Popular Mechanics 1924-02: Vol 41 Iss 2

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MAGAZINE WRITTEN SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND IT AIN. No. 410426 =) Valet a.

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Takes only 50 Days THE GREAT RAHE SCHOOL “My garage and Ford Agency is a big success. I owe it to Rahe training.”—G. Smith, W. Alexandria, Ohio. “Rahe training was the best investment I ever made.”— Colby Lord, Oakland, Maine. “TI thank Rahe Training for a great job in the best garage in Lima.”—Howard Metzger, Lima, Ohio. ’ to get a real job in the Auto and Tractor Business Read what these men are doing—here is your big chance to get ‘‘on easy street.”” Come to these great shops on the biggest FREE offer ever made, Big Firms Need Trained Men The Auto and Tractor Business is on the boom. Thousands of trained men will be needed during the next few months. I get calls every day from Garages, Battery Stations, Auto Repair, Welding Shops and other successful concerns for Rahe men. When the big fellows need high grade men they know where to come for them. They want Rahe trained men. My Training Unusual Scientific tool training—that’s the secret. You do things here according to the latest engineering standards. Thousands of dollars have been spent in modern tools and equipment. That’s why my men are at home with the biggest shops in the country. If you want to succeed the way Smith and Metzger and the rest have—qualify by the same method. Pll Pay Your Railroad Fare and Board You! In order to fill the openings that now exist, I am making an offer no one has ever made before—Free Railroad Fare. Free Board. But even that is notall. I'll tell you about the rest in my letter. big illustrated Send for FREE Book My he ess how others are succeeding. It tells many things you ought to know about Autos and Tractors. Write for it and my short time offer NOW. It soon expires. Auto Rahe 1:2: School Ninth ard Wainut ses. Cincinnati, Ohio Na nenie I gegen ly send me your nei book “The Evolution of Transportation.” Also informaty regarding special temporary offer. 2 a a State... eee

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hio POPULAR MITCHANICS ADVERTISING SECTION THE AIR 18 FULL OF THINGS YOU SHOULDN’T MISS” Eveready “Three,” 4% volts, three distinct uses. Length 4 in.; Width 1% in.; Height 3 in.; Weight 1402. At all reliable radio dealers, This “C” Battery is OU can make the loud speaker respond with a new fullness and naturalness of tone. You can save money by adding months to the life of your “B” Batteries. These things you can do by using the new Eveready 4% volt “Three” as a “C™ Battery. You already have an “A” Battery for the filament and a ““B” Battery for the plate. A “C” Battery is con- nected to the third element of your vacuum tube, the grid, affording a control that is marvelous in action on audio frequency amplifiers. As a “C”™ Battery the Eveready “Three prevents distortion and ex- cessive flow of current from the “B” Battery, lenghtening its life. It isa wonder worker that saves its small a Wonder Worker cost many times over. Connect it in your audio frequency amplifier and note the difference. Full directions on the label and in “‘How to Get the Most Out of Your ‘B’ Battery,” a booklet on “B” and “‘C” Batteries, sent free on request. This triple-use battery can also be used as an “A” Battery in portable sets. Light and full of pep. Its third use is as a ““B” Battery booster. Use the Eveready “Three”—a tested product of the world’s leading electrochemical battery laboratory. It serves more radio uses and effects more economies than any radio bat- tery heretofore developed. If you have any battery problem, Radio Battery In- formation Headquarters will solve it for you. Write G. C. Furness, Manager, Radio Division, National Carbon Company, Inc., 207 Manley St., Long Island City, New York. NATIONAL CARBON COMPANY, Inc., New York and San Francisco Headquarters for Radio Battery Information CANADIAN NATIONAL CARBON CO., Limited. Factory and Offices: Toronto, O ntero Radio Batteries ~they last longer

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Putting the Finishing Touches on a Great Turbine Shaft in a German Erecting Shop—a Real, Man-Sized Task Calling for the Highest Degree of Skilled Craftsmanship

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Popular Mechanics REGISTERED IN U. S. PATENT OFFICE Magazine WRITTEN SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND IT FEBRUARY, 1924 Army of Craftsmen Bulwark of Nation By JAMES J. DAVIS United States Secretary of Labor HE dignity of labor has been the subject of un- usual discussion ever since the time of the car- penter of Naza- reth. But, due to false ideals, mis- guided concep- tions of service, and wrongly interpreted ambitions, today the desire of many to enter the trades is being thwarted by a mistaken impression that work of the hands is to be despised. This has resulted in an increasing drift toward “white collar” occupations. Even ome professions are being overcrowded with young aspirants who possess inher- ent, but suppressed, tendencies toward lines of endeavor that require the utensils of the artisan rather than the “book learn- ing” of higher education. Craftmanship is a vital need of the na- tion. More than 90 per cent of our popu- lation is made up of farmers and industrial workers. Less than 10 per cent, it been pointed out, are in professional life. And yet, while millions are being spent for education, little of it is going to teach boys to use their hands in a usetul way. Why train 100 students for professional activities, when only one in every ten can possibly hope to make an adequate living in these lines? Probably this is due to false pride and the idea that work with the hands is menial and degrading. And yet it is upon the flannel-shirted army of hand toilers that the responsibility ultimately rests for the nation’s property and social and economic progress. With the restriction of emigration, the opportunities offered by the trades are greater now than ever before. While there is an oversupply of slide-rule engi neers and bookish lawyers, every craft is crying for workers and apprentices at re ord-breaking wages. For instance, in 1910, according to government figures, there were 817,120 journeyman carpenters in this country and 6,069 apprentices—136 journeymen to each apprentice. Ten years has 165

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166 later there were 887,000 journeymen to 4.805 apprentices. As the population of the country increased 15 per cent during the same period, it is clear that the car- penter’s trade is losing ground, although wages have been more than tripled. Then again the introduction of materials ex- terior to the woodworkers’ calling into the building industry may help to cause the decrease. But, the crying need of the mar- ket for such craft contradicts that, in a measure. With plasterers, the finished craftsmen numbered 47,682 in 1910 and dropped to 38.225 in 1920—a loss of 9,457 workers. And here change of material has not af- fected the demands for skill. On the other hand, with demands for brick and stone masons constantly increasing, there was a loss of 38,138 men from 1910 to 1920. Paint- ers, glaziers, and varnishers doing build- ing work also showed losses. The single exception to this situation was in the elec- trician’s craft where the number of work- ers increased from 120,155 a decade ago to 212.964. Here the general growth of elec- tricity has added the recruits to the ranks. Factory and household, and railroad and marine transportation afford to it a mar- velous field that appeals because of its problems and possibilities. Probably there will always be those who believe in letting their brains keep their hands soft, even at an economic loss, for- getting the age-old truth that man has always been blessed in the work of his hands. Carnegie started as a telegraph messenger boy. Edison was a train

POPULAR MECHANICS “butcher.” Schwab carried water in a stee! plant. Ford was a stationary engineer and a machinist. Lack of a college education. or so-called “higher learning” did not stop their rise to fame, fortune, and riches. Nor did it interfere to any visible degree wit! the accomplishments of such men a Luther Burbank. With libraries, night schools and corre spondence courses everywhere available no youth need feel handicapped by the lack of university training, because, with prope: industry and ambition, he can obtain it equivalent and at the same time get a: earlier start in the race toward success ani worthwhile achievement. What the worl: needs is practical men—workers who ca: supply the constantly increasing demand: of civilization. To the adventurous, even, manual toi! offers thrills which rarely come to men out side of the labor world. Who will de: that all the daring, all the sensations, ar all of the delights of the professiona mountain climber, are not experience every day in the life of the structural iro: worker who looks down upon us from perch on a lofty steel skeleton of a bis city sky-scraper? Who among us would not give a great deal to feel the throb oi the giant engine that lifts tons of stone a timber, in the twinkling of an eye, to the men with hammers and trowels, plyin: their trades up near the clouds. To the man on the street, it is a breathless moment as the heavy mass goes sailing upward, vet the stationar’ engineer who controls the lever of the hoist by dint of training and experience, commands the movement thiat elicits the onlookers’ praise. Romance awaits the recruit to the serv- ice of the hands. Therein lies happiness. a gratifying return in consciousness 0! power to create beauty from the rough. and a remuneration never before equaled in the history of toil. Freedom of body and soul are there, too. With the merry din and rattle of the tools of manual labor. there comes peace to the mind, leaving it to dwell full on the task, and exercise ot the body fabric is reflected in better health clearer eyes, and more ruddy cheeks tha: has he who has given himself to confined effort of mind alone within the narrow walls of an office. In the trade school, the young man who loves mechanics will obtain a foundation upon which to build a career that will be of the greatest value. He will acquire dexterity in the use of tools and a know! edge of the operation of trade machinery. He will obtain a knowledge of trade theory and of drawing. With these advantages, he

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POPULAR will be of real value to his employer from the outset. Speed of execution and facil- ity come only with the experience obtained in actual trade employment. An alert mind in command of dexterous hands is a factor that defies defeat. Attainment of its object, is merely a matter of time and application. Couple with this, then, nat- ural business qualities, and they are fre- quently found in the trades, and we have a combination that halts only when the highest rung of the ladder has reached. If the young man does not take a trade- school course, the chances are that he will have to “pick up” his trade as best he can during an apprenticeship period, be- cause the employer does not have the time to personally supervise his training and the foreman or workman under whom he works-may have no personal interest in seeing that the apprentice becomes a good mechanic. Thus, it is likely that he will be kept at one kind of work indefinitely, and by the time he has served his time, he will be more of a specialist than an all- around workman. While all of the skilled trades offer ex- cellent livelihoods to the expert and de- pendable mechanic, advancement is certain if he has or acquires the ability to direct other men and lay out work. In the latter case he may become a foreman or an ex- been MECHANICS ecutive, or eventually he may be taken up as a member of the firm, itself. The American young man is by heredity, a toiler. The majesty of all our big cities, the glittering steel threads which bind the sections of this great country in a net- work of railroads, and the boats that plow their way through the rivers, are but the labors of our fathers. Wherever man has placed one stone upon another or riven log upon log, there is an expression of the greatness and dignity of the work of the hands. In Egypt, great pyramids of stones, co- lossal in size, have defied the warring elements of time, and have communicated to modern civilization a silent counsel from a once lordly people, a race that worked with its hands. What if these massive piles of hewn and joined rock were raised to memorialize the pomp of dead rulers? Labor built them. And it is of labor that the observer thinks when he contemplates their mysterious origin after thousands of years in the midst of barren wastes whose very atmospheres are pain- ful to ordinary men. During the past few generations we have built the best system of schooling that has ever been devised. But in spite of our tre- mendous strides, we have allowed the con- victions to grow, that education is a sub- stitute for work, rather than a tool to work with; that merely a good education should provide the means of life and hap- piness. The dire conviction that an educa- tion unfits a man for work that must be done with his hands has been permitted in the very face of a world that is crying aloud for doers.

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POPULAR Lnitnansii rr S \ewaallll ' i The educational advance has been rapid, but it has been all in one direction. The practical need has almost been ignored, and excluded in mistaken efforts toward absorption of classical knowledge. The ultimate end, with such a system, if it be permitted to continue witheut cor- rection, would be the creation of a nation where every citizen would have the learn- ing of books, and none would have the learning of the hands which is vital to the progress and prosperity of any country. The American artisan, when he is properly trained, excels in every way the efficiency of the natives of every other nation. How- ever, there is no reason why proper atten- tion should not be paid to both the hand training and the education of mind, com- bining both to the end that one can help and direct the other. Now that labor of the hands has risen to monetary value beyond the fondest dreams of workmen of a half-century ago, material reward is assured the beginner who enters upon a career of manual toil. He first should have primary instruction in the needs of the everyday man as a foundation for the more serious task of ab- MECHANICS sorbing knowledge of greater and more immediate return. His way should be chosen in keeping with his proclivities and natural leanings. If woodworking, such as cabinet making, appeals to him, steps should be taken to provide him with the instruction that promotes early progres in the art. If it is steel that calls to him a chemical course of sufficient volume should be accorded him to acquaint him with the fabrication of that metal. In short the idea should be to place the student apprentice on familiar terms with the ma terial he chooses as a background for hi career. Stone, brick, wood, paper, -and cement all have wonderful stories for the youth who allies himself with them. And what better can be done for the eager mind than to permit the laboratory and the school to impart this preliminary informa tion? Armed with these romantic his tories that daily grow in marvel, the en ergy of mind is augmented by the abilitie of the hands in the shaping of the masses into beauty of architecture and strengt! of commercial and industrial equipment It is but a step from the exercise o genius to the sweat of the brow. The “white collar” and the “boiled shirt” should not beguile youth, falsely, from the thrum of industry and the strident song oi steel and wood. The man of labor has not attained dignity—he never lost it. His march is still upward. The overall re mains a royal raiment and as Solomon oi! old called to the King of Tyre for skilled artisans to raise temples toward the heavens, so today does the world cry out for the denim-clad doers—blessed worker with hands.

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POPULAR MECHANICS HOUSE WALLS OF PACKED SOIL MAY REDUCE BUILDING COST Revival of the use of earthen walls for houses, a practice known several thou- sands of years ago, may greatly reduce the cost of homes of today, is the opinion of a government scientist studying the Such structures are made of earth tightly packed and “cure” in a short The method, he says, produces a building that is not only sturdy in con- truction but is warm in winter and cool in summer. Houses erected of soil have been known to become so strong in a few months, that to cut openings in the earthen wall required the same tools used to pene- trate rock. Structures of the kind put up 200 years ago have practically turned to tone, in imitation of the work of nature in forming hard substances from exertion of ereat pressure on sand and clay mixtures. “Rammed earth,” as the material is called, needs little treatment and can be prepared hy unskilled persons. Its cost is but a fraction of that of brick, wood, or concrete, process. time, TOY BALLOON TRAVELS FOUR DAYS OVER ATLANTIC A small balloon floating in the Atlantic Ocean several miles off Pemaquid Light, Maine, was discovered by the editor of this magazine while on a recent cruise. The balloon which was about two-thirds its or- iginal size, bore the legend, “Sou- venir Cortland County Fair, 1923.” As there is no county by that name in Maine, Mayor Hollister, of Cortland, N.Y., was written to \ among other Cort- i lands, and the fact was mentioned in a local newspaper. Asa result correspond- ence was had with Mr. and Mrs. O. W. King of that city, ending in the identifica- tion of the balloon and the tag attached to it as undoubtedly the one which had es- caped from the hands of their four-year- old daughter, at the fair. The balloon was picked up on the afternoon of August 25, 1923, which was almost four days after its escape, during which time it must have traveled at least 300 to 400 miles. It now rests in this magazine’s museum. 169 CHURCH WITH FOLDING STEEPLE AND RADIO RUNS ON WHEELS For doing missionary work in out-of- the-way places a miniature house of reli- gious worship has been mounted upon the > Church on Automobile Chassis that Has Folding Spire and Radio for Its “‘Congregations”’ chassis of an automobile. This little trav- eling temple is fully equipped with every- thing that can further its mission: radio, for the entertainment of the audience, a drop platform for the minister, and a col- lapsible spire terminating in a cross which is lighted at night by electricity generated in a storage battery. It is nondenomina- tional in its teachings. RUBBER HEEL TO HELP’ ARCHES HAS BALL-CUSHION TREAD To support the arches and give spring to the step, a rubber heel with a hollow ball cushion in the center of the tread has been made. The front is beveled toward the sole of the shoe, and is equipped with two small knobs, which are said to be helpful to those having trouble with the bones of the feet. Due to the perforations in the upper side, these artt- cles are very flexible. They come in either brown or black stock. @ More than 300,000,000 envelopes are ex- pended in handling the business of the United States government each year.

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170 POPULAR MECHANICS PHOTOS SENT THROUGH AIR BY RADIO OR OVER WIRE a = Picture, at Right, as It Appeared after Being Flashed through the Air by Radio, and, at Left, as It Origina!’y Appeared. The Apparatus Used Is Shown in Center Flashed through the air just asthe radio broadcasts songs or stofies, or dispatched over wires as messages are re- layed by telegraph, photographs of im- portant events or of criminals and their signatures .or fingerprints may be sent hundreds of miles and exactly reproduced on an instrument perfected by an eastern newspaper man. The apparatus consists of two identical machines closely resem- bling radio sets, one for transmitting and the other for receiving. A zine or copper print is prepared from the photograph, the lines running from left to right. This is Snug Jackets Button Tightly Around Gear Pedals and Clutch to Keep Out Cold placed on the cylinder of the sending chine, made to revolve, and a needle | ing over the surface opens and breaks :; electric circuit. These impulses, flashed over a wire or broadcast through the ai are recorded on the receiving instrument which has a cylinder revolving at exact] the same speed as that of the transmitter The impressions are traced on chemical! treated paper so that an exact duplicate « the original plate is obtained. The outht is portable and has been used to send p! tographs 900 to 1,000 miles by radio nearly 400 miles by wire. PEDAL JACKET ON SMALL CARS EASES WINTER DRIVING To prevent cold air, snow, and water from entering small cars through openings near the clutch and brake pedals, a jacket of soft rubber sheeting, which fits securely about the parts and under the regular floor mat, has been placed on the market. The covering is buckled quickly in place and does not interfere with the operation of the car. @ Popular Mechanics Magazine does not publish the name of maker or seller of any device described in its pages, but this information is kept on file and will be tur nished free by addressing our Bureau o1 Information. a © aan zaeébem 424 Gae & ese ee

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POPULAR MECHANICS SETTING “TYPE” FOR MUSIC TASK OF MACHINE SEPARATE TYPE PIECES COMBINED INTO MUSIC STAFF VARIOUS CHARACTERS AND SYMBOLS OUTLINED MATRICES OF MUSIC SYMBOLS FOR TYPE- CASTING MACHINE, SHOWING POSITION ON MAGAZINE BAR MANNER IN WHICH METAL TYPE LINES ARE MOUNTED ON THE MACHINE FOR PRINTING MUSIC COMPOSITION —- ae SLUGS CAST FROM —— MOLD FORMED BY MATRICES A LINE-O-TYPE FOR MUSIC Engraving costs and expenses in con- nection with the hand-setting of type char- acters for the printing of music are expect- ed to be eliminated by a process that sets the notes and symbols in their required order as they come from a typecasting ma- chine. After it has been “locked up,” the form may be used either on a power press or adapted to one of the smaller hand de- vices, provided either has a curved cylinder on which the composition can be placed. In spite of the fact that the hand proc- ess requires about 3,000 characters, it is claimed that the mechanical method will employ not more than 25. Each piece of type under the recent plan will consist of the symbol and the lines of the staff and will form a perfect union with those pre- ceding and following it. Since the ordi- nary alphabetical characters seen on all typesetting machines will not be inter- fered with during the composing of the musical form, the,\words of the piece can be set at the samé time, in position cor- responding with their notes. It is believed that the perfection of the machine music-setting system will open up a new branch of the printing industry, as well as permit a composer to publish his own matter. The number of copies that can be run off a form will be limited only by the life of the metal. The characters are molded from the or- dinary metal in use with typesetting ma- chines, and are produced in the usual “slug” shape. Where ‘the rotary cylin der is to be used for printing, the char acters are curved, with T-shaped flanges to fit in the grooves that hold them in po sition on the drum. he paper stock can then pass under the revolving form, or the cylinder can be made to move across the paper. RED BACK OF THERMOMETER AIDS QUICK READING With a broad strip of bright red glass back of the mercury-filled bore, a legible and accurate thermometer, now on the market, can be read at a glance. As the column of silvery liquid moves up or down, it hides or exposes the brilliant back- ground. The temperature readings are plainly recorded at the bottom of the scar- let streak which contrasts sharply with the metallic gray of the fluid. The instrument is said to be more accurate than those with colored liquids of various kinds. The fig ures are large, and distinct, and can be seen from almost any angle, making it un necessary to turn the device about in order to learn the reading. The red line extends from the top down to the bulb, and forms the rear of the channel of the tube. @ With the largest lighthouse organization in the world, the United States maintains 16.373 aids to navigation

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172 POPULAR MECHANICS FOUR MONTHS TO CARVE CHAIN FROM BLOCK OF WOOD Carved from one block of wood, a watch chain of complicated design has been turned out by an artist who spent four Watch Chains Carved from Single Pieces of Wood that Required Many Months to Complete months on the task. Small enough to fit into the palm of the hand, it is perfect in every detail and without a single mark of a tool. Other similar chains required three weeks in the making. One of them carried a six-pointed star which inter- locked with a double triangle and pendant. POCKET SEAL IN WATCH CASE HELPS PUBLIC NOTARIES As easily carried in the vest pocket as a watch, which it somewhat re- sembles, a seal has been made for public notaries and other officers whose duties com- pel them to take legal acknowledg- ments at a dis- tance from their places of business. Replacing the us- ual bulky device, this convenience is built into a strong, closed case, finished in gold plate over a heavy metal base. LONG TELESCOPE FOR CAMERA TO LEARN STAR SECRETS Accurate measurements, by means of a huge photographic telescope, 36 feet long, to determine the direction of the stars’ movements, are planned by scie: tists of an eastern university. An expedi tion equipped with the tube, said to be the third largest in the world, is preparing to go to points in the southern hemisphere where atmospheric conditions will be fa vorable to the task. Included in the outfit is a camera with a 26-inch lens. Data to be obtained are expected to clear up som: perplexing problems of the skies. BIT FASTENED TO BLOWTORCH FORMS SOLDERING IRON Fastening a detachable bit to the noz of a blowtorch now on the market, c verts it to a soldering iron. The head c be placed either in a straight position or at right angles. Gasoline is used to produce the flame and is stored in the hollo handle. In order to protect the hat against excessive heat, the grip is co: posed of a perforated metal shell, whi forms a cover for the fuel tank. The e: tire soldering head. can be removed b loosening one sqrew, and unfastening a: other permits the point to be taken out. Blowtorch that Becomes a Soldering Iron with Addition of a Detachable Tool The device is especially convenient in ele trical and automobile-repair work. BLUEBERRIES BIG AS GRAPES RESULT OF CULTIVATION Tamed, and taught to grow under culti- vation, the shrub of the wild swamp huckleberry of New Jersey has been im- proved until it yields a fruit as large as a grape. The seeds have grown smaller, but the flavor and sweetness of the new prod uct have been increased. To distinguis! it from the wild upland variety, it is now called “blueberry.”

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POPULAR MECHANICS BIG PARK FOR WATER SPORTS TO BE BUILT IN WEST With a protective harbor for leasure boats, an aquatic park is ) be built soon near the old ex- sition site in San Francisco. he basin will be about 1,500 feet diameter, with a maximum epth of 30 feet, shoaling gradu- ly to the beach. Two curving tone piers, each with a pavilion nd light at the outer end, will upply protection, and a rein- irced-concrete breakwater will pan the outer gap, leaving a hannel at either end, and fur- ishing a pool for every variety of port, including boat races. Aquatic Park for Water Sports and Pleasure Boats to Be Constructed at San Francisco MILLION HOMES FOR WORKMEN NEEDED IN THE U. S&S. About 1,000,000 more houses are needed n the United States to relieve the present iortage, investigators studying the prob- emi report. In spite of the various “build- ng booms” in many parts of the country, nly one city shows a surplus of residence buildings. It is held that the type of houses for the workingman must be changed, so as to bring about cheaper con- truction. This alone, it is said, would in- rease the proportion of home-owners by 3) per cent. Building codes, it is contend- ed, must also be modernized. BISCUIT CUTTER WITH CURVED KNIVES ROLLS OVER DOUGH Two curved blades on a biscuit cutter recently placed on the market give the itensil a wheellike motion as it is passed over the dough. With each com- plete revolution the knives cut out a perfect circle. The tool is of use in making cook- ies, muffins, and other small, round cakes. Its strong, light construction permits it to be drawn back and torth with very little effort, and it is plated to prevent rusting. METAL COLLARS ON NAILS SAVE LUMBER AND WORK To avoid waste of lumber used in con- crete forms, scaffolding, and the like, a metal collar that slips over the body of the nail and makes it easy to draw, has been patented. The device tapers to a diameter Metal Collar Slipped Over Body of Nail Makes Pulling Easy and Saves Lumber smaller than that of the nail head,‘and in- sures the claw hammer a good grip. It gives additional rigidity where used, and saves times in dismantling. @ So great was the popularity of the nickel last year, that the Philadelphia mint alone turned out approximately 30,000,000 of the small coins.

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174 FRAGMENTS OF OLD CHURCH BECOME SOUVENIRS Remains of the old brick tower, which formed the fortress portion of the first church edifice erected in Jamestown, Vir- Bits of Church Tower Erected at Jamestown, Virginia, in 1609; Bouquet of Vines Grown on Edifice ginia, are fast crumbling away and disap- pearing. This magazine recently, through the courtesy of George T. Boski, Bluefield, W. Va., was presented with a few frag- ments of the building, which it has placed in its museum. Among the first settlers, who came from England to this country, a hardy band in 1609 entered the mouth of the James River and located on an island which they called “James Towne.” For the first ten years they suffered great hardships, depending largely on supplies from England for their food and clothing. It was not until the introduction of to- bacco-growing as a business that thev be- gan to prosper. The early date of the founding ot Jamestown insures the fact that the old church tower is among the oldest, if not the oldest, structure of its kind in the eastern tier of states. @ Living in the larger Chinese cities is generally hand-to-mouth. Food is pur- chased from so-called restaurants, and hot water is sold by dealers who specialize in it. POPULAR MECHANICS “HEAT MILL” SAVES ORCHARDS FROM BLIGHT OF FROST To save orchards from frost, a “he mill” has been developed that consists an airplane engine, propeller, and a « tributer through which the wind stirred y by the whirling blades is forced under t} 1; i trees. The device may also be used to co the atmosphere when the heat is t great. The machine is expected to repla many of the smudge pots. TEN THOUSAND PRAYERS “SAID’ BY WHEEL IN A SECOND Buddhist priests, or lamas, of Tibet as many as ten thousand prayers a seco: with the aid of a revolving wheel supplications, closely printed on long stt of paper wound tightly inside a cylind are considered “said” each time it volves. COLORED PAPER SERVES AS INK FOR HAND EMBOSSING PRESS To emboss showcards and other sti paper, without the use of heat, glue, « ink, a hand press, said to operate at fraction of the cost of printing, and whi needs no expert feeders, has been re cently made. Brass type furnished wit the machine can be set up in an easi locked form by inexperienced perso: The cardboard and sheets of paper of t! color desired are inserted in the device Pressure on a lever causes the press Hand Embossing Press that Prints Letters in Colored Paper and Needs no Expert Operator close down on the papers, cutting out the letters and fastening them to the back- ground.

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POPULAR MECHANICS FLAG SO LARGE IT COVERS FRONT OF BUILDING During a celebration recently eld in a mid-western city a large \merican flag was unfurled down e side of an office building, ling almost the entire wall of ie structure. Each stripe of the gantic “Old Glory” was nearly 7 teet wide. The blue field meas- ired little less than 50 feet square id the entire emblem was 90 feet ide and 150 feet long. It was tretched between two heavy and was fastened to the uilding every few feet to prevent amage by winds. Beside it a flag f ordinary size was placed. This as completely dwarfed by the rger one. pes @ Scientific care of terrapin has een so perfected that the death ite is said to be lower during the rst vear than it is among chick- ns on the average poultry farm. 1 recent experiments, special at- ention was given to the produc- nm and proper handling of the pecimens and the best method of hi Almost atching the eggs.

Concealing Front of . .—_— * -- we ‘ X ¢ # i i . :

Large Building, this Giant “Old lory’’ Marked a Recent Celebration

CIGARETTE CASE FOR AUTO ADDS LIGHT AND PUFFS Lighting a cigarette before it is taken irom the holder is a service rendered by a ntainer for fastening on the instrument oard of an automobile. The device, which as recently put on the market, operates rom the battery and engine of the car. A turn of a small spring lever delivers a cig- .rette from the supply compartment into a <roove where, by a slight pull on another andle, one end is pressed into a suction tube and the other end against an electric

Case for Automobile that Lights and Puffs Cigarette “Smoke’’ Until Removed by Motorist lighter. At the same time current is started into the heating unit and air is drawn through the “smoke.” After a few | the tobacco is lit and ready for the smoker. Bv eliminating the need of attention trom the driver, the device is said to make slow- ing up of the car unnecessary and to pre- vent risk of accident from neglecting the wheel while lighting with a match. nutts SAND LIBRARY AIDS BUILDERS IN CHOICE OF MATERIALS Accessible to builders and contractors who want to know the value of various grades of material for construction pur- poses, a “library” of 2,800 bottles of sand, each marked with the results of tests to determine the suitability of the samples for commercial purposes, forms an im- portant part of the scientific collection of a Chicago school. Specimens of sand trom practically every state in the Union and from foreign countries have been gathered during the ten vears since the “library” has been compiled. Records have been kept and pasted on the bottles as to the 1 source of the material and grading

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Luther Burbank , By H. H. DUNN M' ST men making millions for them- . selves carry other men into fortunes with them. But it is doubtful if there is more than one man in the world who, from lis OWN creations, in one of the least ex- plored fields of human endeavor, has piled up millions for other men and, at the same time, little more than a livelihood for him- selt. To have done this willingly, to have ought the satisfaction of the sower, rather than the remuneration of the reaper; to have seen the ripened grain from his culti- vation piled in the granaries of others, and vet to be contented with the knowledge that by his work the world has been made largely better as a place in which to live, is the story of this man’s life, which this year passed the third quarter of a cen- tury. Heis Luther Burbank, often called the “weed wizard,” but who would be re- the “plant philanthropist,” were his lifework better known. Probably from the time Burbank sold his first plant development, the potato which bears his name, for $150, through all the fifty vears of his activities along these lines, he has actually given away more in dollars and cents than any other man who ever lived. Yet he is today comparatively a poor man, while all around him, from the wheat fields of the Saskatchewan to , named 176 Luther Burbank, the “Plant Wizard,” Is Still Poor After Making Others Wealthy the cotton plantations of Louisiana, from the apple orchards of New Han shire to the plum groves of Califor: hundreds of thousands of dollars of crease in the value of more than 2,0 products of the soil are pouring eve! vear because of his efforts. It is estimated that his addition of ty grains to an ear of standard wheat | added more than $5,000,000 to the annu wheat crop of the world. He reduced t! size of the pit in a plum, and from t valleys in the West last year there we out more than halt a million dollars’ wort of these plums, larger in meat, finer flavor, better equipped to resist shipment and change of climate. The artists « France wanted a flaxseed which furnish a pure white oil for their paint Burbank produced it, and increased the oil content by 20 per cent. The Japanes: producers asked him for a mulberry tre which would furnish better and more for to the leaf for their silkworms. He evolve such a tree, with leaves three times the size of those of the then-known mulberry, at just for good measure, brought it to de velopment in two years, instead of th seven to ten years the best of the old-tim: mulberries required. Ever men have had chickens, and jewelers have made delicate chronometers, sunflowers have bee grown to produce seeds for the fowls a: oil for the instruments. But all suntlov ers—until Burbank showed them the err: of their ways—grew on tall stalks at turned their faces to the sun, devoti most of their energy to getting up in their places in the sun, and the small re mainder to producing seeds. The plant philanthropist took several sunflowers o: his botanical knee and taught them first to grow close to the ground; second, devote their strength to seed productiot and, third, to turn their faces away fro the sun, so that the wild birds should not be able to gather the seeds. Now, these same sunflowers are down where the wou since feathere +

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POPULAR MECHANICS 177 Ssssss8 Peete ve IUCITUIIUIINEICIIorY wey 19 © 900 104 © F04 @ 004 w 108 @ 188 © O08 s Y poeerneat st eeee ee eesaas ILI vrevrrrrrrY bet @ t0e 4 Ste © 00 © iit @ tes Wiel Bebe @ hts wett @ Hh4S 184 S OF8 & O08 94 & 1h w 144 © 146 HF4 w 105 Sor Sere Sori wor s eUXKE EER EEPEAEXUEXESIIEIT TTY 400 @ 008 © 008 @ OFe @ ttt Ott? OF pee TT Temeiiewemenene metered WYTITTYTT 11@ HDs Stone x7 REUSE LEELES TENT LEE TUUTLSESTERELE UIT 77 pire @ ried mr 4 CL SE ERERECE EAE Sh0 00 EERS ERE AES CESSES ERS EOORERET ESSE OESELES Trym Y eres EEKaa® 4 xed UT REEECEEN LENCE IE YER EITLETYEEPEEE EL a ord —— net rE , ris « 5 Ee rn = 4 +4 4 ; ce H tE : 3 y ERETEEETELECELIE EEE Nemes I craer¥ red E407 34d FXEELIAE LEAL ST ALPEELESA LINEAL SELSLEEEELS OUT A PHS 10S Ore Omewser D one Ce EEE LUTE Eee Yer eed PITTA LEIA A SIEI EI ESS WELT IT EEE e ETE Eire CETTE ITI er rir sey x x pin) © HHS 164. 10) @ 004 bed Sess 4 Z b rnd @e0h@ ot @ nove po 19S th @ 141 OHH O18 @ + (hex ceererertrreeeeesrcesreserrriet IS reevne jonret ° i; 5 x x Y DESe Soar Sereorere Luther Burbank and Paderewski, the Pianist, His Friend; and, Above, the Noted Naturalist and His Dog A Model of Proposed Memorial Statue Is Shown at the Left

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lis POPULAR MECHANICS chickens can harvest them; they produce blossoms nearly two feet in diameter, and each seed is three times as large and con- tains twice as much oil as did the seeds of those first sunflowers which Mr. Burbank took as pupils in’ his California School for Plants. A man, who is still living near Santa Rosa, some forty years ago wanted 25,000 prune trees, in time for the next year’s set- ting-out. Burbank took 30,000 almond planted them under wet burlap, grew almond trees more than a foot high, budded them to prunes, and delivered the tremendous order, when everyone else said the job could not be done. Those trees are growing and bearing today. <A firm of American vegetable packers sought a small, sweet-flavored field pea, like the l’'rench petit pois, which would ripen uni- formly large acreage. Burbank took a gallon of seeds of the large Ameri- can field pea, and six years’ time brought forth a small pea, of which more than 6,000,000 cans were packed and sold last year. , When walnut began to disap- pear as a commercial wood, the plant phi- lanthropist developed a_ black walnut which grows, in ten to twenty -years, tu the same height and diameter as the wild black walnut does in forty to fifty years. The wood is as dark in color and as fine and close in grain as its wild prototype. Just for fun, among several thousand other plant experiments, Burbank guided the lives of several chives seeds, over a black you have met the Z chive, like an onion, S only smaller and with- out the onionesque perfume — until they fragrant flowers freesias, and be addition to vegetables, bore like came, in edible

sweet-scented flowering plants for borde: He noticed that Nature, when she ma: the petunias, overlooked blue as a color he introduced blue to the petunia fami! and, just to give it a prominent place, mad the blue petunia four or five inches in d ameter across the blossom. Those who have been trained to eat art chokes usually consider themselves slig! ed if they get less than one of the buds t an order. Burbank has produced an art choke, however, which is large enough {. the ordinary family, since the blossom 14 inches in diameter when the bud opened. An ever-blooming sweet pea perennial poppy, a sweet-scented verbe: a primrose nearly five inches in diamete and a brilliant-red California poppy to mention the well-known Shasta dais are among the results of his excursio: into the flower garden. With him into the realms of weeds a: grasses and fruits and flowers, the note naturalist has carried a sense of hun Aside from taking the thorn off the blac! berry, he put more pop in popcorn, s that now it puffs out to three times t! size of the ordinary “popper,” while there are more kernels to the ear than in t ordinary kind. He is undecided whethe the joke was on the potato or the tomat when he crossed the two and presente the world with a plant which grows p: tatoes above ground, and another whi grows tomatoes on the vine and potatoes « r the root. It should be said that both ar freaks, and not com “ mercially valuable . Thinking that most chestnuts are too ol! before they begin 1 show results, he de veloped a chestnut tree which attains it growth in two as one-half years, inst ste

Noted Naturalist Heading Ground-Breaking Procession at the Commencement of Work on the Burbank Memorial Park in California, Where a Collection of His Creations Are Kept

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POPULAR MECHANICS 179 5 ry! > | H 3 = | : PUb@ 100@ 084 © 111 @ 1 Wh @ HOU OH ON O11t O10 @ HEF yreraxiiar : PHS Het Srrewrer @rreree AEXTYEETINEREES ELIT ETT pine owe Sis wiiewe SUI A I I SE A AE Tr YUerarir xx pew 148 @ 144 © 188 @ 100 @ 11) W088 0108 w 148 O14) Bree | sera 148 @ 108 4 EERE LEELA Tee eeeEA TL eee aT ee erET ELIEETEIEE mmr Oumar mm oo Be Hq = Gmgxommr Juick-Growing Mulberry Tree Developed by Burbank to Aid Silk Producers, and, Above at Left, the Original Spined Cactus Contrasted with the ‘‘Spineless’’ Variety at Right

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180 POPULAR of the ten or fifteen years required by the common chestnut. It is doubtful if Burbank has realized $100 on the average for each of these de- velopments. In 1922 there were shipped out of one western state alone 182,400,000 pounds of cereals, vegetables, fruits and nuts he has developed from more primitive and less productive forms. It is reason- able to estimate, though no figures are available, that the entire world produced ten times this amount of foodstuffs for whose development the “weed wizard” has been responsible. At the end of half a century of plant development, he has just sold two of his experimental farms near Santa Rosa, to obtain money with which to carry on fur- ther experiments. The reason for this is not far to seek. Take, for example, a pearl white wheat, the earliest of all grains and the best resistant to diseases. The sales of this wheat for seed, by Burbank himself, were limited to a few hundred dollars, but it is estimated that more than $200,000 worth of it has been sold for seed by farmers and others who grew it from the original few pounds furnished by its producer. Once a pound of seed passes from his hands, he cannot conttol the seed of the plants this pound produces, and so has been unable to “cash in” on his pro- ductions. In all his work, Burbank has tended to- ward the one idea often expressed in his addresses and his books: “The world is ours to mold by helping the hand of na- ture.” This ideal is embodied in a statue which is to be erected to him in the midst of Burbank Memorial Park, at Santa Rosa —yet difficulty is being experienced in raising $25,000 necessary to complete it. One of the most interesting features in the life and in the present work of this al- most-unrewarded assistant to nature, is his constant optimism. Today he is in the midst of more than 2,500 experiments look- ing to the greater production of a better quality of foodstuffs and materials for the clothing of mankind. Simply enough he says, as he turns to the economic problem of production and consumption: “It is not necessary to produce more food, but to produce more food per acre, so that fewer men, with improved machin- ery working on our farms, may feed more people who are devoting their attention to distribution and to manufacture.” @ Names and addresses of manufacturers of articles described in this magazine will be furnished free by our Bureau of Infor- mation. MECHANICS WORLD IN MAGAZINE DELIGHTS YOUTHFUL FILM STAR When Jackie Coogan is not hard at wor! under the studio lights, he enjoys a fe moments to himself reading about t! Jackie Coogan Was too Deeply Interested to Smi when this Picture Was Taken latest happenings in the world of inven tions and discoveries, and he likes to loo! at pictures that weren't “acted out.” Th: grown-up world has a fascination for Jacki and he finds relief from work in the stu dio in the pages of his favorite magazine. PAPER THAT DEFIES FLAME CHARS BUT WON’T BURN Treated with a chemical that makes it fireproof, paper suitable for printing pur poses is being manufactured by an easter: company. Although it chars and become: black when subjected to continued heat it will not burst into flame. Printed or written matter it may contain is fairly legible after the paper has been held i: fire. The fireproofing process does not prevent the absorption of ink. The dan ger of spontaneous combustion or blazes caused by carelessly tossed matches and cigarette stubs, is materially lessened by the new method. Valuable records and documents prepared on the stock run little risk of complete loss in case of fire. In side pages of magazines bound in fireprooi covers of the material can be insulated from contact with flames. The process is also adapted to making fireproof curtains, rugs, carpets, and in the protection of paintings and valuable fabrics. |

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POPULAR MECHANICS 181 SLIDING FLOOR AIDS IN HANDLING AIRSHIPS o simplify the task of handling vible aircraft, an eastern inventor it work on a hangar so designed t only eight men will be needed to nch a ship or place it in the shed. form the floor. They run on a track to the outside of the shed when the craft is to be released, and are moved back after it has landed and has del of Hangar Showing Construction of Hood and Floor which Will Support Sliding Platforms for Handling Dirigible Airships: One Section of the Roof Is Shown Completed indreds of helpers are sometimes neces- for this task with the ordinary type of h buildings. Sliding platforms over 700 long, to which the craft is anchored, GOLD PANNING OF EARLY DAYS AGAIN POPULAR IN WEST Revived from the early boom days, when usands of pioneers were borne west- d on the backwash of a rumor of fab- us riches to be had for the mere taking, | panning again is becoming one of it section’s industries. Even streams hich were worked many years ago are eing made to yield a second harvest of e precious metal. Most of it is found, it in the present courses, but in the dry, indoned channels. The panner throws it the “muck” from the old watercourse ntil he reaches what at one time was bed k. This is carefully washed and rushed and placed in the pan with the iterial just overlying it. From the rook, the utensil is filled with water and e mixture agitated with a stick, some of e top poured off, and the process re- eated again and again until nothing re- tins but the gold, which sinks to the ittom because of its weight. Discovery of ving “dust” after panning is often fol- wed by placer operations or dredging here practicable. been fastened to its moorings. The walls and roof are 150 feet high and are sup- ported by braced steel girders. The cost of the hangar is moderate. JARS KEPT DRY BY COVER PADS THAT ABSORB THE MOISTURE Provided with a mineral-salt pad which absorbs moisture, a jar cover has been in- vented for keeping crackers, candies, and other foods from spoiling in humid or wet weather. The pad is held in a perforated metal container fitted to the inside of the lid. It is said to dry out the air which enters when the cover is taken off and removes dampness from sticky candies and other articles placed in the jar. At intervals of a few months the pad can be dried by baking. @ Amid a desert of white snow, the Hos- pice of St. Bernard in Switzerland, cele- brated its thousandth anniversary some time ago.

