Popular Mechanics 1924-01: Vol 41 Iss 1

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Popular Mechanics Magazine WRITTEN SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND Miners Rescued After Nine Days JANUARY, 1924 No. 1 in Pit Trapped by Flood Waters from an Underground Stream, with Only Crust of Bread as Food MPRISONED for nine days far below the surface in the damp workings of a flooded mine in Scotland, their only food a single slice of bread, five miners recently were found alive, and not seriously harmed by their experience. The same waters that trapped them caught 75 others, some of whom, near the surface, escaped alive. For more than a week in the inky dark- the men wandered about the chambers untouched by the flood, seek- ing fresh air and a means of exit. Lights were impossi- ble, for the ex- ness, plosive “black damp” was too heavy, yet the little group steadfastly re- solved to perish or live together. On the first day they waded deep toa place of safety, W aist where, when pangs of hun- ger attacked them, they di- vided the slice of bread. The second day passed, after hours of torment and anxious waiting for sounds that would indicate rescue crews were blasting their way toward the bar- rier behind which the victims finally had stationed themselves. Near the end of the first 48 hours, a dull boom broke the tomblike silence. It was quickly followed by another, and still another. To the imprisoned, the shots brought joy and hope, for they heralded the approach of help. Hands were clasped and thanks voiced for their expected de- liverance. But their hopes soon dwindled as the long hours dragged on and it be- came apparent that their would-be rescu- ers faced more than a possibil ity of losing the race against time. Yet not en- tirely giving way to despair, the five waited expectantly be- hind their shel- ter, crawling up and down the workings to keep from be coming cold and and occasio1 cramped, under ground streat to drink. Fare well notes were prepared for loved ones. But no other eyes Breaking Through the Last Barrier that Formed a Living Tomb for the Patient Captives Far Underground ever Saw their lette1 as the ninth day was drawing to a close, the raspings of picks on the wall of their living crypt Their vigil was almost ended As the last blow was struck by the re cuers, the sandstone wall opened. A! For, just 1 : ‘ were plainly heard

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2 POPULAR was thrust forward from within and a voice was asking for a cigarette. The first one to reach the imprisoned men was a young miner. “I never saw a cheerier lot of lads than those men at that moment,” he said. “The strange thing about it is that, even with good air, they were able to endure such a long time underground. I should fancy MECHANICS men would have been driven insane by such an experience.” Displaying but a few outward signs of the effect of their lengthy imprisonment, the five crawled to the tunnel that led to freedom and the world above, insisting on going to the shaft unaided. Above ground, physicians met them, but only one was found near a state of complete collapse. FALLEN BRIDGE WEIGHT HALTS TRAFFIC ON CANAL When a huge concrete balance weight, used to raise and lower a 300-ton “jack- knife” bridge over the Lachine Canal, be- came detached from its supports, the span fell across the stream and for a few days tied up shipping into Montreal, Canada. The block, weighing 1,800,000 pounds, crashed down just as a steamer had passed and the falling bridge narrowly missed the boat. Two large scows were placed under the fallen structure and as the water level in the canal was raised by closing the locks, the span was floated until it could be swung ashore and repaired. Heavy Concrete Balance Weight of Drawbridge which Crashed Down as the Great Span Was Being Lowered ARTILLERY AND SIRENS PLAY SOVIET “JAZZ” Dispatches from Russia recently told of an attempt by the Soviet government to produce a new bolshevist “jazz” in Moscow. The occasion was the sixth an- niversary of the revolution, and the or- chestral din that arose was beyond descrip- tion. Meager reports from the seat of the noise have failed, perhaps because of the stupor in which the music left the popu- lace, to give details of the symphony. Musicians in this country have speculated, however, on the possibilities of some such combination of “instruments” with inter- esting results. Factory sirens are, of course, not all tuned to the same key, nor are locomotive whistles. It would, there- fore, be entirely possible for a city, in which there were a large number of fac- tories and railroad yards, to find a suffi- cient variety of tones to “carry the tune.” Of course, there would be little smooth- ness to the resultant melody, for not all whistles or sirens are equal in power. In the Russian “orchestra,” the rattle of machine guns took the place of snare drums, and the boom of artillery furnished the rhythm of the bass drum. The conduc- tor “led” by means of electrical signals flashed from the top of the Moscow power plant, which is easily seen from all sections of the city.

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POPULAR MECHANICS WAR ON EAGLES THREATENS BIRD’S EXTINCTION \laska’s campaign against the bald eagle threatens extinction of the species. The erritorial authorities some years ago au horized a bounty of 50 cents on each bird destroyed, and it is estimated that full) 18,000 have been killed in the last six years. The eagle lives principally upon salmon, and, as that industry is one of the most im- portant in the territory, some such action vas deemed imperative to safeguard the interests of the salmon packers. Great numbers of white men and Indians joined the ranks of the hunters, attracted by the rewards as well as the sport of the chase. CANAL BOAT LIKE STREET CAR RUNS BY TROLLEY Experiments in driving canal barges with an electric trolley are reported to have been successful in a recent trial in England. Greater speed is said to have been attained, and the economy of the method may lead to electrification of other canals in that country. Power taken from we) overhead wires runs a motor-driven pro peller in the barge’s stern. is needed to steer, Only one n and operatit “ cost I Electric Barge that May Replace Horse-Drawn Boats, Gliding Along an English Canal expected to be reduced 50 per cent. In the trial, a fully loaded barge attained a speed of four miles an hour, approximately doubling that ot the average horse-drawn boat. HOMES FOR WORKMEN SPRING UP LIKE MUSHROOMS To provide cheap homes for thousands of working people of New York City, who are facing the serious problem of finding suitable living quarters at low rentals, a development company is building complete frame houses at the rate of two a day on Long Island. Each structure is large enough. to accommodate an average fam- ily comfortably. In 120 working days, 280 dwellings were practically finished. Copyright, Underwood & Underwood Colony of Frame Dwellings Built on Long Island at Rate of Two a Day to Provide Cheap Living Quarters for Working People of New York City

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4 POPULAR INSULATORS ON WARSHIP LIKE STRINGS OF BEADS Every rope and stay of the “Colorado,” Uncle Sam’s new electrically driven war- ship, is thoroughly insulated, the knobs Ropes and Lines on Warship Studded with Insulator tr Knobs Resembling ings of Beads giving it the appearance of being decorated with strings of large beads. Beeause of the great amount of current generated aboard the vessel and also because the radio is so necessary for its guidance, no electrical leakages can be permitted any- where aboard. According to navy offi- cials, the craft is one of the best insulated ships afloat. SUGAR MADE FROM CHEMICALS RIVALS CANE PRODUCT Synthetic sugar manufactured from chemicals by a carefully guarded secret process is said to have been produced in the laboratory of an Australian scientist. It is so like the natural article that experts, according to reports, have been unable to tell the difference between it and that extracted from cane. The method con- sists of combining by artificial means, cer- tain elements which are condensed by sun- light in the natural growth of the cane. MECHANICS FIRES OF QUIET VOLCANO HEAT CITY 3ecause it lies at the foot of a partly extinct volcano, the streets of Rabaul, cap- ital of Pomerania, are reported to grow so hot at times that citizens are unable to walk upon them even when wearing thick- soled shoes. The temperature in the main thoroughfare several years ago, is said to have risen 37 degrees in two and a half hours. Steam rose through the ground, and the residents, fearing a volcanic erup- tion, prepared to flee. Scientists say that there is little danger, and that the disturb- ances, which are accompanied by mild earthquake shocks, are due to the tempo- rary thinning of the earth’s crust during cooling and settling. NOVEL BOOSTER FOR CROPS IN NEBRASKA EXHIBIT Sheaves of grain and_ bright-colored ears of corn were fashioned into figures of a farmer, a pig, and a model barn, to em- phasize to growers attending a _ recent county fair in Nebraska, the importance of raising more corn and hogs. The man was shown emerging from the miniature building to lead a campaign for greater agricultural production. The barn was decorated with festoons of large vegeta- Attractive Exhibit at County Fair in Nebraska Shown in Campaign for Paying Crops bles, and designs were traced in split ears of corn nailed to the siding on the outer walls. The roof was thatched with stalks. @ Dynamite was used to remove a huge iron pulley in a western city recently. Although the building was small and 30 sticks of explosive were used, no harm was done to the walls.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 5 CLOCKS IN ‘ owing skill pos- essed by watch- kers lon gz fore members of ancient craft d advantages of wlern tools, a col- ection of old time- eces owned by an eastern jeweler, provide an _ inter- esting contrast with similar creations of i machine age. Many were queer human figures. One clocks framed in was cleverly made in a suit of armor that moved the

ODD FIGURES SHOW MAKERS’ SKILL chest and opened ‘ 1 | 1 d close { \fter five and a halt vears ot | hour. one man com] an odd mechat 1¢ il clock containing 298 moving figures, from with a_ penknife. They depict various historical scenes Experts say that the watches in this di play of mechanic of a past day are marvels of art and workmanship. carved oak

Phot Copyright Keystone View Co., Inc Odd Clocks Built in Imitation of Persons and Scenes of Long Ago: the Mouth and Eyes Moved as Each Hour CHECKER FOR LUNCH ROOM SAVES ERROR ON BILLS Elimination of error and loss is claimed for a novel method of automatic restaurant control recently demonstrated. The sys- tem presents the customer with an item- ized bill, totaled and correct, and keeps an equally close check at the point where the waiter receives the food. A series of compartments labeled ‘with the items on the menu are controlled by a machine. The

Above, Timepiece as an Armored Knight Struck name of the item and its price are printe on the ticket when inserted in the slot of any section. A which the waiter kitchen attendants for the article stamped on the slip. When the order has been filled, the check is placed in the total device which adds it and prints the amount. slug is < lso exchanges with tne @ Despite the great cost of radium, it is estimated that 50 per cent ol the treat- ments given with it have been tree.

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POPULAR MECHANICS ? AIRPLANE SMOKE CURTAIN HIDES NAVY FORCES Appearing to grow from the surface of the sea a smoke screen laid down in recent naval trials held by the government, was created by chemicals dropped by an air- ship. As the plane rushed through the air, the gases were literally sprayed in its wake. Instead of rising, the vaporous mass settled toward the surface of the water, creating a curtain behind which both warships and aircraft could have maneuvered unseen by enemy observers at sea level. “STONE FISH” OF TROPICS HAS DEADLY STING Although only 10 inches long, the “stone fish” of the tropics is one of the most deadly denizens of the seas. It has a sharp spine near the end of its tail, and when trodden upon it injects a virulent poison into the wound caused by this spic- ule. The venom affects its victim in much the same manner as the poison curare: paralysis, convulsions, and sometimes death, or at least the loss of a limb. This fish frequents shallow water on a reef, or is to be found near the sandy border of a beach. MOTOR CHAIR FOR THE AGED IS EASILY OPERATED Designed aged persons or invalids, a three-wheeled elec- tric motor chair, with storage batteries, has been constructed by a western inventor. It for the convenience of runs on two speeds, six or twelve miles an hour, and is steered like a tricycle by a handbar attached to the front wheel. The current is controlled by a lever at the left Motor-Operated Vehicle that Is Boon for Old People EXACT TOUCH OF PIANIST PUT ON PLAYER ROLLS To do away with the need of correcting master music rolls from which player- piano selections are made, a device that registers the exact touch of the pianist has been invented by a noted musician. With this apparatus, it is said, the original is turned out free from errors, thus resulting in a considerable saving. Usually all corrections must be performed by hand, requiring much time and energy. Costly and Laborious Hand Corrections of Player-Piano Rolls Eliminated by Invention of Famous Musician, which Automatically Performs the Work

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POPULAR MECHANICS Hidden Stars Make Glitter for Opera’s Stage ‘ : ”“ 1+ By J. JOSEPH SOLOMON + wi pt Let f © hd cy the thousands of dollars annually spent in the pro- duction of grand opera, almost one-fifth is said to go into the scenery, costumes, and other properties that depict the colorful backgrounds of the plays. In the designing of the massive drops and sets used by one of the largest opera companies, 28 miniature scenes, models of those to appear in the portrayal of the reper- toire, were painted by a skilled artist. Tiny figures in imi- tation of the players were posed about so that no detail should be overlooked when the final “sets” were completed. Even the miniature scenes for such operas as “Carmen” and “Madama Butterfly” are so carefully made that they suggest the spirit of the countries in which their stories are laid. In the street scenes, carts, animals, and figures of people are created with such artistry that, though small, they rival reality itself. Color combinations are carefully worked out. The position of the houses, gardens and walls, and the effect of light on the various objects, are all studied in order to mimic as closely as possible the nature of the locality and the general styles that marked it during the period in which the action is supposed to have taken place. Armed with these patterns, the craftsmen behind the scenes begin to create from mountains of materials, the massive properties. Great curtains or drops are built from a strong fabric. Painters, masters of 3} ow Sef: , a rwerT ert sal

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POPULAR the brush whose business is entirely con- fined to the designing of stage scenery, work up forested backgrounds, sunsets and dawns that vie with those made by nature. In the meanwhile, from drawings fur- nished him, the director of properties gathers the articles needed in interiors. If a church scene, say of the twelfth cen- tury, is to be produced, there are altars, candlesticks, an organ, seats and like objects that must ap- MECHANICS 9 existed. Some singers refuse to pretend to read from blank papers, but must have printed copies of the original documents costing big sums of money to obtain. To avoid any errors in this policy of realism, each piece of a set is labeled and kept in its proper case or trunk which also bears a similar mark to guide the property men. Acres of space would be filled by the cases and hampers which contain com- plete equipment for more than 25 operas. Asystem pear as really belong- ing to the time. First, museums and art sulted for _ records, Opera as an Industry . ; - EVERAL millions of dollars are invested ga lleries are con S in properties and other stage equipment by one of the big opera companies. Over of records makes it possible to locate and unpack any desired material in a few moments. picture or copies of such things. Photo- graphs are then fur- nished the carpenters and cabinet makers to guide them in their task of artful imita- tion. Ordinary woods are used in the furniture, and sur- faces are carefully stained to resemble five thousand huge scenic curtains measurin sixty by forty feet are tucked away muc like books in a library. Each one is labeled and numbered with its ition in a set. It is estimated that several hundred pounds of paint are necessary properly to cover one of these drops. The workrooms of the property men are constantly busy throughout the year re- placing and repairing scenery and costumes and making new material. ‘The costumes alone would require two railroad cars to transport them. he home a of this company is entirely mechani- cally operated. It is built in five sections which can be raised or lowered from ten to twenty feet by steam rams. Not more than a few minutes is necessary to complete such The fact that the various articles needed to make up a scene can hardly ever be obtained from dealers in antiques, necessitates the es- tablishment of shops and studios wherein these things can be worked up by a large the originals. Where a fireplace must be a change in its level, staff ofspecialists. To have them made by outsiders would send made, a skeleton of framewrok is put up, and over this is tacked a covering of burlap or other coarse cloth drawn tightly about it. The matter of the outside is one which the type of the article itself determines. An _ ordinary plaster, marked in squares, serves to imi- tate dressed stone. If the affair is to be a rough finish, ground cork mixed with glue is smeared over the cloth, and a fin- ishing coat of proper color is applied in paint. The electrician then wires it for the fire which glows from colored incan- descent lamps. ; Whether the set is a peasant’s home in Italy, the dwelling of a struggling villager of Russia or the castle of an acient king, no piece of property, however small, is overlooked. Everything from a broom to a throne room is accurately checked up for style. Should the inside of a hovel be shown, great care is taken that none of its furnishings belongs in a mansion. A vil- lage blacksmith of the fourteenth century could not be properly portrayed by an actor wearing boots that might have been worn by a cavalier. Neither would the cavalier be correctly dressed in a pike- man’s helmet. Even the letters, papers, and documents which are handled during plays are true copies of some that once the cost to prohibi- tive heights. For instance, in one scene of an opera the principal character must simulate insanity. Waiting for the execu- tion of a sentence of death which has been pronounced upon him, he counts the hours as he watches the clock. Madness attacks his mind and to his delirious eye the hands of the clock seem to whirl around the dial. A bronze eagle which is perched on top of the timepiece as an ornament appears to him to flap its wings and try to escape. In permitting the audience to see with the madman's eyes, a clock was made with a mechanical arrangement that would pro- duce this effect. At a given signal, an at- tendant back stage works it by means of a rope and a small pulley. In “Samson and Delila,” the properties call for immense columns that, in accord- ance with the story of the opera, are over- thrown by the captive giant. Although these are made of substantial materials, hardly a performance of the play takes place without some injury to them, ne- cessitating frequent repairs. New paint must be put on and perhaps a few patches of plaster. This mending is generally done on the stage between performances. The carpenter shop is a constant scene of activity. Furniture, of the Louis XV

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10 POPULAR pattern, is piled astride a chariot of the Roman era. Near by stands a huge dragon-footed caldron otf the type in which evil brews were once believed to have been made by witches. At first it appears to be of copper or bronze. How- ever, closer inspection discloses that not only is it an imitation of the metal, but its weight is less than a hundredth part of such an article in the genuine metal. For “Antony and Cleopatra,’ there is a great barge in which the Queen of Egypt is portrayed floating on the River Nile. Since it must be of suthcient and streneth to accommo- date several persons on its decks, the construc- tion is such that there can be no likelihood of its collapsing or weak- ening with use. Fur- thermore, in traveling about the country, when shipping space is an important considera- tion, the barge has to be taken down in sections and folded up in large crates. After the frame- work was made, it was covered with canvas and painted and gilded with a perfection that easily deceives the eye. Swords, spears, ar- mor, and other equip- | size ment befitting well- caparisoned soldiery is | under the care of the | stage armorer, whose duty it is to see that : these are kept _ bur- nished and in _ repair. For his work he has buffing wheels and a large room fitted with benches and tanks where the metalware can be dressed and lacquered to a mirrorlike finish. The more brilliancy displayed, the finer will be the spectacle. The effect of powerful lights on the glittering arms of the retainers in the military roles adds a striking tone to the dramatic moments that hold audiences enthralled. Although unseen by those in front of the footlights, the stage mechanic is as much concerned with the success of the performances as the most zealous of the principal actors. Not a situation is per- mitted to pass by him without he has first studied his part, played amidst a maze of mysterious canvas slides and walls and mountainous stacks of properties. N Copies of Old Documents Aid Actors in Their Roles IECHANICS Lighting effects are vital. Any degree of color from the soft glow of an Italian sun- set to the most intense rays of desert skies, can be cast on the stage from hidden sources. There may be a forest scene where the sunlight filters through the tree tops to be reflected by a sparkling waterfall that cascades over moss-covered rocks. Only after a careful inspection by a master of light effects are such arrange- ments attempted. He must be familiar with the slightest details of the picture. Shadows must fall true to nature. The water should not be so noisy as to en- croach on the singers’ melodies. The ingenious minds of the stage crafters are constantly called upon to solve difficulties bear- ing On important situ- ations of the play. Sig- nals must be flashed to the orchestra and the workers on the big drops must be carefully trained for their parts. A sword-maker work- ing at his forge and anvil is given a setting of such realistic value that there will be no mistaken action that might mar th.e piece. One star spent several | hours every day for weeks before his per- | formances began in re- | hearsing his role of a blacksmith. Tucked away in a corner of a dark wareroom, filled with a mass of miscella- neous “props,” he worked over an anvil of burlap and plaster so much like the real article that it could almost be expected to withstand the rough treatment given those of which it was a counterpart. Behind the “smith” stood a great bellows which he pumped by means of a rope banging near his shoulder. With each motion of his arm the fire in the forge seemed to flash up, dying down again as the bellows was released. As actual flames could not be used, electric wiring and colored lamps were substituted. The anvil next received the attention of the singer. As it rang to the sound of his hammer, its tones seemed to harmonize with his voice. At a point in his recital the player raised the steel in his hand and struck the anvil apparently with such

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POPULAR MECHANICS ient Lamp Special Set Where Everything from Candlesticks to Castles Is Created for the Opera Medieval Knights of the Stage Get Burnished Garb from the Armorer

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12 POPULAR MECHANICS —--—= — = SS SSeS SSS ——_—_-—- ——— + _—— ——, RAOUL OOO OOOO) x Gi ti = bh YW) al =| | = al = al Pe x} prs Gh ia =) 1 ‘an f za || 's oi be ; seed qj h) . ) q i) [ laa = S i) a) LE Tas y pe ee Ld A y i =a BQO OOOO OOOO OOOO OOOO DOOD Oa cea es: DOO OOO DOOD ADO ON Oe Ot eng Copyright, Underwood & Underwood } Above: Mechanical Miniature of Orchestra and Opera Stage that Automatically Changes Scenes. Below: Curtain Closed and Figures of Musicians Lowered while New Set Moves into Place

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POPULAR MECHANICS 13 force that it split in two. Mechanics had again performed the task. Under an iron plate on the anvil a trigger was placed. As the player struck that spot it released the sections of the anvil, allowing them to fall apart. When traveling about the country, a large opera company has need for almost as much equipment as is used in the home theater. While there is seldom a stand of less than two days, the property staff must be able to set up a complete stage in a few hours. The electrical effects carried amount to several tons. Wire reels, huge floodlights, incandescent bulbs of every description, and even small power plants, all neatly arranged in durable crates that are built to withstand the roughest hand- ling, are needed. On entering one large hall where several performances were to be given, it was learned that there was no stage. One had to be built. As preparations were made to erect the platform, the workmen were in- formed by the owners that no nails could be driven into the floor. Only four hours away the performance was scheduled to begin. Several hundred bags of sand were hastily brought in, and over and against these, heavy timbers were placed to which scenery could be attached. Even many large cir- cuses do not carry much more material than does ry an opera company witha . repertoire of but ten i plays. As many as sixty 7, railroad cars have been used by one company to carry their properties and players from city to city. Probably the most im- portant department of the opera stage aside = ah oS ee. from the actors, is the costumery. Under the direction of a master of the wardrobe, hundreds of gowns, uniforms, hats and helmets are cataloged for characters ranging from Roman slaves to pompous kings and gorgeously garbed nobles of later times. Huge chests of bright hued boots and shoes and hundreds of pairs of fancy slippers await the needs of the cast or the chorus master. As an added aid to the preliminary plan- ning of the opera builders, members of the mechanical staff of a Chicago company built an automatic working model of its stage and orchestra. Operated by an elec- tric motor, it changes scenes every few minutes to produce the actual effect of the spectacles as seen by the audience. Two years of careful designing and many thou- sands of dollars were spent in its con- struction. In the orchestra are eighty-one tiny bronze figures representing the various musicians. Each is worked individually by delicate mechanisms inside of the forms. At a given signal from the “director” the players manipulate the imitation in- struments with motions startlingly like those of living musicians. A satin curtain is drawn back and the setting appears on the stage, flooded with lights from below and above similar to those used in an actual performance. After 2 Fs few moments, the or- f chestra becomes quiet, the curtain drops, and the operation repeated with a new scene. To obtain correct pat- terns of the frescoed arch and proscenium for models, magnify- ing glasses were used. = Wes Towering Columns and Massive Walls are Built to Harmonize with the Period Costumes that Glitter in Regal Splendor Under the Dazzling Lights of the Opera Stage

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14 POPULAR MECHANICS SPEED OF MACHINE AND MAN CAUGHT BY CAMERA LCE Se | Thrills that electrified spectators at an automobile race and soccer game are re- produced by lucky “snaps” of quick-action cameras. The player in one picture has Speed Camera Registers a Difficult Goal and Catches Auto Racer Rounding Turn at Terrific Pace just made a goal by bunting the ball through the posts with his head, a feat sel- dom witnessed, but the photographer caught the play. And as the mechanician of a speeding car in a recent road race in Germany was looking out for tire trouble, the other picture was snapped as the car rounded a curve at terrific speed. Despite the rapidity of the camera shutter, the quickness of movement of both subjects caused distortion. RECEIVER ON PHONOGRAPH AIDS IN SELECTING RECORDS For demonstrating phonograph records, a talking machine has been invented with a receiver that prevents sounds reaching other than the listener’s ear. Thus, it RR Re mee omammanee Talking Machine for Demonstrating Phonograph Rec- ords Can Be Heard Only by the Listener does away with the need of individual booths and aids in saving floor space in a store. It has the appearance of an ordi- nary instrument and can be attached to a counter or table. QUININE-BEARING BARK FOUND ON TREES IN NEW GUINEA Quinine in great quantities has been found in the bark of certain trees native to New Guinea. Nearly ten per cent more quinine can be extracted from this bark than from other plants now known, it is said. An American scientist, traveling through that country, discovered the value of the bark, and with others has planted 100,000 of the trees for producing the drug. Until 1867, manufacturers depended almost entirely upon South America for their sup- ply of the material which is drawn from cinchona bark. Small quantities have also been procured from trees growing in Java, India, Ceylon, and Jamaica. @ By a new attachment it is possible to convert a small tractor into a ditch digger.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 15 RED LIGHTS LURE INSECTS TO DEADLY FUMES Winged night insects in tropical regions are sometimes lured by red lights into poi- son fumes which kill them. An ordinary electric bulb, or the outer glass of an oil lamp, is painted with a red substance and placed near a vessel containing a strong solution of acid. When the pests swarm toward the bright rays the vapor from the liquid destroys them. Persons are pro- tected against contact with the acid by placing it in a bottle fitted with a funnel, into which the flying bugs fall when over- come. HINGED WINDOW IN AUTO DOOR AID FOR ARM SIGNALS For motorists who drive closed cars, added safety while making traffic signals is provided by a hinged lower section of the glass door at the driver’s side. The device, perfected by a western inventor, al- lows the lower part of the door to swing outward horizontally when pushed by the driver’s arm. It is high enough so that signals can be made freely in the space when the section lies flat on its outer sup- port, a rod bracket fastened to the car. The section is closed by a lever or a weighted pull-cord controlled from the in- terior of the car. It may also be opened by a lever. When closed, the swinging Hinged Window Section for Automobiles that Permits Hand Signaling on Outside of Closed Car section is made to fit to the upper part of the door snugly and a brace keeps it from falling through on the seat. @ Cherokee Indians gave their children a concoction made from burs to strengthen their memory, under the impression that as a bur will stick to anything, a man lined with burs will be able to hold all useful in- formation. ODD ANCIENT VOLUMES SHOW PROGRESS IN BOOKMAKING Since the invention of printing, early in the fifteenth century, the progress of book- making has kept pace with that of printing. Book that Is as Tall as a Man and Locks by Three Hasps on the Cover Soon after the first books were run off the old hand presses, many queer volumes have appeared. Among them is a very large one, as tall as a man, which is now the property of a university in Holland. The institution also owns another that ts small enough to be concealed in the hand, which was penned instead of printed STATUE SEALED IN BOTTLE MADE TO “BLEED” One of the favorite tricks of magicians in India is to draw “blood” from a clay statue some time after it has been placed inside a glass bottle, sealed so that it can- not be tampered with. The flask is put in a temple and the people are told that in about ten days a worker of magic will make red drops issue from the figure. The trick is done by use of a germ unknown to the observers. When a culture of this microbe remains in a warm spot for about ten days, it produces a liquid that re- sembles blood so closely that the difference can hardly be determined.

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16 POPULAR MECHANICS MOVING “SIDEWALK” OF SEATS FOR NEW YORKERS Copyright, Underwood & Underwood Moving “Sidewalk” of Seats Suggested as Means for Relieving Crowded Subways and to Accomplish Transfers of Passengers over Long Distances Between Platforms: Fitted with seats, a moving “sidewalk” similar to that demonstrated at the Chi- cago World’s Fair, was recently offered the city of New York as a means of taking the place of subway trains that now con- nect the east and west-side lines. Three parallel platforms, running at 3, 6, and 9 miles an hour, respectively, would be ar- ranged in an endless chain if the sugges- Above, Close View of Benches tion of the inventors was followed. A continuous walk inside the low-speed car- rier would permit passengers to board or leave at any designated point along the route. At present, persons wishing to change from one to the other of the sub- way lines, must at certain stations walk several blocks. The sidewalk is also of- fered to do away with this inconvenience. PAPER BATH SLIPPERS TO KEEP FEET CLEAN WHILE DRESSING Sanitary bath sandals are being made of tough crepe paper so they can be thrown away when once worn. Slipping them on after a tub or a shower, the bather can Bath Slippers Made of Heavy Paper to Be Worn Once and then Discarded stand on an uncarpeted floor in comfort and dress without soiling his feet. 3e- sides insuring cleanliness, they are inex- pensive, for their cost is said to be less than that of laundering a towel, which not infrequently is used to wipe away dirt picked up while walking about barefooted. Conveniently placed in a rack on the bath- room wall, a fresh pair can always be available. MOUSE SHORT-CIRCUITS POWER SYSTEM, WRECKS PLANT When a small mouse crept into an air gap between two 6,000-volt cables at the electrical generating plant of a European city recently, it caused a disruption of the entire system served from the statioa. The door of the switch chamber at the power house was blown out, the main cables and much machinery were wrecked, and the building was filled with smoke from burn- ing insulation, set afire by sparks caused by the short circuit. @China’s first attempt to spin cocoons ac- cording to the machine system was made in 1873. There are now 207 steam spinning mills in that country.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 17 SKYSCRAPER IS BEST REFUGE IN STORM, SAYS EXPERT Big buildings act as lightning shields to protect the people inside of them during torms, according to an expert who spoke recently before the International Fire Pre- ention Congress. The safest place during electrical disturbance, it was declared, a large metal, or metal-frame building. \fter that comes a_e small structure equipped with lightning rods, and, last, utdoors, in the open. People were urged avoid metal conductors, such as tele- hone and electric-light systems connected » the outside, screened doors and win- lows, down spouts, stoves, and fireplaces. (‘omparative safety may be found, if out- doors, in thick timbers and depressions, h as deep valleys and canyons. OUTRIGGER PONTOONS ON BOAT TO PREVENT ROCKING So his small yacht would ride smoothly rough seas, a western man fitted it with pontoons, one on each side, similar to Ha- tiian outrigger canoes. The craft glides through the water without tipping or rock- ing, and there is less danger of it being overturned by strong winds or high waves, these air-tight appliances tend to keep on an even keel. Tor those not accus- Pleasure Boat Fitted with Pontoons to Keep It from Rocking in Heavy Seas tomed to the motion of a sailing boat, the attachment lessens the possibilities of sea- ickness and adds to the enjoyment of the sport. SCREEN MADE OF MELTED COINS RELIC OF FORGOTTEN ART Skillfully carved in beautiful designs and gilded with liquid gold, made by dissolving coins in sea shells, a church screen in a a) WNTTT pas bre * Rare Screen Gilded with Melted Gold Coins in Lost Art of Early Spanish Craftsmen western museum recalls the splendor of a long-forgotten art. Though, with modern machinery, many new ways of handling minerals have been perfected, no one has discovered how Spanish artisans in early days wrought exquisite patterns melted coins. It is said that these reduced to a fluid state and applied before the mass could cool. fron were EXECUTED FOR BURNING COAL UNDER BAN OF KING About 600 years ago men were beheaded in England for burning coal. A _ king proclamation forbade its use for fuel because the gases were said to be detri mental to health and vegetation. Mystet ies of the smoke and odor were not solved until the middle of the 17th century Today research chemists obtain from it gas, dyes, poisons, explosives, substitutes for sugar, perfumes, tanning materials, fla voring extracts, photographic developer antiseptics, and medicines. q lo warp the liner “Majestic” into its pier recently, 18 tugs were required.

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Fighting Seas of Fire in Timber Lands Watchful Knights of the Forests Who Save Lives and Property from Conflagrations that Destroy Miles of Wooded Areas “we the shipment overseas of mil- lions of feet of raw and dressed lumber to supply Japan with material to replace the thousands of homes destroyed by the recent disaster, attention has again been turned to the dwindling timber re- sources of the United States. Greater caution has been urged to re- duce the drains on the available tracts, few of which have not been touched by the woodsman’s ax. Some states have even gone so far as to discuss more stringent laws looking to-.conservation. The for- estry department of the government is con- stantly at work on the problems of halting the inroads threatening to devour a re- source that once looked as though it could indefinitely defy time to destroy it. Perhaps the greatest source of waste is the continual forest fires that annually rage among the densely wooded regions during the dry periods of the hot summer months. These have cost the nation mil- lions of dollars in lumber valties each year, not to consider the damage suffered by vil- lage, town, and hamlet that find them- selves engulfed by flame and cut off from willing but powerless aid. No one ever seems to know just when or how these blazes begin. A spark from a railroad locomotive as it speeds through the wilderness falls unseen and unheeded in the midst of a bed of crisp leaves. A careless camper does not thoroughly ex- tinguish his fire, or an inexperienced vis- itor might knock the glowing ashes from his pipe, inno , cent of the dangerof such an act. But the col- umn of smoke floating menac- ingly fia Infinite Details of the Forested Regions Are Learned b above the forest, a couple of hours later, serves warning to the isolated timber dweller a few miles away that he had bet ter shift himself and his belongings from the path of any wind that might rise to add its draft to the sweep of flame that is sure to follow. But the incident does not go unob- served by those whose duty it is to guard the country against just such tragedies. Far up on a high point of land, or seated in the loft of a lookout tower erected to command the region for miles around, that thin wisp of lazy smoke spells action to Uncle Sam’s “lifeguards of the timber.” If the weather be favorable —that is, when there are no high winds to drive the flame deep- er into the expanse of ready fire-fodder— beaters on excited horses are on their way in answer to the alarms and di- rections that go out from the watch station, summoning the Trained Operators and Marked on the Guide Maps. Right, Observer Station Where Fire-Fighters Watch for Signs of Danger 18

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POPULAR MECHANICS 19 Where Water and Hose Would Be of no Value, Forest Firemen Resort to the Soil and Shovel to Sn the Spreading Flames of Tinder-Fed Conflagrations es

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20 POPULAR MECHANICS valiant fighters of the forestry division to the scene. Armed with picks, shovels, and brim- ming water buckets, and equipped to com- bat the blanket of choking smoke which the enemy throws off in seeking to defeat them, the crews of the forestry fire de- partment enter upon a task that may last for days and weeks before mean serious loss if it should be reached, and then, with a sudden and uncanny twist, turn in another direction as though guided by a knowing hand. During the dry seasons the forests of the North and West are always in danger of fires, which sometimes burn for weeks and die out only when they have reached their limits and the conflagra- tion is finally checked and ex- tinguished. There is no day and night in the life of these heroes. Sundown means merely an incident in their tireless struggles against an often almost inacces- sible monster. — nothing lies in | their paths to feed them. And as often, just as they threaten defeat to the loyal and tena- cious energies of the firemen, the clouds will send the. much- needed aid to quench the rag- ing flames— rain. This ally of the skies is never more In the darkness of night they have the glow of . the flames to guide them to their battle- grounds. Daylight leads them to it by the inevitable smoke signal. Where either of these is thickest, there is the goal they seek. In the hands of each district crew are maps of the territory to which the fighters are assigned. On it can be found in a twinkling the necessary information to guide the men in their work. Each par- ticular stand of trees, whether they be spruce, hemlock, mixed, or whatnot, is identified on the drawing. All streams— for they are of utmost importance on occa- sions—are shown. Then, when the alarm is given by telephone, telegraph, or flag signal, and these lifeguards of the forest are familiar with the various means of sign language, the scattered forces need but to refer to their maps for detailed directions as to the location and kind of a tract they are to reach. Nor is the airplane overlooked in the effort of the foresters to reduce fire losses to the lowest possible figure. Patrols are regularly sent out to reconnoiter from a position of three to five thousand feet above the woods. In case of trouble, these aerial scouts report the location of the fire, its extent, and in other ways keep the ground men advised of any peculiarities that attend the spread of the flames. Often the blaze will sweep for hours slowly toward some important point that may Engineer of the Forestry Service Gatherin of Timbered Lands for Use of Field Crews First-Hand Data “¢lcome, never more prayer- fully expected, than it is when the forest green becomes a thing of terror to those who have learned at such times to hate the big woods for the dangers they might hold. PINS IN PAPER-ROLL HOLDER TORN OFF AS NEEDED So that pins may be instantly available, a glass holder is being made for desks from which they are unwound as needed from f orp j \ Holder that Keeps Pins in a Paper Roll irom which They Can Be Easily Picked a paper roll. When one is wanted, it can be easily picked out of the container with- out risk of scratching or pricking the fingers against points of others. As the pins are used, the paper is pulled out and thrown away. A separate compartment is provided for clips. @ Wild animals of India’s jungles killed 3,263 persons in 1922,

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POPULAR MECHANICS 7 — Even Thunder Storms Do not Escape the Untiring Vigil Kept Night and Day by the Loyal “Lifeguard of the Mountain Ranges” in Lofty Towers that Crown the Highest Peaks > a

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22 POPULAR MECHANICS MAGNETS HOLD DIVING BELL TO SIDES OF SHIP Heavy magnets firmly grip a new type of diving bell to the side or bottom of a ship, while as many as four men, breathing Diving Bell that Magnets Hold to Ship while Several Men Work Many Hours under Sea air in tanks attached to the outside, can stay down for hours at a time. Several high-powered electric lamps on the sides of the strange-looking craft light the scene. A large drill is operated from the inside. So complete is its equipment that it is known as an undersea limousine and is of special use in repairing vessel hulls. MUSICAL PLUG FOR HORNS CREATES “JAZZ” TONES Distorting the cornets and trombones to get “jazz” music may be ac- complished by a recently invented device, that fits the bell of the instrument like a plug. Moving it back and forth produces wavering, mute sounds. It can also be fixed so that the pitch will not change. A periorated disk over a vibrator at the tones. of Musical Plug for Bell of Horn that “Jazz” Effect to Instrument's Tones Gives Peculiar end of a metal tube, blends and spreads the notes to a peculiar blare. READY-CUT MODEL HOUSES SENT TO QUAKE VICTIMS Modern ideas in home building will in- vade the Far East as a result of the ship- ment of American ready-cut houses to help replace the million or more homes leveled by the recent earthquake in Japan The first model sent across the Pacific was a five-room California bungalow, weigh- ing 30,000 pounds. Each piece of material was prepared in the mill, ready for actual nailing in place. Also, such items as glass, hardware, electrical and plumbing fixtures were shipped with the lumber. HORSE TAKES TEN-FOOT FALL, RESCUED BY DERRICK Unscratched by a 10-foot fall from a runway to the top of a high pile of tim bers in a middle-western lumber yard, a heavy draft horse was rescued recently by a derrick. The animal lay quietly in its dangerous position while straps were wrapped about its body. It was quickly swung through the air to more solid foot- _ SS sing Derrick to Raise Horse Unscratched by 10-Foot Fall to Lumber Pi'e ing, and a few minutes after the accident, was again hitched to a working mate and resumed its daily tasks. @ Planning to eventually supplant the present telegraph lines with wireless sys- tems, the Canadian government has sent a party to the Yukon to erect the first two of a series of four radio stations, which will be equipped with powerful receiving and broadcasting sets.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 23 TANK TREAD BUILDS OWN ROAD FOR OXCARTS — $y Above Oxcart Fitted with Tank Tread that Makes Hauling over Rough Roads Light on the Animals. Below Steel Frame of Horse-Drawn Truck with Banded Wheels For hauling heavy loads over mud and Wherever oxen can walk or tractors c tr d, an animal-drawn truck is being built travel, they make it possible to haul heavy ith wheel treads like the army-type trac- loads with remarkable ease. Mud picke tors. It is claimed that they can be used up by the truss bands is sliced off ; nywhere—over cane fields, through log- though: cut by a knife, when they come ging woods, or behind motor vehicles. together at the top AIR IS VULCANIZED IN TIRE a nail or other sharp substance to ent TO AVOID PUNCTURES the compartments. Once adjusted t heel no further inflation is required | In an effort to make an unpuncturable and undeflatable tire, a French inventor rw — has perfected a process for vulcanizing —_ rubber over compressed air. In its com pleted form, the tube contains several hun- dred individual compartments, each ot hich is inflated under equal pressure. Every “pocket” is a separate leakproof chamber in itself and ranges, according to the size of the tire, from half an inch to three-quarters in diameter, the length being governed by the tube size. It is manufactured from what is said to be a ecret rubber compound, the holes being drilled separately. Over this form is laid »ber of another composition to inclose holes, into which air is then pumped J and the whole vulcanized. The outer wall BEAD - AiR CORES ot the tube is three-quarters of an inch thick, making it practically impossible for 1 riya} ul the Puncture-Proof Tire Filled with Small that Needs no Other Inflation

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U.S. Warships on the Auction Block Tons of Chopped-Up Metal All that Remains of Historic Vessels; Powerful Guns Broken into Scrap " Wepterledeey into junk, all that remains today of a score of historic warships of the United States Navy is a mass of twisted metal. Condemned under the dis- armament treaty, their guns have been spiked, their engines dismantled, and their costly equipment put out of commission. First, the side armor plate was removed from the inside shell of teak in sections weighing from 25 to 40 tons. These were swung to upright positions and cut with oxyacetylene torches into pieces of a con- venient size for feeding into the charging boxes of steel furnaces, where they will be remelted and, later, reforged. After removing the steel plates, the “nerve centers” of the ships, such as gun- turret machinery, ammunition hoists, and refrigerating systems, were taken down. These were broken up by workmen and then reduced to small scrap by pile driv- ers with a 110-ton impact. Scrap, thus obtained, is sold to the gray-iron foun- dries, where it is treated in combination with inferior grades of iron ore. The product resulting is low-tensile iron such as is used, for instance, in harvesting machinery and engine bases. When the work of destruc- tion is completed, Uncle Sam will have only 18 battleships and no battle cruisers; vessels valued at ap- proximately $200,000,000 will have been put on the auction block and uncompleted ships costing nearly $100,000,000 will have been scrapped. Among the doomed ships is the “Connecticut,” the flagship of “Fighting Bob” Evans on the famous cruise around the world, and several that former President Roosevelt ordered to circumnavigate the globe at the time, to “fight or frolic” as the case might be. Among the ships remaining are the new light cruisers, “Detroit,” “Milwaukee,” “Marblehead,” “Omaha,” “Cincinnati,” “Raleigh,” “Concord,” “Richmond,” “Trenton,” and “Memphis.” Three out- standing features of these vessels are: First, the tremendous speed obtained ; sec ond, a powerful offensive battery, and, third, a cruising radius large enough to make any of the seven seas their home. In describing the “Concord,” all of the light cruisers are pictured, as they are sister ships. Imagine a ship seven times as large, and built with streamlines of a destroyer. Five hundred and fifty-five feet in length, with a beam of about 55 feet, they have the foremast of the tripod type found in the sritish navy, the mainmast of straight spar variety, and four funnels between masts. Faster than any ocean liner afloat, each one has enough power to supply the en- tire public utilities of a city like Bal- — timore, or the combined utilities of the states of Louisiana and Missis- sippi. There is enough electricity to light and operate 21 big hotels. In the oil tanks, when loaded, mm is enough fuel to run a fleet of automo- biles 400 miles. : oe “Os Historic Battleships, ae and the “Georgia,” that Are Being Junked at the Mare Island Navy Yard here Their Guns Have Been Spiked and Their Engines Dismantled 24 il

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POPULAR MECHANICS 2 or The United States Steam- ship “South Dakota” un- le onstruction, but which Will Be Junked Guns of Warship Being Cut Apart with Torch in Keeping with the Dis- armament Treaty ———————— — a —————_—_

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26 POPULAR MECHANICS SUGAR-CANE “LUMBER” RESISTS HEAT AND COLD Lumber for this Dwelling Is Made from Fibrous Wastes Left after Sugar Cane Has Been Crushed. Right: Wall Board of the Same Material Utilized for the Interior the fibrous waste which re- mains after sugar cane has been crushed, is now being made into insulating lumber that is strong and tough, and light in weight. It can be sawed, painted, grained, stained, or stuccoed like ordinary timber, and is adaptable for sheathing, plaster base, and interior or exterior finish. In addition to its cheapness, it tends to keep out the cold in winter and the ) Bz gasse, heat in AIRPLANE WITH MOVING WINGS TO RISE FROM HOUSETOP Intended for rising out of narrowly lim- ited spaces or from the roofs of ordinary buildings, an airplane which has wings that Helicopter with Revolving Wings that Is Designed to Rise Directly from Narrowly Limited .Spaces resemble paddle wheels is being built by an inventor. These, with forward motion, summer. Discovery of the process came after years of experiments, and now thou sands of tons of it are transformed into wood substitute. Entering the plant bagasse is ted through a shredder at cooker, the pulp mixed with a waterproot ing substance, and then run through machine which presses it into boards 12 feet wide. It is then cut into standard widths and lengths. will carry the machine up, down, ahead, o1 backward, according to the designer, wh: expects his craft to even stand still in mid air without changing the direction of the wings’ rotation. It gets its power from a: airplane engine, which drives the propel- lers by means of chains. BOUQUETS IN BLOOMING TREES INCREASE ORCHARD’S YIELD Placing fresh bunches of flowers in the tops of his orchard trees several times dur ing the blossom season, resulted in a large increase in the yield of fruit for a Was! ington grower, according to a recent at | nouncement. The first test was made whe: bouquets of blossoms from a certain kin of cherry tree were put in three orchard of other varieties. The pollenizatio: brought about by bees, flies, and other in sects, produced a record crop. Flowers 0! plum, peach, pear, apple, and cherry tree have been mixed in this way after thet buds have opened, greatly benefiting the quality and yield of fruit, it is reported.

