears just be sid low the signboard. On thi the state borders are out lined, as before. described with the route number 1: raised black numerals an the mileage in raised rei numerals. The final scheme is the showing, on complete road map of the state, not only the route numbers but the mileage num bers of each important intersecting road which is marked by an aluminum sign. This enables the traveler at any intersect ing road to check his exact location by Name of

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POPULAR MECHANICS 69 mparing both the route number and _ pointing in the proper direction appears e mileage number of the intersection above the standard plate. At even miles th those indicated on the map. the mileage number, in raised red figures, Within cities, three different signs are appears at the top of the plate. At other ed, all of which have in common a _ intersections the plate embodies no spe- suble-faced flat plate, showing the state cial features. These signs are located on itline in black and the route number in the far side of the intersecting street, or ised black numerals. At turns, an arrow to the right of the driver. LIGHT CAR OF ENGLISH MAKE HAS MANY MERITS \nother development in the automobile | stated that this car has traveled 78 miles iid has appeared in the shape of an in- on but one gallon of gasoline. pensive light car man- ired in England and a _ sessing many of the erits usually found only the larger and more tly models. The little cle weighs less than pounds. It has a 7- sepower 4-cylinder tel cooled engine, ( speed gear box ith reversible gear, ift transmission, and rakes on all four of the chable wire wheels. length is only 8 feet inches, and width, 3 10 inches. The tiny seats two persons, a collapsible top, dshield, side curtains, ectric lighting, and dur- a recent track trial. peed of 52 miles an Light Car, Built in England, Which Has Many of the Merits Usually . Found Only in the Larger and More Costly Models: Note the ir was attained. It is Ample Space at the Rear for Baggage GIANT BOWLING GAME INVENTED BY U. S. MARINES Feeling the regular form of bowling to be too mild a sport, marine stationed at Mare Island on San Pablo Bay, have devised a new out door adaptation of the game. Pins, 10 feet high, are set up in the usual order on a field, and a large-sized pushball is used by a team of eight men. The team, taking a running start, rolls the ball for the pins, and makes an attempt to hit them in such a way as to knock down the greatest The Team of Eight Men in the Photograph Are About Ready to Send the Pushball at the Giant Bowling Pins in Such a Way as to oil Knock Down the Greatest Number hHhumber.

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70 POPULAR MECHANICS REALISTIC PICTURE OF BEAR EMBROIDERED BY ARTIST Making stitches so fine th they are scarcely discernible, Japanese artist has embroidere a picture of a polar bear whic! is remarkable for its realism. Th: figure is done in silk on a gray silk background. All the shad ing and coloring was finished b means of different-colored sil! threads, with no part subjec to retouching after the needle work had been completed. T! general perspective has been car fully carried out without sacrific copvaent. INTERNATIONAL WEWSREEL coap ing an accurate representation . This ———_ Reproduction of a Polar Bear Is the Needlework details. The picture is on exhil apanese Artist. It Is N Exhibiti . : _ + pits the fee Institute. Chicago Par tion at the Art Institute, ¢ hicag INCLINOMETER OF “UNUSUAL ACCURACY An instrument for rapidly determinin the correct inclination of surfaces, in de grees and minutes, consists of a circul scale numbered from zero to 90 in fo series, so that the circumference of a ci cle, 360 degrees, is represented. On tl inside of the scaled circle is a_ free swinging pendulum which has a scale minutes, from zero to 12. When the in strument is piaced on any surface, the p sition of the pendulum, which alway hangs perpendicularly, automatically in dicates whether the surface is level, o: Inclinometer Which Gives Readings in Degrees and J giv he degree of its inclination to tl Minutes, Showing the Pendulum That Automati- gives the degree : cally Indicates the Angle of a Surface horizontal. AUTO PANTRY: BOX ON REAR LUGGAGE CARRIER Intended as a convenient means of closed drawers for bread, coffee, suga: carrying food and provisions on auto’ and flour. trips, a pantry box has been made which is fas tened on the rear lug gage carrier. The box, a foot deep at the base and 28 inches high, has a curved felt-padded back which fits snugly to the back of the car. The front of the closet is equipped with a hinged brace and drops down, forming a table for four. Of the 13 com- partments for supplies f ee Er ind kitchen utensils, 1 the Illustration to the Left, the Pantry Box is Shown Open for Lunch- on elie eon. On the Right, the Box is being Taken Off at the four have specially in- End of a Trip. Note the Padded Back

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POPULAR MECHANICS v1 r rtly Assembled Fireproof Port- e Safe with Its Out side Layer of Con- stripped Of and One Corner in Section, to Details of Construction and the Reinforcement REINFORCED-CONCRETE SAFES FIREPROOF AND PORTABLE ble safes made of concrete with- l 6 EIS RC iy iron or steel outside casing, are Mm) . The Door of the. Safe with Parts Cut Away In use in Germany, and are also be- to Show Its Construction: As Indicated by the Ar- cported. These small safes are said ‘om t4, Finished Door is Shown, Immetiztsly above ess all the advantages in respect fireproof and insulating qualities may be served without leaving their seats. re possessed by large concrete r} e boards are ot two types, the one de Securely connected to an iron signed for the front seat betmg fashions are four upright corner pieces at the end to fit under the steering wheel, ied of rectangular iron plates stiff- while the second, intended for the reat | with angle irons. These meet at the ter of each side of the safe, and form inuous walls. Inside these walls sim corner pieces, secured to the base he interior lining of the safe. The ce between these two iron walls is with reinforcing rods of various or the strongest type of safe e are made of spirals hanging on hor- tal rods. In lighter types, the spi- ire omitted, and crisscrossed rods are Onto this construction, and inclos- it, concrete is poured so as to forma nolithic structure with outside con- te walls, giving the safe better protec- against fire than is afforded by iron steel casing that expands greatly, or en melts, at high temperatures. SPECIAL BOARDS ENABLE CAFE Waiter About to Put in Place the Specially Con- TO SERVE PATRONS IN AUTO structed Board for Serving the Auto Pa- trons of a Roadside Café For motorists who prefer eating lunch _ seat, is of even width throughout. Three- their cars, a roadside café near Los ply maple is the wood used, and the ngeles, Calif., has adopted specially con- boards are left unpainted so that they icted boards so that its auto patrons may be easily cleaned

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POPULAR MECHANICS

ATTRACTIVE ELECTRIC SIGN is 644,600 pounds. The steam cylinde FOR INTERIOR DISPLAY are 28 inches in diameter and have a 3 inch stroke. The maximum tractive pow An attractive electric sign for interior is 66,600 pounds when operating at 2] display has been produced and should pounds per square inch boiler pressu: The furnace is equipped with automat stokers for burning soft coal, of which t tender can carry a 20-ton supply. 17 capacity of the water tank is 14,000 lons.

MEANS FOR PRACTICING GOLF AT HOME, INDOORS OR OUT Top: Electric Sign for Inte- on , . » ‘ , rior Display as To Satisty the demand fora simple g Seen from, the exerciser, a machine has been devised Front. Bot- | j oF - , tom: Cross | ' practicing golf strokes at home, either: Section of the Sign, Showing - . Lighting base into which is screwed a steel | L Scheme al Held in pl ice at the top of the post —<—<—— small revolving plate to which are c nected two highly tempered coil sprit which are fastened at their opposite e1 to a clevis. Swiveled to this is a piece airplane wire, which at its other end attached securely to a golf ball. The | when struck from the ground or a te doors or out. It consists of a square ste

prove efficient for stores, hotels, banks, or wherever it is desired to designate dif- ferent departments for the aid of the pub- lic. The sign possesses a two-way lighting feature. This is accomplished by flooding the face of the letters with light from an aperture below them, just over the lamps, and by a reflector at their rear, which causes the light to shine through them. Due to this double illumination of the white-glass letters, they stand out in unusually clear relief against the black background. NEW PASSENGER LOCOMOTIVES ARE LARGE AND POWERFUL A number of locomotives which are the largest and most powerful, of the simple Machine for Practicing Golf Strokes at Home engine type, ever built for passenger serv- gous #t Screwed to the Floor: Outdoors, the Sr ice have recently been delivered to a west- ern railroad. The wheelbase of the engine swings around the base for a length and tender combined is 82 feet 2°4 inches time that varies with the nature of t! and the total weight of engine and tender _ stroke.

This Is One of a Nuinber of Similar Locomotives Which Are the Largest and Most Powerful, of the Sim; Engine Type, Ever Built for Passenger Service. It Has a Drawbar Pull of 66,600 Pounds, and is Equipped with Automatic Stokers for Burning Soft Coal

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POPULAR MECHANICS This Locomotive-Type Crane can be Mounted on Any Five-Ton Motor Truck Measuring at Least Nine Feet from the Back of the Driver's Seat to the Center of the Rear Axle. Used for This Service Out Trucks can be LOCOMOTIVE-TYPE CRANE IS MOUNTED ON MOTOR TRUCK \ny five-ton motor truck, measuring proximately 9 feet from the rear of the er's seat to the center of the rear axle, be converted into a locomotive-type ne for service on many construction by means of equipment now avail- The new attachment is built mostly teel and has a four-cylinder gasoline rine, developing 30 horsepower, for and raising the boom and for perating a hoisting hook, or any stand- rd half-cubic-yard grab bucket weighing The crane, un- ounted, weighs six tons, and outriggers ith jacks insure its stability when han lling loads Many motor trucks, too idly worn for most purposes, can be tilized to render satisfactory service with his additional piece of equipment. + not over 200 pounds. @ Wire wigs for women, constructed of the finest wire and tinted to any desired lor, are said to be the latest fashion in ATIS, Nearly Worn- AUTOMOBILE LIGHT SIGNALS BOTH SAFETY AND DANGER modifications of one re- Among the numerous automobile rear safety cently designed the special feature of display- ing continuously, under normal running condi- tions, a green safety light. As soon as an emer;r- gency requires the release of the clutch, or the ap- plication of the brake, the green light is automat ically displaced by a red one, indicating danger. Besides the light, there are ar- rows on the signal lamp that flash red to show whether the car is about to turn to the right or left. When the car is at a standstill, the red light serves as a park- ing lamp. signals, has

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POPULAR MECHANICS PICTURE OF RURAL LIFE MADE OF HUMAN HAIR Hairs of various shades and textures, taken from the heads of more than 40 individuals, were the principal elements used in th making of an interesting picture now more than a century old. The scene is that of a small lake showing, in the left foreground, a country homestead, and, oppo site, across a crude bridge, a vil lage. In the background is see: a range of mountains apparent ly done with an impressionistic touch. Except for the sky, wate a few fence sticks, and othe The Picture Shown Here was Made Almost Entirely from Hu- All Members of the The Fence in the Foreground and a Few Other man Hair Contributed by 40 Individuals, Same Family. Details were Made with Bits of Wood SUBSOILING ATTACHMENTS FOR ANY KIND OF PLOW \ttachments for breaking up the sub- soil, which can be connected to any standard right or left-hand, wood or steel- beam walking plow, as well as to sulky plows, are now on the market. For con- nection to a steel-beam plow two U-bolts, and for the wood plows, two clamps, are provided. For sulky plows only two bolts are required. The subsoiling is done with two steel blades, which can be detached to be resharpened. The attachment is adjustable so that the subsoiling can be done to any desired depth. es details, the entire picture was made with human hair, all con- tributed by: members of the same family. Subsoiling Attachment Connected to a Steel-Beam low: Dotted Lines Show How It can be Adjusted KNOCKDOWN GRAIN BINS OF WIRED BOARDS Demountable wooden bins hav been introduced as a successful and economical substitute for the light galvanized-iron containers commonly used by the grain growers of the Northwest. The new bin is made up of 1 by 8-inch boards, from 6 to 8 feet in length which are placed side by side and fastened together by wires, whic! are stapled to each unit. by using a greater or less number o! boards, bins of any capacity may be built. The finished product Demountable Grain Bin after being Emptied, Taken Down, and Rolled Up in Readiness to be Transported to the Store- Insert Shows the Bin Set Up Ready for Use house: may then be readily set up in ans desired location for the receptio: of grain.

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YUMA LAND By George F. Paul Laguna Dam, Sluiceway, Canal, and Control Gates on the Yuma Land Irrigation Project in the Arid Section of Southern California, Now being Pushed to Completion by the United States Reclamation Service & reclaiming the great Yuma Mesa— each. Before the orchards are planted, generally conceded to be the hottest there will be required for each tract about rt of the United States—more than 20 one mile of 15-inch pipe, or 150 miles for iles of concrete pipe, from 15 to 45 the entire unit; this is in addition to the nches in diameter, is being used. This 20 miles comprising the main system. merely for the first unit, or 6,000 acres, The mesa has a year-round growing a total area of 40,000 acres that will be season and a productive soil that is par- rigated. This unit of 6,000 acres is di- ticularly adapted for growing ded into 150 orchard tracts of 40 acres’ citrus fruits. Z The fruit Laying 18-Inch Concrete Pipe with a Dragline Excavator on the Mesa of the Yuma Land Project: Manner One-Quarter of a Mile of Pipe was Laid and the Joints Sealed Every Day

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POPULAR weeks ahead of that sections of the Pacific- Che irrigable area is from feet above sea level and has a several in other coast region. 80 to 215 matures grown Fabricating the Reinforcing Mesh for a Section of Concrete Pipe Used on the Yuma Land Project: Raw Materials for Concrete Are Plentiful in This Region temperature range of 22° to 118° F. The soil of the valleys is a rich alluvium, and of the mesa, gravelly sand. The annual raintall does not amount to much, averag- ing about 2.5 inches. A real rain genuine treat; irrigation is a is the hence, MECHANICS crete pipe is under the direction of the LU. S. Reclamation Service. Raw ma terials are plentiful in the region, and the main plant has been laid out so as to han dle them readily. Bucket con veyors carry them to the screen ing tower, where they are grade by a rotary screen. Conical buck ets, Operating on gantry cranes, distribute the concrete to the molds. Chain hoists make it a: easy matter to pour the concrete and handle the molds. When the pipe units are ready, they are loaded onto trailers. An end less-tread tractor pulls a string of eight trailers several miles ove the sandy roads to the point where the work of pipe laying in progress. A dragline excavato is used for laying the pipe. Wit] this arrangement, good progres is made, more than a quarter oi a mile of pipe being laid and the joint sealed every day. For handling the pipe special clasp of the “clothespin” type i used, which greatly reduces breakage What irrigation is doing for the devel opment of the Yuma district can readil A Citrus Orchard in the Plant- ing on the Mesa of the Yuma Irrigation Project, in Southern California only method of produc- ing crops on this arid soil a be seen from the fact that in 1900 there wer 100 bank depositors; to day there are more thai 10,000, and the numbe: is steadily growing thanks to the fact that water is turning the des ert into a highly pro ductive garden. that is baked for months under the sum- mer sun. However, with abundant water coming, there is a wondrous transformation and the land commands big prices. The work of manufac- turing these miles of con- Six-Year-Old Orange Grove on the Yuma Mesa: A Total of 40,000 Acres has been Laid Out in 6,000-Acre Units, Which are Subdivided into 40-Acre Orchards

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POPULAR MEASURING SKEW-ARCH ere has always been considerable un- inty as to the distribution of stresses, especially as to the thrust at the tments in a skew-arch bridge; that is iy, an arch which crosses a roadway onally, and thus has its abutments directly opposite each other. in order to determine the nature and MECHANICS v7 STRAINS AND STRESSES a vertical 2-inch pipe that bears against a solid overhead I-beam structure. By means of an ad- : justing screw at ‘\ ney HAT TTT suit the end of the 2 pipe, the load ap- : plied to any one spring can be ad- Method of Testing a Skew-Arch Bridge: Any Uniform the Pipes That Bear against the Overhead I-Beams. Load is Applied by Means of the 42 Springs under To the Right, One of These Springs is Shown Enlarged; the Tie-Rods between Abutments Are for Measuring the Thrust e amount of these stresses positively, Bureau of Public Roads, at its Arling- n Experiment Station, near Washing- n, has under way a series of experi ntal tests to be made upon a model of kew-arch bridge, one-quarter the size n actual structure, and having an arch feet in span, 41% feet in width from face » face, with a height of 4 feet above the e of the abutments. The crown of e arch is 2 inches in thickness, and the rch barrel is reinforced with 14-inch bars. At the springing line of the arch, e abutments are tied together with a number of parallel rods, and two diagonal ones that resist distortion of the arch in ny direction. For determining the effects upon the rch of a known dead load, 42 spiral prings are uniformly distributed over the p of the arch, each capable of carrying load of 1,500 pounds, resting upon a lat concrete boss, and carrying above it + justed as desired. The strains and the distribution of the stresses resulting from a gradual increase of the loading, will be measured with great precision by an in- strument known as a strain gauge. From the results of a series of these tests, it is believed that enough information will be obtained to enable the engineer to formu- late rules for the economical design of skew arches. By observing the stresses in the tie-rods, the thrust on the abutment will also be measured. In addition, ob- servations will be made of any deflection or distortion of the arch. In this manner the arch will be tested to destruction. @ An international chain of weather sta- tions along the arctic circle is being pro- posed by the United States Government. Experts say that the stations would in crease the f reliable range of forecasting to two practically weeks, doubling the efficiency of the service.

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iS POPULAR OLD BRICK CHURCH RESTORED WITH VENEER OF CONCRETE Converting an old red-brick church, in Detroit, Mich., into a new white concrete ‘wis Sal iae® ? ais ee Sg Sa PPE bd | Aa a 4 f a : rr ined ee. 2... on » La -” = ae ac ie te b P : os Red-Brick Church in Detroit, Michigan, 50 Years Old, That has been Veneered with Cement and Made to Look like a Church Built of Concrete Blocks one, in appearance at least, has been in- geniously done in preparation for the fiftieth anniversary of the completion of the church. Scaffolding was erected around the old building; all the exterior dirt, paint, and defective brickwork were chipped away, leaving a rough, clean sur- face upon which a layer of cement was spread, and then, when dry, tooled to look like concrete blocks. Passers-by who do not know of this ingenious renovation, are at a loss to reconcile the date—1872— on the cornerstone with the extremely new-appearing concrete exterior. Even to the oldest residents, this complete change is somewhat bewildering IECHANICS CEMENT FLOOR BLOCKS SERVE AS MEASURE IN STORE A most convenient measure, 32 feet long and 2 feet wide, is available at a hardware store in Los Angeles, as a result of a contractor’s foresight in laying the floor. Realizing that great lengths could not easily be measured on the counte: he laid the cement floor with blocks ey actly 2 feet square. An aisle immediately, in front of the counter is now always kept clear, and wire netting, rope, clothes line, chicken wire, and other bulky things sold by the foot or yard, are simply laid on the floor and measured by the squares The government inspector of measure ments for the district has officially ap proved the method. NOVEL METAL-TAG MARKER IS A TIMESAVER A new device for stamping embossed figures on metal tags used in many fac tories, produces the entire number in one operation, ifisuring positive alinement o figures and saving considerable time. The figures to be embossed are set by mean of four levers, in the same manner as cash register is operated, and, as selected appear in a window at the front of the machine. This feature of visibility mini mizes the possibility of errors. The em bossing is done quickly in one operatio: by simply pressing down a fifth lever, lo cated at the bottom of the machine. This Metal-Tag Marker Embosses the Entire Number at One Operation, Resulting in a Better Job, as Well as in Saving of Time and Labor

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POPULAR MECHANICS 79 ELECTRIC-ARC CUTTING TOOL FOR RIVETS da ‘ool in Use, Cutting Up a Propeller Blade: One Cut Is mpleted and the Second Is under Way Welding and Cutting Trans- former Shown in Connection with the Handle, Which can be Operated with One Hand For cutting any metal, nd particularly for vet cutting, there is w in use a specially esigned electric - arc itting machine. It is sed for cutting up ‘rap, such as sections cars, boilers, or nks, to chargeable res, and will econom- illy cut through any thicknessunder 6 handle constructed to protect the operator in the holding of an elec- trode that will carry a current up to 1,000 am- peres. The current is controlled by a special transformer which is portable, and may be placed indoors or out. In any location, it is proof against an atmos- phere of dust or dirt. It nches. It will cut out is provided with ducts ore than 100 rivets through which air is hour, at a very low driven by means of a ist per rivet. The tool The Arc Cutting Tool being Used in Cut- cnecial bucket-type ball- a 4 ting Out Rivets by elting : - provided with a Off Their Heads rearing blower. COUPE LANDS BOTTOM = ~ UP IN ODD ACCIDENT Shooting along a California ghway at a good rate of speed recently, the front wheel of a oupe caught in an obstruction at turn in the road. A moment ter the car was standing, bot- tom side up, balanced on a small mound of earth to one side of the roadway. There were four pas- engers in the car at the time of the accident, but none of them ustained injuries. “Neither was the body of the car seriously imaged. Recovering from the = ~~ ~~ _—— hock, the occupants ri » The Coupé Above Landed in This Queer Position after Hitting te ith i = righted the an Obstruction in the Road. It had been Traveling at a ito without mechanical aid. High Rate of Speed. No One was Injured

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POPULAR BOTTLES CORKED AND SEALED BY NEW MACHINE Corking and sealing bottles as these come from the automatic filler at the rate of 5,000 an hour, is possible with the Automatic be Seen th use of a recently produced machine. Large hoppers on the outfit are filled with thin disks of cork or vnaraffined paper. and a strip of aluminum is fed from a coil. In operation, the machine places the cork or paper disk on the bottle, after which the aluminum seal is fastened on the containers, everything being done automatically. ALLOY-STEEL GRATE BARS PROVE ECONOMICAL Hleat-resisting steel castings are re- ported to have been developed that indi- cate substantial savings substitute for the conventional cast-iron grate bars. The higher cost of the alloy steel is largely offset by the fact that the grate bars can be made 25 to 40 per cent lighter than those of cast iron. They are said to Jast much longer than the iron bars, and are not subject to change of shape as is the with cast iron. An American vessel has tried the bars with success. as a case Bottle-Sealing Machine, Showing the Strip of Aluminum being Fed from the Coil at the Rear, While, at the Top of the Outfit, may Large Hopper for the Cork or Paper Disks MECHANICS MAKING TURBINES NOISELESS BY MEANS OF INSULATION In spite of great precautions in connec tion with the cushioning with cork a: sand of the concrete-block foundations, was at first found impo sible to prevent hig! speed turbines fron transmitting vibrations to the superstructure of large hotel where the hum of the turbine could be heard in many rooms Upon investigation was found that in pou ing the, concrete block the cement had leake into the cork and sand thus destroying their i sulating qualities. Thi defective foundation were torn out, and on t! leveled surface- of tl! bedrock a four sided i closure was built with inch waterproofed bric! walls. Alternate 2-in layers of hair felt as compressed cork wel placed on top of the be rock, and were formed a complete lining to tl inside faces of the; bric walls. After thf, waterproofed with fe and pitch, the colicret was carefully poure?! int the inclosure. The result was that sound from the turbines could be hear even in the room directly above them. not TINY METERS FOR RADIO SET FIT PANEL PEEPHOLES Tiny ammeters and voltmeters, whi fit any radio-panel peepholes, from inch in size and up, are avuilable They may be used with either alter- nating or direct current, and two types now on the market have ranges of 0 to 8 ampere with 0 to 6 volts, and 0 to 1.2 amperes with 0 to 10 volts. The meters are at- tached by long bolts to the rear of the panel and giv added protection for costly vacuum tube now

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Vv rge Farrar, ars of Age, Learned to ik by Radio — SST ~~ eke InAG-0 omat Pe the Deat Hear bake ane ak-ae Dhbbaal » Speak W , " ee ee ne By H. H. DUNN of the greatest scien- e world are devoting their t attention to the perfecting of ra- for the use of those who possess all faculties, out on the Pacific coast a group of men have been adapting it e | of the : some betterment conditions of vho are deprived F the abili who are deprived of the ability to or to speak Under the direction of S. McCullough, superintendent of the ) 1 wotate School for the Deaf, and Blind, at Berkeley, this work been brought to such a stage that men and women who never have yrd in their lives are beginning M ture amplifiers and more ( 1d delicate diaphragms in the on the receiving sets have en d girls, born deaf, to | radio concerts, lectures. and have explanations of their lessons to them through the medium of 1 less ; remarkable work has been carried oh homemade apparatus, a large part t constructed and adapted by Carol id, a young graduate of the school. d I deaf and dumb, has though born ned to speak fluently and in a well- lulated yoice, through “listening” in, his deaf e on radio, and is now of the heads of the school’s depart- irs, ent for the deaf. \ccording to Mr. McCullough, the se- ot the aid given the deaf by radio is that it sends out more accentuated vibra- tions than the human voice. While many deat persons receive ind perceive sound through their fingers, especially by plac ing them on the lips of speakers, just blind persons have been trained to use their as more sensitive fingers in place of their eyes, the radio carries a stronger vibration to the ear in which the drum is not entirely wanting. and impels the dor mant nerves of hearing to transmit these augmented sound waves cases in which the eardrum “dead,” this can be done n s bein done every day at the Califo i schoo but when the eard: sent, the dio, of course, h is no etl The reason that many de perso re mute, is that thet o-called e eardrums cannot pick m the of noises and translate them int indet stand ible sound | eis Cal lrun ‘, | WW -ver, Can “teel” the more power,r!l tions and waves f the 1 ») receive! nd, gradually, the nerve e their functions, and the b 1 begins to trans late the sounds received Then is the deaf begin to receive the sensations of sounds and to connect them with letters and words which they know through reading them with the eyes, they begin to try to imitate them with their unused vocal cords. Sometimes it is a _ slow process, At first, but almost always they succeed. their voices are uncontrolled,

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POPULAR MECHANICS one RT oe are. pee ef . eee eneengrennernen State School for the Deaf, Dumb, and Blind, at Berkeley, California, Where Many Remarkable Results hav The Insert Shows Carol Land, a Graduate of the School, Who ha been Obtained by the Use of Radio: been Taught to Speak by Means of Radio, and Who Now Is an Instructor in the Department for the Deaf their tones variable, and their pronuncia- tion uneven, but eventually they learn to speak. They cannot hear their own voices, unless they hear them as spoken into the radio sender and then taken up by them at the receiving end, but a num- ber of the boys and girls who were both deaf and mute a few months ago, are now speaking in good voices, and have had a new world opened to them. The apparatus used is simple, in fact, all of it was made at the school, with the exception of the extra-loud amplifiers, which are hooked in between the coils and the earpieces, and of the unusually thin diaphragms in those earpieces, that the vibrations sent against the dead eardrums may be as strong as they can be made. There is no new invention in the work, and Mr. McCullough believes that a very great majority of the deaf through- out the world could have a new field of enjoyment, education, and opportunity opened to them by this means. He also believes that all those mutes who have not totally lost their eardrums, and whose vocal cords have not become atrophied, could be taught to speak by the use of an ordinary radio outfit. One of the most interesting examples of the pupils of the school who have learned to speak through use of the wire- less, is George Farrar. This boy, 12 years so of age, had been deaf and mute fro birth, When Mr. McCullough, at the | ginning of his experiments, asked him listen in on the radio, he began tl work earnestly. For nearly two wee! there was no result. Then, suddenly, o1 afternoon, the long-continued and hea vibrations of the radio waves began to d their work, and the boy heard the fi “noise” he ever had heard in his life. Hi did not know what the noise meant, bu' he continued listening in, and as he ke; up this work, hours at a time, he hear other sounds, and began to distingu! between different sounds, often repeate though he did not know what they mear Mr. McCullough does his own broa: casting, locally, from a sending plant his own office. In a loud, clear voice, repeats the same word, time after tim: until the children become familiar with Each day he writes out for them tl words he is to give them, in the order which they will be broadcast. As the come to recognize these sounds, th check them off their lists, and new word are given, with regular radio examin tions and tests every few days on tl sounds they already have had. The phabet is handled in the same way. One day little George Farrar looke up from his lists and saw an animal ru! ning across the campus of the stat