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182

POPULAR MECHANICS SPRING CYLINDERS ON AUTO REDUCE BUMPS To aid in making the driving of racing cars and other automobiles more comfort- able, an eastern inventor has produced a suspension device which it is claimed will reduce shocks to a minimum. It consists of telescoping cylinders on each side of the car which contain coiled springs fastened vertically above and below the rear axie. A yoke bracket attached to the chassis hold the ends of the cylinders.

How the Telescoping Spring Cylinders on the Rear Axle Are Attached to the Racing-Car Chassis on a Yoke Bracket to Reduce Shocks While Speeding SPARKLE OF FINEST CUT GLASS DUE TO WORKER'S SKILL Craftsmen with skill almost equal to that of diamond cutters are required to give cut glass the sparkle of sharp edges, the intricate designs and the brilliant finish that distinguish pieces of superior quality. This fine workmanship is the result al- most entirely of the worker’s accurate eye and deft hand, only the simplest ma- chinery, in general, the same kind of tools that were used generations ago, aiding him in his task. In cutting the finer pieces, the plain blank, or unfigured dish, is held by hand against.a revolving iron disk. As the wheel turns, grains of carborundum, mixed with water, flow upon the glass, cut- ting out the pattern as the worker guides the piece by a few lines lightly sketched on the surface. The cuts are next smoothed with abrasive materials and then the high polish is obtained against a rap- idly revolving wheel of poplar wood with the aid of rouge and a fine powder. In general, there are two grades of cut glass- ware, the inferior being cut from blanks on which the design has already been stamped or pressed by machinery. Sharp

edges, smooth inside surfaces, and a ring- ing tone when the dish is snapped with the finger, distinguish the better pieces. FALSE BOTTOM HELPS TO COOK FOOD WITHOUT SCORCHING Lessening the liability to scorch vegeta- bles, and doing away with the trouble ot scraping burned food from the utensil which it wa cooked, a_ kett! bottom,made from wire mes! and set into metal hoop, is no on the market. The device is of size and depth suitable for the purpose for which it was intended. It i equipped with a handle which facilitates its use as an egg boiler, a toaster, berr) washer, and the like. When used as kettle base the handle is turned down.

=<

@ One-third of the silk used in the United States is said to be artificial.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 183 Mining a River Bed While clearing the channel of a river in England recently, a dredge uncovered a rich vein of coal just beneath the surface of the stream’s bed. Preparations were immediately made to mine the deposit and a floating digger with an endless chain of buckets was anchored over the spot to raise the black mass and load it into barges. Owing to its contact with the water, the coal is soft enough to permit the blades of the conveyor easily to scoop it up. As it passes swiftly upward most of the dirt and fine particles are washed out, leaving a clean grade of fuel. \ ‘ i \ ! bh > ;

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184 POPULAR MECHANICS FIVE MILLION LETTERS DAILY SENT VIA TUBE Left: Leather Carrier Loaded with Bundles of Letters and Ready for the Chute. Right: Emptying Packag: from a “Car”? which Has Just Arrived through the Tube Winding about beneath New York timed schedules, these boxes shoot streets is an intricate subway system of under high pneumatic pressure thr pneumatic tubes connecting the main post- the twenty-six miles of the system. office with substations for the delivery of are tightly sealed with lock tops first-class mail. The “cars” are leather car- _ filled, and are oiled to permit easy pa riers into which packages of letters are through the tubes. Approx placed for distribution to the various sta- 5,000,000 letters are handled daily o:1 tions. Silently and swiftly and on carefully busy line below the pavements. WIRE HOOK TO THREAD NEEDLE ss sure of the fingers pushes a hooked SAVES TIME, AIDS EYES through the eye of a needle that ha been placed on top of a small spr To save time in threading a needle, a Then the strand is put on the hook, w! device has been patented in Europe re- can be done by an unsteady hand, ar - oa the grip is released the wire passes out se cane the needle eye, carrying the thread \ ——_——_— —— —3 through the hole. | HULK SUNK IN SACRED LAKE FREIGHTED WITH RICHES | Roman bronzes of beautiful worl ship have been recovered from lying submerged in the waters of Nemi, in Italy, long known as the “M ror of Diana.” The bronzes were n ing rings, six in number, represent the heads of lions, wolves, and tige beautiful Medusa, and other designs. piece of lead pipe, bearing the lege “Tiberio,” was also found, leading to t aa belief that the hulk was of the age of Needle Threader that Saves Time and Does Not Require berius or Caligula. a Steady Hand or Good Light armen @Shoes of aluminum with wooden so! cently that performs the operation are now being used by workmen in Ger- quickly, even in poor light. A slight pres- man chemical factories.

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.PER COVER ON TOOTHBRUSH KEEPS BRISTLES CLEAN 1arding toothbrushes from infection e purpose of specially made, heavy ‘rproof paper covers lately introduced the trade. They fit snugly over the tles, keeping them clean. Used either sme or while traveling, the guards are | to last for several months. They are emploved for advertising purposes. LONDON FOGS SWELL COST OF LAUNDRY WORK done to various fabrics and | laundering occasioned by a e London fog, according to a recent mate, cost the residents of that city as h as $5,000,000. Quantities of soot are ited as the moist cloud hangs over treets sometimes causing almost com- darkness at noonday. Lower tem- ires are usually recorded in the mist- unded areas, a difference of fifteen ees being noticed recently between on and an adjacent city where the shining. mace las ¢ ] pecial “HANDCUFF” AUTO LOCK HOLDS WHEELS IN LINE tened to the steering wheel of an omobile, a recently invented lock holds heels so they cannot be turned. This ents towing or driving, but permits of car being moved a short distance in emergency or to comply with police ‘lations. Boring a small hole in the ing column is all that is necessary in to Lock and Screws that Hold It Like a Handcuff to Steering Column ler to attach the device. The lock is re- ved while the car is in operation, thus oiding any danger of accidental locking. POPULAR MECHANICS 185 AUTOMATIC SIGN FOR TRAFFIC PROVES ITSELF IN TESTS Designed to speed up traffic and safe- guard pedestrians, automatic traflic-con- trol devices that look like the targets on Automatic Traffic-Guide Signals which Motorists Can See in Time to Obey Them railroad switches have been installed at street crossings in several cities. In addi- tion to the arm, the machine is equipped with “change,” “stop,” and “go” lights, in amber, red, and green. Operation is through a series of gears driven by an electric motor. They can be set to close and open for any desired length of time. Recent tests in Chicago showed that they were better obeyed by motorists than were traffic officers. This was attributed to the fact that they are visible at greater dis- tances. GAS IS SUPPLIED LAKE BARGE THROUGH FLEXIBLE PIPE For convenience in supplying gas to a yacht club located on a barge in Lake Michigan, a flexible hose was used. This allowed for any movement of the hull through action of the wind and waves. Ordinary 4-inch pipe was laid along the pier leading to the clubhouse, the final con- nection being made through the tubing.

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Class of Army Men Receiving Instruction in Sand Molding from Engineer Officers Who Train Their Charges in the Use of Fortified Structures as Aids to Military Tactics Sand Molding Taught as Aid to Soldiery As an aid to the study of army tactics, 4 engineer officers connected with the Armenian Legion on duty in northern Africa, are teaching the men how to build toylike, fortified walls, emplacements, and buttresses with wet sand. Miniature structures that rival in beauty those seen in the neighborhood of the barracks are cleverly worked up by the students under direction of the teachers, who then use the igures to train the soldiers in methods of attack and defense. ied from an original that probably was cut from stone in dim ages of a past greatne Oriental citadels with spires and dome express the trend of the artists for archi tectural beauty. Or, perhaps, the subject will be one side of a narrow street of a vil lage, che overhanging balconies of the ti houses hugging the walls in faithful imi tation of the real. Occasionally, seve: of the men take live models for their sul jects, such as a horse and rider, and sol diers in variou

Many of the men have become high- ly experienced in molding such forms and make copies of the stonework and statuary that grace the old temples and churches seen throughout the ter- ritory. While some confine their efforts to small objects, others build gigan- tic forms of the same size as the originals. As a re- sult, the area sur- rounding their quarters is filled with quaint sculpture work. Figures of sphinxes may be seen sprawling at the feet of some Egyptian monarch “carved” from wet sand and cop-

Living Models Are Sometimes Posed as Subjects for the Sand Artists to Copy poses. When the class« in military tacti are in session, hov ever, only thos¢ things that have bearing on t! training of the s diers are dealt wit Areas are laid out and walled tow: are set up in sat miniatures. Aite these have bee completed, the i: struction in pro! lems of warfare carried out. Most of the practice wor! has to do directly with the territory | which the army is at the time occupied Plans of action are first laid out on pape! and from this, the zone of action is set

one —< <

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POPULAR MECHANICS 187 ae 4 Sass SS Statuary Sculptured by the Ancient Art of Old Egypt Found Scattered Among the Desert Ruins Is Truthfully Imitated by Soldier Craftsmen Who Work with Wet Sand

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188 POPULAR MECHANICS PAINTINGS HUNG FROM TREES WHEN SALON BARS ARTIST Failing to gain a place in the Paris salon, an artist recently entered his pictures in the “Fair of Crusts,” a sort of “no-jury” Yrs :* c* 72 —_ Art Gallery on a Boulevard Tree by which a Painter Attracted Buyers for His Works organization designed to further the in- terests of the less successful painters. The artist exhibited his paintings by hanging them from the branches of a tree on the boulevard down which the crowds walked to attend the “gallery” exhibition, seeking in this way to get a market for his work, and recognition from the public. “SOAP HOLES” OF COWBOY DAYS BECOME VALUABLE CLAY “Soap holes,’ once thought by cattle rangers of the West to be dangerous mires of worthless slime, have become mines of mineral clay of great commer- cial value. Bentonite, as the substance taken from the deposits is called, has been made into an ingredient to give body and weight to paper and to aid in the mixing of wall plaster and pastes. Soap makers experimenting with it are said to have found it possessed of good cleaning qualities and beneficial to the skin. Many of the clays and massage creams used by beauty parlors are mixed with it as a base. In the raw state it lies near the surface and is similar to brittle shale rock. Since it absorbs almost seven times its volume of water, it forms a soft, slippery mass where the deposits are in low ground. RADIO UNDER HAT LINKS MAIL FLIER WITH THE EARTH Aerial mail pilots in transcontinental flights will soon be accessible from ground stations, according to postal experts, who have been working out a one-man sending and receiving radio set for use in the sery- ice. The receiver will be carried unde: the pilot’s helmet and the transmitter on his breast. This will make it unnecessary for an operator to accompany the air plane. The whole mechanism, including batteries; weighs 170 pounds. LAND OR WATER WAR “TANKS” ARE TESTED BY ARMY Designed to cross lakes and rivers as well as to maneuver over rough ground, armored tractors equipped with propeller in addition to powerful belt treads hav: been tested by army officials. One weig ing about 800 pounds, c -arries a driver a1 one passenger, and is promt ote of a speed of from two to sixteen miles an hour o1 smooth roads. It is self-propelling water. A larger type can go from three to twenty miles an hour over level ground Copyright, Underwood & Underw Army Land and Water Tractor Entering Stream After Having Traveled Over Dirt Roads Both models are steered by folding rudders while in the water, and the bodies are bu! wide and flat so that they will not easi! capsize.

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PEACE AND WAR-TIME Above: How Electrically Driven Dreadnaught Appears beside Old Sailing Vessel Pictured in Inset. POPULAR MECHANICS ENGINES SHOW PROGRESS Below: Model of Huge Electric Power Plant and Loading Cranes Showing progress of electrical research, vo giant engines, one for peaceful pur- oses and the other for war, have recently been completed. They are an enormous TRIPOD FOLDS INTO CANE WHEN NOT IN USE Among recent English inven- tions is a tripod for cameras which closes up so com- pactly that it may be used as a cane. It weighs only fif- teen ounces, and opens automati- cally when the knob which forms the top is un- screwed. The legs require no adjust- ing when opened, and form a rigid support. When the camera is removed, they close quickly. power plant in the West, having a capacity of 300,000 kilowatts, and the motors of monster electrically driven dreadnaught of the U. S. Navy. SHIP IS SENT BY PARCEL POST FOR USE IN AFRICA Shipbuilding has been reduced to a science so precise that it is now possible to construct vessels in such a manner that they may be taken to pieces, the parts shipped, and finally reassembled into a seaworthy craft at the destination. Each part is numbered and ticketed, and full in- structions accompany it, a vital necessity, as the engineer is often compelled to make use of native labor, which always must be under his eye if he is to secure satisfactory results. The steamship “William MacKinnon,” the first to be launched on Lake Nyanza, Central Africa, reached Mombasa by parcel post from England. Then the parts were trans- ported through 500 miles of jungle to the lake, on the heads of 5,000 Kaffir porters. The boilers were dragged by oxen.

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190 POPULAR MECHANICS WSUS US UT WS WLW WP DT UT WI WTS —— ay WUT WUT PL LAL LIS UI IVINS VII SUAS Su Sen Si SE VIC IUL UTI Checkerboard Armor on Gondola Car, Roofed Over to Protect Soldiers Guarding Passenger Trains During Mexican Revolutions, and Troopers Starting on Bandit Hunt

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Two Modern Armored Cars Used in Pursuing Pancho Villa THE TOOLS OF MEXICAN REVOLT Crude Armored Cars Aid Ragged Troops in Treks Across Plains in Five-Week Campaign Against Villa’s Outlaws By SIDNEY McNEILL SUTHERLAND \ THEN Mexicans fare forth to war their accoutrements are usually as astonishing as their methods are primitive and ineffective. The numberless revolu- tions that have desolated that unhappy country have finally worn out and de- stroyed the really splendid equipment that Porfirio Diaz had provided for his forces; and the war secretaries and quartermas- ters and “generales” and “armies” that suc- ceeded him in endless array have been forced to exercise the most amazing inge- nuity to replace with homemade weapons the fine military implements the great president left. Experiences, when duplicated, can be summarized. The five-weeks’ campaign on which I accompanied Gen. Joaquin Amaro in his pursuit of the late Francisco Villa across the state of Chihuahua in June and July of 1920, was typical of many expeditions in which it was my for- tune to participate during the ten years of revolution that spanned the interim between Diaz and Alvaro Obregon. Following the assassination of President Venustiano Carranza on May 21, 1920, the Chicago newspaper which had sent me to Mexico, instructed me to join the 29-year- old general in the northern part of the republic. I reached Jimenez, then Amaro’s headquarters, on June 10, presented my credentials, and was invited to make his private car my home as long as I cared to stay. Later, we gave up the little Pullman for a box car, in which we placed cots, tables, chairs, filing cabinets, and a char- coal stove for the barefooted and exceed- ingly dirty chef to use in the concocting of mysterious, fiercely spiced, and crudely) served dishes. The private car was ona siding. On half a dozen other tracks in the yards of this junction of the Mexican Central and tl Parral railroads, were seven long freight trains. These contained Amaro’s forces, about thirty-five hundred nondescript sol- diers, their women and children, horses, dilapidated artillery, ammunition, hay, and water tanks, the latter a signifi- cant item in a campaign about the deserts of Coahuila and Chihuahua. A Mexican army like none other in all the world. For one thing, it has no commissary! A private gets fifty centavos a day (25 cents American money), and with this he must supply himself with food and clothing. The combination of his rou- tine duties, sudden summons to battle, long treks across the plains, his inherent sloth and his amorous nature make the functions of quartermaster and cooking cavalry 191

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192 POPULAR odious, T fore, wh forth to war he takes his household along. This household is a singular institution. Ordinarily, it consists of his “vieja’”—his “old woman,” the frequently unmarried mother of his children; the children, from two to seven, half naked, three-quarter starved, wholly filthy urchins; a tiny char- coal cooking apparatus; a bundle of the rags they call clothes: a crate containing a pig, a goat, three or four chickens, a par- rot or two, a mocking bird, and a tame rab- bit. Another in this series will chronicle this amusing phase of Mexican militarism. Thirty-five hundred lazy, ragged, indif- ferent, poorly armed, hungry patriots thus accompanied comprise an extraordinary caravan of military impotence, picturesque chaos, and hopeless confusion. For five weeks we chased the homicidal and elusive arch-bandit in vain. Amaro’s tactics, based on the reports of scouts and Villa’s movements, were ap- proximately as now set forth. A courier dashes in, for example, at day- break of June 27, with a story that Pancho had been seen in the western foothills of the mountain range about Presidio, on the Rio Grande. Instantly, the camp is astir. Amaro claps his hands and excited mem- bers of his staff respond. With crisp and highly profane sentences he gives his com- mands, and orderlies dash away to sum- mon the “generales” and their staffs. In a few moments the bepistoled ras- cals were running hither from the huts and trees in whose shade they had been snatching a “siesta.” Soon the private car is cluttered with officers bending above Mexican 8) article sples as to MECHANIC eo a r o > ee el ae the maps Amaro has spread on his tabl “How is the blacksmith doing with yout battalion?” he asks Arnulfo Gomez. “Senor;-Ethink he is—” “You think! _ Why the devil don’t yo know ?” the commander in chief roat Gomez scratches his head. “Well, general,” he stammers. “He! shod sixty horses, and there remain fort to be—” “There remain forty!” The youthful chieftain pounds the table. “He and his assistants have had three days to fini your hundred animals. If you had not been swilling tequila with him two night ago at Esteban Morales’ gambling hou he'd be through now. You fool, I oug! to have you executed!” Gomez, like the others, wonders agai as he has often wondered before, how hi brilliant young jefe learns his secrets. “Never mind,’ Amaro continues. “You put your sixty peones in the saddle in hal an hour. Get 100 rounds of ammunitio and five pesos from the paymaster for eac! man, and leave within an hour for the Loma Azul ranch. You will arrive at sundown. Post sentries, pass the night there, and at 3 in the morning be on you way toward the Valverde Peak. Whe you arrive there day after tomorrow at noon, comb an area thirty kilometers square, and then proceed to the Rancho

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POPULAR ‘utierrez. I will have orders for our next move awaiting you there. “Here is a list of thirty men and wo women. You will find them in the ranches and towns along vour route. Catchthemand hang || them to the nearest tree—they are Villista aids or sympathizers. And _ || tell those sixty men of yours to leave their families here; they will be allowed ten centavos a day and charcoal. “Now get out of here, and if you deviate one inch from these orders, I'll have you shot the next time I see you. No; I'll shoot you myself.” “General” Gomez—and those present—know this is no idle | MECHANICS 193 threat; and, presently, Amaro’s orders to the others (orders which, if correctly obeyed, should encircle Villa in the center of the converging cavalry columns) are inter- rupted by the oaths of men saddling res- tive horses, by the coyotelike wails of deserted “viejas,” and the shrieks of brown-bellied babies. “Tell those women I'll run every one of them out of camp if they don’t stop that infernal screaming,” Amaro cries to an or- derly; and soon the iamentations cease; and extended clouds of dust in every di- rection tell of horsemen off on the routes Amaro has traced on his map to trap the wily outlaw and his men. After the troops had departed and the women had been consoled by each other and by the remaining officers, Amaro gave orders to prepare a military train for a trip up the line to Santa Rosalia de Camargo, a lovely little town on the great Concho River. By moving his headquarters there, the general would be directly west of, and at the town nearest, the point where Villa was reported to be hiding. Tiny — Airplane Being Assembled at Jimenez, Chihuahua, for Use in Search for Villa = —————_} General Espiridion Rodriguez Squatting Beside a Huge Dynamite Bomb That Failed to Explode Under Passenger Train Near Estacion Concho In less than an hour the patched-up switch engine was making up the train. The private car was placed near the switch on a siding; two checkerboard armored gondolas were coupled to it; four flat cars with aged 3-inch guns and pup tents for the artillerymen, were added; fifteen box cars filled with horses and saddles and hay, and carrying forty privates on their roofs, were shunted in; the only two modern armored cars in the republic were brought up; a heaving, protesting, and oft and crudely repaired engine was attached. and the train was ready. Carrying the general’s own bodyguard, the two gondolas next to the Pullman were unique propositions. Sheets of half-inch boiler plate were nailed to the outside, sep arated by about six inches from the sides of the car. The iron was painted like a checkerboard, about fifteen of the black squares on each side having been chiseled out. A small wooden chute led from each of these loopholes to similar holes sawed in the gondola’s sides, and the 6-inch space was filled with gravel and sand, making an effective 9-inch barrier to any rifle bullet The members of the escort kneel, which brings their heads below the top of the armor, thrust the muzzles of their rifles through the 4-inch apertures, and fire at their foes beyond the right of way. The latter, a couple of hundred yards away, have trouble in deciding which of the checkerboard squares to shoot at. We reached Santa Rosalia by sundown, went into a siding, and looked the town over. The next morning, while loafing and wondering what progress the cavalry

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194 POPULAR columns were making, we were stunned by a telegram from Estacion Concho, forty miles north, that Villa had dynamited the daily south-bound passenger train. As we made feverish preparations to entrain, Amaro cursing homerically the deceptive report that had sent a thousand of his men on a chase into the mountains, further details of the raid on the railroad were sent by the telegraph operator at Concho. The passenger train, it seemed, was in a deep cut about a mile north of the Esta- cion, when a bomb was exploded with ter- rific force under the first armored gondola, immediately back of the engine tender. A goose second sooner and the infernal machine would have wrecked the en- gine, which was Villa’s intention. The checkerboard car was twisted and torn and thrown off the tracks, the engine coupling was broken, and the en- gineer had put on all steam to Concho. In a moment the bandits hiding in the brush had crawled up to the embankment and were pouring volleys into the passen- ger coaches and at the armored car on the rear of the train. The guard there put up a heroic resistance and really kept the Villistas from capturing the train. The latter, anathematizing the luck that had let the engine escape to give the alarm, finally retreated, carrying with them a dozen cap- tives from the wrecked gondola. A couple MECHANICS of days later I saw the twelve hanging by their necks from trees along the road Villa took in his flight to the mountains. They were his “compliments” for Amaro’s pursuers. Amaro reached the scene by noon. He em- braced and rewarded the sergeant who had con- ducted the defense of the train by mal ing him a captain. Then, while soldiet filled up the great hole in the tracks and laid down ties and new rails, we examined the Villista’s companion bomb which had failed to explode under the last gondola It was a 5-gallon sheet-iron “can” filled with dynamite sticks, its covers kept on by a large bolt running through it Tw slender electric-light wires attached to the cap had been detached in some manner b the detonation forward. The wires ra from the bomb across the right of way, up the embankment, along the ground and out through the chaparral for a hundred vards to where a bandit operated a tele- graph key and a small dry battery. By sunset the five or six dead had been buried, small crosses being erected above their graves; the wounded soldiers passengers had been given first-aid treat- ment; the pursuit was organized ; couriers were sent to recall the misguided columns far to the south; the tracks were repaired, and the trains proceeded to Santa Rosalia, where another period of watchful waiting began. Villa finally surrendered in August to Gen. Eugenio Martinez, in the state of Coahuila. There he might expect mercy; Amaro would have executed him. and

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POPULAR MECHANICS 195 HYDRAULIC HOIST FOR AUTOS REPLACES PIT Hydraulic Hoist that Eliminates Pit in Repairing Automobiles and Lightens Mechanics’ Labors. lamped to Runway and Raised Reducing to one-half the labor required f mechanics working underneath an auto- obile, and doubling the working output, are said to be the advantages of a new hy- draulic hoist on which patents are pend- g. Completely assembled, the device takes up little more floor space than a car. AIRCRAFT SKIMS ABOVE EARTH AFTER RAISING ITSELF Ignoring the upper levels of the air, an inventor recently testing a new type of air- Helicopter which Made Flights at Altitudes of about 10 to 15 Feet from the Ground plane in France, kept his machine within a short distance of the ground. The model, which was of the helicopter class, main- Below: Car The automobile is driven upon a runway of channel iron, suspended from four pis- ton plungers, and a few strokes on a pump handle lift the car evenly, three feet, giv- ing the mechanic a working space of four feet. By means of a valve, either end can be lowered, raising the other. tained its weight at a height of only 10 to 15 feet, flying a considerable distance before landing. This method is said to be favora- ble to the horizontal propeller with which such craft is generally equipped, since it serves to*“pack” the air between the whirl- ing blades and the earth, giving a better support for the flight. USE OF GAS TO TRAP ANIMALS IS SUGGESTED BY EDISON At the suggestion of Thomas A. Edison, the inventor, army experts are seeking to devise some means for using poison gas tn connection with trapping so that wild animals will be instantly killed instead of lingering for hours in torture. The use of electricity in the traps was declared to be commercially impractical. Therefore, it was suggested that a chemical might be so placed as to be released when the trap was sprung.

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196 ROSES CUT FROM SEA SHELLS RIVAL NATURE’S EFFORTS Faithful to nature’s own design and color, flowers are being made from sea shells that rival the beauty of gardens. The artistically cut blossoms have become Flowers Created from Carved Sea Shells that Appear so Lifelike They Rival Nature a popular fad in France. Delicate petals of roses are imitated so faithfully that to the unpracticed eye they appear to grow. Models of roses, tulips, hyacinths, and hy- drangeas are said to be cut with such skill that even the glint of the radiant colors deceives the observer. USE OF BROOMS IS INCREASING DESPITE VACUUM CLEANING Although the advent of vacuum sweep- ers has revolutionized house-cleaning methods, brooms are in greater demand than ever before and improved devices for their manufacture are being produced con- stantly. Government reports showing that approximately 50,000,000 brooms are consumed each year in the United States, and the slightly increasing acreage devoted to broom-corn culture, indicate that mod- ern inventions have not entirely displaced the: time-honored household implement. “Fancy” brooms for cleaning fine carpets and rugs have almost disappeared from the markets, but the “plain” article is in heavy demand. Unpainted handles, fine- fibered corn, regular and even shoulders, POPULAR MECHANICS and tight sewing, are points that distin guish a well-made broom, and defects in their construction are detected easily. ACTIVE VOLCANO “FOR RENT” AS POWER PLANT Capable of furnishing enough steam t develop electrical energy approximatin: 400,000,000 kilowatt hours a year, a part extinct volcano in Bolivia is “for sale « rent,” according to a report recently ceived by the United States government The value of the jets of vapor that sho up from the volcano’s sides was realiz¢ by an expert following the discovery the crater a few years ago. Lack of cay ital prevented development of the project after the first few experiments. Intern: heat from the earth has been utilized fo some time in Italy to generate power. MASKS AND DUSTPROOF ROBES GUARD CHEMICAL WORKERS Workers in the dark bleaching chan bers of an eastern chemical factory about their toil in masks, hoods, and re pirators to shield them from dangerou fumes and dust that arise from the 1 terials they handle. Their clothing hb comes white with fine blanching powder In addition to the face guards, a coveri: Masked Workers of a Chemical Factory Protected Against the Injurious Effects of Acid Fumes which ties securely in the back and has window for the eyes has been found effe« tive. Another mask, called a “muzzle,” | composed of flannel wound about the lower part of the head, covering the mouth Leather mittens and hose made of woo! are also worn to resist the effects of chlori nated lime. @Iron ore of excellent quality has been discovered in Cuba.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 197 NDIANS BUILD HANGING BRIDGE WITHOUT NAILS ngenious bridges have been con- icted by the more advanced American ians without the use of nails or any er metal. The famous hanging bridges nstructed by the Peruvians are often entioned as marvels of primitive en- eering. In the Sierra Nevada of rthern Columbia, the Arhuaco Indians, he lower mountains, erect bridges at are held together entirely by vines farthest inland being short and vertical, those close to the water, long and leaning out over the stream. Crossties are put over the uprights and lashed firmly with fiber cords. This done, the shore end of the structure is heavily weighted with stones, and the span is then thrown across and securely fastened. Thus safely erected, the guard rail is put in place, f r even the Indians would find it difficult Left, Bridge Erected by Indians that Is Held Together only by Lashings of Vines, and Right, View of Passage- way. The Floor Is a Single Log with Guard Rails nd ropes made from fibrous plants. hey first select a place where the stream to be spanned is narrow. A large number f long, thick poles with forks at the upper ends are stuck firmly in the ground near e water’s edge and tied to the branches ‘t trees. They are placed in several hort rows parallel to the bank, those ATOMS TOO SMALL TO BE SEEN ARE ANALYZED Atoms 2,000 times too small to be seen under a microscope, and once thought to be the tiniest particles of matter, are de- cribed under a recently advanced theory built like a solar system with electrons, negative units, revolving about a sitively charged center in much the me way as the planets revolve about e sun. Since the action of all matter believed to be based upon electrons nd protons, the positive form of electric- tv, the universe, under this theory, is re- arded in somewhat the same light as a igantic atom, the earth being one of the electrons, @ Collecting of balata gum, derived from the milky juice of the balata tree and used making rubber belting, is one of the principal industries of British Guiana. to walk across the logs if they were bur- dened with heavy loads. Naturally, the bridges are not very strong, and never more than two people are permitted to venture on any of them at the same time. Domestic animals are made to wade or swim the stream when it is necessary for them to cross it. TWINE CUTTER LIKE HOOK PROTECTS HANDS To protect workers’ hands from injury while snipping cord, a twine cutter has been invented by a Pacific Coast man to take the place of the ordinary knife. The end of the tool is turned up like a button hook, the inside of the curve is slotted, and a small blade is inserted in the opening Cutter for Twine that Is Bent Like Buttonhook to Add to Efficiency of Worker When the string is to be severed, a slight hooking motion with the utensil guides the strand against the sharp edge.

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Monster Searchlights Are Eyes of Fleet Naval Experts Develop Bigger Beacons to Meet the Needs of Faster Cruisers and Destroyers \Vi [TH the building of warships like’ of the fleet were brought into action to the U. S. cruiser “Concord,” faster prevent any surprise attack while the ships in any ocean liner and propelled by of the protective unit were seeking to close ver enough to supply all the public util- in on the quarry. ties of a city like Baltimore, naval experts Restlessly searching the waves, one of e directed their attention to designing the beams momentarily touched a dark ob e powerful searchlights for protection ject and passed on. Almost instantly the inst submarine and torpedo-boat attack phone connecting the bridge with the | to aid in signaling. fighting top rang. Visible at a distance of approximately “Destroyer on port quarter,” was the miles, the beam cast by the latest of report. se monster beacons is estimated at At the same time the strange craft 510,000,000 candlepower. So concentrated which was racing along at express-train re its rays that they will blister the skin speed, was picked up again by other shafts d also cause sunburn. Known as the of flame, but before its range could be re eves” of the navy, their work is largely layed from the fire control to the bridge ensive, as they are depended upon to and secondary batteries, it vanished by reveal enemy craft during night attacks. suddenly turning sharply on its course and \fter a day spent in big-gun practice by _ disappearing under the smoke screen it had he fleet in southern waters recently, the been laying. ilue of the searchlights was displayed “Stand by!” the telegraph dials signaled dramatically during the progress of a war frantically to the engine-room crews, as ame.” Already stripped for action, the | the ships hurriedly slipped their anchors in drab, gray, fighting monsters were swal- prepari ation for instant flight. Then, lowed up by sudden, tropical night that “Slow speed ahead,” followed by “Full fell over them like a shroud. “General = speed.” quarters” followed mess aboard the ships As they picked up way, the ships were |. as the pole star wheeled into view swallowed up by “a clinging smoke verhead, every sailor and officer stood at screen. Foglike in its density, it blotted is post, peering with anxious eyes into out the stars and aga d the beams of the he darkness. searchlights, turning their rays i: .o mere Away in the distance could be seen long glowing balls of orange-red flame. In re ers of light groping across the waves, sponse to orders trom the flagship, the beacons of hope from a protecting screen useless searchlights flickered out. and the lestrovers and scout cruisers that sur- ships, in column form: ation, steamed on, unded the battleships and dreadnaughts each being guided by a hooded light in the they rode quietly at their anchors. stern of the one shend. somewhere in the encircling blackness, From the wireless room came the word uivering under the suppressed power of that their signals were being “jammed,” heir mighty engines, lurked a flotilla of presumably by intertering radio waves enemy” torpedo boats—assassins of the sent out by the “enemy,” and at the same ep—waiting for an opportunity to drive — time the sul e telephone gave warn-, ime their attack. ing of the] e ot other ps iulthoug! Aiter what seemed like hours of tense indistinctly, ause of the noise of the iting, the beam of one of the search- _ fleet's own engines and propellers. rhts near the horizon began to scrawl a To try to stay under the cover of the die message across a distant cloud bank, smoke screen, or to take a chance in the ising and falling to indicate the dots and open’ That was the problem taced by the shes. On the bridge of the flagship, a fleet. It was decided in favor of the for nal officer jotted down the words: mer course, as, without the protection of “Enemy—sighted—north—north—east the fast destrovers that had been lured re: am—starting—in—pursuit.” away on a tutile chase, the only salvation s the radio began to bring in reports on forthe comparatively slow battleships was * progress of the chase, the searchlights in sighting and destroying the “enemy” * 199 om. « oe oes = ao an sae mn @eFewe@a «Fs 6S Os Ue Ane

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200 torpedo boats before they could approach close enough to discharge their deadly missiles. And there was always the hope that the distant cruisers might return in time to be of assistance. But the plan was defeated by a vagrant gust of wind that rolled away the smoke shroud as though it were a great carpet, revealing a flotilla of torpedo boats steam- ing along in a parallel line so close that the big guns of the fleet could not be lowered sufficiently to be brought to bear. Scarcely a word was spoken on any of the ships. In the secondary batteries of three-inch guns, pointers and sight-setters brought their pieces to bear as they re- ceived the range from the fire control through the telephone sets strapped about tl eir heads Fire on buzzer,” came the order from the bridge of the flagship to the port bat- tery in preparation for a ranging shot. “Four thousand—,”’ began the from the fire control in rectifying voice the range. SPEED OF GOLF BALL / Live First | Wound Second Rubber Winding Center Winding Center Tape Tape POPULAR MECHANICS 3ut the sentence was never finishe for the flotilla turned at right angles on i: course and dashed toward its prey w! a triumphant rocket tore across t heavens from the deck of the leader, bur ing like a trench light above the fleet. All was over, for, according to the ru of the “game,” the fleet had been sunl the “enemy” had been able to appr within 4,000 yards without detect “Secure,” sounded the bugles, and, all lights on, the ships slowly returned their anchorage. In signaling, the of the se lights are interrupted by shutters so form the dots and dashes of the code. ¢ bons used in the electric arc that sup their powerful rays have a core of a ch: ical composition. When this ts forms an intensely bright ball of fla: but cuts down the heat so tl lens can be placed closer without melt The result is an almost perfect cor tration of the rays capable of carryi great distances except in a fog. Tavs fu ¢ gas, DEPENDS ON WINDING Wound | Balata_ Cover | Center | Cover | Cupsand | Painted Complete Blanks Center | From a Center of Soft, Live Rubber, the Golf Ball Passes Through Various Stages, Acquires a Hard Rul Shell, and Is Finally Ready for the Tee ioned of feathers stuffed into are delicate- made with exact- ing care on complicated machines under the eyes of experts. Resiliency, durability, and perfect shape are the.essential require- ments. About a live core, yards of rubber tape are wound in machines which turn out thousands of the “pills” a day. The speed of the ball depends on the winding, according to tests. The hard covering is manutactured of balata, a product of trees grown in Venezuela. This is mixed with gums of various kinds to give it toughness. he cover is tightly joined to the tape- wound center by a special process and, aiter indentations have been made in the Once fash 1 ae nln a taniad if 1] a leather cover, golf balls now ly constructed spheres, surface to give the ball accuracy in fli it is coated with a special kind of pa resist blows of the clubs and to make visible on the greens. LIQUID SOAP IN BRUSH HANDLI!I MAKES SHAVING EASY To make shaving more convenient brush which lathers with liquid soap, su plied from the hollow handle of aluminu has been made. The bristles are mount: in a detachable holder of the same met and can be removed easily for cleani The liquid is shaken, drop by drop, ont the brush, and the valve, through wht it passes, is then automatically closed.