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PAPER MONEY BECOMES FAD OF COLLECTORS Collecting foreign paper money, issued cities during periods of financial stress, reported to offer profitable diversion. he script is usually redeemable after cer- iin lengths of time, and if not presented en, becomes valueless as exchange. nown in Germany and the surrounding suntries during the war of 1870, its use ecame widespread in the world war and e years that have followed. Some of em now are rare and command high ces from collectors. As the practice of iking “notgeld,” as it is called in central urope, under the sanction of the Reich- nks grew, the designs became more or- te, and from 1918 to 1922, leading artists, vravers, and printers were employed to ducethem. Many ofthe scripts picture torical and romantic incidents of a mmunity. A town that claims the dis- ction of being the birthplace of Baron lunchausen illustrates some of his al- eged feats on its money. CLOCK STARTS COOKER’S HEAT, FOOD CAN’T BURN \Vatching food to prevent burning is not ecessary with an electric stove being ide, whose heat is automatically kept at point through a trolled by a clock. e proper itch con Electric Stove Controlled by Alarm Clock that Keeps Heat Below Burning Point after Food Is Cooked I y setting the timepiece, current can be irned on at any predetermined time and e oven will not remain sufficiently hot to urn its contents, after they have been oked. To keep odors from escaping, the team is condensed on the inside of the over and retained. As water is not re- ured, meats may be cooked in their own uices. Of small size and easily carried bout, the stove may be set up at any place lere it can be connected to a light socket. POPULAR MECHANICS 27 GAS MASK AND RUBBER GLOVES TO PROTECT PAINTERS To safeguard painters against lead poi- soning, frequently contracted while work- ing with materials containing that min- Protecting Gloves and Mask for Use of Painters to Guard Them from Lead Poison eral, a respirator and rubber gloves have been devised. Without discomfort or in- convenience when worn, these articles pre- vent the workmen from getting the liquid on their hands, which may result in irri tating skin diseases, or breathing the fumes, said to be injurious to the lungs. Strapped over the head, the mask does not obstruct the craftsman’s sight. NATURALISTS LEARN OF EARTH CHANGES BY STUDY OF BUGS Studies to determine changes in the earth’s crust that millions of years ago have been aided by bugs, accord 1 } occurred ing to scientists, who explain that the rel tions insects of one region bear to those of another indicate that certain islands were once connected. In Jamaica, they explored a very ancient section of that country that has been above the sea for a longer time than its neighboring land and which shelters insect tribes of great age. This discovery leads author ties to believe that animal life of that isle is more closely associated with those ot Haiti er Cuba, and that it originally found its way from the mainland over a land bridge, long since engulfed by the recent! ocean.

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28 POPULAR MECHANICS With Teeth that Cut Like Steel and Giant B'ows from Powe-ful Paws, Two Polar Bears, Twisting and Writhing Like Acrobats, Locked for a Strugg'e to Death in Their Zoo Tank

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POPULAR MECHANICS 29 POLAR BEARS FIGHT DEADLY BATTLE IN ZOO TANK In their tank in the London Zoo, two polar bears in deadly combat, attacked ach other with such ferociousness that nly the timely interference of the keeper prevented the death of one or both of the iptive beasts. The other animals in the suilding became panicky from the roars of rage and pain set up by the mad brutes. heir powerful jaws, penetrating the heavy sank teeth sharp as steel into each hers’ throats, while giant blows of their vs whipped the water into foam. After ird struggle the attendant succeeded in ing the battlers apart. Neither showed ens of exhaustion. BANK ON OCEAN LINER SERVES THOUSANDS EACH TRIP Banking accommodations are available 0 passengers on the giant ocean liner, leviathan,” through a branch established iboard the ship by an eastern trust com- pany. An average of about 4,000 persons take advantage of the service each trip—a irger number of patrons than some bigger titutions ashore are called upon to erve in a week. The main business is cashing travelers’ checks and drafts and hanging money from one form of cur- rency to another. On the trip to Europe he latter transactions are confined mostly to exchange of dollars to pounds and but on the return, the company takes in almost every kind of foreign oney, for which it pays in American coin it the rates of exchange received by radio rom the main office. It also issues letters of credit and pays money on wireless or- ders from London, Paris, and other big cities. While the bank does not handle tock deals, it bulletins each day wirelessed quotations which are in great demand. rancs, PENKNIFE LIKE SAFETY RAZOR HAS CHANGEABLE BLADES lat as a key, a penknife is being made ith a safety-razor blade, which can be re- placed when it be- comes dull. After cutting edges have been discarded as nfit for shaving, they may be used in the holder as an eraser, clipper, pencil sharpener, seam ripper, and glass scraper, or for many other purposes. CHALK DRAWING IS MADE EASY BY AN EXTENSION ARM To assist school-teachers in sketching on blackboards, a pantograph has been made with which even the unskilled can make enlarged copies of figures, and maps, Form of Pantograph that Can Be Operated by Anyone for Enlarging Drawings on Walls charts. It operates quickly and easily and reproduces illustrations up to 32 inches square. As it marks either lines or dot it may be used to indicate the extreme points of a figure, and these may be later connected by free-hand work, thus provid ing a means of training pupils. Drawings that only skilled persons can create, may be copied on the wall, adding to the attrac tiveness of the schoolroom. While de signed primarily to aid in saving instruc tors’ time, it helps them in their teaching, for subjects being studied can be pictured in crayon. NERVES OF EARTHWORMS HELP THEM TO REMEMBER Earthworms have memory and can be trained, according to a cently conducted an experiment with 500 of them. In the tests, they T-shaped receptacle, covered with glas As they crawled to the crossway half turned one way and halt the other Those that took the left-hand course were scientist who re were put 1! ibout given a mild electric shock. Atter gou through this experience about 200 times, nearly all took the right turn. When the current was changed to that side, they learned to shift their route after only 65 trips. When cut in two, the of a worm’s body showed ability to dis tinguish between the two roads of travel indicating that they remember w one of their nerves, part of their bodies. iragment ith every which are on the under

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30 POPULAR MECHANICS RIVER CUTTING NEW COURSE UNDERMINES SHORE ‘Nj <P , Against the high bluffs that form its hore in Tennessee, the Mississippi River is waging relentless warfare. L: irge sec- tions of the bank become undermined and topple into the water, carrying with them whatever structures they might support. Che swift stream is cutting a new channel ers w _ “Se Ee < ~ . Engraver Examining Pin Head on Which He Carved Portrait and Name of Late President Harding In Cutting a New Course, the Strong Current of the Mississippi River Undermined a Large Section of the Bank, ‘ which Collapsed and Caused Great Property Loss a . at this point, that even breakwaters have not been able to prevent. A part of the bank Was worn away recently to such at extent that a wide piece of land collapsed, taking with it the entire plant of an indus trial concern, and causing a big property loss at other points. PORTRAIT OF HARDING CARVED ON HEAD OF PIN On an ordinary pin head, an eastern en graver recently carved the portrait and name of the late President Warren 4G. Harding. From this, a die was made to be used in manufacturing large quantities of the novelty,,and the artist has invented a press by which the can be stamped out. He also engraved the na- tional capitol building in the same Way as another example of his expertness. “copies” @The Popular Mechanics’ Bureau of In- formation offers its free service to all readers of our magazine. Names and ad- dresses of manufacturers and dealers in articles described, and any other details in our possession, will be promptly fur- nished by addressing the Bureau.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 31 ANCIENT TABLETS TELL STORY TUNNEL BORED INTO SIERRAS OF NOAH IN PARADISE GETS WATER FOR POWER \ncient tablets, unearthed in Mesopota- Generating 105,000 horsepower, what is ia and recently translated, tell a story of _ believed to be the largest water-power elec- race of men created from clay by.a femi- ne deity, who when the great flood came, iz i oa rotected her creations by saving Noah 1 | guiding him to Paradise. There, ac- irding to the records, he fell from grace f his own accord, the incidents following smewhat those related in the book of renesis, but in a different order. The scuments describe how the Sumerians, a ce of unknown origin, worshiped their ls, how their ceremonies were per- irmed in the temple of Nippur, corre- ponding to Rome in our day, and give a iluable insight to the manners of life 5,000 years ago, according to scientists. AIR WARMED IN STEEL CABINET CONTROLLED BY PUSH BUTTON To cut the cost of heating in a building here all space is not continuously occu- pied, small steel-cabinet heaters, for indi- idual use in rooms, are being made in the iddle West. By pressing an ordinary push button, the temperature can be raised a few minutes. Drawn inward by the machine, through an opening to the out- ide, clean air is warmed to the desired legree and blown by its fans so that drafts re avoided. The device, which is motor- operated, is built of sheet metal and can be laced on the floor, or where space is scarce, = = = = ” > = may be supported overhead on brackets r f i if | yut on a platform against a wall. EEE am I : Where Water Begins Its Toil for Farm and Factory: Insert, Near Tunnel Mouth tric station in the Pacific West, recent was placed in operation. From the Sar Joaquin River far up on the slopes of the Sierras, water is carried six miles by a tunnel and dropped 760 feet through three immense pipes to turn the wheels of this plant. The electricity is spread over system of some 300 cities, towns, and rural communities in southern and central ¢ fornia. In this territory it serves 60,000 homes, 500 factories, and furnishes energy for irrigating 260,000 acres of land. Its present capacity is capable of being doubled when the Florence Lake tunnel, nearly 14 miles long, and reported the larg —— = . est in the world, is completed. This exca- Fresh-Air Heater Cabinet, that Is Operated by Push vation will make possible an output of Button, for Individyal Use in Rooms . i Scenes Cursent from the present works is transmitted over lines @ Recent investigations show that nearly some instances 275 miles in lengtl SU varieties of mushrooms are poisonous. 220,000 volts pressure.

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POPULAR MECHANICS SEWAGE PLANT OF CITY FACTORY FOR FERTILIZER In disposing of its vast volume of sew- erated to determine the value of the fer- age the city of Chicago has undertaken a _ tilizer as compared with various others. It process of converting the waste to fer- has been highly successful when sown with tilizer. Even the corn, bush _ beans, industrial refuse and sugar beets. It alone is heavily is also being used laden with materi- to improve lawns in als that enrich soils the parks, and and are necessary growers of roses in the cultivation of and peonies have farm lands. The made use of it for sludge is first acti- the treatment of vated by blowing rare species of flow- air bubbles into the ers, While cotton liquid and changing raisers of the South the solid matter to a dry, lumpy prod- uct. After this is have entered on trials with the arti removed, a fluid re- mains that is so clear and clean that fish can live in it, and any water is not harmed An experimental farm has been op- stream that it might enter by it. eer neeerrmereag TT Chemists Are satieniie Analyzing the Sludge in Search ess it 1s for Matter that Enriches Soils cle. With this proc believed that not only better sanitation will re sult, but the production of the fertilizing materials will offset the cost of the in stallation of the drainage plants. | =nae eT Te Experimental Farm, Surrounding Sewage Plant where Fertilizer Undergoes Tests in Actual Use with Various Its Effect on Each Is Carefully Studied and Compared with Other Materials Crops: SNOWFALL OF TODAY AS HEAVY AS IN GRANDPA’S TIME Official records, according to the weather bureau, will not support the assertions that “we don't have such heavy snowfalls now as we did when I was a child.” Ac- cording to the figures, the winters now are just as severe as they were in the days of our grandparents. It is a fact, say the ex- perts, that the deep snow remembered by the man who was a boy in the ’70's or ‘80's, which reached his shoulders, would be less than knee deep compared with his present stature. For example, the statis- tics show that in New York City and AI- bany, N. Y., the heaviest snowfalls oc- curred more than 30 years ago, but there have been few winters with more snow than fell at those places in the season of 1915-lo. Records at Springfield, Ill., dat- ing since 1884, indicate that the greatest fall, 43 inches, was in 1913-14. In New Haven, Conn., the heaviest occurred in 1915-16, although there seems to be a gradual lessening of the total each season. Joston’s best figure, 96.4 inches, was in 1873-74, but two years later there was only 5.3 inches, while Portland, Me., experi- enced 125.5 inches in 1886-87; iast winter’s total was only % inch less. NEBRASKA ONCE HOME OF APES UNEARTHED TOOTH SHOWS Scientists unearthing fossils in Nebraska have found a tooth, which they say be- longs to a prehistoric ape and shows that such an animal once lived in that region. The skull of a giant camel was also dug up, together with bones of piglike beasts as large as a rhinoceros. Remains of a three-toed horse are'among the collection, which according to the discoverers, proves that this animal roamed America more than 2,000,000 years ago. "TxxtQ TDyaradac Agn in Paniilar Machanicre

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FAILURES OF LIGHTNING ROD CAUSE SLUMP IN ITS USE Though 75 years ago there were light- ng rods in every hamlet in the United States, it is said that a government report, ting many failures of conductors to pro- ct property, has caused such a slump in eir use that today the government cen- does not record one factory making e apparatus. Invented by Benjamin ranklin in 1752, this protection against e dangerous electrical flashes was widely ised until the report of the Lightning Re- earch Committee in 1905 caused the pub- ‘to lose faith in its value. TREES DYED ANY COLOR WITH CHEMICALS THAT CURE WOOD Dyeing the trunk and branches of a living tree any de- sired color, and at the same time curing the lumber, thus eliminating the necessity of seasoning when it is cut into boards, can be accom- plished in two days with a proc- recently in- vented by two eastern chemists, they assert. The cost is less than one dollar a tree. Fluids pass through a rubber hose from a tank & Underwood to holes that are bored in the trunk close to the ground. hese colors are absorbed by the tallest tree, giving it the tint of the mixture. ess Copyright, Underwood PLYMOUTH ROCK TRANSPORTED FROM CANADA BY GLACIER Examination of Plymouth Rock by a cientist recently has established the fact that it was carried from Canada perhaps 40,000 years ago by one of nature’s freight cars, the huge glacier. that at one time cov- ered the northern part of the continent with ice. When this huge sheet began to melt and recede, tons of bowlders and silt were deposited over New England. Among the huge stones was this historical rock which welcomed the Pilgrims. PDOPTIIT AR WRC RI ARTO or POPULAR MECHANICS 33 PULLING SHIP’S “TEETH” TAKES CRANE AND HUGE FORCEPS Occasionally an ocean liner requires the if it is to be kept in are its services of “dentists,” good condition. Its “teeth” be IW Cable and Crane Drawing Steel ““Teeth’’ or Bow Plates from Hull of Vessel for Repairs plates, which, in a measure, protect the forward part of a vessel's hull from injury in case of collisions with other boats or submerged wreckage. A crane and for- ceps 10 feet high, are used to remove these strips of armor, when they are to be re placed by new ones. But they must first be loosened by workmen before they can come away without damaging the craft. NAME PLATES ON KEYS HELP IDENTIFY THEM Small name plates, designed to aid in identifying the door or receptacle which any particular key opens, are in the form of eye- lets that clamp into the hole. These tags, which are neat in ap pearance and do not interfere with attaching the key to a ring,are print ed with luminous paint which may be read at night. The name plates are easily attached, simply by the use of a hammer, a blow clinching them into place like a rivet being made

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Two Decades Ago in Popular Mechanics Windmill on Locomotive to Light Train Vy == Popular Me- chanics Magazine surveyed the field of invention a score of years ago, 1904 was just dawning, full of promise for the world in general. The past twelve months had seen the growth of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition at St. Louis, that was to memorialize a cen- tury of progress. In industry, the mining world marveled at a giant sand wheel weighing a million pounds that was to lift gravel, water, and sand from a stamp mill to a trough 65 feet in the air. Locomotives were expected by one inventor to help light the passen- ger trains they hauled, by means of a ro- tary fan that operated from contact with the wind. Speed in transportation, then as now, was sought by the traffic world and an electric car was built that attained 80 miles an § hour in test. a on an # a fA One of Principal Build- F ings Louisiana Purchase Exposition Control Room of High-Speed Electric Car “WoNweOE: "wero sve ey aS ba

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POPULAR RUINS OF OLD CITY FOUND MAY ANTEDATE ROME Buried under debris which covered the raves of its inhabitants, and had almost bliterated carvings on fragments of build- ngs, the ruins of a city thought to be 1,000 years older than Rome have been ound near Ferrara, Italy. More than 100 tombs with the remains of persons buried them and containing vases decorated ith designs resembling Grecian forms, bits of jewelry, and wearing apparel, have been unearthed. Pieces of stones, which ere evidently part of a large temple, are eing put together in an attempt to de- ipher the inscriptions. Some experts say hat the ruins may be those of the town { Spina or of an Etruscan city, whose peo- ple spoke some language now unknown. 1 + | ] ( I i€ EXPERTS BREAK DISHES TO TEST HARDNESS OF CHINA establish standards of trength for china and porcelain, an ex- pert in a government bureau smashes lishes daily with an apparatus built espe- cially to measure the force of blows re- quired to break various kinds of crockery. Hanging over the frame on which the Striving to dishes are placed is a weight that is pulled back and then swung against the piece Breaking Dishes in Government Bureau to Help Estab- lish Standards of Strength for China and Porcelain being tested. Noting the angle to which this hammer is raised for the blow, enables th the tester to compute its force. @ Bags for the storing of grain are now being treated to make them weevil-proof. MECHANICS a) cr GLIDER WITH RAISED MOTOR SPEEDS ON TOP OF WATER While running 70 miles an hour on the surtace of the water, a recently invented hydroglider is said to use only half the Hydroglider that Is Driven on Water's Surface by Raised Motor that Saves Gas amount of types. gasoline consumed by other Che craft is almost entirelyabove the surface, when traveling more than a mile a minute, drawing little more than inch of water. Mounted above and behind the passengers, an air-cooled motor turns the airplane propeller blades. Wind rushes through a large opening in front of the hood that covers the engine. With air plane tail several feet high, wide pontoon sides, a cabin that resembles a war tank and the elevated engine, the ship presents an unusual appearance. For three year the inventor worked to perfect it one CONCRETE WHEEL BLOCK LOCKS AUTO TO BOX-CAR FLOOR For safely anchoring an automobile while it is being shipped, a concrete block has been invented, which locks the ma- chine’s wheel to the floor of the rreight car, ing movement im Weigh ing only a pounds, it quickly placed in position, and as easily removed. Its is concave, so that the inflated tire fit readily into it. The device then may be returned to the factory for further use or may possible. Tew can be trace be used in the garage, replacing the wooden stops, which are inferior in wear- ing qualities.

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36 POPULAR MECH ES Wivean, a, & ir Washing a Mountain into the Sea to Make an Extension of New Land for a South American City’s Business District: Seven Million Cubic Yards of Ground Were Transferred | QQ POPTIT AR MRBRCHANICS

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POPULAR MECHANICS WASHING A MOUNTAIN INTO THE SEA Contractors years ago began to move mountain from the heart of a South lerican city into the sea. They used ule-drawn carts to haul the soil and ck away to be doned by its former occupants, it fell with the ground that supported it. Stones too large to be moved by the force of the water, were broken up by dynamite and sluiced away. imped inside e sea wall at marked e limits of a ew water ront. Shortly fter the work is started it as estimated it under this 1ethod the st would be Imost prohibi- = =} Over 7,000,000 } cubic yards of | earth and rock have already been poured trom this hill into the bay, making an ex tension to the shore three miles wide Sixty new blocks will be ve, and that available to the he task would business sec require eight tion of the city ears. It was when the trans nally decided fer has been » wash away completed s much as pos- Since the more ible of the modern meth hill with hy- ods of destruc draulie force. tion wereadopt : ° welve viz ; ; ed two years cve gee t Abandoned Monastery Crumb'es as Man’s Forces Destroy Nature's t lie streams Ot Obstruction on which It Stood for Years ago, dy namite, water under steam shovels, pressure from three high-powered pumps vere turned against the mountain, and it lowly began to crumble downward. At ts summit stood an old monastery, erected the early residents of the city. Aban NEEDLE, ONCE BONE OR STICK, STAMPED FROM WIRE Needles for the sewing baskets of house- the machines of factories had ieir beginning at the hands of prehistoric man, who made them from sharp bones sticks through which he punched holes ir the threads. Fine steel wire supplied coils is now used in their manufacture. ‘owertul shears cut it into pieces, each long enough for two needles. Several housand of these, bound in a bundle, are made red-hot and straightened by pressure nd rolling. Both ends are then pointed on a grindstone. The eyes are stamped, ith the two heads,‘at the center of the length, in one operation. Through these pertorations thin wire is threaded and the needles are broken apart. Tempered by ire and an oil bath, they are then scoured, ashed, and polished. This requires much bor, for the process is repeated. ‘ves or 41 POPTIT.AR construction trains, dirt trucks, hydraulic equipment, and human energy have been tearing at the obstruction. Hydraulic pumps and dredge pipes have replaced steam shovels, dirt trucks and trains. INK SUPPLY OF FOUNTAIN PEN SEEN IN CLEAR STEM So the user can tell when its ink supply is low, a fountain pen recently placed o1 the market is fitted with a stem of trar Fountain Pen with Transparent Barrel in which Ink Supply Can Be Seen parent material. It is said to hold a much larger quantity of writing fluid than many other models do. The article is made with either ordinary pen points or a pencil tip @ Manufacture of building from sugar-cane waste has been developed papel MECHANICS 2g

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38 POPULAR MECHANICS SEAPHONES TRACK “FOOTSTEPS” OF UNSEEN CRAFT Trailing unseen ships as they plow their ways over the ocean has been developed as part of the United States coast defense through the invention of delicate sub- marine phones. The system, known as underwater sound ranging, is manned by a special branch of the Coast Artillery. Although in its infancy, engineers believe it is destined to be the adopted way of shore with an accuracy sufficient to permit shelling, although it may be traveling at full speed. Individual boats are picked out from others by distinguishing sounds, such as an engine knock or squeak and the im- pulses of its machinery. When the days were calm and there was only one vessel in the areas being tested, it was possible to track tugboats, obtaining firing data on enemy ves- sels that cannot be located by other means. Recent re- sults indicate that a ship can be spotted 10,000 yards trom tramp steamers, and other craft within a range of one to two miles, and huge liners and freight- ers could be trailed for distances rang- ing from three to four miles. Types of Underwater Phones and Sound Detectors Used by the Coast Artillery Service in Tracking the “Footsteps” of Unseen Ships along the Atlantic Seaboard FRUIT DISPLAY ON.MOTOR TRUCK USED BY GROWERS For exhibition purposes in the creating of new markets, automobile trucks are being used by western apple growers to carry loads of their choicest fruit into the middle West and South. The boxed dis- Exhibit of Apples Carried by Auto through Middle West and South to Open New Markets Cece... Mie 2 tes ~ so ee 6 ee ee 5 plays, arranged in tiers, may be viewed by opening the several side doors of the closed cars. Heavy felt lining in the compart- ments prevents bruising of the products during transit. A few years ago railroad cars were used for a similar service by western farmers and growers. GLAZE FOR ENAMELED PAPER FROM CHINAWARE CLAY Clay from which chinaware is made is being used for the coating of highly pol- ished art papers. Applied in a fluid form it is given a rubbing treatment to produce the hard glaze. The material is also em- ployed to a great extent in the manufac- ture of newsprint, in the preparation of cotton fabrics, and in the chemical indus- try. Recently a process was discovered by which artificial ultramarine coloring can be made from the clay. ar

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POPULAR MECHANICS 39 BONES OF PREHISTORIC BRUTES USED AS “MEDICINE” Fried fossil bones of prehistoric animals are made into healing potions by some Chinese druggists, according to an eastern scientist, and are in wide demand among suffering natives. The “medicine” is taken in powder form, fried with oil in a skillet, or mixed with sour wine. The doses are prescribed for nervous diseases and liver and heart disorders. The bones have been mined, ground, and sold in this strange industry for centuries. JAZZ INSTRUMENT MINUS KEYS “PLAYED” BY HUMMING Producing music with a “jazzy” effect, a keyless reed instrument is being made which can be “played” by anyone who can hum atune. Equipped with a rest, it can be kept in the proper position without being held by the hands, and can be used Horn without Keys that Produces “‘Jazzy’’ Music When “Player” Hums Tune into It to accompany any selection. Having suf- ficient volume and carrying power, it is suitable for orchestral work. “EYES” FOR AIRPLANES AID FLIERS IN DENSE FOGS Automatic “eyes” to show aviators the heights of their planes when making night landings, or the distance from other ob- jects while flying in-fogs, have been dem- onstrated by an eastern inventor. The de- vice consists of attachments placed on the wing tips and is connected to an indicator in the cockpit. A reading is shown when the craft is within 100 feet of any object, giving the distance in feet. mse weyrywyT A VY FOOLPROOF TWO-SEATER AUTO CAR PROPOSED AS TAXICAB Because of its cheapness of operation, a two-seated auto car recently invented in Europe, is proposed as a substitute for the Copyright, Keystone View Co., In Foolproof Auto Car, Proposed as Substitute for Taxicab in Europe, Seats Two Passengers much larger and more expensive taxicab It is so simply built, the maker claims, that anyone can drive it without previous ex- perience or training. Somewhat similar in appearance to the side car of a motorcycle, it is propelled by a small engine and guided by a huge steering wheel nearly twice the size of an ordinary one. It has only three wheels, two small ones at the rear, and a larger one in front. Besides the seats two persons. On heavily traveled boulevards, the machine is said to mal rapid headway, as it is able to dart in out among the larger vehicles. driver, it e a NOTCHED-EDGE BREAD KNIFE CUTS WITHOUT TEARING With its sawlike teeth on both torward and backward strokes the hand, a bread knife is being ide that produces clean slices. It goes through a fresh or stale loat equ illv as well, without tearing the bread or making many crumb as the notched edge does not “pull.” Made of hardened, tempered steel, the blade will Bread Knife with Notched Edge that Cuts Either Stale or Fresh Loaf without Tearing last for years. When it becomes dull it can be sharpened in a few minutes. A ZTwoasetyy A fw, UT COst cl 4@

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When Pioneer “Ideas” Were Jests Chance as Well as Necessity Responsible for Origin of Things Believed Indispensable to Mankind YVHILE necessity has long been ac- credited with being the mother of invention, it is safe to suppose, from the experience of striving geniuses, that acci- dent has had much to do with the birth of a great percentage of the ideas which have astonished, as well as benefited, mankind. What the loss to the world would have been had the phonograph not been discovered while its inven- tor was sup- posed to have been experi- menting with the early tele- phone, is a mat- ter for easy conjecture. Not only has it im- proved the tenor of life in many homes, but it has ren- dered aid to the business world in recording dictated letters for later repeti- tion to typists. The industry that it represents has an annual output valued at more than 158 million dollars. It was not so long ago that an Ohio merchant, while on a trip across the ocean, visited the engine room of the ship that carried him. His attention was drawn to the mechanism which registered the number of revolutions the propeller made each minute. When he returned to his home, he began work on a machine that would record the amount of purchases made in his store. Thus, we are told, was the cash register born. Each new discovery or amazing inven- tion, although it may be admitted to be the last word in progress, seems only to open the path of research further. After steam was found to be a force that could be harnessed and put to work moving cars and boats, it was soon learned that brakes were also needed to check the momentum of railway trains when stopping. This 4 40 Pictures Pasted on Disks Spun on Pivots May Have Suggested the Motion-Picture Machine need led to the airbrake, which in its early days was the subject of much derision among mechanical minds. Today, the rail transportation system that failed to equip its rolling stock with the device would be thought worthy of more laughter than that which greeted its first appearance. Barbed wire for fences, which has fig- ured promi- nently in peace- ful agricultural pursuits for years, and re- cently as an instrument of defense in war- fare, came from the suggestion of a farmer lad that sharp prongson metal strands might keep rov- ing animals from forcing their way into grain fields. His father was first to adopt that form of protection for his farm. It may not have worried the intruders so much as it did their owners when their cattle returned home with badly scratched hides. Had the automatic dial telephone been looking for some one to invent it, it is ques- tionable whether or not it could have reached the Kansas home, of another farmer boy who is said to have given the invention to commerce. From a half-penny toy once made in England, the motion-picture machine is said to have received its start on tive road to perfection. This was a cardboard disk with a string passing through its center. On it was a series of little pictures of chil- dren at play. By whirling the card on its pivot a sort of motion was given to the figures as they passed before the eye. Later came another contrivance to give movement to photographs. Its origin is credited to two wealthy gentlemen who

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POPULAR MECHANICS 41

“Writing Automat” Was In- p Steam and Gases Were Once Tested vented Two Centuries Ago 3 f in Queer Tanks *\' ool dal - | besten ioe ; a eae ene a <=

In 1602 this Horse-Drawn, Hand-Pumved Fire Engine Began to Replace the Bucket Brigade

Center: Early Mule-Drawn Street Car. Left: When the House Dog Worked for the C

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42 POPULAR MECHANICS had a wager as to whether or not a trot- ting horse lifted all his feet from the ground at the same time while running. \ row of cameras were set at intervals along the path the animal was to take, and at a level that of his entire As the horse passed each camera it was operated. The resulting photographs were later pasted to a cir- cular metal plate, placed on a pin, and spun rapidly. In 1780 the first baby b&ggy is reported to have been built by a coachmaker, for the daughter of an English nobleman. It was patterned much like the horse-drawn vehicles of that day, except that it was pushed by a person walking. What be- comes of the thousands of its descendants annually worn out, is a question that might be answered by almost any boy, for the homemade soap-box cart generally looks to the cast-off perambulator for its wheels. In 1864 the first submersible boat is thought to have been launched off the shores of New Jersey, though several earlier attempts at such a craft had been made without success. However, among the relics in an eastern navy yard may be seen a forerunner of the elusive submarine commanded a view bodv. boat that picks its path beneath the waves, and rises at will under the impulse of pow- erful engines. ‘This first device was pro- pelled by hand and carried a crew of ten men. In size it inferior to many whales which it must have resembled as it slid slowly through the water. Although dependent on man power for its motion, a speed of four knots an hour is said to “full steam.” It was about fifty years before the ap- pearance of the underwater craft that the pioneer ship of the steam navies was slid into the sea. Unlike its modern proto- types, it was constructed entirely of wood with the exception of the machinery that was to drive it through the waves. A half century later the ironclad sides were added to the fortresses of the seas, standard that was to building of battleships. In like manner the locomotive has super- seded the steam wagon, and the dirigible airship has grown from the balloon. Among the simple articles of everyday use which have come down to the present day out of a past that is all but lost to his- tory, is the safety pin. The Romans had them, and so had the early Egyptians, and Was have been attained under and became a revolutionize the =" “ be > 6 i) ie go aE Fle: A. ied coe Pal a =A ae Ms see, Alchemists of Olden Days Led Secluded Lives of Study and Research in Ill-Lighted Laboratories Fitted with Odd Contrivances that Often Disclosed Amazing Secrets \

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POPULAR MECHANICS ey were probably old when Greek civili- ition Was new. It is interesting to note that this handy ttle article possibly originated vith the cave dweller of the toneages. When facing strong vinds or fleeing before an en- emy, it might have occurred to m that his fur garment could 43 be kept secure by tying one end of a fas- tening bone pin about another with a cord. Some of them to be seen in are artistically fashioned from silver, and many have been set cious stones. They have been museums gold and with pre- improved from time to time, but none of those fourid in the ruins of ancient cities differ greatly from the safety pins of today. = Once Called “‘Mechanical Whale,” the Forerunner of the Deadly Submarine Was a Comparatively Small Affair which Was Operated by Hand but Carried a Crew of Ten Men NATURE’S “MELTING POT” FOUND IN SOUTH AMERICA Among the mountains of the west coast of South America, explorers have found four distinct zones of plant and animal life, all within an area of a few miles. On the snow-capped peaks live birds and beasts akin to those that inhabit the polar regions, while lower down toward the valleys condi- tions and creatures exist similar to those of temperate climates. From there, it is but a step to the abode of tropical animals. HAND PUMP FOR DRAIN PIPES REDUCES PLUMBING BILLS Designed to reduce plumbing bills and to save housewives the inconvenience of torn-up floors and pipes, a small hydraulic lift and force pump for removing obstruc- tions from clogged drains, sink traps, and other outlets, is a recent invention. The device is adapted to fixtures of standard size but may be quickly changed for odd- size pipes. A spraying nozzle can also be used for garden purposes, and as a radiator cleaner for blowing out accumulated rust and dirt before the steam is turned on. BRASS HORN TWELVE FEET LONG PLAYED BY SIX MIDGETS Measuring 12 feet in length, a giant horn requires at least two men to play it, as it i so cumbersome that carry it. Recently, at a convention in the South, six midget men were necessary to handle the instrument: one at the mouth- one person cannot Two that Is Midgets while Four Others Hold It Massive Brass Instrument Played by piece, another at the keys, and four to sup- port it. his | band piece Va I ide in Paris at d brought to this 75 years ago. country iv

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44 POPULAR ACCIDENTS IN BIG CITIES OCCUR ON STREETS MOST CROWDED Keeping tab on traffic accidents in a large eastern city by spotting them on <

a

Underwood & Underwood Map that Shows Proportion of Accidents Occurring in Busy Streets of Large City Copyright, street map, shows that the majority occur in the congested business district, where great numbers of vebicles and pedestrians MECHANICS

gather. On the more passable boulevards, where greater speeds are permitted to au- tomobiles, the number is less. Pins of three different colors indicate the scenes of the mishaps; red for a fatal mishap, blue for a serious one, and black for a minor injury. According to this record practically all of the serious accidents take place in the busiest thoroughfares. CHEMISTS TRY TO MAKE GOLD BY BREAKING UP ATOMS Granted the possibility of producing a current of a million volts, scientists of a government bureau feel that it would be possible to create gold and other metals by shooting electricity through atoms of the elements to be changed. Already ex- periments have indicated that by breaking down the atom, chemists are on the track of a method to transmute metals and per form other amazing services that may re- sult in benefits of great value to the human race. The problem of battering down the tiny particles now depends largely upon discovery of the right force to direct into them, experts say. When this is solved some inventions of stupendous impor- tance may follow. Possibilities are seen in the curative value of radium.

WARRIORS OF THE SEA Among the millions of dollars’ worth of war machines built in frantic haste by the United States Government to combat the prowess of its foes during the war, are more than 100 warships of various types now lying idle in an eastern port. Chained to the docks, these warriors of the sea await the time when either they shall be put into service again, or dismantled under the terms of the disarmament convention. NOW CHAINED TO DOCKS Stored closely together along the quays, they float idly on the quiet water, those which might be put into service denied the freedom of the ocean because there are not enough men attracted to service in the navy to form crews forthem. Some are to be sold to the highest bidder, while others will be broken up because they are not modern, even though they might have been kept in service despite the treaty.

More than One Hundred Warships of Various Types Ly Lyin ountry’s Government During this Idle in an Eastern Port: They Were Built by the articipation in the Great Wa:

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POPULAR KROOM HAS DETACHABLE FIBER FOR RENEWING WORN WISPS Economy and serviceability are aided y a broom that is being made with a de- chable handle to permit replacement of he fibers when they are worn down. This ikes the buying of a new article unneces- ary. Light in weight, it is balanced so hat it can be used with little effort. It is iid to sweep fine rugs without injury to hem and to be equally effective on the dewalk or porch. Designed to make ouse-cleaning easier, it is less tiring to he worker. PAPER COMBS AFFORD PUBLIC SANITARY UTENSIL For public places, such as hotels and irber shops, a paper comb has been of- ered, giving every patron a clean, sanitary rticle, which, when used once, may be rown away. Since it is specially treated ith a waxlike composition, it slips rough the hair as easily as a comb of rubber or bone, and if it is cleaned it will SS S——_ Individual Paper Comb to Promote Sanitation in Barber Shops, Hotels, and Like Establishments Tightly sealed in an it is protected from not. break easily. “individual” package, dirt until needed. HIGH-SPEED MOTION BECOMES SLOW FOR CRITIC’S EYE Making machines appear to stand still or move slowly while actually running at high speed, an instrument has been in- vented for studying the action of moving bodies. Intended to eliminate the risk of guesswork in designing, the device per- mits the observer to see clearly movements MECHAN ,ICS 45 Ghee Working Machinery through Instrument that Reduces High Speed to Slow Motion for Eye that migh t appear blurred, when viewe with the naked eve. Errors in timing “Ses ° ad parts, speed variations, and other impor tant details of working machinery can be discovered through its lens, it is said. The invention is also being used by salesmen of automatic tools to demonstrate their abilities in actual service, lengthy. explanations. without need ot POCKET DATE STAMP CHANGED BY TURN OF HANDLE So compact that it will slip into the pocket, a date stamp has been patented that carries its own ink pad. Numbers are placed about the rim, indicating the day, and a turn of the handle sets a small pointer opposite the one desired. The Pocket Date Stamp, Changed by Turn of Carrying Own Ink Pad, Handle month is indicated by rubber type in the center. Also there is room tor tising desired. any advet

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46 POPULAR MECHANICS Inspecting Manila Hemp Hawser as It Is Being Broken by Machine Capable of 2,000,000-Pound “Pull” “Chemical Detectives” Industries, Faced by Loss or Ruin, Find Sleuths of Science Aids in Solving Baffling Problems SPECULATION as to what the world of a hundred or a thousand years from today will be, continues to engage the minds of the nation’s leaders in business and in science. Some of these prophecies are seemingly extravagant, but an inquiry into the extent to which science has pen- etrated business, serves to open a volume of real romance. “The man who puts into words some of the things he believes chemistry will do, would seem a fit subject for an insane [renee du Pont, a well-known manufacturer, recently declared, and a re- view of what the chemist is doing for busi- ness lends a firm ground on which almost unlimited possibilities may be faced. The “chemical detective” today ferrets out more seemingly baffling mysteries than Sherlock Holmes cleared up in his palm- iest days. A certain large corporation in a western metropolis found that every Thursday, about 10 o'clock in the morning, their tele- phone switchboard, having some fifty con- N asylum,” PI s Copyright, Underwood & Underwood on the Case necting lines, went out of business. No one could reach the plant by phone, nor could the employes obtain outside lines. The telephone company was repeatedly called in, and although the equipment was entirely replaced three times, the trouble continued. Finally, an appeal was made to the chemical detective. After a few days’ investigation he found that the con- tact points in the switchboard became coated each Thursday with a fine dust, which interrupted the electrical current. Analyzing the dust, it was found to be particles of burned paper. The chemist learned that, because of the heat of the summer, the windows in the room in which the switchboard was located were left open during the day. Investigating further, it was disclosed that the janitor of the building burned the week's collection of waste paper on Thursday morning at 9:30 o'clock. It was a simple matter to de- duce that the fine ashes of burned paper, escaping from the chimney, were blown in through the windows and found their

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POPULAR MECHANICS 47 vay into the switchboard cabinet. As car- bon is a conductor of electricity the ashes iad short-circuited the electrical contacts. hus, by simply closing the windows for in hour or so on that one day each week, the trouble was ended. Deciding to add two stories to his build- ng for the accommodation of his growing Jusiness, a macaroni manufacturer in- stalled more machinery on the top one of the new floors.. Thereafter, for weeks, he uffered losses, because the product turned ut by the new equipment did not equal the goods that had gained him his reputa- n. Although he even went to the extent of exchanging it with the old machinery, Oo improvement resulted. After trying every means he and his advisers could k of, without success, e called in the chemists. ey found that the air n the higher floor con- ned a different legree of moisture rom that circulat- ti many shipment being returned because of pe ng on the lower culiar stains ap oors. Asa result, pearing on their e dough could products. Steel ot be prepared itisfactorily. The fault was remedied and thereafter the trouble ceased. The owners ofa factory, making bearings and tools, founda great experts were put on the matter and could find nothing wrong with the grade of metals used. A rigid inspection disclosed no faults existing in the tools when they left the factory. How ever, the industrial chemist who was su! moned, found that the tools were wrappe in paraffin paper for shipment to them against moisture. He als: that sulphur and acid combined in the paraffin developed a solution that spotted the steel. The remedy was apparent Somewhat similar is the case of a mai ufacturer of tennis shoes who faced when his product began to be returne in large numbers by his customers. Ihe retail merchants pointed out that the white canvas tops turned black or | came streaked, after the shoes had bet on their shelves a short while. A score of attempted remedies failed to cor rect the defect and a chemist wa *\ nally called on the case. He found tl ~— the sulphur used in curing the rubber Top: Testing Drinking Cups; Center: Examining of which the soles were made, caused pales “Tae” a the stains, when it came into contact = with another substance mixed

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Planting Typhoid Germs in Test Tubes Used to Develop Vaccine white dressing that was used on the canvas. Water for the boilers of a small-town factory had been obtained from a near-by well. Business prospered so that the owner was forced to enlarge his plant, which meant the addition of more boilers to the equipment. He then found it nec- essary to deepen the well in order to ob- tain sufficient water forthem. Soon there- after he began to have trouble. The boil- ers became coated on the inside. After some months spent in vainly trying to solve the problem, his friends persuaded him to callin achemist. The latter found that in enlarging the well, the borers had broken through rock into deeper strata. The water from this level contained a mineral which formed a crust on metal surfaces under intense heat. The matter of water has so engaged the attention of manufacturers that paper makers find it profitable to send samples of it from the Testing United States Army Shoes at Bureau of Standards among other things, tied a piece of twine around a sheaf of grain. Soon aiter the device was put on the market, farmers from Texas to Minnesota complained that during the night, after a field of wheat had been cut, the strings broke, allowing the sheaves to be blown apart. Investigators were sent out by the company to look into all such reports. They learned that the string apparently had been cut in each case and had not really broken. The chemical detectives were put to work and found that crickets were gnawing the cords apart. Further observation showed, ac cording to one report, that the crickets did not like to eat the twine, and according to another, they did. Following out the first statement, it was asserted that when the reapers had finished with the field, the insects were disturbed, and thereafter at- tacked anything foreign in their surround- ings. The string, being the only unfamil- iar object with proposed sites of new mills to laboratories for analysis. Fre- quently, such water has been found to be in- jurious to the product that it Was proposed be made, and thus many a dollar has been saved. A large cor- poration in the in reach, be came the target for their rage. In any event, the twine was soaked in a chemical that repelled the crickets and the complaints ceased. These are but a tew of the instances where chemis- try has ferreted out solutions middle West to perplexing made and sold problems that reaping ma- a: have faced in- . I So. . Studying Various Gases in Order to Learn How Best to Use a chines, which, Furnace dustry.