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chool. e first word he ever had spoken in his He leaped up and shouted “dog,” 12 years of life. His tone was loud and rather strident, but he was soon taught to modulate that. Since that day he has ac- quired a considerable vocabulary — of sounds, for he knew words before. To- day he can carry on an extensive conver- sation about school matters, his lessons, and some outside subjects, in a nearly 1ormal voice. Few of those who have learned to re- ceive and register impressions of sounds from the radio have failed, eventually, to learn to speak. Some have difficulty in controlling their voices; some are slow HEAVY TRUCKS USED TO BUILD HIGH STOCK PILES Stock piles of bulk materials can be built up with heavy trucks, according to the method used by a highway-construction superintendent who provided runways in 10-foot units made interchangeable and of such weight that two men could easily handle one unit. A unit is built up of two 4 by 4-inch timbers laid parallel on 12-inch centers, on top of which are spiked 2 by 12 by 16-inch planks, so that the ends of the planks come flush with the 4 by 4-inch timbers, and a 4 by 4-inch timber bolted to the top of the planks, at the outside edge, forms a guide for the truck wheels. The units are fastened Above: View a for the Truck Used POPULAR MECHANICS the Runways Which are Built in Interchangeable Units, 1 in Building the Stock Pile. 83 to form words, even after they have heard them many times, but with the patience which is being used, and the tre- mendous improvement in their fellow boys and girls, the efforts of these little men and women of tomorrow are carry- ing them to greater fields of opportunity through improved hearing and the ability to speak. What was once an experiment at the school is no longer an experiment, but an established part of the school work, the results of which are carefully recorded and studied so that these rec ords may form the basis of other and more advanced work, as the knowledge of radio and its utilization develops. together with *4-inch hooks and eyes, the lateral hooks being of a length to give the proper gauge to the track. 0 Feet Long, and Laid Down Below: Side View of the Stock Pile, Showing Truck Dumping a Load of Crushed Stone

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84 POPULAR MECHANICS These Storage Tanks are Built with a Smaller Diameter and Greater Height than Usual, So That Surface Evaporation is Greatly Eliminated SAVE OIL WITH NEW TYPE OF STORAGE TANK Storage tanks with a smaller diameter and greater height are an important factor in decreasing evaporation, according to a Texas oil company, now busy installing the newer design. The smaller: surface of the tank, it is claimed, overcomes to a large extent the usual loss from this cause. An- other special feature in the con- struction is the arrangement of 16 incoming pipe lines, which are run down the inside to within a few inches of the bottom. This method serves to lessen the evap oration which would otherwise occur with the surface being constantly disturbed by the flow ing in of oil at the top. The tanks are 19 feet high, have a di- ameter of 10 feet, and hold about 10,000 gallons. The old construc- tion, it is estimated, resulted in a loss of about 20 per cent of th contents. Entertaining Callers in Her Home behind Store Windows: Onlookers Seem to Be Much Interested People who actually live in “glass houses” are not easily found, but America has one such in the person of a young woman whose living quarters at present con- sist of a three-room suite behind department-store windows. The rooms are Here the Young Woman is Seen with Her Hairdresser, While to the Right WOMAN MAKES HOME BEHIND DISPLAY WINDOWS — equipped with whatever home furnishings the store wishes to advertise, and the young woman has no other duty than to make herself at home. She has her meals, reads, receives callers, plays the piano, sings, and passes the day much as an or- dinary housewife would. may be Noted a Portion of the Large Crowd Gathered Outside to Watch Her Activities

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POPULAR MECHANICS 85 At the Railroad Trestle near the St. John River in New Brunswick, Canada, Where the Runaway Logs and the Bridge were Finally ge The Force of the Jam Was So Great at This Point That the Steel Bridge was Bent over the MOVES OF SLEEPER RECORDED BY BEDPOST APPARATUS -ecording continuously ements Of a the slightest patient in bed and eby determining the hours of com- te and untroubled rest he has restle, While the Trestle Itself was Pushed Four Feet Out of Alinement in a dam when the waters rose. Break- ing booms, stone piers, and dam, they swept downstream to a _ steel bridge which, after a short halt, was literally lifted off its foundations and _ carried along. The jam was finally stopped by an idea introduced by a hysician. This result is by first placing a sheet bber beneath one of the sts and attaching special tus to the post. The ap- consists, briefly, of a end of which is fas- ‘d to the bedpost, the other ng a recording pen affixed to Underneath the pen is located ckwork drum containing a divided into 24 hours, so a continuous curve of the per's movements is kept and be consulted if it is desired iscertain how he has rested, to convince a patient that he has un- rated his hours of rest. { iT) 1 I 7 ned one RUNAWAY LOGS CARRY BRIDGE DOWN CANADIAN STREAM ousands of logs broke loose and car- 7. | a large steel road bridge down the ecaguimac River, near Hartland, N. B., recently after a continuous deluge of rain above its nad swelled the stream 25 feet summer level. The logs were being held B the Stream is Clearly Demonstrated Shows How the Heavy Steel Bridge was Bent over the Trestle The Great Power behind the Thousands of Logs Piled Up in Picture, Which by This the Canadian Pacific Railroad trestle near the St. John River. Here the force of the impact was so great that the up per structure of the road bridge was bent over the trestle, while the trestle itself was pushed four feet out of alinement. @ Those wishing further information on anything described in the editorial pages can obtain it by addressing Bureau of In- formation, Popular Mechanics Magazine Chicago.

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86 POPULAR MECHANICS : ie — — “STORM MACHINE” nee ON WHEELS : FOR MOVIES “Storm machines” are considered a necessity | the producers of motior pictures, one of thes companies possessing efficient and easily | dled outfit which a mounted on the chassi of a motor truck. truck engine drive generator that furnis| current for the ei; large arc lamps w Pe produce the “lightni: Ne ST while a propeller of —__——— - —— airplane type, also dri “Storm Machine,” Showing the Box Containing the Arc Lights on Top, the by the engine, provi Switchboard below This, While in Front are Seen the Generator re “ee and Propeller, with a Guard Rail around the Latter the “cyclone” effects. SEMICIRCULAR CONCRETE IRRIGATION DAM ground level it is 25 thick, tapering to o1 feet 6 inches at the 1 The dam is for stor water to be carried | raceway to the head a valley which it irrigate, and was signed by the pul works department, so Bird’s-Eye View of Concrete Irrigation Dam, Showing Its Out- line, Curved with a Radius of 185 Feet, and 450 Feet Long, or Nearly a Complete Semicircle A concrete irrigation dam that is made very strong in proportion to its thickness because it is semicircular in form, has been built on one of the rivers in the province of Otago, New Zealand. The dam is 450 feet long, Front Elevation of Semicircular Concrete Dam, 90 Feet High above Gr: curved with a radius of 185 feet. It is 90 feet above the river bed, to have a storage capacity of appro with foundations 23 feet below. At mately 10,000,000,000 gallons of water and 23 Feet Deep below It: At the Ground Level It Is 25 Feet Th

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POPULAR MECHANICS 87 A Departure from Conventional Lines of Architecture is Seen in This Beautiful Apartment Building Which has been Erected at Miami Beach, Florida. The Walls are Treated with Waterproofed Stucco of a Two-Tone Mottled Design. Red Tile Cover the Court and Floors of the Gallery BALCONIES SET IN COURTYARD RUBBER STEP MATS CLEAVE BEAUTIFY APARTMENT HOTEL TO AUTO RUNNING BOARD With the rapid development of Miami Rubber step mats for automobiles are ich, Fla., as a winter resort, there has now being made with raw-gum backs so rung up a demand for apartment hotels that they may be easily stuck in place on original design. One of the buildings the running board. The chief advantages nned to meet this demand is a splendid claimed for this method are the simplicity imple of a combined Spanish and _ of installation, and the fact that dirt and orish style of architecture. It has just water cannot enter under the mat. It is ugh ornamentation in the way of also claimed bulging or buckling in the indmade Spanish tile, wrought-iron center is effectively eliminated. The usual loggias, and balconies to enliven its method is to screw or rivet the mats in et dignity. place. Che building is of reinforced-concrete ster and girder construction, with hol- tile curtain walls. The latter are ited with two coats of waterproofed ucco of a two-tone mottled design. iirways and gallery are of solid con- rete, the floors of the gallery, as well as he walks in the court surrounding the fountain and giving access to the first- floor apartments, being covered with 6 by 6-inch red tile. Handmade Spanish tile ipport the gallery balustrade. Every x oom in the building faces either the Cs Gl | Se a Ge A AN treet, the court, or a golf course, while S33. aN irubs, flowers. and tinted wails combine After the Paper Covering is Taken from the Raw- . . . Gum Back of This Step Mat, the Mat » give a touch of Old Mexico. is Stuck in Place

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TRAVELING HOMES FOR AUTOMOBILE TOURISTs

Interior View of Automobile, Showing the Folding Bed at the Rear That Accommo- dates Two Persons: Near the Right End of the Bed may be Seen‘the Special Seat for the Con- venience of the Occupants While Un < dressing 8

RAVELING homes for auto- mobile tourists are now bein; manufactured in standard models | a western motor-car company. T} machines consist of a stock chass on which are mounted special bodi« These bodies are each equipped wit a gasoline stove, collapsible tabi lockers for cooking utensils, comt nation buffet and ice box, whit« enameled sink, hot and cold cir lating water, writing desk, cloth: closet, dome electric lights, and fir extinguishers. Also, two revolvin leather chairs may be moved abx the interior, these fit ting into socket holes ir

At the Top, Breakfast is being Served at the Collapsible Table. Below is

o : Shown How the Auxiliary Folding Bed is Suspended by Hooks from <i ee 7 the Upper Part of the Machine. This Outside Bed is Carried for the Ac- commodation of the Cook, or Driver, and is Easily Taken Down or Erected at the Beginning or Completion of the Daily Trip ee SS ——— — — - = ——<——

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BEING MANUFACTURED IN STANDARD MODELS

laborately Equipped Motor Car, op, and the Auxiliary Folding Bed A folding bed for two persons, and similar railway sleeper, is incorporated in the »; while an auxiliary bed, or tent, which may be ted or hung by hooks from the top of the car on is carried on the running board. Radio , with a loud speaker, is also one of the fea- The engine is provided with a pump so that ater may be obtained from a stream or lake, through medium of a long hose. Showing the Radio

The Man on the Left is Holding the — Folding Bed Which is Carried on the Running Board, While Just behind Him may be Seen the Loops of the Long Hose Used for Obtain- ing Water from Streams or Lakes

Interior of the Standard Model Machine, Showing the Two Revolv- ing Leather Chairs over Which can be Seen a Dome Electric Light and a Clock: At the Right Are the Gasoline Stove, White-Enam- eled Sink, Utensil Lockers, and Clothes Closet, and on the Left, the Radio Equipment with Loud-Speaking Horn, above Which Is a Clothes Rack. Behind the Radio Cabinet is Shown the Portiér: Which is Drawn across the Car to Divide It into Two Sections

a — = = = ——- - <4

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90 POPULAR MECHANICS Sand, Soil, and Humus Mixer: In the Foreground Is the Gasoline Engine, Belted to the Shaft That Drives the Inclined Conveyor over the Screen. The Fine Particles of the Mixed Ingredients are Seen under- neath the Screen, While the Lumps and Foreign Matter are Shown below the Raised End TWO NOVELTIES FOR USE ON BANJOS AND DRUMS Two novelties for use with banjos are a head tightener that is said to increase the volume of the tone, and a combined screwdriver and multiple wrench that fits all bracket nuts on any banjo or drum. In the tightener, two ring sections are placed under the head of the banjo so that they can be forced against it by turning two thumbscrews connected with a bar attached to the banjo head on a center line. The multiple wrench is built like a small, thin pocketknife handle, with a screwdriver blade inside it, that slides out of the handle when in use, and into it for carrying in the pocket. FOF yy Bs a Ye . . —_--- a Left: Combined Screwdriver and Multiple Wrench. Right: Banjo Shown Fitted with the Head Tightener SAND, SOIL, AND HUMUS MIXER DRIVEN BY GAS ENGINE The mixing of sand, soil, and humus to obtain a preparation to promote the growth of grass on golf-course greens, may now be accomplished with a gasoline- engine outfit. “A small one-cylinder motor and a screen equipped with an endless conveyor, to the shaft of which the motor is belted, constitute the equipment. The ingredients are shoveled into the con veyor, which carries them along the screen, the fine particles falling through, while the lumps are dumped at the upper end. The country-club officials who de- veloped this outfit, declare that it has saved them a large sum annually. IMPROVED ENAMELS FOR IRON WARE DEVELOPED The cracking of enameled ware has been found to be due to the fact that the enamel does not “fit” the iron over which it is placed, according to recent investiga tions at the Bureau of Standards. All substances expand when heated, anc con tract when cooled, and so if the rate of expansion were the same for the iron as for the enamel, they would stay together throughout any amount of heating and cooling, instead of the enamel cracking as it does when cold water is poured into a heated utensil. As a result of the in- vestigations, the bureau has’ evolved formulas for enamels that will fit the iron better.

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more pressure, ifter combustion, to little POPULAR SELF-COOLING AERO ENGINES WITH COMPLETE EXPANSION A new French airplane engine that is ttracting much attention, has a novel ind very simple means of completing the ‘-xpansion of the charge, atmospheric This done making the stroke ery long in proportion the bore, and by hav- ig in each cylinder head nly one small automatic let valve, with a com- iratively strong spring, that during the suc- on stroke the charge is rawn in through such a estricted opening that in at normal pres- it would be equiva- nt to only about half a linderful. The volume combustion cham- er is so reduced by the stroke of the piston hat the compression of ie charge, in spite of its educed initial pressure, as high as in any other engine, with roportionately high combustion pres- \round the single small inlet valve the cylinder head are a number of me- lanically operated exhaust valves which than is oO} ume, ure, tne pletes the Expansion sure: It Is ires. eliminate all back pressure and maintain he low temperature of the fully expanded MECHANICS Self-Cooled and Weighs About Two 9] gases. The result is that the engime can be cooled without water jacketing, or even radiating fins. Besides the elimina- tion of back pressure and the great re- duction of temperature, there are two other notable results from this construc- Novel French Airplane Engine, under Test, Which, after Combustion, Com- Pres- Horsepower of the Charge to Little More than Atmospheric Pounds per tion: The exhaust is practically noiseless, and there is the added work done by the completion of the expansion. The model in which the principle was tested out, has two horizontal, opposed cylinders, and so light that, though developing 25 horse- power, it weighs only about 50 pounds. is Efficient Filing Cabinet Which Aids Office Work, Showing How It may be Placed between Two Desks, Thus Enabling Both Employes to Use the Cards Freely FILING CABINET OPEN ON TWO SIDES Efficient filing cabinets for use in connection with correspond- ence files and the like, in offices where persons simul- taneously use the same collection of cards, are now available. In use, the appliance is located mid way between two desks, or tables. Being open at both sides, the file may be reached by the employe several at either desk without having to rise from their seats. The cards are mounted on steel pan els, each of which has a capacity of 100 names and addresses. Ow ing to the manner in which the cards attached to the it is impossible to spill or disar range them are panels, while handling

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Je POPULAR WATCH USED AS SCARFPIN IS SMALLER THAN DIME Almost a half less in diameter than a dime is the face of a new watch designed to be worn as a scarfpin. The Arabic hour numer- als are quite distinct so that it is not particularly difficult to make out the time. While the face leads one to believe that the move- ment is also exceedingly small, this is partly an illu- sion, for the works, con- cealed in the folds of the carf, are really slightly larger. The small ace and stem are neatly proportioned. SCREW AND NUT-SETTING TOOL IS MOTOR-DRIVEN A new tool for setting up screws and nuts is made in portable and stationary types and is driven by a self-contained electric motor. The portable type can be operated from an electric-light socket, and so can the stationary one if the line BY COURTESY OF THE JEWELERS* CIRCULAR S f Left: Stationary Type of Screw and Nut-Setting Machine Which Handles Nuts and Screws from Inch in Diameter. Right: Portable Screw and Nut-Setting Tool, Which will Drive and Set MECHANICS has the necessary capacity. The driving mechanism consists of a multiple-disk clutch, adjustable to different setting re- quirements, and a positive clutch which automatically “kicks out” when the disk clutch is released, permitting the removal and replacement of tools while the motor is running. The tools are furnished with recessed and tapered wrenches, in which nuts and screws can be picked up and held while the spindle is at full speed. RADIATOR FAN WITH BLADES AUTOMATICALLY ADJUSTED The cooling effect of an improved radi- ator fan is automatically controlled by a thermostat installed in the upper radia tor-hose connec- tion. When hot, this expands and adjusts the mov able fan blades so that they draw the outside air through the front of the radiator When cold, the thermostat con- tracts, reversing the adjustment of the blades so as to blow the hot air from the en- gine onto the ra diator. At intermediate temperatures the fan blades are adjusted accordingly. BY COURTESY OF THE AMERICAN MACHINIST %, to 1 uts and Screws from % to ™% Inch in Diameter

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he Heavy Broken Line on This Map Indicates the $7,000,000 Highway to Connect San Francisco with the San Joaquin Valley Roads. The Unbroken Line Shows the Only Present Outlet Southward from San Francisco, and the Proposed Skyline Boulevard Appears in the Foreground SEVEN-MILLION ROAD TO RELIEVE TRAFFIC JAM By ROBERT MORGAN Te afford relief from the congestion which accompanies the passage of ousands of automotive vehicles daily to and out of San Francisco on the uthern side, San Francisco County, isted by the county of San Mateo, is reparing to construct a paved highway, () feet wide, and approximately 35 miles ng, at a cost, including the necessary ridge over the southern end of San rancisco Bay, of $7,000,000. The two unties have appropriated $225,000 for e purchase of rights of way and for de- iled surveys of the proposed line of the id. There is only one paved highway, and it a narrow one, leading southward rom San Francisco along the peninsula which that city forms the northern nd. This highway, in order to get into ~an Francisco, passes through the range hills that borders San Francisco on he south. Through these hills, and irough the industrial section of lower southern San Francisco, traffic had to ove very slowly. As a consequence, hile traffic on the highway south of hese hills moved in continuous streams 30 to 35 miles an hour, when it entered in Francisco it was automatically re- iced to 15 miles an hour or less. This ondition literally “piled up” traffic into in Francisco at the city’s southern undary, and the proposal of a new 100- ot highway is the result. Estimates made by engineers place the cost of the highway as far as Redwood City, and thence eastward to the edge of the bay, at $4,300,000, and the cost of the bridge across the narrow bay, either at Ravenswood Point or at Dumbarton, at $2,300,000. The eastward turn from Red- wood City, and the bridge across the bay, are almost as important as the relief from congestion at the entrance to San Francisco, since the eastward-bound high- way will connect, at Niles, with the main paved highways to and from the great and productive San Joaquin Valley, thus putting this valley in direct connection with San Francisco, and giving its pro- ducers motor-truck and auto-stage trans- portation to that city and its markets. As soon as the rights of way have been obtained and the survey completed, the interested parties will go before the state fovernment and ask for state aid. The state, in turn, will ask for Federal aid, inasmuch as this is to be a part of the state-highway system. Surveys and the work of obtaining the rights of way are now going on, and no time will be lost in pressing the work of construction. The highway will run, still 100 feet wide, directly to the heart of the San Francisco business district. It will be so divided by pavement markers that six lines of traffic, three each way, may pass simultaneously upon it, and San Francisco commercial and_ industrial 93

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vt POPULAR areas will be greatly increased by its con- struction, while north-and-south traffic will be released from the present narrow road to a space four times as great. Traf- fic over this road today is six times as great as it was in 1914, when the road was IECHANICS barely adequate for the traffic, so that from this some idea may be gained of the necessity which has impelled San Fran cisco to construct one of the widest paved highways in the world out of her back door into the heart of California DAILY INSURANCE POLICIES SOLD BY SLOT MACHINE Daily insurance policies may now be taken out by prospective and apprehen- —_ : sive travelers who need only to insert a five-cent piece in a slot ma- chine which also contains a scale for weighing. For death by train wreck, the nearest kin or other benefi- clary receives $1,000: for death ona train from sickness, the payment is $500. Disabil- ity caused by any injury re ceived while traveling on trains, yields $5 per week for a term of 26 weeks, ac cording to the provisions of these policies OPY RIGHT NOERWOOD & UNDERWOOD DATE AND STAMPING MACHINE HAS SIGNATURE OF USER The responsibility for mistakes made in the dating or stamping of bills, receipts, or other documents of any kind, may be definitely placed with a machine in which is in- corporated the signature of the person using it. Ina large office employing hundreds of clerks, this would bea particularly thousands of errors invari- welcome appliance. When papers are handled daily, ably occur, and with the names of the persons responsible for them appearing on the documents, these mistakes may be quickly traced to their respective source PAINTING LINES ON CHINAWARE EASIER WITH NEW DEVICE Lining chinaware is made easy by mean of a new metal device. The arrangement: consists of small slide. th: two hooked arms of whic! clasp the edg: of the plate o: bowl, and movable crossbar wit! a screw ad justment. The crossbar is fixed at the desired distance from the edge, the pencil inserted, and the entire device drawn around the plate, leaving a it goes a clear, steady line. TR wer, NEW FIRE-ALARM BOX IS SIMPLE TO OPERATE An improvement in fire-alarm boxes fo the use of the public does away with the necessity of opening the outside before pulling the alarm. With the new box only two operations are required: A pull of the handle opens the door and a pull of the hook turns in the alarm. A substitute for glass in the key guard eliminates the danger of cut- ting the hands, and pressed-steel cases, heavily enameled with porcelain, afford protection against high-voltage electricity and lightning doo!

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POPULAR MECHANICS (4 A Wooden Vessel Purchased by | the American Legion Post, at “ Kirkland, Washington, and Con- verted, at Small Cost, into a Clubhouse eft: A Corner of the Spacious Dance Hall Which was Formed by Inclosing the Cargo Deck of the Con- verted Ship. Right: The “Town Jail” or “Jug,”’ Which Is an Accessory Built for Initiation Purposes and Other Uses on Special Occasions REBUILT SHIP IS AMERICAN NEW MOVIE SCREEN REDUCES LEGION CLUBHOUSE GLARE AND EYESTRAIN e Warren O. Grimm Post No. 83, An improved movie screen is said to merican Legion, of Kirkland, Wash., practically eliminate eyestrain and render provided itself, at comparatively the projected picture as clearly visible nall cost, with an unusual clubhouse. from a posi- several months ago the legionnaires pur- tion at one 3 4 ased for $3,500 a 3,500-ton wooden side of the SSS SSSaaus teamer hull from the Emergency Fleet house as from Pas Des Dis a, Ds she Ds Ds ss Bs rporation, and recently completed re- a seat directly deling it into a -clubhouse, at an_ in front ofthe pense of approximately $2,000 for screen. It is atentetetanetenenetetedes iterials. made of a fab- atestetetustateveseteleted (he hull was moored with its keel ric to whichis pa esting in shaliow water on the east side given a pure- etetetetetateratetata Lake Washington, and an inclined white surface ilk was built to it from the shore, with embossed admittance gate about halfway. with a multi- Tn Mes Ras Das bes Be ea Des, Be Bs a ' Na Das fn Bn te a Da Ba Che cargo deck of the big steamer was tude of small SS surfaced and inclosed, making a spa- squares, re- Bh ehh RR us ballroom. The whole ship was sembling the Tn Din Den a in De a Dn ired for electricity, and the cabin decks surface of a te ke ne a a ere converted into clubrooms; com- miniature ittee, men’s smoking, and ladies’ rooms, waffle iron. ning, and other rooms. The perfect diffusion and uniform illumi- Opening night was marked by a huge nation claimed for the light reflected celebration participated in by the various from this curtain, depend upon the ac- merican Legion posts in the Puget curacy of the design and construction of und district. the checkered surfaces.

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96 POPULAR OILER FOR HARDWOOD FLOORS SPRAYS BY AIR PRESSURE An oiler for hardwood floors has been developed for use any place where it is desirable ors” to lay the dust and pre- serve the wood. The appliance is operated by air pressure. It has a cylin- drical tank in which an air pump is in- corporated, and a spring- tension at- tachment that controls a tiny sprayer. In use, a gal- lon of oil is placed in the outfit, a few pounds pres- sure pumped into the tank, after which the operator is enabled to spray any floor rapidly and in an efficient manner without waste of oil. AIR FEED FOR FUEL MIXTURE REGULATED ELECTRICALLY For regulating the supply of air mixed with the fuel in an automobile engine, and thus giving the greatest possible ef- ficiency for varying speeds, an automatic electrical device is now on the market. It Air-Feed Regulator Shown Installed on the Dash of an Automobile: Enlarged Inset View Shows It Opened Up, Exposing Its Low-Resistance Coil MECHANICS consists of a small low-resistance coil with a metal core, and an armature to the end of which is attached a valve that opens or closes an air-inlet pipe leading to the intake manifold, to which it is con nected just above the carburetor. The coil is connected in series in the positive wire leading from the generator. At low speed, when a richer mixture is required the magnetic force is not sufficient to at tract the armature, and it closes the ai: inlet. As the speed increases, the arma- ture opens the valve proportionately until at high speed, when the armature is in contact with the coil, the valve is wide open, and the consequent air supply fur nishes an economic fuel mixture. By means of a spring attached to the arma ture, it can be adjusted to suit any speed conditions. CARBON-PROOF SPARK PLUG WITH RADIATING FINS A new carbon-proof porcelain spark plug has been specially designed for win ter driving by utiliza tion of the principle o! radiation. Around the inner end of the por celain insulator ar: molded a series o saw-tooth girdles, so sharp-edged that the instantly attain a tem perature high enoug! } - to burn off the oil ? soot that coats tl - smooth surface of o1 : dinary porcelain insu ; lators, and that ma cause a short circuit : _ The plugs are made t suit all types of en gines, and can be easily taken apart fo cleaning. | 4 PROVIDE NEW RADIO SERVICE TO LONDON AND GERMANY Radio service from America to Londor and Germany is now available at a rat that will make it attractive to those wh want to send messages to those place according to a recent announcement. T| rate is six cents a word, including the a dress and signature, with no minimum requirement. While a registered code ad dress is acceptable, the text of the mes sage is restricted to plain language. Fo: the present the service is confined to London and Germany.