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POPULAR NCRETE FREIGHT CAR SAVES LOSS BY WRECK OR RUST ter undergoing severe tests in colli- the impact of which could be heard miles, a 15-ton reinforced-concrete vht car recently built in Germany ved neither crack nor. break. The ht of the car is greater than that of a carrier, but it is said that the former steadier, is immune to rust, and is affected by wear. Traveling at a Speed ibout 13 miles an hour, it crashed into blocks placed on one rail, and also teel cars. PAPIER-MACHE PACKAGE KEEPS FIGS FROM SPOILING papier-mache containers, figs shipped by express without icing, California to eastern markets. Only 2.5 inches in diameter are sent in ay, uniformity in size being neces- to filla package that holds three dozen that they do not touch or rub. The ked in F — hese Papier-Mache Containers Protect from Bruises and Keep Them Cool Figs ruit is nested securely in the carrier and ud to be uninjured and kept cool and transit. BIT OF WIRE TO HUNT QUAKES AND FORECAST TREMORS To chart movements of the earth’s crust that will be able to lakes, a tiny seismograph, weighing less an a portable typewriter, and no larger, s been put in use by the Carnegie Insti tute. It is claimed that this little machine ecords tremors undetected by the heavy pes now used. The main part of the in- trument consists of a length of wire of he same weight as the filament in an elec- tric-light buib. scientists forecast MECHANICS 901 SMOKING MACHINE “BREAKS IN” AND TESTS NEW PIPES Patrons of a tobacco store in London avoid the unpleasant experience of “break- ing in’ new pipes by having them tested Copyright, Keystone View ¢ Automatic Smoker that “Breaks In” the Customer Waits New Pipe While and seasoned in an automatic smoking machine which the proprietor has used for some time to demonstrate the qualities of his goods. The pipestem is inserted into a tube to which suction is supplied by a small air pump within the device. The bowl is filled with tobacco and lit and the machine smokes away while the purchaser is assured that the first drafts on the new pipe will not be attended by a bitter taste and a parched tongue. The qualities of tobaccos can also be tested by the inven- tion in a short trial. PENCIL AND ERASER HOLDER FITS ON TYPEWRITER Eraser and pencil are kept conveniently near the stenographer’s hand in a holder designed to be attached to the typewriter. The device is fas- tened under one of the rubber sup- ports of the ma- chine by sharp points on a_ bot- tom plate, or it is inserted the foot irame by between and the partly unscrewing 7 the rubbers and affixing the hold- er, which has a slot for that purpose. The pocket can be adapted to any shape of eraser, and by bending the metal fastenings the tools are held securely when the typewriter tilts. one or!

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202 POPULAR MECHANICS SAND SHOES” OF WIRE | END STRAIN OF TRAVEL Made of stiff wire, and lar; than the soles of the boots which they are firmly strapp: “sand shoes” are used by the mi tary forces in Syria, in mak long marches over the shift deserts. These meshed foot p: tectors distribute the weight « a greater area and give the wear a better purchase in walking, t] eg oat i RES doing away with much fati g ; lh and strain. They operate on principle of the snowshoe oj Wire-Mesh “Sand Shoes” that Make Desert Marching Easier ad eaink by Lessening Strain cold regions. “HOT LANDS” RECLAIMED FOR COTTON IN MEXICO Irrigation has been practiced on a small the water flowing between the roy scale in Mexico, in the valley of the Rio plants, and being discharged lower do Grande, to grow cotton, but the water sup- intherivers. Inthe few districts in w ply is far too limited and uncertain to be this is possible, excellent results are of value in reclaiming more than a very _ tained, but these rivers are almost dry Le pee RS PRS Rt bet « = Say Cotton Grown by Irrigation in the Valley of the Rio Grande in the “Hot Lands” of Mexico small proportion of the great tracts of | several months each year, and sometim« arid lands. On the other hand, the prob- the freshets do not flood them sufficient lems that face the agriculturists operating for practical use. on a large scale in the fertile valleys of lee the “hot lands,” have to do with drainage, @[Oak timbers in the roof of a Londo: as the rainfall is heavy. Such irrigat- building are as strong now as they wer: ing projects as are carried on, are by means when put in five centuries ago, according of the usual dam and trench system, with to a recent test.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 203 rhe Pit,’ of the Chicago Board of Trade, from which the Rise and Fall of Grain Prices Are Broadcast Daily to All Parts of the Country by Radio Glimpse Behind Radio Broadcasting Scenes Strange Mechanical Devices Used to Produce Realistic Effects for Unseen Millions of Listeners Wits the constantly increasing popu- larity of radio, broadcasting stations ve been forced to devise many ingenious ntrivances to give realistic effects to eir dramatic programs. While theater audiences are familiar ith the means employed for making stage hunder, rain, hail, hurricanes, pistol shots, nd so on, entirely new methods have had to be resorted to for the wireless, because must be done through the ears alone. As a result, the average “fan” who lis- tens in on the program would be sadly illusioned if he could catch a glimpse behind the scenes, for it has been found hat the voice alone often fails to give the proper illusion, and mechanical means have been used to help it out for the benefit ot unseen hearers. If an airplane is upposed to pass, the whir of its pro- pellers must be re- yroduced. Should i house fall in, or a 1 forest fire be fore the sending device and holding a piece ot paper against the revolving blades. By moving the paper back and forth, the impression is given the listeners that the plane is approaching or receding. When a house is supposed to fall with a crash, the impact is reproduced by some one jumping table onto several boxes, which are crushed beneath him. It was found impossible to give the illu- sion of a burning fire. E tual blaze was started, iron a ven when an ac the effect was not realistic. Finally, the problem was solved by holding a lighted gasoline torch neat the microphone The sound of a falling tree is produced by bumping a chair about the floor. In broadcasting a din ner scene, the actor do not need any ta ble. It is important that a number of dishes be however, rattled from time to me to suit the ac- ion. Also, it may sup- ‘ome as a shock to posed to menace the those who have lis- actors, there must tened in on love e a corresponding scenes to learn that ound. The noise the sound of a kiss ot an aircraft, for is not made in the instance, is pro- conventional man- duced in lifelike ner. The noise re- manner by placing Electrical Generators that Supply Power for One of the sults trom loudly an electric fan be- Nation’s Largest Broadcasting Stations kissing the back of

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the hand held close to the transmitting device. From the control desk, a broadcasting station presents an amazing view of com- plicated electrical meters and switches. \t the far end of the room are the gen- erators, and over it all extends an elabo- rate pipe framework that serves to inclose all of the power wires and support the apparatus. \ push on two buttons starts a pleasing purr from the generators, accompanied by succession of clicks from the automatic tarters attached to the machines as they tep up” the power and bring the speed e maximum of over a thousand revo- ms a minute. en an imposing array of tubes re- ling huge electric lamps begin to glow. After a minute or so to allow them » become thoroughly warm, another but- is touched and the soft drive of the grenerators changes, the indicator’s needles ump ahead, and the station is ready to “oo on the air.” Before the director, on the operating table, is a box of complicated switches vhich connect the transmitter with micro- phones, “pickup” devices, strategically located near orchestras in any part of the city. One is marked “studio” and connects h a quiet room where singers, pianists, nd other artists are waiting. By placing mm his head a pair of telephone receivers ‘onnected to a regulation receiving set, he director is able to hear exactly the same sounds that float across the conti- nent and the high seas within a range of thousands of miles. The control cabinet houses a small am- plifier, of the same sort used in a receiving i or ee : | > “> Et be CORN \ 19 3H Agus 6 Huy POPULAR MECHANICS set, and this is switched on in order | amplify the voices and instruments whic are waiting the signal to start. Finally th, switch is closed, and a red light comes life on the desk of the musical director j the studio. The announcer, seeing t! signal, closes a switch on his table whi cuts in a microphone, resembling nothi: more than an overgrown and somew! modified telephone transmitter, and in t] head phones of listeners in all parts of 1 country comes the announcement, ‘| is W-D-A-P—.” The duty of the operator is to watch of the meters for indications of trouble the complicated network of apparatus a1 to carefully listen to everything con over the microphone line in order nothing shall be broadcast that doe come up to the requirements of United States Department of Commer which regulates everything that goes on way of the ether wave. Occasionally the circuits are changed the proper time to connect with an orche tra, giving the studio performers a chai to rest; and at last, about midnight, announcer in the studio will say, “Thi W-D-A-P, Chicago, signing off.” Then the generators are stopped, al! the switches turned off, and the lig put out. But the next day approximately 400 let ters will be received from radio fans co: menting on the evening’s performance. These messages, sometimes in the for of telegrams, come from all parts of t! country. Recently, a wire sent from C| cago to an Atlanta, Ga., station, was ceived there and read back to the sende approximately 20 minutes. 15 Al \|25 ® IZ 1100.12 5 Lv OV 6 75 109] 11258 10 OY Board from which Grain Prices Are Broadcast é

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POPULAR MECHANICS 205 a7 ce — $$ sf e “ - ‘e, — —— | Studio of WDAP and the Microphones | anid J > “eo | —_—_— -- that Carry Music and the Announce- o ——— ments to the Transmitting Station >». “SS : : —_ Control Desk in Transmitting Station in > Front of Panels Carrying the ad \ Instruments LU i |

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206 POPULAR RADIO COMPASS ROBS THE SEA OF MANY OF ITS PERILS To enable the navigating officer to ascer- tain the ship’s position in even the densest fog, a radio compass has been installed Radio Compass on “Leviathan” that Gives Position in Fogs and Diminishes Collision Risks aboard the liner “Leviathan.” By° means of this latest aid to navigation, the dangers of running aground or collisions at sea, may be minimized. By means of radio di- rection finders, bearings are taken on sta- tions of known position, and the ship’s latitude and longitude can then be calcu- lated with mathematical precision, whether the sun is visible or not. RUBBER CAPS ON CORKS KEEP BOTTLES FREE FROM DUST To prevent accumulations of dirt on the necks or around the stoppers of bottles, thin rubber dust caps have been made. They are perfor- ated through the center to fit snugly around the cork, and are removed with it. A collar covers the mouth of the flask. They come im various sizes and can be con- verted to many uses. One ofthe larger kind is convenient in keeping the shaving brush handle dry, and one of the smallest can be slipped over a medicine dropper, serving as cork and protector. MECHANICS TEN FOREST FIRES EVERY DAY TOTAL MILLIONS LOSS Forest fires, which yearly destroy enor- mous quantities of timber and reforested areas, were recently made the basis of an inquiry which showed that in the past decade the total loss from this cause had been approximately 646,000,000 feet. For the past few years there has been an aver age of ten fires a day in the United States, according to government records. In 1921, in the 48 states, there were 38,400 blazes which burned over an area of 4,737,000 acres, whereas in 1922 the State of Washington lost 129,540,000 feet of tim- ber on 68,902 acres, and Oregon 103,847,000 feet on 190,995 acres. The average loss caused by forest fires is about $16,405,000 a year, but in 1921, Minnesota alone lost 30,895,868 dollars. LOG HURLED OFF TRAIN SPLITS A LIVING TREE APART Splintering through like a wedge, a heavy log penetrated a massive tree trunk in a northwestern forest when it was hurled from a logging train rounding a sharp curve. Sent spinning as though from a catapult, it split the tree almost ex- actly in half. The train was derailed. Ac- cidents frequently occur on the forest Underwood & Underwood Like a Projectile from a Huge Gun, This Log Split the Tree Trunk Copyright roads, due to the steep grades and un- ballasted track beds and the speed at which the heavy loads are rushed to the mills from the loading grounds. @ Made entirely of wood and having eighteen dials which show the time in as many cities, a clock upon which its maker is said to have worked twenty- three years, is being shown in Europe.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 207 PANAMA CANAL SHIPS TIED UP TO CLEAR “SLIDE” South-Bound Ships Waiting for Dredges While North-Bound Steamers Proceed, After a Minor “Slide” in the Panama Canal Blocked Part of the Passage Only south-bound ships were com- pelled to tie up recently after a minor slide n the Gaillard cut of the Panama Canal. Soundings showed that the other side of the passage was navigable, so north-bound boats proceeded as usual while the other teamers were tied up close to shore to AID IN REMOVING SPLINTERS IS GIVEN BY LENS Aiding the eye in locating splinters in the flesh is the purpose of a household magnifying glass lately introduced. The article consists of an optical lens set §& metallic the latter being mounted vith a hinged joint upon an up- right wire stand- ard having an ob- long loop at its end. A spool serves aS a base, the loop be- into a ] hoop Vs lower ing pushed into the hole in the center, and = an- choring itself. The lens, which can be ad- justed to any desired angle, is also of serv- ice in threading a small-eyed needle. make room for dredges sent to excavate the channel. These small cave-ins happen occasionally as the earth settles in the steep cuts, but since the period, Septem ber, 1915, to April, 1916, when the canal was practically blocked, traffic has not been impaired seriously from this cause SECRETS OF MAN’S BEGINNINGS TO BE SOUGHT IN MONGOLIA Before starting on their latest trip of exploration to the heart-of the Orient, scientists attached to the expedition of the American Museum of Natural Histor New York, declared that it already had been established that Central Asia wa the original home of animal life and that it was the “mother of continents.” They also expressed confidence that in Mo: would be ' golia found formations that would reveal the secret of man's earliest existence. On a previous trip, thirty of the seventy-five camels in the carava died from privations of the 400-mile marc] the desert, there was no For twenty days men subsisted on scanty rations of antelope meat and tea across where forage. @ More than $14,000,000 worth of stock, in their own and in an afhliated tel company, Is Sowned by the emplove ta ] 2 ephone large concern in Chicag

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208 POPULAR POCKET CHART TESTS BLOOD BY COLOR MATCH Tests of the blood can be made by matching its color with those shown on a vest-pocket chart that has lately come into use among doctors. In making the experiments, the patient’s finger is first pricked with a sterilized needle and a

Pocket Color Chart Used by Physicians to Determine Volume of Red Corpuscles in Blood MECHANICS drop of the blood collected on a piece of white paper. The color is then compared with those on the scale of the instrument to determine the percentage of red cor puscles. RADIO “DOT” SPANS OCEAN AT SPEED OF LIGHT Recent experiments show that messages can be radio acknowledged and checked almost simultaneously with thx sending. The tests were conducted over the aerial loop between New York and Warsaw, Poland, a circuit of 8,500 mile The operator at the control center i: America instructed the European repre sentative to “tie up” his receiving station with the transmitting station. <A “dot was then sent out and made the complete circuit from New York to Warsaw and return while the foreign operator was manipulating his key. The Polish opera tor was then instructed to leave his key and the “dot” raced twenty times around the circuit at a speed of 186,000 miles per second before dying away because of elec trical disturbances. VESSEL KEPT IN SERVICE BY WELDER’S TORCH Welding on a gigantic scale was accom- plished recently in repairing the sternpost of a great ocean steamship. The attention of engineers was first drawn to problems such as this when it became necessary to recondition the German boats left in American ports at the outbreak of the

Broken Sternpost, Forced into Correct Position, Is Ready to Be Welded World War. The results obtained from the method employed exceeded all expec tations, and the speed in which the vessel were repaired and placed in commission is said to have astonished the mechanical world. In welding various breaks, it is said, the strength of the metal increases. Greatest Marine Weld on Record: Sternpost Stronger than Before the Break Occurred

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POPULAR MECHANICS 209 Its White Slopes Gleaming in the Midst of a Desert Land, the “Mountain of Toothpowder”’ — Has Become a Mine of Material Valuable to Important Industries ‘’Toothpowder Mountain” Built from Shells Skeletons of Tiny Sea Urchins Piled Up on Bottom of Prehistoric Ocean Supply Industry with Valuable Rock ew materials possess a wider range of uses than is claimed for the white earth iat forms a desert mountain in Nevada. Believed to have been formed when that region was the bottom of a sea that dried ip ages ago, the hill contains a deposit of oft snow-white rock which is easily re- duced to powder so fine that the fingers hardly feel its presence when rubbed hetween the hands. Such earth is gener- lly said to be composed of the skeletons minute sea creatures which multiply ipidly and die after short lives, leaving their little shells to pile up on the bed of the ocean. Scientists say that they are everywhere that water is found on the surface of the land. Some attach themselves to foreign bodies while others float freely. Often they are found fastened to the stems and leaves of water plants. When the mite within the shell ceases to live the crustlike covering sinks to the bottom carrying within it the tiny skeleton and helps to form the sediment. This accumulation in time turns to almost solid rock. The “mountain of toothpowder” is re- ported to have been discovered by a tired prospector who gave to it its name. While driving his burro to a place of shelter, he passed the peculiar white mound. Struck with its dazzling shade he chipped off a bit of the substance and grinding it into fine particles he examined it and even at tempted ti his teeth with it. Then he polished the metal cooking utensils carried about with him and traveled into the nearest town to proclaim his discovery It is an easily workable material, which scour may be lifted from the deposit in large blocks and readily reduced to powder form. The angular shapes of the minute particles make it a valuable ingredient for polishing and grinding mediums for glass and metals. Its absorbent quality fits it suitably for use in the manufacture of dy namite, while as a filtering material, it is claimed to be unsurpassed by anvyth else vet known Inasmuch as It resists the conduction of heat, it has been e1 ployed in insulating steam pipes and boil ers. In like manner, the white earth ; been used with great success for filling in the walls of buildings to make them sound proof. Its almost pure condition and the fact that it does not contain harmful sul stances have won it a place as a base for various medications that are used as dust ing powders for wounds Cosmetic mak-

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210 POPULAR ers have also taken it up as part of preparations for, nail polishes, and manufacturers of shoe dressings have made of it a cleans- er for both white footgear and gloves. One of its prime uses is as a tooth- powder, its absor bent features and freedom oft acid making it a precious part of many denti- frices. Kach cell of the “diatom,” the name given by science to the lively little plant animal which is credited with the creation of the valuable hill, is provided with a shell that has two halves. Inside these coverings the magnifying glass shows wonderful scrolls and natural sculpturings. The shells are in an almost endless variety T sl Some are circular and oval, and long, angular, and crescent- ile still others resemble tiny boats and stars. ol apes. others are shaped, wl When alive, diatoms are found existing singly, but more often in colonies that are united in great branches, zigzag chains, and ribbonlike formations. Their aver- age size is less than one two-hundredth of an inch. Seldom are they larger and the majority are much smaller. Ixperts have not yet determined by just what method or at what time in the age of the earth this mountain of powder was cast up above the land. But probably no MECHANICS purer material of this sort exists anywhere else. To date, millions of pounds of the sub- stance have been removed by the operators who are mining the mountain for its val- uable earth. It is being quarried much like soft rock and is shipped in this state to the points of manufacture, where it is made into the various degrees of fineness that the different products require. Just how far the mountain extends be- low the surface of the desert has not been definitely learned, but since it has stood for ages in the midst of wind-shifted sands it is supposed that its actual base lies far beneath the ground. Scant vegetation sur rounds the hill, and practically none at all takes root on its snow-white slopes. Probably many years will pass before a material decrease in the size of the toothpowder mound will be caused by withdrawals of the rock. While chem istry and industrial processes may find additional uses for the product in the course of time, there is always the chance that science will be able to dis- cover other depos- its of the kind ere the millions of tons lying in the moun- tain become en- tirely consumed. And the tiny organ- isms that caused it continue to grow. Tiny Shells that Form “Toothpowder Mountain” Are Found to Be in Almost Every Imaginable Shape

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POPULAR Pease My heitiat hays. 0 pe * MECHANICS 211 AIRCRAFT “HOOKED” TOGETHER IN TEST FLIGHT hae hai Fait Ft: ita, ae i POTTS as ey While the “Silver Whale’ Forged Majestically Along, a Tiny Messenger Plane Darted Under It, and Held Contact for a Full Minute by a Rod and Trapeze [hat an airplane can be linked to a diri- ble while both are in rapid flight has heen proved by recent army tests. With both craft going at the rate of fifty-seven miles an hour, a rod was extended above e top wing of the plane and fastened at he lower end with elastic so that the pressure would not tear the framework. MINIATURE AERIALS IN CANDY DISPLAY HOTEL’S RADIO Arrangement of the aerials on the adcasting station of a Chicago hotel effectively displayed at a recent radio 1 ibition from an exact model of the Putting the Finishing Touches on Candy Masterpiece Which Showed Arrangement of Hotel's Aerials At the same time, a trapeze arrangement was let down from the airship. While both flew along, contact was established and maintained for a full minute. Avia tors declare the experiment indicates that large aircraft may be constructed to act as “mother-ships” for fueling and supplying ammunition to small planes structure fashioned entirely of candy on a cardboard frame. The relation of the main wires attached to a central pole, the dis tinguishing feature of the station, was clearly shown, the equipment being com plete in every detail. At the same time, visitors were able to study the architec ture of the hotel, which was faithfully re- produced by the chef's skill. WHALE RAMMED BY SHIP’S BOW HALTS VESSEL’S VOYAGE When speed of the United States Nay y transport “Argonne” was retarded sud- denly without apparent reason, during a recent voyage, it discovered that a whale had become impaled upon the bow of the vessel. According to one of the crew, the ship had rammed the monster and broken its back. Was

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212 POPULAR MECHANICS MILK BOTTLE AND CAN LOCK TO GUARD AGAINST THEFT 3ottles of milk and canned goods are locked securely from the hands of thieves and breaking and spilling are avoided by Copyright, Keystone View Co Until the Door Opens, the Bottle Cannot Be Pulled from the Spring Clip the use of a clip which locks the contain- ers to the house door. The device springs shut when a bottle or pail is inserted and cannot be loosened until the door, swing- ing open, releases the jaws of the clip. It is placed at a convenient height so that the owner does not have to stoop to pick up the articles. GRIP NEAR HAIRPIN’S POINTS KEEPS IT IN POSITION Hairpins that hold their grip by com- pression have recently been placed upon the market. Made of wire or celluloid, the latter in three colors, these nov- elties are fash- ioned upon a prin- ciple which gives them a firm hold on the hair. The lower halves, in addition to the usual “waves,” are bent inward until they touch just above the ends, and the points spread apart, which gives them a firm anchorage. @So that it may be moved from one room to another, a new dining table is built with a tilting top. WIND DIRECTION PLAYS PART IN PLANNING OF CITY Prevailing directions of the winds largely determined the location of a pro posed industrial district of a mid-west ern city recently. Records were consulted as far back as 1879, and it was found that the winds most of the year were from the south. Consequently, it was decided to build the factory district northeast of the city so that the winds would carry the smoke away from the residence areas the greater part of thetime. Builders in othe: cities have seen the importance of gather ing data as to the course of the winds be fore starting civic projects, and the in formation supplied by the weather bureau is of increasing value on account of the growing smoke nuisance. SHIELD PROTECTS SPARK PLUG FROM OIL AND CARBON To make it car- bonproof, a spark plug recently pat- ented has a metal shield in its shell from which the oil drops off, thus _ protecting the core. It is claimed that the plug cannot foul, regardless of mo- tor conditions, so that perfect firing and smooth oper- ation are assured, and crank case di- lution minimized. RELAY TOWERS TO BROADCAST RADIO TO FIFTY MILLIONS Broadcasting radio programs simulta neously to 50,000,000 persons by means ot a chain of relay stations so powerful that even inexpensive sets will be able to re- ceive the messages, is a development that soon may be realized, an eastern scientist has predicted. From three to six stations would be necessary, according to this au- thority, one on the Pacific Coast, another on the Atlantic Coast, and a third in the central Southwest. Others might be erected in foreign countries, and all would operate on the same wave length to pre- vent overlapping. Such a system would cost approximately $5,000,000 a year.

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Regulating all the clocks of the nation hy wireless and with the aid of but a single tation, is the aim of a German institution which has established two experimental tructures. One of these is near Berlin ind the other is located at a distance, on the summit of a high mountain. Twice every day the time signal is broadcast for the benefit of government offices, rail- roads, industries, individuals, and ships ap- proaching the coast. A special law prohibits any other radio station in the country from operating dur- ing the period of seven minutes required by the regulating broadcaster to complete its work. All other wireless traffic is in- terrupted and the paths of the air reserved for the time corrector. Five different sig- nals are sent out, beginning at 12:55 o'clock, midday. Each of the first four occupies about a minute, being the same sign repeated for that length of time. When the 59th minute arrives the correct- ing code is released and lasts until the ex- piration of the hour. During the passing of the preliminary signals, the receiving operator is supposed to prepare to adjust the clocks under his charge for the regulating message. For this purpose a special receiving device is necessary. It is made and leased by the sending organization to the subscriber. After the receiver has been installed, all that is needed is for its attendant to apply the phones to his ears when registering time is announced by the radio station. He then follows the message through, comparing the timepieces with the signals. Printed on the recording device is a copy of the code, so that the operator can read the signs as they are sounded. Schools have been opened for watch- makers, wherein they can learn the mean- ing of the codes and the manner in w'.ich they are to be used in the adjustment of POPULAR MECHANICS GERMANY’S CLOCKS ARE SET BY WIRELESS 213 Aerial, Receiver, and Regulator that Compose Part of Wireless System for Setting Nation's Clocks clocks and watches. They also receive training in the construction and upkeep of the radio apparatus employed to send and receive the messages. Of the two wireless stations, one gives the first signal and the second, to which it is connected by cable, automatically be- gins the timing of the code and broadcasts it without further aid. The two hours of the day selected for the regulating signals are one o'clock a. m. and one o'clock p. m., corresponding to noon an“ midnight at the Greenwich observatory, according to the system used in Europe. BLOWTORCH HAS DETACHABLE IRONS FOR SOLDERING Introduced to the hardware trade is a convenient combination of soldering iron Combination Tool for Making and Mending Metal Articles and blowtorch in which the flame is cre- ated by gas generated from wood alcohol, The handle, which is the fuel chamber, contains a wick to be saturated with the alcohol. A small pan is attached under the holes in the gas tube which is filled three-quarters full of the liquid, ignited, and permitted to burn out, thus generating the gas which issues from the holes. @ Whenever you find that you wish to know more about any article in the maga- zine, write our Bureau of Information.

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214 POPULAR MECHANICS mila 2. leaks, a EVENTS OF TWENTY YEARS AGO FROM COLUMNS OF POPULAR MECHANICS LTHOUGH the automobile was coming into general use twenty years ago, the pages of Popular Me- chanics Magazine show that the bicycle at that time still retained much of its popularity as a means of sport and transportation. This is indicated by the pictures at the top of the page. These were taken at a “race,” where the wheels were held stationary in a frame while the “mileage” of the riders was recorded by an electrical device. In the same year Chi- cago built its first subway, shown in the center, which is still in use, but for freight only. Thetwo bottom views are of a giant air bag, inside of which its inventor tried to make a trip across Lake Michigan but lost his life in the attempt.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 215 \[L-LINE CLEANER FOR AUTOS PREVENTS ENGINE TROUBLE For use on small automobiles, an oil- - cleaner ‘has been invented to insure onstant flow of oil through the engine to make unnecessary the removal of e radiator, timer or other parts when e lubrication becomes clogged. The evice consists of a pet cock attached to bracket and fitted over a small hole bored the crank case. A flexible cable, long iough to reach the oil line, is inserted nd removes any obstruction. SECRET OF BANK-NOTE PAPER KEPT TWO HUNDRED YEARS Closely guarded, the secret of making he linen tissue for Bank of England notes has been kept for 200 years by the trusted employes of one firm. Of a peculiar white- ness, the paper is so tough that a folded note can sustain a weight of fifty pounds thout tearing. The same bill is never paid out twice by the bank. If a customer receives the proceeds of a check in fresh notes, and immediately deposits them, they are canceled and retired. In the days be- fore postal orders became common, it was customary, when sending money by mail, to cut a note ia halves, inclose the first with the invoice, and await acknowledg- ment before parting with the second. EIGHT-HOUR CLOCK CUTS DAY INTO THREE EQUAL PARTS Changing conditions, as illustrated by the eight-hour law for railroad employes, have brought about the development of a new kind of timepiece that divides the day into three watches : oft eight hours each: “Morning Hours,” denoted by the letter M, which appears in an opening in the dial, ‘‘Noon Hours,” indicated by N,and “Evening Yours,” designat- ed by E. The first period begins at midnight, the second at eight a. m., and the third at four p. m. Heretofore, most timekeeping devices have had twelve di- visions on their faces, although Southern Europe has long favored the twenty-four- hour clock. Copyright, Keystone View Co. “FILLING STATION” FOR PENS WORKED BY CENT-IN-SLOT For the convenience of fountain-pen users a penny-in-the-slot “filling station” which eliminates the waste and untidiness Loading a Fountain Pen with Ink from a Penny-in-tke- Slot “Filling Station” of the open inkwell has been devised by a western inventor. It consists of a chamber and filling-cups inclosed in a case composed of metal aad hard rubber which stands upon a writing desk or table. When a coin is inserted in the slot and a knob turned, ink sufficient to fill one pen runs into one of the cups. The pen is loaded from this, a dropper being provided for those not equipped with self-filling mechanism. A wiper attached to a spring reel is pulled out from a slit near the knob for cleaning the pen, and extra ink is poured into a refuse cup from which it runs into a waste chamber. The “station” holds sufficient ink to fill 600 pens, weighs only a few pounds, and has no compli- cated machinery to get out of order. It has been found especially convenient in hotels, schools, and public writing rooms. @ Native to Mexico and Central America, the chayote, a vegetable having the qual- ities of the cucumber and squash, is now raised in the Gulf Coast regions of the United.States, where |it is winning popu- larity because of its delicate flavor and the beauty of the flowers of its vine.

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216 RADIO SET FOR POLICE ALARM STRAPPED TO “COP’S” BACK Wireless sets are carried by policemen in parts of Germany by which they can re- ceive alarms and orders sent out by radio German Policeman Equipped with Wireless Set to Receive Alarms and Orders from Headquarters from headquarters. The aerial is fastened to the officer’s back by shoulder straps and the receivers are held close enough to his ears so that he-can hear any message or signal broadcast. The box is suspended across the man’s chest within easy reach of his hands. This arrangement permits a hasty mobilization of the guardians of peace in case of trouble. DOUGH POURED IN OVEN WHEEL COMES OUT ICE-CREAM CONES Untouched by human hands, ice-cream cones are turned out at the rate of 2,000 an hour by a recently perfected machine shaped like a large paddle wheel, that forms and bakes them while it makes one complete turn. Released from a mixing tank, the batter flows into the cuplike spokes of the revolving oven, and in 95 seconds emerges as crisp cones which drop into carriers that convey them to where they are automatically deposited in racks. They are then stored in cartons by an operator. Thus, hand labor is reduced to a minimum and a uniform quality of product is maintained. POPULAR MECHANICS SILENT SENTINELS OF THE SEA GUARD TRAFFIC OF SHIPS Buoys, signposts of the sea, mark the channel limits of harbors and guide ships to anchorage when entering ports. Like the crowded streets of big cities, the ap- proaches to busy parts of the ocean high ways are dotted with fixed caution signals that spell intelligent directions to the mariner. These floating guideposts vary in size and construction from a painted log of wood to steel gas buoys that carr) lights which are never extinguished Some operate whistles and bells that are sounded by the action of the waves. Most of these are found in dangerous spots guarding hidden rocks or reefs, or marking the position of sunken wrecks. Where buoys appear in the open seas, they usually indicate the points at which telegraph cables pass, and often signify the presence of mined or torpedoed grounds. In all there are more than twenty different kinds in use. METER FOR LOADING CHUTES MEASURES COAL OR GRAIN Fine coal or other granular material can be measured while being fed through a vertical or slop- ing chute by a meter invented in England. The register has a counting dial on the outside of the feed pipe which shows theamount. Experiments, it is said, have demon- strated that the recorder can reach within 2 per cent of accuracy. The instrument is also suitable for tally- ing grain, cement, or crushed coke. Lubricating can be done while it is in operation and it may be removed for inspection or cleansing. @ Radio loud speakers were successfully used in place of “barkers” and “bally- hoos” at a recent southwestern state fair. They were also used to direct large crowds to the various exhibits. —i-_ er aoe ap . ee aecwmrskaTy OO AlUO TT UT CUT OC

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POPULAR MECHANICS FARRRAAARASJULA CLE ' idee wl dyn = : Signposts of the Seas that Serve Mariners as Guides and Warnings at Entrances to Harbors, Over Anchoring Grounds in Ports, and to Indicate Hidden Dangers Near Traffic Lanes

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218 POPULAR RADIO SETS IN MINIATURE FIT IN POCKET Midget-size radio sets, in various de- signs, were shown at an exhibition recent- ly held at Chicago. A telephone receiver Two of the Smallest Complete Amateur Radio ‘“‘Hook- ups” that Have Ever Been Made served as the cabinet of one, another was inclosed in a miniature keg, and a third was in the form of a coil which Was car- ried on a lead pencil. Small as they are, these little “hookups” give excellent re- sults, requiring no aerial other than a piece of wire which can be hung out of the window. GRATER FITS DISH, SAVES FOOD PARTICLES Intended for grating vegetables, choco- late, or similar substances without waste or spilling, a grater has been invented which fits snugly on the rim ofa cup or measuring bowl and causes the particles to fall directly into the dish. The device is held in place by a lip which curves over the edge of the vessel and the article may be rasping surface. The rubbed over its utensil is made of tin and its openings are so arranged that they can be easily cleaned. @ White arsenic is being produced in a Montana gold mine as a profitable by- product. MECHANICS AUTOS WORTH TEN BILLIONS COST BILLIONS TO RUN Official estimates place the number of motor vehicles owned and operated in the United States at 14,000,000, the investment represented being about $10,000,000,000 and the total cost of maintenance close to $5,600,000,000 a year. This amount is said to equal more than half of all taxes. It is contended that payments made by owners of motor vehicles for highway service should be in proportion to the benefits re- ceived; that taxation should not be uni- form but should correspond to the high- way facilities of the different states. SLOT TAKES PLACE OF RINGS IN THINNER NOTEBOOK Opening flat and weighing considerably less than similar notebooks, a loose-leaf holder for memoranda has been devised that is quickly filled with a “cartridge” of perforated pages. Into the one-piece cov- er is fastened a grooved metal slot for fas- tening the filler. This is inserted in one movement on a clip arrangement of metal slips. The pages are securely held, do not — ~~ 44 ‘ 1. ~~ ee Movement into Notebook stick or become loosened while being turned, and the rings are so small that they add but little to the weight of the book. EGGS SCOURED WITH SAND TO CHEAT PUBLIC Food inspectors in California are re- ported to have discovered that storage eggs whitened by a “sand-blast” process which made them look as though freshly laid were in the markets. Stains and dis- colorations had been removed and all evi- dences of handling so successfully eradi- cated that university experts, who at- tempted to select the freshest from a care- fully chosen lot, picked those that had been scoured by the sand treatment. The effects last only a few days.

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POPULAR MECHAN .ICS 219 MILLION-YEAR-OLD MONSTERS IN THE MOVIES rye * Posing Model of a Prehistoric Monster under Powerful Studio Lights for a Motion Picture. and Settings Are Chosen to Give the Film Scientific Va‘ue So students may more clearly visualize the tremendous changes that have taken place since the world was young, papier- mache and plaster models of monsters t! hat stalked the earth millions of years ago Realistic Backgrounds are being made by a European scientist, who shows them in movies with specially designed backgrounds of the proper period. Lifelike figures of animals and vegetation during prehistoric ages are created HEAT OF ELECTRIC IRON HELD BY CORE OF SOAPSTONE Holding a working temperature for twelve to forty-five minutes after having Electric Iron that Maintains a Workin Heat Forty- Five Minutes After Current Is Shut Off been disconnected, is the recommendation of an electric flatiron recently introduced to the hardware trade, and it is said to con- sume less current and costs less to operate than does the ordinary iron. It has a soapstone core which is held in close con- tact with the base of the implement by metal studs, and is heated by wires run- ning through it in channels, which in seven minutes furnish heat sufficient for use. The steady application of current neces- sary when using the ordinary utensil re- sults sooner or later in a short circuit, but, it is stated, this newer pattern can be heated continuously for 1,000 hours with- out detriment. EAST-BOUND SHIPS LIGHTER THAN THOSE GOING WEST Scientific experiments to ascertain the possible effect of the direction in which a ship is going upon its weight-carrying ca- pacity, recently made by a _ prominent scientist, resulted in his conclusion that a 2,000-ton vessel traveling east offers 400 pounds less resistance to the water cur- rent than it does when west-bound. This calculation, it is said, is based upon the influence of centrifugal force, which is greater when a body is riding with the tide in the direction in which the earth revolves, than when headed the other way.