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GOVERNMENT ASKED TO RETURN BOOTY OF ANCIENT PIRATES Swept from the high seas long ago, bold pirates and plundering privateers of the eighteenth century are once again re- called in long-standing damage claims hich now are being pressed against the covernment by various individuals. These nterests seek enactment of a law that vill restore to them wealth that was taken rom their ancestors, who in the days of the “Jolly Roger,” were owners of ships that were looted by highwaymen of the trackless ocean. Listed among the claim- ants, in addition to members of prominent families of Philadelphia, New York, and New England, are certain insurance com- panies, and one eastern city. A measure, known as the “French Spoliation Claim,” authorizing payment for losses of ships and cargoes between 1793 and 1800 at the hands of French privateers, has reviewed by Congress. been The demands are made against the United States rather than the French government because of cer- tain early agreements between the two countries. After a long delay, the whole subject was referred to the U. S. Court of Claims in 1885, and since then, several suits amounting to nearly $4,000,000 have been settled. An attempt is being made now to dispose of the last of those favor- ably considered, involving $3,246,888. @ Although carrier pigeons normally fly at the rate of about 30 to 36 miles an hour, they sometimes attain a speed of 60 miles an hour or more when “homing.” POPULAR MECHANICS 19 ANCIENT VOLUME THAT TAUGHT BOOKKEEPING WORK OF MONK What is believed to be the first text- book on the methods of bookkeeping, has been presented to the library of a western Volume, Almost Five Centuries Old, in which Italian Monk Explained Bookkeeping Methods university. It is printed in Italian and Latin and was published in 1494. The author, Luca Paciloi, an Italian monk, is supposed to have originated in this work many of the familiar mather. atical signs, such as “plus” and “minus” marks. The volume is still in good condition and can be easily read. ‘The letters stand out sharp and clear, and the ink shows few signs of fading. The leaves are intact and the binding in good condition despite the vol ume’s age. TRACTOR SO LARGE AUTO CAN PASS UNDER IT So large that an automobile can pass underneath it, a tractor, weighing 10 tons, has been made for logging operations in California. It replaces several teams of horses and requires the attention of only a few men a ’ ’ Mammoth Tractor Built for Logging Operations, so Huge that Automobile Can Pass between Its Wheels, One Pair of which Is 10 Feet in Diameter Slung beneath the body and between it wheels, one pair of which is 10 feet in diameter, immense tree trunks can be handled with ease. It has a wheel base ot

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POPULAR INDOOR GOLF TEE TO HELP IN PERFECTING STROKE Wherever there is space to swing a club, a golf tee for home and indoor practice, which has been invented recently, can be Indoor Golf Tee with Elastic Cord to Hold Ball that Indicates Accuracy of Drives used by players who want to preserve their “swing,” or improve without visiting a course. The ball is attached to a rubber driving platform and re-tees itself after each drive. Shots may be aimed at tin figures set between two and four feet away, the direction of the pellet’s flight in- dicating the degree of accuracy in the stroke. SKUNK IS FRIEND OF FARMER, NOT HEN-ROOST ROBBER Next to the muskrat, the skunk is now the most important fur-bearing animal in the United States. In 1858, only 18,255 pelts of this little animal were sent to mar- ket. Then the supply began to increase until the record number of 1,921,000 pelts was gathered in 1914. Occasionally, the average price was as high as $12, but in 1922, the top figure was $5.90. Commer- cially considered, according to govern- ment figures, the skins of skunks mean a total business of about $3,000,000 a year in this country. Experts of the agriculture department declared that the skunk is the most maligned of all dumb creatures; that, in fact, it is the most gentle, the most harmless, and most easily domesticated of allewild things that harbor on the fringe of farm lands. It is not true, according to the statement, that they kill chickens, steal eggs, or bother with any of the live things on a farm. Grasshoppers and crickets form a large percentage of their diet. MECHANICS CASCADES OF FIRE PLUNGE HALF MILE TO VALLEY As part of a nightly program of enter tainment,*a western resort has a cascade of fire passing over a high ledge in the mountains and dropping almost a hali mile to the stony floor of the valley below At the top of the lofty point lives a man whose duty for some years has been the building of the “fiery falls.” About dusk each evening he lights a huge bonfire of logs. After they have burned to a pile oi glowing embers, they are pushed over the edge of the rocky wall with a long meta! scoop, to drop in a spectacular, blazing avalanche that can be seen by the resort's guests several miles away. SHIP ROCKED BY EARTHQUAKES WHILE IN MID-ATLANTIC Sailing in mid-Atlantic, a vessel bound from Halifax to England recently felt four severe earthquake shocks, the longest oi which was of 30 seconds duration. Each caused the ship to tremble from stem to stern. When the first came, the captain thought the ship had run afoul of sub merged wreckage and was on the point o: stopping the engines as the second oc curred. It was even more violent. North of the craft’s location at that time, the skipper reported, three peaks rose up from the bed of the ocean. Soundings indi- cated that the sea floor surrounding them was from 1,300 to 2,200 fathoms below the surface. In the opinion of experts, these mountains may have been in volcanic activity. CINDER IN EYE EXTRACTED BY MAGNETIC LOOP To extract cinders or other foreign par- ticles from the eye, without risk of causing infection, is the purpose of a pocket in- Instrument that Removes Cinders from the Eyes, ani which Is Magnetized to Extract Metal Particles strument with a small wire loop, recently marketed. It is magnetized so it can easily remove a metal chip that may become lodged in the tissues. To keep sanitary, it fits into a tiny glass vial containing a sterilizing liquid. Many railroad men, mo- torists, and mechanics find this simple in- vention of great service.

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Ee VO POPULAR MECHANICS Cascade of Fire Seen by Guests of Western Resort: Like a Shimmering Ribbon of the Mountain, It Falls to the Valley Far Below

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52 POPULAR DANGER FROM MINE BLASTING REDUCED BY SOUND TRACER ‘or preventing accidents from mine and tunnel blasting, a delicate listening instru- ment called the geophone, is reported to be proving of important service. With Listening with an Instrument that Can Locate Underground Sounds Half a Mile Away MECHANICS this device, which, it is after those used said, is modeled {uring the war to detect the presence of underground operation sounds so faint that the listener has a se sation more of feeling them than of hear ing, can be detected and identified. With a type now used to increase safety in mining, talking has been heard throug! 125 feet of solid earth and rock, and the hammering of a sledge underground ha been heard 3,000 feet. Vibrations in the earth, set up by pounding, digging, o1 talking, alternately compress and rarefy air in the chamber of the instrument, and the sound is carried through a tube to the receiver. DIAMOND FIELDS OF ARKANSAS YIELD MANY FINE STONES Nearly 6,000 diamonds have been found in the Arkansas fields, the biggest weigh ing 21.25 carats. Many of them, according to experts, are as good as those mined in any part of the world. In describing some of the brown, yellow, and white jewel from this state, experts have stated that they are absolutely perfect. A few of them, it is said, have been sold for as much a $600 a carat, but most of them are uncut and have been placed in private and mu- seum collections. The first field was dis- covered by a farmer, whose mule kicked up a stone of unusual brilliancy. TUBULAR FILMS BRING MOVIES TO HOME To bring motion pictures into the home, a camera and projector are being made that use tubular films costing a little more than the average “still” photograph. One strip, which is of noninflammable film, will carry 1,664 pictures. The camera may be loaded in daylight. One reel equals 150 feet of standard film, and can be purchased Tubular Film that Takes Motion Pictures for Reproduction in Homes and Offices: Left, in Machine, and Right, Showing an Industrial Subject in an Office for 75 cents. In projecting, rewinding and threading of the reels have been. elimi nated. The device may be attached to any electric-light socket. The camera is made of aluminum and differs little from the or dinary apparatus. The lens is always in focus, making it easy for the amateur to “shoot” pictures. Inserting Reel

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POPULAR MECHANICS 53 SURGEON WORKS ON PATIENT WHO WATCHES OPERATION Without using a general anesthetic, a noted Vienna surgeon deadens the nerves of the body surrounding the point of oper- ation, leaving the patient entirely con- scious. In Chicago, recently, he performed a major operation on a man 52 years old, while the patient still retained his senses and could see the doctor at work. With only the nerves of the solar plexus treated, gastric ulcer was removed trom the tomach. Many prominent physicians who vere present pronounced the feat remark- ‘- AIR BLOWER ON DIESEL MOTOR INCREASES POWER or increasing the power of normal sur-cycle Diesel motors, a special air compressor has been devised in Europe dds 30 per cent in working capacity nd tour per cent in over-all efficiency thout straining the engines. With this device the weight of air that enters the cylinders in advance of the fuel is con iderably increased, so that the engines re capable of consuming a greater quan ty ot oil. No part of the engine is said to be stressed any more than under ordi- hary conditions, for the maximum pres- re remains almost the same. The burned es are said to be completely removed the cylinders more thoroughly, re- Surgeon Performing an Operation without Resorting to Usual Anesthetic: Although the Patient Was Entirely Conscious and Could Watch the Doctor Working, He Did not Feel Pain sulting in better combustion and with less impurities in the exhaust valves and other units. The perfection of this apparatus according to engineers, indicates that there are possibilities of further improvements. ADJUSTABLE HINGE FOR DOORS TO STOP RATTLE AND JAMMING Rattling of a door by wind or sticking of the jamb from dampness is stopped by turning the center pin in a recently | ented hinge, it is said. This action loose: Adjustable Hinge that Is Said to End Door Rattling or Jamming with Turn of Center Pin or tightens the door in the frame and quickly changes clearances whet weather! causes wood to expand or contract, | 1; when a bDulliding sags a trifle.

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Glories of Man- kind Told in Art- Glass Windows cy all conveniences met with in everyday life, glass is one of most ancient in origin. Au- thorities differ regarding its be- ginning, but it is said to have been made by the Egyptians almost 8,000 years ago. And the coloring of it can be traced as tar back as the remote eras of Chinese civili- zation. Colored glass was first employed to make imitations of the brightly hued gems, such as rubies, phires, and emeralds with which the ancient nobles decked them- selves and their horses in barbaric splendor. It was not until demand for the material to be used in flat subjects was born that it was rolled into sheets. One of the first steps inthis art of paint- ing in glass, which enshrined and glorified national, religious, and romantic charac- ters in churches and universities of the Middle Ages, was the discovery that under action of’fire a solution of silver would stain a clear glass yellow. This find marked a beginning of stained glasswork. Nobility, clergy, and artists became enthusiastic over it. It brought to the seat of learning and culture the master glassworkers of the world, persuaded by the rich fields that these places offered for their services. Money was raised Sap- Artist Adding Finishing Touches to Painting which Is to Be Reproduced in Exact Colors on Glass a slight peep of a country landscape into a corner of his subject. At first, the wise ones wagged their knowing heads and pro nounced it foolhardy to attempt to do that with glass, which they had been taught the brush alone could accomplish. But later another invaded the outer world for an in spiration, and when he had finished his task his patrons beheld a daintily wrought human figure, done with tinges of color, that set them to clamoring for more of the same. Thus it was that medallion windows came into vogue, and these were followed by ornate canopied patterns and massed groups oO f pictured on all sides by pub- | lic-spirited persons, and studios fur- nished to these art- ists, who set about toornament the classic pages of history with skill, the results of which are still to be seen among the architec- tural beauties of the Old World. The early artists began by producing borders and scrolls, simple things com- pared to their later achievements. Sut some coura- a soon |} men and women, which cover the spreading walls ot many of the Gothic structures left to the modern world by builders of old Eu rope. Time and again the hand of disaster laid upon tle work Wars, and invasions they caused, halted the progress of the art, which was just as often revived. As architecture devel- oped, it began to take account of the new ornament, and geous adventurer in color craft inserted 54 J Pasting the Paper Patterns to the Surface of Clear Glass before It Is Cut structures were planned with a view

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POPULAR MECHANICS 55 ike the Cathedrals of the Middle Ages the Modern Church to Depict Scenes and Characters that

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56 POPULAR MECHANICS Above: Fitting in the Glass Fragments on the Paper Guide. Below: Burning the Colors in Under Intense Heat * 4 Bik ioe Above: Applying Cement Dressing for Waterproofing Window Left: Uniting the Glass Segments with Soldering Metal

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POPULAR .dmitting the art window into their de- Thus greater demand was put upon e creators of these fantastic affairs. Vy- with one another, they spurred to her aims. Masterpieces resulted, and sher subjects were wrought into the Many of the creators of these led to leave any certain identification, d a number of the finest specimens hich delight present-day tourists in the World, bear no marks by which their odelers can be credited. Each set of artists had their own style. \s these impressed those who could afford have such marks of luxury to dis- nguish them and their houses, importa- foreign craftsmen became the ractice. Spaniard and Italian invaded rance, seeking a market for their services nd in turn the Frenchman passed with his rt into other countries. Often, to the leaders among them, entire indows were given over by their owners ir the illustration of some heraldic fig- re set in imitation of a noble who gener- desired to be remembered in this way those destined to take over his house nd his lands after his demise. Many of the faces of the earlier figures it entered into these patterns were dis- irted, owing to the inability of the de- ener to produce in glass and colors with equal detail, what he could set down on They frequently were incorrectly posed and assumed grotesque positions, istly unlike the original drawings that rst appeared on paper. Other figures ere not properly proportioned. \s in the olden times, the present-day tist in stained glass first paints the pic- e he is to reproduce on paper or canvas. ‘rom this original a pattern is made of the ime material with the shapes of the inlays lrawn to their exact sizes. Double-lipped ears then trim a narrow strip along each line, separating the sections as they are to be after the lead or zine joints are in place. Glass of the required shades is then se- ected and cut into bits of the shapes and zes of the paper pieces. \iter they are put in place on a skeleton easel, they undergo a sort of critical test as to arrangement of grouial color, lights, nd shadows. This test is always made gainst a northern light, since an even blend of the sun’s rays is available from that direction. Though the opening chapter of the his- tory of stained glass seems to have taken place some time in the Middle Ages, when colored windows were made as a kind of story-book picture, few changes have since been adopted. Steel tools have re- ndow Be ns of illvas. MECHANICS 57 RES: mwas Design of Window Cut from Cardboard with Painting Underneath It placed diamonds for cutting, and zinc oc- casionally is used instead of lead for joints. The invention of the double-lipped shears used in cutting the patterns out of paper is said to be the only other new implement in an industry that was old long America was discovered. before HIDDEN WORLD'S LIFE SHOWN WITH MAGIC LANTERNS For screening microscopic slides of plant stems, flowers, and insects with the ordinary magic lantern, such as is used in elementary schools, a magni- fying attachment is being made. With this device, pictures of living things of the “un seen world,” so minute as to be in visible to the un aided eye, are thrown on a cur tain with accuracy and clearness. The lens, easily adjust ed, produces en- largements 60 | times the the subject at 10 feet, 120 at 20 feet, and 180 at 30 feet. Held rigid! y in place by a screw, the apparatus can be removed when the ordinary type of work is desired. size of

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58 POPULAR MECHANICS From Snow-Clad Mountain Peaks, High above the C'ouds, to Hot Desert Sands, Uncle Sam’s Map-Make-s Risk Lives to Put the Nation on Paper

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POPULAR MECHANICS 59 — LOS ery, - r PUTTING THE UNITED STATES ON ACRE OF PAPER | Ss — = mS) IGPRID,- QGHOWING every “bump and dent” in the land surface of the United States, e largest and finest picture map of its ind in the world is in the making in Vashington at a cost estimated at 100 mil- on dollars. It is being made piecemeal style on an extraordinarily large scale, one mile of e natural lay of the land being repre- ented by one inch of map surface. All he integral parts of the map dovetail gether like the tiles of a mosaic. One {f the maps can be carried in vest pocket, yet, if spread out and pieced ether, the geographical picture of our country would cover more than an acre of round. The national map-makers ascend all the nountains and towering crags in the ountry, brave the heat of the southwest- ern deserts and the penetrating cold of \laska, and perform “dare-devil” stunts ose to the clouds or away below sea level s their regular daily routine. Their lives are filled with adventure and romance such s the colonial pioneers, the early Califor- ia gold seekers, and other settlers of the reat American wilderness of a century ago experienced. our hundred of the most expert topo- graphical engineers in America with their assistants, rodmen, camp attendants, and cooks take the field from their Washing- ton headquarters as soon as the songs of the first spring birds are heard in the lati- These fed- the 1 tud le of our national capital. eral scientists scatter to every section of the country, where the mapping activities are in progress. They remain afield unt the appearance of Jack Frost and his col leagues—ice and snow—which prevent further mapping operations. They then return to Washington, where the winter months are spent in inking in and per- fecting their pencil-sketched field maps, and in supervising the engraving of ever- asting copper records of the scientific data. Other surveying parties, which aggre- gate 100 topographers and their aids, are gaining complete familiarity with every square inch of land surface in Alaska. Often, these scientific scouts of the Nort! land work for months at a time, 300 to 400 miles from the nearest white man’s habi- tation. The clothes which they wear in the frosty summer are made of fur, for in the interior of Alaska, even during season when everyone is sweltering in Chicago and New York, the mercury h ers around the zero mark. Just to illustrate how the hazards of mapping in moderate climes are almost dangerous as those experienced in Al mention of the marvels encou the course of a 90-mile stretch of countt ‘ iShkd, tered in California is worth while. From the sky-high summit of Mt. Whitney, 14,501 feet above the ocean level, the experts laboriously wormed their way to safety in a risky descent. Mile by mile, they con tinued their painstaking survey of ever hill and hollow that lay in their path until

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60 POPULAR finally they came to Death Valley, a nota- ble “no-man’s land” of the far West. Ven- turing the difficulties of that famed region, the map-makers began to go down hill and continued their gradual descent until they finally stood 276 feet lower than the level of the sea. Irrespective of whether or not a mam- moth mountain has previously been climbed, the government map-makers ascend to its peak, if need be. From this perilous MECHANICS Approximately three centuries ago, the curious business of mapping the United States and its boundary waters was begun. John Smith, a prominent English explorer at th t time, inaugurated a mapping sur- vey of Chesapeake Bay. After several months’ work, however, his attention was diverted to other activities. Thereafter, little was done in reducing the shape and contour of the New World to parchment until after the Civil War, when Uncle Sam began to ex- perch,they (@™ study the lay of all the sur- rounding land and transfer its features to pa- per, using pen- cils with the hardest lead obtainable to make these technical sketches. Prowling pred- atory animals, such as grizzly bears, wolves, and coyotes, mean nothing to them. They boldly invade the secret lairs of man-killers in search of their land bump-and-dent data. They workonthe Arizona desert where the heat plore every hill- top and valley from Canada to Mexico, be tween the At lantic and Pa cific oceans. After four decades of painsta k- ing work, less than one-half of continental United States has been accu rately charted Unlessthe mapping cam paign is speed ed up it will take another century of con stant labor to complete the herculean task A topograph ic mapis a veritable cross ing and criss crossing of in of the sun is tersecting terrific. Along Burdened by Heavy Instruments, Scientists Struggle to the Top lines. 1 hese the northern of Mount Whitney, Thousands of Feet above the Sea Level scientific net border of the works are of United States, they pursue their novel oc- cupation under as trying temperature con- ditions, the mercury often standing 10 to 40 degrees below zero. Most of the mapping work connected with the gathering of facts and figures for putting the United States on paper is, of necessity, performed on foot. Lately, how- ever, airships have been recruited for the novel task. Flying at altitudes of about 8,000 feet, the national birdmen, by the use of specially contrived cameras, photograph the land as it streams by in panorama below. Subsequently, these films are pasted together to form a complete picture of the area as it is taken through the lens. the greatest importance to transconti- nental railroad engineers and to all agen cies interested in mining, commercial engineering and industry. They por tray the shapes and contours of the countryside and constitute a complete dic tionary of altitudes for all named and unnamed places in the ntire nation. In this great enterprise of producing a picture of the nation, the country is di vided into unit zreas or quadrangles, each of which is 225 miles square. Uncle Sam pays between $3,090 and $8,000 for survey ing and mapping each of these portions depending on its ruggedness of topography) and degree of settlement. As each quad

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POPULAR MECHANICS ngle is mapped, the resultant scientific lata reproduced in map form is sold for 10 cents a copy. If a similar map were prepared and distributed by a commercial agency, the price would be many times that amount. Three thousand quadrangles, equivalent to approximately 675,000 square miles of land and water surface, have already been mapped. These fit together like a picture puzzle. In the leading mining sections of the country, the topographic maps are ade on larger and more detailed scales than most of the other regions. lhe federal topographer will survey and ap about one square mile of land area ily, during his field work. In the small pace of one square inch, he will set down ’ Dog Teams Carrying Map-Makers through Uncharted Wilds of Alaska, where They Face Arctic Cold for Eight Months of the Year Before Returning to the States every outstanding physical, natural, and artificial feature and landmark, by the finest of hairline drawing and lettering. Thereafter, each map is engraved and printed in three colors. Never were any valuable documents of state or nation more carefully and zeal- ously guarded than are these precious scraps of paper which the federal map men make. Already both the army and navy have mapped large areas by this method. While in many cases the principal elevations and depressions are shown on the photo-map, the minor changes escape. Nevertheless when the ground is level, aerial photogra- phy often becomes an invaluable aid to the topographer. Map-Makers’ Pack Train on Way over Mountain

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62 POPULAR MECHANICS Signal Station Built on Mountain Top by Uncle Sam's Scientists: This Target May Be Seen for a Long Distance I : : and Is of Great Aid in the Making of Mans

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POPULAR MECHANICS 63 PLANTS REVEAL RICH ORES OVER WHICH THEY GROW Plants that generally grow over certain mineral deposits aid miners of Australia in ocating rich ore deposits. Where the cala- mine violet thrives, they look for a zinc called calamine, because the flower favors earth containing this substance. Iron is often indicated by a copse of birch trees, vhile bindweed suggests the presence of phosphate. Lead may be discovered where there is a poisonous plant of the umach family, and limestone is revealed by beech trees. PUSH BUTTONS ASSIST WHEEL FOR STEERING SHIP Push buttons on the bridge of a ship are used to control a new type of rudder, which is intended to do away with much signaling between navigator and engineer, and to make docking easier. After a re- cent test, engineers predicted that the elec- ric system may simplify handling of even the largest ocean liners. A row of buttons near the compass and an indicator dial Pilot House with Electric Buttons and Indicator Dial to Steer Boat, Making Docking Easier showing how to use them to regulate a motor in the stern, are used in steering. Che motor moves the rudder. @ Alaska has yielded gold worth 328 mil- lion dollars. DUSTLESS ASH SIFTER SAVES FUEL, PREVENTS DIRT By sifting unburnt coal from stove ashes, a device is being made in Europe to enable housewives to reduce the cost of Ash Sifter which Saves Fuel and Operates without Permitting Dust to Escape fuel. Tightly constructed, it prevents dust from escaping and may be used in any part of the house. Resembling an ice-cream freezer and operated by a crank, the ma chine quickly separates the waste material from that which may be unconsumed, the good particles remaining in its upper sec tion, while the refuse drops into the lower part. f FORTY-THOUSAND-MILE FLIGHT GETS BEE POUND OF HONEY Flights totaling more than 40,000 miles must be made by a bee to gather enough nectar from the flowers to make a pound of honey, experts have recently figured. Gathering the sweet liquid within a radius of two and a half miles from its hive, it is estimated that the little housekeeper tray els at least one and one-half miles for each drop. It takes one-half gallon of this sub- stance to make one pound of honey. At the same time, it is said, the busy worker also carries plant pollen and water with which the young brood is fed.

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64 POPULAR MECHANICS FIND CACTUS PLANT LIKE MASS OF SERPENTS Found recently by museum workers in America, a type of cactus new to South Odd-Looking Cactus of a Type New to Science that as Found in South America science, presents an odd appearance. The leaves are long and thorny and resemble snakes more than they do parts of a plant. Scientists, who made the discovery, have been unable to determine any special servy- ice that the curious growth might per- form, even in its native habitat. POROUS BRONZE BEARINGS HELP PROLONG LIFE OF AUTO Absorbing oils and greases up to 25 per cent of its volume, a copper-tin bronze automobile bearing recently developed is expected to simplity the problems of lubri- cation and to aid in prolonging a car’s life. Under a test, it was found of service in all ordinary uses and in many cases satisfac- tory for replacing ball and roller types. Thousands of tiny pores give the metal the qualities of a blotter or a wick. In a dem- onstration, a kerosene lamp was fitted with a bushing of this material, instead of a cotton wick, and burned as long as the liquid lasted. PIPE A BLOCK LONG TESTS EINSTEIN THEORY With a length of sewer pipe a block long, scientists are testing the Einstein theory of relativity. By observing whether light rays are bent in passing through a vacuum tube and being reflected by mirrors back to the source, they hope to solve the ques- tion as to whether air is stationary or is drawn along by the motion of the earth. If two beams of light, flashed from opposite directions in the tube, dis- place each other, it will mean that the theory is correct, say the experimenters. About 95 per cent of the air was with- drawn from the tile tube by a vacuum pump, and delicate instruments in little houses at both ends record the results of the trials studied by the observer. st: ES act Be baie § & a For Testing the Einstein Theory of Relativity this Vacuum Chamber Was Built of Sewer Pipe. Above: Instrument to Aid Scientists in Study of Action of Light in Tube

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POPULAR MECHANICS 65 AUTO AND HIGH-POWERED GUN ELIMINATE WILD ANIMALS Modern firearms and automobiles, some cientists say, are responsible for the de- rease of wild animals in all parts of the orld. The disappearance of certain spe- ies which existed in great numbers a few ears ago, recalls the fate of the dodo and he great auk. Persons advocating more rotection and stricter hunting laws direct ttention to the slaughter of the American ‘ison, of which several millions are said to have been killed in the United States and Canada. Musk oxen that once roamed n large herds through the arctic regions, ire nearly extinct, killed off by white hunt- ers and Indians with high-powered rifles. Mountain sheep also have almost vanished. PHONE TALK RECEIVED ON WAX ROLL REPEATED LATER Telephone messages may be taken on a wax roll with a recent invention, repro- Hearing Phone Calls Received on Wax Roll to be Repeated When Desired duced when desired or held as records. When the business or professional man does not wish to be disturbed by phone calls or is absent from his office, he may connect the instrument with a recording machine. When ready to listen, he starts the cylinder revolving by pressing a but- ton, and through the receivers in the head- set, clearly hears everything that was said over the telephone. The rolls may be shaved to be used again or kept perma- nently as proof of statements. @ The modern German stove would seem trange to the American housewife. Re- embling a chiffonier or an ice chest, it has everal drawers and burns lignite char, a substance. The built long these lines for economy of heat. All king is done in the top compartment. peatlike stove is PIECE OF NEEDLEWORKER’S ART COMMANDS HIGH PRICE Patiently worked with needle and silken threads of varied colors, a single piece of embroidery recently exhibited in the East is valued at several thousand dollars. Embroidery Whose Design and Skillful Puts Value at Several Thousands of Dollars Needlework Against a background of white, a proud peacock struts, displaying his beautiful tail. Into this single example of the nee* dleworker’s art went many hours of patient and eye-straining toil, done with an artis- tic touch that rivals that of a painter. Em- broidering’is one of mankind's oldest arts, developed from almost prehistoric times. In the tombs of Egyptian Pharaohs who lived as early as 1600 B. C., skillfully em- broidered linens have been found, pre- served through the centuries by the dry at- mosphere of the vaults. STEAM CLEANER FOR PIPE STEM TAKES OUT IMPURITIES Pipe stems and cigar holders are now being cleaned by a recent invention which creates steam from water or va- por from alcohol boiling in a small 2 glass bottle. B y holding the bulb ' a over a flame, the EY vapor thus gen- YZ erated passes through a rubber tube from the container to the cleansed, 1 article to be sterilizing the interior and ing out all particles that may have lodged in the opening. mouthpiece of the tore

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66 POPULAR MECHANICS Tracking Fish of the Deep with Seaplanes AAOVING slowly southward, 3,000 feet 4 up in the air, three seaplanes are fol- lowing the coast line of southern Califor- nia eight or ten miles out from shore. Suddenly the observer in one of them, peering through the floorless bottom of the cockpit, reaches over to a switch and a radio message crackles into the air. The plane swings into an elliptical ‘course, two miles north and south and a half mile wide. The other planes continue in a straight course. At North Island, one of the federal avia- tion stations on the Pacific coast, a wire- less operator leans to a telephone and speaks clearly and slowly: “Sardines, two by a half; one mile north- northwest Coronado Islands.” On the water front of San Diego,a min- ute later, a shrill whistle cuts the air and from 50 to 250 motorboats put to’sea in battle formation. Toward the Coronados they drive, and nearing there a few min- utes later, they sight a seaplane moving languidly above. A flag is run up the mast of the leading boat; the seaplane drops to almost water level and directs a course; the flotilla of boats follow, spreading out as they proceed to the point. ye ern en The craft form into a gigantic fan a1 then at a concerted sig nal throw their nets overboard and stee: for a common center. They proceed spas modically, stopping to haul in their net laden with sardines and casting out again The plane is no longer necessary and it rises to join its fellows. As the boats reach their capacity and n« more fish can be piled on the decks, the) turn shoreward. Here, tied up, they shovel their cargoes onto the dock and await another message from the airship. How effective this mode of fishing is may be judged from the increase of pro duction of fisheries along the coast neat San Diego. since the plawes—have been used. Last year approximately 10,000-tons of fish were landed without the use oi aircraft. This year it is believed that there will be a 20 to 25 per cent increase. When the fish are running normally and in their usual seasons, the planes are not necessary, as the fishermen locate them by the flocks of gulls that follow them by day and by the phosphorescence they give off at night. However, with these aids, “fish- ing by plane” is more productive.

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POPULAR MECHANICS

| Above: Running of Sardines Through Scaling Machines; Insert: Frying Room, where Human Hands Prepare Fish for Preliminary Cooking

— EES - = y) : = _ = on One Boat’s Catch Located by Seaplanes: These Fish, Only pe ——— ee (p Ay aby >) Small Part of 20,000.000 Pounds Taken Last Year by San es By) (YP aa I Diego Fishers, Were Caught on Hooks and conan 3 ' — k. - YW

——— —$_ 4. -=$_——_—<_

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68 POPULAR MECHANICS PERISCOPE AIDS GOLF PLAYERS TO SEE HIDDEN GREEN Players on a golf course in Wales locate a hidden green by using a periscope. At- tached to the side of a shed, and extending

Copyright, Underwood & Underwood Golf Players Ueing petteesee Bs See Lay. of the Land etore riving about fifteen feet in the air, the device af- fords an unobstructed view of the fairway. Before driving off the tee, each player looks through the lens to determine if the green is clear, thus avoiding the possibility of striking persons who-may be near it. It also aids the golfers in directing “shots.” SCISSORS GET SHARP EDGES CUTTING METAL SHEETS rer } By cutting sheets of metal foil, now being sold in Europe, scissors are easily sharpened, good edges being ob- obtained with a few slashes. Knives also may be dressed by drawing them across the material while it lies on a flat surface in much the same manner that an oil stone is used.

SOIL OF ORIENT BECOMES BANK FOR SUSPICIOUS NATIVES Vast amounts of buried treasure in the form of gold and silver coins and or- naments are lying in the soils of India, China, and the Malay Peninsula. The coolies, in years past, took this means of protecting their meager hoards against the rapacity of those in authority. Bank- ers place the total amount of capital thus withdrawn from circulation at hundreds of millions of dollars. O*ficials in India have attempted to persuade the common people to deposit their savings in the banks, but their efforts have not been en- tirely successful. The silver market of the world is greatly dependent on India and China for an outlet for a large share of the bullion. BUNGALOW BUILT IN TREE TOP MAKES AIRY HOME Built among the sawed-off branches at the top of a tree, but equipped with a roof garden and other luxuries, such as are found in modern homes, the abode of a Civil War veteran is one of the sights of a soldiers’ home in California. Preferring the airy dwelling to one on the ground, he rented the structure and fitted up comfort- able quarters.- Two large rooms, a. kitch- enette, and a veranda reached by an outer stairway, compose the building.

3 TI J ~< TWN:

Where Civil War Veteran Lives in Completely Ap- pointed Bungalow Perched in Tree Top

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POPULAR MECHANICS OO he Le eS Oe Oe —- Stag 4 — SoS 23% me Gs £\..t ROS jo? Sie A PRES ac ee Oe -_ Native Tells of Great Quake From Popular Mechanics Magazine’s Japanese Correspondent, N. SAKATA OF TOKYO [Popular Mechanics Magazine believes it need offer no apology for presenting an / account of the Japanese earthquake at this late date, when it is the experience of a native eye-witness, N. Sakata, this magazine's special correspondent in Tokyo. The tale is a moving one and written from the native point of view. In the stress of his emotions, Mr. Sakata seems to have suddenly developed a fluency in English, which former contributions lacked to some extent. His “copy” has been edited in order that his pitiful adventures may be more readily grasped by the reader.—Editor’s Note.] HE morning of September first was stormy. A strong + wind was blowing, and I could /] scarcely hold an umbrella. It was raining heavily, but when I reached my office it began to clear up, and the dark sky @ changed to a cheerful blue. At 11:58 o'clock I heard a strange sound from the earth through the building wall, but 44 «since it was so slight, and, be- Aq cause I afterwards learned that other men did not notice it, I paid little attention. Soon f | afterwards, the building began to shake very softly. Inasmuch as we Japanese are familiar with small earthquakes, I paid little attention to it and felt that it would scon pass, but, alas! it uncomfortable grew into an shock. I heard the This now began to sway from leit to right, and back. Finally, it fell over forward. The book- case crashed to the floor and my writing cabinet fell over. The huge body of the office building was still shaking, giv- ing off an indescribable sound. The movement of the first shock still continued, and I cannot tell you how dreadful it was to me. The walls had not cracked in my room, but I could hear them from all sides. I supposed, of course, that my room would finally crush in, and in my mind I said farewell to all my brothers, my mother, and my sister. I crawled under the heavy desk, hoping that I might thus be saved. After the first tremendous shock, I re- solved to go crying of women and the sounds of 4 the cracking @ of the adja- cent building walls. We had * in our room a my large case for . filing papers which meas- ured about 10 | feet high ‘and Wd 20 feet wide. to the Impe- rial Palace Square, which is a very wide field and near our building. As I rushed out the front door, I no- ticed that the huge build- ings all about me were bro ken. A man, NIH LE CAAT WCE Pg a 4g

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POPULAR MECHANICS Ph MOEA Ze terribly hurt, was sit- ting on the ground by the building. I ran on to the square. Many fires now arose throughout the city. Black smoke and red flames were cast over the sky. I could 1 : ee ns not see the natural Dd we FES Se * th | ru AA ke: ca af “a a — color of the sky any- where because of the dense smoke. Hunger and thirst came next. Indeed, the first night of the earthquake, September first, was a very dreadful one. I still find it difficult to believe that it is all true. In every direction one might look, the city was a mass of flames. The Imperial Palace Square was the middle of a great furnace. Crimson flames and billowing clouds of smoke cov- ered the city. We could find no light or gas in the square, for these had been extinguished at the producing station because of the danger of fire. There was, however, no need of man-made illumination, for the holocaust provided as brilliant a light at night as the sun did in the daytime. The temperature of the air being raised, we were forced to breathe quickly, the heavy air almost stifling us. I could not sleep, for I was nearly frantic thinking about my mother and sister whom I had left at home. Hunger attacked us. Tokyo is very cold in September, and although the flames gave off great heat, the midnight air chilled us. I tried to get out of the crowds. There were more than 100,000 gathered in this small square, so it was very difficult to get away. Indeed, I could not get a bit of space to stand up. It took me 30 minutes of crawling and stumbling to move 200 feet, but finally | emerged. Aiter a very long time, and by devious routes, I reached my home. Alas! I found my house burned to ashes, and I could not find any members of my household. I searched and searched in the clouds of smoke qe Zl. AEE oy EET a Fog for my mother and sister. The smoke

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SK ce a TTI aha APRORS filled my eves and I could not see. I tried to find even a bit of my mother’s burned body, but I could not. After hours of vain search, my eyesight nearly gone from smoke, I had to stop, and I could only hope pi that my mother might have escaped to safety somewhere. I could not think of any place she might be. All the homes of my relatives were destroyed. “Oh, where could she be!” I asked myself, and cried and cried. I thought that I might not be able to find them anywhere any more in this world. All my courage had disappeared. It was in this state that, as I was walking along the river which is near my house, | saw a woman dimly through the smoke—just an outline. The phantom shape seemed to resemble my mother. I approached and asked her who she was, and then, I could not believe it was real! I thought it must be a dream, but it was not. It was my mother! It was my mother! She and I embraced each other again and again, thanking God, and again I cried and cried for joy. Coming home from my office I saw hundreds of dead bodies of men and women. I had had nothing to eat for more than three days, and the odd odor of the hot wind often caused me to fall down fainting. But my mother and sister were safe, so my cour- age had returned to me. Everywhere, I saw thousands of people running to escape from the city to the suburbs. I had taken my mother and sister to the suburbs, and was trying to get into the city. I understood fully that I might be wounded or killed by fire and falling buildings, but we nevertheless kept on our way. Occasionally I was asked who I was by a policeman. They urged me to stay out of the city, and at times even attempted to prevent me, for by this time the government had declared the city under martial law, and soldiers stood on the road with their guns loaded and swords bared. If we insisted, then it would

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7 POPULAR MECHANICS mean we would be shot or cut down. Sometimes we were attacked by flames and smoke. Frequently, to protect our- selves against such terrors, we were forced to dash into the water and get ourselves wet from head to foot. It was very danger- ous work. The fire continued eight days. We Japanese have one thing in mind to tell you; that is, our great thanks for the wonderful help you gave us. If you will, please, print on your pages that the Japa- ELECTRIC “VALET” FOR PRESSING TROUSERS IN HOME For pressing trousers quickly and con- veniently, an electrical device is being —_—_SSEEEYEEE—_—_——_L_ Copyright, Underwood & Underwood Device Operated by Electricity to Press Trousers Quickly and Conveniently in the Home marketed that attaches to the ordinary light socket. There are two sections, the lower one, which is heated and over which the trousers are laid, and the upper, which is attached to the former by clamps. In pressing, one has only to fasten the two sections together and turn on the electri- city. Within a few minutes, the garment is reshaped and ready to wear. SHIPS PASS ABOVE LOFTY HILLS IN JOURNEY OVER SEAS By means of a new method of surveying the floors of oceans, it has been possible to chart some of the deepest waters. These maps show that transocean steamer paths pass over mountain chains, valleys, and plateaus that lie hidden beneath the seas. From the eastern shores of the United States, ships sail above continental slopes, extending far out like a great shelf, beyond nese people are thanking the American people, and will never forget your kindness at this time. I am now at Shibaura, which is the ship- ping center on Tokyo Bay. I can see many ships flying the American flag on the calm sea. It is an inspiring sight, and I thank God for it. VU _dedue Ve §. which is a vast rolling plain, unbroken until it rises and forms a great ridge of mountains south of Iceland, virtually di- viding the waters. : SHEETS OF METAL TO REPLACE PLASTER AND WALL PAPER Thin metal sheets are being used in- stead of plaster and wall paper in France. Among the advantages claimed for the plates are that they cost less, and can be put on cheaper than the old materials. The air in a house thus equipped is said to be easily maintained at an even temper- ture, as the walls are almost air-tight. The sheets, which are sold in standard sizes, are mounted on laths. They are stamped with decorative designs which can be painted in any colors desired. A dwelling lined in this way is also reported to be proof against many insect pests. HOLDER FOR SERVING SPOONS KEEPS HANDLES FROM FOOD To prevent spoons from slipping into food in a serving dish, a metal holder, to be attached to the rim of the vessel, has been placed on the market in Europe. It is Metal Holder Placed on Edge of Serving Dish to Keep Spoons from Slipping into Food specially designed to keep the handle of a ladle well above the edge of a container for sauces, gravy, and other liquid foods.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 73 PICKS AND SHOVELS TO RIFLE OLD TOMBS OF MYSTERY While excavators are exploring the last resting places of ancient Egyptian mon- archs, other scientists in a_ half-dozen places are seeking out more old mysteries of that country. Others are at work in the fields of Greece and near-by Asiatic lands. All over the world, men with picks and shovels are striving to dig up and re- ‘onstruct glories of other days. Explora- ms planned for the future are expected o add substantially to vast collections of relics now being studied. Digging is to be resumed at El Amarna, site of the city founded by the father-in-law of Tut-Ankh- Amen. METAL SPLINTS FOR FRACTURES EASILY ADJUSTED Adjustable aluminum splints, designed to be used on any kind of fracture, were exhibited at a conference of surgeons in the middle West recently. They are held together with rivets and bolts and can support any part of the body rigidly. Be- right, Underwood & Underwood Patient with Limb Set in Metal Brace that Replaces Splints for Broken Bones cause of their construction, they allow for free circulation of air around the injured parts. GAS FORMED IN GRAIN CARGO RAISES SUNKEN SHIP Gas, generated by saturation of grain by water, recently raised a ship that had lain deck downward on the bottom of the Medi- terranean Sea since 1916, when it struck a floating mine. As the vessel reached the surface, keel upward, it turned over and the gas, rushing through openings in the deck, exploded. Grain was blown high into the air and scattered over the sea, while the boat filled with water and sank again. LIFELIKE MOVING PICTURES TAKEN BY SUPER CAMERA Moving pictures that “stand out” from the screen as naturally as though the ob- jects were being viewed through a window Huge Camera for Taking Motion Pictures that Appear to Have Depth on the Screen have been produced by a camera and pro- jecting machine designed by a middle western inventor. Films three times the size of those now in use are employed. The screen is 40 by 20 feet in size. Through the application of the principle of the stereoscope, or double vision, the pictures have the appearance of possessing depth instead of the present flatness Also, is no distortion when viewed there from the side NOTCHED WEDDING RING WORN TO DENOTE DIVORCE Many women in England, who have been divorced from their husbands, continue to wear the wedding ring, cut in it by a jew- eler, as an indica- tion of that fact. Those who have parted from more than one husband have notches to indicate the num- ber made in the edge of the gold band, it is. said. but have a fracture @ More than 100 different languages are spoken in India,

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t4 POPULAR MECHANICS SPRING CLIP ON RACQUET HOLDS TENNIS BALLS For conveniently carrying tennis balls, a spring clip holding two of them, attaches to a racquet press. Encircled by the wires,

~~.