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A View of the Lower End of the Bagley One-Man Shipyard, Looking toward the Water: The Marine Rail- way, on Which Vessels are Hauled High and Dry on the Land, and Its Largest Cradle Appear in the Center of the Picture, Which was Taken from the Roof of the Main Building A ONE-MAN SHIPYARD By L. R. PERRY H' RE is a tale of small things accom-_ plant on the shore of Oakland estuary, plishing big ones; of dimes perform- California, the first impression is one ol the feats of dollars: e apparent dilapidation imbition developing — and disintegration entive venus. It is F Buildings seem half interesting testi- : , torn down; thin nial to the fact that §& me strangely scattered hition backed by in- mn about. But. the more a ry can make dreams discerning ne true. a ¢s seem eye investi " gates, the more the The whole thing “in | quite opposite is appar nutshell” might be eet > that the i 1u i Y r€ - ent la thi \ ed a one-man Ship- . — alive and quite |, for that virtually yard 1s a novel ’ a one. hat it is, a ship- @ : , When, in my rambles ind marine rail- . with the camera, I hap that one man can ; : ; ; pened onto this queer erate from beginning . : plant without its pro end It is a little a ———_—tecting fence, which no lustry that handles An Old Tank Taken from a Dismantled night watchman vuards, jobs; an enterprise a Lactabanae take sot - wer I immediately sensed a unded on em pty Used as the Gasoline Reservoir for the story, and was not dis- ckets that now has — appointed. annual turnover which is providing There are three personalities who mply for several families. mainly figure in this unique enterprise: \s the stranger comes upon this unique J. W. Bagley, the father, and Percy and a7

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pe tate co, eee ee - nam eee alia I Above: A Partial Vi - “ : iew of Rd... AREA ae the Bagley One-Man Ship- —* tl ie toed A : yard from the Water’s Edge, é oe 4 : Showing the Pier, the Small ; , 8 | ‘= ~ " 4 Floating Pile Driver, and is a ya Several of the Portable Buildings of the Plant. In the Foreground a Portion of the Tracks of the Marine Railway can be Seen. The Shipyard Represents the In- dustry of a Father and Two ons —. — Above, J. W. Bagley, Father of the Ingenious Sons, is Operating the Hoist of the Small Floating Pile Driver, Which was Constructed from an Old Pontoon and Equip- ment Accumulated from Vari- ous Sources. It is Used for Contract Work as Well as around the Yard Above: The Bilge Blocks of the Cradles of the Marine Rail- way are Easily Slid into Posi- tion and Automatically Lock in Place under Water. Clamps Hold Them to the Cross Rails of the Cradle and They are Quickly Unlatched by a Jerk on a Cord. Left: Large Iron Sheave Made from Elevator Scraps and Used on the Head of One of the Smaller Cradles. It Is Only One of the Many Evidences of Resourcefulness i] : | : it’ AO ie TM REIT RENT

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Above: A Continuaiion of the Bagley One-Man Shipyard from the Same Viewpoint, Showing Two Vessels Hauled High and Dry on the Marine Railway. Right: A Wood-Turn- ing Lathe, Which Holds Any- thing from Dowels Up to Flag- poles and Rudder Posts, is As- sembled on a Wooden Form, from Odd Parts of Machinery Picked Up Here and There Left: Nelson Bagley and a View of the Engine Room, Showing a 25-Horsepower Gas Engine, Which Is One of Two Engines, Either of Which Is Capable of Run- ning the Machinery in the Plant, Alone or in Combina- tion with the Other Right: A Safety Device in the Form of a Hinged Door That Serves as a Guard in Front of the Engine Flywheel. In Most Places in This Plant, Belting is Protected with a Housing of Boards, but in Some Instances It is Allowed to Run Exposed to All Sorts of Weather. The View Shows a 17-Horsepower Gas Engine Which can be Used Alone to Run the Plant, or Run in Combination with the Other Engine

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100 Nelson Bagley, the two sons. The bus- iness is today largely conducted by the father, architect by profession. It is a striking feature of the conduct and expansion of this enterprise, to find POPULAR MECHANICS pie collections of machinery on _ skids house and all; and in such manner as to readily become part of future units o1 combinations? All the smaller building of the plant are on skids, and have bee: moved several times so as best to facilitate jobs in hand. The big marine railway and cradle is an interesting mechan ical contrivance in itself. Essen tially it is quite different fron the average marine railway i that its 90-foot cradle is under slung. The big wooden beam constituting the sides rest o1 axles. Fastened to the beams un derneath with large U-bolts, an spaced about two feet apart, are the crossties of inverted 70) pound railroad rails. Keeled ves sels rest on these and the steady ing bilge blocks on the beams, but flat-bottomed barge rest on the side beams, while th: side The Small Floating Pile Driver its main building under steady use with- out roof and walls, and even parts of floors still missing. Yet, if the plant must “pay for itself as it along,” why not put any surplus resources to other use? And, if various jobs call for exten- sive shifting of equipment, and bigger schemes are held in view, why not assem- goes Operated by Percy Bagley: The Hammer Was Once the Counterweight of an Elevator. This 700-Pound Weight Now Easily Sinks a 10-Inch Pile 4 Ay sites 7 cradle is in transit. When ashore the biggest barges are blocke up on the ground. This under slung type of marine railway takes up less room, draws less water, an: permits a simple record of forms of hull to be kept in repeated dockings. It is surprising what large jobs thi small yard can handle. The photos shoy numerous men at work; but one man car alone haul out large craft, work it, and return it. Left: Simple Emergency Pump Made of Four Strips of Wood, a Long Box. A Square Piece of Flexible Leather Bolted to the Handle Acts as a Check Valve. Four Inches Wide, Nailed Together to Form Right: A Four-Inch lron Pipe Serving as an Improvised Steam Box. Used in Bending Ribs for a Quick Repair Job on the Launch in the Background

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POPULAR MECHANICS I iotive power. “T, UNDERWOOD &@ UNDERWOOD nall Touring Car Shown in the Act of Leaping over the 15-Foot House: In the Foreground is Seen Part of the Long Track Having the Sharp Incline at the End. The Grand Stand, in the Background, is Well Filled with Interested Spectators SMALL TOURING CAR LEAPS PAD IN TOBACCO POUCH OVER 15-FOOT HOUSE MOISTENS CONTENTS eaping over a house 15 feet in height, A rubber-lined tobacco pouch which the performance of a small touring contains a moistening pad, for keeping r, recently, when this feat was exhibited the contents in good condition, is the in amusement-park “thriller.” A track, latest innovation for pipe smokers. The ing a sharp incline at the end, was laid pouch is of convenient pocket size and » that it led up to the house. Then the was started along the track under its n power. Gathering great momentum the time the abrupt upward turn at the d was reached, the m: i leaped high the air, easily clearing the structure. SHIP DRIVEN AGAINST WIND BY WIND-DRIVEN TURBINE hip that can be propelled dead st the wind by means of an ex- vely wind-driven turbine, thus mak- the wind an aid instead of an obstacle, been developed by three engineers in - ince, and was described recently be- Above: Tebaces Pouch ta re the Academy of Sciences. The tur- Which is Incorporated an ne h: _ : P : . Oval Moistening Pad to i¢ is ste o 4 is been tested on a light boat, Tea the Contents in Geet upped with a screw propeller. The Condition. Right: Pouch rbine is drive } > velocitv of e Closed, Showing the Side lriven \ the velocity rf the “Spout” through Which ind, and there is such a perfect system the Tobacco is Poured power transmission to the propeller at it drives the boat into the eye of the ind from which the turbine derives its has two snap fasteners that hold the toy tightly closed after the tobacco has been placed within. To fill a pipe, it is not Recently an English explorer of Tibet nec essary to open the pouch, as a smal! iS surprised to find that the Dalai Lama __ outlet is incorporated in it, through which ns and operates a motorcycle. the tobacco may be poured.

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102 POPULAR PORTABLE SAWMILL BUILT ON OLD MOTOR CAR Riding to and from the scene of his labor on a portable sawmill, with which he daily cuts 10 cords of wood, is the Portable Sawmill Built on an Old Motor Car, Show- ing the Circular-Saw Attachment at the Rear of the Strange-Appearing Outfit occupation of a Massachusetts man. His homemade “mill” consists of a _ small motor car, 1906 model, on which a cir cular saw has been ingeniously rigged. With this odd outfit, the man tours over considerable territory, contracting to saw wood. Although the mill, or machine, is not impressive in appearance, the owner MECHANICS finds it a remunerative investment, for the cost of operation is very small, and hy. usually picks up enough work to make every trip pay. The engine was origi nally air-cooled, but the owner rigged it up for water cooling. MACHINES FOR FLAX-PULLING TC SUPERSEDE HAND LABOR One of the most costly and tedious 0} the processes in connection with th: manufacture of linen is the pulling of t! flax, which hitherto has had to be don by hand. New attempts are now bei: made in Europe to do this mechanical], and several tests have recently been mac: of different flax-pulling machines. T! most successful seems to be one that now running in Ireland. This machine like others tried in England, France, Ru sia, and Canada, fundamentally consist of a comblike arrangement that gras) the flax stems, and by the resistance « the seed capsules of the fiber plucks the from the ground. All weeds growit among the flax slide through the pull and are not plucked. After being pull: the flax is thrown onto a binding arrang ment similar to that used in grain ha vesters. It is then bound and shock also like sheaves of grain. The fla puller is hauled by horse or tractor, a1 only a driver and an operator on thi puller are needed to operate the machine which will harvest about 10 acres a day Flax-Pulling Machine That Harvests Flax Much in the Same Manner as a Binder Harvests Grain, Exceptin; That It Pulls the Flax Stems Out by the Roots Instead of Cutting Them: This is Done by the Comblike Device Driven by the Endless Chain

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POPULAR Aeeis & Ewin Used in Agriculture, Determining the Digestibility of Foods at the MECHANICS Bureau of Chemistry, Department of Where Formerly the Action of Certain Foods on White Rats and Guinea Pigs was Studied for the Same Purpose TEST DIGESTIBILITY OF FOOD IN GLASS CONTAINER e digestibility of certain foods is now determined in suitable laboratory paratus in preference to the method of lving their action on white rats and i pigs, at the Bureau of Chemistry, irtment of Agriculture. For example, ; are placed in a glass container with lute solution of hydrochloric acid, ir to that found in the human stom- a quantity of pepsin is added, and mixture is placed in an incubator 1 temperature of about 98 F., or ‘xists in the stomach. At ven time, the contents are , and then treated with chemicals mating the found in the tract w11ces digestive MOTOR-OPERATED SNAP SWITCH HAS WIDE APPLICATION new motor-operated snap switch that be used on direct or alternating cur with little power consumption, and pplicable wherever automatic control lectrical devices is desired, has re- been produced. The switch is edly built and mounted on a porce block, secured to the bottom of the iron switch box, and a specially de signed motor is also to the bot tom of the box and geared to the switch, from which it is separated by an insulat- This Motor-Operated Snap Switch Is Adaptable Wherever Automatic Control of Electrical Devices is Desired, and Consumes Little Power ing barrie ig is connect the auxil operates intermittently. of a lary control circuit and The bearing special self-lubricating materi a The discovery of an eum,” said to alloy termed “or- have the brightness. du rability, and inoxidability of gold, has recently been announced by a French chemist, who also claims that these quali- ties will permit its substitution for gold in jewelry and other similar manufactures.

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104 POPULAR NO PACKING IN STEAM VALVE WITH RENEWABLE PARTS Steam valves, especially those used on superheated systems, require consideraple attention to the packing in order to pre+ vent leakage. To overcome this nuisance, an English firm is manu- facturing a packless valve which will op- erate satisfac- torily on su- perheated as well as satu- rated-steam installations. In addition to being without packing, the four wearing parts, name- ly, the seat, clack valve, nut, and spindle, are all renewable and tend to lower the maintenance costs. — ————— er = a , MECHANICS SEVERAL HARBOR EXTENSIONS AT AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND A comprehensive system of harbor im- provement is in progress at Auckland New Zealand. Included therein are rein forced-concrete wharves, 240 to 280 feet wide, with deep-water berths, and stee cargo sheds, 320 feet long and 60 to & feet wide, equipped with modern loading and conveying machinery. All the whary: have a roadway 60 feet wide along thei: centers, and will eventually be provided with railroad connections from each bert Refrigeration plants and lumber m will be erected close to the berths. Ther: are already sixteen 3 and 5-ton electr cranes, besides electric capstans, others will be provided as the work | gresses. Also, a large self-propelling flo ing crane, capable of lifting up to 80 to: is now in operation. A great deal of ré lamation work has already been done hundreds of thousands of cubic yard filling having been deposited in the last two years. At one point the reclamatio: banked with a solid stone wall, which 740 feet are already in place. G and electric lamps provide illuminatie: is Ct REE ES B One of the New Reinforced-Concrete Wharves under Construction, That will Form Part of the Harbor E tensions at Auckland, New Zealand: These New Wharves Are 240 to 280 Feet Wide; along the Shore can be Seen Part of the Stone Wall Erected in Connection with the New Embankment

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Above: Traveling Concrete Mixer at Work on One of the New Wharves 1 Connection with the Harbor Extensions at Auckland, New Zea- land. It is Used for Making the Concrete Piles for the Wharf. Right: Part of One of the Reinforced-Con- crete Wharves, Showing the Quay Side, with Its Railway Lines, and One of the Large Electric Traveling Cranes. Beside the Quay is Seen Part of One of the Two-Story Steel Cargo Sheds Which Are 320 Feet Long and 60 to 80 Feet Wide. Below: Concrete Pier Built to Act as a Tide Deflector in Connection with the New Harbor Extensions

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106 ATTACHMENT TO WHEEL LIFTS MIRED MOTOR TRUCKS For lifting motor trucks out of mud, sand, or snow, in which they may be POPULAR MECHANICS stranded, a portable attachment for con- nectign to a mired wheel is in the form of a wooden four-sided block, in length about half the width of the truck. About the middle of this block is an eyebolt through which a chain Above: Two of the Lifters Shown Tele- scoped Together and Attached to the Rear Driving Wheels of a Motor Truck. Right: The Two Lifting Blocks Separated, Show- ing the Chains by Means of Which They are Tightly Attached to the Rims of the Car Wheels Sites ————————————————— having a hook at one end is passed. This chain is long enough to encircle the rim of the wheel, against which it is made. tight by slipping the hook into a link.of the chain. A tubular exten- sion at the end of the block is so made that when two. blocks ar placed on opposit¢ wheels, they will tele scope together. The truck is lifted by th: blocks when the wheels are rotated. RADIO OUTFIT COMPACT AND PORTABLE Nontechnical radio enthusiasts now have availabie to them a portable regenera- tive, or receiving, outfit which is not costly and is simple to control. The set is compactly constructed. Inclosed in a box, 7 by 9 by 11 inches in size, the equip- ment, consisting of A and B-batteries, head phones, vacuum tube, tuning coils, etc., and also enough wire for the ground and antenna, is easily carried Left: Radio-Receiving Set Opened Up Ready ing the Numerous Parts of the Equipment. Box Closed, Showing Carrying Handle. Upper Cen Right: Top and Side of from place to place. It has a normal re ceiving range of 500 miles. During recent tests in Galveston, Tex., concerts fron Georgia, Tennessee, Kansas, and Missouri were regularly received, while station even more distant than these were also clearly heard despite the usually trouble some Gulf static. All the wiring between the different parts is in approved style covered with varnished-cambric tubing and connected by lugs. for Use and Display- ter: Reduced View of the Box Opened, Iilus- trating the Compact Manner in Which the Outfit may be Packed for Carrying err are rt ee Ie

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a a Mosaic Map Made Up of 150 Photographs Taken from an Airplane. Below: A Hydrographic Chart, ov Standard ap. of the Same Area, Drawn to yy the Same Scale. ot e the Accuracy of Detail in the erial Mosaic AERIAL MOSAIC MAP SHOWS MARVELOUS DETAIL By GEORGE F. PAUL TT“ IE possibilities of aerial photography in mapping water routes have been trikingly demonstrated in mosaics pre- ired by the Canadian Air Board, show- ng stretches along the St. Lawrence Rkiver. These mosaics were made for the Canadian section of the International int Commission for use in connection with its report on the St. Lawrence vaterway project. The marvelous detail of these mosaics is brought out by com- irison with charts made by the Corps of ngineers of the United States Army and sued by the United States Lake Survey Office. Probably no more accurate map- ng and finer reproduction could be osen for comparison purposes. The pictures were taken from a DH-4 roplane, at an altitude of 8,000 feet, wn from Ottawa Air Station by Lieut. L.. Holland. The flying conditions were excellent, and so closely did the prints rom the original negatives match, that no rectification of the individual negatives vas found necessary. This shows that under good flying conditions and with careful and skilled piloting remarkably ccurate results can be obtained. Owing to constant changes in light and shade on the water surfaces, due to rip- ples caused by the varying winds, passing water craft, and other natural conditions, I | I it was found impossible to obtain even matching in texture of the pictures form- ing the mosaic over such areas. To over- come the patchy appearance due to this, the water areas were brushed over so as to give a uniform texture. With this exception the mosaic was made direct from prints off the original negatives. The possibilities of time and labor sav- ing in map making can readily be seen from the comparison. Aerial surveying by photographic methods is being rap idly developed, and scientists in many countries are working on the develop ment of maps, accurate to scale and ele- vation, from oblique and vertical aerial photographs. Mosaics such as here shown do not pretend to absolute accuracy, and cannot at present take the place of maps made from ground surveys. They ar rather supplementary to them, giving an actual reproduction of the terrain as it and showing it in much greater detail than the most carefully made map Provided a series of points, recogni able from the air, were fixed on the ground along a stretch of country of which a map was required, the whole of the detail of the map could be transferre«| from vertical aerial photographs taken and the laborious process of traversing the whole could be dispensed with. exists, 107

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POPULAR MECHANICS Lier The Above are Reported to Be the Largest Luffing Screws Ever Made. Each Screw Is 15 Inches in Diam- eter, 28 Feet Long, and is Designed to Carry a Maximum Load of 1,000,000 Pounds; : a — } the Nut in Which It Turns, Weighs 5,000 Pounds NAVY CRANE TO HAVE WORLD'S LARGEST LUFFING SCREWS What are reported to be the largest luting screws have been -installed to move the boom of the 250-ton crane re cently mounted on the old_ battleship “Kearsarge.” Each screw is 15 inches in diameter, 28 feet long, and has a 2-inch square thread designed to run through a manganese-bronze nut, 5 fect long, that weighs 5,000 pounds. The screws are made of chrome-nickel steel, having an ultimate tensile strength of 120,000 pounds per square inch, and are designe for a maximum load of 1,000,000 pound each. STRANGE METHOD OF FISHING IN HAWAIIAN ISLANDS Natives o1 the Hawaiian Islands are fond of a small mudfish which they catch in an interesting manner. The spawn oi the fish is regularly carried downstream to the sea by freshets, and, after hatching To the Left is Shown a Native Carrying the Type of Fish Trap Which Is in Common Use in the Hawaiian Islands. Converging Dams. On the Right in the Foreground the Trap Is in Place at the Narrow Opening between Two The Native in the Background is Emptying His Catch into a Small Pail

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emerging POPULAR MECHANICS 109 hinana,” as it is named, begins swim- upstream. On the way it is led by verging dams, built with rocks gath- d from the surrounding country, into like traps, covered on all but the nstream side with fine wire gauze. By means.the fish are caught in large intitres. DESERT SOIL TO BE TREATED WITH SULPHURIC ACID \ donation of 100 tons of sulphuric to be used for experimental treat- nt of alkali soils in Arizona, has been de by a western mining company. The lication of the acid and the subse- ient care of the test crops will be con- ted under the supervision of chem- ind soil experts, some of whom be- that not only will worthless land be iimed but crop betterment result on e areas now under cultivation. RADIO LIGHTNING ARRESTER HAS INCLOSED GAPS Lightning arresters are now a neces- sity of radio equipment and have been - made the sub- ject of a spe- ruling by the National Board of Un- vriters. Each installation must be ided with an arrester that will oper- it a potential of 500 volts or less. An ster in which the gaps are widely rated and protected by a glass con- has been produced, and is obvi- superior to the ordinary air-gap The latter is frequently clogged flying particles of dirt or other for- matter, which entirely destroys its ective value. MANY AMERICAN PEARLS SOLD TO WOMEN OF INDIA may surprise many American people know that pearls of beautiful luster, lect in shape, some weighing many ins and worth several hundred dollars, e regularly gathered from the Mis- ippi River. Pearls known as baroques, inks of rough surface and imperfect ape but of many colors, are among the ‘Ss expensive types collected. Then there re small dull bits known in the hunt- parlance as “slugs.” These are so plentiful in the river that buyers some- times accumulate them by the peck. In- dia, where the Hindu women covet the slug to use in embroidering gowns, mak- Here are Shown Mississippi Pearls of All Kinds, Some Perfect Ones in the Hands beside Baroques, a Hatful of the Latter, and a Peck of “Slugs” ing necklaces and other ornaments, is the principal market for this class of pearl. CLEANER FOR SPARK PLUGS ALSO USED AS GAUGE Spark plugs may be easily and rapidly cleaned by the use of a simple and inex- pensive appliance which is manufactured in several sizes and can be used for most kinds of open-end plugs. The article is made of tempered steel in one neatly fin- ished piece. The thickness of the metal provides a gauge for adjusting the spark terminals, which may also be scraped with a tiny file that is incorporated in the con trivance. Top: Cleaner Shown Inserted in an Open-End Spark Plug. Bottom: Cleaner, Illustrating Its Simple Construction

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CIVIC FEATURES THAT PROMOTE THE COMFORT A Quaint Old Blacksmith Shop near Saunderstown, Rhode Island: It is Built Entirely of Stone, Including Even Its Curiously Shaped Roof and Its Porch with the Four Mas sive Columns. It Is of Such Solid Construction That Time Has Litt! or No Effect on It CUPYRIGHT, UNDERWOOD 6 UNDERWO eM ‘ For the Convenience of Motor Tourists Passing through intl the Town of Los Gatos, California, This Solar Water * ena dpe Seat aa ile cal ni Heater has been Erected on a Vacant Lot. Water ri Heated by the Sun, and Therefore at No Expense to the Town, Is Always on Tap, and Autoists Are Free to Help Themselves. After a Long, Dusty, All-Day Ride, This Convenience Is Very Welcome

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il AND ENJOYMENT OF VISITORS AND RESIDENTS During the “Safety-Week” Campaign at was Erected at the City’s Most Danger- ous Street Corner as a Reminder of the Necessity of Care. The Monument Is 12 Feet High, and is Made of Wood - Atlanta, Georgia, This Monument Painted to Resemble Marble ) Picturesque Concrete Stairway That Climbs a Rocky Hillside on North Main Street in Dubuque, Iowa: At the Top of the Hill Is a Public Park, and the City Authorities Decided to Replace an Old Sloping Walk with This Concrete Stairway, Thus Affording a Better Means of Reaching the Hilltop, and of Viewing the Scenery on the Way Up — Extending across Both Pages Is a View of the Concrete Athletic Stadium Just Completed at Montgomery, Alabama. It Has a Permanent Seating Capacity of 12,000, Which can be Doubled by Adding Temporary Bleacher Seats. As _ the Property was Donated by F. J. Cramton, a Mont- gomery Resident, It is Called the “Cramton Bowl”

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Lie POPULAR LEGLESS RADIATOR SUPPORTED BY NEW ATTACHMENT By means of a new device the bother- some legs of radiators, from around which dirt is removed with difficulty, are A We In Connection with the Floor Supports, a Wall Bracket Prevents the Legless Radiator from Tipping. One of the End Supports and the Centsr Rest are Shown in the Foreground done away with and the radiator sup ported from the pipe connections at the floor. Inconspicuous wall braces prevent the radiator from tipping, and adjustable center rests are provided for long radi- The attachments are made to suit the sizes of pipe commonly used for radi- ator connections, and they are adaptable to any size or make of radiator. ators BY RADIO CARAVAN Advertising a world’s fair by radio, was the method employed by Oregonians dur ing a recent campaign to interest the people of that state in the Atlantic-Pacific Highways and Electrical Exposition to be MECHANICS held at Portland, in 1925. A tour of east ern Oregon was made by 85 persons in 25 automobiles. Three army radio operators accompanied the caravan and demon- strated their apparatus. Thousands of country folk and ranchers, many ‘of whom had never seen radio equipment nor lis tened to broadcasting, thronged about the cars containing the wireless Outfits. TENNIS BALLS ARE CARRIED ON RACKET BY SPRING Tennis players will appreciate an appli ance introduced for the purpose of carry ing that extra set of balls to and from the courts during the summer months whe pocket space is usually limited. The cor trivance consists of a spiral spring of brass wire, wound in such a manner that Spiral Spring for Carrying Tennis Balls, Showing the Two Ball-Holding Loops Held on the Racket by the Connecting Spring it may be fastened to the side of a racket by its own tension, and containing two ball holding loops. During the game, the spring may be hung on the net. One of the Regulation United States Army Radio Sets Used during the Trip of the Caravan That Toured Eastern Oregon to Advertise a Coming Exposition: Insert Shows Poster-Decorated Cars of the Outfit

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POPULAR MECHANICS 113 ALL WOODS ON MOUNTAINS CONSERVE THE MOISTURE central Tennessee, where drought e or less prevails, a simple method of erving the moisture NEW GAS BURNER PROTECTS FIXTURE AND CEILING The use of the ordinary mantle gas lights is invariably accompanied by the been adopted. uughout the district many cone-shaped led mountains, and en these are cleared cultivation a clump trees is always left at top, usually covering 5 to 20 acres. It been found that the sture-conserving and tributing effect of e standing trees in- ises the crops of eat on the cultivated ides so that the yield more than could have n obtained by also pping the area thus rved, and, of course, less cost of cultiva- n. The hillsides are so eep that it is impossible cultivate them with —— = lern machinery, and is done with anti- ated mule-drawn s, while the crops are harvested with scythe and cradle. CONVENIENT SPEED INDICATOR IS OF SIMPLE DESIGN speed indicator now being placed on market accurately determines the rev- tions of engines, motors, shaftings, the like. A small inside dial regis- every 100 revolutions up to 5,000 itions, although higher speeds can ily determined, and figures showing ugh windows on an outer dial indi- every five revolutions. Two arrows 1 This New Speed Indicator of Simple Design Has, among Other Features, a Fiber Handle That s an Insulation against Electricity Oe td e 4 licate the figures to use according to direction of rotation, and the dial is sesnt 7 CKiyv reset to zero. Left: Gas Fixture Completely Assembled. Right: Fixture with Bowl Re moved, Showing the Heat-Deflecting Burner. Heat-Defiecting Burner, Mantle, and Saucerlike Mica Container Insert: Close-Up of nuisance of dust collections on the fixture above the flame and on the ceiling. A remedy for this annoyance has been pro- duced. This remedy consists of a spe- cially designed burner which deflects the heat from the gas flame, so that it is pro- jected at an angle, outward from the fix- ture. By this method, the heat, with the accompanying dust particles, does not come in contact with the fixture and cools considerably before reaching the ceiling. An added feature of the burner is a small mica baffle, or saucerlike con- tainer, suspended so as to catch the man- tle when it, from age or any other reason, falls from its holder. DONATION TO LEPERS’ COLONY BY KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS The Supreme Lodge, Knights of Pyth- ias, has donated $1,000,000 to the colony of lepers on Culion Island, in the Philip- pines. The money is to be used for building living quarters for the white lep- ers, to be known as “Stevens Memorial Hall”; for the establishment of an experi- mental laboratory for trying to find a lep- rosy cure, and to provide an endowment fund of approximately 900,000 dollars.