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w \ little value, or ’ trade ues of pers who annu- High Prices Urge Trapper in Quest of Fur irers of such ) rapid has been the growth of the de- and for fur garments that the manu- products have been ed to import a yearly supply of skins is estimated at a value of more than billion dollars. lost of the pelts that form these ship- its are taken Now, not a single skin is ignored by the eager traders who purchase for the manu- facturers of the eastern cities. Fashion and the general popularity fur garments have attained in the past decade brought prices of the velvety hides, in many cases, from a few cents a skin to almost an equal m small ani- is trapped in e north of rope and in eria. Even s of ani- ; formerly sidered of tirely worth- have been ressed into ervice and to market nder various names it disguise as com- ly as does e process mployed to ange their ppearance. The phenom- il rise in val- dressed kins has led to enormous ‘rease in the my of hunt- and trap- number of dol- lars. Rodent pests whose only claim to existence a short while ago seemed to be to pester the grain bins, chicken yards, and crops of the farmer, now have a fur value that causes them to be hunted in prac- tically every neighborhood where they are known to live. The market for furs is rep- resented in every state of the Union, for it is a fact gener: k nown with the excep- tion of Florida, there is commonwealth which has not no v invade field | forest in irch of the iry little fur bearers. Above: Setting Trap Under a Thick Hedge. Below: Camou- flaging the Snare with Snow During the trap- ng season more than 1,000,000 shipments fresh hides arrive at the fur markets of the United States. St. Louis, the chief center for distribution The estimated total lue of this collection is placed between 0,000,000 and $60,000,000, Contrasted with the catch that reached e same point in 1877, which numbered it 12,386 shipments, the figures are be- ind comparison. At that time, too, there is possibly an animal population several mes as plentiful as it is today. In 1810, ns that brought not more than $30,000 presented the year’s supply, and many + hese probably went begging for buyers. experienced temperatures as low at one time or another as zero. With this nation-wide demand for fur, the animals that bear it are receiving more and more attention from sources hereto- fore little concerned with their commercial worth. The peak of prices for skins wa reached h i as about three years ago, and al though several kinds and grades have dropped from 20 to 25 per cent, their values are still high. In four years the price of beaver skins advanced from $17 to $38.50 each, at the dressing centers. Otter hides went from $14 to $101, and the once- scorned muskrat that brought cents before it became popular, reached the unbelievable figure of $5.10. only 36 almost 221

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ra) “Oo © POPULAR CANDLE SOCKET IN CYLINDER TO GIVE BETTER LIGHT Equipped with a socket which can be raised or lowered in a cylinder, a “tel- | Copyright, Keystone View Co Candlesticks with Telescoping Cylinders that Permit the Wax to Be Consumed without Sputtering escopic candlestick” has been patented recently. By using the device the entire candle may be consumed without sput- tering. PANAMA CANAL TOLL PROFITS FOR UNITED STATES GROW Returns from Panama Canal tolls, ac- cording to United States government re- ports, are surpassing the profits of the postofice. From May to October of 1923, the canal showed a margin of nearly $12,000,000, with a high month’s record of $2,124,830 for July. During the first six months of last year 2,604 commercial vessels passed through the channel, an in- crease of 1,091 over a like period in 1922. Approximately $375,000,000 was expended in building the waterway. BUGS, NOT COLD, TAKE BIRDS TO SOUTHERN CLIMES Scarcity of insects, owing to the ap- proach of winter, and not co'd weather, causes birds to start south when the frosts arrive, according to a western scientist. Seed or flesh-eating fowl, unaffected by the lack of bugs, survive all year as far north as the Arctic Circle. While migra- tions are largely determined by the food MECHANICS supply, it is believed that habits inherit; from the glacial ages partly influence so: species. The tern makes a continuous 11,000-mile flight between the polar gions of the north and south, while ¢ golden plover, which spends its summ: in the Arctic and its winters in Sout America, goes first to Nova Scotia as starts southward, then flies 2,400 miles to srazil. Due to the mating instinct, ex- perts believe, the spring flights of the birds are more regularly timed than are those of the fall. SCOOP NET ON STEAMER’S BOW SWELLS CATCH OF FISH Saving the labor of lowering and raising heavy seines, fish are caught and deposited on the deck of a steamer by scoop nets and belt conveyors attached to the bow of t boat. As the vessel passes through t! water, the fish become imprisoned in the meshes of two traps suspended on steel frames and set about 12 feet below the sur- face of the water. An endless chain of Copyright, Underwood & Underw Scoop Net on Steel Frame and Belt Conveyors Attached to a Fishing Steamer conveyors, running to openings at the bot- tom of the cages, catch the strugglin captives and carry them to the deck. @ Finger prints are said to have been forged successfully. POPULAR MECHANICS

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‘ POPULAR MECHANICS ‘ oO we) ROCKET LINE TO SAVE LIVES OF SHIPWRECKED i | | | | ’ Rocket Being Used to Carry Life Saver’s Line to Wrecked Ship: This Method Has Been Adopted to Do Away with the Cannon Formerly Employed for the Same Purpose One of the recent developments in the life-saving service is the rocket line, an innovation having the following ad- vantages over the older method: it is al- ways ready for emergency, and there is no cannon to be loaded in a heavy storm. A light line is attached to the powerful rocket which lies in a trough that has been carefully “sighted.” The fuse is then ignited, and the rocket soars from its trough and crosses the hull of the ship with the line trailing. CITY GIVES FIREMEN BROOMS TO FIGHT BRUSH BLAZES Brush fires, caused by matches or hot cinders, have recently broken out in great numbers in the East End district of Pitts- burgh. The firemen have found brooms Fire Fighters Equipped with Brooms Ready tc Extin- guish Brush Fires that Menace City extremely useful in beating out these per sistent ground blazes, and at present the broom forms part of the equipment of every fireman in the service of the city. MEN OUTNUMBERED BY WOMEN IN CENSUS OF WORLD That there are more women than men in the world, is the conclusion drawn by a statistician after recent researches. Among the 475,000,000 inhabitants of the eart! there are 250,000,000 women, 25,000,000 more than the number of men, his figures show. In Germany there are 1,026 women to each 1,000 men; in Russia, 1,400 women to each 1,000 men, and in France and Bel- gium, respectively, 1,093 and 1,033 for each 1,000 men. The 1920 census reports for the United States show that there are 1,040 males to every 1,000 females in this country. The preponderance of women in foreign lands is believed to be partly ex- plained by the death toll of numerous wars in the past few generations. DPDOPITT AR WUARODTIARTTCS 9OOR

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* ll =x. Showing How the Planer Cuts Off Top or “Snow” Ice ~ | & RVESTED with powerful motor or horse-drawn saws and packed by machinery in huge storehouses, some 24,000,000 tons of natural ice are cut each vear in the United States for commercial purposes. Little of this vast amount is seen in city delivery wagons, the clear, even cakes of he artificial product being preferred nearly everywhere, and it is estimated that more than 29,000,000 tons of manufactured ice were consumed last year, representing considerably more than half of the na- tion’s ice bill of ‘approximately two hun- dred and fifty million dollars. But “putting up” ice from ponds, lakes, and rivers is still an important task to rail- ads that need thousands of tons in re- irigerator cars,and to large wholesale com- panies. To take advantage of thick ice nd to win out against the likelihood of sudden thaws, storms, and the shortage of he labor supply, machinery that saves time and work has been developed to a high degree. lt is estimated that more than 40 per cent of the total natural-ice harvest is done with power apparatus, practically every field that produces 600 tons or more having motor saws and power-driven ele- vators to hoist the cakes to the store- houses. As soon as the ice is thick enough to support the weight of men and scrapers, snow that may have fallen is removed. lhe ice is kept cleared after every storm so that it will “grow”—a protecting blanket of snow preventing it from reach- ing a desirable thickness. POPULAR MECHANICS 225 Ice Still “Grown” on Ponds Is Now Harvested by Machines The clear- est, thickest, and best ice is near the center of the lake or pond where weeds have not accumulated and where the edges have not broken or rotted. A canal or sluiceway is cut out either with hand saws or with special machinery, the worthless ice being sunk or thrown aside. » Then, with long, hofse-drawn saws, or with rap- idly moving motor-driven machines, the ice is cut into strips. In large fields, these are divided into 100-foot lengths and steered along the sluiceways by skilled men armed with pike poles who ride the “floats” in much the same way as loggers man huge saw logs in the forests. A gang saw run on a shaft at the eleva- tor cuts the floats into blocks of storage size. As the pieces are pulled out of the water and.into the house on an endless- belt arrangement, a planer shaves off the surface er top ice and gives the cakes a corrugated top so they will not stick to- gether and may be removed without break- ing. This process also insures a level floor in the storerooms, an important factor in large houses. Modern storage plants have insulated walls, floors, and ceilings and are designed on strict engineering principles. No saw- dust is used between the cakes, as it has been found that this substance within eight or nine years, rots the walls of the house and makes it unfit for use. A light cover- ee oe ee. a De Ta see. A TS? PT 24 a Aa =

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hay or a few layers of ing paper are spread over tops of the cakes and they preserved perfectly. One storage house in New k holds more than 90,000 _ It is so carefully built packed each year that the from shrinkage of the es is negligible. (he enormous production of manufacturing plants has en the natural-ice harvest irgely to rivers and lakes con- ient only to railroads. Ice ctories in New York City ve a daily capacity of 16,000 is,and those in Chicago man- facture 11,730 tons each day en operating to capacity. irgely due to the accessible irtificial supply, the ice har- vest on the Hudson River de- reased from 4,606,800 tons in he winter of 1901-02 to only 190,823 tons in the winter of 1921-22. (hat winter was not a good e year, but each season for le period shows a marked de- crease from the winter of 1901. In 1918 impetus was given tem- porarily to the natural-ice har- est throughout the country hen the United States Fuel Administration urged consum- to store as much of the itural product as ssible so as to.save idless-Chain evator and “Floats” in the POPULAR MECHANICS 2 ta) ~ coal in the manufacturing plants. The scarcity and high cost of labor, the uncertainty of the season and the relative economy of the manufactured ice, are reasons given by offi- cials of one large railroad com- pany, that stored 230,000 tons last year, for the steady de- cline in the annual cut. But this line has found it profit- able to install apparatus which will load a whole train at once near one of its lakes, and when the season is good, motor saws whir and elevator machinery clanks busily to take full advantage of the crop, for if the ice is thick and the season is long enough, a supply can be taken that will show a considerable saving for the following summer. Motor-driven apparatus is especially economical in large harvests. Twenty reports on the performance of power saws showed that they had effected a total saving of $23,000 in a harvest of 400,000 tons, each of them’ cutting 1,250 tons a day. The expense of men and teams needed be- fore was thus eliminated.

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POPULAR MECHANICS FISH ARE SENT IN CANS TO WAR ON MOSQUITOES Copyright, Underwood & Under Fish from Hatchery Being Placed in Cans Before Being Sent Out to Aid City’s War on Mosquitoes; Oil from Portable Tanks also Was Sprayed Over Stagnant Waters When mosquitoes recently menaced the health of a western city, the municipality started a hatchery where millions of small fish that feed on the pests’ eggs were raised to combat them. As requests were received, cans of the fish were sent to res- idents who distributed them in ponds, ditches, and other breeding places. Th number of mosquitoes was noticeably creased as the fry, multiplying in great numbers, continued to devour the develo, ing insects. Crude oil sprayed from port able tanks equipped with hand pumps wa also used to spread a smothering film. INVENTOR OF UMBRELLA RIBS REWARDED WITH FORTUNE Although mystery shrouds the iden- tity of the inventor of the umbrella, the man who devised the grooved rib and the paragon frame is known to have realized more than $2,500,000 from his idea. An- cient ruins of Assyria and Egypt display parasols in the sculptured stories of the life that has departed from them. It was then a badge of royalty, the nobility, or the priesthood, but was used as a sun- shade rather than as the preserver of a dry skin. When the first umbrella appeared on the streets in England, it is recorded that its bearer, the brother of Robert Southey, the poet, was mobbed, and there- after for some time any one carrying the “contraption” was chased off the streets. @ Iron and steel rust causes damage esti- mated at $3,000,000,000 in the United States annually. RUBBER TIPS ON STEM OF DIAL MEASURE SPEED OF WHEELS Speed of machinery wheels and gears c be measured regardless of their shape by a meter that is equipped with inte: changeable rubber tips that revolve when placed against moving surfaces. A hand on a figured dial shows the number of revolutions a minute. The in- strument can also be used to gauge the speed of work being cut on a lathe and to meas- ure the movement of belts, rope. drives and pulleys. All parts of the device ar« nickeled and it can be handled as easily a a watch.

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a a = POPULAR MECHANICS TREE BEARING OIL FOR PAINTS TO GROW IN FLORIDA Tung oil, a product of nuts that grow on a tree native to China, and an impor- tant ingredient in the manufacture of paints and varnish, may be produced in the United States according to tests re- cently completed in Florida. A few of the’ plants, placed in the ground €@leven years ago, have flourished to such an ex- tent that it is believed large groves of them can be'cultivated successfully. DEMAND FOR ELECTRIC POWER HELPED BY WATERFALLS Due to the rapid development of elec- tricity for industrial and household serv- ice throughout the country, total sales of electrical energy in 1923 far surpassed those Of‘any previous vears, according to a bulletin recently issued. The report for the first six months of the year shows that 35 per cent of the output originated in plants operated by water, while steam fur- nished 65 per cent of the power. AUTO SAFETY LIGHT RAYS GO TO FRONT, REAR, AND SIDE Acting as a warning signal to the front, rear, and side, and as a guide to oncoming and overtaking motorists, a three-colored running-board light has been made. The white rays thrown directly on the road beside the car serve as a warning to pass- ing motorists and prevent side-swipes on At the same time, it dark roads. shows Automobile Running-Board Light that Gives Triple Warning to Passing Cars green ahead and red to the rear, prevent- ing crashes caused by failure of either of the head or tail lights. 999 “SKYSCRAPER” IS “BABEL TOWER” WHEN TRIED IN EUROPE Corresponding in many details to an American “skyscraper,” a 16-story office building with a restaurant on the top floor hi. # Ps >” ¥ a N , - aa = ba an Sixteen-Story Office Building in Stockholm that Marks New Departure in European Construction has been completed in Stockholm, Sweden. The edifice is suid to be the highest modern business structure in Europe and may mark the beginning of a new construction era in cities where steel and other materials are available and where limited space makes this type of building practical. Resi- dents of the Swedish city have nicknamed it the “Babel Tower.” WATER CURE IN FASHION TODAY KNOWN TO ROMANS OF OLD Ruins of luxurious Roman baths and temples found near fashionable French re- sorts celebrated for their healing waters, indicate that the value of the springs was known in early times. In the Auvergne region, famous for its mineral wells, are remains of an artistic ancient building, and near by are broken stones of a splendid temple surmounted by a statue. With the fall of the Latin empire, many habits oi cleanliness were forgotten, but since that time, careful study has springs wl various chemic suited to the treatment of diseases The places are visited annually by thousands ¢ persons who partake of the heali: and enjoy the beauty of the surroundi: been given the uch contain

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230 POPULAR MECHANICS BED THAT FOLDS INTO A TABLE SAVES SPACE Mattiess and Springs Concealed in the Drawer Space of Table when Bed Is Folded. The Top Tips Back to Form the Head of the Bed Suited to small apartments, studios, and other rooms where space is limited, a com- bination bed and table is being made. Col- lapsible springs, a mattress and bedding fit into what is ordinarily the table-drawer space, and the top is lifted back to form the head of the bed. The springs, when ex- tended, are four inches longer than t] average, are comfortable, and are secure! braced on stout steel legs. The article i manufactured in various finishes and style to harmonize with other furniture. It re quires no closet or wall space, costs littl to install, and is quickly extended or folde AUTO TAIL LIGHT AND LICENSE COMBINED TO STOP THEFT Combining the tail light with the license plate, a box arrangement which cannot be removed from the automobile has been perfected by an eastern inventor to pre- _— 27 67. 6 Sains serene (BROOKLYN) & SD Roce | Illuminated License Plate that Forms Door to Tail Light, Opened (above) and Closed vent accidents and theft. The numb serve as a door to the box which holds tw strong lamps supplied with power fro: storage batteries. ~The numerals are vi ible for a block when the lights are behind them. The seal of the state and t! make of the car are also carried theit of automobiles and shifting of plate are made increasingly difficult. The bright glow tends to lessen the likelihood of rear end collisions at night. SO t] DIRECTS THEM LIKE LIGHT By guiding radio waves with a scree reflector to prevent them from spreadi: in all directions, Sig. Marconi, inventor « wireless, hopes to confine messages to limited zone, regardless of wave lengt! and thus reduce broadcasting costs. The Italian scientist is said to have develope an appliance to put back of the tran ter to keep the rays traveling within a na row path. With this device, a messag sent from London to New York might | heard only at stations near the receivi! point, but would be kept from “listener in” in Spain or Sweden, for instance. TT! inventor believes that the reflector will d: crease the amount of power now require for broadcasting. It also will prevent terference between different station

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POPULAR MECHANICS AMERICAN MACHINERY LEADS IN SOUTH AFRICA Writing from Elliot, South Africa, a correspondent declares that on his farm all the plows, harrows, corn planters, har- vesting machines, “in fact everything but cream separator” were made in the U. S. A., and the same can be said in the great majority of cases. In addition, he says 99 per cent of the tractors and auto- mobiles throughout South Africa are im- ported from the United States. The rea- son is the low cost of the American product. GREENBACKS DESIGNED TO FOIL “BILL-RAISING” FRAUDS To make it more difficult to counterfeit paper money and to aid in quickly dis- tinguishing various bills, uniform designs for all bank notes of the same value have heen prepared by the government. Each denomination will be so distinctive that less confusion 1s expected in handling cur- and it will be almost impossible to a $1 bill to $10, or a $2 note toa “twenty,” it is said. Old bills will be with- drawn as the new ones are distributed. At present there are 5 kinds of $1 bills, 7 dif- ferent $5 notes, and 7 separate designs of the $10 notes and certificates. rencyv, ‘raise MORE HEAT WITH LESS FUEL GIVEN BY OIL BURNER Combining the fuel with an atomizer ef- fect at the point of combustion, is the principle of a specially designed burner t ely introduced. It is said to eliminate he Illustration Shows How Oil Is Mixed and Sprayed at the Combustion Point ‘ke and the maximum heating in boilers that use oil. As the liquid reaches the firing point, it mingles nd forms a fine spray with air, gas, or team, which is forced by pressure through pipe below the feed chamber. Because the mixture occurs outside the burner, an unlimited supply of oxygen aids complete combustion. Adjustments are provided to produce a long jet or a spreading flame. obtain ‘TMHcmency CHURCH SPIRE CHOPPED DOWN AFTER IT DEFIES FLAMES Church Steeple Felled Like a Tree after It Had Survived a Fire After flames had failed to destroy a 200-foot church spire in the West, recentiv, wreckers chopped into the corner supports on the inner side to topple the spectral structure to the ground. A smaller steeple on the site was pulled over with the aid of an auto truck. Flames, which destroved started halfway up in the larger tower, mal ing a picturesque spectacle for the crowds that gat! ered that night the edifice, @ Industries used 80 billion cubic feet ‘ in 1922, or 25 per cent of the enti production of the United States. In 191 vas 1n ’ - less than o per cent ot t} e vearly output was used for industrial |

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232 POPULAR MECHANICS eo BAAVENE aay A SVS VEN 7” =\/= WTO WT TT = False weights and meas- ures often are employed by dishonest dealers to defraud their customers, the devices used defying detection through a casual inspection. In the case of the milk cans, shown in I, all of them are of the same external size, but the cutaway sections re- veal double sides. Fraudu- lent weights have been at- tached to the scales (2). Dummy walls in the can (3) and buckets (4 and 6) were deliberately inserted to deceive the buyer. The bushel basket (5) also was arranged to cheat the unsus- pecting public, the false @ sides and bottom cutting down its capacity at least a fourth. Although such de- vices are confiscated when- ever found, and their users punished, nevertheless, the loss to the public is declared to run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars yearly. A - Sz aT aT a A As. ~~ = ss A La th — A FS=rar — J — Fe AAW A A A Ad eres —, Sl = SS — A A P= yo a a . —_ v. et iS vv we le ae FS aS A. v i { “ t ¢ — To Protect Buyers from Short Weights and Measures, Such as Are Shown Above, Most Cities Maintain a force of Inspectors Who Seize and Destroy Fraudulent Devices 1 sa TXT. F A YT AasST 227s A ST Ts ae

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POPULAR MECHANICS 233 Confiscated Weights and Measures Guarding the Nation from Weight Frauds Army of Inspectors Constantly at Work Checking Standards, Save Public Untold Thousands of Dollars Every Day [ TNTOLD thousands of dollars are saved the public every day of the year through the activity of city, state, and gov- ernment officials who check weights and measures to guard against mistakes and deliberate frauds. By promptly discovering a faulty butter measure before it had been widely used in Chicago, it was estimated that purchasers had profited to the extent of at least $750,000 a year. Detection of a false lard ind meat scale was said to have kept ap- proximately $350,000 in the pockets of buyers. In one city alone, coal bills are cut sev- eral hundred thousand dollars a year through the constant checking of weigh- ing devices, according to officials. Every cale of less than three tons capacity is nuspected once a year, and stamped with an othcial seal of approval if it is correct. (hose of more than three tons are checked twice a year. To guard householders against the wiles f unscrupulous dealers who rest too eavy a hand on the meat scales, or resort to other means of giving short weight or mall measure, is the task of an army of ispectors throughout the country. Every 1 } measuring machine, from a taxi meter to a candy scale, is checked. In many locali ties, the use of scoops and cups is prohib- ited and everything must be weighed. Frequently, it is asserted, the trickiest storekeepers will have the most elabo- rate and reassuring weighing equipment known, but by clever movements or ai tual “doctoring” of the balances, they are able to cheat their customers. Dishonest dealers are haled into court, and, if con victed, fines are imposed and their weight confiscated. When a large assortment | collected, the false balances are destroved As civilization advances, the task of 11 suring correct weights and measures | become harder. sort, and balances of design ered Measuring cups of som« now cConsl emploved obsolete were ize a? but the temptation was not so great the as values were not exact and had not be estimated with scientific precision In the Bureau of Standards, in Wa ington, a complete set of weight measures is kept in sealed cases and unde constant guard. These serve as mode for the entire country. The weights are kept in air-tight cases to protect them tr dust, and at a constant temperature

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MECHANICS POPULAR VW VN VIO WIV TO II TOI OV WV WW TG] S22 SES SS aS SS SES NNO VW VON ee ietiatiiidedans oS neem | > . ae r = TARPS: at \ Se ‘ ; $F Ag “ee: } Uy \ Sask = —— ———— = | ; lier in the Lesser Antilles To Protect Both Buyers and Sellers Public Scales Have Been Installed WANN aaa aa awha aaa See Copyright, Ewing Gal es Are Used, Although, As in the Case of the Persian Spice Sel » They Are Primitive in Form lee Shown in the Center ‘es, a Bam- Rods, re Used by Public eighmaster tposts of Civilization, Sca Far Indo China Hung from ng, Crivde Sc \ utd Pas) \s = AZ O aaa pt Jae a a a aa aa at aW aa wes STP LDIF VW ae PPPS”, a Ne rooo oN rN /\o we oe Nowe i VEN x AAALMAAA AA No ee/\w/\oeoo w/oa ooo rae Nhe aS’

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We'ghing of Showing the Scales of the Near East Method Turkish Wool,

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POPULAR MECHANICS

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Set upon Long Tripods, that Are Used for Weighing Hay for Shipment by Boat Along of the Many Canals that Lower Transportation Costs in Holland

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POPULAR “UPSIDE-DOWN” BOILER Heated at the top, where the smaller amount of water permits steam to be gen- erated more quickly, a triangular-shaped hoiler is now being used in plants where oil or gas is burned. Reversing the usual vay of applying the heat from the bottom, it is unnecessary to bring all the water to the boiling point to get up steam, and so N IECHANICS 237 SAVES HEAT AND FUEL jet strike the apex of the triangle, made up of cast-iron sections of pipe resembling radiators, at the level of the top of the water, so that steam is generated befcrethe lower part has reached the boiling point. The working principle of the boiler is well illustrated with a test tube. In an upright position, it is necessary to heat all the Striking the Sloping Side of this Triangular-Shaped Boiler at the Apex, Flames from the Burner Quickly Generate Steam. The Old and New Principles Are Illustrated by the Drawings eficient has this method proved that in a recent test it was found that 85 per cent of the heat was applied directly to the water, 10 per cent went to warm the basement, and only 5 per cent was lost in the chimney and in useless radiation. The boiler, gen- erally, is said to be more efficient than the ordinary type. Flames from the oil or gas water in the tube before steam is made; with the tube tilted at an angle, the flame produces steam much more quickly, as only a small portion of the water has to be brought to the boiling point. As the boiler is heated, the cooler water flows back from the house pipes to the bottom, where it is warmed and rises to the surface. BIRTHS OUTSTRIP DEATH RATE IN WORLD’S LARGE CITIES Annual death rates in the twenty-six largest cities of the world are only about three-fifths of the birth rate, according to figures compiled by a French statisti- cian. His reports show that for every 10.000 inhabitants, an average of 250 births and 154 deaths occurred in the large metropolitan centers for the year ended July 1, 1923. Alexandria and Cairo, Egypt, stood high on the birth and mortality lists with 576 and 530 births, respectively, and 259 and 282 deaths per 10,000 inhabitants. Bombay had the highest death rate. TOOTH PASTE KEPT IN CABINET SUPPLIED BY TURN OF KEY Tubes of toothpaste or shaving cream ire held neatly and conveniently in a metal ‘abinet, within easy reach on the bath- room wall where their contents may be squeezed upon the brushes without waste or smearing, by a key tape fastened to the end of the container. The arrangement is adapted to tubes of various sizes and is at- tractively polished and easily cleansed. As the Toothpaste Is Used, Tube Is Wound on Key in Cabinet POPULAR MECHANICS 239

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Mystery Mansion Found in “Spook Palace” Niaze of Hallsand Stairways Uniting Rooms Built in Steps and Ornate Trappings Compose Wonders of Freak House {ONTAINING 144 known and representing an estimated total cost of close to $5,000,000, “Spook Palace,” a weird structure in California, is believed to be one of the largest, and probably the ost complicated, private residences in the world. Inspection of the marvelous house by experts after it had been thrown open for the benefit of the public recently, disclosed the fact that the builder sought to conceal s many rooms as possible from the eye of the ordinary observer. For instance, there are more than 2,000 doors in the building. About 10,000 windows requiring 150,000 panes of glass open out of the walls. Other materials used in its construction have been found to be the very best that could be procured. According to rooms reports, this sumptuous mansion was erected by a wealthy woman who gave little thought to expense in car- She is said to have the belief that when rying out her ideas. become possessed Ol the building, conspicuous portions of the structure, both outside and in, were left glaringly incom plete for several years at a time. All du ing its erection, the home was occupied, but few persons were ever permitted to enter its forbidden grounds. Of the great number of rooms in the four stories which constitute the spodk palace, but four or five are on the same floor levels, the variations being from six inches to several feet. necessitates ascending queer little stairways when passing through the house. They are composed of steps not more than two and a hali inches high with treads of about 18 inches and built in narrow casings that are often less than a foot and a half wide. To attain a rise of eight and a half feet in one of these stairways, 45 steps are used and there are nine sharp turns winding crazily back and forth. Eighteen steps and five turns are required to reach a room four feet below the floor of another This arrangement and descending chamber There are so which was het home, was complet- ed, she would die. That was over 39 And un til her death recent- lv, the rasping of saws and the pound- hammers had not ceased during that period of time. Kvery years ago. ng ot working almost two score ot dav for years, a force ot about a dozen artisans plied their trades in not only constructing new parts to the house, but in tear- ing out old sections as well, and rebuild- ing them in keep- ing with the wishes oft the owner. Phat the work many intricate, winding, and be wildering corrido that astranger pas ing through the building is in danger of becoming lost in their maze. Fo: the benefit of the guides, arrows are painted on the floors pointing the Way out. The puz zle is furthered by hundreds of balco nies, largeand small which invariabl open out from the wriggly stairs. hese landings are usually found in pairs, but sometime in larger groups They were built b expert cabinet mal ers who tl he delaved as much as_ possible, Doors to Rooms of Mystery used tne finest of woods The majority ot Copyright, ¢C. C. Pier “« C

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POPULAR MECHANICS == = “Crazy Quilt” of Roofs, Resembling Skyline of Closely Built Village, that Covers the Four- Story Spook Palace Many Belfries May Be Seen Standing Silent and Sentinel- like Amid Jagged Housetops of the Mystery Mansion

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9 1() them are in the centers of the rooms, on floor levels, in corners, and perched against blank walls. Invariably they are inclosed, so that climbing one of the crazy stairways is mecessary to reach one of them. Windows there are of all shapes and sizes and of the most exquisite glass. In walls, floors, chimneys, ceilings, and roofs they glisten by the thousands. And the same with the doors, which open inward and outward at the most unexpected places. Some cut in the upper stories open directly to the outside and mean a hard fall for the unwary visitor who should care- lessly step through. Others lead to cup- boards, and innumerable nooks— sometimes so small that they will only admit a book. Onedoor represents a gold- plated screen behind which is an elegant bird’s-eve maple and art-glass panel. Back of that, is the wall, bare and unfinished, not even plastered. Bathrooms number 25. In the center of one that is large and prominently located stands an old-fashioned zine tub, but in the other 24 are modern fixtures, some sil- ver-plated, and they have tiled floors and sides, decorated ceilings, and elaborate cut- glass windows. No attempt has evidently been made to connect any of the bath- rooms with sleeping chambers, but they closets, POPULAR MECHANICS are scattered at random throughout the house. So with countless chests of draw ers, which are visible and concealed Many kitchens exist, shiny with marble porcelain, and nickel equipment, and hu: dreds of sinks with running water are p culiarly located in out-of-the-way place Electric wires form a network so co fusing that its solution has almost bee: abandoned. Push buttons dot the whole interior. Sehind doors are large gong connected with a myriad of wires that have not yet been traced, but these bells do not seem to be either burglar or fire alarms. All rooms, are gorgeously furnished i1 wild assortment of things both ugly and beautiful, and as found with the rest of the equipment are hung with gold and silver plated fixtures. Fireproof vaults and but glar-proof safes are hidden about to a commodate valuable trappings and silver service plate. A magnificent pipe orga: stands in the main dining and ball roo1 which measures 20 by 40 feet and is fin ished in delicately carved woodwork. The main entrance, “Prist Hall” is 40 by 10 feet. Its ceilings are set with thousands glass prisms tl glitter in all colors of the rainbow. The front door, which is said to be worth a much as an ordinary house, is believed t have been opened only three times during known as . 1 ot gi "FL (UF an r WS! “Prism Hall,” rwyrvra yr»wewr Fy a WY Many Conspicuous Parts of the Weird Structure Were Purposely Left Unfinished on Their Exteriors. Main Entrance to the Once Forbidden House of Secrets Copyright, C. ¢ Pier « { View of aX Twasrmnov.TwvTrsftatse'=.=*¥ fret a

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POPULAR MECHANICS 241 THOTT ae TL be a geese TEs ‘ ie peg il 2") Above: Twin Bal- conies Built on Level f Floor at the Heads of Two Stair- ways. They Are Made from Finest Hand-Polished Wood and Scores of Them Are Scattered at Random Throughout the Interior Above: Gong Con- cealed Behind Richly Finished Door. Left: Stairway that Makes Nine Turns in Rise of a Few Feet. Be- low: Four Hearths and Five Radiators in Small Space. Ar- rows Point to Lo- cations

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POPULAR the owner's residence there. During all the vears of occupancy with an extensive staff of servants and caretakers, none of these were ever permitted to enter more than five rooms of the mansion and, it is said, noneeversaw more. Thesecret ofthe real reason for the existence of the house may never be learned, for the workmen knew nothing of its purpose. They were privileged to finish the exterior as they saw fit, just so long as it was in keeping with the general designs. They had to follow the one provision that the most conspicu- ous parts should not be completed on the outside. This resulted in rugged gaps in what were otherwise ornate sur- mounted by cupolas. Formerly an _ eight-story bell tower reared above the labyrinth of roots, but it toppled over shortly after being put up and was never replaced. After a generation of curious watching and speculation on the part of those living in the neighborhood, they have been allowed to enter the house of mystery and inspect its astounding interior. walls MECHANICS AIR HELD PRISONER IN TIRE BY LEAKPROOF VALVE CAP Held by a locknut to prevent its being jarred loose, a double cap for an automo bile tire valve stem has been devised t prevent any leak- age of air. It ts made inthree pieces, which fits down into the end of the valve stem and is kept in position by packing. In addi tion, there is an outer and inner cap. When these arescrewed up tightly, it is impossible for the air to e cape, according to users. - LOCKNUT INNER - / CAP one ol @ As many incandescent lights are used i the United States as in all other countrie of the world put together, according to r cent estimates. Sower, and Cornstalk Turner Complete in One and Geared to an Automobile Motor for Planting Between Rows: Kor sowing wheat between rows of standing corn, an Ohio farmer has invent- ed a motor-driven tractor drill which will seed 25 per cent more acreage a day than a horse-drawn planter. Only 38 inches wide, the contrivance fits comfortably be- tween the corn rows, which normally are Grain Is Carried in a Hopper 42 inches apart. While the grain is ben sown, stalks that have been beaten dow by rain or wind are lifted to vertical pos tion again as the machine passes. 1 sower can be constructed at moderate cost and is a time and labor-saving addition t farm equipment.

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POPULAR MECHANICS LOFTY DAM BETWEEN CLIFFS TO FORM INLAND SEA Rivaling nature’s inland seas, a lake 36 miles long capable of developing 30,000 horsepower will be formed by a towering dam built between lofty cliffs of the Dix River gorge in Kentucky. Preliminary urveys for the water barrier were con- ducted for several years before the loca- tion was finally selected. When completed, the dam will be 270 feet high, and the esti- mated cost is 7,000,000 dollars. DIVER IN CLUTCH OF OCTOPUS HAULED UP AND FREED Attacked by a huge octopus while work- ing on the wreck of a battleship at the bot- tom of the sea off the French coast, a diver nearly lost his life before his com- rades could haul him up to free him. After a terrific struggle on the floor of the ocean, he succeeded in getting one arm free and plunged his trident into the monster’s body. While he was being pulled to the urface, the ferocious fish held to him. It would not relinquish its prey until cut to pieces by the knives of his assistants after he was drawn from the water. DETACHABLE BLADES ON PEN- KNIFE FOLD IN HANDLE Having replaceable blades that fold com- pactly into the handle, when closed, a safety knife, which, it is said has many Various Sizes of All-Metal Safety Knives with Detach- able Blades Folded and Open advantages over other styles, has been pat- ented. A lock catch on the side releases and opens the hinged handle. The blade is pulled out for use, and when it is in line with the body of the tool, the handle its closed down over it, holding it rigidly in place. The article is manufactured in vari- ous styles and sizes, and is of nickel silver to prevent rust. It reduces liability of in- jury to the fingers and there are no sharp edges to tear the pocket. 243 SAFE TAKES DEPOSITS, STAMPS RECEIPT ON BANK BOOK To collect industrial savings and do away with clerical work and bookkeeping, a recording safe has been constructed for use in business es tablish- ments. It accepts deposits ee Automatic Teller that Identifies Savings Depositor, Accepts Money, and Issues a Stamped Receipt of paper money, in denominations of from one to ten dollars, prints a receipt, and stamps the depositor’s pass book. After the bank note is sealed in an envelope, it is inserted with the pass book into a folding metal frame, which is placed in the proper slot in the automatic teller. A lever is then pressed to carry the package into the vault. The device is said to encourage thriit among. factory employes, because it cen- ceals the state of their finances and elimi- nates the need of book work while paying in the installments. HALF BILLION FEET OF SCREEN IN WAR AGAINST INSECTS To combat flies, mosquitoes, and other insect pests, about 550,000,000 square feet of wire screen cloth are consumed annu- ally in the United States, according to re- cent estimates. Rust, it has been found, is the greatest enemy to the life of the mesh woven from metals that can not resist the action of moisture. It has also been point- ed out that more than 100,000,000 square feet of such screens must be discarded at the end of each season. During winter months manufacturers of the netting pro- duce almost the entire supply for the fol- lowing summer.

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244 POPULAR MECHANICS WAX MODELS SO REAL THEY DECEIVE THE EYE Wax Models So Artistically Molded that It Is Difficult to Tell Them from the Living Figures: The Two at the Right and the One at the Left Are the Only Real Ones in the Group Working with wax, instead of with clay and marble, European artists have discov- ered a new industry in the making of mod- els of men. These figures are said to be so realistic they deceive the eve and vie with the best product of the sculptor in natu- ralnes , fidelity to life, and correct s Of pose ALUMINUM COATED WITH GOLD TO RIVAL COSTLY METALS By a secret patented process, aluminum is being plated with gold, silver, and other costly metals in Germany. No. special treat ( ot the material is required be tore a piving the coati1 a it is said, and the f hed article is as attractive as wares made from the more expensive mineral Objects thus prepared are reported to be especially useful for purposes of decora ti uch as wall d ceiling ornaments nd illuminating fixtures, where lightne of advantage. It has also been found hat aluminum covered with copper or can be manufactured into various roducts at a much lower cost than when olid*brass is used. @ San Domingo is the site chosen for the erection ot an enormous lighthouse in of Christopher Columbus. ness of detail. They are being introduced to replace the foppish masculine figures often seen in men’s clothing stores. These new models are not the pretty-faced kind with staring glass eves, for their feature are sculptured, even the wrinkles and mu cular contours being exactly reproduced. CLOTH TUBE ON WATER FAUCET ACTS AS SILENCER Household ers and in\ lids need longer be noyed by t sound of ru ning water. device coi sisting of rubber soc] and a clo filter tul d oes a WwW with the « turbance. |] socket grit} the fauce firmly at when the water is turned on it flows noise lessly into the basin or bathtub. oA “mas TAFT \— . 9 2» of TE aa @eeapsAa ees & ae Cae

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POPULAR MECHANICS 245 ti VE THOUSAND FED AT ONCE COIN-IN-THE-SLOT “BOOTBLACK” AT ELECTRIC BARBECUE SHINES TAN OR BLACK SHOES ur steers weighing about 2,000 Only 40 seconds are required to polish 1 ids each were roasted in an elec- a shoe by a recently patented machine lly heated pit in the West recently, that is set in operation by the insertion of meat being served to 5,000 persons. a coin in a slot. The automatic “boot- h the temperature automatically con- ed, it required 24 hours to cook the thoroughly. The improvised oven 32 feet long, 4 feet wide and 6 feet cit ). CAMERA TO DETECT FORGERY SNAPS FACE AND NAME multaneously photographing the de- tor and his signature, a double camera ngement has been perfected by an tern inventor for use in banks and busi- houses to detect forgeries. Upon a ial plate the machine at one “snap” sters a picture of the person and of handwriting, which is affixed to a nk and kept with the photograph for ierence in case dispute later arises as to depositor’s identity or his signature. Coin-In-Slot Shoe-Shining Machine that Can Polish Either Tan or Black Footgear GRAPES ARE SAVED BY SPRAY eet ae ea ee Re Wee a OF WET OR DRY SULPHUR ac applies dressing, Drushes the toot- gear, and polishes with a cloth. One side For spraying grapes to prevent mildew, of the device is for tan shoes and the other California vineyardist has invented ade- for black. A lever, which the patron e which spreads a fine coating of wet or Pushes into labeled notches, adjusts the sulphur over the vines. Mounted on mechanism for the desired color. A cent agon, the apparatus is driven between it so inserted before each shoe is shined. TEST FOR OPTICAL ILLUSIONS PLANNED FOR STUDENTS When two trains are standing at a plat- form and one starts, why is it difficult for those in the other to tell which is in mo- tion without looking at some stationary object in the same line of vision? Why does the moon seem to race across the heavens on a partly cloudy night and the clouds stand still? Why is a person sit- ting in the dark unable to determine which of two lights is in motion and wiiich is stationary ? Exhaustive tests to de- termine the causes underlying optical illusions, such as those described above, 1S Speager ee SS or Dry Sulphur = are planned, more than three hundred students of psychology being used in the ‘rows. A blower run by a small gas experiments which are expected to be of gine distributes the powder from ad- value because of the light they are ex- table nozzles on each side. A rotating pected to shed on human nature. k in the bottom of the hopper regulates . ‘ quantity of the material used per acre @{To make it fit the height of any-age d mixes it thoroughly so that when child, an eastern man has designed a see- ist it will not clog the pipes. saw that can be raised or lowered.