Spring Clip Attached to Racquet Press, Holding Tennis Balls Firmly without Cutting Them the balls are held firmly in position with no danger of the rubberized fabric being cut, and a slight pressure on the device re- leases them. STEAMSHIPS ON NIGHT TRIPS CARRY ILLUMINATED ADS To advertise their products, certain English firms equip ships that ply at night with gigantic electric signs. The ads are made of sheet metal 10 feet high and are carried between the vessels’ masts by ropes. Hundreds of bulbs flood them with light. By a mechanical arrangement the current is alternately turned off and on, a

English Steamship Equipped with Electric Signs Spelling Advertising Messages During Trips at Night different letter appearing each time and the message is spelled out to the observers. < i FOOTPRINTS IN STONE MAY MARK EARLY WHITE RACE Huge footprints impressed in the sur- face of Enchanted Mountain, in the south- ern Blue Ridge range, have led to the be- lief that perhaps America was at one time in the prehistoric past inhabited by a white race of immense stature. The tracks seem- ingly were made when the stone was still soft There are 26 outlines of the human foot, all bare except one, which evi- dently was incased in a moccasin. of these prints measured more than 17 inches in length and over 7 inches in width. Beside it is the mark of a finely shaped hand. Old Indian legends tell ofa mysterious white race that once occupied that region. soil. One ELECTRIC IRON IN VANITY SET FOR TRAVELERS More compact than a small handbag, a toilet set has been devised by an eastern man for the use of women travelers. Fit-

Vanity Case for Women Travelers that Contains Electric Iron, Heating Cup, and Hair Curler ting securely into a socket at the bottom of the case is an electric iron with a curl- ing iron attached to it. <A holder is included for a cup which may be used for heating liquids. The entire equipment weighs slightly more than five pounds and may be conveniently slipped into a travel- ing bag. It contains many other imple- ments generally found on the dressing table. also @ Vaccine for the dreaded foot and mouth disease, prevalent among cattle, has been discovered in France; it is expected to check the mortality among the animals.

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POPULAR MECHANICS TRAPPING BOLL WEEVIL IN FIGHT ON PEST ~2 or Armed with Traps, Cotton Workers Labo? to Rid Crops of Destructive Boll Weevils. to Be as Effective as Poison, and Less Expensive This Method Is Believed Finding the poi- son-dust method too expensive, small cotton growers of the South are using traps to rid their fields of boll wee- vils, which annually cause enormous loss. One of the most popularsnares, easily made by the planter, is formed by wrapping finely meshed screen around two semi- bottom to a trough. These, mounted on a sled drawn by a horse or mule, or carried by laborers, are taken through the rows of plants, the dangling wires inside them brush ing off the insects. At the end of each row, the weevils are removed and de stroyed. Although inexpensive, t his system has been hoops, WwW h i c h are connected at the Hitched to a Mule, ata These Snares Clear Two Rows Time found to materially increase the yield. TWIN TUBES IN TUNNEL CARRY TRAFFIC BENEATH RIVER In constructing the Hudson River traffic tunnel between New York City and New Jersey, engineers are said to have provided a means of clearing the 14,000 feet of traffic tubes of noxious gas fumes that will be generated from thousands of automobiles passing through them. The tunnel will rest on concrete and steel piles imbedded in solid rock 250 feet below the river bed and will consist of two channels, each big enough for two lines of travel. Under the river, it will be 3,375 feet long, but its total length, including the approaches, will be 9,250 feet. When the plans were first drawn, experts estimated that the structure would prove adequate for at least ten vears. Recent traffic surveys have caused them to cut five years from that period, and there are indications that further mod- ifications will be made. The tunnel’s ca- pacity is figured at 46,000 vehicles daily. HARD RUBBER REPLACES REED FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Tone qualities of the saxophone and clarinet are said to be improved, and ease in playing the instruments made possible, by the use of mouthpieces molded from a hard-rubber composition, instead of reed ones. The manufactured article is claimed to be proof against warping, and does not irritate the lips. They in varying degrees of flexibility and vibrate equally as well as those of cane wood. come

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76 POPULAR MECHANICS FLOATING TOPS FOR OIL TANKS REDUCE LOSSES In an attempt to provide means to check evaporation and fire losses, which cost the oil industry more than $200,000,000 a year, a floating steel roof for oil storage tanks has been designed. Resting on the surface of the liquid, the roof would about three feet of water, on which was poured 1,000 gallons of gasoline, covering the water with three inches of the inflam- mable fluid. After the floating top was put into place, fire was applied to the pat- ented seal around its edge, but the flames Floating Steel Roof for Oil Tanks to Reduce Evaporation and Fire Losses by Preventing Air Circulation at the Top: Left, Sealing Braces that Make Edges Tight seem to eliminate the fire hazard always present when there is an air space between the surface of the contents and the top of an ordinary tank. It is also claimed that by this means evaporation is_ retarded. Tests, recently made of the invention, were conducted with a steel tank containing POP CORN BURSTS OPEN IN HEAT OF SUN Pop corn popped in the field by the sun’s rays is reported from northern California. Kernels of a dozen ears in one field, it is Cob with Pop-Corn Kernels that Were Burst Open by Heat of Sun did not spread. A torch was also placed at one of the small air vents, and while smoke and flames immediately belched forth, they lasted less than a minute. A bucket of gasoline was poured on the roof and -ig- nited, but after burning five minutes failed to affect the contents of the tank. said, had burst out crisp and almost as full as though they had been placed over a fire. The owner found that the corn, of a kind which pops at a lower temperature than usual, had ripened to full maturity and grew in a place where it was directly exposed to the sunlight. Ears in more sheltered parts of the patch were not af- fected. @ Road building belongs close to the top in the list of big businesses in the United States, according to an estimate compiled by the Bureau of Public Roads. This es- timate announced that 40,000 miles of surfaced roads were built last year.

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POPULAR MECHANICS v7 CITIES HALF CENTURY HENCE TO BE “BUILT IN AIR” Moving the calendar ahead fifty years, some noted experts see American cities with towering skyscrapers, beside which even the tallest and most beautiful build- ings of today will seem very ordinary. Even the small towns will have structures as large as those now considered huge. Street traffic will have been almost elimi- nated, workers will travel in subways, diri- gibles, or on elevated roads at high speed. he telephone will have added improve- ments. Radio sets will be essential in every office and home. Houses will be heated by electricity in a few minutes, and little coal will be used in either homes or office buildings. The camera will have been discarded for pocket motion-picture outfits, and “movies” in the theaters will have been given speech. College students will report their lessons by wireless, and ministers will broadcast their sermons. ODD-SHAPED EGG BEATER DOES WORK RAPIDLY For whipping eggs, a beater with a coiled-wire base is being made which does the work rapidly and thoroughly. It is operated by an up-and-down motion of the hand. The coil flattens out on the down- ward stroke and as it springs back, draws the egg with it, producing air bubbles. It does not tire the arm, it is claimed, and is readily cleansed with hot water. AN Coiled-Wire Fee. Beater that Works by Strokes that ompress Spring Base TESTING CORDS OF NETS CUTS NATION’S FISHING BILL Through tests of various kinds of cord used in making nets, government experts Testing Cords that Are to Be Used in Fish Nets to Determine Strength have devised a method by means of which fishermen can prolong the life of their old equipment. As a result, it is estimated, persons who seine the waters of the deep for sea food have been saved more than $2,000,000. Pieces of many types of twine are examined for strength and durability, and the facts thus determined are made public to aid weavers in turning out prod- ucts which giv e longer and better service. HUNT FOR ORIGIN OF AMERICA’S NAME LEADS TO DARK AGES Delving into ancient documents, ex- perts disagreeing with the theory that Americus Vespucius was responsible for the name of America, point out that In- dians called this land “Amaroke” long be- fore the white man came. Researches, it is said, have shown that the word, in one form or another, was widely known in pre- historic times as the name of the “new world.” In a highland region of Nicara- gua, a province is still called Amerisque, a title it has retained since early antiquity. Because of this and other findings, certain authorities believe that Vespucius took his name from the new hemisphere.

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~2 ° 2) POPULAR MECHANICS FORESTS BURNED TO INCREASE GROWTH OF TREES Kindling Fires in Forest of Valueless Trees to Clear Ground for Planting Better Timber: Photo Courtesy American Lumberman Only Expert oodsmen Are Permitted to Take Part in this Work Timber “stands” of little or no com- mercial value are being removed by fires to clear the tracts for the planting of fir trees, the wood of which is in great de- mand by the lumber industry. These fires are kindled in the woods of the West by squads of men trained in the building and control of such blazes. This treatment is usual land occupied by _ inferior growths of hemlock and “scrub.” When over the fire-hazard season in the forest ends, the work of clearing begins. In one state a law requires that this be done at least once a year. Fires started in the spring sometimes smolder until late summer and then break out with such fierceness as to cause big losses before they are extin- guished. Cold and damp weather after autumn is selected as the best time to do the burning. EES De tio sees So Skuil of Prehistoric Cow that Lay Buried for 50,000 Years in Bed of Western River SKULL OF STONE-AGE COW DUG FROM RIVER BED Dredgers working in a western rivet have recently uncovered what is believed to be the skull of a broad-faced cow which was buried for at least 50,000 vears, the bottom of the stream. The animal to which the fossil scientists say, was the forerunner of the buffalo, the cow, and others of the bovine family. Horns measuring 20 | around their were still attached to the below belonged, inches base specimen. i

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POPULAR EVIDENCE OF EARLY ROMANS FOUND IN NEW GUINEA Bits of pottery and part of a sword be- lieved to be of Roman origin lately found in the Humboldt Bay region of New Guinea, have partly convinced explorers that wandering galleys may have reached the northwestern end of the island more than 2,000 years ago. Further evidence to support the theory is the fact that several words in the dialect of the natives are de- rived from Latin roots, scholars say, and an old legend which has become part of the folk lore of the inhabitants strengthens the belief. They tell of a huge, many-legged beetle that climbed out of the sea ages ago, carrying men on its back who camped in the bushes near by while it rested on the sands. It is now believed that the “beetle” legend arose from the appearance of a Roman galley, the legs having been, in reality, the long oars of the vessel and the men hardy adventurers who had drifted far from their native shores. Though there is no account of such a voyage in Roman history, it is pointed out that the men who reached the island may never have re- turned home to tell of their exploit. ELECTRIC DRILL ON WHEELS CUTS CONSTRUCTION COST With an electric drill mounted on wheels, an eastern firm has found a way of reducing construction costs, as the de- Copyright, Underwood & Underwood Electric Drill on Wheels that Is Easily Moved and which Two Men Can Operate vice does the work formerly performed by many men and in much less time. It has been employed in drilling rivet holes on a viaduct job, only two men being required to operate it, one to hold the frame at the a angle while the other guides the drill. MECHANICS 79 CLOTH SHIELDS PROTECT AUTO WHILE MECHANICS WORK To protect the interior of an automobile from dirt while it is being overhauled by mechanics, cloth covers are being used, Cloth Covers Protect epaired by Workmen Snugly-Fittin Surface while Auto Is Being which fit snugly over the various parts. By this means, workers can perform their tasks without danger of soiling the car. Such shields may be placed on the steer- ing wheel, gearshift, and brake levers, while the upholstery is guarded from the greasy clothing of the repairmen in the same manner. They also prevent scratches for tools used by the workmen. CAP FOR “SQUEEZE” CONTAINER PREVENTS LEAKAGE Instead of the == usual caps for tube-shaped “squeeze” contain- ers, patented cov- ers are being made in Europe which spread the tents evenly and cleanly over sur- faces as it out of the holder. They are suitable for applying pastes, shoe cream, shaving soap, and sim ilar commodities. Protecting lids fit over the device when not in use, keeping them from leaking. ——_ con comes

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80 POPULAR MECHANICS ENTIRE GOLF COURSE LAID OUT IN CITY BLOCK Within the area of a single city block, a gineers were able to confine the links to triangular spot at the intersection of three the limited space. Built for patrons of the streets, a western hotel has laid out a nine- hotel, it provides a recreation field within hole golf course, with hazards and bunk-_ the heart of the town, where guests who Miniature Nine-Hole Golf Course with Bunkers and Hazards Laid Out for Hotel by Engineers in the Space of a Single Triangular City Block ers, like a ground of the regular size. By are enthusiasts of the game can play with- cleverly arranging the greens and reducing out -journeying farther than across a the usual distance between them, the en- thoroughfare. ICE FROM ANCIENT GLACIER to keep fish fresh while being shipped to PRESERVES SHIPPED FISH the markets. Unable to meet the expense of a cold-storage or refrigerating plant, Ice formed centuries ago in the glaciers the owner of the cannery makes use of the of the North is used at an Alaska cannery fields of ice near by. A fleet of gasoline launches keeps the storehouse filled by making frequent trips to the fields. MISSING LINK OF FOSSILS FOUND IN MONGOLIA Science has linked the horned and un- horned reptiles. An American expedition, recently returned from Mongolia, found fossils in such numbers that one hun- dred years will be none too long in which to study the finds. Two discoveries were outstanding: a complete skeleton of a dinosaur with collar of plated bones, and about twenty five eggs, one of which con- tained a perfect embryo of the species. Che collared skeleton forms the missing link Age-Old Glacier Supplies Ice to Keep Fish Fresh Till ‘ ; a : , Radienh ob Whose between the horned and unhorned reptiles.

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POPULAR MECHANICS RADIOPHONE ON LINER WORKS LIKE WIRE INSTRUMENT Differing only slightly from the ordinary broadeasting outfit, a wireless-telephone set has been put on a large ocean liner ving between New York and England, hich performs in a manner identical to that of the land wire instrument. A con- versation may be carried on and the speak- ers can break in on each other's talk in the ordinary way. With the aid of shore op- erators, it will soon be possible, according to experts, for passengers and officers of the vessels to establish contact with friends or business associates in their homes or offices, and speak to them with the same ease that conversations over the “wire” re accomplished. ROOF OF BIG SCHOOL HELD UP WHILE STORY IS ADDED In adding a story to a big school build- ing in an eastern city recently, the roof was supported at a height of 12 feet above Inserting Extra after Roof Was Raised Story at Top of School Building the walls. The extra floor was then built in over a space 150 by 75 feet. When the work had been completed, the top was lowered and secured to its new base. Large jacks, all operated at the same time, were employed for the task, which was carried out without damage to any of the tructure. @ Writing on the back of an ordinary post- card, a French bank cashier recently suc- ceeded in inseribing 203 lines, containing 17.450 words, equivalent to the amount of print on two pages of a newspaper. io 2) — RESERVOIR IN FLOWER BOX FEEDS WATER TO PLANT Plants and flowers may be kept fresh and healthy all year round with very little attention by a self-watering steel box that AND’ WATER Tuete= o y, y vy AVE | ae —_ Ane Flower Box that Keeps Plants Fresh Year and Requires Water Once a Week Round has been patented. Moisture and air directed to the roots through a series of perforated tubes fed from a reservoir that requires filling only once a are week. It is said the plants cannot be overwatered by this device. A pipe with an opening re- ceives the supply of water and acts as a reserve tank, in addition to carrying air beneath the soil. MILKER WORKS LIKE HANDS AND IS SELF-CLEANSING Milking at least 18 hour, a gasoline-driven, self-washing machine, de signed to save time and labor, is made which can be operated easily boy or a woman. CcCOWs an being by a Copying the gentle, easy motion of the hands, but performing the task more uniformly, the apparatus is said to be less annoying to the animals. A wide wheel base prevents it from tipping easy to and makes it move over uneven Self-Cleaning Milking Machine that Performs Work as Gently as when Done by Hand surfaces. Between milking times, the en gine can be used about the farm or dairy to run other light machinery.

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82 POPULAR MECHANICS NATION’S CAPITOL IN MINIATURE IS PRIZED MODEL Regarded as one of the best products of the modeler’s art, a miniature reproduction of the nation’s capitol is admired every year by thousands of vis- itors to Washington. It is on display in a special room along with other valued relics. In minute detail, it pictures the gracefulness and grandeur, the broad steps, ] wide fa- cades, and towering dome of the imposing edifice, where public servants watch and direct the destiny of the repub- lic. It was made 15 years ago by a French artist to guide architects who were at that time considering plans for ex tending the original building Through the years it has been on exhibition, it has been carefully guarded from cu rio seekers, who perchance might have defaced it. —— =" in MINIT nee enamel, Valued Model of Nation’s Capitol, Showing all the Beautiful Lines of that Imposing Structure, which Is Viewed Annually by Thousands Who Visit Washington PICTURES WOVEN IN RUGS SHOW RACE’S GLORY Past glories of the Navajos, now hardly more than legends, are kept alive in the government Indian schools, which teach the children of that tribe how to weave pictures into rugs and blankets. Patiently Navajo Indian Girl Weaving Story of Past Glories of Her Race into Rug working at a hand loom, not much differ- ent from those used by their ancestors, the students make designs in the yarns, which proclaim the deeds of some chieftain, long since dead, or other achievement in the romantic history of their people. The word-of-mouth stories, from which these subjects are drawn, have been handed down for centuries. Although the Navajo population is dwindling away, these tales of a power that once was theirs are still cherished. BRIGHT-COLORED WALLS CUT COST OF LIGHTING How bright-colored walls reduce the cost of lighting, by reflecting rays, and how dark tints increase expenses, by ab- sorbing beams, were shown in some recent tests by British decorators. To keep a room bright they found that white serves best, as it takes up only thirty per cent oi the brightness, and that deep chocolate is least desirable, as it absorbs ninety-six per cent. Between these, in the order of thei value, are chrome yellow, orange, yellow, light pink, emerald green, dark brown, ver milion, blue-green, and cobalt. HUGE PLUME COMBINES BEAUTY OF TEN THOUSAND FEATHERS In making a display recently, the ow: ers of a western ostrich farm composed a single, beautiful plume of 10,000 white feathers of the finest quality. It weighed 250 pounds and was 15 feet long and & feet wide. The material alone was worth eight thousand dollars.

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Machine-Made “Stars and Stripes” Replace the Flags of Betsy Ross’ Day Uncle Sam’s Factory Turns Out Nation’s Colors ] l is a far cry from the handmade flag of Betsy Ross to the production of lags by machinery, and yet the cradle of he “Stars and Stripes” has remained in Philadelphia since the symbol of our na- tion was born there 145 years ago. The traditional scene of this woman patriot patiently fingering the colors of a new ition, has shifted to the operation of cores of machines, increasing production thousand fold. Yet, Uncle Sam’s flag factory is main- tained in the Quaker City, as a branch of the War Department, charged with the re- ponsibility of making all the flags used by he army. This obligation involves the inufacture of a variety of forms of the Stars and Stripes, and storm flags. There, re also made automobile, distinguishing, nd transport flags, and ensigns, harbor- boat “jacks,” and pennants, together with uidonsin is allotted to 13 units of operation. Each worker in Uncle Sam’s flag factory is as signed the task of contributing a definite bit of workmanship, these progressive units making for a finished product. Bunting—a thin woolen stuff used pri marily for making flags—is painstakingly inspected before being issued to the ma chines. It is placed one ply upon another and divided into specified lengths until a section 100-ply high is available. Then the material is marked and subjected to an electrically driven cutting machine which parcels the bunting into strips oi two sizes, these entering into the manu facture of the stars and stripes. The pro cedure followed with the blue bunting fo the field is not dissimilar to that of cutting the long and short red and white stripes The elasticity of the material involves the exercise of utmost care in the laying out ——————, and separating vast assort- ents. The making “Old Glo- ry” in great quantities and in response to the dictates of economy is of compar. a- tively recent igin. Prog- ress in this lirection has marked time vith the de- velopment of the needle- machine in- dustry. Not unlike Betsy Ross, who ashioned the national em- blem with her hngers, not so very long ago an entire flag Was construct- ed by a single of it, lest pre cision be Sa rificed, as ac curacy is necessary in joining the ; stripes o1 sewing ma i | Star are made by chines. ina cutting them out with a steel die o1 t fw fat ded stamping machine. Phis insures maxi mum produ tion and ut formity in size and shape The canvas heading on the flag is fash ioned in asim ilar manner After the cutters have performed their vwork,the 1} different parts Veh bd Operator. lo- day, the task “Old Glory”’ in Days of Betsy Ross y, y Vj th of the poten tial Old Glory 8

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POPULAR MECHANICS Do Most of the Work, Although Machines Now Women’s Fingers Still Put Finishing Touches to Nation’s Colors eae — Stitching the Stars on Blue Fields in Uncle ‘| Sam’s Flag Factory | }

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re bundled together and consigned to e operating room. The short stripes re joined together, alternately red and mn a double-needle sewing ma- ne, which negotiates two rows of tching at the same time. In like on the long stripes are joined nd the field is made. The blue fabric is placed on a table, all rinkles removed, and the correct position of the stars indicated on each a perforated pattern. After heing subjected to a squaring process it cut to exact dimensions. A piece of hite percale is fastened on the under- de of the field, and a star placed in the ime position on the upper side. This ures three thicknesses of cloth. The perator then sews cautiously around the edge of the star with a zigzag ma hine. Once the stars have been fastened on the field, a trimmer cuts off any ex- cess percale on the underside. lhe blue ground and short stripes are len united and both are joined to the long stripes. Then, the flag is smoothed out again on a table, and squared and ‘ut to precise dimensions. The fly end s turned in and hemmed with three rows of stitching. The other end is re- lorced at each corner with a tri- angular Sc. cid uy t strip of bunting and stitched It is strength- into a canvas heading. ix} Deas} o), POPULAR MECHANICS 85 - > Pagel: Ay iy Us de 2 ened by means of a heavy stitch ing, and each flag is equipped : with a galvanized iron staple and 7) ring for hitching to the halyard the rope or tackle by which it is raised and lowered on the mast. The completed national emblem then u1 dergoes a rigid inspection and, if ap proved, is folded and consigned to supply headquarters for disposition Stars, contrary to the hand-fas! 7 Betsy Ross, ire 1 1 } sol SOT emporo T ioned articles of manutactured of silk on a machine Phe ylue \ fields are placed in frames on thi mechanism, which is capable of ducing a stitch not unlike hand e1 broidery—that is, both sides are alike This machine, provided with numerou threaded with white sill perforates the field, back and forth, t] laving out the design for the embroider stitching. National mounted troops, and standard mounted military quential distinction between the two i needles, all colors are Carri “l bi ; ; l} +7 , units le mconse ; that the standards are not as large a the colors and do not possess cot tassels. The colors are four feet four inches at the hoist (top to bottom and five feet six inches at the t which is the length stripeways

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86 POPULAR MECHANICS PIANO HAS DOUBLE KEYBOARD TO SIMPLIFY FINGERING With a double piano keyboard devised by an eastern man, fingering of the keys has been greatly simplified. Duets that ne ™~ | Double Keyboard for Piano that Simplifies Fingering and Is Convenient for Duet Playing ordinarily require two instruments may be played on the same one. The keys are so arranged that the players do not get in each other’s way. The same inventor has designed a single keyboard, intended to simplify fingering, that can be installed in place of the usual type without making changes in the case or action. In this pattern, the white keys are the same width at both ends, so that they can be touched either in front or behind the black ones, which are shortened for that purpose. FATHER OF BASEBALL HONORED BY MEMORIAL PICTURE Recalling the growth of baseball’s pop- ularity, an oil painting was hung in an eastern railroad station recently as a me- morial to Major-General Abner Double- day, “inventor” of the national game. While playing with boys in a field near the village almost a century ago, he devised rules to govern plays and marked out a 90-foot diamond on the ground with a stick. This dimension still applies to those laid out nowadays. However, the original rules of the game have been modified, changes have taken place in the styles of the ball, and gloves, pads, and masks have been altered. RIVER MADE RIBBON OF FIRE BY WRECKED OIL TRAIN art of the bridge over which it was passing was torn away when an oil train on a mid-western railroad was wrecked recently by one of its cars that jumped the track, derailing 14 other tanks. Burst by the crash, the steel containers rolled into the river below and took fire pouring a flood of burning oil over the surface of the water. The heat and flame grew to such heights that the metal frame work of the bridge was quickly reduced to a mass of melted and twisted iron Passing into the middle of the river, the flaming fluid moved downstream, spread ing as it went, until it became a veritable ribbon of fire. By valiant- work, the wrecking crew of the railroad, assisted by firemen from near-by towns, succeeded in extinguishing the Hames. The damaged bridge was replaced in a few days by a temporary structure. LIGHT WITHOUT HEAT SOUGHT IN ELECTRIFIED VACUUM Hoping to produce light without heat, as the glowworm is said to do, but in a dif ferent manner, a French scientist passes an electric current through a vacuum tube of glass, lined with a phosphorescent ma- terial. With a small amount of energy a glow of extreme brightness is created. COFFEE MILL LIKE CARTRIDGE COMBINES GRINDER AND POT Combining a coffee grinder and pot, a brass mill used in Albania, an old country of eastern Europe, looks like a large empty gun shell. Made in two sections, the top part contains the grinding wheel, turned by a handle that can be folded up, and the bottom chamber receives the coffee aiter it has been ground into pow- der. Sugar is mixed with the powder in this “pot.” Hot water is added and the drink is served in tiny cups without Decorated with exquisite hand straining. carving, it becomes a thing of beauty.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 87 a= = ee 5 ee SS +. . Ay \ WAM V Wu) iS | mil’ - ; ‘\ 4 ie & Reduced to a Mass of Charred Timbers and Twisted Metal by a Cascade of Flaming Oil, this Railroad Bridge Was Replaced in a Few Days’ Time by Valiant Workers

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ie 6) ie 2) BASS VIOL SO LARGE PLAYER STANDS ON PEDESTAL Measuring 14 feet from tip to base, a bass viol has been made by a western man, who claims it is the largest in the world. Giant Among Bass Fiddles that Can Be Played Only from an Elevated Platform In order to play it, the musician must stand on a pedestal five feet high. The same maker constructed another of the big fiddles which measured 10 feet. For- merly the largest known instrument of this kind, 11 feet 7 inches tall, was located in New York. It required two players, one to stop the strings and the other to handle the bow. BLOW FROM GIANT HAMMER TESTS RAIL COUPLINCS To prevent railroad accidents, car coup- lings and drawbars are carefully tested by a recently devised machine. Fastened to a heavy anvil, they are subjected to the blows of a two-ton hammer. Each piece must withstand several impacts without cracking and without showing dents be- yond certain definite limits. If the coup- ling should break, the hammer continues the motion of the stroke and travels up two circular tracks, fitted with teeth, which keep it from damaging the ma- chinery by preventing another stroke. POPULAR MECHANICS PHOTO TEST FOR EFFICIENCY REVEALS LOST MOTION How efficiency of workers is reduced by lost motions is being shown through de tailed photographic studies. Observation of bricklayers of ordinary training, who are said to use the same methods that have prevailed for 7,000 years, and of that most ancient of craftsmen, the berry picker, are said to give no indication that the best way to do these tasks is to follow instinct. The layer of brick can be trained to do three times as much work with the same effort according:-to the tests. Similarly, the berry picker can increase his harvest fifteenfold, it is said. AIRSHIP WITH FLAPPING WINGS TO TAKE FLIGHT LIKE BIRD With flapping wings, shaped like those of a bird and moving in much the same manner, an airship recently built by a Eu ropean mechanic, it is said, gets its power from pedais operated by the flier’s feet The machine is of light but strong con struction and the pilot’s seat is in a canva inclosure. An early record of similar at tempts to imitate the birds contains a1 account of an English monk, who strapped crude wings to his shoulders and jumped from a high cliff. The trial ended in fail ure and injury to the experimenter, wh: fell to the ground like a shot. TINY CLOTHES WASHER CLEANS DELICATE FABRICS IN HOME Cleaning like larger machines, a minia ture electric clothes washer is being made which, it is said, handles without injury, garments that housewives do not care to send to a laundry. Blouses and lingerie of light material, and other pieces of delicate fabric can be run through it without risk of be- ing torn. No larger than a kettle, it can be set on a stove to heat the water and removed to a table for operating It is small enough to use in the bathroo1 or on the drain board of the kitchen sinl Durable, as well as light and compact, can be easily stored out of the way whe not required.

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World’s Dark Corners REV from travels across the “no man’s lands” of the uncivilized spots of the world, hunters and explorers tell of seeing people and animals and pass- ing through adventures so strange that they were impelled to take the evidence of them by trap or camera, even though these things did not come within the purposes of heir trips. Recently, a young member of an explor- ing party which had entered the forbidden regions of Tibet in Asia decided to take up the venture alone when the rest of the party turned back at one of the most dan- serous points. Selecting a few native servants who declared they were brave enough to accompany and assist him, he resumed the journey through precarious wilds. As the party proceeded, the natives be- gan to lose courage, until after a great deal of jabbering among themselves, one who eemed to be the leader approached the explorer with the information that they had voted to abandon the trip. Entreaty and the promise of more money failed to persuade them to go on. Then, living into a rage, the young cientist leaped into the midst of the cowardly crew and administered to sev- eral of them a severe pommeling with his sts until they agreed to continue the trip. \ppointing their leader as chief of the party and with him- self disguised as a cook’s helper, they went on. Even the suspicious outposts set to guard against such intrusions’ failed to note anything about them that would : warrant arrest. After weeks of weary travel, during which sick- ness often laid out almost his ‘ntire c anv c ‘ed ata Travelers on the Dark Continent Are CHtITe COMmpEey, he arrive la Often Beguiled from Their Journeys : bh ae to the Chase of Big Game white mens wea- town where he became bold Strange Scenes in the POPULAR MECHANICS 89 : : 7-7 we a = rs = a Civilization Still Fails to Attract Millions of Wild Tribesmen enough to reveal himself to the ruler of the tribes. His visit with that individual won him the right to gather data and relics of ancient peoples of that country. Racked with fevers, their clothes and shoes torn by battle against almost im- passable jungle growths, a party lately returned to civilization from an expedition into the upper Amazon River in South America, told of scaling jagged peaks to catch eagles, wading through swamps filled with deadly reptiles, and struggling with wild tribesmen disputing their path into forested depths. Fevers and strange diseases made the native guides wary of venturing far into unknown territory. Fre- quently, gamewas scarce and they had to subsist on nuts and wild fruits. The ammuni- tion supply ran out, and had it not been for the guides, who killed birds and ani mals with bows and arrows Starvation would have loomed as another enemy to fight. Cannibal tribes were met. Short skirmishes ensued in which they were driven off by the

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90 POPULAR MECHANICS Invites the World-Wandering Adventurer to Explore Their Depths Nature’s Vaulted Caverns Ho'd an Appealing Mystery that

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POPULAR MECHANICS ins whose noise struck them with terror. Other dangers lurked in the marshes and underbrush, in which were found boa con- trictors, man-killing beasts, and poison- us insects that attacked their victims in louds, their bites often causing illness. In the waters — Adventure Causes Remote Places of the Earth to Be Invaded by Camera, Gun, and Trap, Instruments that Often Bring Marvelous Revelations to the Halls of Learning in Australia by game hunters, who have come onto several tribes which have re vived their gruesome practice during the past few years. Tribal fires have been re kindled and the denizen of the “bush” re- fuses the which civilization advances ere vicious 1 but a foot ong, so strong that in taking one alive, a ember of the party suffered the loss of a ger bitten al- st off by its verful jaws. One of the st animals to be captured in e forest was a iti mundi,” bright-red lit- ‘fellow of the raccoon family. So flerce was it, that two dogs ere torn to hreds before it ally was en- tangled and ( iged by the ides. Cannibal peo- ( have also en discov- recently, Copyright, Underwood & Underw 1 ered, A Kongo Executioner Beheads the Condemned Criminal sive coul = makes him In Africa, i! several of the countries are inhabited by swarthy peo ples set up local vovV- ernments that In many case seem to patter after those of the white mat While in the quest of big who have rame in Kongo

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92 POPULAR MECHANICS X-RAY MOVIES SHOW MACHINERY IN OPERATION A 1] \ll of the interior activities of great power plants, from the water rushing down the penstock to the interior of the Photos by Harry Levey Laying Out a Mechanical “Set’’ from which Movies Can Be Made for Study of Machinery great turbines spinning under the impulse, are now being shown on the moving-pic- ture screen, true to life in every detail. Also, it is possible to exhibit the flow of gases without the use of arrows, dots, and dashes, or other symbols, which would de- tract from the reality. Smoke and steam, lightning, look real Even the electricity glows appearance ol and and not like drawings. clouds after glare of a flash of on the In displaying the picture of an inducticen motor and screen. its revolving magnetic field, it is, of course, necessary to assume that elec- tricity looks like something and that mag- netism It is possible, however, to illustrate these and still keep the im- pression of realism, bringing out clearly, principles that are extremely hard to grasp by the ordinary textbook method. All this is accomplished through ani- mated mechanical and technical drawings lels, as developed by Harry Ley ey. The models are usually made of especially prepared fiber board, drawn, cut out, and washed with air brush and by hand so as to resemble closely the real object. One of the secrets of the process is, that where an actual object is presented, the picture does not look like an animated drawing but like the thing itself. To increase similarity, as well as to facilitate execution, the original objects, themselves, or parts of them, are used with is visible. and mor the model wherever possible. The method of photography is somewhat similar to the process used in making animated cartoon the models being rearranged after each picture, so that when the film is shown, the action will seem continuous. To obtain this effect, there is a base drawing upon which the moving parts are mounted. Paper, cardboard, sheet metal, and other materials are occasion may de mand. Thus, in making a picture of a power-driven tire pump, a thin section of an actual automobile tire was used instead of a drawing. The ordinary observer i unable to determine where the drawi: leaves off or actually begins. In this but studies may be displayed, and dull, un used as machine action surgical operations and microscopi way, noc only interesting statistics, diagrams, plans, and policy organization and charts can be erry” I a Cardboard and Disguised Drawings Are Used to Make Machinery Look Real on the Screen brought to life. Physics, chemistry, me chanics, biology, astronomy, and archite ture also may be made plain to students LURED BY GOLD, AMERICANS BRAVE SIBERIAN COLD Lured by the dream of riches, which through the centuries has enable‘ pros pectors to endure hardships, about cwenty Americans are braving the northern Si berian cold, panning the rivers for gold just as their forefathers did in wester: mining camps 70 years ago. With Chinese Korean, and Japanese placer miners, they have journeyed many miles inland, ovet frigid, barren country, ever hoping to make a big strike. Though no one has found great wealth, many of the Americans are spending their second win- ter there.

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POPULAR CHANDELIER SERVES AS BANQUET HALL Big enough to accommodate a small din- er party, a chandelier, 12 feet in diameter d with all its fixtures weighing over a has been installed in the auditorium fa recently erected building in a western MECHANICS 93 to the main floor 50 feet below by the ceiling, which curves down to meet the bowl. The lower part of it is gilded, painted, and ornamented, and to illumi- nate it, another cluster of bulbs, sufficient Chandelier that Weighs Over a Ton and Is Large Enough to Seat a Small Banquet Party: A Reflector Beneath Illuminates the Outside of the Inverted Canopy ‘ity. Plans already have been made for iiding a banquet in it. There are more han 70 light receptacles and reflectors vithin it, and the rays from these are cast to light a small assembly hall, is suspended TAGS ON AUTOS GIVE VISITORS TOWN’S TRAFFIC PRIVILEGES In certain western towns, parking regu- tions are not applied to visiting motor- Visitors’ Tag on Automobile that Marks Occupants as Privileged Guests of a Town ts. To save themselves the embarrass- ent of arrest and a trip to the police sta- from the underside. Access to the char delier is gained through a trapdoor and a steel ladder from the attic. tion, out-of-town drivers attach aluminum tags to their automobile bearing the names of their home cities. Traffic of cers are instructed not to include su cars under the rules that apply to the local machines. COAL TAR MAY HOLD REMEDY TO COMBAT LEPROSY Scientists are studying a reporte edy for leprosy, said to be coal-tar extract. It discovet | nese doctor, believes that trom the disease \lre i halt has been called in pl manent reliel moogra trees, which yield an o1 iid to be the most successful treatment 1 e! ployed. Maw) victims who have take the treatment have had rel reg rarded ; a as menaces to their ‘arrested’: cases

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94 POPULAR MECHANICS Landing the Cable ‘rom Ship's Cutter: So Great Was the Jov of One of the Workers when an Early Cable Was Brought Ashore, that He Fell on His Knees and Kissed It

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POPULAR MECHANICS 95 Thrills in Laying Deep-Sea Cable Across the Atlantic P ee 4 \\ WHILE, 57 years ago the world noted the fact that the steamship “Great Eastern” had completed its memorable work of connecting America with Europe by the first successful Atlantic telegraphic cable, the recent landing on the south shore of Long Island of a new line of com- munication attracted little attention. Nevertheless, this latest undertaking marked the closer binding together of the New World and the Old, for, despite the advent of the wireless and the establish- ment of powerful radio stations, which are capable of spanning vast terrestrial dis- tances, the fact re- [ERPOOE $15,000,000; and to get it properly in place on the sea bed has required the serv- ice of specially constructed craft manned largely by a crew trained for that hazard- ous and extremely exacting work. Few persons realize what painstaking skill is required in building a submarine cable properly insulated and duly armored with a wrapping of steel wires, strong enough to withstand the rub of a rocky bottom and the continual sweep of tidal currents. Not only that, but this conduit, by which the feeble electrical impulses carry the daily heartbeats of national life from shore to shore, must mains that this new- er method of electri- cal intercourse has not scrapped the older order of long- range telegraphy. Traffic over the submarine cables linking North \merica with Eu- rope has increased fourfold in the last decade, and yet, ntil recently, nothing has been done within that period to add to these undersea nerves of communi-. cation. The cost of the new cable, rep- resenting the pres- ent height of scien- tific knowledge con- be proof against the penetrating per- sistence of deep-sea worms, and suffi- ciently sturdy to hold its own against attack of swordfish and other large denizens of the Should it vered, when once in place the task of picking ocean. break or be se up the parted sec tions, or Of raising the detective cable at the right point may require grap pling for it miles be low the surface and sweeping wide areas of the sea. In nv ig the story of cable laying is an epic well cerning such things, has been put at Hauling Shore End of Cable through the Surf and onto the Beach from a Distant Ship calculated to hold one spellbound.