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SOME NOVEL AND LITTLE-KNOWN ACCESSORIES Watch Holder That may be Slipped over the End of Any Ordinary Belt, Making It Handy for Sport Uses Small, Compact Sewing Kit, Containing a Thimble, Needles, and a Number of Small Thread Spools This Holder for Two Ice Picks and Couvon Book is Made of Tinplate, Enameled White An Electric Which Curtains, Blouses, and the Like, Crimped Pi: ea A Fluting Tron Collars, Decorative Pendant De- Silk Wig, Pale Pink in Color and Having a Wreath of Small Blue Flowscrs: These Wigs, Also Made in Various Other Delicate Tints, Are in Vogue at Eve- ning Affairs in London, England with Cuffs, may be Wastepaper Basket with a Flat Side So That It will Fit Closely against a Desk or Wall, Out of the Way Writing Desk That Con- tains All the Usual Acces- sories Found in This Type of Furniture, and Also Has a Miniature Electric Light and a Small Built-In Clock: Paint y, signed as an Owl, and Containing for Luminous Finding Ar- At the Left Is a Close-Up, Showing Part of the Desk, ticles at Night and Clearly Illustrating the Built-In Clock and Elec- tric-Light Bulb | | | | ———~ —— Anyone wishing further information on devices described in the editorial pages ca? ToT ae

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INTENDED FOR THE HOME AND ITS MEMBERS Convenient Wristlet Made of Leather r Silk Ribbon, That Buckles On and is Used for Carrying a Fancy Handkerchief Open-Fire Broiler with Which the Camper or may Prepare the Food without Hav- ing to Bend over a | | | Picnicker | ' i | | Smoky Fire nits oi ll» Attachment chine: for Threading the Shuttle of a Tatting Outfit, Which may be Fitted to the Flywheel of a Sewing Ma- Two Movable Clasps Hold the Shut- tle, Which is Filled in a Few Seconds of Silencer That Fits over the Knobs Any Door Eliminates the Noise from Slamming Folding Rack, Designed to be Screwed on the Inside of the Clothes - Closet Filled, and Door: It may be Folded Up against the Door by Means of When This Washing Ma- chine Produces a Gas-Heated Spray That Percolates and Cleanses the . Clothes without . Agitating Them Curtain-Rod Brackets with Which the Capac- ity for Hiaging Curtains or Drapes may be Dou- bled or Trebled Saving Arrangement for the Housewife, That Aids Her in Placing a Small Amount Aside Each Week for the Systematic Paying of Accounts r Bureau of Information Popular Mechanics Magazine,

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116 OBLONG CRIBBAGE BOARD HAS METAL “PEGS” Baby, in a playful mood, may sweep the board to the floor, or the players may E | : : f 4 | He | = ar | 8 4- = 4 x j 4 .. a rca | i ' | J 1 r r rs j > i } —y > 4 bd | pd bend 5 ad = | 444 as A he So od =|=|= | ‘oe Boe r Cy s | Hq 4} =e He GAA I dae |e dala fr ete 4 o — 41} - ? jan lade cit SGeleae oe dae J iad Ce | ose (S “ Ct lal EK? =i: Pe 4 Je die ! = » OoAWaAs 4! 46 . +B4 | ~ ade bo ie , CoA sae oma \ may S pete Ym \ — | -) ~ 3 ry The Metal “Pegs” of This Cribbage Board Slide along a Marked Runway and cannot Fall Off. Extra Pegs are Kept in the Center bring about a similar mishap, but the “pegs” of a new cribbage board will remain in place until deliberately moved. The board is oblong and has a marked runway for metal pointers which grip tightly. Extra pointers are kept in a socket in the center. If desired, the board can be folded and carried in an inside or outside coat pocket. SIMPLE PIPE WRENCH MADE WITH ONLY THREE PARTS A new form of pipe wrench, recently produced, is very simple in construction, for it has only three parts—a handle, a movable jaw, and a knurled nut for ad- justing it. At the end of the handle, form- anne” One of the Larger-Sized Wrenches, with Four Sets of Teeth for Using the Wrench in Four Different Ways by Adjustment of the Movable Jaw POPULAR MECHANICS ing one jaw of the wrench, are two sets of teeth on the smaller sizes, end four on the larger. The movable jaw slides through the handle at this point, and is threaded to fit the adjusting nut operat: ing in an opening in the handlebar. The movable jaw can be placed on either side of the handle, pointing upward for ordi- nary work, or downward for allowing the wrench to hang upon a pipe while the operator is engaged on other work. The duplicate sets of teeth double the life of the wrench. LINENLIKE COLLAR CLOTH IS EASILY CLEANED Linenlike collar cloth, every thread of which is permanently insulated against stains and dirt so that these do not pene trate but affect the surface only, is a new development. When made up, the prod uct appears to have all the desirable char acteristics of the linen and semistiff tai- lored collars. Sample batches of this lin enized cloth have been thoroughly tested in various steam laundries, with the re sult that stains, of the kinds ordinarily the most troublesome to be removed have been taken out without difficulty or injury to the material. STEEL TUBULAR LADDERS ARE LIGHT, STRONG, AND RIGID Steel tubular ladders that are as light as wooden ones, and much stronger and more durable, are now being manufac tured. The tubular rungs are inserted in holes in the oval-shaped hollow side members, to which they are bolted with long tie- rods, extend- ag.cilear across the ladder and threaded at each end for nuts that are screwed tightly against the outside. The ladders are made of specially tempered steel, making them very strong and rigid in proportion to their light weight. @ According to a recent decree, French airships must have a certificate from the Bureau Veritas, which is the French equivalent of Lloyds, stating that they are fit for service. ™

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POPULAR MECHANICS Left: Hydraulic Flanging Press from the Front, Its Immense Size Illustrated by Comparison with a Man’s Height. Showing the Huge HYDRAULIC FLANGING PRESS HAS SIMPLE CONTROL \ hydraulic inverted flanging press, which exerts a pressure of 1,500 pounds per square inch, has recently been placed service. The huge machine was de- signed for flanging steel plates for car ends, and is constructed of open-hearth teel castings. A pressure aggregating 135 tons is obtained from the inverted hydraulic cylinders which operate the iten, or upper part, while two smaller iuxiliary cylinders restore this to the tarting position. The press is open and accessible at both sides. The operation of the gigantic outfit is controlled through three-way poppet, or lift, valve by means of a single hand lever. CANADIAN SCHOONER WINNER OF CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY \s the result of the final race sailed off he port of Gloucester, Mass., October 26, hen the “Bluenose,” of Lunenburg, de- feated the Gloucester schooner “Henry Ford,” the trophy emblematic of the fish- ing-schooner championship of the north \tlantic Canada. Besides the rophy, the Canadian winner gets a purse of $3,000, while the loser receives $2,000. lhe “Bluenose” was: the winner last year, having defeated the Gloucester schooner “Elsie,” off Halifax, N. S. The first con- The Controlling Hand Lever ma Rtedere at the goes to test for the trophy was sailed in 1920, and was won by the Gloucester schooner “Esperanto,” ‘which Sable Island. later foundered off be Seen under the Gauge. op, with the Smaller Ones and the Poppet Valve Below Right: End View of the Press, SELF-CLEANING FILTER MAKES CISTERN WATER CLEAN In a new cistern filter, water entering at the top from a downspout flows over a slanting screen, which allows leaves and coarse material to be washed out through an outlet near the top. The water with fine dirt passes down into a cham- ber at the bot- tom, and, as the rain in- creases, rises through an inner char- coal chamber and reaches the cistern through an in- terior pipe. When the rain ceases, the clear water in the charcoal chamber te backwashes the sediment through a small hole at the bottom of the filter, which is constantly draining sediment at a loss of about 10 per cent of water.

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118 POPULAR HAZARDS OF EXPLOSIVE GAS MIXTURES REDUCED It is believed the use of a simple de- vice, recently invented, will practically eliminate the dangers from accidental ex- cap WITH pte GAYZE OK. | . oe meee “eee a mote oT 4 ; —_— a GAUZE CYLINDER |

Left: Device Which Burns, at Low Temperature, an Lx- plosive Mixture as Fast as It Accumulates, Thereby Pre- venting Accidental Explo- sions. Right: A Diagram of the Device

plosion in mixtures of air and gas fre- quently found in mines, sewers, tunnels, and other inclosed spaces where gas is present from natural causes’ or results from trade wastes or industrial processes. This method is based on the idea of con- tinuously removing the explosive mixture itself, more rapidly than it can accumu- late, by burning it up at a temperature safely below the explosion point. The de- vice has an ordinary electric-lamp base for connection to a 110-volt circuit for the purpose of heating the coil filament, which is either inclosed by a solid porous cyl- inder or sheathed in porous tubes, and the whole surrounded by wire gauze. The essential feature of this device is the ap- plication to the porous surface, of a

4IGH iss WATER (> UNE | LOW -—<es 7 e3 | WATER LINE

MECHANICS catalyst which makes possible the oxida tion, at a temperature below the norma! ignition point, of the combustible ele ments in the gas, and the control of th resistance of the whole system so that it takes on a safe and effective operatin temperature. The temperature found to be most satisfactory, when using plati nugi as a catalyzing agent, lies between 1,100 and 1,450° Fahrenheit. NEW WATER ENGINE UTILIZES LOW HEADS EFFICIENTLY Water-power development has _ been limited, until recent years, to using con siderable differences in water level, be- cause no water motors were available for efficient utilization of low water head Gradual progress has been made in this direction, and now a German has de signed a water engine for transforming the potential energy of low and varying heads, such as exist in small streams and at the tides, efficiently into useful’ work. The engine is placed in a pit, which forms part of a dam construction t maintain the difference in water levels The pit is directly connected to the highe level, and to the lower level by means of an ascending canal. In the pit is fixed a vertical pipe, which is either in communi cation with the pit or the discharge canal, according to the position of a swinging valve. Sliding up and down this pipe i: a drum, the weight of which is nearly balanced by an air chamber in its lower end, but when the level of the water in side the drum is the same as that in the pit, there is still enough unbalanced weight in the drum to cause it to sink to the end of its travel. Then the valve is turned so that the water in the drum will run out of the pipe to the lower level when the pressure of the water at the

LOW WATER LINE ei nk ro

Left: New Low-Head Single-Acting Water Engine on_ the Down or Working Stroke. Center: Same Engine on the Upstruke. Right: Similar Engine of the Double-Acting Type

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POPULAR MECHANICS her level in the pit, acting on the out- under surface of the drum, forces the im up, completing the stroke. The oke of the engine is independent of the erence in water level, being limited by depth of the pit and dimensions of engine. A double-acting engine can made by placing it in a pit connected two canals and with a slightly more mplicated valve arrangement. The en- ne can be attached to a pump for sup- lying water directly, or to pump water high pressure into a storage reservoir, om which the water can be used to rive water wheels, which in turn may lrive electric generators or other ma- nes. The efficiency of this water en- e is said to be between 70 and 80 per nt, and even as high as 90 per cent here the expense of installing large low-running engines is warranted. SAFETY HOIST HOOK CANNOT UNLOCK WHEN LOADED For safeguarding the operator, a hoist ok that cannot unlock when under ten- on, is now on the market. The sling chajn carry- ing the load cannot be placed in the hook unless it is securely locked. The body parts of the hook are drop forgings of steel of a very high ten- sile strength, and the pivot pins are made noncorrosive metal with great resist- nee to shearing stress. NEW PROCESS RECLAIMS ALUM FROM FILTRATION PLANTS \ process by means of which practi- lly all the alum used in the filtration of iter can be recovered and reused, has ecently been developed and adopted by e waterworks department of Atlanta, ia. This process, the discovery of which is purely accidental, consists in treating he sludge from the settling tanks with ulphuric acid. A by-product obtained in he form of a finely divided pure-white clay, highly prized in the ceramic arts, is claimed to pay for the sulphuric acid and the labor of recovering the alum, 119 TABLE AND FOUR CHAIRS CARRIED IN NEAT KIT A five-piece “dining-room set” which can be folded into a small flat case is the Camp Table That Folds So as to Make a Neat Case, 27 Inches Long, 7 Inches Wide, and 2 Inches Thick: Chairs are Carried Inside latest innovation in camp equipment. Simplicity is secured by having the table in only two parts; the chairs in one. The table is the height of an ordinary dining table and so constructed that the legs are out of the way. Canvas is used for the seat of the chairs. Both table and chairs are heavily enameled to protect them against rust. DETACHABLE INK FOUNTAIN FOR ORDINARY STEEL PEN From 500 to 800 words, it is claimed, can be written without refilling with the With the Little Cup Placed under the Regular Pen, as Shown, 500 to 800 Words can be Writ- ten with One Filling aid of a small spoonlike fountain, the handle of which fastens into the pen- holder directly under the pen. The foun- tain part touches the pen near its point. @Write our Bureau of Information, if you wish to know who makes or sells any article described in this magazine. Send no postage; the service is free.

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120 POPULAR RECESSED FLEXIBLE VALVE FOR PNEUMATIC TUBES Automatic in its action, a new all- metal valve for the pneumatic tubes of automobile tires is so constructed that it will positively retain any de- sired air pres- sure, inde- pendently of back. pressure from within the tube. At the end of a plunger is a novel kind of valve that is recessed so that it is flex- ible, making it sufficiently elastit to form a perfect seal without being ground into the valve seat. The valve is opened, or positively held closed, by turning a threaded sleeve with a knurled head on it. At the upper end of the valve plunger is a sec- ond seat that acts as a check, preventing the escape of air while the tire is being inflated. 0D PLUNGE SOOT BLOWER CLEANS TUBES WITH SAND BLAST A device has recently been invented for removing soot from boiler tubes by means of a steam and sand-blast action. A whistle valve for admitting steam into the blower pipe, is operated by the same gate lever that controls the under the This Simple and Effective Soot Blower can be Oper- ated as a Plain Air or Steam Blower, or with a Sand-Blast Action MECHANICS sand hopper, The device is of very sim ple construction and can be quickly con verted into a straight steam or air blower by removing the sand hopper. With its use, hand scrapers and brushes can be eliminated, as the sand blast is said to re- move efiectively all soot and incrustation from the surface of the tubes, if used once a week. TO IDENTIFY SPECIAL STEELS BY THERMOELECTRIC TEST Because hardness tests do not serve completely to identify special steels, ex periments have been performed in search of a test method that would make such identification complete and positive. Th: 7 method adopt ed depends on the amount of thermoelec : tric force gen 8 erated when } E one end of if the test piece : is heated while the other end is kept cool. A bath of mer cury is employed for heating one end of the test piece and for making connection to the voltmeter. The other connection is made to a water-cooled metallic clamp attached to the other end of the piece This test has shown very promising r« sults. a SR ORERERATH RORADE eee PLAN LARGEST FLYING FIELD AT DAYTON, OHIO Announcement has been made that the largest flying field in the United States is to be established on a recently purchased large tract of land east of Dayton, Ohio It is planned to move McCook Field, now the center of experimental work for the United States Air Service, to the new site and to include the famous Wilbur Wright Field. There has also been some indica tion that an air academy may be estab lished at the McCook post. A number of citizens of Dayton bought the site and offered it to the government.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 121 EIGHTEEN- MILE ONE-WAY ROAD TO MT. MITCHELL One-way traffic on an 18-mile stretch of road is the innovation which has appar- ently solved the safety problem on a much-traveled moun- operations. After the railroad had served its purpose, rails and ties were removed and the roadbed converted into a cinder- ah surfaced driveway of tain thoroughfare, near cree cgyeess easy grade, and with Asheville, N. C. Too ‘3 ec ir ae stout bridges where narrow for vehicles to ~ Ayre oo MOBS R needed. It makes a pass, and abounding in sharp curves, the road would present many elements of danger if trafic were permitted to move in both direc- tions at one time. A solution was found by restricting the travel to ascending traffic dur- ing the morning hours and to descending dur- ing the afternoon. That this plan was good was clearly demonstrated by the absence of auto ac- cidents on the road dur- the tourist ing season es of 1922. 3 thet The road on which —- ° ae GREYBEARD this trafic problem has been so well solved leads to a point near the summit of Mt. Mitchell, one of the highest peaks east of the Rocky Mountains, 6,711 feet above sea lev- el. In its length of 18 miles the road climbs 2 beautiful mountain ride. At four different places the road crosses the Blue Ridge Mountains, the divide for waters flowing to the Atlantic and the Mississippi. For ascending travel the road is open during the summer season from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.,while for descend- ing motorists the hours are 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. The downward journey may not be undertaken until the gate at the summit is thrown open. As a further safeguard against mishap, a traf- fic officer starts from the lower gate at one o’clock and travels to the top in a’car known as “the trailer,” to make sure that descending motorists will encounter no cars which may have been crippled during the upward journey. almost 4,400 feet, giv- If cripples are ing an average grade of found, the crew of the 314 per cent. To build trailer immediately ren- such a highway for ders first aid by fixing tourists and sight-see- the engine, or if neces ing traffic ordinarily The Mountain “ar teen teen. Runs sary, by towing the car would have involved a Asheville, North Carolina, Climbing More in. When the trailer at prohibitive outlay for than ee te One- rives and reports the construction work. way clear, the gate is The roadbed, however, was originally opened for descending travel, but never made for a steam railroad used in lumber ATTACHMENT ON FARE BOXES DISPLAYS BOGUS COINS Thousands of bogus coins in the shape of iron slugs, brass hat checks, etc., have been dropped into the fare boxes of the New York subway lines. These frauds are now, in some measure, safeguarded against. The remedy consists in the in- Stallation on the turnstile of an electric light equipped with a bull’s-eye lens and bef yre, so located that a greatly magnified image of the article deposited is pictured on the glass front of the coin box. Inspectors stationed a few feet from the boxes may thus readily detect any counterfeits. To protect innocent persons who, from hurry or absent-mindedness, drop in a penny or a dime, the equipment contains an auto- matic appliance which rejects coins that are larger or smaller than the required nickel.

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= Is a Portrait of an 11-Year-Old English Boy | CHILDREN’S PICTURE-STORY DEPARTMENT NE One of the Latest Innovations in the Industry Is This Doll Made as an Exact Reproduction, on a Reduced Scale, of Its Lit- tle Owner. A Photographic Like- ness of the Child’s Face is Printed upon the Blank Face of the Doll, Whose Hair and Clothes are Made as Similar as Possible to Those of the Child Who has Performed the Remarkable Feat of Walking from Manchester to Southport, a Distance of More than 39 Miles, in 8 Hours 33 Minutes 35 Seconds, Being an Average of About 4% Miles an Hour—a Remarkable Record for a Boy This Is the Novel, Realistic Method of Teaching History at a Public School in Sydney, Australia. Historical Incidents are Enacted by the Students, as Shown Above, Where a Band of Boys, Made Up as Natives and Brandishing Their Spears, are |B Attacking a Party of Explorers Armed with Pop- |®® guns and Other Weapons my. SAE RE +, PRE ea una es ”

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OF MODERN ACTIVITIES AND INTERESTS In a Campaign against Vivisec- tion in California, Where a Law was Proposed to Prohibit This Practice on All Animals under All Circumstances, the Children of the State Actively Took the Part of Their Pets, Asking Their Elders to Vote for the Law. Pictured to the Right Are Two Examples of Their Campaign Methods, in Which, Whenever Possible, oar eee Puppies Took art at oak os ee This Young Lady is Wearing a Fancy Ball Dress That Symbolizes the Radio. She Wears Head Phones with the Antenna Supported above Them, and on Her Diess Are a Tuning Switch and Other Radio Devices Sa Fire Drill of a Very Realistic Nature at the Lane Technical High School, Chi- cago, Illinois: Fire was Imitated by the Use of Smoke Pots, Placed on the Window Sills, Which Discharged i Black Pall of Smoke, Illumined by Flashes of Flame. The Picture Shows the Fire Department at Work after the Orderly Escape of the 4,500 Students in Less than Three Minutes

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124 ADJUSTABLE WINDOW SCREEN VERY CLOSE-FITTING An adjustable screen for window case- ments has its metal frame so constructed that, when the window is pulled down onto it, the pressure ex- pands the screen side- ways, making such a perfect fit all around the screen that itis not possible for flies or mosquitoes to enter. To re- move it, two cross rods that connect the four cor- ners of the frame are pulled sideways, causing the screen to expand upward. RING COMPRESSOR MAKES EASY INSERTION OF PISTONS A new device, which operates on the contracting-band idea, can be used for installing pis- tons in gaso- line engines, either from the top of the cylinder or through the crankcase. The band that grips the pis- ton rings is made of phos- phor bronze in corrugated form, and has a range that enables it to grip pistons up to 5 inches in diam- eter. A universal-jointed shaft operates the steel spool to which one end of the band is locked, and the free end of the band, which encircles the piston, is hooked to a pin in the steel housing of the spool. @ Names and addresses of manufacturers of articles described in this magazine will be furnished free by our Bureau of Infor- mation. POPULAR MECHANICS) BURNING WIRE INSULATION PRESENTS ODD SIGHT An odd sight was presented to the in terested onlookers at a recent fire, when the insulation burned from a number oi electric wires in front of a blazing build ing in Pueblo, Colo. The covering flick ered and smoldered with a peculiar red dish glow intermixed with a thick gray smoke, the insulation dripping to the side walk and the wires ultimately burning bare for a distance of two blocks. EFFICIENT GROUNDING CLAMP FOR ELECTRICAL WORK An efficient clamp, made of malleable iron and in two parts, which may be fas- tened together by a pair of bolts, is an improvement produced for the necessary “grounding” of electrical installa- tions. By its use, seven full turns of wire may be placed around a pipe or grounding rod and held securely in place. One end of the wire is brought out through the clamp, so that the grounding wire may be soldered thereto. GLASS FIRE EXTINGUISHER EASILY HANDLED Blazing oils, wood, or even an electric arc, may be effectually “put out” by an easily handled fire extin- i guisher, which consists of a glass contain- er partly filled with chem- icals. The ap- pliance is sim- ilar in shape to a large electric - lamp bulb. The glass contain- er is made in three sizes, suitable for the home, business, or motor car, and is provided bracket. with a simple mounting

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7 I aii il) HN A iu tt V; avi. ‘S yh ©. {ju 4 aie Witty i \\\) Wt a\\ : intormation as to where to ootain any specinea | materials or parts for makin _ the following pages may had, from our Bureau of Information.—Editor. objects described in e ha on request, A Rural Mail-Box Post of Concrete By A. J. R. CURTIS ROGRESSIVE farmers and villagers all over the country aré discarding the old makeshift wooden mail-box post, nd substituting for it the modern con- crete post, which is attractive in appear- ince, and is neither affected by frost, at- tacked by rot, nor likely to be destroyed by fire. Any farmer with a little time to spare can make the post described in this arti- cle at home. It is so sim- amount of taper, so that it can be with- drawn upward. This piece in particular must be well greased and sandpapered, and screweyes should be inserted in the top to make its removal easier. The longitudinal strips are held apart by square blocks inserted between them at the lower and upper ends. Triangular blocks, inserted at the upper end, form the upper corners of the post, as shown. ple in construction that it is suggested as an ex- cellent manual - training exercise for rural-school tudents, ' The accompanying drawings show how the post is constructed. The form is built up on a floor having a level and regular sutface, or on a pallet or mat of boards, 8 ft. long and at least 30 in. wide. If a floor is used, a strip of building, or other heavy, paper should be used as a cov- ering. The form consists simply of a few wooden strips (dressed on all urfaces to be touched by the concrete), held in position by cleats lightly nailed to the floor or pal- let. The post is cast on Sig Easily its side. Prepare first two Made Rural pieces of 1l-in. board, 7 Mail-Box Post An Attractive eS A Post of This Type Is Far Superior to the Usual Wooden One, and Is Simple Enough for a Boy to Make it. 4 in. long, 6 in. wide ac ameaniecs at one end, and tapering to a width of 4 in. at the other. Finish and sandpaper the opposite faces of each. One of these strips serves as a form for the straight, plain side of the post. The other serves as a form for the opposite side of the post, being cut as required, and joined to smaller pieces, of similar material, to make the entire outline of the bracket and shelf. The form for the interior triangle is best made from a block with a small The reinforcing in the post consists of four 14-in. round bars, 6 ft. 9 in. long, placed symmetrically at the four corners of the post, 34 in. in from the surfaces. The bracket and shelf are reinforced with two triangles made of 14-in. bars, bent as shown, and inserted in the mold one above the other, 1 in. away from all outer surfaces. The bolts to which the mail box is attached are placed through the molds before the concrete is deposited. 125

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126 POPULAR The concrete for the post is mixed in the proportions of 1 part Portland ce- ment to 3 parts well-graded sand, under 1 in. in size, or 1 part Portland cement to 2% parts sand and 1 to 2 parts of crushed stone, or pebbles, from 1% in. to 4 in. in size. The mixture must be made just wet enough to flow freely to all parts of the mold. The mold is well greased be- fore the concrete is poured. In moderate weather, allow the post to remain at least three days before at- tempting to raise or remove it. In cool MECHANICS weather, wait four or five days.. At the end of that time move it only with great care, as posts that later become very strong and hard are easily injured by careless handling while “green.” As soon as the mold is removed, brush and scrape off fins and other blemishes, and fill up holes and hollows with the same mixture as used in the post. Then paint the surfaces with a creamy mixture of cement and water, and store the post where it will not be exposed to sun, wind, or frost, or subject to strain. A Simple Drip Can The drip can shown in the illustration has been used for a considerable time for Simple Drip Can for Supplying Oil and Cutting Com- pounds to Taps in a Tapping Machine, Using Improvised Supply-Regulating Valve supplying oil and cutting compounds to taps used in a tapping machine, and has been found to give as much satisfaction as any device on the market. It is made by piercing a hole in the bottom of a tin can and soldering a short length of copper tubing into this hole. A wooden plug, pointed at one end, is driven securely into the lower end of the tube, and a small hole is drilled in the tube just above the plug. The amount of liquid flowing out of this hole is con- trolled by covering the hole more or less with a leather or rubber washer that slides snugly on the tube. Steel Rivets Damage Brake Drums It is a very poor policy to substitute common steel rivets for copper and brass ones where the latter are used for a special reason, as, for instance, in relin- ing brake and transmission bands. Here such substitution will entail considerable unforeseen expense. This was the case when, in making repairs on a light car, it was found that the brake, slow-speed, and reverse drums were deeply grooved by the steel rivets used in lining the bands, making it necessary to remove the motor in order to replace these parts. Copper or brass rivets should be used under all circumstances when relining bands, and one should make sure that they are not copper-coated steel rivets by cutting one in two. Before substituting one material for another, in repair work of any kind, it should be ascertained that the substitution will not be harmful. Scale Holder for Lathe Use Much lathe work requires to be turned with a shoulder a definite distance from the end. When facing a shoulder to length, it is necessary to stop the lathe repeatedly in order to measure the dis- tance, as while the machine is in motion, the scale cannot be applied with any degree of accuracy, apart from the dan- ger involved due to the tendency of the scale to catch the work. With the holder shown, how- ever, the user can measure the work without stop- ping the lathe at all, saving a good deal of time and trouble where much work of this kind is done. The construction is very simple; a piece of *%e-in. stock, 1 in. wide,is bent to form a “V,” and then doubled over, as shown, to fit the scale. The side of the holder that bears against the shoulder is fin- ished square with the V and the scale HOLDER CLEARANCE

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ie it Vv

POPULAR lot. Two knurled screws are used to hold the scale in place. When attaching the holder to the scale, it should be laid on the work, close to the shoulder, where- upon the scale, with its bottom just clear of the work, is pushed in to touch the shoulder lightly, and the two screws are tightened. Any number of pieces can then be turned and measured with the lathe in motion, the scale being held exactly in line with the work, insuring accurate re- sults. The holder, of course, should be casehardened. Clearing Sand from Loading Tracks to Prevent Derailment Derailment of cars, due to an excessive amount of sand and gravel on the load- ing tracks at material yards, is not an uncommon occurrence. An inexpensive method of keeping the tracks clean was devised by a large build- ing-material concern, and is shown in the drawing. A narrow con- crete pit or trough Was built on one side of the tracks; this

te drained into P <SFh lrained toa (concrete <i waste basin. ( {uF PIT Fy After a car WATER SUPPLY __ had been TO MONITOR

loaded, the tracks were flushed by means of a stream of water, directed from a monitor nozzle set on the outer side of the track. The water and sand run into the concrete trough and to the waste basin. Imitation Ice for Window Displays Imitation ice adds to the effect of win- dow displays that advertise skates and other outdoor winter goods. It is usually made with pieces of plate glass, to which a “frosty” effect is given by sprinkling fine flakes of mica on the glass, after it has been painted with a thin solution of glue and water. In order to make this imitation ice look as real as possible, the plate glass should be given a bluish hue by mounting it on light-blue crépe paper, stretched tightly under the glass to eliminate the wrinkles —H. Webster, Winnipeg, Can. MECHANICS 1: a ~2 Automatic Ventilator for Poultry Houses Most poultrymen today acknowledge the value of good ventilation in the win-

A Shutter for the Poultry House That, While Provid- ing Ample Ventilation, Eliminates Draft, as It Closes Automatically in a Wind ter laying pens. But ventilation without objectionable drafts is often hard to ac- complish, especially where snowstorms and blizzards are of frequent occurrence. The open-air type of henhouse, which is in general use, is not entirely satisfactory because snow and rain can enter. Even if a muslin curtain is provided to prevent this, it is necessary to adjust this curtain according to weather conditions, and this is very often neglected. To overcome these difficulties, and to make the venti- lation entirely automatic, a Wisconsin poultryman devised the shutter arrange ment shown in the illustration. It consists of a frame projecting trom the side of the poultry house as shown, about 6 ft. long and 4 ft. high, roofed over with tar paper. Seven 6-in. boards are suspended within this frame, with enough space between them to insure proper ven tilation at all times, and arranged in such a manner that they swing easily upon pivot nails driven through the frame at each end. In fair weather the shutters hang ver tically, but when gusts of wind, with rain or snow, beat against them, they close automatically. To prevent the fowls from scratching litter into the openings, which would interfere with the movement of the shutters, sparrow netting is tacked across the frame, on the inside of the house.—G. E. Hendrickson, Argyle, Wis.