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246 POPULAR MECHANICS ARCH SIDEWALK BARRICADE IS ORNAMENTAL — vee pce ee Beauty and Usefulness Combined in Protective Barricade Over Sidewalk to Provide a Covered Passageway while Chicago Skyscraper Was Being Erected In place of the usual rough and unfin- ished barricade erected to protect pedestri- ans passing buildings in the course of construction, a firm of architects in a west- ern city has designed a covered passage- ONE-MAN ORCHESTRA IN HOME USED FOR ACCOMPANIMENTS Accompaniments to phonograph, piano, or radio selections may be supplied in the home on a set of drummer’s traps rigged to an adjustable tripod stand. The outfit consists of a tambourine, wood drum, tri- angle, cymbal, two cow-bells and sticks and fits in- to a small case for carrying. The in- struments are of a size especially de- 0 signed for parlor use or in connection with dances in home. the “CRIERS’” BELLS RING AGAIN IN THE RHINELAND Town “criers” are again exercising their calling in the Rhineland. Newspapers rarely penetrate into the hamlets in the mountain districts along the Moselle. and the separatists have therefore pressed into service these survivals of feudalism. Once again they walk the streets, ringing their ancient bells to attract the attention way that is attractive as well rvice able. It surrounds one of the city’s new skyscrapers. A series of graceful arches give it the appearance of a structure. permanent of the public and reading aloud the ney and the proclamations and orders of authorities at Coblenz: SIGNAL LAMP AT GAS STATION SHOWS AMOUNT OF BILL For convenience of motorists at filling stations, large signal lamps lighted at night and which can be seen from almost any angle, show the charge for a gallon of gasoline and the cost of the amount pur- chased. Connected to tops of the pumps, they have figures large enough to be read easily by persons seated below them in automobiles. Turning cf a key changes the price for a gallon, and automatically adjusts a set of total amounts for various quantities printed on a vertical scale. @ Eight thousand American buffalo were rounded up in Canada recently to make “atmosphere” for a moving picture.

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POPULAR MECHANICS oo Ge ge ape ogee Terraced Mountain Side where Coca-Plant Slips Are Grown During Their First Yes

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POPULAR MECHANICS In the Coca Fields, Gathering the Drug Leaves which Are Packed to the Seacoast Cities for Export Abroad Sent into Native Districts and Sold Among the Indians Drug Curse Is Pall on Roof of World Chewing Coca Leaf Is Almost Religiously Practiced by Andean Indians Who Live Under Its Spell ITH the growing use of habit-form- ing drugs among the western nations, educational work is being directed toward the sources of supply of one of the most noxious of these—cocaine. Among its addicts it is better known as “snow,” and some authorities hold it to be the curse of the Occident. The principal sources of coca, from which cocaine is derived, are the Andean sections of Peru, Chile, Bolivia, and the Argentine. In the districts lying along the upper reaches of the Amazon River, the growing of coca leaves is as common as the cultivation of tobacco is in the United States. The province of Yunga, Bolivia, is the chief producing territory, the output aggregating more than 40,000,000 pounds annually. The production is constantly increasing, and it is believed that the total crop of the South American countries for the past year exceeds 75,000,000 pounds. More than three-fourths of this amount is consumed by the native Indian pop- ulation. An Andean Indian will bear up with stoic indifference while misfortune and disaster strip him of his most meager pos- sessions, but never does he permit his sup- ply of coca leaves to become exhausted. He will go to almost any length to prevent such a “calamity.” The taking of their coca with the rising of the sun has bec an almost religiously followed practice among these people up on the root the world of the southern contin« The firmness with which the coca-chie\ ing habit has practically an entire race in its grip is indicated by the ceremoni activities associated with its use. Whie: the native laborer comes to his work i: the morning, it is always at least a quarte: of an hour before he is expected to begi: his tasks. He picks out a spot upon whic! the rays of the sun will strike, and squat ting on the ground, faces eastward. As the first bright gleams of light burst ove the horizon, he extracts his coca pouch from beneath his belt and begins to sto the leaves, one at a time, into the recesses of his left cheek, crowding them in unt! the side of his face bulges. About ten o’clock in the morning, t! Indian worker generally finds that his su; ply of coca leaves is losing its strengt! At this time he takes a respite from labor to replenish the quid. Then for a period ot fifteen minutes the solemn ceremony 0! the early morning is repeated. Even the North American firms who employ the I: dians throughout these regions find it necessary to grant them morning and a'- ternoon recesses in order to renew their supplies of coca. Failure on the part ot

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ileback hun-

ployer to permit this would furnish liate cause for desertion by his la- The use of the drug is not con- entirely to the men. Wherever a er of women are gathered, in the har- fields or gossiping in groups about rude dwellings, they crowd together circle at regular intervals, and chat- ll the while go through the strange iony of feeding the coca leaves into mouths. Always it is done with the monotonous, leaf-at-a-time motion. never hurry in this performance. e raising of coca plants is almost ely limited to the eastern slopes of mountains has come 1onopolize areas to an extent although soiland ite are ad- ibly suited he varied ps, even retables h are need- r the food ply are sported on _——— — — i ls of miles the rugged ritory. he coca nt is shrub- e and its ll green ves are ped from stalk three ur times a The seedlings are started in pro- ted beds and when about one year old transplanted to troughlike terraces cultivation. The country everywhere is ep and rugged, so terraces must be con- icted on the sidehills to hold back a part the dashing mountain rain. About two rs after being placed in the terraced ds, the first crop of leaves is gathered. ese are dried on flagstones in the open After thorough curing they are baled huge primitive presses, banana leaves d burlap being used for covering, and insported by muleback to the se: acoast ties from which they are shipped to other rts of South America to be sold among Indians or to the United States and urope, where the drug, cocaine, ts ex- icted. Because of the bulky proportions of the

Among the Indian Laborers, the Continual Wadding of th: Cheeks with Coca Leaves Causes Distortion of the Face as long as he POPULAR MECHANICS 24% quid oi coca leaves, the cheek of the An- dean Indian given to the practice of chew. ing them assumes a permanent appearance of being swollen. But the effects of con- tinued use of the drug are more deep-seat- ed than this, say observers. While the chewing of the leaf is a habit far less harm ful than the use of the refined drug, be- cause of the slow assimilation, in the end the result is the same. The listless eyes and general appearance of stupor common to the natives who are accustomed to the narcotic, plainly mark them as a race of unhappy drug victims. Physical and men- tal destruction are the unavoidable re- sults of years ae of addiction to 4 the leaves, au- thorities agree. Sut all this the Indian ignores. The quid of co- ca leaves is his strength and his solace. Un- der its influence the rugged hills of the Andes are smoothed to his tired feet and the biting winds feel soft and pleasant to his sun-beaten cheek. His body - wrack- ing tasks are lightened and his means of existence be- come bearable -<< - -e -ee e C= . a ae ae ee

has access to the leaf which gives him solace and rest. Travelers who have penetrated to the mountainous fastness of the Andes, report having seen bands of workers, often num- bering more than a score, squatting gro- tesquely on a wind-swept mountain side, solemnly stoking coca leaves into their cheeks and awaiting the reaction of the crude drug they contain. When the influ- ence of the drug has taken effect they re- sume their tasks until its powers wear out. With a system of education that will appeal to the worker, it is hoped by those interested in the movement to reduce pro- duction of the drug, not only to suppress the general sale of the leaves but to sub- stitute other crops that are more needed by the thousands of languid, and often to- tally ignorant, natives, who live under the evil spell of the “snow” curse.

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250 CENTURY OF MUSIC SUPPLIED BY BAMBOO ORGAN PIPES Constructed of 120 pipes of native bam- boo, an organ in.the Philippine Islands music for more than has furnished 100 Bamboo Pipe Organ Played in Philippine Island Church for More than a Century years. The hollow reeds, of various heights and diameters to produce the proper pitch, had been so thoroughly dried, polished and seasoned in the making of the instrument that they have not been damaged by the tropical climate and have resisted the ravages of wood-devouring in- sects. The organ is said to have a mellow tone of pleasing quality. SOFT-COAL SMOKE COSTS CITY MILLIONS EVERY YEAR Smoke clouds pouring from Chicago’s locomotives, its 300,000 flats and large apartment buildings, and its 20,000 indus- trial chimneys, as the annual coal pile of 30,000,000 tons is consumed, has grown greater in recent years. It is estimated that the damage done by smoke to fabrics and the added cost of laundering amount approximately to $8 per capita, and the loss in fuel, due to improper stoking and POPULAR MECHANICS poorly constructed furnaces, is placed at Bl $7,500,000 each year. More than 43 per cent of the smoke comes from the 1,800 |o- comotives in daily service within the city. according to official investigation, so tha the contemplated electrification of the rail way lines, when completed, will reduce the smoke nuisance nearly one-half. AIR SPEED-RECORD LIMIT OFFICIALLY FIXED selieving that the maximum speed the air which is possible without risk to human life has been attained, ficials of the bureau of naval aeronautics | have prohibited, for the time being, furt official contests between fliers, it wa nounced recently. The action was take’ after an aviator had two narrow escape from death while shattering a world’s record at an eastern field recently Ar average of 266.6 miles an hour was mai tained by one flier over a 3-kilometer course, and another reached the highest speed ever attained by man, doing part of the distance at the rate of 274.2 miles an hour. WHEEL ON SHEAR SHARPENER MOVES VISE, TURNS STONE By the turning of a handwheel on a shear sharpener recently put on the market, scissors placed on the machine for dressing are passed over a revolving grindstone while held by a moving vise Any bevel desired may be produced on the cutting edges by adjusting a set screw The sharpener is strongly built and is of Scissor Sharpener with Vise and Handwheel that Moves Tool across Revolving Grindstone special advantage to cloth cutters and barbers. It is said to give a perfectly ev: edge to the tool and to have no delicate parts. a

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red at BURGLAR INSURANCE RATE CUT 3 per BY DOG AS A WATCHMAN 800) Io. e city. er burglar insurance rates for per- » tha ‘ eeping a dog, have been announced € rail e company. It does not matter educe er it is a toy poodle, a ferocious h bull, or just a plain yellow cur. said to be the first recognition of nd of the efficiency of animals as T g ans of property. are AMOUNT OF LUMBER IN TREE IS oenies EASURED BEFORE FELLING ile-a tree still stands in its forest the number of board feet of lumber it ( ins can be measured with a fair de- o7 {accuracy by an instrument recently rate Tripod Scale for Measuring Board Feet of Lumber Before the Tree Is Felled that tented. A great saving of time results, ell as a reduction in the number of nd rkers required to survey a timber tract ven ce one man can rapidly and accurately riorm work formerly requiring the ser- es of twelve. Ee — POPULAR MECHANICS 251 SIX-FOOT WARSHIP HAS GUNS, RADIO AND ENGINES Complete from wireless aerials to keel, a miniature battleship has been con- Model Battleship that Can Fire Broadside Direction and Has Radio Equipment in Any structed by an inventor in New Jersey. The vessel weighs 500 pounds, is 5 feet 9 inches in length, and can float and fight. Operated by a series of levers, the craft can be set to start or stop at any time, and the guns can be adjusted to fire in any direction. The ordnance equip- ment consists of five pieces to each broad- side, one machine gun and two anti-air- craft howitzers giving the ship a firing capacity of 120 shots per minute. PASTE FOR MANY USES STICKS LIKE CEMENT OR GLUE Adhesive qualities of the strongest glue, cement, or mucilage, are said to be com- bined in a transpatent paste being manu- factured by awest- ern man. It will securely bind to- gether a wide vari- ety of materials such as glass or stone to wood, the maker asserts, but will not stick to the fingers. It is contained in a tube, and because yf its transparency is especially adapt- ed for pasting to- gether torn book or newspaper pages. It will hold firmly to varnished woods or polished metal ;, leath- er, and various fabrics, it is claimed, and dries quickly. It is said tain medicinal ingredients beneficial to the skin, also to cot!

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ca) t Ca) RAISED CHAIR FOR CHILDREN FITS THEATER SEATS Shaped to fit snugly into a theater chair, a raised seat for children has been con- structed, enabling the child to look at the From this Seat Piaced in the Theater Chair Children Can See the Show performance without standing up or climbing upon its mother’s lap. The front side of the lower frame is extended so that it provides a foot rest, and the top is wide enough to allow the small occupant to curl up when reclining. The contrivance is easily adjusted or removed by an usher and does not mar the theater seat. AUTO INVENTORS’ TESTS KEEP GOVERNMENT EXPERTS BUSY Hidden away from the owners of auto- mobiles, there are thousands of men who are working for them—seeking to make their cars give more miles per gallon, to take the bumps out of the road, to make tires wear longer, and to improve the motors. The inventors’ efforts keep a staff of government testers busy. First, probably, the device is tried out on a neighbor’s car. Then a model is shipped to the staff of engineers in Washington, who read the careful instructions sent by the inventor and put it through its paces. “Gas savers,” carbon removers, shock absorbers are received by the score. Dur- ing the war, enemy aviators learned the trick of shooting holes in airplane gasoline tanks. An inventor got the idea that the POPULAR MECHANICS fires and kindred disastrous results could be prevented by solidifying the fuel. Hic plan was to introduce albumin into the fuel and subject it to a whipping process as the housewife whips cream. The {uel was prepared and the scheme tested. ‘} engine ran for a few minutes, choked, and stalled. It refused to star again. Upon being dismantled, it found to have foundered upon fried egg: The heat of the motor had coagulated albuminous substance which the invent had brought with him and proved, wit further chemical analysis. that it wa deed the white of eggs. CANADA’S FOREST ACRES GROW HALF OF BRITISH TIMBER Representing approximately one-! of the timber resources of the British 1 pire, the Canadian forests supply lum! wood pulp, news-print and other ki: paper to all parts of the world. At recent forestry conference in Canad was stated that there are about 500,000, acres of forest land in the Dominion, 1 parts of which have not yet been touc! by commercial exploitation. The of the annual timber production is p at $600,000,000. DISH DRAINER IS REMOVABLE TO MAKE CLEANING EASY Equipped with a plate rack and a cut lery holder, both of which can be removed from the round frame of wire mes! newly invented dish drainer is rec Lasped, { Dish Drainer that Can Be Easily Taken Apart After Using and Readily Cleansed mended as being more easily cleansed t! the older designs. It is made of alu: num, is light and compact, and has rough wire ends to injure the hands. @Recent soundings place the great depth of the Mediterranean at 14,436 i )

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WwW NIGHT SCENES FOR MOVIES TAKEN IN SUNLIGHT rick motion-picture photography has eived an aid in a “panchromatic filter,” ently perfected in California. The new ention consists of a series of glass ters which reverse the rays as they enter camera and break up the light, similar he action of a prism. When the screen applied, strange effects take place. inshine is changed on the film into vonlight; red, which usually photo- phs black, comes out as white, and blue ls toward black. The sky takes on rk shadows without distortion of ob- cts in the foreground, thus producing appearance of moonlight. MOTOR SCRUBBRUSH SAVES TIME AND LABOR Designed for scrubbing the floors of rge offices and halls, a self-propelled ma- e has been invented which is said to he work of ten men. A row of brushes tached to a revolving frame whirls at speed over the floor surface as the iratus, running on two wheels geared inclosed electric motor, advances. iter and powdered soap, held in con- ers on the frame, are distributed in e path of the brushes as they rotate. Electric Scrubbing Machine with Brushes, Soap, and Water Tanks for Scouring Floors Power is supplied through a small cable vhich may be attached into a wall or lamp ocket. It winds on a revolving drum as the machine moves. A path thirty inches wide is scoured at a speed of about, 150 leet a minute. One man is required to /perate it and another follows to mop up. (he wheels have broad rubber tires to pro- tect polished floors. POPULAR MECHANICS 253 FOUR HANDS NEEDED TO GUIDE MONSTER FOUNTAIN PEN Complete in every detail and carefully fashioned after one of ordinary size, an r Writing Invitations with Fountain Pen so Large that It Took Four Hands to Guide It enormous fountain pen was used to write public invitations to an eastern advertis- ing show recently. Two young women were required to guide the utensil, which later was displayed as the central figure in one of the exhibits. The mechanism and the ornamental designs on the barrel were accurately modeled. SHIP A DAY IS WRECK TOLL FOR THE PAST YEAR Sea craft including 350 steamships and 144 sailing vessels were lost last year, not counting those under 100 tons burden, according to official information. Thirty- four were abandoned at sea; 105 foun- dered ; 43 were posted as missing; were burned; collisions accounted for 25; 214 were wrecked, and 18 were destroyed in various ways. This includes ships of all nations. In British shipping alone, more than 1,000 sailors and fishermen are lost every year, and several thousands are in- jured. In spite of all improvements in construction and navigation, seafaring remains one of the dangerous callings. Pe c sis @Bubonic plague killed off one-fourth of the world’s population in 1348.

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254 POPULAR MECHANICS ag ta Tg Tg ag Photo Courtesy American Lumberma: Area of Land Ravaged Yearly by Forest Fires Could be Represented by a Stri> of Ground One Mile Wide and Extending from Chicago to Atlanta, Georgia

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POPULAR MECHANICS 255 a NATION’S MOUNTING FIRE LOSS CUT BY SAFETY MEASURES With the nation’s fire loss for 1921, as own by insurance-company reports, iced at $495,406,012—a sum equal to re than half the annual interest on the iblic debt of the United States, enough run the navy and the legislative de- rtments of the government for twelve mnths, or nearly twice the amount dis- irsed in pensions that year—the impor- nce of safety measures and devices for itting out fires before they have gained dangerous headway is growing. Insur- ce reports show in the last few years it of 28,814 fires recorded all over the untry, 19,008 were extinguished by au- itic means, with relatively slight dam- e, before fire-fighting apparatus arrived. \ single eastern insurance company tates that losses paid by it have decreased m more than 25 cents on each $100 of urance, written during «i period when ractically no precautionary devices were talled in the plants of the insured, to ut four cents on each $100 since ad- equate protection has been obtained. MOVIE TITLES GIVEN A VOICE WITH TALKING MACHINE With the aid of an attachment for mo- tion-picture projectors recently demon- trated in Europe, the “movies” may cease » be known as the “silent drama.” The device consists of a talking machine that Motion-Picture Machine that Reproduces Voices of Characters as Film Is Run Off can be timed to the movement of the film with such perfection, it is said, that the speeches appear to come from the charac- ters on the screen. As the reels are run the lines of the play can be so reproduced as to do away with the titles and leads. GRAINS OF DUST ARE COUNTED BY GOVERNMENT EXPERT To determine how much dust the aver- age individual breathes, the government has detailed a weather-bureau expert to make an actual count of the particles in Fo Instrument Used by the Government to Determine Number of Grains of Dust in the Ai the air at the top of one of the buildis in Washington. Every day for the past year the test has contirted. The grains are collected in a machine and then count ed under a microscope, some being so small that they can scarcely be distin- guished under the lens. TRADE WINDS TO RID SAMOA OF MOSQUITOES Experiments conducted by medical au- thorities in Panama and Cuba proved that the mosquito, unless blown by the wind, travels only a few hundred yards. Acting upon this knowledge, scientists purpose to clear Samoa of underbrush and give the trade winds a clear sweep, hoping that the insects will be blown out to sea. The infection which follows the bite of the pest in that archipelago lowers vitality and subjects the inhabitants to diseases which normally would be thrown off. It is be- lieved that two years will be required to complete the undertaking. @Scholars estimate that at the end of the present century the population of the United States will be between 175,000,000 and 200,000,000.

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256 ELECTRIC DEVICE TO CLEAR FOG FROM SKIES IN LONDON Seeking to eliminate the dense fogs which sometimes hang for days over London, English scientists are experimenting with an electric machine designed to attract the Copyright, Keystone View Co. Static Electricity Condenses Fog Particles When Plates in This Cabinet Revolve Rapid'y floating particles of moisture from the air and condense them into water. The in- vention consists of a cabinet in which six- teen glass plates, side by side, are made to revolve at high speed. Static electricity is generated in this manner and communi- cated to adjustable brass balls on the out- side. A resulting discharge attracts the fog globules, and as they reach the cabinet they are condensed upon a metal plate and run off in small drops. It is thought that a large number of these machines operat- ing throughout the city on misty days may clear the atmosphere in a short time and also be of use in the harbor. MOUNTAIN OF BURNING COAL IS NATURE’S CRUCIBLE Belching smoke and fire from the cav- erns and gorges that pierce its sides and summit, a huge mountain of burning coal, in Central Asia, has formed a natural lab- oratory which manutactures many chem- As early as the fifth century, Chi- nese travelers recorded their visits to the peak, the vapors of which can be seen for twenty-five miles. A peculiar mud, dark in color, oozes from the openings in the heights. People collecting the product are forced to wear shoes with wooden soles, as leather would be burned through. Po Shan, or, to give it its English name, White Mountain, so called from the de- posits of alum on its sides, is not an active volcano. It is part of a great coal range which has been burning for hundreds of years. seal iCais. POPULAR MECHANICS CITY GIVES HOTEL FOR DUCKS AND SUPPLIES PROTECTION On the first of every October a wester; city of more than a quarter of a milli inhabitants opens its doors to more t! a million wild ducks and spreads a for them, which is never empty unti last migrating duck has started northy at the beginning of March the followi: year. Oakland, Calif., is the city, it has been able to establish and maintai: this hotel for ducks because it has a water pool of large size—Lake Merritt its midst, where the tides maintain a fre supply of sea water in the lake at all tin As soon as the first ducks arrive, the ga: deners spread for them all the wheat a: cracked corn they can eat. This area | been fenced off with a tight woven-wi: fence to keep the public out, and ther for the ensuing five or five and a | months, the birds are fed every da Shooting is not allowed, and the fow] guarded by a special patrol of policeme: who see to it that they are never disturb: They become so accustomed to hur beings that they walk among the spect tors standing outside the feeding-grou: fence. Hunters are as much interested this municipal hotel for wild ducks as ar students of ornithology, the tourists, a the humane society. + { tal ] i FELT PAD FIXED TO SQUEEGEE HOLDS CHEMICAL CLEANER Windows may be cleaned with less « fort than is usually required by means « a squeegee that has a felt pad containi: Squeegee with Absorbent Felt Pad Containing Chemic that Loosens Dirt on Window Panes a chemical, fastened close to the rubbe: scraper. As the tool passes over the g! pane, the pad, which absorbs wate moistens and loosens the dirt. T! scraping strip easily clears it from t surface. @ The world spends $?00.000,.000 a veal for matches, seven for each person being the average daily consumption.

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POPULAR MECHANICS Rising from the Water where They Rest, a Flock of Protected Wild Ducks Became L ively Background an Outdoor Pageant Feeding Time Brings Clouds of Migrating Fowls to Peaceful Neighborhoods where no Enemy Lurks to Rob Them of Life or Freedom

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POPULAR MECHANICS Slow-Speed-Camera Pictures of Chameleon Capturing a Worm with Its Long, Flexible Tongue, the St Secretion Holding the Captive Until It Is Devoured by the Reptile

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POPULAR REPTILE TOO QUICK FOR EYE “SLOWED UP” BY CAMERA By attaining an extraordinary develop- ent, the tongue of the chameleon has ecome the only means of procuring the reature’s food. This peculiar organ is ng and club-shaped and is covered with sticky secretion that holds to anything it ouches. At rest, it telescopes and folds nto the base, which is its narrowest part. action it shoots out like a flash, often , distance of six inches, to seize upon in- ts, which make up the chameleon’s diet. e ordinary-size lizard of this species can easily capture and devour a large moth within a fraction of a second. In most es the reptile supports itself by wrap- ng its tail around a twig while it reaches t for the “shot” at its prey. So quickly does the movement take place that the un- led eve cannot follow it. However, a yw-speed camera was used to show the rformance as one of the animals was for- ing for food. GLASS PANELS REPLACE GLOBE ON LAMPS FOR STREETS Modeled after the lanterns of Colonial days, street lamps, which are said to give 3U per cent more light at half the cost of other similar types, are being installed in a large mid-western city. Only five of the new lights are needed to a block, it is claimed, whereas nine of some of the older varieties were re- quired. Panels of glass replace the ordinary globes now used and are cheaper and eas- ier to repair. Building fronts, it is said, can be lighted much bet- ter by the lantern- type lamps, which also save 10 per cent in wattage. Their simple shape makes them attractive, and they are easily cleaned. They are also adjustable to a hanging fix- ture as well as to posts. @ More than one-third of the world’s pro- duction of turpentine is consumed in this country. MECHANICS 259 HOIST RAISES FIFTY TIMES WEIGHT OF OPERATOR Interlocking cog teeth in the lifting block of a newly-invented hoisting device enable the operator to raise more than Aided by Cog-Wheel Hoisting Block, One Man Lifted an Elephant Aboard Ship fifty times his own weight with ease. The mechanism is so constructed that there is no strain on the hands, the stress being ab- sorbed by the parts of the apparatus en- gaged in the interlock. GAS POISONS ROOTS OF TREES, ELECTRICITY NOT HARMFUL Illuminating gas from faulty pipes may poison the roots of trees, but ordinary electric currents never injure their vital- ity, according to a forester who recently made an investigation of the subject. He declared that the only test for gas was its odor. Boring a hole with a crow- bar or an auger about two feet from the street and two or three feet deep, will disclose its presence. Power wires, if badly placed, cause only a cutting or local burning. If no other cause for decay is known, gas may be suspected.

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260 POPULAR MECHANICS NOISELESS TROLLEY CAR RIDES LIKE AUTOMOBILE ‘ Trolley Cars in which the Usual Roar and Grind Has Been Eliminated by the Use of Automobile Brakes Instea of the Ordinary Iron Ones, and Roller Bearings With band brakes of the automobile type, and roller bearings, and weighing several thousand pounds less than the av- erage, a street car that is practically noise- less is now being used in a western city. Instead of the customary grinding and roaring sounds, the car is said to make only a musical whirring as it passes over the rails. Several innovations in construc- tion have been used. Among these are wood-inclosed steel frames, double floors insulated against sound, a special arrang: ment of the springs, and, particularly, t! lightness of the car, which weighs o1 25,000 pounds. The brakes are control! with the usual air cylinders. There four 24-horsepower motors to each c and the doors are opened and closed | electricity. It may be operated by one « two men or run in trains of two with thre men. It has seats for 50 passengers a: a maximum capacity of 150. SHELF ON HANDLE OF DRAWER IS AID IN FILING PAPERS Attachable to the handle of a cabinet drawer, a light, portable shelf has been devised for holding within easy reach pa- pers to be filed or removed. A wire bracket fits easily over the grip and the baseboard sets squarely against the drawer. PHONE IN VALLEY OF KINGS LINKS TOMBS TO WORLD Already disturbed by the diggings of sci- entists and trodden by the feet of thou- sands of inquisitive sightseers, the Valley of Kings, near Luxor, Egypt, is to be further modernized by the installation of a telephone. Connecting the city with the quarters established where explorations are in progress, a line is being built through the valley by the Egyptian gov- ernment. At the time the late Carnarvon and his party made their important dis- coveries there, only the centuries-old paths led through that region. SLICING BOARD IN BREAD BOX SAVES CRUMBS AND LABOR Designed to eliminate waste by savi: bread crumbs as well as labor, a cabinet with a slicing board that folds into it is « the market.- The device consists of a box which can hold several loaves, a _ racl board, tray, and knife, all in one compa The lid opens downward, bring- utensil. Labor-Saving Bread Box with Slicing Board and Crum! Receptacle in the Lid ing the board into a position handy for cut- ting bread, and the crumbs can be brushed into a compartment provided to recei\ them.

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POPULAR M FQUR-POUND MOVIE CAMERA’S FILMS ARE FIREPROOF ‘itable for taking short runs of film ome display, motion picture cameras rojectors of simple construction are being manufactured which are said roduce the images with the steadiness clearness of the larger apparatus. are especially adapted to vacation as lengths of film may be joined to- er forming an. “album” of family The camera weighs only four . Light for the projector is sup- om an ordinary lamp socket, and said to be no danger of fire. The be halted at any time for a “still” damaging the reel. The mech- simply operated and shows the flickering. re without SPOTLIGHT IS TURNED BY ROD AND HAS EXTENSION CORD hat it can be adjusted easily from side of a closed car without opening windows, a spotlight that can be ed or lowered by a turn of a brass » has been designed for the con- ence of motorists. Held firmly by racket, the light is turned by a small hich ends near the driver’s hand. Be- he reflector is a chamber in which a it extension cord, attached to a reel, is carried so that the lamp may otlight Adjusted by Rod that Extends inside Car Conveniently Close to Driver’s Hand , ; It remover taken about the car repairs. It also is adjustable to a a table, to provide a convenient I ali tT campers. ECHANICS 261 SHAPE OF LINER’S STERN WINS CARGOES IN ORIENT Believing that a certain ocean liner is more seaworthy than other ships because its straight, flat stern is like that of a Triangular-Shaped Stern of Steamer that Is Favored by Superstitious Oriental Sailors sampan, a form of skiff used for centuries on the coasts ot China and Japan, some merchants of those countries endeavor to have their shipments carried on that steamer. The sturdiness ot the small boats has become a tradition among the Orientals, and the likeness of the liner to the ancient-fashioned craft gives it pret- erence over more modern boats and se- cures for it full cargoe This odd belie is characteristic of the superstiti that swav the native sailors who believe that they are pursued by good and evil its all during their lives GIANT TELESCOPE TO BE SET ON TOP PEAK IN ALPS Construction on what is expected to be the world’s largest astronomical ob atory, is soon to be started on top of Mount Saleve, in Savoy, betwee Mont Blane and the Jura Alps, according to re cent reports from France. The w and will Che statior cost more than $6,000,000, five vears for completion. have a telescope nearly four feet l than the eter, considerably larger @ Decomposition caused by contact of ment at Mount Wilson, Cal., and a pows e cream with metallic surfaces in the ful radio apparatus will link the observe urn produces an iron lactate that to the outside world The location was uses the “fishy” taste frequently de- chosen because of the clear atmosphere at ted in butter, government experts have the summit of the peak, which ts 4,300 teet covered. above sea level. 9f2° DODITT AR WPRCLI ARTT CS

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— Sacking Grain Seeds which Were Carefully Selected and Graded as They Passed from the Thresher World’s Crops Seen in Tons of Seed M' YRE than 7,000,000 tons of seed are i ‘ - produced each year on the tarms of the world to supply the growers during Q The greater portion No account of the thousands of tons of potatoes, sugar and other bulky stocks seeded an- ually, is taken in this compilation. \ few part of the the planting seasons. of this is American grown. cane, vears ago the major seed required for farm and garde: grown in Europe, and only since rece have our gardeners been independent foreign producers. At present, this ar our agriculture is of vast proportiot compassing every state in the wm Today the United States has the wo largest commercial seed-growing indus! Climate and soil make the state of ¢

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POPULAR MECHANICS 263 modern seed world is, a decade ago there but tered and small areas devoted to ex- mental growing in that state, the pres- t acreage is more than 20,000 acres given to such seed crops as carrot, onion, radish, spinach, tomato, and cab- ve. These seeds are grown in a maxi- of sunshine and matured without n, and in the majority of cases without ‘aid of irrigation. The sunshine of the rvest season in that region permits nat- drying in an atmosphere free from eader in the re were ice. Seed Are Harvested Each Year and Sent All Over the World to Await the Planting Seasons d ed the sheds per- seedsmen are Phu expense thipness enormous ot long and There, forms the work out of doors. Sweet-pea and mustard seeds are pro- duced in tremendous quantities and the greater part of America’s onion seed and sets are also gerown in this section do well in the delta lands of the curing miles of barns. nature Onions vallevs and lettuce and sweet peas thrive best on these deep soils, lighter ground. Great seed-cleaning while radishes demand a machines ] ave been 4 ew pe” Gardeners Base Their Yearly Success or Failure on the Grades of Seeds Produced on Farms for Growers

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264 POPULAR MECHANICS developed, which handle each harvest sea- the tanks for about 24 hours to fer son, tons of tiny tomato, pepper, cucum Then the mass is put into long flu ber, eggplant, lima bean, and other vari- running water, which carries a eties of seeds. One ton of tomatoes pro- pulp, leaving the seed at the bottom duces only eight pounds of seed, so that it dry seed is graded by passing over sere takes more than 9,000 tons of the fruit to and is then packed for market. give 75,000 pounds of clean seed. Approxi- Celery seed is one of the most diff mately four billions of seeds are gathered of all to produce. France is the pri € ery vear on one farm alone, just to pro- source of the choice varieties of this e pl: ints for the seed fields. vet seed growers of this country have “Suaaaaeas are picked into buckets which a specialty of that crop, which is ‘ex are emptied into water-tight wagons. Pass- ingly profitable. It takes months to ing into the grinding machinery, sharp plete the cycle of celery seed. knives reduce the fruit to a pulp which ts Of the large species of different poured into barrels. Around the seed at’ seeds produced in commercial qua this time is a “pulp sack” so slippery that the sweet pea leads the list and is the one can scarcely hold the little globes be- prolific of all. Due to an almost uni tween the fingers. In order to dissolve demand, the acreage yield is the highs this coat, the pulp is allowed to remain in any seed crop. DRESS FORM OF PAPER MAKES AN EXACT MODEL SRE koi. ae Whi'e the Model Waits, a Dress Form Giving Exactly Every Proportion Is Quickly Fashioned on Her Body Finished Form Is Shown at the Left Dre forms which are exact reproduc- form, or if a woman does her own s« of a woman's figure are fashioned she needs no assistance in fitt rom strips of gummed paper stuck to an _ strips are also used in the same v undergarment on the body of the person making children’s clothing. The | for whom the dress or suit is to be made. model is light, rigid, and is quickly « When finished, the form is virtually a structed. It is not easily broken or t “paper cast” of the model, with proportions and good quality glue on the strips so accurately shown that garments fitted them together for a long time. to it do not often have to be altered when ; they are tried on. After the strips have been pasted upon the model, the “cast” is @Ten thousand young oysters produ cut down the front and back, taken off from eggs artificially fertilized in an and sewed together again. A cardboard bator were recently planted in Cold Spt base is inserted and the armholes and neck Harbor. The lot is said to be the first finished. Bothersome trips to the dress- cessfully raised in this way and will maker's are avoided with the use of this ready for consumption te five years.

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POPULAR MECHANICS WORLD-FLIGHT PLANES TO HAVE PECIAL LANDING EQUIPMENT ‘ontoon frames for alighting on water special gears to enable them to land ‘y on the ground, are features of the ited States army planes that will at- ta flight around the world. Routes the journey have been mapped out. trip is to be undertaken to test the bility of international communication - routes and to gain information on operation of different types of ma- various climates. The line of | has been laid out to avoid extreme seasons in several countries and to the cold regions in the summer. plane will carry two men, and “hops” rly 1,000 miles will be made. es 1n HOME-BAKED BRICKS PROVING POPULAR IN ENGLAND Home-baked bricks” is the slogan of tenants of an English peer of the lim. A huge kiln has been erected on iorested estate to serve two purposes ; ng employment to the tenantry and nishing them with an honest product at reasonable price. The process of brick rick Kiln Erected on Peer’s Estate to Aid Tenantry in Building Cheaply and Well requires a heat so intense that nty-four hours must elapse betore the can be entered. TELEPHONE TESTS LIQUIDS For testing the purity of liquids, French ientists are using a telephone device. ubes containing samples of mixtures to e tested are linked with an electric circuit » that the current passes through them. s any adulterant changes the resistance, e variation of the sound in the receiver ndicates its presence. \ 965 STREETS CLEANED BY VACUUM SWEEPER BUILT LIKE “TANK” Capable of doing the work of twenty men, a “tank-like’ motor-driven street- cleaning machine, has been adopted in a ' ' nl & Underwood Vacuum Motor-Driven Street Sweeper that Does the Work of a Score of Men Copyright Underw western city. The broom sweepers with which it is equipped loosen the dirt, which is then sucked up by vacuum and deposited in receptacles in the interior of the steel shell. The apparatus is said to be capable of cleaning 100 blocks of streets a day without stirring up clouds of dust. HANDY GASOLINE LANTERN HAS PUMP IN BASE Something new in gasoline lanterns is one, lately introduced, that has a pump in its base which with a few strokes produces an illumination of 300 candlepower. Its handle is al- ways ready for use, and it is claimed that the invention is safe, that it will burn upside down, will ] not spill oil wnen upset, and cannot be filled while lighted. Thechim- ney is made of mica, and the fuel tank quart of gasoline, sufficient to provide a light that will burn for sixteen hours. holds one @ Knowledge of coming weather changes shown by birds is attributed to the atmos- pheric pressure on their nerves.