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96 POPULAR MECHANICS Pouring Concrete over the Shore End of the Cable and Its Guides to Hold Them Permanently to Their Moorings and to Protect Them from the Pounding Surf Life a' rda cable-laving vessel is filled with excitement. Off the coast of Spain, recently, two tons of oysters were hauled on board an Eastern Telegraph Company boat, when a cable was pulled up for mend- ing and had to be hacked off before the re- pair could be effected. Again, in the Gulf of Suez, a cable was brought up coiled around the body of a small whale. Sponges, coral, old fishing nets, and all shells are brought to the surface, and the refuse of civilization, washed down the rivers into the sea, has been picked up as far as 500 miles from land sorts of Between about 1845 (when gutta-percha made submarine telegraphy a_ practical possibility) and the middle ’70’s (when cables became part of the ordinary routine of civilization), tremendous excitement was aroused by every new attempt to es- tablish such communications across the ocean. The first cable between Dover and Cape Grisnez amused the mid-Victorian loafers on the beach, for they thought the thing was to be worked like a bell pull and tugged from either coast of the English Channel. That was in 1850. People soon grew better informed and

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POPULAR y enthusiastic. Even the cable laid uring the Crimean war between Varna nd Balaklava—an unheard-of distance, 356 miles—although it failed to work, was tiled as a signpost of progress. The 1856 \tlantic cable began from western Ireland, inder the eyes of the Lord Lieutenant, hile prayers were offered from the beach \r its success. The current, nevertheless, topped mysteriously at intervals, and finally halted altogether. In the next year communication with America was kept up only a month. Soon after this there is a pause, while a commission sat to ex- mine the whole question. Over this early lventure three to four millions had been t. lhe commission reported that, despite discouraging and expensive past, sub- irine telegraphy had an infinite future. couraged by this, the believers in prog watched the “Great Eastern” with confidence. The ship lost the 1865 cable hile paying it out. But in 1866 it tri- imphed. ‘After this the cables were woven ery swiftly into a network that covered | the seas of the world. So great was the <citement, that during the landing of an ‘ly Atlantic cable at Heart’s Content, Newfoundland, one of the workers fell on is knees and kissed it. The men primarily responsible for link- the Old World with the New were Cyrus W. Field and Samuel Morse. When the latter announced in 1857 that messages ldl aT BAKERY GENERATES OWN GAS TO HEAT LARGE OVENS By producing gas from coal in its own ird, a large Copenhagen, Denmark, bakery has brought about a saving of twenty-five per cent in fuel and, in addi- tion, has done away.with harmful soot and smoke. Its 16 ovens, in use every day, are found to be more uniformly heated, result- ng in better baking. From the generating lant, which has been patented by the de- igner, the vapor is piped into each unit, the flow being regulated by special valves, o that an even temperature is maintained. ALARM SET ON AUTO SOUNDS IF THIEF STARTS MOTOR Sounding a loud rattle to attract atten- tion when the motor is started while it is et, a combination alarm and keyless lock or automobiles helps to prevent theft. As ong as the engine runs, the device sends out the warning, which can be heard above he din of It be either slut traiuic. can MECHANICS 97 could be sent from America to Europe through means of thin strands of wire stretched along the ocean’s bed, the people of the day hooted. Morse had shown the world the wonders of telegraphy a short time before and had flashed to Alfred Vail, his co-worker, that epoch-making message, “What hath God wrought!” That hap- pened May 24, 1844, and came after he had faced discouragement and rebuffs that would have driven an ordinary man mad. Came 1857, and Field, a New York mer- chant, Morse, and a group of associates, de- cided that a transatlantic cable would not be an impossibility. Interest in the ven- ture became intense and on Aug. 7, 1857, the ship “Niagara” left Valentia Bay, Ire land, with its rolls of cable. Four days later the brakes on the cable-laying appara tus were put on, while the stern of the boat was down in swell. The cable parted, thus ending the venture for that year. “We knew it!” croaked the scoffers on each side of the water. “The whole thing a is a humbug. Did those men think we would swallow everything they said?” Another attempt in 1858, which also failed, brought a wave of comment from all over the United States and Europe. New papers were unanimous in pointing out a hundred reasons why a cable never could be laid, and in sympathizing with those who had sunk their money in it. Three other unsuccessful attempts followed, vic tory not greeting the efforts until 1866 off or fixed so that it will work when the car is left unguarded. The device is con-

Auto-Thief Alarm, Connected with Crankshaft, Sounds Loud Rattle when Engine Is Started that nected to a specially designed noise-maket in the crankshaft.

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98 POPULAR MECHANICS Unusual Footbridge Made of Chicken Wire and Planks FOOTBRIDGE OF CHICKEN WIRE REPLACED BY CONCRETE Made of chicken wire with a floor of planks, a picturesque footbridge that spans a western river is soon to be torn down to make room for a modern concrete struc ture. The improvised bridge is of a su pension type and the central section, more than 300 feet in length, swings high above the water. On account of the swaying of the structure whenever an adventurou person steps upon it, high sides of poul- try netting have been made to keep the walker from falling into the river. DIES AND ACIDS DRAW “INVISIBLE” WIRES Drawn into strands as fine as 200 mil lionths of an inch in diameter, wires that are invisible to the unaided eyes are used in minute electric bulbs, necessary to the operation of long-distance telephone line So thin are. these metal threads that it i necessary to weld them under a micr scope. After passing through dies, the filaments are eaten down to the required size by acid. One hundred of them for: a strand no larger than a hair. CHECKER ENTHUSIASTS PLAY ON MAMMOTH BOARD Playing checkers on a huge outdoor court has been found by northern enthu- siasts of the game to combine pleasantly both bodily and mental exercises. The thrill still remains, the walking and lifting that is done during the course of a con- test add to its enjoyment, while an exciting sport is provided for the spectators. The pieces are cylinders fitted with wire stays, by means of which they are moved about with a hook. l” is made of “poart 1s The cement measuring 15 feet in width and length and has squares of light and dark color. Only one _ player has the court at a time. Whenhe completes a move, his opponent then takes his place. One set of “men” is painted black and the other white. On Huge Court of Cement, Marked with the Required Number of Squares Game of Checkers Is Adapted to Outdoor Playing, Providing Both Mental and Physical Exercise 100 DO DITIT APR MWMTPCLI AN TCS.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 99 Electric Pumping Station of the Type that Is Rapidly Displacing Picturesque Windmills Behind Holland's Dikes WINDMILLS OF HOLLAND GIVE WAY TO OIL ENGINES yoo machinery is taking the creased unless belching smokestacks and 4 place of romantic windmills that machinery are concealed in structure long have guarded the dikes of Holland pleasing to tourists’ eyes. Part of the coun against the encroachment of water. Fuel- try is below sea level, and for centuries the burning engines have farmers have last Su pplanted been w aging % %% the quaint winged a battle against structures, until now even the pumps are run by motor when the wind fails. With the coming of up-to-date equipment, the typical Dutch pano rama has been greatly transformed by the chim- ney stacks of the pumping works. Everywhere along the lowiands these are to be seen. As a re- sult, the engineers are facing a LSS problem—that ; ot retaining the beauty of the landscape that XY the sea. It was to “ this work that the windmill was first adapted in the begin ning of the 15th century Now the task is largely Y done by oil, steam, or elec ' trically driven pump Some of them are huge ne of the largest of such stations serves 45,000 1cres, removing 100.000.0000 tons of + water annually. Pow erful equipment such as thi séems to have increased the received its ac es in re most pictur- Limit ey lance esque touch from the sea from the wind- But inthe ma mills. Already uch venture steps have been that are no taken to beau- under way, the tity the modern windmill ha plants, for it is feared that the capital V alue ot Holland’s cenery will be Piskes Cou Oil Engine Pow KCC} materi illy de- Where the Wind Works for Prosperity of Lowland Farmers

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100 POPULAR MECHANICS HARVESTING SALT CROP FROM NATURAL BEDS From deposits in California, 20,000 tons of salt are harvested annually as part of the country’s yearly output of this mineral. As to when rock- salt mine in the United States is said to be located in Louisiana, where thousands of tons have been removed since it started Op- eration. Here it lies salt formations were first found, history does not say, for not until 1000 A. D. was its mining men- tioned. Probably the most famous salt mines are in Galicia, where the worked-out rooms have been decorat- ed and converted into chapels and assembly halls by the miners. In these workings there are under- ground brine lakes ’ upon which | small a ferryboats run, railways with sta- tions, and other * conveniences found in large cities. It is claimed that these pits were once the Komcn in a solid mass over 2,000 feet thick, in which a series of chambers have been dug, arranged like the squares of a checkerboard, with arched roofs sup- ported by pillars of salt. The rooms are 7) to 80 feet high. Another method of procuring the min- eral from the earth is by drilling wells, and in many places there are huge sur- face beds that have been formed by evaporation of large bodies of water. For centuries. salt has been made by using the sun as a heat source, but this method is practica- property of the Ro- mans. The oldest Lump of Rock-Salt Crystals Taken from Vats After Moisture Has Passed off ble only where there are few cloudy days. COMBINED BRUSH AND TOOTH- PASTE HOLDER Designed to at once insure freedom from dirt and save space, a combined tooth- brush and paste holder has been placed on the market, the invention of an east- erner. The brush and handle fold up so ee ea | TTT min = Tooth Brush and Paste Combined in Small Holder that Saves Space and Insures Cleanliness that the article is less than two inches in length, which makes it of special value to travelers, who may carry it in their vest pocket or traveling bag. The dentifrice may be applied without removing the tube from the container. Sanitation is provided for, in that the brush is not exposed to the air when the device is folded. MOTOR-DRIVEN ERASER SAVES LOSS IN PRINTING On a job of 200,000 postcards, an east- ern printer discovered a small error that seemed to necessitate the destruction of the lot. Instead he rigged a motor-driven eraser which was applied to the postcard over an opening in a brass sheet and com- pletely removed the objectionable part. The cards were then reprinted according to the correct copy. @ Quintana Roo, Mexico’s unexplored ter- ritory, lying adjacent to Yucatan, is being invaded by Americans, the first white oc- cupation since the days of Cortez. ™ ss wr TTT i Wh a i a. |

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POPULAR MECHANICS 101 Piled Outside the Refinery, Rock Salt Assumes Forms that Recall the Glaciers of the Arctic tI Il Sho Lakes that Have | Evaporated Under Ages of Sun’s Heat | =. Left Surface Beds of | Salt that Are Easily | Mined |

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102 POPULAR MECHANICS OIL-VAPOR LIGHTS TO MARK HIDDEN SEA DANGERS Oil-vapor lamps, said to be twice as bright as paraffin lights, have been put on buoys along the English coast to warn ships of lurking dangers. With their range ona make the ocean highways brighter for the numerous craft that ply the waters around the British Isles. They guide liners, freighters, and smaller boats from the menaces of shoals, floating derelicts, and other perils that clutter the trackless road- ways of the sea, thus lessening the possi bilities of serious accidents, due to vessels sf ae * Attaching Powerful Oil-Vapor Lamp to Sea Buoy, One of Many that Guide Ships along English Coast at Night Right, Regulating Light before Installing It clear night limited only by the earth’s curvature, these signals are reported to wandering from the safe paths of travel during hazy weather or extréme darkness. HAND TOOL RETHREADS SCREWS THAT ARE BADLY WORN For rethreading screws that are badly worn, a hand tool that cuts from eight to Tool that Rethreads Badly Worn Screws by Hand Cutting Brought Out in England THA mre~amrewrrywrisaifT sixty threads an inch on any diameter, has been invented in England. It consists of a specially designed file that is fitted to a guide by adjustable clamps. The “V”- shaped edges fit the screws for recutting. SKULLS EXPLODE SCIENTISTS’ THEORY ON INDIANS That Indianse resembling prehistoric man resided on the Pacific coast at an age many centuries earlier than heretofore known, is now claimed by scientists as a result of the recent finding of two skulls. Digging in a mound, upon the site of an early home of the Santa Barbara tribe, the explorers found the relics, which are be- lieved the oldest ever unearthed on this continent. They were lying on the surface of hard pan 44 inches beneath an age-old deposit of loam which showed no traces of having been disturbed previously. Almost gorillalike, the skulls are very thick, with 2. SS Sl

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abnormally prominent brow ridges, sharply retreating foreheads, long faces and mas- sive jaws. Beside each skeleton was found a black volcanic-stone spearhead, one of which was 41% inches long and 1% inches wide, and square ended. FIVE SIZES OF STONES SORTED BY DANISH MACHINE With a capacity of 800 tons daily, a mod- ern mechanically operated plant in Den- mark crushes and sorts stones into five sizes for the national railroads. The ma- chine astomatically discharges into cars. DASH LIGHT FOR AUTOMOBILE HAS ADJUSTABLE SHADE Annoying glares from ordinary lights on the instrument board of an automobile are absent in a shaded dash lamp that has been lately patented. When the shutter is in normal position, subdued rays fall on all the dials and the entire board is under a flood of light that does not tire the eves or impair the driver’s vision. A slight movement of the shade gives sufficient il- Adjustable Shade Dash Lamp that Lights Up Instru- ment Board without Producing Annoying Glares lumination to enable the autist to read his watch or maps, find tools, or inspect the battery. It can be attached in a few min- utes to any size car and its simple con- struction is intended to insure correct op- eration at all times. Made of brass or bronze, its socket is formed so as to keep the bulbs from sticking. @ From an 8-ounce package of Sudan grass seed sent to this country from Khartum in 1909, what is now a $10,000,000 forage crop has been produced in the West. POPULAR MECHANICS 103 MOWER HITCHED TO TROLLEY CAR TO CUT WEEDS Hitched to the rear end of a trolley car, a mower is used by a middle-western trac- tion company to cut weeds and grass along Mower, Pulled over Rails by Trolley Car, Cuts Weeds Growing along Right of Way its right of way. The machine has a long sickle that can be raised or lowered at will to prevent striking obstructions that may ie in its path. It rides the track on flanged wheels. With one man operating the machine, work formerly requiring many laborers is accomplished in a few hours. OPEN SANDALS ARE ADVISED IN WAR ON HIGH HEELS As a correct substitute for high-heel pumps, which he considers are destructive to the general health of women and the beauty of their feet, open-work leather sandals have been offered by a famous English surgeon. These shoes, he asserts, are more comfortable, promote bodily vigor, and do not cause spinal and nervous Sandals of Open-Work Leather that Are Recommended by Surgeon as Proper Shoes for Health disorders which may result from weat those that have elevated arches and hee

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104 Covering the side of a canyon, a unique concrete grotto for lions has been con- structed at the San Diego, Calif., zoo. To all appearances, the three animals kept there wander at will over a terraced hill- side, with apparently only a three-foot hedge of cactus to restrain them from joining the audience. In reality, a wide moat, concealed by the hedge, provides safety for the spectators. Here, there is no small and confined cage which invariably challenges sympathy for the animals, nor are there the usual heavy iron bars to interrupt the view. And yet, there is no point where it would not require a 16-foot leap for the king of beasts to escape. The top walls are built with an interior overhang. Another notable departure in zoo spec- tacles has been staged in London, where POPULAR MECHANICS CAGELESS DEN IN ZOO IS BUILT FOR KING OF BEASTS the tribal wars of many colonies of ants are being shown. ‘The tiny creatures are placed on a tablelike platform, and large magnifying glasses are available, through which the wonderful performances may be watched. After one notable battle be- tween the ant forces, the victors could be seen taking their prisoners of war and the spoils—such as building material and food —back to their own colony. One of the newest and most modern of European zoological gardens is at Rome. Rock-ribbed inclosures and other énstalla- tions permit the animals to be seen practi- cally in their natural habitats. One of the features is the aquarium, where tanks of fish are kept to be fed to the fish-eating birds, which are allowed to dive down and help themselves, instead of having their food thrown to them. “WALKING” STEPLADDER MOVED BY USER AS HE WORKS By throwing the weight of his body from side to side, a workman using a late type of stepladder is enabled to move it to a new Stepladder So Designed as to Permit User to Move It About as Though on Stilts position without descending. The two sections of the ladder are hinged together at the top in a rather loose connection which permits easy operation. The upper ends of each part of the ladder are offset, thus permitting the swinging action re- ferred to. BICYCLE IS BOON TO VICTIMS OF JAPANESE EARTHQUAKE Thousands of Japanese on bicycles ped- aled their ways through wrecked streets, seeking safety and aid after the recent. earthquake. Motor cars, trucks, and jin- rikishas were useless in most sections of the country. Soon after the disaster, a bank clerk is reported to have carried an important message from Tokyo to Kobe, a distance of 300 miles, in 34 hours, riding his bicycle over roads made impassable to other vehicles. It is estimated that more than 3,000,000 bicycles are used by natives throughout those islands. SHEET TIN AROUND TREE LIMBS DEFIES SQUIRRELS Sheet tin, wrapped around the upper limbs of almond trees in a western or- chard, keeps ground squirrels from climbing over the’ branches to get the nuts. Damage formerly done to a crop near old. pasture land led to the in- vention of this simple method. Shaped likea stovepipe and put on close to the bark, the protec- tion cannot be crossed by the little animals, because of its smooth, glassy surface.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 105 Something of the Lion's Native Haunts Is Seen in Terraced Ap- proaches of the Zoo Cave High Unscalable Walls Replace Iron Bars and Bare Cages that Restrain Most: Captive Animals 7 : , . With Freedom Only Surpassed in Neg “es _ ’ Its Natural State Young King of BS " Beasts Romp in the Cageless Den «ase ot REGS

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106 POPULAR MECHANICS Trapping Strange Fishes in South Seas O varied are the forms of fishes inhabit- ing the waters surrounding the South Sea Islands, that myriads of different traps, hooks, and spears are used by the As the peoples of nets, natives to catch them. Photos Courtesy Frank Burnett Ingenious Traps for Ensnaring Fish—Number 1, Float for Hooks, Solomon Islands; 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, Traps Made by Natives of Washington and Ellice Islands; 3, Hand Net for Catching Paldlo Worm; 4, Spears; 6, Parrot Fish, Inflated and Dried this region depend largely on the sea for food, these queer implements are an im- portant part of their every-day life. In the Gilbert Islands, the natives go out in frail canoes alongside of the reefs, where the sharks are usually found, and with large baited hooks catch the monsters from three to fifteen feet long. Balancing upright in their boats the hunters, with an ability few white men can equal, play the huge captives until they are sufficiently weak from exhaustion to be drawn along- side and clubbed to death. Sometimes the boat is capsized in the struggle and the agile native finds him- self in the sea on an even plane with his vicious antagonist. But even then, if armed with a knife, the angler is equal to almost any shark. If the enemy charges, the swimmer, awaiting the right moment, dives under the quarry and in a flash rips it up the soft underside of the body. Jeautifully wrought hooks of pearl shell dangle at the ends of lines used by these fishermen to troll for albacore, bonito, sea pike, and corpheena, fish that are seldom heard of in the civilized quarters of the world. Still other models of hooks and fishing gear are to be seen among the weapons of the New Guinea angler, and many different kinds of barbs and spears provide the Samoans, Ellice Islanders, and tribes of the Solomon Island group with a means of livelihood. A peculiar fact is that peoples of vastly different races and colors who never by any chance could have known each others’ ways, fashion their fishing tackle very much alike. The same hook by which the Gilbert Islander catches his shark is almost identical with that used by the cod fishers of British Columbia. Implements used in making nets in the Solomon Islands bear a remarkable resemblance to that em- ployed by the crofter of northern Scotland. In the Washington Islands, square traps are set to take the wily denizens of the ocean. They are built of bamboo held together by coir string made from the husk of the coconut. One of these is used particularly for the castor-oil fish, which lives at a depth of a hundred fathoms, and another ensnares the conger eel. Both fishes are highly prized as food. A crab net used by some of the other islanders has a bottom piece made from a giant clam shell, which in these waters sometimes attains the enormous weight of aton or more. As the net is lowered into position, the shell sinks to the bottom of Fish Hooks and Netting Needles of South Seas—Num- ber 1, Hook Used in New Guinea; 2 and 4, Shark Hooks of Gilbert Islanders; 3, Samoan Hook; 5, Ellice Islanders’ Hook; 6, Hook Made by Solomon Islander; 7 and 8, Cod Hooks of British Columbia; 9 and 10, Hooks Carved from Pearl Shell; 11 and 13, Weaving Needles for Making Net Shown at 12 the sea and automatically opens the mouth of the trap. When a crab enters, the fisher man who can see clearly in the water to great depths, pulls the mouth closed. Another peculiar net is that used to catch the mysterious palolo, a strange oceanic worm which comes to the surface only on one day of the year, and is considered to bea rare tidbit on the feast table. Com-

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POPULAR MECHANICS 107 ng up from the reefs below during the PHONE RECEIVER HELD TO EAR ight, it dissolves into small particles BY BRACKET; FREES HANDS hortly after the sun rises. Each of the ny pieces becomes the beginning of a Free use of both hands is permitted a ew worm. The natives, who claim that person using a telephone equipped with a hey can tell the exact hour of the day that folding steel arm recently invented. that he creature will reach the top of the water, ‘ ten catch huge quantities of the worm before it can break up and sink again. In the Solomon group, the fishermen re- ort to a float to which is attached a num- ber of hooks. When the prey takes the t, it causes a little ball that stays on of the water to move. The float is ide large and buoyant enough to take uite a large-sized fish. Perhaps the rarest of all those of the opical waters is the queer parrot fish. When it is drawn out of the water it swells th fear and anger, and assumes an ap- irance much like a globe. MOTH HELPS PLANTS INCREASE SO LARVZ CAN GET FOOD lo insure a proper food supply for her ture larve, the little white moth acts as foster-mother to the yucca plant, helping he weed to increase by bearing seed from ed — — att _ i A, Sees older for Telephone Receiver that Permits Free Use flower to another. After laying an of Both Hands while Talking egg in the pollen, the insect rams it down o the pistil so that it will fertilize, and holds the receiver to the ear. Clamped to thus maintain life for her young ones. The _ the stand, it is easily adjusted to any posi process is so cleverly effected that scien- tion desired. With a single movement of ts say man cannot equal it, as artificial the arm, the receiver hook is raised to si: tempts are rarely successful. The plant nal the operator. To disconnect, the holder said to be the only one that depends ona_ is folded back. Its weight is counterbal ingle species of insect for this service. anced by a plate fitted under the telephone CAMERA “SEES” SUN’S COURSE IN POLAR DAY In obtaining a photograph showing the sunrise and sunset. The first picture exact course of the sun in the far North on taken at 11 a. m., when the sun appeared o1 ; December 21st, the shortest day of the’ the horizon, and at 1 p. m., as the flaming vear, a prospector made several exposures planet started to drop from sight, the last on the same plate, one every 12 minutes of the series was snapped. During thi trom the top of a high mountain peak in’ time the camera was not moved from its \laska. Only two hours passed between fixed position. Sun’s Course on Shortest Day of Year Photographed from Point in Arctic Circle

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108 POPULAR MECHANICS Only Expert Workmen Are Permitted to Mix the Proportions of Crude Rubber and Chemicals which Are Formed into Sheets for the Fabrication of Heavy Vehicle Treads Jungle to Factory—Trail of Auto Tire Sidewalk from Chicago to New York Could Be Built from Rubber Annually Consumed in Making Treads and Tubes BOUT seven-tenths of the value of £4 rubber products made in the United States is represented in automobile tires and inner tubes, while 75 per cent of the world’s entire output of the material is consumed in their manufacture. Until recent years the “rubber trail” took its traders into the wildest lands of the tropics, where they confronted untold hardships in order to provide the motorist with velvet shoes for the wheels of his car. Now, the rapid production of rubber on cultivated plantations makes the collecting of the various grades a far easier task. In the Far East and countries about the equator, great orchards of Para trees have been planted under the direction of Euro- peans, but lately many American rubber manufacturers have developed their own plantations in these lands. Instead of the ungraded mixed shipments, which for- merly came up from the headquarters of the collectors of “wild” rubber, each vari- ety is now carefully selected at the time it is drained from the trees. Kept sepa- rate from the other grades, it reaches the market or factory in clean condition, ready for the process of refining for its various purposes. This cultivation of the rubber trees has forced the “wild” product almost entirely from the markets, although about 40,000 tons are still bought up each year. Seed from the Para tree, the plant which fur- nishes the sticky fluid, was first planted in a public garden in London in 1876, where it thrived and grew to normal size. Fol lowing this experiment, seedlings from it were carried to southern India, Sumatra, Java, and neighboring states. The first crop that resulted from these early planta tions produced not much more than four tons of raw rubber. Seven years later the output had grown to 1,000 tons and in another decade reached 200,000 tons. The cultivated article now constitutes a supply of rubber that helps to make more than forty million tires re quired by the pleasure and commercial! motor-driven vehicles in operation in thi country alone. If in one mass, it could form a sidewalk from Chicago to New York. It takes eight and three-tenths pound

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POPULAR MECHANICS —— SSS Native Workers on a Rubber Plantation in India Gathering Sticky Sap of the Para Tree e e Vulcanizing Room of an Automobile Tire Factory where Casings Are Cured After Being Built Up of Raw Rubber

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110 of. the raw substance to make one of the ayerage tires, and about two pounds for an inner tube. For the casing, four and a half pounds of cotton are also required. Plantation rubber when brought to the factories is stored away in cool bins until needed, but the “wild” variety is chopped into small pieces and soaked in warm water to soften it. It is then passed into a “cracker” machine where rolls with sharp knobs break it up into a coarse, spongy mass. Water flowing over it washes out the sand, dirt, bits of bark, and other for- eign substances that get into it during its preliminary treatment at the hands of the SCULPTOR’S ART MODELS COW FROM BLOCK OF BUTTER Modeled in butter, the figure of a dairy cow, weighing 375 pounds, graced an ex- hibit at a fair held in the South, recently. In shaping the “statue,” the sculptor’s chisels and hammers were replaced by knives and other light pointed tools. Un- like the marble variety of such objects of art, in case a bad stroke was made, the damage could be easily repaired without Figure of Dairy Cow Modeled by Sculptor from Block of Butter for Southern Exhibit leaving any evidence of it. While the artist plied his craft, the subject was kept in a cold place so that the material would POPULAR MECHANICS jungle gatherers. After drying, the rub ber is mixed with other materials and be comes the uncured or “green” compound An added step in the trail of the rubber from the jungle to the factory has bee: lately taken by one large manufacturing plant, which loads the milky fluid, called latex, into tank boats as it is gathered, and thus conducts it directly to the treating rooms. There it is pumped into large vats, and is sprayed by a recently invented machine into a heated chamber where it becomes a spongy mass deposited on the moving floor of the room, quite free fro: dirt frequently found in baled rubber. not become soft. The interior of the case in which it was shown, also had to be kept at a low temperature during the exhibitio: INVENTOR COMBINES HAND BRUSH AND PUMICE Vigorous and often painful scrubbing of the hands with a brush of coarse bristle: may be avoided by the use of a device placed on the market by a middle-wester: inventor, which combines the hand brus! with a piece of pumice stone. The latter is inserted in the back of the brush, and _ pro- vides an easy means of cleans- ing the skin. The combination is also of fered manicurists who constantly use pum ice to clean the hands of their patrons. STREET-CAR WIRES DISTURB TELEGRAPH CABLE Disturbances, due to the corroding et fect of electricity that found its way fron a near-by trolley wire, caused trouble wit! the submarine telegraph cable in Sout! \frica, according to a recent report. Whe the recorder showed signs of disorder, the cable was examined and discovered to corroded for a distance of a mile where ran parallel to a street-car line, a half mil distant. To offset this a dummy cable wit an earth plate was placed as nearly as po sible over the old conduit. Tramways | London have seriousiy affected the earth’ magnetic field around Greenwich, whet all British compasses are corrected,and t! laboratories were forced to move sevet miles from any electric line. Inthe Unite States a number of magnetic observatorie have been disturbed by near-by trolle:

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SKULLS OF EARLY AFRICAN MEN MAY REVEAL NEW RACE Finding of two skulls in southern Africa may bring to light an unknown race of ciant men that once dwelt on the south- ern tip of the Dark Continent. They were dug up in a cave, several feet below the remains of other primitive men of a later date, indicating to scientists that the cav- ern was occupied by at least two different peoples, one much lower in civilization than the other. Hitherto the earliest own inhabitants of that section were the hore-runners.” Over the near-by coun- try, particularly along the rivers, specimens chipped stone were discovered, but no trace of those who had worked them. HOT-WATER HEAT FOR AUTOS PIPED FROM RADIATOR Clean, odorless heat for inclosed auto- obiles is provided by an easily attached ilve that makes use of the hot water from he car’s radiator instead of the exhaust Heater that Warms Interior of Automobile with Heat from Hot Water of Radiator ses. This not only keeps the interior of the car at an even temperature, but helps to control the heat of the motor, assuring easier starting and smoother operation. \lso, it eliminates noise, carbon, and soot. It is said that the system provides heat within four minutes aiter the motor is started and keeps it up at any speed. @ Names and addresses of manufacturers ot articles described in this magazine will be furnished free by our Bureau of Infor- mation, POPULAR MECHANICS 111 HARD HAT PROTECTS WORKERS FROM HEAD INJURIES Workers, such as miners, steel erectors, and ship builders, can protect themselves from serious head injuries resulting from awe oa as XX Wearing Hard Hats, These Two Workmen Escaped Possible Serious Injury from Falling Objects falling objects by wearing a hard cap now being marketed in the West. Light and comfortable, it is said to be a nonconduc- tor of electricity, and proof against fire and water. A shipyard laborer wearing one of the guards was struck on the head by a 12%-pound piece of steel which fell six feet. He was knocked to his knees, but was uninjured. ‘Another, provided with the cap, was struck down by the impact of a 20-ounce bolt falling 42 feet. He was not hurt, nor was the headpiece broken. For those who labor in poorly lighted places, the article is a safeguard against accidents due to contact with low ceilings and overhead projections. COLUMN GUIDE FOR LEDGERS TO HELP BOOKKEEPERS To reduce the possibility of errors by bookkeepers, when posting entries in ledg- ers, a column guide has been recently pat- ented that directs the worker's eye to the proper line for individual groups of figures [It also saves time by making repeated ret- erences to the top of the page to find the Ledger Guide for to Locate Proper Spaces for Entries Bookkeepers Enables Them Easily proper division unnecessary. Backed with a strip of absorbent paper it eliminates need of reaching around for a blotter when a line of ink is to be dried. The cardboard guide is protected by a transparent cover.

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POPULAR 112 Completed Bust of Abraham Lincoln, and Beside It the Small Model which Guided the Sculptor TINY MODEL GUIDES SCULPTOR IN FIFTEEN-YEAR TASK Representing a task that will take him 15 years to complete, a model of the New York war memorial was recently made by an American sculptor, who was com- missioned to do the work. Following this design, the artist will chisel the subject in Some idea of the difference in size between the model and the finished monu- ment may be gained by noting the size of the figure which was used in creating a sculptored bust of Abraham Lincoln. stone. STUDY SOUND BY RECORDING REVERSED SPEECH Reversing ordinary conversation may be an aid in the study of sound. In connec- tion with this research, a device has been invented that reproduces sounds either in correct or inverted order. Impressed upon a ribbon of steel, spoken letters are re- peated in their right form if the wire is ritn in the same direction as that in which it moved when the original record was MECHANICS made. If it unwinds in the opposite way, the sounds are. changed. In this case, although the reversed words are definite in character, they constitute a widely differ ent language related in a simple mechani cal way to the first taken down. When a sentence is uttered backward the instru- ment translates it. TURN OF LOCK OPENS TRUNK BY PRYING SIDES APART Just the turn of a lock opens a new ward robe trunk by prying the sides apart. [1 this way, it simpli- — fies the task of packing or un packing, as one movement of the hand secures or unlocks the trunk at four different points. Drawers, suit hangers, compartment laundry bag also provided. shoe and are ICE BOAT FROM ODDS AND ENDS RESEMBLES AIRPLANE With only odds and ends, an inventive northerner has built a speedy ice boat that resembles an airplane. Although wingless, it skims over frozen surfaces with all the grace of a flying craft. The maker first obtained a discarded plane fuselage. A junked automobile supplied the engine, while a few pieces of lumber and steel were used to form the runners. A special appa ratus on the tail rudder guides it, while an oa ee = se gn — | - — Fahne ee Speedy Ice Boat, without Sails, Built from Odds and Ends, Resembles Airplane other device beneath the motor prevents it from tipping. Its cockpit seats two pet sons, the pilot and a passenger. A propel ler replaces the usual sails

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POPULAR MECHANICS 113 These Articles - for Everyday Use — Name Them? J UST to help you, the use for which the articles are intended is as follows: No. 65, in office or home. No. 66, on wearing apparel. No. 67, for women. No. 68, in office or home. No. 69,in the home. No. 70, anywhere. No. 71, on the farm. No. 72, in public places. No. 73, in the home. No. 74, in buildings. No. 75, in the home. No. 76, in the home. No. 77, in the home. No. 78, in the home. No. 79, in home or business. No. 80, in a profession. Popular Mechanics Magazine offers no prizes for correct answers to these problems, but presents them for the interest it believes its readers will find in attempting to determine the nature of the various articles shown. If you think you have the right answers you can find out by comparing them with the correct list which will appear in Popular Mechanics Magazine for February. In December the following articles were shown. No. 49, toothpick to be fitted on finger. No. 50, shoe-tree. No. 51,can opener. No. 52, cigar cutter. No. 53, case for eyeglasses. No. 54, chicken roost. No. 55, branding iron and holder. No. 56, envelope flap moistener. No. 57, combination helmet and muffler. No. 58, cork puller. No. 59, ice skates “head on.” No. 60, shoe scraper for doorstep. No. 61, broiler. No. 62, sanitary drinking fountain. No. cigar clipper made safe for fingers. No. 64, guard for wrist-watch crystal.

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114 POPULAR MECHANICS LOG’S PLUNGE RIVALS GEYSERS CAST UP BY NATURE Strikinga lake after trav- eling several hundred feet down a chute at a speed of 100 miles an hour, logs that are cut high up in the moun- tains of British Columbia, send up geysers that rival the tallest of nature’s own spouts. Rolled upon a trough made of rough timber, which extends down steep slopes, the tree trunks gather terrific speed trom their great weight. Few i of them are less than four feet in diameter, and when they plunge into the pond easily displace many times their vol- ume of water. Occasionally re Giant Secor Created in Lake by Impact of Big Log Shot Down Side of Mountain where Trees Are Felled the big logs “jump the track,” and the momentum sends them crashing and bounding with tremendous force against the stout sides of the runway Their spent, tle alongside the incline and serve to break the fall of oth- ers which leave the course, but they are not al lowed to lie for long, as they, would soon pile up. Some diffi culty is experi enced in set ting these run aways back on the groove d track, where they resume the interrupted journey down ward to the log pond to await their turn at mill. spee d they set- BONES OF MEN FOUND BURIED EIGHTY THOUSAND YEARS Fossilized bones of a race of men who are believed to have lived about 80,000 vears ago, and who resembled the Nean- derthal type, recently were dug up in France. The relics were found a clay where they evidently had been ashed from a prehistoric village which vas situated on the bluff above. As a re- sult of the discovery, scientists say that more facts will be learned concerning strange, animal-like humans, who ha ive vanished from the earth, leaving no tt The Neanderthal man, as pictured by authorities, was short and powerfully built, with a large head and face, deep-set eves, low, slanting forehead, and no chin. He walked in a crouching position with knees half bent like some beasts of the pre- historic forests in shape and his he L Dank these races. His chest was triangular hands were huge, with short, stumpy fingers. He could not talk, but expressed himself in grunts. For weapons he carried a crude stone dagger and a club. Although stupid, he buried his dead with ceremony and practiced form of religion. PHOTOGRAPHS OF WIND’S PATH AID AIRMEN’S FLIGHTS To aid pilots of aerial gliders, accurate maps of air currents over rolling country are made by photographing the trail of the wind. Asa result, it has been determined that the course of moving atmosphere fol lows the outlines of large obstacles fairl; closely. Prior to the start of a contest, an airplane throwing off streams of smok travels over the hills, moving at rial angles to the breeze. These clouds, readil: caught by the camera, serve as a basis for measurements which the glider pilots may use in gaining altitude. ht

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POPULAR MECHANICS MERCURY BURNED UNDER SEA FOR FLASHLIGHT PHOTOS Flashlight photographs under water are now being made with the invention of a Japanese scientist. Mercury is drawn through a fine bore in a glass tube to serve as a lamp filament. When a low-voltage current is turned into it, the heat explodes the fluid almost instantly, shattering the tube and producing a brilliant burst of light of short duration. It is used to take instantaneous pictures for the study of metal vibrations and for other purposes re- quiring an intense ray for a brief period. The rolling of model-ship hulls is also said to be clearly shown by photographs taken with the submerged light bulbs. WORLD’S FAIR LIBERTY BELL’S FATE SHROUDED IN MYSTERY Efforts to find the huge bell made for the World’s Fair in 1893, as a companion piece for “Old Liberty,” have failed. It was sought so that it might be rung on the 30th anniversary of the exhibit, its tones to be broadcast by radio to all parts of the country. More than 250,000 persons donated money and historical relics to be melted into the piece, when it was cast. What Was Once Known as the World’s Largest Bell, the Fate of which Is Veiled in Mystery At that time, it was declared to be the largest bell in the world. What disposi- tion was made of it after the Fair is shrouded in mystery. @ We want all our readers to write us freely and often whenéver they wish ad- ditional information on articles published in this magazine. Address Bureau of In- formation, Popular Mechanics, Chicago. 115 BURGLAR-ALARM CAGE GUARDS RARE APPLE TREE Protected by a burglar-alarm cage, a rare apple tree, valued at $5,000, stands ona mountainside in West Virginia. Surround- Wire Cage Fitted with Burglar Alarm that Protects Valuable Apple Tree from Men and Animals ing all its branches, a steel-wire inclo- sure prevents intruders from plucking the blossoms or carrying away the fruit. Other precautions are taken to guard it against harmful insects and foraging animals. At intervals it is inspected by experts and once a year sprayed with insecticide. It is vigorous and healthy, and annually bears crops, one of which totaled 35 bushels. BABY SULKY HAS LOCK SEAT TO HOLD OCCUPANT IN To prevent a baby from falling out of the seat while being wheeled about, a sulky is being made with a front piece that fits across the occu- pant’s legs, se- curely locking him in place. Slightly flexible, curved steel supports at- tached to the bas- ket partly absorb shocks, thus mak- ing riding easier. Disk wheels and other metal parts are enameled black, while the body is painted gray.

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116 BACKYARDS OF JAPAN STUDIOS OF ART AND INDUSTRY Backvard factories in Japan, which form one of the country’s greatest institutions, hum with constant activity all the year Workman in One of Japan’s Many Backyard Factories Putting Finishing Touches to a Carved Figure round. wart Almost every property owner 10 is fortunate enough to have a plot of ground at the rear of his dwelling, has turned it into a studio or a shop in which he toils patiently day after day. Asa rule the factory force consists only of the pro- prietor and perhaps one or two assistants. Yet the products of their labors are many and varied and of excellent workmanship. Some of these craftsmen turn out minia- ture statues carved from ivory or bone that are realistic and lifelike, toys, novel- ties, bric-a-brac, and oriental games. RADIO BRINGS COLLEGE STUDY TO STUDENTS AT HOME Actual college study by radio has been started in Oregon by the state university. Certificates are issued to those who listen to a series of twelve lectures. Questions regarding the course are answered by mail. While lectures by professors are a popular feature of the programs of most of the large broadcasting stations, this is said to be the earliest effort to give a real course by wireless. POPULAR MECHANICS NINE-STORY BUILDING MOVED BY TWELVE HORSES Weighing 11,000 tons, an apartment house, nine stories high, was recently moved by 12 horses. The building was carried by a framework of girders that rested on rollers placed across iron beams, which formed a track. Six vertical winches, installed at a distance, were each turned by a pair of horses, and all worked together. The runway was built so level and the motion of the load so even, that no part of the walls was disturbed. HEAT OF AUTO ENGINE GOVERNS GAS SUPPLY AND SAVES OIL By automatically cutting down the sup ply of gasoline as the motor warms up and increasing the flow as it cools, a thermo static control invented recently is said to make starting easier. Reduction in car bon formation and oil consumption, less battery strain and spark-plug trouble, are also said to be results of the use of this de vice. Full power when the engine is cold, lower speeds on high gear, and 40-per-cent saving in fuel are claimed for it. A coil of metal, which expands and contracts wit heat and cold, is so placed on the manifo that, as it is affected by temperature, it turns the lever of the needle valve, regu lating the flow of gasoline. h Id BRUSH “SCREWS” IN PAINT CAN TO CLOSE TOP To prevent waste, paint cans are being made with tube-shaped tops into which round brushes “screw” when the articles are not in use Others are made with rectangular openings, where brushes may be placed to close them. The painter may rest a wet brush in these troughs, where it can drip without spotting sur rounding surfaces. Extending above the upper edges of the receptacle, the brush cannot overturn. When stowed away, evapora tion is reduced, as the bristles, immersed in the fluid, are pulled downward by the paint’s weight until the handle fits snugly. : |

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POPULAR MECHANICS 117

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Moving Nine-Story Apartment Building with Power Furnished by Dozen Horses: The Even Motion of the Winches and Smoothness of the Track Kept the Walls Undisturbed During the Journey

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118 POPULAR MECHANICS MILLIONS IN BAD MONEY DEVOURED BY MACHINE Giant Machine in United States Treasury Department, One of Ten, that “Eats” Millions of Dollars in Paper Money Which Are no Longer Fit for Circulation Millions of dollars in redeemed paper currency, no longer fit for use, are chewed to pieces every day by 10 huge steel ma- chines in the treasury department at Washington. About noon, these giant contrivances open wide their maws and vast fortunes in bills to be destroyed are FOLDING RACK FOR WASHTUBS KEEPS THEM NEAR WRINGER Holding two washtubs and a clothes basket, a folding bench has been designed, ae Left: Folding Washtub and Clothes-Basket Rack in Use; Right: Bench Ready for Storing poured into them. This task is performed by four men, composinse the destruction committee, who represent the treasurer, the secretary, and the controller of cur- rency, each of whom holds one of the three keys necessary to open the lids of the macerators. which keeps them close to the wringer. As the receptacles are supported at the proper height, the wet garments do not have to be lifted more than a few inches. The floor can also be kept dry, because the pieces, in passing through the rollers, do not drop far enough to splash the rinsing water. The stand is braced so that it will not collapse or shake while in use. When closed up, the stand can be placed out of the way in a small space. GEYSER OF BOILING MUD SEEN IN ALASKAN VOLCANO Tons of boiling mud, hurled 200 feet into the air by a geyser rising from the bottom of the .smoking, rumbling crater of an Alaskan volcano, were seen recently by a scientist, who, with a Swiss guide, de scended the steep walls of the pit. Ven- turing within 100 feet of the curious foun- tain, when the vapor mists parted, the party obtained a clear view of a mud pool about 100 feet in width.

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POPULAR MECHANICS QUICKSILVER, ONCE ELUSIVE, IS “ROASTED” FROM SOIL Difficulties of extracting mercury from ores have been overcome in Australia, where are said to be the most important quicksilver deposits in the British Empire. For a considerable time, the discoverers of this field worked at the problems with discouraging results. When cinnabar, sulphide of mercury, was treated in the furnace, the bulk of the elusive metal passed up the flue and vanished in thin air. Recently devised appliances changed that and now the plant is capable of treat- ing 20 tons of ore a day. Broken into small pieces, it is fed into a heater, where it is thoroughly “roasted” and the metal driven off in the form of vapor. Passing through a series of condensers, immersed in cold, running water, it finally emerges in a re- fined, liquid state. TOY CALCULATOR HELPS STUDY FOR PUPILS IN FIGURES To arouse children’s interest in arith- metic problems, and to make such studies easier, a small pocket-size calculator has been designed for teaching them to add, subtract, mul- tiply, and divide. Aided by this de- vice, which is easy to operate and accurate,itis said pupils in the primary grades quickly learn the various tables. Simple examples in mathematical subjects are speedily worked out and illustrated by the ma- chine. It is fashioned from megal and made so that it cannot be easily damaged. GASOLINE ENGINE IS STARTED BY EXPLODING CARTRIDGE Gasoline engines that operate the trucks of big disappearing guns of the nation’s coast defenses are started by the explosion of a shotgun shell in one of the cylinders. A blow of the hand ona small knob fires the charge, which has sufficient force to “turn over” the shaft several times. Be- fore the operator has reached the control switchboard, the engine usually has at- tained such speed that the dynamo it oper- ates is able to supply sufficient current to move the cannon. 119 QUEER DRAWINGS GUARD BABES FROM EVIL SPIRITS True to beliefs in the power of mysteri- ous ceremonies to overcome the wiles of evil spirits they believe to be seeking to Copyright, Keystone View Co., Inc. Mother in India Painting Queer Designs on Ground to Keep Evil Spirits from Harming Her Babies harm little children, some mothers of India resort to strange devices to ward off the unseen demons. * In one section of the country, the parent protects her babies’ health by drawing strange designs on the ground around the dwelling. This is sup- posed to drive off any harmful influences that might attempt to cast a spell over the youngsters. CAN OPENER PUTS DULL EDGE ON TIN TO PROTECT HANDS Bending down the edge as it cuts, to pre- vent possibility of scratching the hands, a recently invented can opener makes a rounded, smooth-rimmed top. With slight pressure of the thumb, a sharp-pointed cutter pierces the tin, and then the cover Can Opener that Protects Hands from Cuts by Putting Rounded Edge on Tin may be removed with a forward and back- ward movement of the handle, which at the same time turns the jagged edge under.