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12! POPULAR MECHANICS Combination Farmyard Gate A farmyard gate that answers a twofold purpose is shown in the illustration. One

NC wal IHN Hel i (yy eet “GATE CLOSED

Oo a PLAN VIEW

Sliding and Swinging Farmyard Gate That Serves Both Pedestrians and Cattle, or Vehicles part is designed for pedestrians, and the other for cattle and farm vehicles. To allow persons to pass through the gate, the latch is released and the gate pushed open; it is set on an-incline so that it will close of its own weight. When it is desired to open the entire gate to permit cattle to pass through, it is pushed off the bottom pulley and swung around, which can be done very easily, as the other end of the gate is suspended from a swivel pulley, hung between two posts. Vacuum Gauge Made from Pressure Gauge While experimenting with a small ice machine, it was desired to know whether the compressor reduced the pressure suf- ficiently or the —— suction side. Two pressure gauges were available, but no vacuum gauge,and accord- ingly it was de- cided to try to convert one of these to register the amount of vacuum, if the curved rack that engaged the gear on the indicator pinion was ‘long enough. By removing the glass, indicator hand, and dial, it was easily as- certained that this was so. Satisfied on that point, the pin opposite the zero mark

THIS PIN REMOVED MARKS DRAWN WITH PEN AND INK

on the dial was removed. Then, as the marking was regubar from zero to 250, th: dividers were set to indicate 5-lb. pre sures and the graduations continued to 1 below zero. The dial was replaced, and with the outlet open to the atmospher the pointer on the spindle was forced t stand at the zero mark. After this th glass cover was put back. On connecting the converted pressure gauge to the suc tion side of the compressor, the hand barely left the zero mark. The valves were then taken out of the machine and reground, after which everything oper ated as it should. The marking in thi instance was made 15, because it wa close enough for the purpose, as the ma chine functioned perfectly at the 5 mark

Setting Pipe in Concrete In the construction of a reinforced concrete and steel factory building, it was specified that, wherever conduit o1 other pipe was to pass through a floor, a short piece of pipe having an interna! diameter large enough to accommodat: the conduit or pipe, should be set. The short pieces of pipe were to be flush with the ceiling on the underside and praject about 2 in. beyond the floor

above. In most lo CONCRETE FLOOR cations, it wa

PIPE P ij difficult to secure NE / these short ; lengths of pipe so . oe that they would poonane fue <2) Stay exactly where 01 they were placed, ' and in the major- By stn Su? ity of cases, it i Bees.) was found that, after the concrete had set, and the forms had _ been removed, the sleeves had shifted a little, or had risen enough to allow the semiliquid concrete to enter and partly fill the pipe. After a number of faults of this kind had been discovered, the method illustrated was devised and used with excellent results. A block of wood was neatly rounded to slip inside one of the pipes, the other end of the plug being whittled down to fit into an auger hole drilled through the wooden form. A hammer and smaller piece of ptpe wer: used to drive the plug into the hole tightly. It was found that the pipes set 7 ‘ ' ‘ ‘ 4 4 Werw ees « a 2 « oe

ee an

FORM”

—— —

in this manner stayed in the exact posi- tion in which they were placed—Leon D. Quick, Milesburg, Pa.

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POPULAR Pricker for Draftsmen The pricker that is usually included in set of drawing instruments is rather lumsy to handle, and does not prove ry satisfactory to those who find it nec- essary to use this instrument frequently, is the case with structural and topo- raphical draftsmen. An extremely handy d serviceable pricker can be made very ily by purchasing a medium-size cro- et hook at a dry-goods store, and grind- off the hook, to make a fine, round int. It should be finished on an oil- ne to make a good job. This form of ricker will not tire or cramp the hand. i. D. Hay, Des Moines, Ia. An Inclosure for the Garbage Cans [It is always desirable to place the gar- ie cans, and the rubbish that accumu- ites about the yard, in a part of the yard entirely out of sight from the house. As this was impossible, in one case, because MECHANICS A Small Rubbish, Keeps the Back Yard Neat and Clean Inclosure, Used for Garbage Cans and the back yard was so small, an inclosure, + ft. by 7 ft., was formed, as shown, inside of the fence that separated the back yard from the alley. The garbage collector need not enter the yard, and as the gate can be kept latched or locked, stray dogs, cats, and other undesirable visitors are kept out. \n inclosure of this type can also be ised as a temporary storage place for wood or coal, in cities where it is not permissible to dump material of this kind in the alley. Sawing Slots in Sleeves and Washers It is very inconvenient to saw internal slots in washers, or sleeves, by means of a common hacksaw, as the blade must be removed from the frame, inserted through the hole, and again be fastened to the frame. A good holder, that makes this unnecessary, can be made from a short 129 piece of broom handle, about 4 in. longer than the saw blade. A groove is cut lengthwise in the hold- er, so that the blade can be inserted to WIRE BROOM HANDLE / é WIRE | | [|e A Simple Tool for Sawing Internal Slots in Washers or Sleeves, Made from a Piece of Broomstick about one-third of its depth. Soft wire is passed through the holes at each end of the blade and is twisted around the holder. The end of the holder is cut at an angle so that the wire, when twisted around this end, will pull the blade taut. Spark-Plug Tester Protects Ignition Coil Ignition coils are often injured while testing spark plugs. A plug with defective insulation will often spark under atmos- pheric pressure but fail to do so when under compression in the cylinder. There- fore, while testing it, a piece of mica is often placed between the points to in- crease the resistance and cause the spark to jump a gap of \% in. or more. A\l- though this is an excellent method of testing spark ——- plugs, the ig- nition coil is likely to be in- jured when the spark is caused to jump too far. By using the simple ar- rangement shown in the illustration, the danger of coil breakdown is eliminated. The spark plug is placed across two brass brackets, which are mounted on an insulating base, and are fitted with points having a 14-in. air gap between them. The spark will jump this gap as soon as the gap in the plug is over 14 inch. ~ MICA ’ “WIRE TO COIL

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130 Concrete Wheel Ways Serve as Gutters A plain dirt driveway, cut through a bank, was frequently ruined by washouts. \s it was not desired to go to the ex- fix iy any ) Yy th in TO oy Concave Wheel Ways, That Also Serve as Gutters, Which were Built to Prevent Frequent Wash- outs That Ruined the Dirt Driveway pense of building an entire cement drive- vay, two concave wheel ways, designed also to serve as gutters, were built, and no more trouble from washouts was ex- perienced. These ways were 10 in. wide and about 31% in. thick, and made of a circular-are section, with the center about 1% in. below the edges. The distance be- tween the centers was 56 inches. The ground between the ways was crowned, so that all the water would be shed into them.—O. H. Hampsch, Nashville, Tenn. Locating Arm for Faceplate Work Sometimes it is a very difficult matter to bolt a job on the facepiate of a lathe while the former is on the spindle, and it often happens that it would be more convenient to lay the face- plate flat on a bench and bolt the work to it. When this is done, it generally requires much time and measuring to set the job near the right position. If much of this kind of work is done, a locating arm sim- ilar to the one shown in the drawing will pay for itself. The fixture consists CAST-IRON BRACKET CENTERING PLUG) soon of a cast-iron arm, screwed to the outer rim of the faceplate. The hole in the hub POPULAR MECHANICS part is bored out while the arm is in this position, and a centering plug is fitted The faceplate, after the hub is bored out, can be removed and the job bolted to it. After the work is properly located by the centering plug, the locating arm is taken off and put away. It can be accurately replaced at any time by bolting it to the same position on the faceplate. Rough work is usually held to the face- plate by the tailstock center, but this de- vice is better when it is desired to preserve the punch mark on work that has been laid out accurately, and when the plate is put back on the lathe and the center mark tested, it will be necessary to move the job only slightly in order to bring the center- punch mark dead true—Chas. Hom wood, Ontario, Calif. Ladder Wedge Prevents Slipping It is often necessary to place a ladder at such an angle to the wall that it has a tendency to slip. In such cases an assist- ant is usually required to hold the ladder firmly on the ground, which naturally in creases the cost of the work. For this reason a builder improvised an excellent means of steadying the ladder so that it would not sliponthe smooth - est surfaces. Three lengths of 1- in. board, slightly less in width than the distance between the ladder rungs, are screwed t gether to form a U-shaped frame. The simple arrangement is slipped between the two lowest rungs, as shown, and pr¢ vents all danger of slipping.— Harry Moore, Montreal, Can. FRAME Base for Mounting Maps When maps are used with the colored push-pin system, as for sales purposes, a substantial base should be provided to prevent the walls or desks on which the maps are kept from being marred. A good base is made by mounting the map on two or three thicknesses of blotting paper pasted together, enough sheets be- ing used to insure that the pins will not penetrate to the surface below.—C. I. Reid, Millersburg, Pa.

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Vw SA ~~ MAK ING SMALL GARDEN TRACTORS — ae JV: Romig _ 'T’HIE owners of large truck gardens will find that much trouble and hard inual labor can be saved by the use a small garden tractor. Tractors of is type will run from four to eight urs on a gallon of gasoline, depending n the work, and will do all that can be lone with a horse, or even more. Any- with a littke mechanical experience n build the tractors herein described. he frame of he larger trac- made of o 3-in. chan- irons, 38% long, with rearcross mem- bers of % by -in. iron or teel plate. The front frame embers are ide of lf, by t-in. plate, cut ut as shown. ither rivets or Its may be sed in as- embling, bolts eing perhaps the easier, and ist as satisfac- ry, if used tor is The drive gear should, of course, be cast on the wheel; it should not be less than 6-pitch, to in- sure its being strong enough for the work, Both wheels run free on the axle, and are held in place with cotter pins and washers, as indicated. They should be provided with grease or oil cups, and must be kept well lubricated. The drive-pinion shaft is journaled in two small pillow blocks, placed forward of the axle; its exact position is gov- erned by the gearing. A lit- tle play should be allowed be- tween pinion and gear, when assembling. The speed of small garden tractors should be about 2% miles per hour; this is attained, in the present instance, with anengine speed of 1,200 r.p.m. by using a speed reduction ribbed-tread type shown. lock wash- of 21 to 1, and Two bolts 24-in. drive- ould be used . wheels. About m each cross . half of the »mbe M11 Front and Rear Views of Small Garden Tractor: This Is a ed reducti nemoer J Compact Little Machine That Is Capable of Hard Work speed reduction he steel need- should be made | for the frame and other parts can be’ in the gearing, and the remainder in the uurchased for a few cents a pound from iny structural-steel house, which will also lo the necessary drilling and cutting, if lesired, at a cost of a few dollars. The axle, of 1%4-in. cold-rolled steel, s fastened to the frame by U-bolts. The vheels can be obtained from any farm- mplement dealer, and should be of the belt drive from engine to pinion shaft. Pinions of three to six teeth are now available, that function as well as those with 12 or more, and that enable a large reduction to be obtained at one step The mounting of the engine is the most important part of the assembly. It is fastened to the cross member nearest 131

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_ DRAWBAR, 3X4"ANGLE IRON _--SPARK LEVER 20” X 24” LONG f ‘ | Bios > | |

ih \ THROTTLE » 4 \ i | , t Z -BROD i le | “. THROTTLE & | | 1 | 3 SPARK CABLES} | ‘o | iq Q 4XIZCROSS ‘ ageeet Li ot FAUTCH | 2 i / ROD | 2 | | f ~ | A ‘ ) SS —~— | “CRANK BEARING ), ee a ew ~+- ENGINE CRANK + PLAN P — INTAKE. MANIFOLD pra a 4 a o CARBURETOR Oo ! / Re / PIPE PINION _ = PULLEY 7 g are SHAFT — 36"

; ALLO UAT & EYL FOR L. ra

rich ee | a \_CRANK-STARTING | 3 PSS OCDETAIL OF PLANES i \\ CLUTCH LEVER SECTION THROUGH HiRLGi \DRAWBAR MOTOR DRIVE PULLEY ah a aR e BRACE } SO “TENSION weer // i» POLO DORR el GGL — - ——— --=— -—-—- f aS AAI, DIOS Dre thy . tori h > +2 “% i. a DRAWBAR cae 1i°"— ——- { RAGS DRAWBAR BOLT : y y-BOLT-, + 4 S ’ ' rr Silas ' = a => : i 1 —- ~ ig. ., * a a >> — 1 lhe 3s i io : SS ~~ — ye ~ /~ nN re - —1 So NS S22 G@ SEA 5 em s ° < —_ , a 4 oi —_ ay - “Ig AXLE 215LONG Df » —*” ~--ENGINE SUPPORT BOTTOM VIEW OF FRAME, SHOWING AXLE, DRAWBAR BEARINGS & BRACES

DRAWBAR | Spe ‘ [ | | 4 a —_ i : / SHORT : { - By *, ) LONG / 4 | oe \ ' / 0’ SHANK J/ f SHANK a \ \ £3 Le A } BULL TONGUE . SPRING-TOOTH CULTIVATORS ONION DIGGER SWEEP FURROWER HILL PLOWS pisk

Full Details of the Larger Garden Tractor: This is Powered with a 214-Horsepower Motorcycle Engine, and is Geared to Travel at the Rate of About 2% Miles per Hour. The Left-Hand Wheel is Not Shown in the Side View of the Tractor, in Order to Make Clear the Engine and Drive Arrangement

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POPULAR MECHANICS 133 e center, and must be bolted down ehtly, and securely braced. An air- led, single-cylinder motorcycle engine, ‘about 2% hp., running at 1,200 r.p.m., hould be selected for the work. A four- laded fan must be provided, to cool the engine, as the tractor travels so slowly. he fan is mounted opposite the cylinder, pivoted on a bracket bolted to the cross member, so that the pulley will aline with the belt. The short end of the crank is connected to the clutch lever on the left- hand handle by a length of 4-in. rod, threaded at the upper end, screwed into a link pivoted to the clutch lever, and locked by a nut. When the clutch lever spay Sy r INTERNAL } / GEAR | F | } | seein al _ Ww ‘—_ a PINION | POSITIVE CLUTCH FLYWHEEL - $-HR. ENGINE -’ oe Upper Left: Side View of Small Tractor, Showing Present Arrangement of Battery Box, and Other Parts. Insert: Outline of Arrangement of Gearing. Right: Close-Up of Tractor, Showing Original Position of Box. The Lever on the Handle Controls the Operation of the Clutch indicated, and driven from the crank- aft. The sprocket is removed from the lriving side of the crankshaft, and a flat pulley, or the V-grooved pulley shown. ubstituted. This pulley is recessed for the nut and washer that bind it to the haft, and the flange for the starting ‘rank is screwed to its outer side. As the tarting crank must clear the drivewheel, the exact position of the engine must be determined with the crank in place. An iuxiliary bearing, bolted to the frame, ipports the crank. If V-pulleys are fitted, a belt 14 to 56 in. in diameter should be used; if flat sulleys, the belt should be 1 in. wide. In either case, an idler pulley, or tension wheel, is used to tighten the belt, and serve the purpose of a clutch; it is mounted on the long arm of a bell crank, cut from steel plate, and the bell crank is depressed, the link passes over the pivot center of the lever, and keeps this position, holding the belt tight until the clutch lever is raised. The proportions of the bell-crank arms, and the position of the link, must be determined by experi- ment. The tractor handles are made of 114-in pipe, fastened to the frame, and braced as shown. On the right-hand handle, the spark and throttle controls should be mounted, and connected by wires to the engine. The drawbar, or tool bar, is of prime importance, as upon its construction and position depend, to a large extent, the ef ficiency of the tractor, and the ease of its handling. Two %-in. drawbar bolts are fastened through holes drilled in the webs of the frame, and in the rear cross member.

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134 They are braced by two % by 2-in. straps, as shown. Two % by 4-in. steel plates are bent to fit around the bolts, to form the drawbar brackets, and when the drawbar is bolted on, the whole as-. sembly is free to move on the bolts. Short, heavy springs are placed between the up- per nuts and the brackets, as shown, and make for easy action on rough or stony ground. The height of the drawbar from the ground is from 5 to 8 in., depending on the tools most used and on the choice of the maker. The gasoline tank must be mounted high enough to provide a gravity feed to the carburetor; the brackets that hold it may be made of % by 1%-in. steel. A box, set under the tank, contains the bat- tery and ignition coil, and may also be used to carry tools, if desired. Another type of small tractor is shown in the smaller illustrations. The basis of construction, in this case, is a large-sized lawnmower. Extension rims and cleats are riveted to the mower wheels, as shown, to provide traction, and the mow- er handle, raised to clear the gearing, etc.. is used for steering. Power is furnished by a %4-hp. washing-machine engine, and the drive, shown in outline in the insert, is made up of gears taken from a grain binder. The ignition current is furnished by a dry battery, which was originally mounted on a bracket slung under the handle, the ignition coil being carried on another bracket at the bottom of the POPULAR MECHANICS handle. This was later changed, as shown, and the battery and coils carried on one bracket, mounted above the gear- ing. A lever, mounted on the end of the handle, controls the operation of the clutch. The method of attaching the tools is shown quite clearly in the various photographs. Implements for small tractors can be purchased from any dealer or made up, as desired. Old automobile springs, bent to shape, sharpened, and drilled, make ex cellent spring-tooth cultivators; they should be made in various lengths of} shank, so that they can be “staggered” on the drawbar. Shovels, hoes, hiller: etc., can, however, be bought much cheaper than it is possible to make them Light and shallow plowing can be done in open soil, but in plowing, too muc should not be expected of the tractor The larger tractor weighs from 250 to 300 Ib.; if extra weight is desired, boards may be laid on the lower webs of the frame, and the frame filled in with ce ment. A caster wheel may be fitted to the drawbar, to relieve the arms of weight when running the tractor to and from the garden. Remember always to use a good grade of oil in the engine, one especially adapt ed for air-cooled engines, if possible. Dust, which is the greatest enemy oi farm and garden machinery, can be ex cluded largely by covering the engine and gearing with a sheet-metal hood. Vise for Holding Small Screws The illustration shows a practical meth- od of holding small headless screws while slotting or pointing them. A machine-saw blade is bent to the shape shown, forming a sort of miniature SCREW STAPLE A Miniature Vise, Made from a Machine-Hacksaw Blade, for Holding Small Screws vise, the space between the jaws being slightly larger than the diameter of the screw. A small hole is drilled and tapped in the top of the rear jaw to receive th: screw. Another hole is drilled through the sides of the jaws to admit a stud that is driven into the bench; a thumbscrew is run on this stud. The lower end of the vise is fastened to the bench by means of a staple. After the screw is inserted in the hole the thumbscrew is turned so that the vise grips the screw tightly. Coloring Concrete Mineral colors only should be used for coloring concrete. Other colors are affected by the cement and are therefore not permanent. The coloring matter should be incorporated in the top layer and distributed uniformiy throughout the mass. In most cases this is best accom plished by mixing the color with the dry cement, and not with the sand, as the latter is usually wet and causes the color ing matter to lump. The color may also be dissolved in the water before it is added. In order to determine the proportion

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POPULAR MECHANICS of color to use in producing a certain shade, a few sample batches should be mixed, with a different amount of color in each batch. These batches should then be allowed to dry thoroughly, as the color of concrete is very different when entirely dry and when just hardened. When the batch having the proper shade of color is found, the proportions used in mixing it must be accurately duplicated every time a quantity is made, so that the work will not appear spotty when finished. No more than 10 lb. of coloring should be used to each bag of cement. Under no circumstances should dry color be sprinkled on fresh concrete and be troweled down in finishing, as this vives only a thin and uneven film of color, and at the same time makes the surface weak, and likely to dust. Color thus ap- plied soon wears off, and the concrete will present a very spotty appearance. Finger Guard for Circular Saws To eliminate the danger of injuring the fingers, when working on a circular saw, a simple guard can be made of %-in.

~t---CLAMP

A Simple Safety Device for Protecting the Fingers of the Workman While Using a Circular Saw square iron or steel. It consists of two pieces: a long bent arm and a clamp or guide. The latter is made so that it can be fastened on the edge of the table. In operation, the regular work guide, on the top of the table, is set the required distance from the saw, and the clamp holding the arm is attached in a position centrally between the saw and regular work guide. The bent end of the long arm is then dropped over the work so that it will travel along as the piece is being cut. With the fingers of the left hand pressed against the work, between the arm and the guide, there is no pos- sibility of a slip against the saw teeth. The long arm can also be used to draw back the cut stock, left between the guide and saw. Homemade Implement Breaks Crusted Soil Heavy rains often leave the surface of the soil so crusted that small grain has

Surface of Plants A Homemade Device for Breaking the Crusted Soil, to Permit Small to Come Up More Easily difficulty in breaking through. trations show a homemade that has been found very effective in breaking up crusted soil over small grain, or grass seed, without any danger of injuring the tiny plants, or of leaving a wide strip of unbroken ground. The implement is constructed by fas- tening six pitchforks to a wooden cross- piece, 2 in. by 8 in. by 6 ft. in dimensions. The shanks of the forks are inserted into holes drilled 12 in. apart, and staples are used to hold them securely in position. The device can be attached to a culti- vator, or other machine, by means of U-bolts. The farmer who devised this had a tract of alfalfa, in an irrigated country, that was so crusted at the time the plants were ready to come through, that there seemed no way of saving the crop. By using this simple device, however, the ground was loosened up enough to permit The illus- implement = 2x 8"x6" PLANK U-BOLTS ~<------ ) __ PITCHFORKS, HELD BY STAPLES ——*— ——_—— 4 Details of the Soil Crusher: The Device can be Made in Half an Hour the crop to come through and mature. Mrs. R. D. Shultis, Grand Junction, Colo

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136 Heating and Drying Ingot Molds and Ladles A handy and inexpensive way of dry- ing out the lining of ladles and ingot Left: the Ingot Molds and Ladles molds, in which use is made of a %4-hp. motor directly connected to a blower, is shown at the right in the illustration. The air and gas are mixed by the blower, which delivers a blast of flame to the bottom of the molds or ladle. A _ sheet of metal, with a hole in the top, confines the heat while the fire-clay lining is baking. The “pipe” in ingots was greatly re- Soldering Vertical Seams It is difficult and tedious work to solder vertical seams such as found in refriger- ator interiors, tank linings, and in roof- ing work, because the solder has a tend- ency to run down from the underside of the soldering iron. To overcome this trouble, heat an iron to a dull red, draw it out to the shape shown, and cut a small groove, about Me in. deep, in the upper face. This face only is filed and tinned. Starting at the t top of the seam to 6 be soldered, move | Ke the iron up and down, applying the solder, which will run through the groove to the point of the iron and into the seam, but not down the untinned sides. - SEAM TO BE SOLDERED , CHANNEL, TINNED FACE Arrangement of Heaters for Ingot Molds to Reduce Amount of Scrap Cut Off. Right: Air-Gas Blower Used to Dry POPULAR MECHANICS duced in the shop using a device, shown at the left, to heat the metal as it cooled. Previously it had been necessary to crop off about one-third of each ingot as scrap. This reduction in the amount of pipe was accomplished by using the hot top rings shown, and heating the outside and inside of the mold before and after pouring. These top rings are iron castings, 8 in. square and 8 in. long, lined with about 2 in. of molding sand, and baked on top of the electric fur- nace in which the metal is melted. The gas burners are arranged in a rack, as shown, so that a blast of flame is directed to the bottom of the molds, un- til they are as hot as they can be made. At the same time, another set, not shown, is throwing flames against the outside. While the molds are being heated, the ladle is filled and the dross skimmed off. When every- thing is ready, the upper burners are ex- tinguished, turned out of the way, and the ingots poured. The other burners con- tinue to play against the outside of the molds until the ingots have become com- paratively cold, so that the metal will not cool too quickly. Attaching Brackets to Irregular Surfaces A machinist in a small shop desired to put an automatic feed on a drill press. In doing so he met with the problem of at- taching a bearing bracket firmly to the curved surface of the post, and it was therefore necessary to make a_ metal base that would fit this surface. Four holes were drilled in the post, and tapped for studs, which were then screwed in. The bracket was put onthe studs and the shaft was put in place so as to bring the bearing into accurate aline- ment. A clay mold was built around the space between bracket and post and filled with melted babbitt. When cool, this babbitt base was as solid and firm as could be desired. SIDE OF MACHINE ; BABBITT

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POPULAR Mending Tracings To mend a badly worn tracing, so that the adhesive tape will not come off when the tracing is handled, make a few small holes on each edge of the tear and apply the gummed mending tape on each side. The holes permit the opposite strips of gummed tape to stick together, and as there is more adhesion between the strips of tape than there is between the tape and the tracing, the tape will not come off » easily—Frank Harazim, New York Handling Logs Easily In building a log stable on a homestead in Manitoba, Can., a simple method was employed that made it possible for one man to raise the heavy pine logs into place. Two skid logs were set against each wall, the upper ends being flattened to prevent them from rolling. Holes were Placing the Logs, Used in Constructing a Stable, by Means of Skid Poles, Enabled One Man to Do the Job Alone bored in these skids, about 18 in. apart, to fit strong wooden pegs. It was then possible to raise the logs, one end at a time, and to keep them in position on the kids by means of the pegs. After a log had been raised to such a height that a man standing on the ground could no longer handle it, another set of pegs were ised as footrests in climbing the skids. Tool for Loosening Nuts It is a very common practice, and a poor one, to use a hammer and chisel for removing nuts in positions where it is impossible to reach them with a wrench, or impossible to swing a wrench even if it can be placed on the nut. The chisel MECHANICS 137 cuts and mars the edges so that they are very often unfit for further use. By using the simple tool shown in the photograph, When a Wrench can- not be Used, This Tool Loosens Nuts without Marring the orners however, it is possible to remove the nuts without injuring them. A piece of square stock, of suitable length, is rounded and checkered on one end with a file,and the other end is cham- fered. About 1% in. from the checkered end, a hole is drilled and tapped for a set- screw, and the point of the tool is then hardened and tempered. In using it, the checkered edge grips the nut securely, and the setscrew acts as a stop, prevent- ing the tool from slipping. Only a slight mark will be left on the nut as evidence of the use of the tool. Crimping Tool for Tinners Anexcellent crimping tool for tinners can be made from an old pair of tongs, as shown in the illustra- tion. The blocks that crimp the tin are best weld- ed to the tong jaws. The up- per lugs serve to give the tin the first bend, then the tin is in- serted farther into the jaws, and the second bend given it by the two- pronged lug. .