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266 POPULAR ADJUSTABLE LINE-UP GAUGE AN AID TO PRINTERS For lining up page forms of type to be used on cvlindet or job presses, an east- ern inventor has perfected a device which Quickly Adjusted to Any-Size Chase, this Lining Device Saves Printer’s Time may be attached quickly to any size or shape of printer’s chase. It consists of a rod fitted by clamps to the exatt center of the chase, and supports a ruled crossbar upon which a series of adjustable steel BED MADE iNTO A CHAIR BY ADJUSTABLE MATTRESS Adjustable to various angles, so that a person may comfortably read or eat while lving in bed, a hinged section in a box-spring mattress can be raised or YER Dfrr»1 DITT a wp MECHANICS a fraction of an inch above the type ; Turning a Bed Into a Comfortable Chair by Raising the Mattress Which, when Down, Conceals a Space Pillows and Extra Bedding ae on eee 2. ae Se ee measuring blades are set at right angle locking arrangement holds the cross when the instrument has been adjusted the center, the forms are lined up by ing the steel “fingers” to the proper sp indicated on the rule and fastening t in place with set screws. The appar is easily detached and weighs only pounds. ALUMINUM TONGS FOR KITCHEN HAVE FORKS FOR JAWS When taking hot meats from cook or, picking vegetables from boiling wat housewives can be aided by alumi: tongs that have forks for jaws. Squeezing the handles brings the prongs close together, taking a firm grip on the article being lifted. A steel spring spreads the jaws apart when the pressure stops. @Scientists declare that of the known varieties of bacteria, only about kinds are believed to be harmful. lowered for a back support. Below t movable part, space has been lett a storage chest in which extra pillows bedding are concealed by the mattress.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 267 Facing Death in the Wilds of Asia Noted Explorer Tells of Adventures on Lakes and Rivers in Journey Through the Recesses of Little-Known Continent By SVEN HEDIN l )' RING the thirteen years I passed in’ sound its depth. For this purpose I had the innermost recesses of Asia, have’ taken along a collapsible boat with mast ' many notable adventures on the lakes sail, oars, and rudder. On the morning ot ers of that continent. Inthecourse ‘Sept. 21, 1906, the boat was put together journey in the years 1905 to 1908,and and I went on board accompanied by ile cro sing Tibet, | camped at the of my servants, Rehim Ali. The w hern border of Lake Lighten. This isa level, smooth as a mirror, reflected cleat large lake, discovered and named by the well-defined outlines and the oc! Welby in 1896. Our situation was yellow and brick-red colors of the us. The country is uninhabited and tain chai which rose on the so ire few pasture grounds. ‘| herefore shore cl d Was Crow ned wit! eter! \ ‘ . . . 1 : 1h! ae 1 . - trength of our caravan animals had fields and blue s Ing glaciet declining rapidly, and one morning rhe rest of the caravan, with 100 , , = ' : uund eight of our horses and mules animals and 25 met id been o | on the shore. ad ance alot fy the north ] ore to Ij vanted to draw a map of the lake and — eastern end I there the ever . Anders Hedin, noted authority M il Asia in general, has spent gt rt ‘ inge lands. These journeys, i at it l mediate risk of lingering and tet leat! the hands ) m high honors and a world-wide repu ‘ A note t riter—-he is author of nymerous valuable and weighty |! » Doct He in ho mber of nearly every scientific society in the world; is a me c the t ow he was raised in recognition of his work |! the king st ! gree he famous universities of the civilized world; the pe ! l 1 : I »w on his way to Asia for another daring journey thro ht uw 1 wl he is iried cities, grotesque and terrible customs, and where he | s t s ‘ stances on foot without water food.—Editor’s Note. ee ee ATMmORrYTFaarTroea eae |

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268 POPULAR MECHANICS Battling for Life against Terrific Storm on Bottomless Lake in Asia where Wind and Waves Threaten to Send Frail Craft on the Rocks During Night 270 POPULAR MECHANICS

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POPULAR MECHANICS 269 . fire which was to guide us in case we not finish our course before darkness | set in. My plumbline was 213 feet long, but und no bottom when we reached the nter of the lake. Rehim Ali was scared hen he saw one knot on the line after he other plunge down and disappear. “Thislake hoist the sail; we are getting fair wind!” He obeyed and had hardly finished set- ting up his simple rigging when the first squalls, ushering in the storm, came whistling over the mirrorlike lake, bellied out the sail and whipped up the waters so that they rose in mighty billows within a few minutes, threatening to upset the craft. The boat, as no bot- im,” he said, ind kept on be- tirring himself, o as to reach the southern hore as quick- ly as possible. The lake looked like a plate of glass, but we found ve had to trav- erse a greater distance than e had thought. When we fi- nally reached the shore and prang out to take our frugal meal, the best irt of the day as already over. There- fore, we has- tened our re- sped on by the sail, flew over the lake like a wild duck. The waves sprayed madly around us; their crests, whitewith foam, parted and were carried hither and thither, gurgling and hissing. I had the ropes well tightened, but so they could be released by a pull ofthe hand. The sail was filled and expanded by the wind, and | was holding the tiller with a firm grip to keep the boat in the direction past and then of the wind ent back on Where Brick-Red Mountains of Asia Are Crowned with Eternal With breathless hoard, rowing Snow Fields and Glistening Glaciers speed we swept in an easterly by one sand- direction, within a short distance from strewn neck of land after the other. They he south shore. [ was looking eastward and devoting ill my attention to mapping the outlines of the southern shore. In the meantime Rehim Ali was busy rowing, his eyes turned toward the west. He kept scan- ning the westerly horizon, without saying a word. Gradually he became uneasy, and at last he whispered, in a voice almost smothered by fright: “There's a storm brewing in the west—it will break in a little while!” | turned around. The sight was indeed alarming. From the western plain there rolled over the lake dense, yellow clouds, edged in below with dusky stripes. They looked like immense pillows and mat- tresses, and whirled along with them a deal of dust. “Had we servant. ‘No, we go on. not better land?” asked my ] You set the mast and were surrounded by shallows, and it we had struck upon the bar the boat would have capsized, filled with water and gone down like a stone. Frantically Rehim Ali ejaculated prayer: “Jah Allah, jah Allah!” Fora while he looked like a hedgehog that rolls itself up for defense, but finally, paralyzed with fright at the spectral billows, he sank down and lay like a corpse. The storm had now grown to a hurri cane; the danger was imminent that the mast might snap off and that I should lose all control over my frail craft. Impene trable as the gloom was, I had to guard against our being flung on the east shore by the maddened gale, for the reefs would have dashed us to pieces. So I had to keep at the helm and | shouted to Rehim Ali: “Keep a good lookout!” but he heard nothing—he failed to move. One dreary hour passed after another POPULAR MECHANICS 271

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270 POPULAR MECHANICS Primitive Devices for Hoisting Water frora the Rivers for Irrigation with the Aid of Horses or Oxen that Are Still Used in Asia, and a Party of Explorers

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POPULAR MECHANICS Vhat an endless night! But at last in the idst of all the turmoil a heavy sound of peculiar kind reached my ear, and a minutes later I discerned the white lzes of the breakers beating against e shore. “The next wave will hurl us on the hore! Jump out and take hold of the it!” | called to my servant, but the stu- r still bound him. So I let go the rope, him overboard and jumped out self on the other side. Now the poor llow came to his senses, and with united forts we hauled the boat up at the same oment the returning wave was about to itch it out again to the open lake. We had been in the water from the ist down, and the water on our clothes ned to ice. However, we did what we uld to overcome the effects of this rve-racking bath. \long in the night we saw a glimmer of zht in the north. Some of our party, uxious about our long absence, had gone it to search for us, the man who rode head carrying a burning torch mounted a pole. At last we were safe in our arm tent! Now I come to a journey of quite an- ther kind: six hundred miles down the tiver Euphrates, on a ferry driving with he current. This was in March, 1916, hile the war was raging. I had been in- ited to Bagdad by my old friend von der Goltz Pasha, who, as the highest connect- ng link between the German and the Osmani army, had been placed in com- inand of the Sixth Turkish army. _ In Aleppo I was invited to accompany, in an automobile, two officers who had rew Turkish Ferries that Are Known as “Schahtur” and Are Tied Torether to Give Greater Steadiness been charged with carrying to Mosul three automobile trucks with benzine tanks, in- vestigating at the same time the land-route over Nisibin to the last-named city. The Bagdad road had been finished from Aleppo to Ras-el-Ain, and to this point the autos were transported in the train; from there on we made use of the motor themselves. The sky was overcast. We passed the nights in our tents in the desert. The farther east we came, the worse we found the road to be. Outside the village of Bir-dava, south of Mardin, we ran fast in the sand-dunes on March 30 in such a way that there was no chance for us to extricate ourselves. he next night there were heavy downpours We dug trenches around the tent to keep the water from submerging us. For a whole week, day and night, we lay on our artificial island, imprisoned by the deluge around us. I felt infinitely glad when, on the morning of April 9, | was back in Ra el-Ain, having left behind me most of my bagga Se Near Jerablus, where the Bagdad road crosses the Euphrates, I alighted from the train and bought two Turkish called “schahtur,”’ which were tied to gether to give greater steadiness. On the ferry was laid a deck, on which a cabin was built containing my field-bed, a table, and a chair. From the bed-head I| could, through a small window, look out on the port-side over the river and the bank. On the starboard l dow, which cars r ferries side there was also a win afforded me a chance to have a sight of the right-hand river bank. The double ferry was 22 feet long and 16 feet wide, with two oarsmen at the front corner and a man at the helm in the stern. I had a crew of three men, Muhamed, Husein, and Kerit, and also a_ police-soldiet

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POPULAR “Bismillah! In God’s name!” sounded the call in the afternoon of April 12, and the terry was seized by waves of gigan- tic size and floated down stream. At night- fall we moored our vessel at the right-hand bank and passed our first night on board. The next day we resumed our voyage down the imperial river. I sat at my desk, with the compass and watch before me, and drew a map of the winding Euphrates. Evervthing went well until on \pril 18 we had an adventure which came close to putti abrupt stop to our advance. We had just passed by the large village of Raka vhen the skv became gloomy. The flashes of light e and the claps of thun- det cre ed at time e seemed to be v rapped hre id directed the men to tasten a oO clot tent on the roof of the cabin with spikes, to make it water- proot af 2 spot w here the Arabs were busy hauling up the water, we saw them tl suddenly stop and retire to their primitive oxen and it in surmising that the windows of heaven would open anon and bestow 1 enough of the liquid element tor r efforts superfluous. } } homes, driving before them their 1 rio! is I horses. | hey were on then ender thei [he rain, indeed, was brisk. The ferry made its course quietly along the right river-bank. Suddenly the rain stops, the thunder dies away, and for a moment everything is silent. But a moment later It and the 20 minutes which [ shall First the storm breaks out in majestic rage. “pet \ m. J:s) Pp ved never torget. MECHANICS a few heavy drops; then a tropical doy pour, piercing, torrential! The hurric came across the river with a stunning fect. The ferry stopped instantly in course and swung aside. The cabin ac as a cave of the winds. Within a few mj a Al e} ‘ utes billows, crowned by foam, were ro ing in over the rail. filled up with water and threatened to d with itself to the bottom tl whereon stood the cabin. Because of the tremendous pressure the storm against the cabin, the fert | le other the starboard side was squeezed lee so violet tl that the rail came to la the water Kven here the billo u in. Che slightest incre ise in the pre and down we hould go! | thet I of an eve | snatched up n ips, bool instruments, rolled up everythi: rain-cloak, and threw myself in fro1 support with all my strength the luff of the cabin—for this structure might any moment be dashed to pieces tent cover was pulled loose from its spike and tossed around in all directions. But salvation was at hand! Some d objects became discernible through vapor. These are the tamarisk trees at leit bank! we are rescued at the very moment whe The ferry rapid fer i + { ; Che terry touches firm grout we thought all was over, the storm ce ing as rapidly as it had broken out, having lasted but 21 minutes in all. B we had to stay there for a few days for 1 pairs before continuing our journey. j

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POPULAR MECHANICS 273 ESSEL OFF BALANCE [ DEFIES EFFORTS | | TO RIGHT IT | ter passing through severe storm on the fic Ocean, a vessel loaded lumber and dynamite sailed port recently with a heavy The tossing it received dur- the squall caused the cargo to t, throwing the great hull off | ince. Valiant work of thirty | for two days failed to right craft, owing to the difficulty of dling the immense piles of ber. The explosive aboard also de the task extremely danger- rough In a : Vessel s because of the cramped space. LIGHT ON BIBLE TEXTS SOUGHT IN AN ANCIENT SCROLL \Vhat is believed to be the oldest book in e world, a copy of the Pentateuch, is the ed possession of a sect of Samaritans Wrapped in Silk, the Ancient Scroll Is Carefully Preserved in a Copper Case » live in Palestine. Guarded with the tmost care in a case of copper, it is exhib ed only at feast times, and is then unco\ ed from its silken. wrappings only far enough to permit one column of the scroll to be seen. The parchment is 70 feet ng, and scholars have found that toward e end of the manuscript the name of the writer and the date are so intermingled Loaded with Lumber and Dynamite Was Thrown Off Balance by Shifting Cargo with the text that little doubt is held as to the genuineness of the document. Photo- graphic reproductions of the entire scroll are being taken for the first time and dis- tributed among Hebrew scholars. They are expected to shed light on various scrip tural controversies. DOUBLE JAWS ON CABLE GRIP TO DO AWAY WITH KNOTS Steel cables or wire ropes can be fas- tened to posts or ground anchors without the use of knots by a grip with two sets of jaws. rhe rope cannot stip, it Is said, because as the pull upon the jaws increases, their grip tighte ns. \ spring attached to the hinges prevents the hold from releasing too quickly whet the strain is removed The device is. ot especial aid in ty- ing guv wires, and ives time former- lv used in wrap- ¢r and twisting @ Coloring for electric-light globes is now put up in handy 2-ounce bottles and may be obtained in tw different The substance is easily removed wood alcohol. 1 ] eive shade with

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274 POPULAR PHOTOS TAKEN FROM AIR SHOW CROP ACREAGE MECHANICS Tak ing Pictures of Crop Fields By taking pictures of planted frelds from an airplane, government estimators are able to obtain photographic evidence on which to base their reports of crop acre- The camera used takes pictures at the rate of one a minute while the plane flies 80 to 90 miles an hour at heights of 2,500 to 7,000 feet. he actual sizes of the fields are calculated by measuring the dis inch picture with a age. tance in inches on the GERMS TO HELP RUN ENGINES BY PRODUCING GAS FUEL , one of the frases used for mo- tor tuel, 1s being etTnane produced in commercial India with the aid of germs a mixture of sewer sludge and tities in that convert sawdust into various compounds of which Che tins creatures are cultivated in air-tight tanks kept at a warm temperature. They multi- ply rapidly and by working on the mixture produce acetic acid and carbon Fas as W ell as methane. Marsh gas, frequently found in stagnant pools, is largely the result of their presence and causes decay and fer- mentation of vegetable matter. Banana stems and skins have been found to yield as much as 8l per cent methane when acted upon by certain kinds of germs. forms an important part. Above: Measuring an Air Photograph to Learn Acreage of Various Crops Left: ‘Shooting’ over Side of Air- plane while Trav- eling above Culti- vated Lands ser ine 0 My “planimeter,” and since the altitude of 1 had been recorded, the worked out in acres. Different crops are easily recognized by this method, eve when large areas are measured. In three hours, aerial pictures of 250 square mile of fields were obtained. Estimators also are enabled to gain valuable informatiot as to the condition of the crops by flying at lower altitudes. plane scale “WHITE POWER” OF TWO DAMS TO YIELD FARM RICHES Nearly 1.000.000 horsepower will made available for making fertilizing m when the Wilson Dam across th lennessee River at Muscle Shoals is co: pleted. With another dam, fifteen miles u the stream, it is estimated that the wate will supply more than 800,000 horsepowe and electricity furnished to operate a chair of factories. The fertilizer is to be manu factured from a combination of nitroget extracted from the air and phosphoric acid taken from native rock near the shoal Thousands of tons of concrete are being used in building the huge dam and power house. A steam plant, developing about 100,000 horsepower, which has been built, will supplement the other units. terial

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POPULAR MECHANIC PD 2 or = —— y= 1 { MN I Al \ i) \ O~: AN = 73 Harnessing Nearly 1,000,000 Horsepower with Monster Wilson Dam. a Part of the Muscle Shoals Project: Concrete Foundations for the Turbines Are Shown in the Lower Picture

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” ELECTRIC SCRAPER FOR PAINT DOES WORK OF TWO TOOLS :lectrically heated, a scraper has been made that softens and removes paint at the Electrically Heated Paint Scraper Melts and Removes the Surface at the Same Time same time. The heated roller melts the surface, while the cleaning tool attached 276 POPULAR MECHANICS to the same handle removes it. A cable suspended over a winding drum carries the current and makes it possible for the «& vice to be moved over a large surfa easily. JEWELRY OF ELEPHANT’S HAIR IS LATEST PARIS FAD Rings, necklaces, watch fobs, auto: bile mascots, and the like, made from bristly tuft of hair at the end of the Afr can elephant’s tail, have aroused curio in Paris. Formerly, this rare commo was used on milady’s hats, but tod from $50 to $100 are asked iny unique design required by a purcl The strands, after chemical bath, are dyed in permanent ors, combed, and electrically dried prices of : -] being cleaned plaiting and weaving of the bristles rings occupies from half a day to se weeks, depending upon the pattern, collectors are assured that jewelry from elephant hair will outlast that 1 from the precious metals. @ Fibrous material which is said to mal good paper is obtained in Jamaica ft the banana palm after the tree has be: cut down and the fruit harvested. COBBLES USED TO BUILD NOVEL PRISON FOUNTAIN the desired form of a circular fountain, without making a superintendent of a western constructed a frame of wood and iron pipe, shaped like a cross-section out- line of the completed work. To show cobblestone mold, the prison This revolved laced upricl : | placed upright in the 1 on t Wagon axie ground. Inexperienced workmen form: the ornament guided by the mo, frame. A miniature lighthouse was bu of stones placed around a galvanized form. A “run-around” near the top the tower was made on a base of wire net ting attached by several small steel rod Miniature Lighthouse and Fountair Built of Cobblestones by the Convicts in a Western Prison Who Used a Revolving Wooden Frame to Make a Perfect Circle

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POPULAR SALMON FISHING RIVALS MINES IN IMPORTANCE TO ALASKA Rivaling in importance the develop- ment of its mineral resources, Alaska’s mon fishing industry has become one of the major occupations of the territory. From a small beginning in 1878, when Chinese laborers caught and packed the fish in crude, handmade cans, the business has grown until it employs 25,000 men an- nually. Canneries equipped with the lat- est types of time-saving machinery, now dot the coasts and river banks and the value of the catch amounts to millions of dollars every year. In 1918, the peak of production was reached with a pack of nearly 7,000,000 cases. This was due to r orders and because many waters re nearly fished out at that time. Ef- forts have since been made to re-stock them and to bring the industry back to a table basis. WRINGER ON BLACKING BOTTLE SAVES FLUID Excess quantities of liquid shoe dress- r in the dauber before it is applied are removed by an at- tachment, lately introduced, con- sisting of a notched upright clamped to the neck of the bottle. lhe swab is held in a groove and turned and queezed before it withdrawn. kconomical and proper use of the dressing and in- creased durability of the leather of shoes are assured with the aid of + this device which also is more economical. MECHANICS 277 LIBRARY “DOCTOR” GIVES FIRST AID TO WORN BOOKS In a large public library of a mid-west- ern city, the average life of a circulating volume is litthe more than three months. During its frequent handling, damage to Book “Doctor” in Library Repair Room Stamping New Volume with Permanent Catalog Number both the pages and the binding results, which necessitates repairs by the “hospi- tal,” where skilled workmen mend the slightest injuries. Torn leaves are re- paired with transparent paper, and if a new cover is needed the book is sent to the bindery. More than 8,000,000 withdraw- als were made through the institution’s 45 branches last year. When new stocks are received they are sent to the repair room, where a permanent number is stamped on them and a catalog label is printed on the back. PHONE WIRES HUNG TO BOTTLES Broken insulators on the _ telephone poles have been replaced with the necks of bottles in a remote section of New Zea- land. The wire is wound about the glass and is prevented from slipping off by the collar at the top. Name Them?” are as follows: No. 68, stopper for ink bottle. comb. No. 72, liquid soap fixture. button. No. 75, toasting device. dishes. No. 79, dish drainer. No. 73, dauber for liquid blacking. No. 74, electric No. 76, comb cleaner. No. 80, artist's easel. Answers to “Can You Name Them” Puzzle HE correct names of the articles shown in the January issue under the heading: No. 65, inkwell. No. 69, rotary toothbrush. No. 70, electric clock. “Can You No. 67, hair fastener. No. 71, curry- push No. 78, lifter for hot No. 66, cuff link. No. 77, egg beater.

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POPULAR MECHANICS SHELVES ON KITCHEN CABINET SAVE SPACE Cabinet Surrx To save steps in the kitchen, shelves and cupboards for storing food, china, and cooking utensils are built around a cabinet recently marketed by a _ mid-western manufacturer. Particularly of value in apartments or homes which afford slight space, the cabinet is said to have enough ded by Shelves and Closets that Save Housewife Time and Space in Kitchen room to store practically every untensil used by the housewife. Things can be kept clean, for all compartments are closed. There are no nooks where dust can collect, as the doors have no panels and the inside corners are rounded to make them easy to wash. WATERING TROUGH FOR HOGS CAN’T FREEZE IN WINTER Insuring a constant supply of fresh water for hogs at all times, a fountain now being marketed is provided with a small kerosene heater for use during cold weather. In the warm season it requires no attention, for the flow is regulated by a control, and in the winter months the oil lamp needs refilling only two or three times a week. This heating system takes the chill off the water, making it more suitable for the animals. A swinging door over the Fountain Water toe for Hogs with Heating System for Use in Winter drinking basin keeps out dirt. The foun tain may be attached to the side of a water- ing tank for other stock, or it may be co nected with the well or pump by an under ground pipe. JAPANESE SEE QUAKE RECORD WHILE FAR FROM HOME While thousands of their countryme: were being killed and maimed and citi were laid in ruins, a party of Japanese del: gates to a scientific congress witnessed the tracings of the disastrous tremors on seismograph in Sydney, Australia, neat 5,000 miles from the scene of the recent tragedy. As the visitors were examini! the instrument at an observing statio: near the city, it began to tremble violent! Making calculations as the record pr ceeded, the officer in charge located t! disturbance as arising near Tokyo. The highly sensitive seismographs are now c pable of recording the slightest trem caused by a disturbance of the eart! crust in any part of the globe. The 1 strument is usually placed upon a concrete

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POPULAR MECHANICS pier resting on bed rock, through which the vibrations are carried to the recording apparatus, by which they are traced upon a photographic film by a beam of light. lhe direction and the distance ot the dis- turbance from the instrument, and the character of the “waves,” are determined from the readings. It is estimated that the average earthquake vibration travels it the rate of about 142 miles a minute. LIGHT FROM MOUNTAIN ROCKS MAY BE RADIO RAYS Rocks that shed a peculiar light, the rays i which are said to produce a painful rash on the skin and to rust metal, have been found on the crest of a mountain in the ids of New Pomerania in the Bismarck \rchipelago of Oceanica. Scientists be- lieve that radium or a radioactive mineral may be foundinthem. Only three persons ire said to have climbed the mountain and experienced the effect of the glow which can be seen for miles. Those who have stood where the queer light could strike them have been afflicted later with a rash that lasted for several days. An expedi- tion is to be sent out by the Australian government, it is reported, to make bor- ings into the mountain and to analyze the = CKS, LIFT-TOP BUILDING VENTILATOR HAS STORM-PROOF COLLAR \mong building utilities lately intro- duced is a device which provides any de- ree of ventilation necessary to remove impure air. It has an encircling col- lar which keeps out rain, hail, sleet, snow, and wind, thus insur- ing operation even under ad- verse weather con- ditions. When closed, the cover serves as a damp- er. With a pulley and chain attach- ment, it is easily moved. This serv- vice is performed by a single shaft when a eries of them are used in a structure. \nother feature is a fusible link which melts in case of fire, dropping the lid and cutting off the draft which otherwise might fan the flames. The apparatus is also manufactured with a glass top. 279 HUGE GRANARY HOLDS YEAR’S GRAIN FOR SMALL NATION Enough wheat to feed 500,000 persons for one year can be stored in a grain ele- vator recently built at a railroad terminal — Copyright, Underwood & Underwood Huge Granary that Will Hold Enough Wheat to Feed Half Million Persons for a Year on the eastern seaboard. The structure, said to be the largest of its kind in the world, will hold 2,500,000 bushels. Figur- ing the United States average per-capita consumption at about five bushels per year, the supply in this huge storehouse is sufficient to feed some of Europe's hungry nations for 12 months. The quan- tity that can be kept in this granary is esti- mated to be about one-fifth as much as the total crop of Iowa. HOLDER FOR EGGS GUARDS HAND FROM STEAM Lessening the risk of burning the hands or breaking a hard-boiled egg in removing it from hot water, a lifter that is made of Holder that Lessens Risk of Burning the Hands or Dropping Boiled Eggs in Lifting from Water strong silvered wire, has been devised in Europe. A spring on the holder grips two rings in place at the ends of the egg, which may be released by pressing the handle.

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280 POPULAR MECHANICS CORTES’ GARDENS STILL WONDER OF MEXICO FTER four centuries, the gardens built by Cortes, the conqueror, are still one of the wonders of Mexico. Long lines of great trees, interspersed with stunted evergreens, border the drives and stretch away in wondrous vistas. Dwarfed firs have been trimmed by the land- scape gardener, into geometrical designs, spheres, pyramids, cones, and the like, and the sight-seer gazes down a row of emerald globes which seem to grow smaller in the distance, but which are, in reality, all of a size. The Spanish leader entered Mexico with only a handful of followers, overthrew the Aztecs, and destroyed their civilization. Later, he laid out the gardens, six miles south of the capital, and they have re- mained untouched by the _ revolutions which have ravaged the country. The great soldier returned to Spain and fel! into disfavor with his sovereign, who re- paid the services of a lifetime by demand- ing to know who he was. “IT am a man who has given you more provinces than your ancestors left you cities,” was the proud answer of the grandee, who, in disgust, retired to obscur ity, and died in neglect. The impression conveyed by this park is one of somberness and tragedy, well in keeping with the life of its creator, and the care with which it is tended should preserve it for many years to come. “STEAM LAUNDRY” FOR HOME EASES WASHDAY LABOR Operating without complicated attach- ments, a washing machine for home use has been devised to cleanse clothes by forcing boiling water through the gar- ’ a Wie “Steam Laundry” for Home Use Ma Be Placed upon a Stove and Runs without achinery ments under strong steam pressure. The apparatus consists of a copper and steel receptacle equipped with a dome-shaped cover, and may be placed upon an ordi- nary coal stove or over a gas burner. As steam rises, a partial vacuum is created which forcibly drives. boiling water through perforated tubes in an inner jacket of the kettle down upon the clothes and through holes in a false bottom. Circula tion is maintained at the rate of 162 gal lons a minute and this action makes rub bing the clothes unnecessary. For articles which cannot be boiled, a geared rotating plunger is provided in the top. DUMB WAITERS IN STORE RUN FROM 6-INCH SWITCHBOARD Fourteen electric package elevators 0! the dumb-waiter type are controlled by a: operator and a switchboard in a depart ment store of one of the large cities. An) number of the “lifts” can be moved various floors by simply pressing butto: on the control panels. When an elevator: is needed, the floor attendant signa! “central” by a key at the side of the shatt A light on the board notifies the operato who then directs the proper carrier t: that point. When it arrives, the signa light goes out. After it is loaded, othe: signals are used to indicate the floor t which delivery is to be made. Each litt has a corresponding panel allotted to 1t on the switchboard with rows of light representing the floors. . STATUE CAST IN GLASS Cast in glass, and over twenty-four feet high, a statue of William Shakespear: has been made for a London park. The model was first made in clay. No figure as large as this has before been made fron glass.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 0-0-O ITH pruning-hook and hedge shears, — gardeners have changed the iwarf firs planted by Cortes, the conqueror, near Mexico City, into carved figures, ar- cades, bridged pillars, and col- umns of foliage that rival the sculptured beauty of granite r marble. The dense cover- ing of the evergreens has lent tself admirably to the pur- poses of the artist, and, with a precision almost mathemati- al, the interlacing branches whole rows of trees have been transformed into veri- table crossbeams of jade, that run the entire length of the park and seem to be sup- ported by the tree trunks whose emerald tracery has also taken on the same form and dimensions, making them resemble giant green pillars. Farther along is a perfect line f arches forming a connected whole and resembling an old Roman aqueduct, in every- thing except height, and, in the near distance, stands a mg file of inverted ever- green hearts reaching toward the sky. O0O-0-O

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°o x © CONCRETE POLE BASE CUTS REPLACEMENT COSTS In view of the fact that telegraph poles generally begin to rot at the ground line, a concrete base has been designed to Pole Base of Concrete with Metal Grips that Are Tight- ened with Strap Bolts lengthen the life of the wood and reduce the cost of replacement. Where this foundation is used, no allowarice for ex- tension of the pole into the earth need be made, as the “mount” rises above the sur- face of the ground. Two metal fixtures firmly bolted to the base, support the pole, which has been tapered to fit the socket made by three strap-bolts passing through these supports. ANCIENT LIFE SHOWN BY BONES OF MAN AND MAMMAL Fossil remains of what appears to be the skull of the first type of mammal that ex- isted on the earth more than 4,000,000 years ago, are reported to have been dis- covered in Kansas. Three skeletons of persons thought to have lived in the qua- ternary epoch, were found in France, and a skull, believed to be that of one of the first Indians to arrive on the American continent, was lately exhumed by scien- tists in California. The three skeletons were those of two men and a woman be- lieved to have lived 15,000 years ago, and the first human remains of that particular age in the epoch ever unearthed. Of fine physical development, they were evidently of a race of hunters and fighters. One of the men apparently had been killed in bat- tle, as a piece of flint was imbedded in his skull. Rude slabs of stone above the bones indicated burial rites performed. POPULAR MECHANICS STREET SWEEPER HAS WING TO CLEAN GUTTERS Leaves that collect in the gutters 0; paved streets are cleared away by an at tachment at the side of a sweeper used in a mid-western city. Whether the de- bris is wet or dry, the device, which has weights to hold it close to the curb, throws the rubbish into the path of re volving brushes by which it is tossed into a box at the rear of the cart. The col lection is then dropped in piles to be gathered up and hauled away. CORK EXPANDS WITH AIR PRESSURE IN BOTTLE Designed to prevent the evaporation of perfumes and other volatile liquids, a new form of cork has been patented by a French inventor. It has a cone-shaped hole extending inside about half way to the top, and is so fashioned that if pressure arises within the bottle, the stopper is ex- panded and held more firmly in place. MOTOR OF ELECTRIC FAN RUNS PHONOGRAPH Electric-fan motors may be utilized to operate phonographs. By removing the blades from the shaft of the fan, and fas tening the base to the top of the talkin; machine, the motor may be tilted down ward until the shaft touches the edge of Electric Fan Motor Adjusted to Run Phonograph by Friction on Edge of Turntable the turntable. The end can be trans- formed into a friction wheel by wrapping it with thread to give it a grip on the metal surface of the disk. The velocity of the phonograph may be regulated either by the thickness of cord or by the speed of the motor.

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POPULAR PLATING OF ALUMINUM NOW DONE WITH AID OF ZINC Difficulties encountered in plating alu- num with copper, gold, silver, or other ecious metals are believed to have been ved by a recently discovered process. e chief trouble had been that an invisi- e film forms on the aluminum when it is «posed to the air. By the new method, his is dissolved in a bath containing solu- ble fluorides, a little hydrofluoric acid ap- earing to act the best. A coating of zinc added to the aluminum in the plating ath. To form a gold surface, the layer of inc must be coated thinly with copper, therwise the precious metal will sink into e zinc and almost entirely disappear. PACIFIC LINER STRIKES SEA OF JELLYFISH Great masses of jellyfish, ranging in lors from black to white, were lately en- suntered off the California coast by an ccean liner. The steamer, according to e report given, plowed its way through is sea of jelly, which was visible near the irface of the water until the ship was well nto harbor. It was surmised that the seismic disturbances in the western Pacific caused the creatures to migrate. + COUNCIL OF EXPERTS BUILDS MODEL SHIPPING CRATE For shipping heavy pieces of machinery, government experts have designed an im- proved wooden crate, which is said to be much stronger than the ordinary type, although its construction requires less umber. It weighs five per cent less than the old form, occupies smaller space, and needs but two-thirds as much banding. In Shipping Crate Made by Experts to Save Lumber and Give Greater Strength a laboratory trial the new pattern with- stood 100 drops in a testing apparatus. The older one collapsed in the first fall. MECHANICS 283 WHEN OIL FAILS, AUTO STOPS, AS PUMP CONTROLS GAS By combining an oil-circulating and vacuum fuel-feeding system for automo- biles, the supply of gasoline is cut off Vacuum Tank that Is Operated Directly from the Oil Pump Instead of the Intake Manifold and the car stops whenever the lubrica- tion fails, thus warning the driver and preventing costly repair bills. The fuel is drawn from the rear tank toe one on the dash by vacuum from the oil pump in stead of the intake manifold. It follows, therefore, that a motor which is not get- ting oil will not get gasoline. It is claimed that the device results in less crankcase dilution and fewer repairs. Its single valve may be seated with a few turns from the fingers. PEARLS FORMED IN OYSTERS LEFT IN LIME SOLUTION Minute pearls, supposedly formed from larger ones which were inserted into oysters, were reported found by a Japanese scientist after he had immersed the oysters in a solution containing a high percentage of an organic lime compound and allowed them to remain there several weeks. Two or three pearls, in addition to the original gem, were discovered, though they were too small to be of any commercial value.

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284 POPULAR MECHANICS TACKLE BLOCKS MADE BY HAND MOVE GIRDERS Handmade tackle blocks, each weighing about 800 pounds, for use in handling 68-ton steel girders and swinging them into place, were necessary in the erection of a 32-story office building in a mid-western city recently. So exacting were the 're- quirements of the task, that high skill was necessary in the construction of the devices needed to sustain the heavy loads while being raised and lowered into position The edges of the plates on the big pulleys were ground to prevent injury to the cable Giant Tackle Blocks Made by Hand to Move Huge Steel Girders Used in the Construction of a Thirty-Two Story Office Building MACHINE PACKS MATTRESSES, WRAPS THEM IN PAPER Hand labor is replaced and a saving in materials results through the use of a wrapping machine for mattresses, which rolls the bulky articles in a tight bundle and cuts the paper to cover them. As many as 500 a day can be finished by the appara- Machine that and Wrapping of Mattresses Replaces Hand Labor in the Packing tus, which requires the attention of on! one man to operate it. The package pri duced is said to be dustproof, and so made that less space is required to accommodate it, thus reducing shipping and storing costs. FOLDING CHAIRS FIND FAVOR IN ARAB MARKET Sudden demand for folding chairs has arisen in Arabian markets, according to the report of an American consul, and has caused some surprise because the Bedouin are accustomed to sitting cross-legged o1 the ground or on cushions. Two thou sand of these folding seats were lately 11 ported from Austria, and local carpenters are reported to be manufacturing others t compete with the foreign product. CLOTHING IS MADE FIREPROOF BY USE OF CHEMICAL For the protection against burns and matches and bonfires, children’s clothing can be made practically fireproof if it is soaked for a few moments in a solution of ammonium phosphate. The substance coats the fabric with a resisting film which is effective until the garments are washed again. Lace curtains and Christmas trees may be treated in like manner or dipped in a strong solution of alum water with equally good results.

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ay BRE Ss OPPNotes i i — a 1 ji] ] — All Shop Notes published in 1923, in book form—Fifty Cents—from our Book Department Mounting the Grindstone By J. V. ROMIG (seers of various diameters A and widths may be purchased com- plete with the necessary bearings and spindle, ready to mount in a suitable frame, at a price much less than that of a mounted stone, and, as “store” mountings are not always satisfactory, many prefer to purciase only the stone and build a frame to suit it. For the farm or home workshop, a substantial wooden frame which provides a seat for the operator, is recommended. A post or a wall upright in a convenient location is chosen upon which to mount the frame. Two long pieces of 3 by 4-in. stock are bolted to the upright, as shown in the illus- tration, using filler blocks as necessary, ’ ZM a TOOL REST oy ( re \ SEAT ~. Jae Ae. hv? = * t v5 4 aa 3X4" SILLS - um TREADLES Be ey if * : “ ex's IRON ~ ~~ SIDE VIEW to space the sills the proper distance apart for the grindstone bearings. A 2 by 10- in. upright is then fastened to the floor, between the ends of the sills, and jointed to the latter. The treadles are made of flat iron, bent and drilled as shown in the detail drawing, and pivoted on a %-in. rod run through the post. The end of each treadle is bent at right angles to serve as a foot rest, and the treadles are connected to the cranks by %-in. iron rods with eyes at each end. The treadles, when down, should clear the floor by at least 1 inch. The seat is made from a flat board, and may be padded and covered with bu rlap, if desired. A wooden tool rest is also | \ made as shown; this ZROD HOLE FOR - Our ~S ™ —— TREADLE DETAIL END VIEW A Very Substantial and Satisfactory Frame for the Farm and Small-Workshop Grindstone, and One that Will Appeal to the Man Who Likes to Make His Own Equipment

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286 POPULAR is adjustable, to allow moving it in as the stone wears down. Six inches above the center of the wheel a drip can is mounted on a small shelf. Just enough water should be allowed to drip to keep the wheel face wet. The wheel should be used over its whole face, so that it will wear evenly. MECHANICS The stone,if worn unevenly,can be trued by means of a piece of pipe, resting one end of the pipe on the tool rest, and press- ing against the wheel firmly. The pipe should be turned constantly, while moving it across the face of the stone, so as to present new cutting edges continually as it rolls along the rest. Wrench for Welding Torches Users of acetylene torches know how easily the torches can be damaged by rough usage. One of the most frequent HANDLE... . v ----- BENT PLATE Insert, Loosening Torch-Tip Nut; Details of Wrench Construction Below, causes of trouble is the nut used to hold the various tips. When tightening or loosening this nut, the wrench should be held at right angles to the torch tubes, otherwise it is difficult to hold the torch at all, as the effect is to push it to one side or the other. The torch should never be placed between heavy objects or in the vise to loosen the nut. A much better method is to use a tool specially made for the purpose. Such a tool is shown in the photo; it consists of a circular piece of steel plate, cut out to fit the nut. A strip of the same material is doubled and attached to the circular piece with a screw and nut, and a handle made of steel rod and threaded into the bent piece as shown. In use the wrench is placed on the nut with the handle loose so that no matter what position the flats of the nut happen to be in, the handle of the wrench can be brought to the right position and tight- ened. The screw hole is slightly off center, so that the harder the handle is pulled, the harder it presses against the cross-filed edge of the disk. Hot-Weather Comfort for Autos An automobile top, exposed to the sun’s rays, absorbs an amount of heat that renders it rather uncomfortable for the occupants, especially during the summer time. Experience has shown that the ap plication of a coat of aluminum paint to the under side reduces the absorption of heat to a great extent, and painting the outside with the same kind of paint helps still more. Practically one-half of the heat absorption can be prevented by ap- plying aluminum paint to either inside or outside. A Combined Drill and Reamer When all the holes of a lathe turret are occupied by tools and still another tool is needed on the job, some combination is necessary, and the drawing : shows how, in = === one instance, a drill and ream- er were com- Bi bined. = — A toolholder EJ ay 4 was turned to a -——— fit the turret pa hole, and drilled at the front to take the combina- tion drill and reamer, then slotted the width of the tool. The drill-reamer was made from square stock, left square at the center and slotted to take a clamping screw, which threads into the bottom part of the holder. In using this combination tool the work was first drilled, the clamp loosened, and the tool pulled out a little way to allow the reamer to clear the locating hole in the holder. The reamer is swung around TOOLHOLDER Y ee 4 i SIDE ELEVATION TOOLHOLDER FRONT ELEVATION and the drill end pushed back into the holder, when the clamp screw is tightened and the next operation performed.