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120 POPULAR MECHANICS J, = AA TER — » A ra A SS EE EE a a == aa — a a“ — ¥ ~ Sy. ers P ee ‘ 4 Dee ee AS Le im, A - e ™ SR are er in. NPY . = are y A MG ASASASA TTT = =ST= A Se = AA ALLA A ALAS mere q te sa Sigs ph Pa a) a ob ge 9h 08 AMA Sa ION Sie ==. An A A Ad “Yh eta. AC ee : ener ter tz « hy eae Tara A ed A et A a PATI TISTS ; aaa oh ahaora 2 Steep Slopes of Formerly Barren Mountains Covered with Stone-Walled Terraces which Are Irrigated by Water Brought from Great Distances through Sluices Built by Head-Hunting Tribesmen

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POPULAR MECHANICS WILD TRIBES IRRIGATE STEEP SLOPES OF BARREN HILLS Rivaling irrigation works of the more modern world, wild head-hunting tribes of the Philippine Islands have converted steep, barren hillsides into fertile areas for cultivating rice. Brought in crude troughs built around rugged mountains, the water flows through a maze of ter- races, confined between stone walls eight feet high. It is estimated that the total length of these barriers is more than 12,000 miles, or one-half the distance around the earth. Although the natives are little in- clined to agriculture, the greater part of their farming efforts is employed in the cultivation of grains for food. VOLCANO UNDER SEA CASTS STEAM ABOVE WATER Over a volcano, erupting far beneath the surface of the water, mariners in the South Seas recently noted a column of steam 100 feet in width and almost as high. Trailing out over the ocean for more than a mile, the vapor became dissipated, though there remained a marked disturbance and dis- coloration of the water ina large area. At first the sailors mistook the white clouds for the smoke of a passing vessel. PAPER FOR SERVING OYSTERS HIDES SHELLS AND ICE For serving raw oysters in an attractive manner, a paper doily is being made that covers the cracked GL SP which they ice ji ss ‘ an Fy Paper Dolly “ta aaa ay hat Mak aper Doily ees Mn 4 that Makes Oysters More TA ae ttractive are imbedded thus giving them a more ap- petizing appearance. Circular in shape, the covering is provided with openings to ad- mit six shells, while a larger perforation in the center fits a cup for cocktail sauce. In- expensive, this garnishment adds distinc- tion to the service. 121 MOVIES SHOWN IN DAYLIGHT OR ON ILLUMINED STAGE Motion pictures can now be shown in daylight or on a lighted stage with a new type of screen that also prevents distor- Showing Motion Pictures in Daylight on Screen that Also Prevents Distortions tion. Pictures appear true to form, viewed from either the front or back of the cur- tain, or from any angle. Instead of being located in front of the screen, as in dark- ened theaters, the projector is placed be- hind it. This arrangement, it is pointed out, is safer in case of fire, as the audience would be shut off from the flames. For homes, schools, and like places, portable outfits are being made that can be packed into a small case and carried about. One of the hardest problems in developing the material was caused by damp weather, during which the screen stretched like a piece of elastic. No loom could be found to weave the fabric without destroying its luminous qualities. One was finally de- vised that would turn out a piece of silk 20 feet wide without a single seam. The screen is noninflammable, waterproof, and has a fine corrugated surface which gives the picture depth and prevents glares. DUSTLESS CHALK TO PROTECT HEALTH IN SCHOOLROOMS To promote health and cleanliness in schoolrooms, dustless blackboard chalk is being made in the South. Ribbed, so it can be easily held, the crayon is said to leave no powder on the hands, clothing, or writing surface, thus helping to keep the air pure and rooms clean.

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LATHE TURNS BOTH ENDS OF SHAFT AT ONCE For turning automobile axle shafts, cam and drive shafts, and similar parts, both = i Both Ends of Automobile Axle Shafts and Similar Parts Are Turned at Once on This Lathe ends of which can be turned at the same time, a special lathe has been developed. The headstock is in the center of the bed, and has a hardened and ground spindle, with a 2%-in. hole through it. It is driven, through a worm drive, by a constantly running clutch, which is ar- ranged to stop the lathe the instant it is thrown out. The carriages are cam operated, and both straight and taper work can be turned with them. An important feature is that the carriages are automatically re- turned to the starting point after reach- ing the end of the cut, thus relieving the operator of all operations other than load- ing, unloading, starting, and stopping the machine. All screws are provided with chip shields, and the sprocket and chain drive to the headstock are adequately covered. LEADIZING PROCESS PROTECTS PIPING AND PLATES No practical protective coating has, until recently, been available for piping and steel plates subject to corrosion. The galvanizing process is not reliable, as it affords no protection from acid fumes, and the coating is easily damaged, and POPULAR MECHANICS flakes off when the pipe or plate is struck or bent. A new process, by which the metal is coated with lead, offers complete protection against acid, even at threaded joints, where the greatest trouble was encountered previously. After the material has been thoroughly freed from grease, oil, rust, and scale, it is immersed in a bath of hot acetate of lead, which leaves a thin, homogeneous coating of lead on the surface. The ma- terial is then placed in a bath of acetate of lead and iron sulphate, and plated, using lead anodes. The final step is to paint the pipes or plates, and the paint adheres firmly to the treated surface, as it has a natural affinity for the lead coating. The coating is even, malleable, and is not subject to damage from bending or distortion. In the case of steel tanks used for boiler-washing systems, the plates are coated after cutting and punch- ing, then bent to shape before erection, and assembled with lead-treated rivets, driven cold, the formed heads being placed inside the tanks, and exposed to the water. RUGGED SHAFT HANGER MADE OF PRESSED STEEL Made entirely of pressed steel, a shaft hanger now on the market possesses ele- ments of distinct novelty. The hanger is of the four- point set- screw type, and “parts” sothatthe shaft or bear- ing may be readily re- moved. All bolts, nuts, and setscrews are of stand- ard sizes, and are accessible and conven- mot ient for re- placement. The bearing nuts on the setscrews that support the shaft load are flush with the inside edge of the shaft opening, thus permitting a minimum amount of over- hang for the setscrews themselves. The appearance of the hanger is unusually neat, and the frame is smooth. with rounded surfaces that eliminate dust pockets. The hanger is made in regular drops—7 to 24 inches—and for all shaft sizes up to 3 inches.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 12: “PICK-UP” STREET SWEEPER IS MOTOR DRIVEN Although horse-drawn vehicles have largely passed into history as the chief problem of street sanitation in American cities, the civic pride of progressive com- munities continues to support the cost of clean streets. Dirt cannot be broom and conveyor. A 150-gal. water tank is provided for the sprinkling system. Only one man is required for the operation of the machine, and all levers are so arranged that the operator avoided, under present conditions, but when it is allowed to accumu- late, or is only partly removed by the manual labor of “white wings,” it presents an unfavorable indication of the character of city housekeeping. Even small municipalities can afford to modernize their street- sweeping methods now that a ‘pick-up” motor sweeper has been developed that not only has a special gutter-broom attachment, thus dispensing with manual labor entirely, but that has a com- paratively low initial cost, and is economical to maintain. The automatic gutter broom works in and out with the curb line, with- out attention from the driver, and the rear broom is so designed that wear auto- matically shortens the distance between One-Man Motor Street Sweeper with Gutter Broom, that Elimi- nates Manual Labor Completely complete and convenient control without leaving his seat. The working speed of the sweeper is 9 miles per hour on average pavement. has VARIETY OF TOOLS HANDLED BY CUTTER GRINDER The increasing demand for a small uni- versal cutter grinder capable of handling a variety of small drills, mill- Drills, Milling Cutters, and Engravers’ Tools Can Be Accurately Ground on This Bench Machine ing cutters, and engravers’ tools has re- sulted in the development of a tool espe- cially adapted for this work. With this grinder, all tools of a particu- lar variety can be ground to a predeter- mined angle, even by an inexperienced man. The work produced with tools uni- formly ground is much superior to that done by a “hit or miss” method, and the life of tools is correspondingly prolonged ; in addition, the time lost in regrinding tools is considerably reduced, and the labor of a skilled mechanic not re- quired. The new machine is a compact bench tool, simple and rigid in construction. It has a universal head that makes it adapt- able for the grinding of many types of cutters, with all kinds of angles and re- liefs, while a smooth-running, specially designed motor furnishes a high speed for the wheels. An auxiliary wheel is fur- nished, which permits free hand grinding 1S when desired, thus giving greater flexi- bility to the machine. Both wheels are completely guarded, and the guards are designed so that the wheels may easily be removed from the spindle. The pacity of the cutter spindle is from 4 to Y% inch, and an index plate is furnished to provide for the grinding of various cutters having flutes up to 144 inches in length. Ca-

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CULTIVATING AND SPRAYING CROPS AT SAME TIME Designed to be attached quickly to either riding or walking cultivators, a new 7 | Light and Compact Spraying Outfit Mounted on ultivator spraying unit has been very successful in combating the boll weevil in the South. The spraying is done at the best time— while the crop is being cultivated—without any additional labor expense. The ma- chine is completely automatic, a regular valve controlling the pressure on the spray nozzles, and keeping it uniform regardless of variations in the speed of the pump, which is driven by sprockets and chain. RING-OILED GLAND FEATURE OF COOLING-FLUID PUMP Difficulties encountered in. the use of pumps for cutting lubricants, due to the abrasives present, are eliminated by a new design of motor-driven centrifugal pump. There is only one working part, the im- peller, and the shaft is fitted with a ring- oiled packing gland, which keeps the bearings from coming in contact with the liquid being pumped and provides a positive sup- ply of oil. A priming cham- ber enables it to work within its suction capacity above the level of supply, with- out the use of check or foot valves, which are not reliable for this service. The unit has sufficient capacity to supply a group of machines from a central point, and is POPULAR MECHANICS very compact. It may be used for either floor or wall mounting, and may be lo- cated in isolated places, where little or no attention will be given it over long periods. FLUID HARDENS CAST IRON That it will harden cast iron as easily as steel is the claim made for a fluid now being marketed by a western concern. The fluid is mixed, for use, with a suit- able quenching oil. If the iron is to be made medium-hard, the mixture is made in the ratio of 1 part of the fluid to 100 parts of oil, and’ for extreme hardness the ratio is 50 to 75 parts oil to 1 part fluid. The metal is heated to a red heat, below scaling point, and quenched. It is stated that the temperature of the metal and the strength of the solution goy ern the hardness of the metal, so that various degrees of hardness can be ob tained. The metal may be annealed and returned to its original degree of hard ness by reheating and allowing it to cool slowly in air. It is said that castings treated with the fluid will measure 450 on the Brinell scale, and resemble high-car- bon steel in general properties. TURBINE OIL-PRESSURE GAUGE DETECTS AIR Ordinary pressure gauges, being gen- erally placed at the highest point of the turbine oil-discharge line, may registe: a pressure of air when no oil is actually reaching the bearing. This cannot hap- pen with a gauge of recent design, as, with it, as long as oil shows in the glass the bearing is receiving oil; should an accumulation of air take place in the line, this is shown by a drop in the oil level, then, by alternately placing a three-way cock in communication with the bearing “saveall” and with the interior of the gauge, the air is allowed to escape. By the use of this instru- ment the usualtest cock on the oil line is eliminated. Having no moving parts, it is unaffected by vibration, and may be mounted directly on the bearing covers.

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N these days of private electric-light plants on the farm, and with the ex- tension of city light and power lines far out into the country, the thoughts of the farm dweller naturally turn to the utiliza- tion of the current in as many practical ways as possible. One of the best uses to which it can be trying to do the job by electricity. All Shop Notes published in 1922, in book form—Fifty Cents—from our Book Department. Driving the Farm Pump Electrically By J. R. KOONTZ The 4 fact that a 4-hp. motor is plugging mer- rily away every day on my farm, pumping water from a 180-ft. well for nearly 150 head of horses, cattle, and hogs proves that any a large, expensive motor is not by means necessary. An ordinary pump jack such as used 3 Pp J

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Adapting the Farm Pump to Electric-Motor Drive Is a Simple Job, but One that Will More than Pay, in Comfort and Convenience, for the Time Spent on It adapted is that of pumping the daily sup- ply of water. The price of a good motor is considerably less than that of a gas engine, and the motor is much easier to handle. It is generally thought that a motor of at least 1 hp. is necessary to drive the pump, and this deters many farmers from with a gas engine, is used; if there is one already on the pump, so much the better. To reduce the speed of the motor to the correct speed for the pump, it is necessary to provide a secondary jack, or counter- shaft, and this can readily be made from material found around the farm, or at at 125

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126 junk dealer’s. Two pulleys will be needed, one 12 in., the other 4 in. in diameter, by 3 in. face; also a piece of 1l-in. shafting, 12 in. long, and two bearings or pillow blocks to fit the shaft. Two pieces of 2 by 8-in. plank, one 10 in. long, the other 12 in., are spiked to- gether to form an inverted vee, as shown in the details, and the V-frame bolted to another piece of 2 by 8-in. plank, long enough to carry the motor also. Bolt the bearings in place as shown, taking care to shim them so that the shaft will run freely, then attach the pulleys. Bolt the motor to the end of the plank, with its 1%-in. pulley alined with the 12- POPULAR MECHANICS in. pulley on the V-frame, then fasten the plank so that the 4-in pulley will aline with the 12-in. pulley on the regular jack. It is best to cut slots in the plank for the motor and V-frame bolts, so that the belts can be tightened easily. Cut and splice the belts in place, and connect the motor to the switch, and the job is complete. The pulley sizes given here are correct for a motor speed of 1,750 r.p.m., with a 14%-in. pulley on the motor, and a 12-in. pulley on the pump jack. The running expenses for this outfit have been only 27 cents per month during the hottest months of the year, when the most water is consumed. A Work-Chute Distributor The drawing illustrates a very simple distributing device, used in connection with a chute that delivers the work from SHEET / METAL ‘LEATHER //, WASHER ‘ _/ WOODEN 7 BLOCK Distributing Work from Machine So that Box Is Evenly Filled an automatic cutting machine into a box beneath. Before this attachment was used, considerable trouble was experi- enced, as the pieces always dropped in the same place and formed a pile, which “over- flowed” before the box was actually full. The attachment consists of a square piece of sheet iron, with the outside edges turned up, riveted to the chute. Loosely attached to this by means of a nut and screw and two leather washers is a tri- angular piece of wood. The device works as follows: As one piece drops down the chute it slides down one side of the tri- angular block, and, in passing between this and the turned-up edge of the metal to which it is attached, forces the block over so that the next piece drops down the op- posite side. The process is thus repeated until the box is filled, which is done evenly without any attention from the op- erator.—Harry Moore, Montreal, Can. Transferring Hole Centers The usual practice, when transferring the centers of large holes, is to scribe around the diameter and afterwards mark off the center of the scribed circle. The work is simplified considerably with the use of the tool shown in the drawing. which is made especially for this kind of work. A piece of good, straight tubing is drilled through for a scriber or pointer, and a short piece of round bar is also drilled the same size. This part is --- SCRIBER also drilled -RING and tapped at ff > SPRING one end, to take a knurled tighten- ing screw, which extends up to the hole Etiitsea through it. When tfin- ished, the parts are as- sembled as shown, with a light coil spring over the scriber. y KNURLED SCREW To transfer the center of a hole already drilled to another piece to be drilled the same size, the body of the tool is placed on top of the hole, and the scriber pushed down to touch the face of the second piece. Then with the knurled screw tightened, the tube is pressed down snugly and rocked back and forth once or twice, the same proce- dure being carried out after the tool has

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POPULAR MECHANICS been turned to a position at about right angles to the first. The result is a cross marked in the exact center of the hole. No accuracy is required when setting the scriber to depth; it must, of course, touch the face of the second piece, but if set a little heavy it will lift on the high spot as the tool is rocked. Unscrewing Separable Plugs The usual method of unscrewing separa- ble plugs for cleaning, putting in new gas- kets, or replacing porcelains, is to hold the body of the plug in one hand by means of a wrench, while the pack- ing nut is unscrewed with another wrench, or a pair of pliers. A much handier method is shown in the draw- ing. A hole is bored in the edge of the bench, large enough to re- ceive the porcelain head, and over this hole is screwed a metal plate, shaped like the head of a wrench, and with an opening that fits the packing nut. It is but the work of a mo- ment to slip the plug between the jaws, and to loosen the body with a wrench. Holder for Inside Micrometer When using an inside micrometer, it must be moved vertically and horizontally, and considerable adjustment is necessary to obtain an accurate measurement. The work can be greatly facilitated by using the attachment shown in the il- 7/7/77 7 lustration, which Uy makes it possible / to set the tool y] across the center of the bore at once. The attach- ment is a circular disk of brass, or steel, with a boss which is drilled to a good sliding fit on the thimble of the micrometer, so that it can be slipped on and off easily. The diameter of the disk is about 24% in. when used for bores having a diameter of 5 in. or more. For smaller bores, the diameter should be about 2% inches. BORED 70 suit MICROMETER Lowering Storage Tanks While various methods are employed for installing underground storage tanks, the method shown in the drawing has been Z > i aos "he. i e/ ne CN A Simple and Convenient Method of Lowering Large Metal Storage Tanks into Pits Dug for Them found highly satisfactory, as it is only nec- essary to dig a pit that is just large enough to receive the tank, and because the tank can easily be turned around so as to bring the openings to their proper positions Planks are placed over the pit and the tank is rolled on these until it is directly over the pit and in position to be lowered. The chain or rope slings are then put in place and the tank is raised a little with the block and tackle, which is lashed to the simple wooden frame shown in the illus tration. The boards are then removed from under the tank and it is lowered into place. This method makes it unnecessar) to dig an incline on one side of the pit to slide the tank down on skids. Improvised Polishing Wheel A simple and effective polishing wheel can be made by mounting a wooden disk on the shaft of a small motor, or on the screw chuck of a lathe, and covering the circumference of the disk with ordinary friction tape, which is then sprinkled with carborundum powder of suitable fineness The disk must be turned down to a true edge and the tape must be wound in the direction that the wheel revolves, other- wise it will unwind in use. The carborun- dum powder should be well rubbed and patted into the tape, and, as it is quite easily torn from the tape by polishing, it must be renewed frequently. For the finest grades of powder it is well to rub the surface of the tape with tallow, before applying the powder.

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128 POPULAR Casters Facilitate Tinsmith’s Work Ordinary furniture casters, set in holes in the workbench, as shown, have been found to facilitate the handling of milk FURNITURE _ CASTERS Furniture Casters, Set in Holes on the Workbench, Facilitate the Handling of Cylindrical Containers cans and other cylindrical work, while sol- dering or repairing. A number of holes, large enough to receive the shanks of the casters, are drilled in the benchtop, and four casters inserted at points most con- venient for the work, whether in horizon- tal or in vertical position. The time-saving features of this idea will be understood in- stantly by anyone who has done much re- pairing on such work. Lubricating Lathe Centers While running work at high speed in the lathe, the centers are apt to run dry, and if this is not detected in time, to burn out. With the device illustrated, there is always a small supply of oil at the center, and when necessary, the oil can be forced out quickly. First, a small hole is drilled SCREW HOLE INNER RING A down along the an axis of the center, V and another is drilled through the side to break into this. A ring of cold-rolled steel is made, the hole being a snug fit on the straight part of the center. This piece is then slot- ted in the center, leaving a solid segment on one side, as shown. Another and larger ring is made, ists CHANNEL KNURLED RING OIL CHANNEL: INNER RING SCREW MECHANICS the hole of which is a nice working fit on the outside diameter of the inner ring. The outside ring is knurled, and tapped for a special screw; the latter has a plain part extending into the slot in the inner ring, in which it is a good sliding fit. The device fits on the center in the position shown. To fill with oil, remove the screw, and pour the lubricant through the hole. The oil is held in the slot in the inner ring, which forms a reservoir. Replace the screw and tighten until it touches the center. It will be seen that the screw holds the two rings together, and that, when the outer ring is turned to the right, the oil in the slot or reser- voir will be forced out by the plain part of the screw through the small holes to the center of the work. Wedge Jack for Planer The small wedge jack shown in the drawing is for use on the planer, under castings where there is not enough space to use a screw jack. The jack consists of four pieces; the jack body, a lifting pin, and a wedge, with a nut on the threaded end. The jack is a steel cast- ing of the shape shown; the holes are drilled at a 75 angle, and the upper surface of the wedge hole is slotted as shown, so that the two sides are at an angle of 15°, the surface of the wedge being machined to suit. In use, the wedge is inserted in the jack, the nut screwed on the threaded end, and the lifting pin put in place. By turning the nut, the horizontal surface ot the wedge is lowered or raised, and twis, of course, lowers or raises the lifting pin. The shanks of the jack and wedge can be made as long as necessary so that they will clear the work. —_— CASTING VIEW SHOWING ONE USE FOR JACK @ Do not use paint containing compounds of lead about stables or outbuildings where the fumes of decaying organic matter arise, as these gases are likely to darken the color of lead paints.

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POPULAR MECHANICS Cocoa Mats for Workers There are numerous places where it not desirable to use wooden gratings or slat flooring for protecting the workers’ feet from’ hard concrete floors. Under such conditions it will be found that ordinary cocoa matting will afford a cheap and durable protection. Wheelbarrow for Soft Soil An ordinary wheelbarrow has little value on soft or sandy soil, as the wheel sinks into the ground, and it becomes al- most impossible to push the barrow ahead. However, a wheelbarrow of the kind shown in the photo, will easily carry i heavy load over soft ground. It does not resemble an ordinary wheelbarrow, but has a drum about 1 ft. long and the ame in diameter, substituted for the A Wheelbarrow Equipped with a Drum Instead of a Wheel Is Convenient to Handle on Soft Ground wheel. The drum is made by cutting two circular pieces of wood about 10 in. in diameter, from l-in. boards, to form the ends. These ends are reinforced with cleats of 1 by 4-in. material, nailed or screwed across the grain of the disks. Strips of wood, 1 ft. long and 1 in. square, are nailed to the edges all around the disks, to form the drum. A 1%4-in. hole is drilled through the ends in the exact center, and a 144-in. pipe pushed through, to serve as an axle or shaft. It is securely fastened to the ends of the drum by drilling a small hole through the pipe, on each side of the drum, driving a small rod through each hole, and then fasten- ing the rod to the drum with staples. The load is carried on a frame made of any material convenient, mounted above the drum, and pivoted on the axle shaft, as shown in the photo.—W. W. Fairbanks, Fort Bragg, Calif. 129 Power Hacksaw Made from Auto Engine The photo shows an efficient power hacksaw made from an old automobile en- gine. The cylinder block of the engine, An Efficient Power Hacksaw, Made from an Old Auto- mobile Engine Mounted on a Steel Frame with the crankshaft in place, was turned upside down, and set at one end of a chan- nel-steel frame. The block was then cut so that the connecting rods of the first and last cylinders could be swung outward on one side. To the ends of these connecting rods is attached a frame that holds the sawblade frame, which is made from a steel bar, bent to the shape shown. The regular flywheel and clutch are left in place and a pulley is fitted on the end of the crankshaft so that a belt can be used to run the saw. Making a Leather Pulley A homemade leather pulley that was used on an electric motor is shown in th> illustration. It was made from a number of leather disks, two steel collars, and a steel bush- ing. The leather disks were cut from old belting, to a diameter larg- er than the fin- ished size of the pulley, and were glued together. A hole was drilled through the cen- ter so that they would fit snugly on the bushing, which was cut from steel tubing and threaded on both ends; the col- lars were drilled and tapped to fit the bush- ing. When the collars had been drawn up so as to clamp the leather disks as tightly as possible, the pulley was put in the lathe and crowned.—R. M. Thomas, Denver, Colorado. -- LEATHER “@ STEEL 1 COLLAR -- STEEL BUSHING

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130 Built-Up Pipe Vise The drawing shows.a built-up steel pipe vise that is much stronger than the usual cast or malleable-iron pipe vise. The jaws used are taken from an ordi- VISE SCREW i GROOVE, } ' ’ meee, eed : “SCREWS . SLIDING JAW ¢......-/ CLAMPED HERE. ° ie} 4 ; ~ = |_BARS \. SET- — U 4 a---—" ! i ~— oF PLAN BASE,MADE FROM -- SECTION OF I-BEAM A Homemade Pipe Vise, Made from a Section of I-Beam and a Number of Short Steel Bars nary vise, or they can be sawed and filed from tool steel, and then hardened and tempered. Owing to the various sizes and shapes of these jaws, and the differ- ent methods of holding them, no dimen- sions have been given, but with a set on hand the vise can be built up around them, changing the design to suit. All parts of the vise are made of stock sizes of structural and machine steel. The base is part of a short section of I-beam, the fixed: jaws being bolted to each side of the central web as shown, using shims if necessary, to set them out far enough. The frame consists of two central bars, joined at the top by a yoke, riveted or bolted on. The central bars must be of the same thickness as the web on the base. Two sets of guide bars, which may be of thinner stock than the yoke, are bolted to the sides of the center bars to guide the movable jaw. One center bar is cut and filed to take a latch, which pivots on a pin driven through the side of the bars. The oppo- site set of guide bars is drilled for a pivot bolt and the end of the web is rounded off to permit the frame to swing open when inserting the pipe. POPULAR MECHANICS It is best to fill up the center of the yoke with a steel filler, riveted in place securely. The yoke is then drilled and tapped for the vise screw, which is made of a machine bolt 34 in. in diameter, and threaded up to the head. A hole is drilled through the square head to accom- modate a steel tightening bar or handle. A rectangular groove is drilled and filed in the end of a piece of square or round machine steel to take the sliding jaw, which is held securely by a setscrew. li the jaw has bolt holes in it, a long yoke of different pattern will have to be made The easiest method of attaching the vise screw to the movable-jaw yoke is to turn down the end to fit into a hole drilled in the yoke. A hole is drilled through the side of the yoke and partly into the end of the vise screw, then the screw is removed and a groove turned in it where it is spotted by the drill. The hole is tapped and a setscrew fitted; this will prevent the vise screw from coming out as the jaw is raised. When turning the end of the vise screw a flange is formed, which must take the pressure when thie movable jaw is turned down, and for this reason it should be as wide as possible The stationary jaws are bolted in place and the center part of the web is cut down to conform to them in shape. A notch is also cut in the edge of the web to take the latch. Corn-Shock Tightener The illustration shows a quick-acting corn-shock tightener that has been found very convenient. It is made from a length of rope, long enough to go around the shocks, and a piece of wood 1 by 2 by 10 in. in dimen sions. A hole is drilled near one end, and notches are cut at the points indi- cated,all being large enough to admit the rope. Small nails are then driven into the wood, to prevent it from splitting between the notches, and the rope is knotted at one end and passed through the hole. The method of bringing the rope around the shock and tightening it in the grooves is clearly shown in the upper illustration.— A. L. Gillis, Mount Pleasant, la. HOLE NOTCHES a

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POPULAR MECHANICS Repairing Auto Clutch Shaft A certain type of automobile has two 5,-in. fine-thread screws fastening the yoke end of the clutch shaft to the clutch, as shown in the illustration, at the upper left. These screws often become loose, and are then likely to strip, making it im- possible to release the clutch. This happened on my own car, and to make a quick, but permanent repair, the job was done in the following manner: The clutch and its shaft were taken out of the car, and after the two screws were removed, the screw holes were reamed out to exactly 5g in. in diameter. This re- moved all the threads and left the sur- faces of the holes perfectly smooth. Long capscrews were then obtained, and the threaded ends were cut off, leaving plain studs, about 145 in. long. With the yoke and studs in place, holes were drilled, as indicated, for %2-in. tool-steel pins; these were a tight fit, and kept in place with a piece of soft wire, passed through small holes in the ends and then brought around the clutch hub and twisted, as shown. This repair was found to be just as strong as the screw arrangement, and there was much less danger of its com- 131 Circle-Marking Tool The tool shown in the drawing and photograph was made for the purpose of scribing true lines around light rods, the -- CLUTCH po. _--LEATHER SY -WIRE STUD - * FOR YOKE COLLAR -~* UNIVERSAL”. THROUGH H JOINT SPLINE , nt — -_——- DRILLED_, ae OUT TO% DIAM. Z T001- STEEL PINS—-* Cony 2 Zz g c 9 ! ' ' ' ' ' one \ ‘ Quick Repair on an Auto Clutch: The Screws Are Re- moved and Plain Studs Substituted for Them ing loose than before. Furthermore, it was easy to dismantle the clutch when necessary.—J. V. Romig, Allentown, Pa. @A test-tube brush, obtainable at any wholesale druggist’s or laboratory-supply house, has been found to be very satis- factory for cleaning chips and dirt from the hollow spindle of a small lathe. An Easily Made Tool for Scribing Circles on Light Rods Accurately and Quickly lines being afterward used to locate the position of holes drilled partly through the rods. The body of the tool is round cold-rolled steel. A hole is drilled length- wise in the center to take a pointed pin and the hole is tapped at the end for a screw. Another hole, the approximate size of the rods, is drilled at right angles to the first at one end, and a slot is cut in the end at right angles to the hole for the rods. In using the tool the posi- tion of the circle on the work is first determined and after marking this with a fine punch the tool is slipped on and located in line with this mark by bring- ing the mark in the center of the slot The screw is then turned in until the hardened point of the pin touches the rod, when, by revolving the tool, a true line is marked around the rod. A Simple Spirit Lamp A new oil can with a wick of cotton string makes an excellent spirit lamp. For applying intense heat at a small joint it is only necessary to press the bottom of the can; the pressure will then force out a hot flame, making the lamp act asa blow- torch. On small work the lamp may be used sideways or at an angle, which is not possible with the ordinary kind of spirit lamp. For soldering small wires in radio work, or for light brazing, this lamp has few equals.

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VERY handy and profitable type of +% bench machine for the small wood- working shop is the’ vertical-spindle sander. This type of sander is particularly useful in the finishing of internal surfaces, and irregular shapes on patterns, either wood or metal, coreboxes, circular work, etc., being worked in far less time than they can be finished by hand. On pattern work, the necessary draught is obtained by tilting the table to the re- quired angle, and this eliminates the trouble due to “back draught,” so often found on hand-finished patterns. The sander described in this article is easily built, and will give years of efficient service. a practically fool and accident proof, as the driving belt runs in the hol- low sub-base which guards the operator in case of belt breakage. The base of the machine is an extra-heavy 2-in. pipe flange, which is used just aS pinishing Ir- purchase d, regular Work any on the Home- without any rl gg Tom on further ma- _— Spindle Sand- chining. The ing Machine standard is a 6-in. length of 2-in. extra-heavy pipe, machined for the bearings and threaded as shown in the detail drawing The lower thread is cut standard length, and screwed into the flange; the upper thread is 1% in. long, and is screwed into the tapped hole in the table support. The inside of the pipe is bored 2 in. deep at each end, for the oilless spindle bushings. These bushings are made of wood, impregnated with oil; they take on a high internal polish with wear, and provide enough oil for the spindle so that lubrication after installation is un- 132 = VERTICAL - SPINDLE | BENCH SANDER 2¥y J-V:- Romig necessary. They should be a good press fit in the standard. The table support may be a casting, ma chined out of a block of machine steel, or built up, by welding, out of steel plate The top is drilled and tapped to fit the standard, and the sides drilled and tapped for the 3g-in. studs that clamp the table. The table may also be a casting, or built up from plate; the semicircular slots in the sides should have as their center the point shawn in the drawing, on the table top, so that the table mayswing on the four studs accurate ly, with the spindle asa center. The top of the table i ground and polished to a perfectly flat surface, the smoother the better. Two lines should be deeply = scribed on the surface of the table, one parallel to k the axis, the 1 other at right ( angles to it, to assist in placing and moving the work. The spindle of the machine is made of a good grade of steel, to the dimensions shown in the drawing. The top is threaded to take the roll-tightening nut, and the bottom is faced perfectly square, and pol- ished. A collar is made to be pressed down over the %-in. diameter of the spindle, and to the bottom of this collar is screwed a sheet-metal dust cap, shaped like an inverted dish, which keeps the dust out of the bearing. The collar and seat on the shoulder of the spindle. The spindle is supported by a thrust cap

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—s (3 “| ea | i ieee 4 , , ell ue jie | 7 \. mene sit—4s—| kee , | ; WORK TABLE, as FRONT VIEW ‘ OILLESS BEARINGS< ' ! !

WORK TABLE, SIDE VIEW

re STANDARD SANDER ROLL 23X8'S.

-- SAND PAPER

END VIEW

| | | | i | | a, | GROOVE \ j ‘ ‘A SPINDLE i ‘ ro 4 | = ; i wn | | THRUST — BLOCK | mt _- PIPE TAP | | = 7 «2 thee 84 | ej } | | PULLEY --- Bod | | Hi i | | : ES ELEVATING SCREW AND TH . RUST-BLOCK CUP =S : || fi || SPINDLE. 1 |] - 1 | | - LZ 2 =~. WOOD SUB SIDE VIEW —~ v BASE } * A = \ — | | 3 PULLEY , \ be | | | ‘ A | . J ; =a T | | X | | r | “ yy | a cas) a | ZTAPPED 4 | TABLE SUPPORT DETAILS

| L — = = neon =m j A Vertical-Spindle Sander that May Be Built in Any Small Shop, and that Will Prove of Great Value to oodworkers and Patternmakers

133

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134 bearing consisting of a bronze disk, slotted as shown, to insure that a constant supply of oil will reach the bottom of the spindle. The disk is carried by a thrust-block cup, which is machined so as to form an oil reservoir. The cup is machined _on the top of a 34-in. elevating screw, working through a plate-steel nut screwed to the top of the bench, directly under the center of the spindle. A large square nut, sunk into the bench, can be used here, if de- sired. The bottom of the screw is fitted with a hand wheel, which may be taken from an old valve. The driving pulley is made of steel or cast iron, turned with flanges to prevent the belt from running off; it may be fas- tened to the spindle either by a key or by two headless setscrews. The face should be made to carry a 1-in. belt. The sub-base is cut out of hardwood, on the band saw, and mounted on the bench with the belt opening to the rear of the machine. The sander rolls may be made either of steel or cast iron, and should be per- POPULAR MECHANICS fectly smooth and straight. The bore must also be true with the outer surface The roll is raised by means of the elevating screw when being covered with abrasive paper or cloth, and lowered for working until the lower edge is below the level oj the table top. The abrasive paper can be purchased in rolls or sheets, and in many grades of fine ness. A piece is cut that will fit neatl, around the roll, the ends meeting closely without any lap, and it is cemented to the roll with a special adhesive sold for the purpose. After applying, the roll tightly wrapped with heavy string and al lowed to remain until the cement is dry Garnet paper is generally used for wood finishing, and emery paper for metal-pat tern work. The machine is driven, by means of a quarter-turn belt, from a small motor the speed of the roll should be from 1,600 to 1,800 r.p.m. A snap switch should be located on the front edge of the bench, for convenience in controlling the motor. Flattening the Ends of Coil Springs The illustration shows a handy tool for flattening the ends of coil springs, and one that can be made in a few moments to suit An Effective Tool for Flattening the Ends of Coil Springs Can Be Made from Scrap Stock any size spring. It consists of two parts; a length of round-steel rod to fit the in- side diameter of the spring, and a piece of pipe or tube to fit the outside diameter. The rod is driven into a wooden handle and drilled for a pin, as shown. The tube, which is only half the length of the rod, is used to cover the spring except the last coil, which is to. be held over a gas flame the tube protecting the rest of the spring from the heat. The spring is held in the flame long enough to anneal the exposed part, and then, while this end is hot, the end of the rod is slipped into a hole drilled in any convenient metal block and the handle pressed down quickly. The coils will, of course, close for a certain distance before the end is pressed back and the tube will slide back over the pin as the tool ad vances into the hole. This method of flat tening the end is particularly effective in case of brass springs. Avoiding Waste of Envelopes Frequently, in my office, Ff found that envelopes had become practically useless due to the gummed flaps sticking to the back, which was caused by the dampness of the storeroom. Having a supply of these envelopes on hand one day, i in structed the porter to attempt to pry the flaps open, my own attempts having re- sulted in tearing them. The porter spread them out on a long table until he had fin ished the work he was doing. Upon re turning, he found that the air circulated by the ceiling fan, which was located di rectly above the table, had dried the gummed flaps so thoroughly that no trouble was experienced in opening them. —L. H. Unglesby, Baton Rouge, La.

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POPULAR MECHANICS Raising Sunken Floor Boards The flooring defect shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing is a common one. The pri- mary cause is, of course, careless work- manship, or defects in the sub-floor, which allow the edge of one piece of flooring to drop down from \% to % in. below the level of the remainder of the floor. A simple method of remedying this is shown in the draw- ing. A screw is driven in near the edge of the sunken piece, and using a wreck- ing bar witha block of wood as a fulcrum, theedgeis pulled back into place, as indicated in Fig. 1. Then holes are drilled and 8-penny finishing nails driven along the edge as far as nec- essary, as shown in Fig. 2. When the nail and screw holes have been puttied and stained, the repair is unnoticeable. Adjustable Spanner Wrench Every shop has some machines or tools fitted with slotted nuts, and it usually happens that one of the hardest things to find is a spanner wrench to fit a particular nut. An adjustable spanner that will accommodate it- self to nuts of dif- ferent sizes can be easily made, and when it is remem- bered that these nuts are quite generally abused . with a hammer and chisel when no wrench is at hand, such a tool is well worth making. The body, it will be seen, is similar in appearance to the frame of a micrometer caliper. One end is drilled and tapped to take a screw, which is turned from a piece of %-in. cold-rolled steel. A pin, driven in the opposite end of the tool, is turned to the form illustrated. The tapered points of the plug and screw are casehardened. Vat for Scalding Hogs The most arduous job in the task of butchering hogs on the farm is the hand- ling of the carcass, which usually weighs A Large Vat for Scaldin and a Fire Hogs Is Set over a Trench s Built under It more than 200 pounds. To facilitate the work of scalding the carcass, and to make carrying of hot water unnecessary, an Oklahoma farmer built the movable scald- ing vat shown inthe drawing. It measures 6 ft. long and about 30 in. wide, and is made of 2 by 14-in. material, the bottom and sides being covered with sheet zinc. In use, it is placed over a small trench dug for the purpose, and a fire is built under the vat to heat the water. Three 8-ft. lengths of chains are attached to two handles as shown, and with their help the hog is lifted in and out of the boiling water, two men being required to do the work. A length of stovepipe i: set at one end of the fire trench, to serve as a chim- ney.—J. M. Collins, Kansas City, Mo. Packing Piston Head on Pump The piston head on a pump was packed with square l-in. packing, which upon being worn out could not be replaced by any local supply house, and this made it necessary to devise an emergency pack- ing. Having plenty of %-in. packing on hand, we fitted a 4%-in. iron band on the head and put the packing over this, which resulted in a good fit. Although this pack- ing was intended for temporary use, it has proved as satisfactory as l-in. packing.— L. W. Brown, Braemar, Tenn.