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138 POPULAR Pressing Off a Cracked Axle Housing The drawing shows how a cracked axle housing was pressed out of the brake as- CRACKED HOUSING _ WRENCH JACK ‘Swe----- ANGLE PLATES A Small Wrench Jack and Two Angle Plates Used to Force a Cracked Axle Housing from the Brake Assembly sembly by means of a small wrench jack. The shoulder of the brake assembly was placed against the face of the left-hand angle plate, which had a V-slot cut in it. The jack was set against the other angle plate, and a piece of shafting placed be- tween the jack and the end of the hous- ing. This made it possible to exert a pressure of about 2,500 lb. on the housing, so that one man could do the ‘job easily.— Daniel F. Smith, Jr., Pittsburg, Kan. Improved Stud Tool The two most common methods of setting studs are to use a stud tool that has a continuous thread through it, of the same size and hand as the stud, and to use locked nuts. Both of these meth- ods require the use of two wrenches in releasing the tool from the stud, one wrench holding the tool or lower nut, while the other is used to loosen the upper nut or setscrew. An improved stud tool, that saves much time,is madeas THREAD--. : shown in the illus- tration. It is recessed in the center; one end is threaded to fit the stud, and a _ thread of the opposite hand istappedinthe other end, in which a setscrew is fitted. Simply turning the tool down on the stud, with the setscrew in place, locks the tool on the stud. By tufning the upper setscrew in the same direction as the stud, the tool is un- locked. Only one wrench is required to lock or unlock it. RIGHT-HAND , THREAD -~ MECHANICS Removing Rear Wheels from Light Car Rear wheels, that are forced on ta- pered axles, are often found so tight that a wheel puller will not remove them. It is, however, an easy matter to remove them by raising both rear wheels by means of a jack and starting the motor. When the wheels are revolving at a good speed, the clutch is released and the brake applied. By repeating this a few times the wheel will soon become so loose that it can easily be pulled from the axle—Albert Chenicek, Chicago, [Il. Straightening a Bent Reamer A bent drill or reamer can be straight- ened easily without danger of breaking by placing it between the centers of a lathe, as shown. Reverse te regular toolholder and clamp it in the toolpost with the butt toward the tool being straightened. Play the flame of an ordinary blowtorch on the side of the shank oppo- site the tool- holder. When the part is fairly hot, but not anything like red-hot, proceed to squeeze the butt end of the! toolholder against the shank by means of the crossfeed screw. Occasionally the tool being straightened is tested to determine when it is straight. Protecting Plane Bit After a plane bit is ground and honed, the edge is very often ruined while rein- serting it in the plane, if the bit catche on the iron bot- tom instead of entering in the slot. By fasten- ing a small wooden block between the sides of the plane, as indicat- ed in the illus- tration, the bit will be properly guided into the slot. The block will not injure the edge should it be struck by the lat- ter. The block is fastened by means ol shellac.—M. E. Duggan, Kenosha, Wis. SECTIONAL VIEW ol fu

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A Bench Shear for the Small Shop By CLIFFORD A. BUTTERWORTH HE bench shear described in this article can be made very easily, and will cut much heavier metal than can be cut with a pair of hand shears. It is designed te give a leverage of 30 to 1 on short cuts, and 10 to 1 at the end of a full stroke. As the blade is 6 in. long, and there is a Clearance of 6 in. behind it, it ; possible to cut metal that is 24 in. wide, y cutting from both sides. The base is made of 2-in. stock, to the dimensions shown in the drawing. Two blocks, 2 by 3 in., are bolted to it, and the holes drilled for the bolts are counter- ing for the stud, which is a tight fit in the shear lever. The hand lever and its supports are made of %-in. ash. The lever works on a \%-in. bolt, and is also fitted with a bushing. One of the supports is fastened to the 2-in. ash block, while the other is screwed to the base. The links connect- ing the levers are made of 44-in. iron or steel. Both the hand lever and the shear lever are fitted with bushings for the link bolts, which are made of *%-in. steel. The shear blades are made of *%-in. tool steel, hardened, and the edges ground. 2x 3° BLOCKS * BRASS . 2 5 4 | | | | ' SIDE ELEVATION A Bench Shear That will Prove to Be a Very Serviceable Addition to the Equipment of Any Tin Shop: Due to Its Leverage, Much Thicker Metal can be Cut with It than with Any Ordinary Pair of Hand Shears. bored on the underside of the base so that the heads of the bolts will be flush with the surface. Bolted on top of these blocks is a piece of ash, 2 by 4 by 151% in., and a short piece of %4-in. hardwood is at- tached to one end of this block with flat- head wood screws. This %4-in. piece is taced on the outside with a %-in. steel plate, in which the screw holes are countersunk, so that the screw heads will be flush. The shear lever is attached by means of a %-in_ steel stud passing through these pieces, and it is also faced with a %-in. steel plate where the sur- lace comes in contact with the plate on the %4-in. block. A brass bushing is pressed into the blocks to serve as a bear- It is Made of Hardwood, with the Exception of the Links, Bolts, and Blades The upper blade is 2 in. wide at the front, and 2% in. at the back; it is held to the shear lever by means of bolts, while the lower blade is fastened to the base by flat-head screws, countersunk flush. Cross-Section Paper Aids in Making Diagrams Considerable time is wasted by drafts- men in repeatedly picking up and laying aside the scale or dividers, when making wiring diagrams. This can be avoided by placing a sheet of cross-section paper under the tracing on which the diagram is to be drawn, and then scaling the dia- gram by means of the small squares. 129

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140 POPULAR MECHANICS Hooks on Terminal Tongs Lift Battery The construction of many battery boxes, especially homemade ones, is such that the handles of the battery come be- low the edges of the box, and so close R «--TERMINAL to the sides _ that it is al- most impossi- ble to remove the battery, without a special tool. A pair of termi- nal tongs, with the han- die ends bent as shown in the _ illustra- tion, will prove of considerable assistance. The hooks on the ends of the handles make it easy to lift heavy batteries from deep boxes.

Chuck for Threaded Work The drawing shows a handy type of lathe chuck to be used when working on threaded parts. It is often necessary to use a threaded chuck, but if the work is held in a chuck of the usual type, it is very difficult to release the work. The application of a pipe wrench may mar the surface, and perhaps spoil the job if a good finish is desired. The chuck illus- trated is threaded to suit the work, and the tapping size of the hole continued for about the same distance as the threads. A plunger is turned to a PIN sliding fit in this hole, aft- er which a hole is drilled through the center of the plunger, a drive fit for a pin. The body of the chuck has a slot cut through it as shown, and is threaded outside to fit a knurled ring, which has four “tommy” holes drilled in it. The chuck is operated as follows: The work is screwed in with the fingers, until it is a safe distance in the chuck, when the " y SLOT 4 eT 4 5 Eee Tin 4 |

PLUNGER” |) a RING NUT-_ /

knurled ring is screwed up; this, bearing on the pin, pushes the plunger up tight against the face of the work. When re- moving the work, the ring is turned to the left, releasing the pressure of the plunger, so that the work can be un- screwed with the fingers. For light work, the chuck can be made with a taper shank to fit into the lathe spindle, but for heavy work it is best to thread the chuck to {fit the spindle nose.

Tray under Vise Catches Small Pieces When a vise is used for holding smal! pieces, it frequently happens that the work becomes loose, or slips through the fingers while being removed, and falls to the floor, where it is often lost in a crack. This can be prevented very easily by fitting a tray to the bench so that it ex- tends under the vise, as shown in the drawing. The tray consists of a piece of ‘screw Sheet tin, bent at right an- gles, and with the sides turned up and fastened at the corners with small screws. A hole cut in the front fits ever the vise screw, and the bottom of the tray slides underneath the bench between two lagscrews fitted with washers. -VISE

GUIDE 1 ; SCREW ~~ ‘-TRAY

Small Soldering Bit Easily Made A small soldering bit of the type illus- trated can be made in a few minutes from a short length of *%4-in. iron rod, some No. 6 cop- per wire, two yFILE HANDLE — small rivets, and } suit ' i?) > a wooden file oO OE handle. The cop- - i perwireis |L—<S* Me---- . doubled, sharp- Ge ground mon ened to form the bit nose, and at- — oa tached to the iron __,., Pa rod with the riv- éRIVETS~, ets; the rod ix then driven into 4 the handle. This Soud-copper wire -’ bit has proved to be especially handy in soldering open cir- cuits on small coils and rheostats.—G. C. Madison, West Haven, Conn.

v

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POPULAR Gummed Business Cards Business cards of machine repairmen are very often mislaid or lost, and this means that one must go to considerable trouble if the services of the same man are again desired. For this reason, the repairman will find it an excellent idea to gummed small stickers, on which his me and address are printed, together th other advertising or recording data, he may wish. These stickers are made of a thin grade of tough paper, well covered with strong adhesive, so that they will stick for a long time. They should be pasted in a con- spicuous place on the machine or fitting, where they may be accessible for constant reference, and at the same time present a neat appearance. Grinder for Plug Cocks The lever shown in the drawing makes the work of repairing leaky gas, water, or air cocks of the plug type a compara- tively simple matter, and, as the tool will fit any valve handle of average size, is worth making where jobs of this kind must be done from time to time. The lever is made of a a = piece of pipe, a poron view. Dent to the shape shown, although, if preferred, it can be built up nipples and elbows. In any case, the ittom end is threaded and a slot cut in it, so that, when the lever is slipped over the handle, it will be held upright; a nut screwed onto the threaded end prevents the tool from sliding off in use. The correct way to repair a defective cock of this type is to apply a little grind- ing compound, at first only where the hearing marks or rings show and not over the whole length of the plug as is often done. The plug is rotated in semicircles by a back-and-forth movement of the handle. Using the lever shown, a good purchase is obtained and greater pres- sure applied to the plug than by using the valve handle alone, as the more pressure that can be applied, the quicker the plug can be made tight. When the bearing marks begin to show over the whole sur- lace of the cock, the paste may be applied to the entire length. MECHANICS Safe Sling for Heavy Bars When handling heavy and _ slippery round bars with a crane, it is customary to pass the end of the sling around the bar once and then through the loop at the other end. This method is not a safe one, and it occasionally happens that an unbalanced bar slips out of the hitch. The illustra- tion shows the front and rear views of a hitch that is safe, and at the same time self-tightening. The end of the sling is passed twice around the bar, instead of once, before being passed through the loop.—A. J. Denner, Brooklyn, N. Y. Auto Tables Please Store Patrons Stores catering to the trade of automo- bile parties can add greatly to the con- venience of their customers by using small serving tables of the type illustrated, which can be made at very little expense. The tables slip over the edges of the automo- bile doors, and can be put in place instantly. Each one is fit- ted with an ad- justable brace consisting of’ two pieces. One piece is secure- ly fastened to the underside of the table and has a slot cut lengthwise in it. The other piece has a hole drilled near the end. The pieces slide one upon the other, and are clamped together by a bolt and a wingnut. A strip of wood is attached to the end of the brace, and another strip nailed to the edge of the table, as shown. Felt, glued to the wood as indicated, is used to pre- vent the table from scratching the var- nished surface of the car doors.——Tom Freeman, Beaumont, Tex, ADJUSTABLE BRACE _ WINGNUT -, BOTTOM VIEW OF TABLE AUTO_ DOOR

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142 POPULAR MECHANICS Reversing or Duplicating Tool The interesting tool shown in the draw- ing was discovered in the shop of a sign ee — —— “\\ ornteina. | ——— \ ORIGINAL | { HEAVY PAPER, FOR TRACING FIRST COPY FIRST COPY TACKED TO DESK TOP. ENDS OF CALIPER PENCIL ------ A Simple Tool That will Prove of Value to Sign Paint- ers for Reversing or Duplicating Designs painter, where it was used for making duplicate posters. Its uses are many; it will copy a picture, or transfer a drawing or design to the opposite “hand” without requiring any skill on the part of the per- son using it, so that a boy can do some work that ordinarily would require the time of a highly paid sign artist. The tool consists simply of two rods, jointed as shown, drilled and slotted for a pencil and tracing point, and fitted with a spring. A buggy-top hinge would make a good tool of this kind. As shown in the drawing, the original design is tacked to the top of a shelf, and a sheet of heavy tracing cloth, or paper, underneath. The design is then traced with the rounded point, producing a re- versed copy on the paper underneath. If a duplicate of the original is required, the reverse is used, in the same manner, on top of the shelf. The tracing point and the pencil should be exactly opposite each other, and be clamped tightly, as indicated, by means of round-head screws. Preventing Tools from Rusting Tools of all kinds soon become rusty when exposed continually to a damp at- mosphere, or when used only occasion- ally. To prevent this, keep the tools in a box filled with oil-soaked sawdust. Oil that is drained from the crankcase of an automobile, and that is to be thrown away, will serve very well for this pur pose. Sand may be substituted for the sawdust, in a box where shovels, spades and similar large tools are kept. The sand will also serve as a scouring agent that will prove of great help in removing the rust already on the tools. Stock-Oiling Device for Punch Presses The drawing shows a method of oiling tin, or other metal, in sheet form, that is being formed or drawn on the punch press. An oil tank, similar to those used on milling machines, is supported on a bracket attached to one side of the punch press frame. A steel ring is fastened to the side of the ram by a bracket, and a felt ring, a little larger in diameter on the outside than the blanking size of th: die, or the diameter of the cup to | | OlL TANK py 7 | § ( D| = Ml) 1} WU \ 2 ah ¥ 5 4 Ria | Pes I es . |) ¢ BRACKET-/ *__ | | la ' DISK J | | j e! i* 2] 2 ae, \ mt at “ite FELT RING STEEL RING PUNCH / An Oiling Device for the Punching and Drawing Press, That Automatically Applies a Thin Film ot Lubricant to the Face of the Stock at Each Down- ward Movement of the Ram drawn, is forced into this ring, as shown. The felt ring is so located in relation to the punch that when the ram is in a “down” position, the pad will oil the stock as it rests on the platen, just where th: punch will come on a later stroke. Th oil drip is so arranged that the oil drop on a spring disk inside the felt pad, and the oil flow is regulated so that only a very light film of oil is left on the ti where it is needed in the drawing 0: blanking operation. This method, beside being economical in the amount of oil used, does away with the necessity of! oiling as a separate operation, and on lithographed work, on which the litho graphing tends to soften afid scratch when left with a heavy coating of oil for a few hours, it is especially advantageous.

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POPULAR Alining Automobile Wheels Alining the front wheels of an automo- bile alone is quite a job, and where work of this character is of frequent occur- rence, as in the one-man garage, the alin- ing device shown in the drawing will speedily prove its value. Two pieces of 34-in. lumber, 3 in. wide nd 8 or 9 ft. long, are planed true and jited with ribs, glued and screwed to one side. The ribs are cut off and beveled, as shown, at the front ends of the “parallels,” and cut off short about 1 ft. from the ir end. Two %-in. pieces are then bolted to each rib and screwed to the rallel at the rear end, as shown. This rms a %-in. slot, which is also cut through the bottom pieces, for the rear hook bolt. The front hook is inserted through a hole drilled a little forward of the center of the parallel, the rib being strengthened at this point. The bolts are made of %-in. iron or steel rod, threaded on the upper end for wingnuts. To use the device, the hooks are placed over the tire and rim on each wheel in such a manner that the straight edges are horizontal, then tightened. Then, by ighting over the projecting portions, they are made parallel. After making sure that both wheels are pointing straight ahead, the distance between the parallels is measured, close to the tires, as shown, then at the outer end of the parallels, and the two measurements are

Z'sLot— Po PARALLEL PIECES, 2 REQUIRED — sa g = * — Zs - atl “ but the Device Illustrated Above Makes It So compared. The front wheels should “toe in” slightly, not less than 14 in. nor more than % inch. MECHANICS 143 Making Gouges of Steel Tubing Gouges are tools that all woodworkers must use at times, but usually not often enough to necessitate the purchase of a

TAPER DRIFT RED-HOT TUBING --.. SECTIONAL VIEW __ . oO “soe 4 FLAT, BROAD GOUGE WOOD HANDLE ~ af

Steel Tubing, Used to Make Woodworkers’ of Various Shapes and Sizes, and of Excellent Quality Gouges complete set. Gouges made of seamless steel tubing, however, will answer excei- lently for the occasional user. They are made from pieces of fairly heavy-gauge tubing, flared open at one end to receive a wooden handle. This is done by heating the tube until red and then driving a taper drift into it to ex- pand it. For narrow gouges, the tubing is flattened as indicated, and beveled on the end to form the cutting edge. A me- dium-flat gouge can be made by flatten- ing out the tubing a little less. By slitting the tube and spreading it open and al- most flat, a broad gouge is formed. To make the steel hold an edge, it is well to caseharden it slightly, which is done by dipping the red-hot steel in pow- dered cyanide of potassium and quench- ing in cold water. As these tools are al- ways ground on their forward faces, the casehardening will not be ground away from the lower part of the cutting edge. In some cases it will be found that, if the tools are tempered after hardening, a bet- ter and longer-lasting edge will result. To those unaccustomed to using cyanide, a word of warning is necessary. Do not inhale the fumes, as cyanide of potassium is an active poison. @ When scraping carbon from automo- bile pistons, and from the face of the cylinder block, use short headless set- screws to keep the particles of carbon out of the cylinder-head bolt holes. This method is easy and quick.

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144 Reflector Aids Motion-Picture Pianist It is often a great strain for the organ- ist or pianist in a moving-picture theater to glance up continually at the picture This Arrangement of Two Adjustable Mirrors Enables the Moving-Picture Theater Pianist to Follow the Picture without Turning His Head while playing, in order to make the music correspond to the action. This trouble can be overcome very easily by using two adjustable mirrors, mounted on portable stands, as shown in the photograph. One of these mirrors is set at such an angle as to catch the pic- ture on the screen and reflect it into the second mirror, which is placed close to the music rack, and in front of the mu- sician.—H. F. Hess, Des Moines, Ia. Action of Radio Switches Improved by Vaseline While in a laboratory where radio- resistance measurements of great impor- tance were being conducted, a visitor was much surprised to see one of the assist- ants apply a generous amount of vaseline to the points and blades of a rotary, or dial, switch. The action was slightly squeaky, and the lubricant was applied to overcome the scratchy effect and make the instrument operate smoothly and with good electrical contact. It was ex- plained, that, paradoxical as it may seem, the use of vaseline on such switches had been found to improve not only the me- chanical action but the constancy of the POPULAR MECHANICS contact as well. This was discovered jn an investigation where it was necessary to have a commutator operated with ex- traordinary definiteness and _ efficiency, Everything had failed until the worke; drenched the part with oil. Much to his surprise, the experimenter found that this produced exactly the effect he sought. Since that time vaseline has been found to be equally effective, and cleaner and easier to apply than oil. Making Center Testers Magnify Errors A simple method of greatly magnifyi: the slightest movement at the point of center-tester needle is to use a strong feather quill, about 1 ft. long, pressed o the end of the needle. The quill is very light and will not cause the needle to vi- brate, which would be the case if an ad ditional length of steel or even aluminum were used.—L. M. Steffen, Dayton, Ohi Rolling Oxygen Cylinders Heavy oxygen cylinders are general! moved for short distances by tipping them slightly and rolling them on the edge in the same way as barrels. But owing to the small diameter, the height, and the weight of these cylinders, it is not an easy matter to roll them in this way. For this reason, the device shown in the drawing was made. It consists of a hardwood wheel, 6 or 7 in. larger in diameter than the cylinder, and fitting nicely) over the bottom of the latter. A rope, knotted at the end, is passed through a _ hole drilled about halfway between the inner ani! outer edges ot the wheel. After the rope | wound once « twice around t! cylinder, it caught in a t pered slot cut opposite the hole. By rol! ing the cylinder on the wheel in the direc tion opposite to that in which the rope is wound, the latter is tightened instantly It can again be loosened by giving th: wheel a slight twist in the same directio: as the rope is wound.

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TTT i QL HUTT Wy PUUSUUTTETGLTYTTTOSSTTETOCOUITUENEOOOOSTOTUGDTENUGOTVUOG! es lat i ew the foliowing pages Information as to where to obtain any specified Materiais or parts for making objects described in may from our Bureau of Information.—Editor be had. on request, A Roller Coaster for Skaters By DALE R. VAN HORN ‘ % f. ice coaster shown in the illus- tration will provide much exhilarating for skaters. Erected on smooth awaits the speeding skater, who into one end, grasps the axle of car” and, after sweeping over the of the track, alights at the other ind speeds on. main frame of this any coaster of consists of two j ' Y, Simple Coaster, fade of a Tricycle or Buggy Axle, rves Only as a Guide, the ws of 4 by 4-in. driven into the ittom of the pond or river through holes it in the ice. When the ice again forms round the posts, they are quite rigid; ey are set 6 ft. apart, and the track is 3 ft. wide. The pattern of the track curves is laid out on cardboard, in sec- ons, and used to cut the 2 by 6-in. rack timbers to shape. These timbers ire nailed to the inside of the posts, and the posts are braced as shown. The track proper is made of light channel ron, bent to fit the 2 by 6-in. timbers, nd spiked to them. The dimensions of the coaster, as shown in the illustration, need not be rigidly adhered to. The height, length, ete., will depend entirely on the space Dimensions posts, Made of a Few Pieces of Lumber and Some Channel Iron, and Furnishes Exhilarating Sport for the being Altered to Suit available, and upon whether adults or youngsters are to use the device. The drawing is intended only to serve as a general guide. The track should not end at the bottom of an incline but should run parallel to the ice—or nearly so—for some distance, so that the may balance himself on the ice, and let go the car before it strikes the bumper. The car itself is nothing more than Skater ' BEO Ge POND Provided with a “Car” Skating Pond. The Drawing the Location or the Users’ Ccnvenience the axle buggy, easy and wheels of a tricycle, preferably a ball-bearing running. or baby one for Creeper for Painters When painting or varnishing floors and baseboards, I -find a creeper of consider- able assistance. It is made from a strong wooden box, about 1 ft. square and 15 in. high. A ball-bearing caster is mounted at each corner. This box is used as a seat and makes the work much easier. While working on doors and windows, the box can be placed on one side, and the paint or varnish set on it, so as to save one from stooping constantly to fill the brush. —C. O. Soots, North Salem, Ind. 14°

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146 Improvised Cider Press A simple but quite effective cider press was improvised from common equipment available about the house. It consisted . ZAUTO JACK ax ~., GROUND + APPLES POPULAR MECHANICS a, A Simple Cider Press That can be Improvised from Materials Found around the Average House- hold, or Easily Obtainable “ss oo ae LRU of a stewpan, an ice-cream can, an auto jack, and a few pieces of wood and tow- eling, arranged as shown in the drawing. The apples were first quartered, and, after the bad spots were removed, ground with a small food chopper, using the coarsest plate. The pressing of the juice was then accomplished by wrapping ‘the apple mash in pieces of old towels, a quart of mash being placed in each piece of towel. These sacks of mash were placed in the ice-cream can to within %4 in. of the top, and were separated from each other by wooden disks,:a little smaller in diameter than the inside of the can. The can, with its contents, was then inverted and placed over a wooden block about 5 in. in diameter and 12 in. high, and the whole assembly set in a stewpan. By placing this arrangement on a small kitchen table in a doorway, and using an auto jack, as shown, to apply the pres- sure, the cider was squeeztd out of the mash in a very short time. In using this method, it might be thought that time and trouble could be saved by placing the mash in one large sack. This is not so, however; the cider cannot be squeezed out of such a bulk. sy placing the batches between wooden disks as described, nearly all of the juice will be extracted. This method has proved to be quite practical. Increasing Furnace Efficiency The owner of a newly installed furnace experienced great difficulty in keeping the temperature at a point where the occu- pants of the house would be comfortable. After exhausting all other means, it was suggested that a blower be placed in the cold-air duct. This was done and no further trouble has been experienced. A damper was placed in the cold-air duct to regulate the amount of cold air entering the furnace from outside, most of the cold air in moderate weather, and all of it in severe weather, being drawn through the cold-air register on the first floor. The cold-air duct is, of course made so that the air can be drawn eithe: from the outside of the house or from the register inside. The fan or blower was placed inside the duct about 2 ft. away from the furnace, and controlled by a switch upstairs. As a result of this change, the house is always maintained at a comfortable temperature, and many dollars have been saved in coal.—A. J Spengler, Chicago, Ill. A Practical Gate Hinge Considerable difficulty is often expe rienced in attaching a gate to steel posts in a manner that is rigid and substantia! A simple hinge was devised on our farm that has been found entirely satisfactory, and that has several advantages ove! hinges on the market. To construct a hinge of this type, two 14-in. holes are drilled through the steel post, one about 6 in. from the top, the other 8 in. from the bot- tom. Eyebolts, with eyes “ in. in diame- ter, are fas tened through these holes. habe. Two pieces of ane “Tage flat iron, about WEIR “ ¥% in. thick, ge SO are bent as shown and three holes drilled in each for small bolts These strips are then bolted to the gate so that after the gate has been raised in position, they will fit between the two eyebolts, as shown. A %4-in. pipe or rod IRON STRIP is used for a hinge pin, and the gate will then swing freely either way. This arrangement holds the gate firm!) above the ground, while making it impo sible for hogs to raise it off the hinge pin,

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POPULAR MECHANICS 147 to the position of the upper eyebolt. vinter months, the gate can be raised -w inches to clear the snow, by put- the upper hinge on top of the eye- J. R. Kuntz, Bremen, Ind. Repairing Electric Lamps was found, in one garage, that a iter percentage of electric lamps was due to the loosening of the brass cap from the glass, than to the iking of the glass or the burning out he filament. When the cap became e, the bulb would twist around, and might cause the terminal wires to s and blow out a fuse. was found possible to repair a num- of these bulbs in the following way: pieces of No. 20 bare copper about 3 in. long, and solder these the lamp terminals, to facilitate as- bling, as shown. Push a piece of cot- e two vadding into the glass stem to pre- contact od } 1 i 4 nt the wires from coming in PLASTER OF PARIS “> IN CAP 7 “COTTON a% ; \--» SOLDER . | \ 2 “SOLDER ° A _ BARE ns Vg HOLE FOR WIRE ceptacle is placed under the lower shelf. Each flowerpot is placed on the shelf so that the small drain hole in the bottom COPPER WIRE’ Simple Method of Repairing Electric Lamps When the Brass Screw Caps Are Loose other. Drill a and draw each brass cap ugh this hole. er the edge of Ye-in. hole in one of the wires Bend the other wire the glass. Fill the cap th plaster of Paris and press the bulb n place, taking care to keep the wires it. Then solder the ends of the wires o the cap, to assure a perfect connection. lobes repaired in this way will last just is long as new ones.—E. J. Bachman, Fullerton, Pa. Drained Shelves for Flowerpots Drained shelves, as shown in the illus- tration, are very practical for use with common flowerpots. A groove is cut in each shelf, the groove being made to slope toward a hole drilled in one end, and the shelf itself tilted a little in the same direction. Cemented into this hole is a rubber tube, leading to a groove cut in the shelf below, or to a receptacle. If two shelves are used, as shown, the re- Flowerpot Shelves Provided with Drains, Make Unnecessary to Remove the Pots When Wa- tering, or to Have Dishes for the Pots of the pot will beexactly over the groove. By using shelves of this kind, it is pos- sible to prevent the troublesome overtlow that ruins the varnished surface of the window sill and casings, and spatters the curtain and window. The course, should be painted or shellacked, to prevent the water from soaking into them.—T. R. Hart, Ashtabula, Ohio. shelves, of Holding Blow-Out Patch While Replacing the Tire The difficulty of keeping the edges of a blow-out patch outside the casing while a tire is being replaced on its rim is avoided when the holder shown in the drawing is used. This little device consists of a band, % in. wide, cut from an old tube, and fitted with two sharp-pointed wire hooks. After insert- ing the patch, the hooks on the holder are pushed through its protruding edges, and the rubber band prevents the ends from catching under the rim while the tire is being applied—G. A. Luers, Washington, District of Columbia. ~._ BLOW-OvUT PATCH SECTION OF INNER TUBE “BENT WIRE