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Tightening Barrel Spigots Wooden spigots of the kind used on ider and vinegar barrels are apt to leak after being used for some time, due to the cork lining becoming compressed. It can be expanded to make the spigot tight again, by taking out the plug, and holding a burning match under the spigot body, so that the flame will char the cork slightly. Roofing-Cement Holder It is very inconvenient to be obliged to hold a cement can while working on a roof, and for this reason the holder shown in the _ illustration should appeal to all who must do such work. It consists of a wooden block, with one side cut to corre- spond to the angle of the roof and three nails driven through it as shown, the pointed ends projecting just far enough to catch the roofing paper and prevent the block from sliding. The upper ends of the nails keep the can from sliding off the block.—John A. Blaker, West Auburn, Mass. BLOCK Moving Tank on Runway When moving a heavy iron tank up a wooden runway by means of a block and tackle, using lengths of iron pipe for roll- ers, it was found that the rollers were forced slight- ly into the wood, due to the weight on them, and this caused them to stop turn- ing. Increas- ing the pull on the tackle did not help, but merely caused the tank to slip over the rollers. One of the men obtained two pipe wrenches and applied them to the front and rear rollers in the same manner shown in the drawing. Turning the wrenches caused the rollers to turn while the load was being pulled up and also exerted an additional force in moving the load. -HEAVY TANK POPULAR MECHANICS 287 Motor-Driven Sieve for Foundry In foundries and elsewhere a consider- able saving of labor and time can be ef- fected by using a motor-driven sieve of the ~SIEVE FRAME A Motor-Driven Sieve that Has Been Found a Time and Labor Saver kind shown in the drawing. The sieve is held by a ring suspended from the ceiling on three cables, to prevent it from upset- ting and to permit some lateral motion. The shaft that actuates the sieve fits loosely in the side of the ring, the hole being reinforced by a small piece of sheet metal, riveted on and drilled for the shaft to fit loosely. The other end of the shait is coupled to the motor, as shown. Two brackets made of steel plate are used to support the shaft and to serve as bearings ; the one nearest the sieve has a vertical slot a trifle wider than the diameter of the shaft cut through it so that the shaft, which is bent to form a crank at this point, will oscillate at this end when rotated. The other support is simply drilled to a neat fit for the shaft. The size of the motor to use for this purpose, of course, depends on the size of the sieve; for small sieves a 4%-hp. motor has been found large enough. In use, the operator places a wheelbarrow or other container under the sieve and then shovels the sand into it. Besides being useful for sand, it can be used for sifting grain, ashes, and other materials. @To keep milling cutters from slipping on the arbor, put writing-paper washers between the steel washers and the cutters. Very thin copper or brass washers can also be used.

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eo o 8) \o 2 POPULAR A Substantial Lumber Rack The lumber rack shown in the illustra- tion has some excellent features, and JOIST ~. BOLTS ~ . 1" noo igiRON RODS 1g APART 8 SS Gy Metis 4 2 ; ' a a Sts ee F, “OV ‘ ‘ 1 \ZiRON RODS 2f'APART A Novel and Substantial Lumber-Drying Rack for the Woodworking Shop should prove a valuable addition to any woodworking shop. There are three frames, ends and center. Each frame consists of two upright pieces bolted to the floor joists, and four cross- pieces, half-checked and screwed to the uprights. The novel feature lies in the separators used in the frame. In build- ing a lumber rack, it is common practice to use stock about % in. thick by 1 or 1% in. wide; these not only waste valuable space, but are easily broken. In this rack, Ys in. iron rods are used, held in strips screwed to the crosspieces of the frame. In the two center strips, %-in. holes are bored right through, spaced 2% in. between the rods. In the bottom strip these holes are spaced the same, but are 4 in. deep only. Inthe second strip from the top, %4-in. deep holes are bored between the through holes, and in the top strip the holes are spaced 1% in. apart, and bored through. Thin stock, %, 3%, % in. thick, etc., is stored in the upper rack, and the heavier stock in the lower ones. If it is necessary to remove one or more rods, to store very thick stock, or to replace bent rods, it is only necessary to raise the rod out of the bottom hole, draw it out enough to clear the strip, and pull it out. Putting in MECHANICS new rods only means reversing the opera- tions. The rods, of course, are cut to such a length that they can be raised enough to clear the bottom strips.—M. E. Duggan, Kenosha, Wis. Replacing Wire-Wheel Rims Repairmen who occasionally have to replace a bicycle rim, know how puzzling it is to put the spokes into the new rim correctly. This difficulty can easily be overcome by securely tying every pair oj spokes together at the point where they cross, which will hold them in position until they have been attached to the new rim. A good method of doing this is to twist a short length of iron wire around them with a pair of pliers. If it is neces- sary to replace any of the spokes, thi should be done after they are in place on the new rim, in order to avoid mak- ing mistakes. Centering Round Work on Milling Machine It is a slow and tedious task to find the center of a shaft when cutting a keyway or other groove in it. To eliminate this difficulty we made a center-finding tool of the kind shown in the drawing. It consists of an iron base, a vertical guide rod,witha keyway cut lengthwise as shown, and a centering block, which is drilled to fit the guide rod, and hasa V-groove on each side. This block is provided with a pin, the end of which slides in the groove of the guide rod, and a setscrew to tighten the block on the rod at any point desired, In use the block is raised and dropped onto the shaft, which automatically cen- ters it, then the setscrew is tightened The milling-machine table is then raised and moved until the cutter is in the cen- ter of the upper V-groove —L. H. Moore, Toronto, Can.

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Building a Blower for the Forge By RAY F. KUNS Principal, Automobile Trade School, Cincinnati, O. yRACTICALLY all machine shops and | rarages are equipped with some style f jorge, often “knocked up” hastily from scrap material, but, while the making of he jorge is quite simple, many mechanics “stumped” when it comes to designing a blower. [he blower shown in the accompanying lustration was designed to supply a forge aving four tuyere irons, and, when driven at a speed of 2,000 r.p.m., it provides = -~— LUGS, |4 REQUIRED drums was chucked in the lathe, and the edge faced off until it was % in. wide. The points at which the lugs were to be at- tached were then marked on both drums, and the lugs turned, drilled, and welded in place, leaving generous fillets of filler ma- terial on each lug, as indicated in the side elevation. The separate parts of the hous- BEARINGS MADE OF GAS PIPE, 2 REQUIRED WELDEDr.~. FAN BLADE, 6 REQUIRED BEARING -“ SUPPORT SIDE ELEVATION Se oe i END eee Kk 3 Pp —iPe +14 — sTT ; + NOZZLE PATTERNS, Pa ~ | ° 20-GAUGE SHEET IRON’ | ° BENT ON DOTTED LINES,” ; aa eee” BASE —~--*L ‘nough pressure to operate all at the same a a. me, when driven by a 1-hp. motor. The laterials for its construction were found n the scrap heap. Two 12 to 14-in. brake drums are re- quired for the body or housing of the blower. In this case the drums were 14 in. in diameter by 414 in. wide. One of the A Sturdy and Simple Blower for the Garage or Machine Shop Forge Made from Scrap Materia! ing were then chucked and faced true in the lathe, after which the half-lap joint was turned. The boxes for the bearings were made of 14-in. pipe, 4 in. long. Short lengths of ¥4-in. iron rod were shaped to fit against housing and boxes, for supports, and the supports welded to the boxes as shown. The base was made from an old cast-iron 289

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290 jig base; to provide a good seat for the housing the base was set up on the lathe carriage, and a fly cutter used to cut an arc of 7-in. radius in it. The housing was then hot-riveted to the base. A piece of hard- wood may be used as a base if cast-iron is not available. The shaft was made from an old auto- mobile axle shaft, but, of course, machin- ery steel is quite as good. As may be noted, a collar was turned for the fan as- sembly to butt against, and threads chased for a nut to lock the fan assembly. The fan blades, six in number, were cut from \%-in. sheet steel, and welded to a built-up spider sleeve bored to fit the shaft. After mounting and locking the fan assembly on the shaft, the latter was placed between centers on the lathe, and the blades turned to insure that the lengths and widths were all equal. After all machine work was com- pleted, the fan was balanced by placing a rivet or rivets in the blades rquiring weight, testing for balance on a pair of POPULAR MECHANICS. straightedges. The fan was made 3 jp smaller in diameter than the housing The fan was then assembled with the bearings, and the latter placed so that the blade edges would just clear the point on the housing to which the upper edge of the nozzle is attached, the opening for the |at- ter having previously been cut; the bear- ings were then welded to the housing, and babbitted, after all machine work was com- pleted and the parts assembled. This in- sures the bearing being in alinement. The shaft should be heated and smoked before the babbitt is poured. Wick oilers, from attached oil cups, are used to lubri cate the shaft. The nozzle was made from 20-gauge sheet iron, cut to the pattern shown, i: two sections, the sections riveted together and the nozzle riveted to the hou While the design shown was perfectly sat- isfactory, it may, of course, be changed to suit individual requirements, or if differ ent materials are used. Making and Using Cross Valves A much neater and stronger pipe job can be done by using a cross valve than by using an ordinary angle valve, because INSTALLATION USING ANGLE VALVE INSTALLATION USING CROSS VALVE Left: An All-Steel Angle Valve for Use as a Cross Valve. Right: Comparative Installations the tee and nipple, which must be used with the latter, are eliminated. A cross valve can readily be made by drilling and tapping the side of an all-steel needle- point angle valve, as indicated in the sec- tional view to the left in the illustration. The run of the valve is used in the main feed line, and when the valve is closed, the liquid flows in only one direction — J. V. Romig, Allentown, Pa. Clamping a Grooved Pulley The novel pulley clamps shown in illustration were successfully adopted when it became necessary to place grooved pulley on a shaft already in place To enable the pulley to be placed without disturbing the shaft the following work was done: First, four small holes were drilled as shown and pins slightly tapered at both ends were driven in place; two holes for bolts were then drilled, and four clamping pieces drilled in the center to clear the bolts used for tightening, and at either side to suit the pins, the dis- tance between the holes being a little less than the center-to-center distance 0! the pins. The pulley was then sawed two, on the line of the bolt holes. Whe assembled on the shaft the bolts were tightened, which drew the clamps t gether; the center distance of the hol being less than that of the pins, both side of the pulley were drawn together, bind ing it securely on the shaft. q@Oil the rocker arms on overhead-valve motors at least every two days. Thu takes only a moment and prevents wea! —

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—_ lve his al POPULAR Compressing Auto Springs When installing snubbers on an auto- mobile it is necessary to pull the strap as tight as possible, and this makes it neces- sary to compress the spring, which is im- possible to do by hand or with a “C” clamp. The springs can be compressed without any difficulty by running the car in the garage doorway so that the middle of the spring is located directly under the door- frame header. The wheels are then blocked to make them stay in place and a length of 2 by 4-in. timber forced between the car frame and the header, directly over the axle, a piece of cloth being placed below the wood to prevent damage to the enamel. lhe wheel is then jacked up as far as nec- essary to attach the snubber snugly, mak- ing a nice tight job when the spring is re- jeased.—Rev. Philip Jonker, Peekskill, N.Y. Locking Drill Chuck The drawing shows an effective method of locking a drill chuck of the threaded- sleeve type. This chuck finds favor in many shops, as it is easily opened and closed by hand, but this very feature is a disadvan- tage if the chuck is run in the reverse direction. Small shops, which are compelled to utilize tools to the fullest ca- pacity, often find it neces- sary to use a drill chuck in the milling machine for holding small shank end mills, etc., and in such cases the lock shown is very useful. It can be made in a few moments to suit any size chuck by bending a piece of round steel around the chuck sleeve and forming the ends so as to bear on a flat spot filed on the shank. In use, the chuck is first tightened on the cutter in the usual way, and the ends of the lock are then squeezed together by a nut and screw, locking the chuck sleeve securely. Left-hand cutters can be held firmly in this manner, whereas it the sleeve is not locked the action of the teeth in cutting will loosen the chuck by unscrewing the sleeve, and perhaps spoil the job or break the cutter. ROUND STEEL-- FLAT FILED MECHANICS 291 Preparing Castings for Welding Welding on some work is very difficult, because the piece to be welded is of such a form or the break is at such a point that Improved Method of Doing a Good Job of Welding on Small, Irregularly Shaped Pieces it is almost impossible tO clamp it tightly in a vise for beveling, to provide a scarf for the weld, without danger of further breakage by pressure. A good method of handling such a job, if the piece is of the general form shown at A in Fig. 1, is to clamp the work lightly in a vise and then make a series of parallel cuts with a hacksaw, as shown in B. The cuts are made almost to the bottom edge and at an angle which will make sufficient clearance for the welding operations to fol- low. The end is then beveled as shown in C, breaking off the sections by the wedging action of a thin-bladed cold chisel. In case the piece to be welded is of a more irregular contour, as shown in Fig. 2, the saw cuts are made of a depth proportional to the thickness of the material, as shown i: A, and cut out asin B. The end is then bev- eled, as shown in C, by means of a file or emery wheel. When both sides of the break are prepared in this way, they are set together as indicated in D, and a good weld can easily be made.—C. R. Van Druff, McLouth, Kan. @Grease or vaseline, rubbed on the hands before starting on a dirty job, will keep the dirt out of the pores, and enable the hands to be cleaned much more easily afterward.

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292 Resurfacing Worn Worn-out pavements with large “pot- holes” may be transformed into first-class boulevards by resurfacing with sheet as- phalt. Recent developments in paving practice have shown that this can be done whenever the original base is in good condi- tion, no matter how irregular the surface may be, or from what material it is construct- ed. The work of resurfacing can be accom- plished in a few days without seriously incon- veniencing traf- fic, as only half of the street need be sur- faced at a time, leaving the other half open totraffic, where- as, when mak- ing a new pave- ment, traffic must be stopped until the con- crete base has had time to set properly. The area to be resurfaced is first thor- oughly cleaned of all foreign matter by sweeping with rotary sweepers or hand brooms. The larger “potholes” are filled with concrete, defective gutters are rebuilt, and loose bricks are either relaid or re- placed with concrete. The surface is then sprinkled with pure asphalt, heated to a temperature of about 300° F. This seems to produce a more effective bond between Above, POPULAR MECHANICS Dumping the Heated Sheet Asphalt; Pure Asphalt over the Old Pavement Street Pavements the sheet asphalt and the original surface than can be obtained if the sheet is laid directly on the old pavement. The sheet asphalt is then brought from the plant, a: a temperature a little higher than 300° F dumped just ahead of the part alread, laid, shoveled into place wit heated shovel and raked to a uniform sur face with heated iron rakes. is then tamped sprinkled wit! limestone dust and thorough! compressed b rolling with a 15-tonrolle: After rolling squares are cut out around valve _ boxe manhole co, ers, etc., the castings raised to the nev grade and reset in concrete, and asphalt laid around them The asphalt layer is allowed to thin out to a feather edge at the gutter, so as to avoid building a new gutter. In Dayton, Ohio, some streets resur- faced in this way with layers averaging about % in. in thickness, have given satis factory service for two years, with no indi cation of the asphalt pulling loose from the surface. The resurfacing cost 49 cents pe square yard.—lIvan E. Houk, City Engi- neer, Dayton, Ohio. Below, Spreading Wood Preservatives During the last 10 years it has been proved by tests performed by the U. S. Bureau of Agriculture that coal-tar creosotes are more effective in protecting wood against boring insects such as “white ants,” and Lyctus-powder post beetles, than any other wood preservative known. Wood, impregnated with the creosote under considerable pressure, has been found to last for at least 25 years. The open-tank method of creosoting wood, if carefully done so that good pene- tration is obtained, will render the wood resistant for at least 15 years. On farms where it is impossible to use this method on the wood of buildings already erected, or on fence posts, the best method is to ap- ply several coats of creosote with an ordi- nary paint brush or spray; this will add from 2 to 5 years to the life of the wood, providing it is not too old when the cre- osote is applied. By adding pigments to the oil a very neat and presentable ap- pearance will be given to the wood.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 293 Interior woodwork should be treated zine chloride, bichloride of mercury, lium fluoride, or chlorinated naptha- e. Mercuric chloride is very poisonous, as it has a tendency to come off in quantities, should not be used. nber, implement handles, wagons, etc., cannot be treated with coal-tar cre- o.ote, for various reasons, should be tored in creosoted sheds. 1 Grinding Screw Ends Sometimes screws of standard sizes are t a few threads too long for some par- ular job, and this makes it necessary to nd down the ends. If any number of rews of the same size must be ground wn in this way, a simple holder of the pe shown in the illustration will be found considerable assistance, as, with it, the rinding can be accomplished without the necessity of frequent dipping in water to eep the screw cool. (he shank or body of the tool is a short ength of 5¢-in. machine-steel rod, pointed t one end so that it can be driven into a ooden handle, and a piece of #-in. flat teel about % in. wide, bent as shown and irilled through the center to receive a ex -SCREW — a eae » TOP VIEW _., _>- SCREW TO BE GROUND _- & SHANK 4 ——_——-——_ én OS a ) \ ~~ ZFLAT STEEL +—---— GRINDER REST Simple but Effective Tool for Grinding Small Screws Rapidly mall screw, with which it is attached to he shank. The end of the flat piece is (drilled to suit the diameter of the screw to be held, just enough space being allowed between the end of the shank and the screw heads to hold the screws securely. With this holder the operator need not touch the hot screws at all as they drop out themselves when the tool is opened. in use, both parts of the tool are held together and steadied on the toolrest, as shown in the lower detail—Harry Moore, Montreal, Can. : Divider Attachment Marks Gears The divider attachment is well worth including in a repairman’s kit for its use. fulness when “pegging” gears. When several teeth of a gear have been HOLE FOR POINT OF DIVIDERS — Simple Attachment that Enables the Repairman to Space Pegs Correctly When Repairing Gears sheared off it is, of course, important to place the inserted pegs in the same posi- tion as the broken teeth, and it is for the purpose of marking the correct position that the attachment shown in the photo is used. It is made from a length of drill! rod, bent to the shape indicated and drilled for the point of the dividers. The attach- ment and dividers are then assembled, the cross leg of the attachment set be- tween two of the gear teeth, and the free point adjusted to the center of any con- venient tooth. It is not necessary to open the dividers enough to span the complete gap in the gear teeth; about half the dis- tance will do, as the dividers are used from each side of the gap. After filing or grind- ing off the remnants of the broken teeth, the surface is blued and the attachment moved across the tooth with the free point of the dividers touching the blued surface. The same process is repeated in the next tooth space and so on until the position of each missing tooth has been marked. It will be seen that the dividers are held securely at right angles to the axis of the gear, so that the lines marked will run straight across, besides preserving the correct pitch. If the lines are followed closely in drilling, it will be found that no trouble will develop from “off-pitch” pegs. @ Celluloid triangles may be written upon with anhydrous acetic acid. This may be colored to contrast with the celluloid.

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294 Homemade Pipe Bender In a Kansas shop, where it was neces- sary to turn out a number of short lengths of l-in. pipe, bent at one end to a half cir- POPULAR MECHANICS Nita Woy => A Homemade Pipe Bender that Is Attached on the Lathe, Has Been Found Very Efficient cle, having a radius of 6 in., all attempts to do this by heating the pipe, packing it with sand and then bending, and by nu- merous other methods, were entirely un- satisfactory. One of the mechanics then decided to make a bender that would do the work. In looking for material to make it, he was fortunate to find a cylindrical casting of about the right diameter. This he chucked on the lathe, reduced it to the proper di- ameter and grooved it to fit the l-in. pipe as shown in the drawing. It was then drilled out so that the side extension of an old discarded socket wrench would fit into it when the hexagon was turned as shown by the dotted lines. A small roller, also grooved to fit the pipe, was attached to the handle of the wrench extension with a shouldered bolt, and a stop was bolted to the chuck face. A length of pipe was run between the roller and the casting and between the stop and the cast- ing, the stop being behind the roller when the handle rested on the ways of the lathe. The lathe was then revolved slightly more than a half revolution, so that the pipe would spring back to a half circle when the tension was removed. This bender made almost perfect bends without dent- ing or flattening the pipe in the least.— Earl Pagett, Independence, Kan. @ The are of contact of a grinding wheel on the work has a very important bearing on the grade of wheel required. The smaller the arc, the harder the wheel should be, and vice versa. Removable Grip for Babbitt Ladle When babbitt is melted in an ordinary gas furnace the ladle handle is almost sure to get too hot to be comfortable, and it js the customary practice to cover the handle with a bunch of waste to protect the hands. This is not satisfactory, because thick waste makes the handling of the ladle diffi- cult and the waste often begins to smolder and burn. In one shop, a removable grip for the handle was made that proved very satisfactory in : use, and elimi- nated all trou- ble. A hole was drilled through the handle near the pot and a pin driven through, as shown in the drawing. The handle was then heated at the end and upset enough to enable it to be drilled and tapped for a capscrew. A length of iron pipe, slight! flattened, served as the grip, and was held on the handle by means of a screw and a ound washer, both sides of the latter being turned up so that it would slip inside the pipe. The ladle is placed in the furnace with the grip off, and, when the metal | ready to pour, the grip is slipped on up to the pin, and the screw and washer i: the end given a quarter turn. "____END OF HANDLE MADE SQUARE FOR SCREW Straightening Auto Rims Dents in clincher rims can be remove very easily by means of the simple tool | lustrated. It is merely half of a leaf spring with the shackl nee eee eye atthe end. A tapered punch spai@ ear suse to spread out - the eye to in diameter, and the end is then cut off with a hack saw to form = hook that can be placed under the bent edges of the rim. The dent readily straight- ened by pulling the tool in the di- rection indicated by the arrow.—Fred Bar- giband, Pittsburgh, Pa. | | WT | NIH SECTION OF CLINCHER RIM . 4

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A Novel Ground-Feed Sifter By DALE R. VAN HORN NEBRASKA poultry raiser has de- The agitator is hung in the frame at an A signed and built a novel ground-feed angle, as shown, by means of four heavy and grader, with which he is able sheet-metal supports, which are pivoted .eparate any ground feed into four rather loosely on heavy screws at both sups, graded according to the size of ends. Hinged to the bottom edge of the . particles, in one operation. Since all back side of the agitator is a wooden con- of the parts are such as may be picked up necting rod or pitman, which shakes the round the farm, making the cost negligi- agitator back and forth. The connecting a sifter of this kind will prove of value _ rod is split at the outer end to take a split to every poultry raiser. bushing that rides on the crank. The (he frame of the sifter v be built of any avail- bie lumber, providing . well jointed and braced; it is built to suit e size of the agitator, ich may be made from heavily built box. particular agitator 18 in. square by 14 in. | || | | | j | ep. The bottom and . =| = » are knocked out, C SS) = p are knocked out, and ae =ssour | | )ur screens tacked in Ss Lil | ice as indicated by the SS -}) | dotted lines in the side . the screen wire or cloth being first stretched light frames as shown the detaii. The coars- t screen is arranged at e top, the next size just underneath, and so on, e finest being at the bottom. What falls rough the lowest screen practically flour, and lls into the bin at the ittom. ” (he Is » L----] SupPORT SPOUT | =~ SUPPORTS FRONT OF HOPPER a I } a BS ISTSCREEN _, Y — so | °°» 2"° SCREEN, _, : pe ee ee ee ee ee ee oe SMALLER FEED ¥ a VERY FINE FEED 411 SCREEN .»|-— - - --- --——-----} FLOUR . SIDE VIEW OF AGITATOR CRANKSHAFT CONNECTING ROD SCREEN Above, Front View of Sifter, Showing Operating Mechanism; Below, Details of Construction of the Various Parts 29

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—— 296 POPULAR crankshaft is made of %-in. iron rod, as shown in the detail; it has a 3-in. sprocket keyed to one end, and runs in flat-iron bearings bolted to the frame. The crank- shaft is driven by means of a chain, from a 7-in. hand-crank operated sprocket mounted on a stud attached to one of the upper frame members. The crank has a MECHANICS 2-in. offset, gtving the agitator a motion of 4 inches. A hopper, tilted in the opposite direction to the agitator, is firmly fastened to the top of the frame, to contain the unsifted feed. The flow to the agitator is controlled by a sheet-iron door, sliding in guides nailed at the sides of the opening. Tightening Concrete Forms Concrete forms for walls are usually tightened by means of lengths of wire, which are doubled, run through the sides of the forms at regular intervals, and twisted in the center by means of a stick. This method of tightening the wire neces- sitates working within the forms, which is very often difficult. A better method, which allows the wire to be tightened out- side of the form, is shown in the illustra- tion. The chuck end of an old brace is flattened at one end, and two holes, slightly larger than an ordi- naryfence staple, are drilled as shown. The end is then slotted with a hacksaw as indicated and closed slightly to createa slight spring. As the forms are erected the wires are passed through the holes drilled for them, a staple with a washer under it being hooked under the doubled end. The two free ends are twisted to- gether and a nail inserted under them, a washer being provided under the nail to prevent the nail from being sunk into the form. To tighten the wires, the brace is slipped onto the staple and is then turned to twist the wire to the desired ten- sion. The forms can iater be removed by simply slipping the staple out of the wire and the washers will not be damaged. The holes in the staple side of the forms, of course, are large enough to take the deubled wire. ; 1Z a i N @ Frequently a solid tire run out of line will develop lumps or an uneven tread. To remedy this, take the tire to any pneu- matic-tire store and have the rubber buffed. Turning Gasoline Car on Track Turning a gasoline-propelled car around on railroad tracks can be accomplished easily and quickly by means of the device shown in the drawing. It con- ite” U-BOLTS sists of a 12-in. eS jack and a piece of g te cn 1 by 4-in. iron bar, bent to the shape shown and fast- ened to the frame of the car, in the center, with U- bolts. A hole is drilled in the bot- tom of the attach- ment to fit the top of the jack. Screw- ing up the jack lifts the car, and as soon as it clears the tracks sufficiently it can be swung around. This can be done by one man in two or three minutes. The bar, of course, is permanently attached to the car frame and the jack is always carried on the car.—L. W. Brown, Braeman, Tenn. Facing Bosses to Gauge In machining a large number of castings, the bosses of which had to be faced ti an accurate dimension A, a simple gauge was made that greatly facilitated the opera tion, and _ prevented spoiled work. The facing tool used wa of special form, a shown in the illustra tion, and a hardened steel pin was used wit it to serve as a gauge The pin was of such Ss length that, with th tool seated on its top the cutters had faced the boss to the cor rect height. Knowing that he could not spoil any work as long as the pin was 1 place, the operator made much better time than was possible by any other method. J. H. Moore, Toronto, Can.

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Curing Blowing Out of Gaskets Some gasoline engines of the type hav- i detachable head are constantly blow- out gaskets. This usually occurs at - narrow points, as between the cylinder res, or in the valve-chamber area, and isually due to a slightly warped cylinder ’ A permanent remedy for this suble is to cut two pieces of sheet cop- .005 in. thick, large enough to cover e place where the gasket blows out. One piece is placed below the gasket and other above, and the head is then imped down tightly. A new gasket ust, of course, be used in making this air.—G. C. Douglas. Raleigh, N. C. tine LITIS. Pan Catches Automatic Screw- Machine Work \lost automatic screw machines are so led that one operator can attend to sev- eral, but allowance must be made for a ertain amount of spoiled work, as the op- rator’s time must be divided between the ichines. In a factory where small wire “ls are made, the pan shown in the illus- ration is used to prevent spoiled pieces entering the box containing work sed as correct. The pan is made of sheet metal and consists of two pieces, made in the shape of half trays. One piece fits over the other as shownand has its sides extending be- yond the bot- tom other a short distance so that there will be space for the work to pass through when both sides of the pan are lifted to the position indi- ited by the dotted lines. Both sides pivot on a length of steel rod, bent to the shape hown, and passed through the hole in the box handle. A pin is riveted to the outside of the larger pan, and rests against the rod holding the pans, so that the weight of the work, which drops on this side, will not cause the pan to tip over. The operator inspects the work in the pan, and, if it con- tains no spoiled pieces, the sides are lifted and the work slides into the box below. If it contains spoiled pieces the work is emp- tied into another box. POSITION WHEN DUMPING WORK, POPULAR MECHANICS 29 of the, 2 Cutting Wire Safely Above a certain diameter, steel wire cannot be cut conveniently with ordinary pliers, and therefore a chisel is often used Left, Cutting Heavy Wire; Right, Details of Cutting Fixture for the purpose. This method is rather dangerous, however, as the small pieces are likely to fly into the worker's face, and it is also somewhat inconvenient, as the pieces are apt to be lost. A better method of cutting the wire is to use a flat block of steel as shown, with a V-groove cut across the bottom, and a hole drilled through the center for a round-shank chisel. The wire is pushed along the groove and is cut off with the chisel. To cut the wire in equal lengths, it is either nicked with a file at the points to be cut and the wire then pushed along until the nick comes directly in the center of the hole, or a weight is placed on the block and a stop is provided on one side so that the wire can be pushed up against this and then cut off. Spring wire can be cut safely in this way without any danger. Adding to Usefulness of Micrometer It is often necessary to take micrometer readings on work of the kind shown in the illustration. This is made _ possible by grinding down the head and part of the anvil about s» in. as shown, leaving a »:-in. > lip projecting. This will not affect the ac- curacy of the microm- eter and will add con- siderably to its usefulness.—F. J. Milwaukee, Wis. Haas,

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298 POPULAR MECHANICS Bench Vise with Universal Base order to apply the file or other tool Due to the limitations of the ordinary ogg Mend eee Bla ram stationary vise, a workman must oiten been devised and found very successful] stand in an uncomfortable posture in i fas a spherical base that can be ad ° justed to any position within a ——F -1h'4 arc of 90°; this makes the vise CLAMP SCREW especially adapable for use in a sembling small parts where indi vidual fitting is necessary. The constructional details a: dimensions are clearly indicat in the drawing, but may varied somewhat to suit individ ual tastes and requirements. Thi € } He RIGHT AND LEFT- HAND SCREW vise jaws slide in a T-guide that forms part of the body of the vise. A screw with right and left-hand threads, turned with a FLANGE BASE 1" ASSEMBLED |_| e x VISE ad) STAP—>! no ¥ . i 1 BRAD.” B DETAIL OF CAST-IRON BODY - Borne 5 8 a > Ve: i e3 small socket wrench, moves the oe ett ot Ay jaws. The jaws are, of cours : aaa 73°— ealll made of steel, and are hardens 48° SECTION THROUGH A-B and tempered. The body, as well as the flang: base and the plate underneath, i made of cast iron, although stee! or brass will serve equally well Machine tolts hold the flan base and the plate securely to the bench. A screw, provided wit! a ball-shaped head that seats the body of the vise, and with wingnut that can be loosened or |} tightened to permit adjustment | clamps the body when set. A setscrew in the side of the guide a Bench Vise that Will Be Found Very Useful by Toolmakers and Machinists, as the Base Can Be Adjusted to Many Positions may be used to lock one jaw of the vise in position. Simple Lock for Hand Crank On certain types of machinery, such as printing presses, some sort of hand crank is required to complete a certain cycle of operations or to bring a certain part of the machine to a position for adjustment or re- pairs. In case a gear- driven manual move- ment is used, the gears can be prevented from accidentally meshing by means of a simple catch of the type shown in the illustta- tion. A semicircular groove is milled in the shait to receive a flat-steel dog, which is fastened to some convenient point on the machine frame. The groove should be cut in the top of the shaft as the weight of the crank handle will cause this side to remain up at all time When it is desired to engage the crank with the machine gear, it is only necessary to turn the crank to disengage the d¢ the gears can then be meshed. ge, and Tearing Off Stamps Generally the hardest and most dis agreeable part of getting out a large lot o! mail is the stamping of it, as the stamp soon become sticky if handled very muc! and any attempt to tear up a number o! sheets at once while flat, results in mut! lating some of them. An easy method ot! tearing off a large number of stamps int: strips is to roll several sheets into a tight roll about 1 in. in diameter. The succes sive rolls can then be broken off at the perforations without any danger of tear- ing the stamps. As many as ten sheets can be torn at one time in this way.— James Ellis, Memphis, Tenn.

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i bee ideal carpenters’ tool box should be light and strong, simply built, with ice enough for all tools used on the or- nary job, and have a special place for ‘+h tool, so that the owner can see at a ince what tools, if any, are missing. (he tool box shown in the accompany- + illustration fulfills these requirements lmost perfectly, being but 31% in. long, 414 in. wide, and 133 in. high when closed, et it opens into a vertical rack displaying | tools to the sight, with the most fre- uently used tools removable instantly and ndependently of the rest. [hree-ply birch panel veneer, % in. thick, is the material used, the main grain of the wood running length- wise of the box on top, bottom and sides and vertically on the ends.

SECTION THROUGH A-B

Carpenters’ Improved Tool Box By EDWIN M. LOVE Make glued butt joints, nailing with three- penny common nails every 2 inches. Lay out the lid, bore the hinge holes in the top of the box, and then rip the lid loose; this insures a perfect fit without further work. Attach the hinges with machine screws and nuts. The handles, made of hard- wood in two pieces, as shown in the draw- ing, enable both lid and box to serve in the carrying strain. Make a bit rack, as shown, of two tapered blocks, A and B, and place in the lid, block A being bored and B slotted. This rack is for seven sizes, from 14 to 1% in., and the bits are placed shank to lip, to save space. This rack is covered by the small-bit rack shown in the lower right- hand detail. Make this, on a ¥% by 6% by 914-in. veneer back, with 4% by %-in. strips, and attach turnbuttons to hold the bits. This rack is held firmly by the large-bit rack end stop, two small stops glued to the bottom and side of the compartment, and a small hook and eye attached to the end stop. By means of light turnbuttens, a butt chisel, spoke- shave, bevel square, and gouge are held on the back of the smaller bit rack. Nest the planes in the bottom, on their sides, as shown in the drawing, with the level behind; slip the take-down square behind the level and fill the spaces with butt gauge, greaser, oilcan, etc. The boxlike shelf at the right

~.. 268%95" VENEER BACK FOR BITS

Yeits ---<--" / 7 / Berts ~<-“~ Rack

Above, Tool Box Open Ready for Work, with Saws on Shelf; Below, Full Details of Construction, and Method of Nesting Planes 299

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POPULAR MECHANICS contains a No. 45 universal plane, sus- pended upside down, with the boxes of cutters below in a vertical position, and the iron rabbet plane in front. The push drill lies behind the edging of the shelf, the block plane stands on end at the left side, and the hand drill is tucked in as well. The arrangement of the other small tools must be governed by the number and style, but turnbuttons seem to be the most practical means of keeping them in posi- tion. It is a good idea to silhouette all tools in black on the inside of the box, in position, so that any missing may be no- ticed immediately, when the box is packed. Rip a hardwood strip 7 in. long to slip over the saws and keep them well nested as they lie in the bottom of the box, on top of the planes. With this strip they can be lifted out bodily and set up on the upper shelf of the lid, as shown in the photo Note that this shelf is exactly 2% in. below the edge, so that it will slip over the saws when the lid is down. Make and attach the small file drawer shown in the upper right-hand corner of the lid. Reinforce the edges of the box with 4% by 1-in. galvanized-iron window flashing, nailing with %-in. brass escutch- eon pins, well clinched. Put on a hasp and catch, and paint the box, and the job is done. If the box must stand out in the rain, carry a small strip of oilcloth to lay over the top. Right-Angle Attachment for Straightedge In building construction every part must be made plumb or square and the tools used to do this are a large steel square, a plumb line, a chalk line, and a spirit level. EQUAL DISTANCES a 2 ATTACHMENT ~’ \— ---LINE OF SIGHT ~-- STEEL DOWELS _——> Accurate Method of Laying Off Right Angles by Means of a Simple Attachment for the Straightedge An easily improvised tool that will serve the purpose of these tools in many cases, with results that are just as accurate, is an ordinary 8-ft. straightedge fitted with the attachment shown in the illustration. Two pointed steel dowels are driven into the ends of the straightedge, and a similar dowel exactly halfway between. Pivoted loosely on the center dowel is a length of 1 by 3-in. piece of wood, also fitted with a dowel at the end. The distance between the center dowel and each of the other three dowels must be exactly equal, as the accuracy of the device depends on this. In using this device for laying off the corners and other right angles of walls, the dowel on the attachment is carefully set on the corner as shown in the drawing, and, with one end dowel on the straight- edge in line with it on the edge of the wall, the other dowel will lie on a line that is exactly at angles to the first. The correct position of a mark at the other end of the wall, or any other point in line with either side of the right angle, can be sighted over two dowels as indicated by the dotted lines. The three end dowel will always be located at the point of a right angle and its sides, regardless of the position of the attachment.—G., A. Luers, Washington, D. C. Gravity Feed for Drill Press Sensitive drill presses may be made self-feeding by means of the simple ar rangement shown in the drawing. Thi works well for small holes through ma terial of medium thickness. The regular feed handle is removed and a piece of round stock of the same diameter, doubled over at one end as shown, is sub- stituted for it. On this piece a weight made of heavy round stock drilled near one end is placed. The outer end of the bent handle is upset a little to prevent the weight from sliding off. In operation the weight is slid out to the long end of the handle, as indicated, to feed the drill through the work while the operator is engaged with other work. The drill head is raised automatically by slip- ping the weight to the back. WEIGHT IN POSITION TO RAISE HANDLE WEIGHT

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POPULAR Jack Aids in Assembling Clutch Considerable difficulty is usually ex- nerienced in removing and replacing the clutch spring while dismantling or as- sembling an automobile disk clutch. However, the special jack shown has been found to overcome the difficulty. The illustration shows plainly how the jack is assembled and used. The base, which is made of ‘cast iron, is drilled and tapped at the top for a Y-in. screw and at the bottom for a 1%-in. plug, which is counterbored to fit the drive shaft. The head that holds the clutch spring is made of a suitable piece of steel or wrought-iron pipe. It is counterbored at one end, %2 in. larger than the diameter of the spring washer, and has large slots cut in the sides to admit the thrust bear- ing and nut, when the spring is com- pressed. It is fitted with a standard pipe cap on the other end, the cap being drilled to fit over the small pivot turned on the end of the screw. The screw is made of a good grade of steel, and has a hexagon head. In use, the clutch is first assembled; MECHANICS 301 those that are not equipped with a tool- rest or carriage. The tool consists of a forged center TAILSTOCK FEED SCREW-, WORK ~ - TOOL . + SETSCREWS y o Z}--VEE SHEAR ~~ -—---—-TAPER SHANK --- GIB -ADJUSTING SCREW — CLUTCH CASTING HQ 3 CLUTCH / PLATES A Jack for Compressing an Automobile Multiple-Disk Clutch Spring that Has Been Found to Save Time the head of the jack is then placed over the spring washer, and the base against the drive shaft; after the spring is com- pressed, the thrust bearing can be put in place on the clutch spindle. The jack can then be released. Boring and Turning Attachment for Small Lathes An attachment that will bore and turn short lengths with speed and accuracy, is very useful on small lathes, especially A Useful Attachment on Small Lathes for Boring and Turning Short Lengths Accurately shank, which fits the taper in the tail- stock spindle. On the front end a V-slide extends at right angles to the axis of the shank. On this V-slide is mounted a tool saddle, made from a steel block of suitable proportions, which can be made to slide in or out by the action of a feed screw. The tools are made of drill rod, the largest ones of %-in. stock. When using smaller tools, bushings are used to take up the play in the tool slide, the bushings being split so as to allow the setscrews to hold the tools. To work to the best advantage and accuracy, the tail spindle should be clamped just snugly enough to prevent vibration under a cut. In making the shank of the tool it is advisable to turn up the taper shank and face the front of the slide between cen- ters. Then the faced slide can be mounted on parallels on the shaper and the angular sides of the vee can be shaped. This method of making it will insure the squareness of the fixture. In order to have the tool-receiving hole in alinement with the headstock center, this hole should be drilled, after assembling, with a drill chucked in the head and with the attachment fitted in the tailstock. The operations possible with this attachment are drilling, boring, turning, facing, and cutting off. When used for cutting off, a support, such as a tee rest, should be placed below the tool.