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136 POPULAR Auxiliary Handle for Shovel When a shovel is used on work requir- ing little high lifting, as is the case when clearing away snow, usually more of a 5 ¥ : = f ~ f | N AN\y , Be a QR An Auxiliary Handle on a Shovel Used for Clearing Away Snow, Is of Considerable Assistance pushing operation than a lifting one, an extra handle attached to the shank of the shovel handle as shown will prove to be of considerable assistance. The auxiliary handle is cut from an old discarded shovel, and is fastened on the shank by means of sheet-metal straps—Harold E. Benson, Boulder, Colo. A Homemade Sprayer The photo shows an efficient sprayer for combating potato bugs. It is made from an old milk can, a length of rubber hose, some lengths of 4%4-in. pipe, and fit- tings that can us- ually be found in every farm work- shop. The cover of the can is soldered tight and a short length of pipe put through a hole in the top and sol- dered in place, the lower end being about % in. from the bottom, so that the entire contents of the The upper end of this can will be used. pipe is fitted with a valve and nipple, MECHANICS and a length of rubber hose is attached to the latter. A tire valve is also soldered in the top of the can, so that the liquid can be put under pressure by means of a tire pump. The sprayer is carried by two men and has been found to be just as satisfactory as any portable sprayer on the market.—Elmer Raihala, Floodwood Minnesota. Machining Two Cone Pulleys on One Mandrel By forging or grinding a double-pointed lathe tool, two cone pulleys, or similar cast- ings may be machined while in place on a single mandrel. A roughing tool is first used, making both longitudinal and end cuts. Its cutting edge is the same as the ordinary lathe tool but a double point is provided, as shown in the drawing, for cutting in opposite directions, the shank of the — tool being clamped paral- lel to the cross slide. The pul- leys can be set closely enough together so that both ends can be faced at one cut; the tool is then with- drawn, and the small step of one pulley faced, then fed over without changing the cross feed, ani the second casting faced. The second step of this pulley is then faced, and the tool fed along up to the end of the largest step, when, reversing the carriage, it is moved over to the second step of the other pulley. The third step is then end turned and surface-turned, and the tool is fed over to the third-step surface of the opposite casting. This will rough-turn both pulleys to identical diameters, the face widths being turned to measure ment. Next the center line of each step is determined and scribed off, and the tailstock set over enough to turn cown the pulley faces to the requisite crown. All steps are beveled until the cuts touch the scribed center lines; the tailstock is then set over in the other direction, or the mandrel reversed, for finishing the oppo- site, tapers, which also meet the scribed lines, thus crowning the steps and com pleting the job. The finishing tool used for the crowning is similar to the rough ing tool except that the noses are ground sharper. CENTER LINE SCRIBED ( ' AFTER ROUGHING CUT MANDREL ~ } > DOUBLE-POINT ROUGHING TOOL ROUGHING CUTS [ { AND PULLEY FACES CROWNED (7 FINISHING TOOL FOR CROWNING FACES

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POPULAR MECHANICS Shaft-Centering and Calipering Tool The drawing shows a serviceable and convenient tool for centering shafts and measuring their diameters directly without using calipers. It consists of a steel plate vs in. thick, 4 in. long, and 24% in. wide, having a V-shaped cut at one end as shown, the included angle of the vee being 38°-56’. A groove for the scale to slide in is cut in one side of the plate, with one edge bisecting the apex of the cut. Index marks for reading the scale are made on the surface of the plate at the point of the vee, and at right angles to the slot. A small spring, made of #2-in. spring steel, of the shape shown, is riveted on the plate, to hold the scale when adjusted. The method of reading the diameters of shafts and cylinders is illustrated in the upper detail. The vee is pressed against the shaft as shown, and the scale is then pushed down until it touches the shaft. The distance from the index line to the point where the scale touches the shaft is equal to the diameter of the shaft and is read directly on the scale. When used for centering shafts, the scale is slid over the vee, as shown in the lower detail, and a line is marked with the scriber across the A Hand-Operated Riveter The work of riveting small parts can be greatly facilitated by providing a small riv- eter of the kind shown in the drawing, and \e ea eet ID) BENCH, PLATE -STEEL BRACKET —_— READING DIAMETER SCRIBING CENTERS A Serviceable and Convenient Tool for Centering and Measuring Shafts . end of the shaft. Another mark is scribed at right angles to this, the point of inter- section being the center of the shaft. @ For a first coat on wood, wood turpen- tine should be used as a thinner. A Simple Hand-Operated Machine which Facilitates Riveting Operations Considerably much more work can be done with it than is usually done by hand. The riveter is simple to make; it con- sists of a steel-plate bracket on which is mounted an anvil block, a hammer, a wheel, and a coil spring. The main bracket is screwed to the benchtop and is bent to the shape shown, with an eye bearing at the top te receive the spindle on which the wheel revolves. A guide bracket, also made of steel plate, is riveted to the main bracket at the point indicated; the ends are drilled and bent over so that both holes will be in line to receive the hammer, which is a short round rod of tool steel. A hole is drilled through the hammer and a square collar is pinned on at this point. A strong coil spring is placed between the flange and the upper guide, so that the hammer is held down on the anvil block with considerable pressure. The anvil block is riveted to the base of the bracket, as indicated, and a heavy steel or iron wheel is mounted on the spindle. The wheel is fitted with a striker lug or roller to litt the hammer, and a handle is pro- vided on the other side so that the wheel can be turned by hand. Almost any type of pulley or heavy-vimmed flywheel can be used for this purpose. The ease with which the tool can be operated depends on the weight of the wheel and, therefore, the heavier the latter is, the more smooth and satisfactory will be the operation of the riveter.

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A Septic Tank for the Farm By A. J. R. HE farmer and small-town dweller can easily obtain all the advantages of running water and bath, with perfect pro- tection against contamination of water supply and filth diseases, by means of a septic tank. This method is the most sat- isfactory for the disposal of household and other wastes, where a regular sewer sys- tem is not available, and the ordinary sep- tic-tank installation is not at all difficult to make. Household wastes are carried from the house sewer or plumbing outlet directly to the tank, where the solid portions are converted into liquids and gases. The bacteria that cause this change are vigor- ous only in the absence of oxygen, so the tank chamber should be sealed to exclude CURTIS The concrete for the tank should be made of a mixture of 1 part of cement, 2 parts of sand, and 3 parts of pebbles or clean broken stone. The walls and floor should be 6 in. thick and reinforced with Y-in. steel rods spaced 12 in. apart in both directions, or with heavy woven wire. The reinforcement should extend down the walls and across the bottom, forming a sort of basket. The cover should be not less than 4 in. in thickness and reinforced with %-in. rods spaced 4 in. apart. It should be made in slabs to make it easily removable for cleaning. In case the tank must be set at a considerable depth, with the weight of several feet of soil upon its top, the cover must be made thicker and stronger than this, A hollow extension air. The sewage should remain in the to the surface of the ground, large enough tank at least to admit of 24 hours. After cleaning when leaving the DIMENSIONS OF SEPTIC TANKS necessary, may tank, the liquid, also be found in a semi-puri- | pots |SN Gal. | WIOTH | LENGTH LENGTH OF advisable. fied state, flows The smallest into a tile line, 5 250 2’- 0” 4'-0" iSO TO 250 size tank that where an en- — —_— if is practical is tirely different re — alias = a one for a fam- kind of bac- 15 750 3-6" | 6-10" | 450 ” 750 ily of five per- teria, known as -_ om a@ a’-o0" ese “1000 sons, which aerobies, which upon the as- require air in 2s 1250 a’- 6" | 9'-0" | 750 "1250 sumption that order to live, at- the daily sew- tack the liquids a en eee eee age production and complete Table Showing Dimensions of Septic Tanks for Various Sizes | 50 gal. pet the process ot of Residences person, should purification. have a capac- The simplest form of septic tank, and one that gives successful results for small- residence use, is a plain, watertight, con- crete tank set below ground. Its size will vary with the amount of sewage to be treated. The tank should be made so that a depth of not less than 4 ft. of liquid may be maintained, and any increase in capac- ity may be obtained by extending the length rather than the width. In this way the sewage has a longer path to travel before being discharged from the tank and the septic action is more thorough. The wastes should enter the tank at the lowest possible velocity, and for this reason the tank end of the house sewer should have very little pitch. A baffle board must be erected immediately in front of the sewer® outlet to reduce the velocity of the flow still further. Likewise, the discharge of the treated sewage should be made with a minimum of disturbance to the contents of the tank. To allow this, the outlet must be provided with an air vent. 138 ity of 250 gal., if the general practice of sewage retention for at least 24 hours is to be followed. In most cases septic action will begin practically as soon as sewage enters the tank but in rare cases it may be- necessary to introduce a quantity of septi- cized sewage from some other tank. Once started, the action rarely ceases. The forms for the tank are very simple; the inner form consists of a box, with holes bored in the ends to receive the sewer- pipe “ells” that form the inlet and outlet of the tank. Strips of wood are nailed to the sides at the points indicated, to form grooves in the inner walls for the recep- tion of the baffle boards. Where the soil is self-supporting, an outer form may be dispensed with, and the earth itself used to support the concrete. Where the soil is loose, however, an outer form, consist- ing of a bottomless box, must be used. The lumber used for the forms should be clean, preferably surfaced, and the joints must be made tight to prevent leakage of the

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_ STRIPS MAKE GROOVES _-HOUSE SEWER 4” CHIPPED IN TANK FOR BAFFLE BOARDS} | | vom” VENT ‘

SECTIONAL VIEW OF TANK BAFFLE BOARD 4

' a con ws Tec | ] i oe oe “~ 4S ° Em Eat 2 its ei A ee pi cokiea wo + Sy ee eet ee he =f 4) starts ga este tanian hae a Qa ee : bey be exd-pr tt by 5 " J 7 : 1 Web "a A NC WE “> 4" SEWER TILE J - = a ———=) \ Winner Ff . mo, cS, 9 ’ "© = ~» . 4 — } = = = i sf _ = A - PLAN OF y = DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM ‘i a : = x x x s emnacenemniaseeetiioniet I a on ARaAren Ss inoenrene| LF £22 BROKEN +— TILE é i f =— = = = He | So owas siiaiacneniiaanial er Mi | * °o 2 t Ot JL. | ‘vl 2 “TS | my TILE SURROUNDED BY | eo: on a MAUS RG tea gh Va “a STONE OR PEBBLES ‘4 3 Pt <s) eS =" GRAVEL J ds u yy METHOD OF LAYING a , E J = ABSORPTION TILE \ CZ Uy, A Sy, ee y ‘ | i H+ { | ae eet eae y CHE ARRANGEMENT OF SEPTIC TANK || eames Lave _ ——— eee 4

Details of the Making and Installation of a Simple Concrete Septic Tank: This Allows the Farmer to Install a Modern Plumbing System Where Sewers Are Not Available

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138 140 concrete. A thorough wetting of the form before placing the cement will swell the wood and assist in making the joints tight. The forms should be greased or oiled be- fore placing the concrete and the mixture must be well spaded in the forms to insure filling all corners. Since the purifying action is only partly - completed in the septic tank, the tile dis- tribution system, in which the aerobic bac- teria complete the process, is of almost equal importance to the tank. The liquids should never be allowed to pass directly from the tank into a pond or stream, neither should they be discharged directly into a sump or on the surface of the ground. The disposal or distribution system should consist of a line or lines of 4-in. drain tile, preferably laid as indicated in the drawing, in order to get-a maximum length of tile in a small area. If the septic tank is located near the residence, as is usually the case, the tile leading from this point to the disposal or absorption field should be laid as closely together as possi- ble and sealed with cement mortar in the same manner as a sewer. In the absorp- tion field, however, the tile are laid with POPULAR MECHANICS open joints near the surface, where the soil carries an abundance of oxygen. In mild climates 10 in. is sufficient depth for the distributing tile, this being in- creased to a maximum of 18 in. in colder regions. The open joints are protected by pieces of broken tile to prevent dirt from falling into them and clogging the line. Uniform absorption by the soil along the entire length of the distributing tile will be facilitated by laying the tile to an accurate grade with a fall of about 2 in. per 100 ft. Some authorities prefer a steeper grade at the beginning, changing gradually to a level grade at the end. The length of the lines of tile will de- pend upon the amount of sewage dis- charged and upon the character of the soil. In sandy soils of an open texture which admit of an even absorption, good practice indicates that 3 ft. of tile should be laid for each 5 gal. of daily discharge. In tight, clayey soil this should be in- creased to 1 ft. or more for each gallon. In certain cases where thorough absorption seems difficult, it is well to surround the distributing tile with gravel, cinders, broken stone, or some other similar porous material. Moisture-Resisting Coats for Wood Shrinking and swelling, and internal stresses that cause wood to warp and check, are caused by changes in the mois- ture content. Such changes are occur- ring continually when wood is exposed to changing atmospheric conditions, and the only way to prevent or retard them is to protect the wood from the air with some moisture-resisting finish or coating. In order to determine the protection against moisture afforded by various coat- ings, a series of tests is being conducted by the U. S. Forest Service, at the Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wis. No coating or finish which is entirely mois- ture proof has yet been discovered, but several have been found that are very ef- fective. Linseed oil, although it is probably rec- ommended more frequently than most of the other materials for moisture proofing wood, was found in the absorption tests to be quite ineffective. Five coats of hot oil followed by two coats of floor wax failed to give any great protection. Oil paints form a film over wood which is very durable even in exterior locations. Laboratory tests show, however, that such a film, although it may be continuous, does not prevent moisture changes in wood. Graphite paints and spar varnish are about as effective as the ordinary oil paints with the heavier pigments. The cellulose lacquers rank somewhat higher than the foregoing in moisture resistance, and considerable improvement can probably be effected in them by the addition of solids. They have the advan- tages of being fast drying and forming a film over the wood that is very elastic. Rubbing varnishes afford much more protection against moisture than do spar or long oil varnishes. The larger amounts of gum solids present in rubbing varnish probably account for their greater mois- ture resistance. Enamel coatings made by the addition of pigments, such as barytes, to ordinary varnish are about as effective as rubbing varnish. A “bronze” coating, composed ot a cheap gloss oil and aluminum powder proved in test to be superior in moisture resistance to any of the coatings men- tioned above. This mixture is very fast drying; three coats can be applied in the course of half an hour. The aluminum-leaf coating developed at the Forest Products Laboratory particu- larly for the protection of airplane propel- lers is highly efficient in preventing mois- ture changes in wood. Such a coating can best be applied to large, unbroken sur-

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POPULAR MECHANICS faces. The laying of the leaf on small in- tricate parts or assemblies is less practical. Some asphalt and pitch paints are highly moisture resistant. They are rather cheap and may be applied almost any place where their color is not objectionable. At- tempts to discover a means of covering asphalt and pitch paints with lighter-col- ored materials have met with little success. For temporary protection against mois- ture changes, vaseline smeared over var- nish is one of the most moisture-resisting coatings yet tested. Another good tem- porary protection is a heavy coat of paraf- fin. Neither of these coatings, however, can be used on surfaces subjected to wear. Straightening Sheet Metal From various causes light sheet metal often becomes bruised or dented along the edges, and before the material can be used, it must be straightened. Wooden or soft- metal hammers are generally used for this purpose, but it is difficult to make the metal perfect- ly flat with these. For this reason one shop uses -- ROLLERS 44. SETSCREWS = -ROD FRAME the “follow- J ” HANDLE —" wh to * I _---- SHEET METAL shown im the / drawing. It ’ 4 consists of 4, 4@ two rollers, each fitted with a set- TOOL IN OPERATION screw to tight- en it ona sleeve, which, in turn, is drilled to turn on a frame made from a round steel rod, bent to the shape shown. The shank of the frame is driven into a wooden handle. To operate the tool, it is first set so that the metal fits snugly between the rollers, and after these are tightened on the sleeve, the tool is rolled along the edge of the sheet, with the result that the edge of the metal is made as flat as it was originally. Handy Fixture for Woodworker’s Bench Many irregularly shaped pieces of wood cannot be held in an ordinary clamp vise when shaving, scraping, or sandpapering them, and for this reason the fixture shown in the drawing has been found very useful. It consists of a 2 by 4-in. frame about 5 it. 141 long, with a fixed clamp at one end and an adjustable clamp at the other. The frame is held by vertical pieces, also of 2 by 4-in. stock, nailed to the edge of the bench. The adjustable clamp is made from a length of ADJUSTABLE CLAMP FIXED CLAMP, : ‘ BENCH A Simple Clamp for the Woodworker's Bench Holds ork for Scraping, Shaving, or Sanding flat steel, bent to shape, and drilled to re- ceive a steel pin, which fits in a number of holes drilled through the end of the frame, and staggered as shown. Serra- tions are filed in the edge of the adjustable clamp near the lower end, as shown, for a latch, which is also made of flat steel. The method of using the fixture is obvious. Adjustable Cable Hook for Hoist Tackle The hooks generally used in connection with slings or hoist tackle are clamped with screws or bolts, and, when they must be adjusted, it is usually necessary to search for tools, causing much loss of time. A hook adapted for general hoisting work, which can be adjusted without delay, is shown in the illustration. CABLE ----- The hook popcen-sreex proper is a aaareee simple flat- steel forging, drilled fora loose rivet and for the cable or sling. A U-shaped catch is made as shown, and riveted over the hook, the edges being first rounded off to prevent cutting the cable. The cable or rope is passed under the catch and through the hole in the hook as indicated. When necessary, the end of the cable can be hitched around the hook, for additional security. It will be seen that the greater the strain on the cable the tighter the catch will hold. 79

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Soldering Thin Pieces One source of annoyance when solder- ing thin pieces end to end is the liability of the work moving during the operation; often a slight touch of the soldering iron PACKING / RINGS mene fae + ee en SOLDERED 2 -------' i = + A Useful Clamp Made from Rings and Studs, Used for Holding Thin Pieces While Soldering is sufficient to disturb their position. A clamp that holds pieces of this character together securely is shown in the photo and drawing; it can be made in a short time from three old packing rings, or something similar, two studs and four nuts, and washers to fit. One ring forms the base of the tool, and into it are driven the studs, directly opposite each other as shown, a touch of solder holding them permanently in posi- tion. The other rings are a loose fit, ad- justment being effected by the nuts. The work is held between the top rings, the nuts being tightened by hand. When using this holder, one will also find that the soldering iron will hold its heat much longer than if the pieces are laid on a metal surface as usual. Glucose for Antifreezing Solution A substitute for denatured alcohol, in antifreezing solutions for automobile radiators, has been discovered by the chemist of the Bureau of Foods of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. Tests conducted over a period of four years have demonstrated that the substi- tute is, within certain limits, as efficient as.an alcohol or other antifreeze solution, and much more economical. The substitute is ordinary glucose, a simple sugar made from starch, and ex- tensively used by confectioners and bak- ers. Glucose is about one-half as sweet as ordinary sugar and costs only 5 or 10 cents per pound. It comes in the form of a colorless liquid. POPULAR MECHANICS The investigations conducted prove that a solution consisting of 14% pt. (1 Ib.) of glucose, dissolved in 1 gal. of water, will not freeze until the temperature drops to 5° F. The mixture becomes “slushy” at 10°, but does not freeze, and this does not interfere in any way with the circu- lation. The glucose will not evaporate, and is in this respect entirely different from al- cohol, which evaporates rapidly upon ex posure to air. One filling of water and glucose will last for months, provided there are no leaks in the circulating sys- tem. Another point in favor of glucose is the fact that it has no harmful effects on the radiator, engine, or on the rubber connections. For the ordinary small car 3 lb. of glucose are sufficient; larger cars require more. To farmers and others not having heated garages, the above-mentioned so lution is invaluable. When the tempera ture drops below 5° F., however, the sys tem should be flushed out, drained, and an alcohol solution used. Drawing an Ellipse by Projection Every machinist has occasion to do some sketching and drawing at one time or other, but is handicapped considerably by not having the proper instruments, and is therefore “stumped” when con- fronted with the problem of drawing a figure such as an ellipse. Two tacks and a length of string are sometimes resorted to, but this method is not always satis- factory. A better method is shown in the drawing. A wire ring is fitted to a surface gauge instead ot the usual scriber, the long spindle of the gauge be- ing used. The ~ GAS-FILLED LAMP Cc { drawing board is ~+-- LONG then placed di- WIRE ; SPINDLE RING.’ rectly under a a strong. electric co lamp of the gas- | — filled type, and the ring placed under it so that a distinct shadow is thrown on the paper. The gauge is placed on the board so that the axis of the wire ring is parallel to the major axis of the ellipse to be drawn. By moving the ring up o1 down on the spindle of the gauge, the size of the shadow can be varied. When Ct J the correct size is obtained for the majo:

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POPULAR MECHANICS dimension, the ring is turned until the minor dimension measures correctly. The shadow is then traced and a fairly accu- rate ellipse will be drawn. Of course, no method of this kind can be precise, as it is intended only for sketching and rough layout work.—Edwin J. Bachman, Fuller- ton, Pa. Mixing Paint An eggbeater, such as every house- keeper uses in the kitchen, is far superior to a wooden stick or paddle for mixing paints. When different colored paints are used, it will be found convenient to use a separate beater for each color. They cost only a few cents apiece and can easily be cleaned by working them in kerosene after using.—Walter Chas. Michel, Jersey City, New Jersey. Quick-Action Can Opener The can opener illustrated has been found to be of considerable assistance in hotel kitchens and restaurants where a great number of cans are opened every day. The opener consists of a l-in. board about 6 in. wide and 10 in. long and a 2 by 2-in. upright, which is slot- ted to receive the end of a handle A number of holesare drilled through the upright, as shown, so that the handle can be quickly adjusted to any desired height by means of a pin, which also serves as the fulcrum for the handle. The cutter is made from a strip of sheet steel, cut to the shape shown in the lower detail, and sharpened on one edge. It is bent to a circular form, the ends being held to- gether with a bolt and wingnut. The ends should be slotted so that the diameter can be varied to suit cans of different sizes. The cutter is held in place by a strip of spring steel passed over the notched han- dle and having the ends passed through slots made in the sides of the cutter.—G. A. Luers, Washington, D. C. CUTTER -- Preventing Scouring of Bridge Abutments In repairing a stone bridge having a 16-ft. span, it was necessary to devise a scouring at method of preventing the A Concrete-Covered Stone Floor on a Stream Bed to Prevent Scouring of Bridge Abutments bridge abutments, as the stream had a swift current and a sandy-loam bottom A stone floor, made of heavy “riprap” stones, and about 18 in. thick, was built on the bed of the stream, the smaller stones being wedged and tamped between the larger ones, and a wet mixture of concrete poured over the floor, making it a solid mass. A wall 30 in. deep was built on the upstream side at the end of the floor, to prevent the water from under- mining it—R. F. Mundorff, Kansas City, Missouri. Acid Clears Clogged Pipe The 1-in. drain pipe carrying away the warm cooling water of a small gasoline en- gine became clogged with cotton waste at an elbow located under the concrete floor. Clearing the pipe was found to be a prob lem, as the elbow could not be unscrewed and a wire stiff enough to push the ob- struction away could not be used, as there was another elbow in the way. However, the pipe was cleared in an hour's time by treating the cotton waste with acid. The water above the obstruction was pumped out by means of a small hand pump and a length of rubber tubing, which was onl) 3g in. in diameter and could easily be dropped into the pipe. About 10 oz concentrated sulphuric acid was the: poured into the latter, and this removed the waste completely.—C. A. Oldroyd, Bar- row-in-Furness, England.

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144 Removing Roller or Ball-Bearing Races If a special puller or driver is not available for removing the ball or roller- bearing cup of an automobile steering POPULAR MECHANICS . \ g J~-MILD STEEL’ SO SS WWAMMAMNMMW|AQP._- STEERING KNUCKLE .. of Extracting Roller-Bearing Race without Distorting the Shell Method knuckle, the cup must be broken before it can be removed, and this should not be done if possible to avoid it, because the hammer blows necessary to break the cup will distort the shell, and the new bearing will not fit properly. A good method of removing the cup is shown in the illustration. A piece of steel, 416 by 1 in., and 4% in. longer than the smallest inside diameter of the cup, is bent to form a curved plate, which can easily be forced under the cup. The ends of the plate are rounded to conform to the curvature of the shell. By applying a long punch under the plate the cup can easily be driven out. Where this cannot be done, the cup can be pulled out by drilling a hole in the center of the curved plate, and attaching a long bolt with yoke and nut. Breaking Off Lathe Cuttings Accidents are often caused by long, curled lathe cuttings wrapping around the work, or becoming entangled with the chuck or faceplate, and striking the opera- tor as they fly around. This danger can be avoided by cut- ting or breaking the cuttings off before they be- come very long. A simple tool for this task is show: in the illustration It consists of i short strip of flat iron with a hole drilled near one end, and a V-shaped piece cut out as shown. The size of the tool can be varied to suit heavy or light work. To use the tool, the V-end is pushed over the cutting, which enters the hole. Then the tool is twisted and given a quick jerk to break off the cutting. The best results are obtained if the tool is ground on both sides and hardened, and the hole reamed. A Simple Acid Pump Pouring acids and other corrosive liq- uids from carboys or large bottles is in most cases a highly dangerous operation, and therefore special pumps are often used to transfer the liquids. These pumps are usually quite expensive and for this rea- son, the homemade pump shown in the illustration was made in one laboratory and found entirely satisfactory. It can be made from odds and ends of broken ap- paratus found in every lab- oratory,which makesthe cost negligi- ble. The pump cylinder con- sists of a test tube with a broken bot- tom,therough edges of the break being filed or ground off smoothly A glass rod, fitted with a rubber stop- per, forms the plunger and piston. A rub- ber stopper with two holes drilled through it, fitted in the lower end of the test tube and lengths of glass tubing are pushed through the holes as shown. A conical depression is cut over one of the holes for a marble to fit in snugly, forming the inlet valve. The outlet valve is made from a thistle tube with the stem broken off; it is fitted with a rubber stopper. having a hole drilled through it for the glass tube from the cylinder, and a seat cut in for a marble. A length of rubwer tubing is then attached to the end of the thistle tube. The joints must be airtight and the ‘iston should be well greased. When the ton is drawn up, a vacuum is created d the inlet valve is opened, which al- lows the acid to flow in. On the down- stroke of the piston the inlet valve is closed and the outlet valve opened, allow- ing the acid to flow through the thistle tube and into the receiving vessel. GLASS ROD ----- = TEST TUBE --. | RUBBER TUBE, 7 ill CORK ‘\ THISTLE =’. TUBE “OUTLET / VALVE GLASS TUBING ~--—

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HH | : AMATEL a HITT A iat Baseball Game By ROLAND B. CUTLER ARLOR baseball games are usually quite complicated and “pepless” affairs, ut all the skill and chance of a real base- ball game are embodied in the homemade baseball board shown in the drawing. The board is very easy to make and nearly all the material required can be nailed across the bottom. A back stop, 7% by 1 by 20 in., is nailed to the end of the board, on top, and the inner edge is beveled to a thickness equal to half the diameter of the balls, which are ordinary marbles. The barrier piece near the other end meas- ures 4 by 3 by 20 in.; it is loosely pivoted FIELDER-SPOOLS -----~~. J-7~ BARRIER + 8+ 6-+-— 144 44444'444—- 8 ry a” alae * : I" HOLES , -— —_— — * — —— 4 X 3 SIDE BOARD , ia cor = PEG MAN-----=-----. ow f “tot i2"DIAMOND -s. \ . de © RUNS----~, > PITCHING-ALLEY ||* | — }_j i | zero | | | 2)_ij ed BOARD ASSEMBLED VIEW “‘---ouTS TO WEIGHT ----- CUT OUT----" BOTTOM VIEW, SHOWING HOGER AND SPOOL BEARING A Homemade Parlor Baseball Game that Will Provide the Young “Fan” with All the Thrills of the Actual Game: The Details of Construction Are Simple, and the Materials Easily Obtained found around the house or workshop, ex- cept possibly the piece of wallboard used for the “floor.” This piece measures 22 in. by 4 ft. 6 in. in dimensions, and the smooth- est side should be up. Two % by 3-in. side boards are nailed along the top edges, and two supporting cleats, 7% by 3% by 22 in., and two end cleats, % by 2 by 22 in., are at each end with a wood screw, and its lower edge clears the top of the wallboard by about % inch. A disk, accurately cut out of the wall! board, serves as the diamond. It is 12 in. in diameter and its center is located equi distant from the sides and directly over the supporting cleat nearest the back stop 145

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146 A wooden spool, about 2 in. in diameter and about 2 in. long, nailed to the under- side of the disk in the center, serves as a bearing on which the diamond rotates. A recess, 2 in. deep and 8 in. long is cut in the cleat to provide clearance for the spool and for the “jigger’”—the wire device used to turn the diamond. A wooden pin, driven in a hole drilled in the center of the cleat, serves as a spindle on which the spool and disk revolve. The jigger is made of No. 10 galvanized wire, or from a pail bail of the same thick- ness, bent to the shape shown. One end is stapled to the support cleat; a cord is tied to the eye that is formed at the bend, and it is run along the underside of the board, through a V-slot cut in the other support cleat, through a slot cut in the field, and the end is tied to a screweye on the barrier piece. In the upper left-hand figure the barrier piece is shown raised but in its normal position it is dropped, the slot in the board allowing plenty of clear- ance for the head of the screweye. One end of a 4-ft. length of cord is stapled to the spool under the diamond, and, after it is passed around a hook bent in the short arm of the jigger, runs underneath the board and through a screweye under the back stop; the other end is fitted with a wire hook on which is hung a weight con- sisting of several iron washers. The diamond is rotated by winding up the 4-ft. cord on the spool and adjusting the weight so that the diamond will rotate about a quarter turn when the barrier is jerked up quickly. As soon as the barrier is dropped to its normal position the weight will take up the slack in the 4-ft. cord, without causing the diamond to move back again. The face of the diamond is neatly laid out as shown, a small 1-in. triangle being drawn at four equidistant points around the edge, and a \%-in. hole is drilled in the center of each triangle to take a short wooden peg, which represents the man batting or running. About a dozen or more of these “peg men” should be pro- vided. Four jerks of the barrier will ro- tate the diamond a complete revolution, giving each man a run. The pitching alley is laid out about 3 in. wide, and the positions of the three bases and home plate neatly marked with black ink; the bases should each be made about 1 im. square and the home plate about 2 in. square. Halfway between the home plate and first base, and also between the home plate and third base, a small O-mark is made, which figures in scoring. A wooden bat is arranged behind the POPULAR MECHANICS home plate. It is made of 1-in. stock, 3 in. wide, and 6 in. long, with a screw hole drilled at one corner so that it can be piy- oted loosely on a screw. On the opposite side, about 1% in. from the end, a finger hole is drilled. In use the bat is set in the position shown in the upper right-hand figure and when the ball is pitched the bat is swung around with the index finger t strike the ball, and it will then occupy the position indicated by the dotted lines. A small ball hole, about 1 in. in diame- ter, is drilled on each side of the pitching alley, and about 1 in. behind the home plate, in order to make the pitcher “put ‘em over;” all balls running into or out- side of these holes allow the batter to “take his base.” A number of %-in. holes are drilled in the field at the points indicated in the upper right-hand figure, and the sma spools used as fielders are fitted with pins to fit in the holes; the upper rims of the spools are cut off for the sake of appear ance. A fielder must be situated direct! in frort of the slot cut under the barrier to prevent the balls from rolling into it A row of %-in. holes is drilled on one side of the board in which to set pegs for runs, and three similar holes on the other side for outs. When completed the board ca: be neatly painted and varnished, if desired, in order to make it presentable. The game, if plaved correctly, is very interesting and has all the thrills of a rea! baseball game. The 4-fit. cord is first wound on the spool by turning the dis! to the left, and the diamond is brought around so that one triangle is located ex actly in front of the home plate. The pitcher then rolls the ball through the slot in the barrier, down the pitching alley, and the batter tries to strike it as it passes over the home plate. Ifa ball is pitched into or outside of the two ball holes the tri angle is advanced to the O-mark, and a peg man is inserted in the hole. But if the batter hits the ball into the field without striking a fielder, it is a fair ball. The barrier is then jerked up and the batter advanced to first base, this move also ad vancing all the peg men on the diataond If the ball, upon being hit strikes a fielde it is supposed to be caught by that fielde: which places the man in an out hole. The same also applies to the batter hitting one of the base runners. Ona strike the man 01 first base is brought back to the O-mark, and consequently this brings every ma: on the diamond back a short distance. The first two foul balls made by a batter count for strikes as in real baseball. A run scored by any base runner reaching the

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POPULAR MECHANICS 147 home plate and he is then placed in a run hole. If the pitcher hits a base runner with the ball, the peg men are all advanced a base, or half that distance, or such an offense may be counted as a run for the batting team. Ifa pitched ball jumps the hack stop, the batter is advanced to the -mark, and a batted ball that jumps the hack stop is a foul. Of course, the rules for the game can be made to suit the players, and they may vary from those given above. However, the more closely the rules comply with actual baseball playing, the more realistic and interesting the game will be. Cover for Egg Crock The illustration shows a_ two-piece wooden cover for a large earthenware crock used for storing eggs. It has been found to be much more convenient than a one-piece cover, besides being air-tight, which the one-piece cover is not. The cover is made of a cir- cular piece of wood, a little larger than the top of the crock, cut in "HINGES ;,WINGNUT WOODEN ' COVER + WASHER yg BOLT / SCREWS » , two and ae. 7] hinged as shown. One of Raat RING the pieces is EARTHENWARE secure] y peta clamped to the crock by means of wood screws driven into the un- derside, with the heads projecting over the lip ring. A Ye-in. bolt, with the head cut off and the end bent over to fit the lip ring, is provided on the other half, and is fitted with a washer and wingnut. This makes a clamp that can be tightened or loosened instantly with the fingers.—M. E. Duggan, Kenosha, Wis. Making Plateholders Fit Sometimes slides in photographic plate- holders become swollen on account of dampness or other causes, with the result that they are hard to push in and out of the plateholder. This trouble can easily be overcome by filing down the swollen parts with a small file. It will be found that it takes but a few moments to make the slide fit perfectly —E@ward H. Fla- harty, Denver, Colo. Illuminating the Christmas Wreath When a wreath is used in the window at Christmas time a very pretty effect can be obtained by illuminating it in the manner shown in the drawing. A small tin can about 4 in. in diameter and 3 in. high is obtained; a can in which hand soap is sold was used by the writer for the pur- pose. A five- pointed star is laid out on the bottom of the can, and it is cut out with small tin snips or heavy scis- CHRISTMAS sors. A _ slot 1 in. wide is then cut around the side, leaving only about 1 in. uncut. At this point, a small porcelain socket is mounted on the inside as shown: the socket can be purchased in any 5 and 10 cent store. A piece of yellow or red tissue paper is pasted inside of the box over the star, and a small 4-volt lamp is screwed into the socket. A length of flex- ible lampcord is led through a _ hole punched in the tin and connected to the socket. The outside of the can is painted with aluminum or gilt paint, and the lamp is mounted inside the wreath at the top.— Thomas W. Benson, Philadelphia, Pa. “Fenders” for Auto Hood The enamel on the auto radiator and cowl is frequently scratched by raising and lowering the hood carelessly. This can be prevented by providing small leather “fenders” on the corners of the hood as shown. Thev are made from pieces of leather about 2 in. square, fold- ed over as _ indi- cated, and riveted to the corners of the hood. Besides preventing scratches when the hood is raised or low- ered these fenders also lessen hood rattle, when the hood clips are loose.

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POPULAR Brush for Washing Cars Washing the running board, wheels, and underside of the fenders of an auto- mobile is usually a tedious and laborious A Combination Brush and Water Nozzle for Washing the Underside of Auto Fenders and Running Boards task, as the use of a hose alone is not sufficient to remove the caked mud quickly and thoroughly. The work is greatly facilitated by means of a special washing brush of the kind shown in the drawing. This fixture is attached directly to the water hose and causes a constant stream of water to flow on the surface where the brush is being used. The brush used for this purpose is an ordinary calcimine or whitewash brush, about 6 in. wide, and having fairly stiff bristles. It is drilled through the wooden part as indicated to fit tightly on the threaded end of a 3-ft. length of %4-in. pipe. A small slot is cut in the pipe at an angle, so that the water will be directed against the bristles. A cap, of course, is fitted on the end of the pipe, and the water hose is connected to the other end. If the brush tends to work loose on the pipe, the pipe can be threaded further, and provided with a locknut and tapered washer on each side of the brush. @The sleeves of old raincoats can be used to make bags for carrying rubbers. MECHANICS Catch for Sliding Screen Convenience and simplicity are embod- ied in an easily made catch for the sliding screen. A piece of wire, about 12 or 14 gauge, is bent to the shape shown in the drawing, to form a catch about 1 in long. The part above the loop is a little longer than that below, and the catch is screwed loosely to the win- dow sash, about y% in. from the scan screen. Two nails WIRE - are also driven SCREW into the sash to . keep the catch in the position indi- | cated. When the screen is raised, the weight of the upper end causes the catch to drop under the lower part of the screen and hold it up. To lower the screen, it is raised slightly, and the top of the catch pulled back. The only neces- sary manipulation of the catch is when the screen is lowered, as it works automati- cally when pushed up, the heavier end fall- ing in place itseli.—George L, Michel, Jer- sey City, N. J. Cellar Drain Converted into Trap In some localities where the sewer sys- tem is too small to carry away the water of an exceptionally hard rain immediately, the water will temporarily back up through the basement floor drain. In cases of this kind, the ordinary bell- trap floor drain can also be made to act as a back- water trap, as shown in the drawing. A wooden ring is cut from a piece of white pine, to form a valve seat, fitting snugly in the outlet. 4 brass strip is screwed across the top of the ring to guide the stem otf a float; a wood- en ball from a small-size croquet set, or a similar ball, makes a good float. The stem is a short BARS F al PL) Wi a

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length of %-in. brass rod, screwed into the float and fitted with a nut at the other end to keep the float from dropping through the guide strip. The opening through the valve seat allows the water to flow into the drain, but prevents it irom coming out, as the ball rises and loses the opening until the water recedes. —Fred G. Koper, Charleston, W. Va. Turned Posts for Homemade Furniture The appearance of homemade tables and other furniture can be improved consid- erably if round legs are used instead of .quare ones, which immediatelv give the job away, no matter how well done. It is 1ot necessary, in most cases, to go to the trouble of having legs made especially for this purpose, or to ransack the market for them, as ordinary stair balusters, which are available in a variety of sizes and iorms, can be procured from any dealer in lumber and millwork. These balusters make as neat table, pedestal, and chair legs as can be desired and cost very little. Mooring Small Motor Boats An unusual method of mooring a small motor boat was used at a summer resort on the Canadian shore of Lake Erie. A framework of 2-in. pipe and fittings, made large enough for the boat to be floated under it, was constructed as shown in the photograph. A windlass, also made of pipe and fittings, was provided at each end of the frame so that the boat could be

Motor Boat Completely Protected from Storms by Novel Mooring hoisted clear above the surface of the water whenever necessary, as in stormy weather. Strong chains were provided on each windlass, and these were looped un- ler the boat at the bow and stern as shown. The handle of each windlass can be pushed toward the inside, so that it bears against the frame upright, in order to prevent it from unwinding.—John E. Mason, Ham- ilton, Can, POPULAR MECHANICS 149 A Ski Toboggan The exhilarating sport of sliding down- hill on the snow crust has much to com- mend it. It also has its dangers, as the crust softens toward spring, and a heavy

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the Ordinary Kind on Crusted Snow sled is liable to break through, catapult- ing its passengers headlong into the frozen snow, which breaks up and presents jagged cutting edges capable of inflicting considerable injury. A sled that is so ‘built as to practically eliminate this dan- ger is shown in the drawing. It is made from a pair of old skis, se- curely fastened together by means of three crosspieces and two diagonal braces, as shown in the upper details. The top board and foot rail are attached to this framework by means of wood screws, and a hole is drilled through the end of each ski to take a Y%-in. rope. This sled will slide just as easily and just as far as any other sled, and will not break through the snow crust, or turn over, due to the width of the runners. It is also light in weight and can be easily managed by small chil- dren.—C. M. Wilcox, Torrington, Conn. Putty for Floor Cracks

Cracks in a floor that is stained and varnished may be filled with a putty con- sisting of 2 parts of glue, 14 parts of water, 4 parts of plaster of paris, and 2 parts of litharge. This putty will take the stain and varnish well.

Page 150

. principle upon which the gasoline- system vacuum tank operates is very simple, and the tanks themselves are sturdily built and get out of order but seldom—but I have found that the aver- age owner regards the vacuum tank as more mysterious than the theory of rela- tivity, and, when it does get out of order, hasn't the slightest idea what to do. A very little trouble will enable the car owner to understand the gasoline system thoroughly, and he will then know what to do when trouble develops. The most widely used type of vacuum tank is that shown in the upper drawings in the full-page illustration. It consists really of two tanks, one fitting within the other, and forming an upper and a lower chamber. The upper chamber ‘has four openings at the top; the gasoline inlet, which is connected to the supply tank, and through which the gasoline is drawn, the vacuum inlet, which is connected to the inlet manifold, an air vent, and an opening into which a pipe plug is screwed. It has one outlet, an L-shaped pipe, with a flap valve at the bottom. : The lower chamber has two outlets; one is a connection to the carburetor, the other receives a plug or cock which can be opened for draining or cleaning the tank, or from which gasoline may be drawn for priming the engine or other purposes. The upper chamber contains a float, which, by means of an arrangement of levers and springs, operates valves in the air-vent and vacuum lines. The operation of the tank is as follows: The pumping action of the pistons in the engine creates a high suction or vacuum in the intake manifold, and this suction is transferred, through copper tubing, to the upper chamber of the tank. When the float is down, the valve in the vacuum line is open, and that in the air vent closed, consequently gasoline is drawn into the upper chamber from the main tank. The float rises with the incoming fluid, until the springs pass over the pivot of the levers, when they suddenly snap the vacuum valve shut and the air-vent valve 150 159 VACUUM TANKS BY JAMES TATE open. This allows the gasoline to flow out of the upper chamber into the lower one by gravity. The float now sinks, al lowing the vacuum valve to open, and t! process is repeated. As the lower cham ber is always open to the atmosphere, the gasoline simply flows from it, by gravity to the carburetor. Before blaming the vacuum tank when trouble develops, make sure that the fault does not lie elsewhere. When the engine refuses to start, and it is found that there is gasoline in the carburetor, it is obviou that the vacuum tank cannot be at fault since its work is merely to get the gasoline to the carburetor. If there is no fuel the carburetor, the fault may be in the method of starting the engine, and not actually in the tank. The tank may on have been partly filled to start with, the carburetor may have leaked, or the engin: may have been choked too much in start ing. When the latter is done, the ray gasoline is quickly sucked up through the carburetor, and an excessive suction set up in the carburetor and the outer chan ber of the vacuum tank. The inner float is probably down and the passage betwee inner and outer chambers practica closed, so that the engine merely sucks ai: from the outer chamber. The proper thing to do in such a case is to push in the choke, close the throttle, and crank the engine half a dozen times, either with the starter or by hand; this refills the tan! and the engine will start easily. If the carburetor is dry, and there is plenty of fuel in the vacuum tank, there is probably an obstruction in the line from tank to carburetor, or dirt in the carbu retor itself, so both should be examined carefully. In case the vacuum tank is dry, and the cause is not as before described, make cer tain that there is gasoline in the main tank. Then remove the strainer under the gaso line inlet to the tank and examine it for dirt. See that the supply line is clear, by blowing through it, and examine ever) connection and all piping for leaks. It there are any air leaks in the suction pipe POPTIT AR MECHANICS

Page 151

TO INTAKE TO GASOLINE MANIFOLD SUPPLY ) /

| AIR VENT ---- PLUG _FROM MAIN ' |GASOUNE TANK !