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118 POPULAR Novel Lighting Fixture for Porch As a porch lighting fixture of the com- mon ceiling type proved unsatisfactory, IECHANICS tration, to resemble a bird house. A win- dow was cut in each side and a door in front; orange-colored glass was inserted behind these openings and held in place with putty. The standards used as supports for the “bird houses were made from lengths of ti: piping, and the wires run throug! them. The lower end of eac! standard was firmly tamped into the soil in a large flowerpot, as heavy base was necessary to keep the fixture from being overturned easily. When completed, the whole was given three coats of | enamel, inside and outside. Va | rious colors were used on the | outside; a bright red on the rooi edge, white on the ends and sides and bright green on the base edge Two of These “Bird Houses’? were Used as Indirect-Lighting Fixtures on a Porch, to Provide a Soft Light because it gave a glaring light, two fix- tures of the indirect type were made by a householder, and placed on each side o: the porch, so as to provide a balanced illumination. Each of these was made of *4-in. wood, and constructed, as shown in the illus- —_* and on the edges of the door and windows. A 10-watt frosted lamp was used in each fixture. When making a fixture of this type, it may be impossible to obtain colored glass for the doors and windows. In that case colored tissue paper can be used; it i pasted on the inside and shellacked. A strip of asbestos should be glued unde the bulb to avoid charring the enamel. File Board Facilitates Binding of Papers A simple board, used for filing letters, bills, and similar matter, can easily be ar- ranged so as to assist in two steel prongs. These are made from screw- Rooks , straight- enedand ground to a point at the ends,as shown, and with small holes drilled near these ends. A _ piece of twine is passed through the holes, enough slack being provided between the prongs to permit the papers to be pushed down firmly upon the board. When the binding this material after the file has been filled. A hardwood board of the required size is fitted with: file is full, the ends of the string are pulled out of the prongs and tied. The papers can then be lifted off. This methox of binding the papers while they are hel in place on the file board does away wit! the slow and tedious work of stringing them singly. Heating Sadirons Quickly Considerable trouble was experienced in making sadirons sufficiently hot on an oilstove. After experimenting with sev eral methods, none of which proved suc cessful, a large stewpan was placed ove: two irons while they were being heated. Most ot the heat was nov confined about the irons, and consequently they soon be came hot. Food can be prepared much more quickly by ap- plying the same idea, which means a considerable saving in fuel.— Mrs. J. V. Romig, Allentown, Pa. PAN . SADIRON OILSTOVE --

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A Homemade Xylophone By VERNON W. PALEN * AA N excellent xylophone can be made at home, by anyone who can handle e tools. The volume of tone is not reat as in commercial instruments, as homemade one is not equipped with nators, but the quality of the tone is ellent, and, as the commercial one about $50, and the To lower the pitch of a bar, it is hol- lowed out on the underside with a draw shave, while held in a vise. To raise the pitch, a little is sawed off the end of the bar. Experiment will teach the con structor just about how much to remove in either case. The bars should be laid memade one about 0, one can dispense volume. is used through- the construction » instrument, and it to purchase this a planing mill, ed to size. The bar frames, and ices of the main stand » of %e by 15%-in. ick, and the endpieces the stand are *4 by IMA MW {pM Lat n. in dimensions, one ece being 8 in., and the her 29 in. long. rhe first step is to con- ict the two triangular frames, the sides of ch are 52 in. long; endpiece is 14 in. and e other in. long. joints should be etailed, or half- ped, glued, and ved. The upper edges e 21 0’ faced with xylophone glued on; this can obtained at any large ic store. lhe bars coyer 314 oc- es, and are cut to the ‘ths given in the ap- ended table. Most of work in constructing = he xylophone lies in the Upper Left: ining of the bars, for Upper Right: t: ven though they are cut exactly to the lengths specified, they will, most cases, be out of tune, as some irts of the wood are denser than others, nd the bars must therefore be tuned eparately. Two methods may be used in tuning the bars. The middle-C bar may be tuned to the corresponding note on a piano, ind the remainder of the bars tuned from it, or each bar may be tuned to ?ts corre- sponding piano note. I used the first method, as I did not wish to litter up the room with sawdust and shavings; this method, however, demands a good ear. Triangular Bar Frames. Upper Center: Bars and Stand. Instrument Knocked Down. The Finished Bars. Details of Construction. Lower Lower Right: Xylophone Complete Center: in the approximately correct position on the frame, and struck with the mallet, to sound the note for tuning. After tuning, the bars are drilled, about 2 in. from each end, for a heavy cord, and then sandpapered to a fine finish, stained, and varnished. All the natural bars are strung together, on one pair of cords, a 14-in. piece of rub- ber tubing being slipped over the cord between adjacent bars. The sharp and flat bars are strung on their cords in groups of two and three, pieces of tubing % in. long being used between bars, and 149

Page 150

150 POPULAR

pieces 2 in. long between groups. The bars are then laid on the frame, and the cords fastened tightly to screweyes in the ends of the frame. The instrument proper is now finished, but in order to raise the sharps and flats above the naturals, a stand is made, using

sialic

MECHANICS the pieces of 4-in. stock and two lengths of the 15%-in. stuff. The endpieces of the stand are stepped, and the braces set into grooves cut in the underside. If xylophone felt, which is 4 in. thick, cannot be obtained readily, a soft 14-in rope can be used on the frames instead

LENGTHS OF BARS IN INCHES - ... 18% OD» ajnle wincaceoirnir & hace aes ee eee 13% vets ueiaee ee eee W sharp .....-.---essseees 17% eee ee rrr 13% A sharp..... Patten . 9% Retr als cb «aii jie alae aman SE Se oe ere 13 Wi aseth axe dsaavieed 9 ey NI dial arctan tienen ache ae 17% a Rr here 123 . : N __ |) A eae ee eee 17 - * ine Sea wew ene ae wes 124 ( sharp 8% A sharp . 1634 a RG waders Renan eee eee 12 roe 8 Re fre co ang ts onda ea a le 163% pe MINN iy Slava, racarted ioe 11% D sharp 77 Ba a ght sh maaan dh 5: olson to aa . 15% ES eee on Pe ert 11% eee apiece 7 S, CG a8 ca cu eee Re io 15% IN ick eo! raw © x coca de - 11% cle tank te 7 ya win each oik bias ace here 15% BR, sa wknd Pe F shary 7 D sharp . eer ee 10! | arr a . & eae ek tee ee 14% F sharp pi aidn acai aaa G sharp. ae ee 6% SPOT ree eee eT ee 14 OP ica hd dial ate area ‘oo. -iwaras ; sc em 636 eS 1334 G sharp iB cinlasten etal. aoe 9% 5 Se eres = 6% 8 : ‘ia S : Radio-Wave Trap In large cities, when different stations are broadcasting at the same time, much interference is caused in the reception of

WOUND WITH NO. 26 SCC. MAGNET WIRE, acenaes

TO PRIMARY OF TUNER

A Simple Radio-Wave Trap That will Eliminate Much Interference When Tuning the Radio-Receiving Set the waves. This can be prevented, to some extent, by a wave trap. This con- sists of a large variable condenser, a coil of wire, and a small switch, connected as shown in the diagram. <A _ 43-plate variable condenser with a capacity of .001 mf. is suitable. The number of turns of wire wound on the cardboard tube depends on the length of the wave to be eliminated; for instance, if it is desired to eliminate a 200-meter wave in tuning to 360 meters, from 30 to 40 turns are necessary, and more turns, in proportion, for greater wave lengths. It is a good idea to use a common adjustable tuning coil for this purpose. Honeycomb coils can also be used if desired. To eliminate interfer- ence, the condenser is adjusted until the undesired wave is no longer heard, and the receiving set can then be tuned to maximum signal strength. A Simple Bookmark The corners of a sealed envelope, cu: off in the shape of triangles, serve excel lently as bookmarks. They will fit ove: the corners of the pages, and are free from an objectionable feature of most bookmarks, as they do not cover up any of the printed matter—A. W. Michener New York City. Wrench for Headlamp Rims Considerable force is required to turn the rim of an automobile headlight when it has become BRAKE LINING rusted, and by force improp- erly applied or with im- proper tools, considerable damage may be done to the lamp. The drawing shows a con- venient homemade tool that will remove any sticking headlamp rim without damage A strip of brake lining is attached to one end of the two-piece handle, the separate parts of which are hinged to- gether in the manner indicated, leaving an opening just a trifle larger than the thickness of the brake lining which passes through it. The binding action between the two parts of the handle holds the free end of the brake lining tightly and pre vents it from slipping when the handle is pressed downward.

=i

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POPULAR MECHANICS An Easily Made Photo Cabinet fhe cabinet shown in the illustration, structed like a sectional filing case, made from discarded boxes, and ved of considerable ue in filing photo- ph prints, negatives, | other photographic terial. The top sec- made from a 12 by y 24-in. box, contains ee drawers. The up- one extends the full ith of the box, and i d to store the camera, pod, film, developing s, and similar mate- The two. smaller below this have width wers inside d 6°. in. The narrow e contains a bibliogra- on photography, and card index, on 3 by 5- cards _ of the mounted ap yhs and the neg- he wider drawer film and plate these are kept plain num- or- es. T mntains itives 6% by 35%-in. envelopes consecutive so that it is possible Ls red in 151 tive matter with the prints, and where frequent reference is made to them. The large drawer is very heavy when full, and to insure easy sliding, a roller should be made for it. For this purpose DRAWER FOR ‘CAMERA, TRIPOD, FILM, AND TRAYS * CARD- INDEX DRAWER? of 5! Q DRAWER FOR FILMS AND PLATES? /” os SE - a «MOUNTED PHOTOS tind a particular neg- = e quickly by refer- to the subject index the narrow drawer, certain what the filing lower section contains wer, in which are kept raphs, mounted on 12 by 10'4-in. pieces cardboard. This size will hold five teard-size photographs, three ar- nged vertically and two horizontally, vice versa, as the card is held. Photos related subjects are mounted on the ime card and on adjacent cards. Each hoto bears the same number as the cor- responding negative and is listed in, the ubject index. Then if any group of photographs is wanted, it can be found and returned without any trouble. The lower drawer may also contain de- scriptive matter relative to the photo- graphs, as well as books and catalogs on p hotography. This method of filing sheeeoragh neg- atives is particularly useful in connection with photographs of a commercial char- acter, as for instance, construction de- tails or machining operations, where it is generally necessary to file some descrip- Matter: and Negatives, number is. one large the photo- An Excellent Cabinet for Filing Prints, It Has a Subject Index, and Space for the Negatives, and Other Photographic Referring to the Numbered Photographs Camera, Tripod, and Developing Trays a porcelain telephone fuse will serve ex- cellently. The end nuts are removed, and short lengths of hollow curtzin pole are slipped over the threaded ecads, to serve as journals. A slot is cut in the front lower crosspiece of the box, and the roller laid in it, as shown in the drawing. The method of construction is indi- cated in the drawing as well as the gen- eral dimensions. The panel strips are nailed on last, and give a very neat ap- pearance to the cabinet.—C. N. Schuette, San Francisco, Calif. Nonslip Latter Rungs When a bicycle tire is worn out, do not scrap it, but tack sections of it to the steps or rungs of ladders, thereby making them nonslipping. The inner side of the tire is slit the full length with a sharp knife, and the tire is then cut into pieces of the proper length, which are tacked to the rungs.—H. Gustafson, Chicago, Illinois,

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152 A Spinning Dial for Games of Chance The spinning dial shown in the illustra- tion is an improvement over the usual RUBBER BAND -----—-” A Simple Spinning Dial for Games of Chance That is Spun by Pulling It Around a Quarter Turn with the Finger, and Then Releasing It type, spun by snapping an index hand with the bent forefinger. The wooden wheels can be cut from old spools, and the vertical axle used should be selected to fit easily in the spool holes. It is a short length of iron or brass rod, driven into a hole bored in the base block. The lower wheel is made up of a large and a small disk, glued together, and dropped over the axle, with a small wash- er between it and the block. A strong rubber band is tacked to the smaller disk, and stretched over a peg glued in a hole in the base, as shown. The upper wheel carries a dial made of heavy white Bristol board, with the numbers painted on it, and is supported on the axle by a smail stirrup, made of sheet brass or tin and tacked to the wheel. Pointing the end of the axle, and making a_ centerpunch mark in the underside of the stirrup, in which the pointed end may fit, will make an easier-running dial, if found necessary A wire latch, formed as shown and at- tached by staples to the lower wheel. engages with a short piece of sheet metal driven into the underside of the upper one. A sheet-metal index or pointer com- pletes the device. To spin the dial, it is pulled in the di- rection indicated by means of the finger, placed in a notch cut in the dial, about a quarter turn, then let go. The upper wheel pulls the lower one, by means of the latch, when turned clockwise, and, when the dial is released, the tension of the rubber band drives both wheels back. The upper one, carrying the dial, then spins freely, as the latch engages only in one direction. POPULAR MECHANICS Lining Stove Fire Boxes Fire boxes, whether made of wrougl)| or of cast iron, usually become burnt and brittle, due to the intense heat, and, as a consequence, they soon deteriorate. To prevent this, stove manufacturers provide a fire-clay lining inside of the fire box This lining, however, also disintegrates in time, and exposes the iron. A mixture for lining fire boxes, that has been found to be extremely durable, is made of 6 parts potter’s clay, 2 parts plaster of Paris or cement, 1 part wood ashes, and 3 parts carborundum in pow der form. All of these ingredients are mixed well while dry. Water is then added to make a stiff paste, and this is applied to the parts requiring repair, or to the whole fire box. The carborundum in the mixture enables it to withstand the heat. After the stove is lined with thi: mixture, it should be allowed to dry for a few days. When starting the fire for the first time, it should be brought to the point of maximum heat gradually. Bolt for Loose Truck Fenders The illustration shows a simple method of tightening loose fenders on a light truck. A 4- in. hole is drilled in the side ofthe body, just above the highest part of the fender A long bolt, with the head cut off and form a hook, is bent the end hooked over the edge of the fender, and the threaded part is pushed through the over to hole in the truck side. By turning the nut on the inside, the fender can be tightened as much as necessary. Flower Holder Made from Olive Bottle Attractive flower holders for the porch and summer home are easily made trom the tall, cylindrical bottles in which olives and pickles are packed. A piece of cre tonne is sewed around the bottle just be- low the neck. The lower edge is gathered and drawn together under the bottle, and a tassel attached. A piece of colored rib- bon or cord is sewed to the upper edge, so that the holder can be hung on a nail or hook in the wall.

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A CHRISTMAS-TREE LIGHTING TRANSFORMER By E.E.§COIT N \NY who have admired a Christmas A tree in a store window, ablaze with ricolored electric lights, have doubtless tinued to use the dangerous wax can- for their own tree, after inquiring the of a lighting outfit. Most of these sithts are expensive because it is neces- ry to furnish a small transformer for pping down the voltage of the house- ighting circuit to the 6 or 12 volts re- juired by the small decorative lamps. It is not a difficult job to make a small nsformer, however, and this article lescribes how the author made his own, trom magneto punchings. The punchings used by he author were ob- tained from an automobile-junk lealer; if any diffi- culty is experienced in obtaining punch- ings of similar size ind shape, ordinary huttle-armature igneto punchings, — = which are common, can be used, by vinding the wire on a 3-in. stack, without i form,and adding about one-tenth more vire to the low-voltage coil, to make up ir magnetic losses, which are due to the ict that there is not a complete magnetic circuit. lhe construction of the coil proceeds as follows: First, a wooden form is made, s thick as the center leg of the punching, or core; 3 in. wide, and long enough to be held conveniently in the hand. One end is beveled, as shown, and a triangular piece, of the same material, tacked in place of the piece cut off. This permits the winding to be easily removed, when complete. To provide sufficient clearance for the core to slip easily into the coil, some tin guides are cut and bent, as hown, and fastened to the form by a trip or two of adhesive tape; the ears on he guides keep the wire within the neces- sary limits, and aid in forming the coil properly. The width of the guides, be- the ears, will depend upon the ? tween A Small Homemade Transformer for Lighting 6 or 12-Volt Christmas-Tree Lamps StLs ee \ ~Y WO NY * SARA \ y 33 SOMO Ye, . Aa Uy SS » \ inside dimensions of the openings in the core. Having completed the form, wrap two layers of bond paper around it, and shellac them in place. Starting at either end, wind on 21 turns of No. 16 silk or cotton-covered magnet wire. At the 21st turn, scrape the wire bare, solder a thin strip of copper to it, tape the joint and strip, and continue’ winding. Jetween the layers of wire put a laye. of bond paper, shellacked on. When 21 turns more have been wound on, bring out all three leads, that is, both ends of the wire and the copper strip, to one end of the coil, and shel- lac two layers of bond paper over the coil. Wind over this secondary coil a coil of 364 turns of No. 22 silk or cot- ton-covered wire (making no attempt to form layers, but taking care to pre- vent the wire from “bunching”’) and round the outer turns to conform to the shape of the inner diameter of the core. The ends of the coil should be bound down with tape, to prevent the wire from breaking, as it is quite fine. Remove the form and the tin guides, and proceed to wedge as many of the punchings as possible into ind around the core. The punchings are cut, at the points marked A, so that they can be spread at these points, and the center leg pushed through the coil center. The leneth of the core, when wedged as tightly as possible, should be 3 in.. When completely assembled, slide some heavy paper between the outside of the coil and the inside of the core, as shown in the drawing. The completed core and coil should be soaked in shellac overnight, and baked in a slow oven for about 24 hours, when a hard, solid unit will be formed. The next step is to solder pieces of bell wire, about 4 in. long, to the three leads of the low-voltage coil, and a long piece — —

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154 POPULAR of twin lamp cord to the leads on the high-voltage coil. A wooden base, of the dimensions shown, is then made, of 14-in. hardwood, and holes are drilled in it for A ae ‘ig TIN GUIDES | -2% i i | F A ] ‘ 7 > - \ j a | i /, ‘~~ ~ a| / Le 1. ; I t X { | a “ Ty ” ( | \ 5 1 | \ \ ) Ky = ad —_ 7 * . > > WS “a > ae py Wh »—S LX r \ ‘ ow 4 — ij = ? =H 7

METHOD OF ASSEMBLIN CORE AND COIL

PERFORATED ! - ¢ P COVER ~-. 1-73 ) +9 | + i | | H TO 110-VOLT | | “Sa H es ii : { - COIL 5 H : Q ] v | LAMPS tt } - f | ” Hf 3 tH | | H 1 + anaes Q | t . + PLAN \.GROOVES x + | FOR WIRE i ~ +} | | tis | “ag | | |] 30 LIGHTS = ee | y \ ALLOWABLE | , H ; Le 36 wt 45 we si —. mm ws | "” t! rT t- ee + =--- } i} ? BENT ON ~ “10 12 .

DOTTED LINES WY NAA 1O-V | DIAGRAM OF CONNECTION | t DETAIL OF BASE AND COVER PATTERN

——- we iat from the Upper Left. A Wiring three terminals and the three bell-wire leads; grooves are also cut in the under- side of the base, as indicated, for the leads. The coil is placed in position, and the low-voltage leads passed through the holes; then lugs are soldered to their ends, so as to make good contact with the terminal screws. When the latter are put in place, the low-voltage side is complete. The coil may now be fastened to the base, as shown, using strips of tin or brass, ¥ in. wide. A case of perforated metal should be made as shown in the drawing. A de- veloped pattern for this is given, so the cutting and folding will be easy. The lapped edges should be soldered, to make the cover rigid. The perforations are not The Insert at the Lower Left Shows the Completed Core =| Complete Details of the Transformer: The Core is Built U the Discarded Magneto-Armature and Coil, Punchings Shown Ready for Mountin Diagram for the Lamp Cable is Given at the Right enameled green, to harmonize with tl] tree. The remainder of the apparatus con sists of a main cable, about 12 ft. lon at the end of which is attached the socket for the lamp for the tree top. The othe: lamps are connected by branch cords, a shown in the wiring diagram. This transformer is suitable for a 110 or 115-volt, 60-cycle circuit, and will serve thirty 6 or 12-volt, 3-watt lamps. If one end of the cord is connected to either o! the outer terminals, and the other end to the center terminal, the potential will be 6 volts. If the ends are connected to the outer terminals, the potential is 12 volts. The lamp cord on the 110-volt side can be made as long as desired, and fitted with a plug to fit a lamp socket.

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POPULAR Towing the Dinghy [here are numerous little pitfalls that e in wait for one who attempts to run . large boat single-handed, and these may iuse much annoyance, besides entailing nsiderable expense. One of these acci- ents, commonly called the “dinghy nui- nee,” is to have the painter of the linghy wind around the propeller. This lay not result in serious damage, but at east means a job of disentangling the ype in the water, which is a very un- leasant task, especially in cold weather. fo avoid this trouble, one owner, run- ing a motor cruiser on the Lake of the Voods, Manitoba, employed a_ novel method of keeping the painter out of the ropeller. This he did by stringing the rope with fishing-net floats, spaced about | ft. apart, which kept it from sinking. With a bow tender on the dinghy to pre- ent possible injuries resulting from col- isions, it was possible to navigate in crowded water without being annoyed by the painter.—H. Webster, Winnipeg, Can. Shading Pen Draws Borders An ordinary No. 4 shading yr marking pen, with a notch cut in the center, as shown, to make two points, makes in excellent bordering pen. Only one side is filled with nk, the other being pressed against the [-square or triangle. A pen of this kind will draw border lines that are always the same width.—C. R. Jones, Chicago, Ill. An Emergency Fishhook When out of hooks on a fishing trip, it is a simple matter to make some from pins. Fine string or thread is wound around two pins so that only the points protrude. These are bent over and the line is tied below the heads. — Louis Teute- berg, Hann.- Minden, Germany. MECHANICS 155 Novel Type of Sled for the Kiddies A novel sled, designed on the order of the three-wheeled leg-power cars so pop- ular during the summer, will meet with FRONT VIEW An Attractive and Sturdy Sled That Proves Very Popular among the Youngsters during the Winter particular favor among the youngsters in the winter. Aside from the fact that it is solid and strong, it is higher than the ordinary sled, and thus prevents the child’s clothes from dragging through snow and slush. In constructing this sled, it is designed to suit the size of the child for whom it is intended. Lengths of flat or half- round iron are used to shoe the run- ners. When completed, the sled is paint- ed to make it resemble a horse as nearly as possible—F. J. Rosenberg, Redondo Beach, Calif. Automobile-Hood Holder When one side of an automobile-engine hood is lifted, in most cases, it must be held or rested on the cowl, invariably marring the finish. A holder, such as the one illustrated, will prevent all possibility of mar- ring the finish as well as any tend- ency of the hood to fall down and hit the repair- man’s hands or neck. A piece of stiff steel wire is bent to form the hook shown, which is fastened on the engine side of the dash with a large screw or small bolt. By experimenting a little a position where the hood is well bal anced can be found.

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156 POPULAR Door Spring Combined with Hinges A very practical, neat, and inexpensive spring arrangement for closing doors is shown in the illustration. Although this MECHANICS SCREWED TO - DOOR SPRING 1 wiRE >" | OR Sz 3 HINGE --#- SCREWED TO DOOR ~ CASING ~ A Practical Spring That Is Neat in Appearance, and can Easily be Attached to Any Door method was applied to a kitchen door, it is applicable to the doors of closets, cup- boards, tool boxes, or any door that it is desired to close automatically. After the pins were removed from the three butt hinges of the door, a length of steel wire, of the same thickness as the pins, was inserted through the hinges. Eyes were formed on the ends, which were then bent over and attached to the door and casing as shown, by means of woodscrews. Muffling Sound of Telephone Bell During sickness, it is-often necessary to muffle the telephone bell so that its ringing will not annoy the patient, but may still be heard by others. This can be done very effectively by cutting out a cir- cular piece of cloth, 1 in. in diameter, and running a length of string through cuts made around the edge, so that the cloth can be drawn tightly over the hammer and tied. When the bell is rung, the result will be a buzz rather than a ring. The cloth can be turned around when it wears through on the sides that make contact with the bells. Re-Covering a Card Table When the covering of a card tab needs renewing, do not remove the o covering unless badly torn. Place tw, thicknesses of cotton wadding over t! surface, and draw one thickness of stro: cotton cloth over it tightly. Cover tl with dark-green holland. This surface soft and smooth, and enables one to pic! up a card without drawing it to the ede: of the table. It is also noiseless and easily dusted. The table top itself should be made of 3 or 5-layer plywood, so that it will not warp, and cause the cloth wrinkle—]. A. Beebee, Rochester, N. \ Churn Made from Sirup Pail A simple churn, that will produce but ter in a short time without much effor on the part of the operator, can be mack at very small cost. The material used to construct it car be easily obtained; it consists of a siru pail, a small wooden disk, into whic! some long spikes are driven, a clamp t : hold the pail, two small screen-doo: springs, two shelf brackets, and wooden up BRACKET -.. ik right, about ¢ SCREEN - | ft. long. The DOOR SPRING-. 4 | - “ '} wooden dis \)}| is attached ‘| the can cove! by means ¢ small « screws, 1 such a wa | that the spik: | project dow1 : ward into tl b | pail when the cover is i! place. A smal BRACKET x hole is drille through the cover and disk and fitted with a cork The pail is held in the clamp and is su pended between the screen-door springs these are attached to the brackets on eac! end of the upright. The upright is screwed to a convenient wall. After the pail has been filled to within 2 in. of: the top with sour cream, it is pulled down as far as possible and re leased. It will then move up and down very rapidly for some time, due to the alternate stretching and recoiling of the springs. By pulling the pail down and Voo CAN releasing it at intervals, the butter will be churned in a short time.—L. E. Owen. College View, Neb.

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How to Make a Toy Tractor By JOHN A. PRIOR AMMER, saw, and tin snips, or a pair of old shears, are the only tools wuired for making the toy tractor wn in the drawings. Driven by a m of rubber-band motor, it will run wheel axle by a thread, wrapped around the axle and tied to the nail head. The front wheels are turned to the left by the thread, and the tension of a rubber band, tacked to one side of the axle, and to the BBER BAND ' cu —_—— SATAN AAO AO AMA ttn = 7 a. _ ‘BENT NAIL +> j TOP VIEW ' {TIN SIDES TIN SEAT TIN BEARING ‘ cTIN HOOD HREAD ! ; -HOOK SCREWEVYE ~’ -CORD ile = = NAIL BOTTOM VIEW RUBBER BAND -, TIN DISK-, ~s. FIXED END, RUBBER BAND WINDING CRANK om SECTIONAL VIEW OF AXLE Simple Rubber-Band Driven Toy Tractor That will can be Made Quite Realistic in Appearance, will Run 15 to 20 Feet on One the Little ind- Provide Much Amusement for Folks: It ing, and, If a Strong Band is Used, will Draw Small Trailers 15 or 20 ft. on one winding over a smooth surface, and, if a sufficiently strong band used, the tractor will haul toy trailers. s the size of the floorboard, or frame, lepends somewhat upon the size of the heels, dimensions are purposely omitted. \ good length is at least three times the diameter of the large driving wheels, and the board should not be more than 45 or x in. thick, to keep the weight at a minimum. The driving wheels are made from can covers, from 4 to 6 in. in diameter. The manner of fitting them to the axle is hown so clearly in the drawing as to re- quire no explanation. The axle bearings re simply holes punched or drilled in tin trips tacked to the frame. The front vheels are pivoted to the body by a bent il, which is connected to the steering frame, as shown, pulls them around to the right when the steering wheel is turned in the opposite direction. The tin hood, seat, steering wheel, and brake, while not actually necessary, add to the finished ap- pearance of the toy. The most important feature of the tractor, of course, is the rubber-band mo- tor, which is different from the usual twisted-band form, to meet the demand for slow speed and greater power. The tension of the rubber band acts through a cord wound onto the driving-wheel axle. To make the band long enough, it is passed around three pulleys, which are simply cut-down spools, mounted on nails for shafts. It is not essential that they be very free-running; in fact, a little friction at these points will help to hold down the speed of the tractor when the motor 1

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158 POPULAR is tightly wound. The pulleys are pro- vided with flanges, made from tin disks, to prevent the band from slipping off. The rubber band is fixed to the rear- pulley axle, and passed around the pul- leys in the manner indicated, the free end being attached to the driving cord fas- tened to the rear axle. The rubber band used should be a “live” one, and can be cut from an old inner tube. The driv- ing cord should be small, but stout and smooth; fishline is best. The unstretched length of the rubber band should not be much greater than the distance between the front and rear pulleys. The motor is wound either by means of a nail, bent IECHANICS

into the form of a crank, and driven in: one end of the rear axle, or by turni: the wheels. The size of the axle depen upon the strength of the rubber band 14% to 2 in. is a good size to try. If ther seems to be plenty of power, the tract can be made to travel farther by cutti: down the axle, but, of course, this w reduce the “drawbar pull.” When the motor is tightly wound, t wheels are likely to slip, but this may overcome in several ways, either by r ducing the diameter of the axle, addi: weight over the rear wheels, or roughe: ing the rims of the wheels by notching « punching holes in them with a nail.