MANIFOLD

FROM INTAKE | --UPPER CHAMBER | “VALVE SEAT ' AIR VENT~"

(\PEENED OVER --FLOAT

| FLOAT -> | - | -LOWER CHAMBER i FILTER SCREEN ---------- , BREATHING - FLAP TO INTAKE _ i VALVE MANIFOLD ~~=- ' INNER DRAIN PLUG® <TO CARBURETOR FLOAT —-/ FROM GASOLINE TANK -- ™

OUTER ___-_- --TO INTAKE MANIFOLD CHAMBER ’ CARBURETOR: _- : FEED LINE \ LOWER VALVE TO CARBURETOR — o_- =

' | | INSTALLATION ON CAR Above, Most Widely Used Type of Vacuum Tank, Showing Operating Mechanism: Below, a Simple, Compact Tank, and Its Mounting and Connections on the Automobile 151

POPITITAR MECHANICS 153

Page 152

154 152 POPULAR MECHANICS they will, of course, make the system in- operative. Finally, remove the plug in the top cover and pour in about half a pint of gasoline; there may be dirt under the flap valve, holding it open and thus preventing a good vacuum from being built up, and the gasoline will wash this out. This flap valve sometimes acquires a black carbon coating, which prevents it from seating properly. To remove the coating, the upper , chamber must be : removed; to do this, y remove the screws mion top, and care- fully run a_ knife blade between the cover and body of the tank around the top, so as to separate the gasket from the tank with- SECTION OF PUMP out damaging it. TO MAIN When the up- TANK “, per tank has been removed, the valve and seat may be scraped clean with a knife, or cleaned with a fine, flat file. When replacing the cover, make TO VACUUM TANK a, OIL OUTLET ,TO PUMP ‘ sure that the = gas- ket is 7 = CARBURETOR SECTION OF TANK AND VALVE MECHANISM undamaged, and coat it with shellac, as this joint must be airtight. While carburetor trouble cannot possi bly be attributed to the vacuum tank, oc casionally the vacuum valve may become deranged, allowing raw gasoline to be drawn directly into the manifold. One case of this kind comes to mind, when the engine used up 10 gal. of gasoline in two hours, without being out of the garage It would “load up,” backfire, spit, and stall, in spite of all the adjustments that were tried on carburetor and ignition. The trouble was finally traced to the seat oi the vacuum valve, which had become loose and prevented the valve from seating, thu allowing raw gasoline to be drawn direct] into the cylinders. The brass seat was re moved and -¢s in. filed from the bottor end; it was then replaced, and the alun nym peened over it, as shown in the d tail drawing. This cured the trouble at once. When trouble of this kind is sus pected, the suction-pipe connection at thie manifold may be disconnected while tl engine is running, and the two parts held 32 to ve in. apart; if gasoline is run ning down this pipe, it will drip at the opening. The air vent allows an atmospheric con dition to be maintained in the lower tank, and the long tube on it prevents an over flow of gasoline when descending steep grades. If occasionally a small quantit of gasoline escapes no harm is done, and no adjustment is needed, but, if the vent regularly overflows, it may be found nec essary to move the tank, which may be too close to the hot motor. The bot tom of the tank should be at least 3 in. above the carburetor, so this should be checked; also, the hole in the main Pump: PDOPTIT AR , ' — 7 1 MAIN GASOLINE LINE-’ / ' GASOLINE TO CARBURETOR -~-~” x ' i SUCTION LINE---’ : ‘ PUMP 5 £+ . “ge ey een ame -----—MAIN TANK ; INTAKE PUMP OUTLET---—-- F f Vacuum-Tank System in Which the Suction Is Derived from a Specially Designed Oi! ee When the Oil Runs Low, the Engine Stops MIRCHTANTCS

Page 153

{ gasoline tank cap may be stopped up, or may be too small. It should be &% in. in diameter. Persistent overflowing, which cannot be cured by any of the foregoing remedies, may be stopped by attaching a length of tubing to the vent tube, and carrying it to the highest point inside the hood. If the float should develop a leak and fill with gasoline, it will not rise and shut off the suction, and consequently the tank will flood over. It is not necessary to re- move the entire tank to repair a float, but merely to remove the top, as for repairing the flap valve. The float is of copper, nickel-plated to withstand any possible corrosive effects of the gasoline. To repair the float, punch a small pin hole in it, so that the gasoline will run out of the leak, drain the float, then set it in a warm, dry place until the gasoline has all evaporated. Now solder the leak and the pin hole, using the smallest quantity of solder possible, to avoid changing the weight of the float. To test the float, dip it in hot water, when a train of bubbles will immediately mark the leak, if there is one. To enable one to reach home with a leaky float, remove the plug in the cover when the tank is full. This permits the tank to function as a gravity tank, and the motor will run until the supply is ex- hausted. The tank is then filled by replac- ing the plug and running the engine, and the operations repeated. A simple method of determining if there is dirt under the flap valve is to disconnect the tube leading to the carburetor, start the motor, and hold the finger over the opening in the bottom of the tank. If suc- tion is felt continuously it is evident that the flap valve is being held off its seat; this can be remedied, in many cases, by simply tapping the side of the tank. Unless gasoline is filtered through a screen or chamois when filling the main gasoline tank, some dirt or sediment will collect in the tank; part of this may be drawn into the vacuum tank, and the strainer under the gasoline-inlet elbow should therefore be cleaned every three weeks. The tank itself should be dis- assembled and cleaned thoroughly every six months, and some gasoline should be drawn off at the drain plug every two or three weeks. When the tank is taken down for cleaning, examine every part carefully to see that it is in first-class con- dition. The vacuum tank shown in the lower part of the full-page illustration works on exactly the same principle as the one pre- viously described, but it will be seen, by POPULAR MECHANICS 153 referring to the sectional view, that the suction valve is directly connected to the float. The tank is mounted and connected in exactly the same manner as the preced- ing one, as shown in the illustration, and the remarks applying to the first may also be taken as applicable to the second. The tank shown in the second illustra- tion, while utilizing the vacuum principle, applies it in a radically different manner. The suction line from the vacuum tank runs, as shown, to the suction side of a specially designed oil pump. When there is plenty of oil in the engine, there is also plenty of suction in the tank, but just as soon as the oil supply runs low, so that it is dangerous to operate the engine, the suction stops, and the vacuum tank refuses to operate. Oil and fuel are both equally important in the operation of the engine, and the designer of this system has in sured that an engine that doesn’t get oil won't get gasoline either—a_ splendid safety device. Another advantage of this system is that the vacuum produced increases with the speed of the motor, thereby keeping the vacuum tank full under the increased de mand for fuel. In addition, it is claimed for this system that the oil is kept cooler, due to the admixture of air. In this tank, the float is of cork, of suffi- cient size to afford a good factor of safety, so that “gas-logging” will not affect its proper functioning, and is, of course, im- mune from leakage. Only one valve is em- ploved, and, as this is always immersed in gasoline, air leaks are reduced to a mini- mum. The gasket is also immersed in gasoline, and there is no need to break the joint to remove the inner tank for inspec- tion of the valve, as it merely slips into the outer one. The entire mechanism of the operating chamber is mounted on its bot- tom plate, which is removed merely by taking out eight screws. To refill the tank, the plug at the top is removed and about a pint of gasoline poured in. The plug is then screwed home tightly, and the motor started. These few directions, and the illustra- tions accompanying, should take the mys- tery out of the operation of the vacuum tank. The owner should let the tank alone as long as gasoline is reaching the carburetor, and, even if it is not, should always examine the connections and tubing first, to make sure the fault is not there, before opening the vacuum tank. @A good filler for cracks in stoves and furnaces is made by mixing equal parts of salt and wood ashes into a paste. ; ;:

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Locking the Closed Car Many small closed cars are not provided with door locks, and the owners do not always want to pay the price demanded for AS -> COUNTERSUNK { ©) i HOLES LOCK PLATES FOR MAIN ENTRANCE DOOR Whi A ) Fe ‘LATCH Simple Method of Locking the Doors of a Small Closed Car Using Only One Lock handles of the locking type, or regular pil- lar locks. A car of this type may very easily be locked by means of a padlock, however, thus making it a safe place to leave cloth- ing and packages, as well as affording ad- ditional protection against car theft. As indicated, the left front door is provided with two flat-iron lock plates, one being screwed in a recess cut in the door edge, the other in the casing, so that the screws are covered when the door is closed. The remaining doors are fitted with simple latches, or sliding bolts, which are fastened before leaving the car. These fittings are inexpensive, and, with a neat padlock of good make, do not de- tract from the appearance of the car, while adding to its security against theft. Regulating Fireplace Dampers The old-fashioned fireplace is becoming more and more popular with home build- ers every year; not only for ornamental purposes but for the appearance of cosi- ness and comfort presented by the open fire. The addition of an open fireplace, however, may cause the main heating plant to waste large quantities of fuel it the damper is not regulated properly, accord- ing to weather conditions, when the fire- place is not in use. In cold and windy weather a strong suc- tion is caused in the fireplace chimney, and consequently much of the warm air es- capes, allowing the cold air to leak in through the cracks of the doors and win- dows. For this reason the fireplace draft should be closed in such weather. POPULAR MECHANICS In damp and sluggish weather, however, when it seems impossible to start a circu- lation of warm air within the house, and very little heat comes from the registers, it is advisable to open the damper of the fireplace. The draft of air moving upward through the chimney will be too slow to draw much cold air into the house from the outside, but will be sufficient to stimu- late a stronger circulation through the furnace. A Cork Extractor An effective cork extractor, which pulls the corks without breaking them, can easily be made from a large tin-opener key. A small piece of metal, the same thickness as the key, is riveted loosely to the lower end of the key so that it can be turned easily, and both are ground down to a point as shown. In use the small piece is set in line with the key as shown on the right, and the key is pushed down through the cork. By tapping the key lightly the small piece falls to a posi- tion at right angles to the key and it is then an easy matter to pull the cork out —Har- old E. Benson, Boulder, Colo. Opening Sardine Tins Anyone who has opened a sardine tin knows that while it is very easy to roll back the cover by means of the key until it is in the position shown in the illus- tration, it requires a very powerful pres- sure on the key to force the rolled cover past the corner of the tin. If, however, when this point is reached, the point of an ice pick, or similar tool, i inserted through the handle of the key in the manner indicated, a leverage is provided that makes it very easy to strip off the remainder of the cover. This kink will be appreciated by the feminine members of the family, whose fingers are not strong enough to apply the necessary force to the key. ICE PICK --~~

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Testing Battery Polarity A simple method of determining the polarity of a battery or cell, and at the same time roughly measuring its strength, is as follows: Dissolve 1 part of potassium iodide in 25 parts of water; place the solu- tion in a shallow dish, soak several: pieces of white blotting paper in it, then remove them and allow to dry. To use, moisten a piece of the prepared paper and touch it with wires leading from both poles of the battery, keeping them about % in. apart. A dark-brown spot will immediately be pro- duced where the wire from the positive pole touches the blotter. A dead cell or battery will produce no spot. A little ex- perience in judging the rapidity with which the spot is formed, and the shade of the color produced, will soon enable one to tell the condition of the battery fairly accurately, whether it is nearly dead, half charged, or fully charged. This method is applicable to both storage bat- teries and dry cells, although the wires must be further apart in the case of stor- age batteries —Henry D. Hirsch, Chicago, Illinois. Buggy-Spring Saves Pump Repair Bills A Wisconsin farmer who had consider- able trouble in keeping his windmill and pump in repair concluded that it was the erratic action of the mill that was to blame. The weight of the rods, together with the water being lifted, steadied the mill on the up-stroke but, in a strong wind, the down- ward motion was always jerky and naturally wearing on the mill and pump parts. To overcome this, he mounted a half section ofa buggy spring on a 2 by 4-in. oak crosspiece as shown in the drawing, and fas- tened the spring to the plunger rod as in- dicated. The result was that both strokes were more evenly balanced than before and the jerky action was entirely elimi- nated, making the mill run smoothly and quietly. The owner claims that this at- tachment has paid for itself many times over by the elimination of shut-downs and repairs.—G. E. Hendrickson, Argyle, Wis. POPULAR MECHANICS An Amusing Trick An amusing trick that can be performed with a mirror, two pieces of paper, and a pencil is shown in the illustration. One MIRROR La y SHEET OF PAPER , i a PENCIL FIGURE TOBE DRAWN ‘é SHEET OF PAPER An Amusing Trick, tl the » Wenatate for Which Are Avail- able Everywhere person is seated at a table and is instructed to draw the figure shown in the upper leit- hand corner, first drawing the square and then the cross inside of the square. This must be done by looking in a mirror which is held vertically as shown, a piece of paper being used as a shield to prevent the victim from seeing the pencil movements directly. It will be found rather easy to draw the square, but mysteriously difficult to draw the cross inside. In fact, many people find it absolutely impossible to make the pencil start diagonally in the proper direction, and very few can draw a straight line, even when they do make the pencil move in the right direction—J. R. Minter, Washington, Ind. Shellac for Floors A good and durable finish for floors, stairways, and other surfaces that are sub- ject to heavy wear is obtained by applying a coat of shellac over the filler coat, before using the regular varnish. The shellac should not be mixed with the varnish, and if any thinner is required alcohol should be used. The wear-resisting qualities of the shellac will offer a pleasant surprise to anyone who has to varnish floors often, and the gloss obtained has a long life.

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Keeping the Clothespins Handy The drawing shows a novel method of keeping clothespins handy, much better than carrying them around in a bag or POPULAR MECHANICS An Idea that Not Onl Prevents T y Keeps Clothespins Handy, But em from Being Lost , apron. The clothespins used for this pur- pose are of the spring type, and a number of them are strung on a length of galva- nized wire suspended about 4 in. above the clothesline, as shown in the lower insert. The clothespins can be snapped on the line at any desired point, and when not in use they are pushed to the end of the wire. Dry-Plate Holder Reduces Handling When handling developed plates that must still be fixed and washed there is always some danger of scratching or im- printing finger marks on them, and for this reason the plate holder shown in the photo was constructed. The frame is made of soft-iron wire, and the slides of short lengths of \4-in. cop- per tubing, cut length- wise and sol- dered to the frameas shown. After the plates are developed they are placed in the holder and im- mersed into the hypo solution, then the holder is immersed in running water to re- move all traces of hypo. In this way the individual plates are not handled from the time they leave the developing solution until they are dry, and there is very little danger of damaging them.—John H. Scha- lek, Pittsburgh, Pa. Easy-Starting Fluid for Autos Many clothes-cleaning preparations on the market are nothing more than pure high-test gasoline, and they form ideal priming fluids for the auto in winter Purchase a can of cleaning fluid at the drug store—the Smell will tell if it is of the gasoline family—and have the drug gist put a few drops of ether into the can The next time the engine is hard to start, prime with this, and the results will be surprising. A Furnace-System Humidifier A humidifier for the home using furnace heat can be constructed from a length o: ¥y-in. brass tubing and a petcock. It is arranged as shown in the drawing, the brass tubing being connected to the hot water system, so as to conduct warm wate: to a register, where it is emitted in a fine spray into the hot-air current. The warm est register in the house should be selected for this purpose. A hole is drilled in the nearest hot-water os pipe, and tapped ~~! for %-in. brass PEFCOCK*, / / : i secre Ye) —} rior tubing. A _ piec Qe | of the tubing, long enough to extend to the register, is screwed into the hole, bent as indi cated in the draw- “WATER ‘Sta BRASS ing, and a petcock — ae screwed on the upper end. The petcock is fitted with a nozzle, made fron a short length of brass tubing closed at one end, and having a pin hole punched through it so that a fine spray will be emitted when the petcock is opened. Tlic spray is adjusted by the petcock and should not be allowed to flow so fast that it can not all be vaporized at once; for this rea son the pin hole must be very small. When the spray is once adjusted it will operat: without much care or attention. No harm will result if the water is allowed to flow too freely by mistake, as it will then drain down the warm-air duct into the furnace where it will instantly be vaporized.—Paul L. Fetherston, Jackson, Mich.

Page 157

MAKING AN INEXPENSIVE CRYSTAL RECEIVER HERE is a wide field for a simple and inexpensive crystal detector, both among beginners and “old-timers.” The beginner does not usually want to invest much money in a set, until he thoroughly understands the principles involved, and a crystal receiver is ideal for him; the more advanced radio enthusiast, also, can use a crystal set to advantage as a standby for the not infrequent occasions when his large set “goes on strike’”—usually when

NO.1I8 FIXTURE WIRE -,

50 TURNS NO. 26 AERIAL ee S.CC.WIRE ~s\ F ——— ! GROUND BINDING \. - SLIDING CONTACT BLOCK) POST », ‘ \ F Fr /

5'FIBER__ DISK ~

ee. Pe — %) GROUND AERIAL POST =-a_- ©” post (-=- ARM ’ t COIL DETAIL OF BASE

~t-. AERIAL BINDING POST

! ! aa i 1 \. CRYSTAL \__.00025-MF. ~ FIXED CONDENSER DETECTOR

A Very Simple and Efficient Crystal Receiver, Suitable Either for Beginner or ‘“‘Old-Timer”’ a particularly interesting concert or lec- ture is “on the air.” The crystal receiver described in this article is easy to build, is always ready to use, will give excellent results up to a dis tance of 20 miles, and costs only about 65 cents to build. The coil, which is of the spider-web type, is wound on a form consisting of a slotted fiber disk, Ye in. thick, and 5 in. in diameter. There are 13 “spokes” in the form, and, if fiber is unobtainable, heavy cardboard may be used instead Fifty turns of No. 26 single cotton-covered wire are wound on the form, the wire being led through a small hole drilled near the center of the disk and then wound « 157

Page 158

155 the form from the center out, over and under alternate spokes. The turns should be counted every time the starting point is passed, and, when the winding is com- pleted, the end of the wire is passed through another small hole and drilled in the end of one of the spokes. The coil is screwed to a small block of wood, 1 in. square and % in. high, which, in turn, is tacked or glued toa 4% by 8 by 1l-in. baseboard. A bolt may be used if a hole is drilled in the small block and base, and the bolt passed through both. A strip of wood, 4% in. thick and 4% in. wide is then cut to a length of 6 in. and the ends rounded. Two small holes are drilled in this strip to take No. 18 insulated fixture wire, and a hole drilled for a screw or bolt. The strip is mounted on a block of wood 1 in. high, and screwed or bolted to the base so that the arm can move freely. The binding posts, detector, and .00025- mf. condenser are then screwed to the baseboard, the condenser being screwed to the underside, between the phone posts. A length of No. 18 fixture wire with one end bared and doubled over as indi- cated in the detail, is threaded through the holes in the contact arm, and the other end connected to the aerial binding post. The arm is then moved so as to mark the path of the doubled end of the wire over the coil, and the insulation is carefully scraped off each turn along this path. This is best done with a small piece of emery cloth, doubled and used on edge. Care must be taken that no two turns touch at POPULAR MECHANICS the bared spots, and the doubled end of the bared contact wire must be cleaned. and adjusted to make good contact with the coil turns. The starting end of the coil is now con- nected to the ground binding post, and the other end to the crystal side of the de tector. The “cat-whisker” of the detector is connected to one of the phone posts the other phone post connected to the aerial post, and the condenser connected across the phone posts, all this wiring being done under the baseboard, as indi cated in the drawing. A strip of wood, 4 by % by 8 in., glued to each side of the base, completes the in- strument. Connect a good pair of phones to the phone posts, solder or clamp a lead from the ground post to a water pipe, and con- nect up the aerial lead, and the instrument is ready for use. ‘The installation of a suitable aerial and ground for a detector of this type was illustrated and described in the May, 1923, issue of this magazine. Ii an overhead aerial cannot be used, for any reason, the reader can still get good re sults by laying three complete turns of or dinary bell wire around the picture mold ing of the room, leaving one end “open,” and connecting the other end to the aeria lead. This instrument will tune to all wave lengths used by broadcasting stations, and for longer wave lengths it is only necessary to use smaller wire and more turns on the coil.—F. L. Brittin, Chicago, II.

Emergency Garage Heater An emergency garage heater, which is simple but very effective, can be made from a blowtorch, a 14-ft. length of 8-in. stove- pipe, and a few bricks, ar- ranged as shown in the drawing. The stovepipe is setonthe bricks at an angle to the floor, and the blowtorch is set at the low- er end. It is adjusted to give a bluish flame, which gives the most intense heat, and a circu- lation of air is immediately set up through the pipe, the cold air entering the lower

\-—<BLOWTORCH = at —

end, and, after being heated, issuing from the upper end. An improvised heater oi this kind will heat a small garage or shed in a very short time——Perry Chandler, Hillside, Mass. Trimming Clarinet Reeds The reeds used for clarinets and saxo- phones must always be trimmed to take off the rough edges, or to make them stiffer. It is almost impossible to do thi: perfectly with a knife or shears, but two coins, preferably 5-cent pieces, may be used with good results. Place the reed be tween them so that the edge to be trimmed projects as much as necessary, having thie coins perfectly even, above and below Hold them with the thumb and finger, and burn off the projecting end of the reed with a match. Run the finger over the burnt edge to take off the charcoal, and this will leave the edge perfectly smoot! and round.

Page 159

POPULAR MECHANICS Homemade Coal Cabinet The coal cabinet shown in the illustra- tion is much neater and more convenient than the ordinary kitchen coal scuttle, with its attendant dirt and dust. It is made of strong matched lumber, and, when stained and varnished, makes a presentable ad- dition to the kitchen furniture. A door is fitted at the bottom of the front side, and, di- rectly above the loor opening, on the inside an “apron” is nailed, which deflects the coal away from the door; this, with the sloping threshold, pre- vents pieces of coal from dropping out onto the floor when the door is opened. A ring on the front of the cabinet slips over the door knob and holds the door open when shoveling out coal. The weight of the door holds it shut without any catch.—Jos. C. Coyle, Colorado Springs, Colorado.

DOOR’ , SLOPING THRESHOLD

Emergency Cotter Pin A short length of brass or steel wire, bent with a pair of pliers as shown in the drawing, makes an excellent cotter pin, which is self- locking and can easily be attached or removed with the fingers. The wire is first bent over with a pair of flat-nosed pli- ers as shown in Fig. 1, the end being al- lowed to pro- ject a little. The wire is then given a second twist. around the end, as indicated in Fig. 2, and cut off. Fig. 3 shows a pin of this kind used on a bolt, and Fig. 4 how it is used on a clevis pin. An emergency cotter pin, made in this way, serves the purpose just as well as the split cotter commonly used.

jy”

159 Detachable Runners for Baby Carriage The drawing shows a set of easily made runners for the baby carriage that can be attached or detached in a few moments,

“LIGHT CHANNEL IRON

3 HOOK 6 \ ‘ TIRE BENT AFTER -<) } PLACING IN \ < POSITION { /

Runners for the Baby Carriage Are Easily Made and Can Be Attached in a Few Moments without removing the wheels. The run- ners are made of light channel iron in which the tires fit fairly snugly, and they are held in place by means of x-in. iron hooks, bent and attached as shown. The front ends of the runners are bent to conform to the curvature of the wheels, and the rear ends should extend about 8 in. beyond the rear wheels. One end oi each hook is permanently attached to the runner, and the other end is snapped over the rear axle. The hook should be made a trifle short, as there is a little “give” i» the rubber tires, and in this way a tig’ fit can be obtained. Vacuum Bottle Aids in Starting Engine A vacuum bottle, filled with hot water, has been found to be of considerable assistance in starting an automobile en- gine during cold weather. The intake manifold is wrapped with a woolen rag and the hot water contained in the vacuum bottle is poured over the rag. The object in using a woolen rag is to retain the heat around the manifold as long as possible, wool being an excellen‘ nonconductor of heat. It will be found that sufficient heat is imparted to the mixture inside of the manifold to cause it to vaporize readily.

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160 Remodeling an Old Sewing Machine An old sewing machine, which was in perfect mechanical condition, but was mounted on an old dilapidated wooden MACHINE HEAD, “4 An Old Sewing Machine Made Portable and Run with an Electric Motor frame, was made portable by fitting it on another base, and running it by means of an electric motor. A block of wood 2 by 10 by 21 in. in di- mensions, was planed and sandpapered smooth. The head was removed and the space in which it fitted was traced on a piece of paper, making a pattern 6% by 14 in., with the corners slightly rounded. The pattern was then traced on the new base, leaving a space of 7 in. on the right side, 24% in. on the back, and 1% in. on the front. Inside of this mark another rectangle was drawn, ™% in. smaller than the first on all sides except the left side, where it was 2 in. smaller. The block was then cut out on the inside marks, and an opening cut in the left cide, as shown in the drawing, so that the bobbin could be manipulated easily. On the outside lines the wood was cut down to a depth of % in., to form a shoulder for the iron base of the machine head. Brass screwhooks of the type indicated, and about 2% in. long, are screwed into the base on each side of the machine head to hold it in place securely. The base is stained and varnished to give it a neat appearance. A small motor suitable for running sew- ing machines can be purchased at any elec- trical supply store. The motor is clamped in place with one long screwhook of the same type as those used to clamp the head. —A. Seefhoff, Bellerose, N. Y. @ When cranking an automobile engine with an electric starter, throw the clutch out; this allows the starter to turn the engine alone without turning the clutch and the idler-shaft gears, and conse- quently prolongs the life of the battery. POPULAR MECHANICS Improving Binding Posts An ordinary screw binding post can be improved considerably by slotting it with a hacksaw as indicated in the drawing. The wire then can be in- serted in this slot and the nut screwed down, making it unnecessary to bend the wire. With such a slot cut in the binding post, the phone terminals of a radio set and similar tips can be held se- curely without the danger of slipping from under the nut, or the necessity of obtain- ing regular phone posts. Paste That Will Not Sour A paste that will not sour is composed of 3 quarts flour, 3 teaspoonfuls powdered alum and \% teaspoonful powdered blue vitriol. Mix in dry state and make in the usual way. It is safe to make a barrel of this paste at a time if much of it is used. Poultry Waterer Made from Carburetor A neat and efficient poultry waterer was made from a discarded carburetor by a Nebraska farmer. The bowl of the carbu- retor, with the float mecha- nism,-was re- moved and set into a shallow hole in the ground. The inlet was then connected to a tank set on a post about 2 fit. high, by means of cop- per tubing. The tank was merely a tin pail, with the tubing sol- dered into a hole cut in the bottom, and the whole ap- paratus was located in a shady spot, so that the water would remain cool during hot weather. A sheet of tin, with a hole cut in it for the bowl, was placed on the ground. The float keeps the bowl full.

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POPULAR Saving the Cherries On many farms having cherry trees, considerable annoyance is experienced in iving birds pick the trees bare, even efore the cherries are ripe. This can isily be prevented by mounting a stuffed vl on a long slender pole, and setting e pole against the tree so that the owl among the top branches. The birds ill then give the tree a wide berth. If » stuffed owl is available, a mounted snake will answer the same _ pur- ose —C. A. Martin, Lewisburg, Pa. ack Radiator Used as Still The drawing shows a simple apparatus ir distilling water, consisting of an old itomobile radiator placed in a tub of water. The lower outlet of the radi- ator is connected by a short length of hose to an iron pipe, which is passed through the side of the tub; the upper outlet is connect- ed to the steam pipe. The steam condenses ver y quickly in the ra- diator, due to the considerable sur- face exposed to the cold water in the tub. A constant stream of cold water is admitted into the tub through a pipe that extends nearly to the bottom, and the water, upon rising, passes off through i short overflow pipe. OLD WATER, 7 STEAM “~*~ DISTILLED WATER Guard for Ax Handles A southern lumberman, who did much timber splitting, had considerable trouble due to his ax handles wearing close to the head, causing them to break easily at this point, and he there- tore devised the sim- ple shield shown in the drawing to prevent the trouble. The shield consisted of a rec- tangular piece of thin heet iron, bent over ind screwed securely to the handleas shown. MECHANICS 161 Quick Method of Removing Leaves The drawing shows an easy method of carrying a large quantity of leaves. A piece of l-in. wire mesh about 4 ft. wide An Easy Method of Carrying Large Quantities of Leaves, by Means of a Piece of Chicken Wire and 6 ft. long is laid alongside the leaves, which have been raked together as com- pactly as possible, and the pile is raked onto the wire. Then by picking up the edges as shown, the whole pile can be car- ried away at once.—Mrs. A. K. Hinkley, Rowley, Mass. A Multiple-Phone Connector The amateur radio “fan” who has two or three sets of head phones will find the ar- rangement shown in the illustration a quick and convenient means of switching from one set of phones to two or three sets, as he may de- sire. Six binding 10 PHONE § BINDING POSTS 7 “Yaccstanea posts, and a small l-in. switch, with i ” ek 3 switch points, (¢ \ fi £ poe ” fro (>) ()}——¢ ) {) are mounted on a |: / small rectangular | ¢ piece of bakelite, ) mr and the switch | et yoints and bind- " ean ete I ees CONTACT ! \ SWITCH ing posts are con- POINT -- nected as shown. The first binding post and the switch blade are connected to the two phone binding posts on the panel. Moving the switch blade from one point to another puts one, two, or three sets of phones into use. The wiring, of course, is done on the underside of the bakelite.

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Hints for the Amateur Mechanic By J. V. ROMIG HE amateur mechanic will greatly improve the quality of his work if he takes advantage of the following sugges- tions, relative to design, selection of ma- terials, and constructional details. Before starting actual construction, sketch the job in at least three views, giv- ing all dimensions, so that it will be seen just how the finished article is to look, from any point or angle. The design thus roughly sketched can usually be improved by changing a few lines or dimensions, which takes but a few moments. Minutes spent in sketching mean hours saved in construction. In designing any article, the amateur mechanic should always en- deavor to hold to simplicity of design, combined with strength. The best aid to the amateur in learning how to design, in addition to textbooks, is the reading of catalogs and trade jour- nals pertaining to machinery, etc., that can be obtained from many _ sources. Catalogs should be kept in order; it is best to file them in alphabetical order, or number them, and keep an index book handy so that any book can be found in a moment. 7 In the selection of materials, the ama- teur mechanic must have a good knowl- edge of sizes and shapes usually available. In wood selection, use the tables of com- parative strength to be found in hand- books and catalogs. Also select the proper wood for each particular use, as some woods are only good for inside use, while others will withstand the effects of weathering. First-grade lumber costs more, but is worth it. Rather buy dressed lum- ber from the planing mill than attempt to plane it down from the rough at home, and have the ‘planing mill make extra- thick and wide sections by laminating, as it is equipped with the proper facilities for gluing and pressing. Steel-shape books are obtainable from all leading steel companies, and, in these, the designer has available the dimensions of I-beams, H-columns, channels, and angles, as well as tables of their strength and other factors. These figures on beams, etc., are particularly useful in the designing and fabrication of small ma- chinery, for which such materials may often be used instead of castings. Struc- tural-steel shapes are easily procured at a few cents a pound, cut and drilled to the buyer’s specifications. A knowledge of pipe and pipe fittings is also advisable. Handbooks and catalogs contain tables that show both internal and external 162 sizes, weight per foot, strength, etc., and all such data should be religiously: file and applied. Mill supplies, such as hangers, shafting, belting, and pulleys, are listed, together with a complete line of tools and equip ment, in the mammoth catalogs sent out by large mail-order houses. Their mil! and hardware-supply catalogs also give an accurate description and price oi each article, and enable one to estimate the cost of completed machines. In many cases, material can be obtained from these houses that cannot easily be obtained lo- cally. Another valuable source of ma- terial is the local scrap or junk yard Here pulleys, flywheels, and gears and wheels from discarded farm machinery and automobiles are found in all size Pulleys that are too small can be rebored, while those that are too large can be bushed down. Shafting can be sawed to suit. Such junk should be bought by the pound, and should not cost more than one-half the amount of similar new ma terials per pound. Pipe and fittings fo: high-pressure work, however, should never be bought at the junk yard, but from dealers selling hydraulic and refrig erating machinery and supplies. When, in the building of any machine or article, special castings are required, the patterns for them should be made as simple as possible. If only one or a few similar pieces are needed, omit, if possible, the cores, as holes can be drilled cheape: than a corebox can be made. Round of| all corners of the patterns with fillets oi generous size, as castings with sharp cor ners pour badly, and are apt to crack ani break at the sharp juncture of the two angular surfaces. Observe all rules for shrinkage of metal and give sufficient draft to allow the free withdrawal of the pattern from the sand. Fit dowel pins ac curately, as a casting never comes out better than its pattern. When building a pattern for a casting, allow for all neces sary machining by extra thickness 0! metal, but try to hold machining down t a minimum. Always have a spare cast ing or two made up if possible; the added cost is usually not high and saves one the trouble of going into the work again in case the first one is spoiled or broken. Many small bearings can be cast solid in bronze or brass, saving the trouble of bushing a casting made in iron. Time and expense can often be spared if standard ready-made parts are used, in- stead of trying to make them.

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Prize Offers and Announcements

THEATER TO PAY ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR AN OUTDOOR PLAY For an original play suitable for presentation on its td stawe (56x60 feet), during the summer of 1924 the Forest Theater of Carmel, Calif., offers a prize of $ Manuscripts should be in the hands of the secre tary of the theater before February 1. A nom de plume is not necessary Play should approximate two hours acting time. There is no limitation as to subject or NEW USES FOR PRESSED METAL SOUGHT BY COUNCIL THAT PAYS FOR IDEAS Ideas of new ways to use pressed metal are paid t the Peed Metal Trade Extension Council, Chi cag lll., which issues a free metal booklet describing it t gs now made with it Some of these are uto bodies, door knobs, railway cars, and € ¢ ets Pressed metal is anything that can be ed by stamping sheets of steel brass, copper, alu- any othe metal common HUNDRED DOLLARS OFFERED FOR POEMS PUBLISHED QUARTERLY IN MAGAZINE One hundred dollars in prizes are given for poems pu hee n each quarterly issue of The Poet and Philosopher, 32 Union Square East, New York City nditions of the contest change with each issue of t r AWARD FOR BLACKBERRY-BRIAR KILLER OFFERED BY NEW ZEALAND MAN Frank L. Newberry, Shaw St., Reefton, New Zealand, offers an award 750 pounds sterling tor an effective bla erry-bush exterminator that will pass test con- ducte New Zealand government experts It must gnate itself in roots of bushes without harming sur- ng plants.

‘ PRIZES FOR PHOTOS AWARDED MONTHLY BY A MOTION-PICTURE MAGAZINE Prizes of $25, $15, and $10 are awarded »y Shadowland, 65 E. 56th St., New York ph tograpl hs not previously published. Information stat ing date and hows of exposure, stop number used, print ing medium, and character of print used is required monthly City, for

PAY FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR VERSE FOR NEW SMILE SONG For the best second verse for a future song re- lease “‘Where Is Your Smile?” a $500 prize is te be paid by Handy Bros. Music Co., 2573 8th Ave., New York City. A free copy of the song and rules of the contest will be sent to prospective competitors. SHORT SALES TALKS ABOUT DRUG-STORE ARTICLES GET MONEY EACH MONTH Drug clerks and salesmen are offered a first prize of $10, second of $5, and third of $2 for a 100-word statement boosting things sold by the store. Photo- graphs of articles, difficult, appear in rk City, monthly. identification Broadway, New partly cut to make Drug Topics, 291

ESSAYS TO WIN TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS AND UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIPS Ter musand dollars in cash prizes and scholarships to Yi “ issar, and other universities and colleges are to be awarded in a prize-essay contest conducted by the American Chemical Society, Munson Building, New York City. It is open to students of high and secondary schools and is intended to stimulate interest in the de velopment of chemical science. Six prizes of $20 in gold are to be given in each state of the Union and the authors of the six best essays from all over the country will win scholarships carrying with them tuition for four years of chemistry or chemical engineeri ng in Yale and Vassar and $500 in cash Scholarships in other colleges will be aw arded Full terms of the contest are being distributed by the society to high schools and libraries throughout the country PAYS TWO HUNDRED EACH MONTH FOR BEST JOKE IN MAGAZINE For the best joke of less than 100 words, $200 is paid each m o~t by Gloom, Los Angeles, Calif. Three hundred dollars more ire awarded monthly, in :mounts trom $100 to $10, for winning jokes TEN DOLLARS PAID FOR FUNNY STORIES THAT ARE ORIGINAL AND SHORT Ten d lars for the best story, $5 for the next, and regular rates for all others printed are paid weekly by Judge Original short, funny stories, that have not been pt lished before re wanted BUY SHORT ARTICLE ON THE COMMUNITY FOR FIFTY DOLLARS EVERY MONTH I eo tent p t 5h’) words on var us phases of community improvement The Delineator, . New York City, offers a monthly prize of $50 Che subject is change € ! nt FIVE DOLLARS FOR MISTAKES IN MOVIE PAID BY A FILM MAGAZINE Mistakes seen in the attention of Film Fun, 627 will be published. Five winnins “film flaw.” movies, if brought to the West 43rd St., New York, dollars is paid monthly for the TEN DOLLARS FOR HOUSEHOLD IDEAS SAVING TIME AND MONEY For the best save the h month on how t Delineator suggestion each yusekeeper’s time or money The pays $10.00. All other ideas printed are bought for $5.00 each. CONTESTS PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED Medals, ey and Money Awards: Announced August issue, 192 awards offered by the Frar Institute The Fr: atkins medal is for workers in tecl nology ; the Elliott-Cresson io Ser oreginal cone arch work and invention; the Howard N tts is for important development ot previous discoveries and inventions Each award consists of a gold medal with a diploma There are also a silver medal, and a Certificate of Merit awarded for meritorious discoveries, and cash premiur for certain work in optics Awards to Further Science of Electricity: Medal and prizes, amounting in all to about $20,000; ar nounced February issue, 1923 For Best Work by American Chemist: An annual award of $25,000; announced February issue, 1923. Names for Great Lakes Steamers: Two $50 each; announced February issue, 19 ames must be submitted ym season in 1924. prizes of sugwgeste | before the opening of navi gatu Essay on Economic Subjects: nounced March issue, 1923. _ Pulitzer Prizes, Columbia University: F< in various literary and journalistic April issue, 1925 ¢ nominations Prize $1,500; wr best worl lines; announced of candidates must be made before Feb. 1, 1924 Scholarships at War Nurses and Ex-Service Men: Numerous scholarships provided at colleges and 1 versities throughout the cou late La Verne aves: ann ntry under the will of the yunced Apel issue, 192 When answering prize offers please mention Popular Mechanics Magazine

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164 POPULAR Most Practicable Device for Recording Mine-Shaft - pg Prize of £250, or about $1,100; announced issue, 1923. Prizes for Essays: Three yearly prizes of $2,500, ), and $200; announced June issue, 1923; for arti- cles on sul jects relating to business development and the modern trust company ; closes August 31, each year. and Girls’ Short-Story Contest: Two first rds of $160, and other prizes; announced May issue, Boys’ awa 192 Greatest Benefit to Community Rendered by Wom- en’s Club: Prize, $1,000; announced May issue, 1923. Prizes for Essays on Purchasing Power: le $7 500. S800 2! i Three prizes , and $500; announced June issue, 1923. Prizes for undergrad- Students’ Essays on Municipal Government: $250 and $100 for postgraduates; $100 nates; announced May issue, 1923. Preventive of ““Klieg Eyes’: Award of $50,000; an- inced August issue, 1923. MECHANICS Prize for World Peace Plan: Edward W. Rok, of Philadelphia, offers $100,000 for “the most practicable plan by which the United States may co-operate with other nations to achieve world peace *; announced Oc- tober issue, 1923 Prizes for Essay on Plumbing: Two prizes of $100 and $50; announced October issue, 1923 Awards for Movie Titles: Prize of $10,000 for one word ; $20,000 for two words; $25,000 for three words; announced October issue, 1923. Valuable Hardware Ideas: Trade magazine will pay $10 for best each month and $2 for others accepted; an nounced October issue, 1923. Electric Storage-Battery Mine Locomotive: Prize, £1,000; announced August issue, 1923. Working trials of machines selected will be announced later. Vertical Airplane Flights: Prizes £50,000; announced August issue, be received before April 30, 1924. aggregating 1923; entries must Science Notes for Daily Use TELEPHONE RECEIVERS BEST TESTED BY ACTUAL RECEIVING CIRCUITS The most generally satisfactory method of testing telephone receivers in determining the delicacy and accuracy with which they respond to speech is by comparing one with another in listening to the sounds the human voice. No strictly scientific method testing them mechanically, or independent of human observation and estimate, has yet been de- vised. A musical note is not satisfactory, for two reasons, one is that a sound of such a uniform char- acter tends to pack the carbon granules of the trans- mitter and its action becomes defective, and the other that the ear, in hearing a note of constant pitch, is quickly fatigued so that a proper estimate of the sound reception cannot be made. tor MATCHES CAUSE SKIN DISEASE When placed in pockets close to the skin, matches have been found by physicians to cause a skin dis- ease that is characterized by unsightly eruptions. The malady starts from the contact of chemical sub- stances in the matches with the skin, usually brought out by perspiration. It is found to be more preva- lent among farmers and others who labor in hot weather clad only in light garments. FLAX LILY OF NEW ZEALAND TO PRODUCE LINEN As a substitute for flax, the plant from whose fibers linen is made, it has been suggested that the flax lily, which grows in abundance in New Zealand, be used to ike the cloth. Through a scarcity of the tabric it has risen in value. The new plant can be grown success- lly in many parts of Europe and America and is said to be cultivated with less difficulty than is flax. So far, yields of the crop have produced as much as 2,249 rm inds to the acre. EXPLOSIVES NOW SAFE ITEM FOR RAILROAD TRAFFIC During one year, railroads of the United States hauled almost 600,000,000 pounds of explosives and a large ton- nage of fireworks, according to a report, with but a single personal accident. In addition to these items, a great volume of materials reclaimed from war muni- tions was carried. The total property loss caused from the only explosion recorded for the 12 months amounted to $75 The damage was done by a bomb which had een in some way placed in a baggage car. SWATTING FLY NOT ENOUC H AS MOST BLOWS ONLY STUN THE PEST That 90 per cent of “swatted” flies are but return to life, is the assertion of a scientist. In the course of his researches, he assaulted numerous flies with swatters of mosquito wire, sheet rubber and other materials. In the great "~ ority of cases, he found that the pests were not killed, but were merely suffering from internal injuries and shock and that in most cases the victim recovered sufficiently to climb up a wall to the ceiling, which always is its health resort. As a result of his studies, he urged that the swatting be followed by other means to kill the flies. dead not WHAT BECOMES OF OLD PINS? Every year about 10,000,000,000 pins, or approxi- mately 4,000,000 pounds, are made in the United States The industry has grown to such proportions that it employs over 10,000 persons and annually consumes 26,000 tons of coal, 27,000 cubic feet of gas, and 2,500 barrels of fuel oil. Connecticut, leader in the pin- making business, produces 85.6 per cent of the common variety and 45 per cent of the miscellaneous kinds. The value of one year's output is estimated at $14,000,000. Machines for the manutacture of pins’ were invented in this country in 1775, but the industry did not start growing until 1836. , TABOO ON HOT FOOD SHOWN IN TEETH FOUND IN INDIAN MOUND Well-preserved teeth of Indians taken from a mound recently explored in the West indicate that the aborigine was not an eater of hot foods, scientists say Their theory is that these people used fire in cooking but, since it was done in the open, the food became cold before it was served, thus helping to avoid decay of the teeth. We recently received a number of technical papers from a gentleman who signed himself merely M. Weiss or Weuss, Germany. We would be glad to receive the full address of this contributor. 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 to 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 Bureau of Information, Popular Mechanics Maga- zine, Chicago. | Editor.]