Utilizing an Old Electric-Fan Motor A fan motor has been found to be very lathe, useful for running a small foot

An Old Electric-Fan Motor, Attached to a C-Clamp, can be Used for Driving Any Light Machine sewing machine, grinding wheel, or prac- tically any other machine not requiring much power, and which is provided with a pulley. To adapt a fan motor for such pur- poses, remove the stand, fan, and guard. Fit a steel band around the body of the motor, and rivet the band to a machinist’s C-clamp, as shown in the illustration. To use the motor on a small foot lathe, clamp the motor to one of the support- ing legs, and drive as shown. Provide the motor with a long lamp cord and a plug, so that it can be used at a distance from a socket. A motor of this kind can also be at- tached to a carpet sweeper to revolve the brush at a high rate of speed, which is much more effective than when the brush is driven by the sweeper roller wheels. A heavy rubber band is used as a belt, and a pulley fastened to the brush shaft. Testing Strength of Magneto Magnets The magneto of a common car is corporated with the flywheel, and cor sists of 16 permanent magnets that 1 volve in front of a stationary plate, which a number of coils are attache These magnets gradually lose the strength, and it is then necessary to r magnetize them. In doing so, it is d sirable to provide some means of dete: mining the relative strength of each ma: net, in compari- son with that of a new one, and for this purpose the testing de- vice shown in the drawing is of considerable val- ue. It consists of a spring bal- ance attached to a vertical brass plate, the bottom edge of which is bentatright angles to form a stop. The plate is screwed to a wall. <An_ iron rod, bent to tri- angular shape, as shown, is attached to the scale hook so that there will be space of 14 in. between the lower edg: of this rod and the brass plate. The mag net to be tested is brought against the brass plate directly under the triangula: iron rod, so that it will exert a pull upor the rod. The strength of this pull wil! then be registered accurately by the indi cator of the scale. Two pins may be driven. into the wall, to support the mag net, as shown, although these are not e: sential.

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POPULAR A Novel Push Car he push car shown in the illustration be made from scrap lumber, and when yperly painted, will make a splendid toy 1 growing child. MECHANICS be used for the wheels, but with a 5¢-in. hole, are pref- erable. Rollers, 4% by '%e in. in size, are used bearings for the wheel, and are kept in position by nuts and washers. Wood may steel wheels, as e illustration really es not do justice to solemn doglike ef- t produced by the ‘vel method of mak- 4*8 SEAT BRACKET =) Et. FOOT aiedents ++ T + T A = BRACKET 4 ar i MiSTEERMO ROD 2° iO ib . OF REAR AXLE AYgy A Novel Push Car, Constructed and Painted to Resemble a Bulldog: will Provide an Endless Amount of Enjoyment for the Small Boy. It can be Made at Slight Expense, and The Body is Laid Out by Means of the Patterns Given ing the head; it is sufficiently realistic to ease any small boy. The first step is to lay out the design the body and leg pieces. These may ither first iid out on cardboard, irectly on the wood. By ruling the sur- the wood or cardboard into 1-in. , it is a very simple matter to copy The stock used for the body *4-in. pine. One piece is cut to pattern and two to pattern B; two ears and vo forelegs and feet are then cut to the limensions shown. \ ¥g-in. hole is drilled vertically through piece A, at the point indicated, for the teering shaft. This hole is counterbored top and bottom for metal bearings. The forelegs are attached to the sides by long flat-head screws, put through holes bored in the legs, and countersunk feet are screwed and glued to the legs, and a %-in. rod inserted through holes drilled in the legs to serve as a foot- rest. The three body sections are also lastened together by flat-head screws. _ The steering shaft and the flat-steel ront-wheel bracket, or housing, are creo together. The remainder of tings, and the manner of assembly, made quite clear in the drawing be | -e of uares e design. The hit are the the “dog” two then one coat ot and metal eye slots red I: When complete, give coats of flat white paint, enamel. The head, tail, seat, parts are enameled black, the and body white, and the tongue W. Hosens, Cincinnati, Ohio. Pouring Fluid into Small Receptacles without Spilling To fill re ceptacles with fluid from larger con- tainers, with out spilling is quite diff- cult. By hold ing a mois- tened match, or toothpick, firmly across the mouth of the bottle, as shown in the photograph the job be- comes easy, provided care is liquid from “gulping *- =. taken to prevent the

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160 POPULAR Making a Waltzing-Doll Wagon A little device that will please the small “mother” immensely shown in the drawing. It is a wagon with a revolving platform, upon which a doll is fastened so that as the wagon is drawn over the floor, the doll waltzes around. The wheels and platform are cut out of 14-in. plywood, to the sizes shown. The drivewheel has a number of finishing nails, 114 in. long, driven into it, as shown in the detail. The ends of the nails should be cut off, and all rough || edges smoothed. A *%-in. hole is | drilled in the center, for the end of |} the axle. The other wheel is likethe || drivewheel, but without the nails. is MECHANICS | HOLES FOR DOLL - or iron wire. The remaining details ar. quite clear from the drawing. All stationary parts should be glued {| place, including the wooden pins (com mon matches) that hold the wheels an platform in place. A toy of this kind provides a very goo: exercise for junior manual-training stu dents, as it illustrates, in about the plest manner possible, the principle gearing. The toy will make a good Cl sin f ivi ) | -PIN ' |) ces Pees eo | —T-T¥._. DISK GLUED wl | TO AXLE 7 8) [| Vertical aa AXLE 2 & . . | § 3" ' fis -#\ tle! je oO "7 I | \ e i \ o == Ne | eT DRIVE WHEEL Ow FT gf ¥ be ig MOLE — Fike T - ! ; A t % |S . wen J / su soos a awn wooo es) 1 LI | | ° a \-+-- ! P SECTION A-A —ee } | : DOLL STAND DOLL-STAND POST im * A Simple Homemade Toy for the Little Ones: —__—_— —__—_— — — A Doll, on the Platform, will Waltz in a Manner Entirely Satisfactory to Them When the Toy is Draw: along the Floor. The Making of a Toy of This Kind would Provide a Fine Exercise for Junior Manual-Training Students The platform has three *%s-in. holes mas present for little sister —E. K. Wehr) bored in it, as shown; the center hole is for the vertical axle, while the other two are for the feet of the doll. Four 14-in. holes are bored in the platform as indi- cated; these are for the wire-railing posts. These posts are made of “-in. round wood, and plain round ones will do very well, if one has no means of turning the ends as shown. Nails are also driven into the platform, at such a radius that they will engage with those in the drivewheel, when the wagon is assembled. A better construction than the foregoing would be to use 4-in. pegs for the teeth of the “gears.” The ends of the pegs should be turned or cut down, and glued into “%e- in. holes drilled in wheel and platform. The horizontal axle is made of pine, 7% in. square, as shown, and the vertical axle and handle from *%-in. round stock. The railing on the platform is of %e-in. brass Cedar Rapids, Ia. Writing on Glass When writing or lettering on glass, as, for instance, on the slides that are used extensively in moving-picture theaters for advertising purposes, it is impossible to make a neat job unless some preparation is used for coating the glass to prevent the ink from spreading. A simpte but very effective substance for this purpose is the white of an egg. Clean the glass perfectly before apply- ing the white of egg. After covering the whole surface, allow the surplus to run off by holding the glass vertically. When the film has dried thoroughly, the ink will not spread in the least, and the lines can be drawn just as fine as desired.—C. A Clark, Miyazaki, Japan.

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POPULAR MECHANICS A Strong Waterproof Glue waterproof glue of excellent adhesive can be prepared as follows: glue in water until it not lose its shape, then off the water. Put the glue in a sot and add an equal quantity of ed oil; cook this mixture slowly un- he whole is a jellylike mass. It is ready for use. It must be heated time it is used.—W. S. Standiford, estown, Ohio. ities ordinary s but does Making Small Ash Receivers pacious and inexpensive ash receivers be made from the pressed-steel disks to protect the ends of rolls of pre- red roofing. The the disks rolled or ham- ered as shown, and ounted on octago- al or circular ooden bases’ by means of screws riven through the les in their centers. A coat of enamel hes the receivers, which are not ily upset.—A. C. Cole, Chicago, III. 1 . e METAL CAP res ot j “WOODEN BASE Quickly Detachable Hinges Ordinary butt hinges can be fitted to a light door so as to allow the door to be quickly removed, by cutting slots in the hinges at a slight an gle,as shown. The slots must be wide enough to fit the screws used. The door can be re- moved by opening it, loosening the screws a few turns, and n sliding it off A Good Brooder with none \fter experimenting a great deal rious kinds of chicken brooders, hich proved to be entirely satisfac- the brooder shown in the illustra- tl was constructed, and gave excellent ults. It was built 31% ft. square, and 30 in. with a floor 16 in. above the bottom the frame, which was left open. A k, 19 in. in diameter, was cut out of e center of the floor. A smal! opening, 161 in one side of the brooder, and fitted 6 in. square, was cut upper section of the BEDROOM LAMP GALVANIZED TUB A Comfortable Brooder for ene Chicks: It can be Made in a Few Hours from Material at Hand on Any Farm board, about runway. A gal- with a trapdoor and a 6-in. 3 ft. long, to serve as a vanized tub, 12 in. deep, 17 in. in diam- eter at the bottom, and 21 in. at the top, was fastened upside down in the circular hole in the floor, to form a radiator. A heavy-flannel cloth was nailed to the sides of the brooder, a little above the top of the pan, in order to retain the warmth A door was then cut out in the lower sec tion, large enough to allow a common bedroom lamp to be placed under the pan, and a few holes were bored in the side of this section to permit ventilation.—H. C McKay, Eustis, Fla. Novel Key Holder Flat keys can be conveniently fastened the drawing, so as much nor as they do when strung together, as shown in that they do not take “jingle” as much on a keyring \ 14-in. drilled key, the holes in the countersunk on one side. A piece of 14-in. brass tubing is used to rivet the keys together, and as the outside keys are countersunk, the riveted ends of the tubing will be flush with the surfaces of the then be opened and closed in the way as the bl If some kevs in a set have larget than 14 in., they should be placed in the center. By using — for riveting th keys together, they can be put on a key- ring with other on if desired. space, Role is through each outside key s being ~ COUNTERSUNK - BRASS TUBING ke \ S can sale keys. The ides or a poc} tknite 1 1 mows

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Using the House-Lighting Circuit as Antenna As it is not always possible, especially in congested cities, to have an outdoor aerial, and as a loop antenna is not very POPULAR MECHANICS 4 ; LAMP CORD/ LUG An Inexpensive but Sat- isfactory Attachment That Enables the Ama- teur to Use the Light- ing Circuit as an Indoor Antenna efficient unless used with several stages of radio and audio-fre- quency amplifica- tion, amateurs are often confronted with the problem of providing a suitable antenna. It is possible, however, to hook up on the lighting circuit by means of the arrange- ment illustrated. This will give excellent results when used with a set that has one or two stages of amplification, providing there is not too much steel construction in the building. Two pieces of common lamp cord, about 6 or 8 ft. long, are connected at one end to a plug. The other ends are well insu- lated by wrapping them, singly, with friction tape, so as to prevent them from coming in contact with each other and causing a short. Two other pieces of lamp cord of the same length are soldered at one end to a common terminal, or lug, while the other end of each is insulated as the first pair. The four cords are then assembled as shown in the drawing, with the plug at one end and the lug at the other, the whole arrangement forming a condenser. All four cords are then bound together into one cable by means of tape. After assembling, the plug is screwed into a lighting socket, and the lug at- tached to the aerial post on the receiving set. By simply turning the socket key, as if to light a lamp, the device is brought in electrical connection with the network of wiring throughout the whole building. Surprising results can be obtained by this sort of antenna, although the signals will not be quite so loud as when obtained over a large outdoor aerial. With a two or three-step amplifier, it is usually loud enough.—F. L. Brittin, Chicago, Ill. Preventing Corrosion of Firearm in Holster Police officers, watchmen, and others whose work makes it necessary for them to carry a pistol, frequently find that corrodes in the holster. This is due part ly to the acids used in tanning the leathe: from which the holster was made, an partly to the moisture that the holste: absorbs from the body and from the at mosphere. Flannel or chamois-skin lin ings are sometimes used to prevent thi; corrosion, but holsters provided with suc! linings are expensive. An easy, inexpensive, and _ effective means of protecting the firearm against corrosion is to coat the inside of the ho! ster with paraffin. To do this, the ho! ster is warmed by holding it with the bare hand in an oven. Melted paraffin is then applied to the inside with a smal! brush. As the holster is warm, the par affin will not harden on the surface a: soon as it comes in contact with the leather, but will penetrate the pores. After it has cooled, and the superfluous par affin is scraped off, the injurious acids o! the leather, and the moisture of the body and atmosphere will not affect the pistol! Sportsmen will find this method also very practicable for preserving hunting arm carried in saddle scabbards. “Jib” Curtains Increase Auto Comfort The driver of an open roadster will find that the addition of the triangular “jib” curtains to his car will make driving in disagreeable weather considerably more comfortable without resorting to the both ersome side curtains. Cur tains of the type shown can be left in place perma nently and do net interfere with the car’s acces sibility The curtain -_ can be made of any water RQ srcomee JIN SaSUSUR peer CRANE wir proor mate rial, the front end being at tached to the edge of the windshield by means of U-shaped wire clips, while the lower edge is provided with eyelets for attaching to the regula! curtain fasteners. ~~ CURTAIN Yl WED Gif *tO Cup

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PRIZE OFFERS 4nn ANNOUNCEMENTS POSITIVE ELECTRICITY FLOWS UPWARD FROM THE EARTH electrical and magnetic condition of the earth t somewhat of a mystery. All of the conditions nd and things happening have not been accounted and the data obtained are often conflicting. One which is now puzzling investigators is the unt and character of the electric current flowing the surface of the earth. It is possible to de- ne the current passing across an area of any cter by determining the total magnetic force ng around the boundary. The scientific investigat- ship, the “‘Carnegie’’ of the Carnegie Institute Washington, has cruised over a large portion of the and the data obtained permit the magnetic around several loops or paths to be computed; he resulting electric - currents flowing from the of the earth can be determined. results found for the north Atlantic a positive current of electricity streaming up- from the surface of the sea having a strength of one-twentieth of an ampere per square kilometer. esult compares favorably with those obtained a path taken about the United States, which is und land, where a current of positive electricity was found to be flowing upward of about one-thirtieth of an ampere per square kilometer. Ocean in- STANDARD STATE ZONING-ENABLING ACT ISSUED BY DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Zoning ordinances for the regulation of the use, height, and area of buildings are being adopted by ies in almost every state in the Union, and in some tates where there is no specific authority for zoning, ese ordinances may be set aside by the courts. For s reason an enabling act, under which municipali- es can adopt zoning regulations, is advisable. For he assistance of those responsible for the framing of tate zoning-enabling acts, a standard model for such act has been issued by the Department of Com- ree. It is a 20-page mimeographed document with tnotes covering questions which might arise in the rding of various sections and provisions. The pub- cation may be obtained free of charge from the Divi- n of Building and Housing, Department of Com- nerce, Washington, D. C. FIFTH BIENNIAL NATIONAL CONTEST FOR PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS The National Federation of Music Clubs announces he fifth biennial national contest for young professional isicians. These contests are arranged in sequence: state, district, and national. The first will be held in “ state between Feb. 15 and March 30, 1923. The > United States has been divided into 15 districts, ~ ‘the contests will be held in these districts be- tween April 15 and May 5. The national biennial ntest between winners in the district contests will be held at Asheville, N. C., in June, 1923. Contest- nts in the voice department must be between the ges of 20 and 30 years; those in the violin and piano epartment must be between the ages of 16 and 30 years. The national chairman is Mrs. Charles A. McDonald, 205 Shorb Ave., Canton, Ohio. WORLD PRIZE CONTEST FOR THE BEST TREATISE REGARDING IMMORTALITY For the best treatise on “The Christian Belief in Immortality in the Light of Modern Thought,” a ize of $1,000 will be awarded by The Churchman. An honorarium will be awarded to each of at least two essays of “‘marked excellence.”” The contest is pen to the world, and writers are recommended not to exceed 25,000 words, though no limit is set. Es- says written in foreign langyages must be accompanied by an English translation. The characteristics most desirable are personal conviction, cogency of argu rent and accuracy of facts, and literary style. The contest closes Dec. 1, 1923. Address: Contest Editor, 2 West 47th Street, New York City, U. S. A MANY PRIZES ARE OFFERED FOR STORIES AND PICTURES OF NOTABLE BUILDINGS For the best stories and pictures of buildings and landmarks in the United States or Canada, whether merely of local fame or a historical structure, 77 prizes of from $250 to $5 each, will be awarded by an association of concerns interested in paints and varnishes. Stories, not exceeding 200 words, with- out pictures will be eligible for any prize, but pref- erence will be given to the combination. The picture may be in the form of a photograph, postcard, paint- ing, or pen or pencil sketch. More than one picture may be submitted with a story, and any number of stories by the same person. The contest closes Feb. 1, 1923. Stories and pictures in one package should be mailed to: Prize Committee, Save the Surface Campaign, Box 50, The Bourse, Philadelphia, Pa. BASS AND TROUT OF UNEQUALED SIZE CAUGHT IN FISHING CONTEST Two fish of record-breaking size were caught in the fishing contest of the Winchester Repeating Arms Company, announced in our issue of July, 1922. One was a bass, caught in Lake Serpentine, Fla., by O. C. Donehey, of Eustis. It weighed 18 pounds 8 ounces, and was 33 inches in length, with a girth of 28 inches. The other was a trout, caught by W. W. Reynolds, of Driggs, Ida., that weighed 10% pounds, measured 28 inches in length, and had a girth of 17 inches. Both fishermen, of course, won prize rifles. The fish are said to be larger than any of their kind known to have been previously caught. FOR BEST ESSAY ON MEDICAL RESEARCH, CASH PRIZE AND MEDAL ARE OFFERED For the best dissertation on the results of original research in medicine, a prize of $500 is offered by the Boylston Medical Committee. In case the winning essay shows special originality in the investigations detailed, the Boylston prize medal will be added to the money prize. The subject of the dissertation may be chosen by the writer. essays entered for this prize must be in the hands of the secretary on or before Feb. 1, 1923. His address is: Reid Hunt, M. D., Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass. CONTEST FOR A PLAY SUITABLE FOR OUTDOOR PRESENTATION For an original play suitable for presentation on the outdoor stage, the Forest Theater of Carmel, Calif., offers a prize of $100. There is no limitation as to subject or scope, but the most desirable length will be a full evening play. Any play chosen will remain the property of its author, after three performances at the theater. Manuscripts, accompanied by return post- age, must be in the hands of the secretary before feb. 1, 1923. Address: Mrs. V. M. Porter, Secretary Forest Theater, Carmel, Calif. TRADES AND AGRICULTURE TAUGHT TO DISABLED VETERANS The opening of the first U. cational school at Chillicothe, Ohio, under government supervision, inaugurates a new system in the rehabili- tation of disabled veterans. All trades will be taught here, and the men who graduate from this school will be well worthy of employment by the business men of the nation, who are asked to codéperate in this man- ner in the movement. S. Veterans Bureau vo- WINNER OF THE PRIZE FOR BEST SLOGAN DESCRIBING DURHAM DUPLEX RAZOR The judges have selected as the winner of the prize of $500 for the best slogan describing the Durham Duplex Razor, offered in the contest announced in our January issue, 1922, Mr. L. P. Cherry, of Minne- apolis, Minn. His winning slogan was “Fewer Strokes for Busy Folks.” When answering prize offers please mention Popular Mechanics Magazine

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164 POPULAR MISSOURI WRITERS’ GUILD CONTEST FOR BEST SHORT STORY OR POEM Any person who has been a resident of Missouri for six months is eligible to compete in the Missouri Writers’ Guild short-story and poetry contest, pro- vided such person has not had more than two stories or poems published in magazines of national circula- tion. One prize of $100 for the best short story, and one of $25 for the best poem, will be given. The contest closes March 1, 1923. Address: Contest Sec- retary, Kansas City Chapter, Missouri Writers’ Guild, Kansas City, Mo. U. S. CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINATIONS TO FILL VARIOUS VACANCIES Applications from structural-steel draftsthen to fill vacancies at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, at $7.20 and $7.60 per day, with an additional 96 cents per day while at the station; a vacancy at St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, at $6.80 per day, and vacancies in the United States at higher, lower, or the same salaries, will be rated as received until Dec. 29, 1922. Applications from instrument makers to fill various vacancies at salaries ranging from $900 to $1,800 a year, plus a bonus of $20 a month, will be rated as received until Dec. 30, 1922. Applicants for any of the above positions should write at once for Form 1312, stating the title of the examination desired. Address Civil Service Commis- sion, Washington, C., or the Secretary of the U. S. Civil Service Board in the applicant’s vicinity. SPECIAL CANADIAN INSTITUTE PRIZES FOR ARTICLES ON CHEMISTRY To members and students of the Canadian Institute of Chemistry, resident in Canada, a first prize of $50 and a second of $25 are offered for the two best articles on the function of the modern chemist in in- dustry, accepted for publication by any Canadian magazine, national in scope and of a business or literary nature. Articles must contain at least 3,000 words. The competition closes May 1, 1923. Address: Secretary, Canadian Institute of Chemistry, Toronto, Ontario. ; RECORD MOTORLESS AIRPLANE FLIGHTS MADE IN A CONTEST IN ENGLAND The notable successes of French and German motor- less flights raised the question in England whether they had fliers there who could rival the feats of their foreign colleagues, and to settle it a prize of £1,000 MECHANICS was offered by the Daily Mail. The most nota! achievement of the first day of the contest was a minute glide by M. Fokker, the well-known Dut, airman, but this was afterward far surpassed by F. | Raynham, a British aviator, who remained in the a in a motorless airplane for 1 hour and 53 minutes. ©; the last day of the contest two world records were « tablished. In a Fokker biplane, J. R. Olley remain: in the air with a passenger for 49 minutes, while t! French airman, M. Maneyrol, in a tandem monoplan glider, won the Daily Mail prize by remaining in th, air for 3 hours 22 minutes, thus beating by 12 mi: utes the previously established record in Germany | Hentzen. CONTESTS PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED Medals, Diplomas, and Money Awards: Announced August issue, 1921; awards offered by the Franklin Institute. The Franklin medal is for workers in tec! nology; the Elliott-Cresson is for original researc! work and invention; the Howard N. Potts is for im portant development of previous discoveries and inven tions. Each award consists of a gold medal with a diploma. There are also a silver medal, and a Cer tificate of Merit awarded for meritorious discoveries, and cash premiums for certain work in optics. One Million Francs for Best Motor: Announced January issue, 1922; closes Jume 1, 1923; address, Aero Club of France, Paris. Research Thesis by a Woman: Prize $1,000; an- nounced October issue, 1921; awarded annually; ad- dress, Dr. Lilian Welsh, Goucher College, Baltimore, Maryland. Annual Commercial Airplane Contest for “Italy's Great Trophy’: Announced July issue, 1922; ad dress, Aero Club of Italy. Best Novel by an American Author: Prize $2,000; announced August issue, 1922; closes March 1, 1923; address, Harper & Brothers, New York City. Competition for American Composers: Prizes from $1,000 to $100; announced October issue, 1922; closes Dec. 15, 1922; address, Mrs. Edwin Garigues, Room 201, Bellevue-Stratford, Philadelphia, Pa. Best Symphonic Composition: Prize $1,000; an nounced October issue, 1922; closes Jan. 1, 1923 address, Balaban & Katz, 175 N. State St., Chicago, Illinois. For Many Kinds of Needlework: Three specia! prizes of $100 each, and 162 class prizes from $1' to $1 each; announced December issue, 1922; closes Dec. 31, 1922; address, Star Needlework Journal, 260 West Broadway, New York City. HINTS TO ENTRAPPED MINERS BY THE BUREAU. OF MINES From a recently issued bulletin of the United States Bureau of Mines, come the following hints to miners who may, when entrapped as the result of mine fires, shut themselves 40 crosscuts by erecting bulkheads: 1. When entrapped by gases, and forced back into a crosscut or drift m which is comparatively good air, keep in mind the thought of building a bulkhead, and collect tools, timber, water, and other necessities while on the way +hese. Before cofigtricting a bulkhead, make sure that there is no mé@sWay, or other connection, with another level, throu which fumes could come. Also see that the driff is not in broken ground, or stoped through from a lower level, and back-filled with loose material through which gas could find its way. Even if a tight bulkhead be made, if these conditions are present, the inelosed area will soon fill with gas. 3. Under these conditions, with from 8 to 29 men employed, a bulkhead may be put up in from one to four hours’ time. 4. When erected, test a bulkhead for leaks by means of a candle or carbide lamp. 5. If there is_a compressed-air. pipe with hose at tached ‘leading into the drift, and*it- gas is eoming in during erection of the bulkhead, station a man blow ing air from the hose to keep the gas from entering the drift or crosscut. 6. Use a mimimum-of 4#hts when in a bulkhead region, as these consume oxygen. . The flame: of-q burning gandle or lamp will show the condition of the poe air,-and also how th oxygen is being used up. 8. Do not gather in one place, but keep moving in the drift as much as possible, so as to prevent th air from becoming stagnant. ‘ 9. A bulkhead. drift,.250 feet, long and 6 feet hig! by 6 feet wide, emmtains 9,000 cubic feet of air, whic at the disastrousifire_in the North Butte Mining Com pany’s Granite Mountain shaft kept 29 men alive for 36 hours; and one 130 feet long and’'7 feet high by feet wide, containing 6,370 cubic feet, supporved six out of eight men for 50 hours, and would have sufficed for all eight men for 65 hours if the air had been cir- culated by the men moving about. * " zine, Chicago. [Editor.] N accordance with the editorial policy of this magazine never to accept compensation in any form for what appears in our reading pages, and also to avoid all appearance of doing so, we are obliged té.omit the name of the maker or the seller of any article*described. ‘This_ information, however, is “kept on file and will be furnished free, by addressing Buréau of Information, Popujar Mechanics Maga-