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302 POPULAR An Acetylene-Torch Rest Many jobbing welders have felt the need of a simple rest for holding the torch dur- ing the short time required to move the work to a new position, or to place a new Q. § KjeN 2? 4 DIAGONAL" HOLE FLAT IRON aan Cit. ————___ ——-1_., stud 1 ss Ce al A PIN TORCH TUBES’ A Rest for the Acetylene Torch, of Utility when Laying Aside the Tool to Change Work piece. A very convenient attachment for this purpose is shown in the illustration. A short length of flat bar is drilled in the center for a pin, or stud, which fits be- tween the torch tubes. The method of making this stud and assembling it is as follows: It is first drilled through the cen- ter crosswise and then sawed in two through the center of the hole. Both ends are then filed concave so that when a pin is inserted in the two halves of the hole, the split stud is a snug fit between the tubes. The last operation consists in drill- ing a diagonal hole the same size as the pin through the side of the bar as shown. In assembling, the stud is placed in the hole in the bar, and, the pin being out, it slips easily between the tubes. Then the bar is turned to the angular position neces- MECHANICS sary to line up the diagonal hole with the hole in the stud and the pin driven in the latter, clear of the bar. This arrangement is necessary to prevent the pin from work- ing out, for, as the bar is always held lengthwise except when the torch is to be set down, the two holes are never in line. With the bar attached to the torch in this manner the latter is supported so that the flame is directed upward and away from the operator. , A Solid Adjustable Wrench On production work it is highly desir- able to use special wrenches with as little adjustment as possible, to suit the nature of the work for which they are used. A wrench of this kind, which was designed to fit three sizes of nuts, is shown in the drawing. The body of the wrench is made of flat stock and two small jaw pieces are bent and slotted as in- dicated to fit the jaws, and attached by means of small screws and nuts. When using the wrench on the largest size nuts, both jaw pieces are swung to the outside position as indicated by the dotted lines in the lowe: detail. When used for the next size, one jaw is swung to the inside, as at thie leit, and when used for the smallest size, both jaws are swung totheinside. This wrench was used on a milling fixture, where it was found much more convenient to have one wrench for this purpose than three sepa- rate wrenches. Substitute for Trailer The demountable attachment shown in the photograph was made by a paper- hanger, and has proved to be an excel- lent substitute for a trailer. It is very sturdy, and can be attached or detached ir a few minutes. The framework is made of 2 by 4-i: lumber, constructed as shown in the drawing. To the underside of the frame 3%4-in. boards are nailed to form the floor. A 2 by 4-in. stake is fas- tened on each side and the load i: kept in place by lashings, tied around the stakes. The inner end of the frame extend beyond the flooring, and fit into two U-shaped metal sockets, bolted to the chassis. Iron rods, attached to eyes or rings on the back of the Attachment for Light Touring Car to Be Carried Easily Permits Bulky Objects body, as shown, support the rear of the carrier.

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POPULAR Replacing the Charging Indicator Many older-model cars are fitted with a charging indicator, which merely indi- cates “charge,” “off,” and “discharge.” It will be found a great convenience to replace this indicator with an ammeter, as this will not only show the rate at which the charging or discharging is tak- place, but, by abnormal readings, will warn of any grounds in the circuits. The mmeter will also show when the gen- erator is not charging at the correct rate. When connecting, care should be taken that the starting-motor current is not taken through the ammeter, as this will ruin it immediately; only the lighting, ignition, horn, and charging’ current should pass through either ammeter or indicator. Handling Shock Covers When curing alfalfa, it often occurs that wet weather sets in and much of the hay in the shocks is damaged. This damage can be prevented by using heavy canvas which will save the fodder from being saturated by rain. A weight is, of course, tied at each corner to prevent the wind blowing the covers off. \n Illinois farmer found it practical to make a large number of small concrete covers, Weighted Canvas Shock Covers that Protect Alfalfa Crop from Rain, and Skid Used to Carry Them weights for this purpose, and a simple skid for carrying the weighted covers around. [he covers are neatly hung on the top rail of the inverted V-shaped skid, so that they can be instantly lifted off and placed over the shocks, one by one. € Painters, carpenters, and others, using ladders frequently, will find that if the center of the ladder, where it balances, is marked with a strip of bright-colored paint, the workman can grasp the ladder at this point immediately when preparing to carry it, thus saving energy and time. MECHANICS 303 Balancing Tool Divides Strips In a factory where a quantity of brass- strip binding is used, a novel tool for SLEEVE * \ > (0 ) “E"CUTTING TOOL ih worn’ BALANCED Tool for Dividing Brass Strips Equally: Insert, Bend- ing Balanced Strip Before Cutting cutting the material has recently been adopted. Two strips of regular length are often cut in two to suit the smaller sizes, and be- cause so many different lengths have thus to be divided equally, the balancing tool shown in the illustration has been found more efficient than the old method of marking the strips for center and then cutting them. The tool consists of a piece of round steel, flattened at one end and shaped to a chisel point, and a sleeve, a trifle shorter, cut from iron pipe; both of these pieces are a drive fit on a steel disk. In use the brass strip is laid on the cutting tool and moved until it balances. It is then bent down on both sides, as shown in the photo, tapped with a hammer and broken in two. Square for Filing Templates When filing templates having several straight edges in the vise, considerable time can be saved and eye strain prevented by using a vise square of the type shown in the drawing. It should be made of tool steel, hardened and ground, and should be just as long as the width of the vise jaw. Aiter the template has been roughly cut down to the desired size, about #2 in. outside of the lines, it is ready for filing and is clamped in the shown, matching the line with the edge of the square. The latter prevents the work- man from filing the template down too far. —Chas. Homewood, Ontario, Calif. VISE SQUARE vise as

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304 Level Clamps for Carpenters’ Straightedge Plumbing and straightening door jambs by the usual method necessitates holding a straightedge against the jamb, and press- ing the spirit level against the straightedge. A California car- penter clamps his |} level to the | straightedge and uses the two asa single unit, thus simplifying the handling and leaving one hand free to shift the jamb into posi- tion. The draw-

Above, Plumbing a Door Jamb; Below, Clips for Solid or Open-Frame Levels ing shows two different kinds of clips, which can be made to hold the solid or open-frame type of level. Quick-Acting Test Valve The drawing shows how an ordinary valve, used to control the water pressure on a testing bench, was made quick act- ing. The testing operations made it nec- essary to open and close the valve every few minutes, and this consumed considerable time; whereas the device shown in the illus- tration enabled the operator to spin the valve wheel, opening and closing the valve in a fraction of the time other- wise consumed. The device con- sists of a short length of tube, two round steel plugs, and a couple of nuts and screws. The tube is drilled in the center to fit the valve stem and at right VALVE STEM E a

= o ; ~ ; ‘>---- STEEL PLUGS----<,

POPULAR MECHANICS angles to this on each side to take the screws, and afterward slotted along its length as shown. The end plugs are a snug fit in the tube, and before the final tightening of the tube on the stem, the weights are moved in or out to attain correct balance. When correctly set, a slight spin of the wheel opens or close the valve. Brazing and Soldering Flux Steel or copper brazing, and tin or cop per soldering, can be greatly facilitated by using a flux of the following ingredients: Muriatic acid 4 oz., zine, 1 oz., sal ammoniac 1 oz., English resin, 1 oz, Add the zinc to the acid, a little at a time, and then add the other ingredients. If one wishes to economize, 2 oz. of water m be added. The surface of the steel to be brazed is first swabbed with the flux and then wiped dry with a clean cloth; for soldering, however, it is not necessary to wipe the metal dry. Ordinary resin ca: be used if English resin is not obtainable Self-Closing Cover for Box In shops doing a great deal of valve and plug grinding it is necessaryto keep a cover on the box containing the grinding com pound, as the smallest piece of foreign mat ter may cause a scratch that will take co siderable extra grinding to re- move. The box shown in the drawing is made of tin, and is fitted with a special cover, extending well beyond the front edge and bent to fit down over the sides as shown. Holes are punched in the to;

of the can and in the cover, and wire pin is passed through the hole and bent down over the sides. The ends of the cover sides are bent out at right angles, as shown, and slotted to fit over the lower ends of the pin. Afte: taking some compound out of the car which is done with a stick, the cover wi! close itself as soon as it is released. The stick used for applying the compound should be thin enough to pass between the cover and the front end of the box, so that it can be placed in the position indicated when not used, to protect it from foreig! matter also.

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GEASONABLY shod with a tread such \J as that shown in the illustration, the “bike” can be depended upon for winter sport, or ordinary uses over ice and snow. With ordinary tires, cycling is not only hard work, in winter, but precarious; with the tread described here, however, good raction is assured, and the runner makes the machine easily handled. The necessary materials are; twenty 1% by 3-in. back-flap hinges; seventeen ¥s-in. stove bolts, 2% in. long,and four 3 in. long; three strips of 26-gauge galvanized sheet steel, 2 by 30 in.; 1% lb. rivets and washers ; a pair of light 3-in. strap hinges; a 3-in. T-hinge; a pair of 3-in. butt hinges; a % by 4%-in. machine bolt; six No. 14 screws, 3in. long; one l-in. awning pulley; 2 ft. of steel jack chain, No. 16, %-in. link; one screen-door spring, and a skate. For a 26-in. wheel, one less back-flap hinge is used, nineteen i by 2%4-in. bolts, and one 3-in. bolt. The twenty hinges are bent at each end at right angles, the lugs being % in.long, and the countersunk sides opposite the lugs. Beginning % in. from the end of eT) 3"BOLT - HINGE ex] REAR VIEW OF POST 7 Cycling on Snow and Ice By R. B. CUTLER each galvanized strip, rivet the hinges to the strips, using four rivets to each hinge, and keeping them 2 in. apart. Equip two of the strips with seven hinges, and one with six, then connect each hinge to the next with the 2%4-in. bolts. Cut the strips with ¥4-in. ends, center them over the rim of the wheel, and connect the end hinges with the 3-in. bolts. Tighten up all bolts, then, with pliers and hammer, shape the sides of the strips to grip the rim. From 1-in. ash, cut a runner shoe, 3 in. wide and 25 in. long. Cut down 12 in. at one end to % in. or 3% in. thick and taper the sides down to 2% in. wide. Steam the toe, or soak it in hot water, then bend it to shape. The fork post fits A Simple Tread and Steering Runner for the Bicycle that Will Enable It to Be Used in Winter as Safely as in Summer, and that Lessens the Hard Work of Pedaling in the Snow

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306 POPULAR below the head and is 2 in. wide and 24 in. long (22 in. for a 26-in. wheel); the hub block is 2 in. thick, 5 in. long, and 3% in. thick, and is bored to take the machine bolt with the post in place. To fasten the post below the head, shape the 3-in. strap hinges to form a clip, screw to the post, and bolt behind the head. With a bit and keyhole saw, cut a 34-in. slot, centered below the hub block, and extending down 4 in. at the front but only 2 in. at the back. Cut the piece B of the runner, 2 by 3 in. long, and shape roughly a 3-in. side to fit the skate, placing the heel even with one end. If it is a clamp skate, remove the clamp and either drill screw holes or se- cure with three 3-in. mending plates as cleats. With the shoe shaped and dry, lay it over the skate with the toe end of B even with the shoulder of the shoe, and locate the skate toe. This point is the limit of the cutout in the shoe for the blade—a slit centered from the heel of the shoe. Assemble the runner with the toe point of the skate set in about 4% in. from the shoe bottom—so that there will be no pos- sibility of “stubbing.” At this end there will be perhaps an inch space between B ‘ MECHANICS and the shoe. Fit a wedge block here with the heel of the shoe brought up to block B, and secure it with two 3-in.. screws driven through B, through the wedge, and into the shoe. These must be countersunk 1 in. and a washer or two used under each screw head. At the heel attach a 4-ip butt hinge, three screws into B and screy in each side of the shoe, then cut off a: waste heel. At the toe, rivet the 3-in T-hinge, as shown.. Assemble the to the post with a 3-in. butt hinge tered on top of the B-block. The 9-in. spring, pulley, and chain keep the runner “headed up” for easier steer ing, and safety when “jumping bump Back of the post, secure the pulley wit! screweye set into the lower edge of the 2-in. opening. Cut the spring to length, and with another screweye, fasten one e: then connect up the chain, around th pulley, through the opening to the hinge on the toe of the shoe. With the runner off the ground, if the spring is pulled dow: to within about 4 in. of the pulley, the te: sion should be right. After trying out this tread for a few mi: utes, tighten up any hinges on the trea if necessary. rear veal c eti- Detachable Bird Houses It is becoming quite the fashion for country, suburban, and even city dwellers to provide small bird houses in yards and parks. They are usually mounted on poles or in trees, and as they are se- curely fas t- ened, it is not an easy matter to remove them when it is desired to paint, repair, or clean them, which is occa- sionally nec- A method of mounting a bird essary. house so that it can readily be detached is shown in the drawing. The top of the supporting post is trimmed down to fit loosely inside a No. 2 fruit can, which is cut and slotted as shown. The can is nailed to the underside of the bird house and slipped over the end of the pole. Nails are then driven into the slots and bent down- ward at right angles as shown, so that the can will not slip off. When removing the bird house the nails are turned to the po tion shown in the lower detail, when t can may easily be released, by an upwar pull—G. E. Hendrickson, Argyle, Wi Emergency Ignition Repair Ignition repairs made in emergencies 0 the road help to keep the car moving but are usually not very efficient, but a simple repair that was found entirely sat- GROUND isfactory is shown _—_— in the illustration. An ordinary high- tension coil of the kind used in a light car, which can be obtained anywhere, and a dry battery, were connected up with the distributor as indicated in the illustration. One of these coil units coi. 7 DISTRIBUTOR can be used with any breaker system. It may seem that the firing would be too early, but this arrange ment has been tried and found to wor! perfectly.—R. M. Root, Anderson, Ind.

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POPULAR Bumpers for the Garage Sand bags placed on the floor of the garage make excellent safety bumpers to prevent driving the car against the wall. They are easily dragged about wherever required and may be utilized as cushions upon which to sit or recline when making car repairs. Grain bags, or any heavy can- vas bags will serve for this purpose, but they should contain only enough sand to make them about 6 or 7 in. thick.—G. E. Hendrickson, Argyle, Wis. Simple Copy Holder When using a typewriter under a fan or near an open window, some kind of holder is necessary to prevent the copy from being blown away. A simple holder can readily be improvised from an ordinary paper clip, the narrow end being left doubled and the wide end bent to the shape shown, so that it will press tightly against the sur- face of the table. The rubber foot of the left leg is partly unscrewed and the doubled end of the clip hooked around the screw, which is then turned tight to keep the clip in position. The copy is slipped under the spring clip and will be kept there securely —L. H. Un- glesby, Baton Rouge, La. copy-~" — A Kink for Trappers Every trapper has experienced the dis- appointment of finding that an animal had been caught in the trap, but got away. The most common cause of this is that the trap is fastened too securely to a stake or tree and this gives the animal a chance to pull itself loose. This trouble can be eliminated by attaching the chain to one or more small branches that will be dragged along when the animal attempts to escape. The work of dragging these tires the animal so much that it will not go very far with the load, and cannot free itself by sudden jerks.—H. H. Siegele, Em- poria, Kan. MECHANICS 307 Snow Scraper Attached to Rake A serviceable snow scraper can readily be made by attaching a piece of galvanized iron to an ordinary garden rake, as shown ee GALVANIZED ON METHOD OF RAISING LOOP FOR TINE OF RAKE Serviceable Snow Scraper Made from a Piece of Gal- vanized Iron Attached to the Teeth of a Rake in the drawing. The metal should be at least ve in. thick and should be cut to the dimensions given in the upper detail. Short cuts are made at the points indicated and the strips between these cuts bent out as shown in the lower drawing. The loops thus formed should be made so that the tines of the rake must be forced into them, thus preventing the scraper from falling off the rake. A scraper of this kind costs much less than a manufactured one, and, if properly made, serves the purpose just as well.—Lorin A. Brown, Washington, District of Columbia. Safeguarding the Aerial Frequently a single-wire aerial is strung between the house and a near-by tree, and the swinging of the tree in a storm often breaks the wire or pulls it out of the sup- port at the other end. A good method of overcoming this trouble is to place an ordinary screen-door spring between the end of the aerial and the house. This will keep the wire taut and at the same time prevent its being broken so easily. In some cases it may be desirable to have springs at both ends of the aerial.

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BUILDING A FIVE- TUBE NEUTRODYNE RECEIVER By F.L.BRITTIN Part I—Assembling the Set HE barriers to perfect long-distance reception have been removed by the design of the neutrodyne receiver, a result long desired, and heretofore regarded as almost impossible of achievement. Unde- sirable oscillation and regenerative effects are eliminated in this circuit; the tubes are prevented from oscillating by two con- densers of very small capacity, called neu- trodons, which are used to neutralize the grids of the radio-frequency amplifying tubes, thus preventing distortion. It is re- ported that radio messages from the Mac- Millan arctic expe- dition have _ been received with great clearness on a set of this type, although this is not surpris- ing, in view of the [ that the checked after removing the template, a: the scriber marks made deep enough that the drill will not slip, or they can be gone over with a prick punch. Use a No 26 drill for all holes not marked otherwise and countersink all holes marked wit! double circle. Of course, holes for simila: instruments must be drilled the same size in some cases, hole sizes were omitted to avoid crowding the template drawing, in the right-hand rheostat, for example but the hole size is marked for the leit hand one, and the right is drilled to cor respond with thi After drilling t! panel, mount t! neutroformers; it best to purcha these instrument as well as the neu fact same - —— trodons, as accura: messages have been Front View of Panel, Showing Location of Controls is of first impor heard on a set of tance, and whet the type described in our March, 1923, issue, a set not especially adapted tor long- distance reception. The receiver is simple to construct, and consists of two steps of tuned radio- frequency amplification, the detector, and two steps of audio-frequency amplifica- tion. Three “neutroformers” are used, one as a tuning element, the others as tuned radio-frequency transformers. The neutroformer consists of two fixed wind- ings, coupled to a 13-plate variable con- denser and placed on the panel at an angle of 54.7° from the vertical. The builder need not trouble about the angle if the panel-template drawing is followed closely, as the holes are spaced to suit. Bakelite, micarta, or hard rubber may be used for the panel, which is of stand- ard size, % by 7 by 26 in. Lay out the panel template, full size, on bristol board. pricking the centers of the holes with the point of the dividers. Clamp the template to the panel firmly, and with a sharp- pointed scriber, mark the position of each hole. This must be done carefully, espe- cially the neutroformer-screw and shaft holes. The measurements should be 308 these instruments are made at home thet is too much opportunity for error to cree in. This offsets the small additional cost of a standard tested instrument. Th: windings are placed on two bakelite tube the outer tube being 3 in. in diameter, a: 2% in. long. It will be noted that all thre: secondary windings have a small loop tap at the 17th turn, near the top of the wind ing when the instrument is in place o1 the panel. No connection is made to th: first or tuner-neutroformer tap, as may be seen in the circuit diagram; the lead from the taps on the second and third neu troformers are carried to one termnial o! their respective neutrodons. The lead from the remaining terminals of the sec ondaries are led to the fixed and movable elements of the 13-plate variable co: densers. The primary of each instrument wound ona separate bakelite tube, and the ends of the windings brought out to lug fastened at the top and bottom of the tube The primary is inside the secondary tube in the assembled instrument. Two single panel-mounting sockets are used for the first and second radio-fre

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POPULAR MECHANICS quency amplifying tubes, which should e UV 201A type for best results; dry-cell ibes can also be used, but are not nearly satisfactory. The remaining tubes ould be of the following types: UV 200 C 300 for the detector; and UV 201, UV 201A, or C 301A for the audio-amplifying tubes. These tubes all operate on a 6-volt torage battery, and are placed in a 3-tube nel-mounting socket assembly as shown, e detector tube being placed directly be- nd the vernier rheostat on the panel. Put soldering lugs under all circuit ter- inals on the rheostat, sockets, binding sts, and audio-frequency transformers ;.- a very small amount of flux on the vs, and, with a good hot soldering cop- per, tin all the lugs well, leaving a good- ed drop of solder on each lug. This help greatly in soldering the joints en wiring the circuit, and the lugs can ‘placed much more easily on the instru- 309 and protects the diaphragms of the phones, as well as the ears, from the loud signals that would result were the phones used in the loud-speaker jack. Between these two jacks, a jack switch is mounted, for con- trolling the current from the filament battery. Before fastening the panel to the base- board, wire the negative tube-socket ter- minals, the power rheostat for the ampli- fying tubes, the vernier rheostat, the posi- tive-filament tube connections, the jack switch, the detector tube, and the A-bat- tery posts. All this wiring can be done much better with the panel detached from the base. Use No. 14 tinned-copper wire, and cover with varnished cambric tubing —the yellow, not the black, as many brands of black “spaghetti” contain some color- ing matter that causes losses. Use bus- bar connections wherever possible, and keep the leads short, especially the connec ents before they are mounted on the _ tions from the audio-frequency transform- nel. Now mount the rheostats, and ers to the sockets and other instruments T T t 3°." ' —o-r . BX 7 X26 PANEL as jee od © yO | NEUTROFORMER. /. aa = é ae : “ v : \ 1 % een oO e . ie Hey } tt (Si .@) ODO 3 ” : \ Oo COLO | ae. 7 cammemeteeatll os — lt a eat 3 8 thy oh Ha | ay ee. Sone ---+-~- ‘. P-- —o , ocd Fy "ge 7 43 ! ‘ ——— ——#——- 1 io | \ 2MORF. TUBE i — 8 3 a DINOS posts low Me) 2 ocktTS lope. DETECTOR, IST AFTUBE:, 2=°AF TUBE, 311" 4 Aan ‘e—2 x ne ee THREE-TUBE © SOCKET & K— Sig ies ty ~~ — Mm hewe~ war a ~ cmap —" ae: ear Saale em ay -O- i O— f-9- 4 - Ce + a = eee _ ‘ 6 4 ste DET PHONE ON-AND-OFF 2: © : | > JACK SWITCH 1) Te: i p } AERIAL GROUND PANEL TEMPLATE LOUDSPEAKER JACK Diagram for Laying Out Panel Template: The Template Is Made Full Size, of Bristol Board, and the anel Marked from It ward the sockets and transformers. When soldering, be very careful not to use acid flux; use either a good neutral paste, or make up a noncorrosive flux by dissolving 4 parts by weight of resin in | part of wood alcohol (poison.) Use a hot iron and keep it clean; polish all joints before soldering; never use a corrosive ‘lux; use only enough solder to make a good joint, and a good, neat job will re- sult. Loose and poorly soldered joints and connections are the main faults with ama- teur builders, so be very careful with this part of the work, and check it over several times, to prevent subsequent disappoint- ment, he jacks may now -be mounted. The loud-speaker jack is of the single open- circuit type, with automatic filament con- trol; this leaves the audio-frequency amplifying-tube filament unlit when the phones are used in the phone jack. The latter is of the single, closed-circuit type Now wire up the fixed condensers as follows: A .00025-mf. grid conde nser W itl a 2-megohm grid leak is used for the detec- tortube. One .006-mf. condenser is placed between the plate lead of the detector tube and the negative filament bus bar. Another is placed across the B-battery 90-volt posi- tive and negative leads; this can be placed at the lower edge of the panel, directly across the leads from the binding posts. Connect the condensers with the No. 14 wire, soldered to lugs, which can be at- tached to the condensers by small brass machine screws. The heavy wire will support the condensers in any position that is most convenient and allows the shortest leads. Screw the base, which is % by 6 by 26 in., to the panel with round-head nickel- plated wood screws, and complete the wir- ing, placing the transformers directly be- hind their respective tubes, that the leads will be as short as possible; similarl SO

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POPULAR with the neutrodons. When wiring the circuit, bend the wire with the pliers so is to form the turns with a neat, small ra- dius, and make each wire run at right angles to the others, as far as possible. Cut each wire to the proper length, as closely as possible, and slip on the “spa- shetti’ tubing before bending. Check the instrument against the wiring diagram, he B-battery consists of two or three {5-volt units, connected in series. The de- tector-tube 18 to 22-volt positive binding post is connected to the corresponding terminal on the first B-battery unit. Some MECHANICS 311 tubes require more positive plate voltage than others, so experiment must be made from 18 to 22 volts to determine the cor- rect voltage for any particular tube. The first negative B-battery connection is led to the center B-battery binding post on the panel, and the 90-volt lead to the re- maining post. The amplifier positive volt- age may be anything from 90 to 130, and the correct voltage must be ascertained by experiment. Directions for neutralizing the tubes and tuning the circuit will be given in the March issue. panel, 3-16 by 7 by 26 in. board, ‘2 by 6 by 26 in. triple-tube socket. single-tube sockets. neutroformers. neutrodons. filament jack switch. single-circuit jack, with automatic control. 1 phone jack, closed-circuit type. 3 4-in. dials. 1 power rheostat. Re eK NWN ee filament MATERIAL LIST Screws, lugs, etc. 1 pair phones. 4 UV 201A amplifier tubes. 1 UV 200 detector tube. 27 ft. No. 14 tinned-copper wire. 27 ft. yellow varnished-cambric tubing. 1 vernier rheostat. 2 .006-mf. fixed condensers. 1 .00025-mf. fixed condeser. 1 2-meg. grid leak. 2 45-volt B-batteries. 1 6-volt A-battery. 2 telephone plugs. Wheeled Camera Stand When photo- craphing small ob- jects it is necessary to set the camera very accurately, es- pecially in cases here the distance hetween the camera and the object is only a few inches. lhe work of focus- ing it is greatly iacilitated by using the stand shown in thedrawing. It consists of a wood- en platform, made by cleating together several l-in. boards, mounted on two axles fitted with An Adjustable Camera Stand that Greatly Facilitates the Photographing of Small Objects rubber-tired wheels taken from an old baby carriage, the axles being at- tached to the plat- form by means of small U-bolts. An iron or steel rod is mounted in two flat-iron bearings so that it presses against the rear- wheeltires as shown, and a small rubber-tired wheel is fastened to the center of the rod. With this arrange- ment the platform can be moved a fraction of an inch A REQUEST TO READERS tion: Our readers can do us a greatly appreciated service if they will answer this ques- Have you made anything from a description published in this magazine, or restored something to usefulness by making repairs, in home or shop, as suggested in these columns? repaired. All we want is your name, and the name of the thing made or We very seldom make requests of our readers, but compliance with this one will be a real help to us. Your name will not be included in the printed list if you object, but send us the information just the same.

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POPULAR Cold Cellar Dug in Bank Many farmers have a concrete cold cellar for storing their vegetables and meat, but in most the entrance is very inconvenient, due to the steep and nar- cases A Concrete Cold Cellar, Built in a Bank, that Has Many Advantages Over an Underground Cellar row steps and the trapdoor above them. An additional disadvantage of the under- ground cellar is that it is difficult to clean out and that water readily accumulates in it. All these objections are eliminated by building the cellar in a bank near the house as shown in the drawing. This arrange- ment permits easy access to the cellar at all times. A suitable bank may be found close to a great number of farmhouses The cellar is made by excavating part of the bank, building the form from rough boards, and pouring the concrete into the form from the top of the bank. Iron rods, pieces of clean wire mesh and clean fence wire are used to reinforce the top. After the concrete has set, the ground is refilled over it to the level of the bank. The top of the cellar should be at least 3 it. below the top of the bank. A wooden door, about 3 ft. wide, and having a dead- air space as shown, is set in the front end. The floor is laid to slope slightly toward the front so that water will readily drain out, and a 2-in. galvanized-iron pipe, fitted on top with a cap, is installed to provide proper ventilation.—J. V. Romig, Allen- town, Pa. MECHANICS Increasing Humidity of Air The ordinary furnace water pan has a capacity of about 2 gal., only about half of which is vaporized in one day, under aver- age firing conditions. This is usually not enough and therefore some method of in- creasing the evaporation must be resorted to. An excellent method, which has ie found very effective, is to hang an old { nel or woolen shirt over the edge oy ‘h e water pan, with one end dipping into the water. The shirt acts as a wick and greatly increases the moist surface in con tact with the hot air, and consequently the rate of evaporation.—L. C. Prittie, Ottay Canada. Auxiliary Tank Prevents Stalling on Grade On automobiles having a gravity-feed gasoline system, the gasoline will not flo into the carburetor when climbing a ver steep grade. This trouble can be elimi nated by installing a small auxiliary tan! in front of the carburetor, and connecting it to the main gasoline tank as shown i: the drawing. On a level a the gasolii runs from the main tank tank and from the retor, so that the nto the auxiliar “are into the carbu auxiliary tank is alwa full. When climbing a steep grade, small tank supplies the carburetor, shown in the lower detail. The gas will not flow back into the main tank because the feed pipe extends almost to the top of the auxiliary tank. A length of %-ir copper tubing connects to the top of bot GASOLINE LEVEL » ( = i \ a 3 | ay ~-CARBURETOR 7 =| os : J | (inn A ON LEVEL ROAD X ‘ ' . ' la ws ™~,. MAIN ; A r Re a GASOLINE ANK' H P nD j : SS f ZS . SL Ye" COPPER : =. A TUBING ; Ore ~ , : \ . ely AUXILIARY ~ ~~ CARBURETOR ~ 7 GASOLINE TAN SS s... Ip GASOLINE LEVEL-------» ime «0 oo oe - ON STEEP HILL NS j Auxiliary Gasoline Tank Supplies Carburetor with Gas- oline When Climbing Steep Grades tanks to allow gasoline to drain out of the main line without creating a vacuum in the auxiliary tank.—D. L. James, Wayland New York.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 313 The “Walking Wampus” N the November, 1923, issue of Popular the legs in relation to the position of the Mechanics was published a description latter. Each toy is really a separate prob- of the “walking wampus,” a very unusual lem in balancing, although the drawing, as d interesting toy. As some of our read- stated above, gives the dimensions of a toy ers have met with difficulty in laying out that works perfectly. The block of wood e body, and as there is some misunder- used might have a dense spot, thus chang- inding about the exact action of the toy, ing the position of the center of gravity; e drawing is here reproduced with addi- onal dimensions taken from the original toy, which works perfectly. In checking the original, it was found that the pivot point for the legs is about in. above the center line of the body, nd that no part of the tail should be more IST POSITION han vs in. below the center line. ~\ The action of the toy is as follows: Starting with the legs drawn back against \ the rear pins, the center of weight or grav- \ ty, being behind a vertical line drawn Veal y rough the pivot point of the legs, causes -o e body to “shoot” forward. The “bump” 7 382 POSITION aa 3 41% POSITION 13" Ne 6 $2 } Above, Illustration Showing the Action of the “Walking Wampus’’; Below, Full Dimensions Taken from a Toy that Works Perfectly just in front of the legs strikes the board, this would necessitate changing the pivot ind the momentum of the toy causes it to point for the legs and lengthening or tip forward on its nose. This allows the shortening them to compensate for this, or ] egs to swing forward against the front weighting the toy to bring the center ot pins; the toy then tips back so that the gravity to the proper place, which can ea weight is again transferred to the legs, and ily be done with small pieces of lead. the operations are repeated. There are two pins driven into the body The exact shape of the toy, therefore, on each side, to limit the travel ot the leg matters little. The nose, the bump ahead The position of these pins is not shown, a of the body, and the lowest point of the this must be determined by experiment to tail are the important points, in addition each individual toy.—L. R. Bochier, De » the center of gravity and the length of Moines, Iowa.

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314 POPULAR Mechanics’ Watch Charms Any mechanic who likes to make things in his spare time, can turn his labor and ability into money by making and selling z= SHANK - H+--HEAD TAPPED a ( SCREW Ee) BOLSTER 4 —— MOTHER-OF-PEARL HANDLE DETAIL OF WRENCH SLIDING JAW MICROMETER MACHINISTS’ HAMMER ———— A Number of Gold-Plated Watch Charms-in the Form of Tools Used by Various Trades mechanics’ watch charms. These charms are made in the shapes of the tools used by various trades. The material used is brass, which is easy to cut, quite strong enough for the purpose, and can readily be gold plated. A little gold-plated monkey wrench always meets with admiration and interest. The frame is cut from one piece of brass, and the shank is turned or filed down and threaded at the end for a small nut. The handle is made from a piecc of mother-of- pearl, cut down to the shape shown and drilled lengthwise to fit the shank. The sliding jaw is made by slitting a solid piece of brass, bending the lugs over the back of the frame, and soldering the ends together. The jaw is drilled and tapped for the ad- justing screw, which is turned down and threaded to fit, a knurled head being formed on oneend. The bolster slips over the shank to receive the tit of the screw. An eye for attaching the charm to the watch chain is soldered to the lower lug of the jaw. The parts are then gold plated, which will cover all traces of sol- der, and if well done, the plating will wear for many years. A neat charm can also be made in the form of a carpenter’s saw. The blade is nicked on its lower edge with a knurling MECHANICS tool, making tiny teeth that can be seen and felt. The handle is made of black or red fiber, and attached to the blade by means of small brass rivets. Hammers and hatchets of various kinds also make attractive charms. These tools should have wooden handles, made of ebony or hard redwood, and polished or waxed after they are cut to the prope: size and shape. The attaching ring, in such cases, is made by twisting a length of gold wire into a groove cut around the handle. A small gear and a micrometer have also been found very neat, especially the latter, when handsomely gold plated and en graved. The only tools necessary for this work, in addition to those already pos sessed by the machinist, are a jeweler’s saw, a jeweler’s screwplate, and a set of taps to fit—J. V. Romig, Allentown, Pa Handy Container for Liquids A handy container for oils, gasoline, o1 other liquids is shown in the illustration It is especially useful in that the contents may be transferred from it without spill- ing a drop. The con- tainer is made from an old oilcan, or other large tin can, a 2-in. length of 3% or %-in. copper tubing, and about 15 in. of rubber tubing. A hole, large enough to allow the sMooK copper tube to fit y a ~ e © _ a snugly, is made near in \ compen the bottom of the can. TUBING TUBING The tube is then sol- dered in, and the rubber tubing slipped over it, bound on tightly, and taped to pre- vent the rubber from breaking. Near the other end of the rubber tubing is tied a small wire hook to catch on the handle or filler cap of the can. When assembled and filled, the can should be placed on a sup- port so that, when the liquid is to be re- moved, the free end of the rubber tube will be lower than the bottom of the can.— Leslie J. Smith, Salem, Ore. Removing Scratches from Showcases Scratches on showcase tops can easily be removed by moistening some jeweler’s rouge with water, and applying it to the surface of the glass with a soft chamois skin or piece of leather, rubbing hard until the scratches disappear.

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POPULAR MECHANICS 315 Drying Clothes in Cold Weather During cold weather clothes hung out n the line to dry become stiff, due to the frozen moisture in them, and in attempt- ng to remove them they are frequently torn at the corners. This danger can be eliminated by hanging the clothes on wire coat-hangers of the kind used ex- tensively by cleaners. The clothes are hung on the hangers, which are hung on the line. To keep them separated evenly, number of old yardsticks or laths are used, holes being drilled in them about 3 in. apart, and the hooks of the hangers assed through the holes before they are ung ontheline. The clothes are brought in on the hangers and allowed to thaw out before taken off. This method also obvi- tes the usual discomfort of cold hands.— lizabeth A. Ragan,.Seward, Neb. Projecting Microscopic Slides Projecting microscopic slides on a ‘reen has been found to be of consider- ble assistance in a class room,as it enables the whole class to see and discuss the sub- ject at the same time, instead of the stu- dents looking through the microscope individually, which takes a great deal of time. The projecting lens of the lantern and the reflecting mirror of the microscope are first removed, and the microscope is then arranged about a foot in front of the lantern, as shown in the illustration. By carefully adjusting the distance between the lantern and the slide, the correct focus PROJECTION LANTERN » SCREEN Z MICROSCOPE , N rc ra a f > .= wy | L tt Litt Leeeett } | } ett _t } + = | i Simple Arrangement of Lantern and Microscope to Pro- ject Microscopic Slides in a Class Room s obtained. The barrel of the microscope s then adjusted so that a clear image will be thrown on the screen, which is located about 15 ft. from the eyepiece of the micro- scope. The stronger the light in the lan- tern, the longer will be the distance .that a clear image can be thrown. With some types of microscopes it may be found nec- essary to place a convex lens between the tront of the lantern and the slide of the microscope.—W. A. Kimball, Keene, N. H. Water Supply for Private Garage Rain water is ideal for use in automobile radiators, as it is free from most of the scale-forming chemicals and salts present ‘RAIN SPOUT oi WATER BRACE HALF BARREL -+-4-4- HOSE fp BARREL---, BUCKET --} Easily Installed and Convenient Reservoirs for the Sonage to Store Rain Water for the Radiator in well and hydrant water. Two conven- ient methods of storing rain water in readi- ness for use are shown in the drawing. The upper figure shows how a half barrel may be arranged on a shelf inside the garage, at a height that will permit the water to flow into the radiator. A gutter is run along the edge of the roof and a small tap pipe from the gutter is brought through the wall as shown, so that the water will drain into the barrel. A short length of pipe, fitted with a valve, is fitted through the side near the bottom and a length of rubber hose is attached as shown. An overflow pipe is also provided. In garages where there is not enough space to permit the installation described above, a barrel may be mounted on a stand outside of the garage as shown in the lower figure. In both cases a fine sieve must be provided in the pipe leading from the gutter, to catch any foreign matter. The inside ot the container should be washed out oc casionally. @ When placing a tire chain on a wheel always fasten the inside first and hook it a little tighter than the outside. If this is done and the chain happens to come off, it will most likely come off on the in- side, and will be retained by the axle until its dragging is noticed.

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A Folding Kitchen Table In a small kitchen, where space is at a premium, a folding table of the type shown in the drawing will be greatly appreciated. The table top { " 24”TO 30" pele a= p> is 1 by 30 by | ee =n Ee 48 in. in di di- 4 f ——— a - “| : rf V ii ' mensions, and aH gi _ s i--~. f/9 ; j is supported 0 ee he / / by two braces hel 4 y . Mi th ii / Fs of 1 by 2-in. Jin! hi -7 s , a T : iis Bd yp ‘ 4 Stock, Ww O Mrht--fZig Fo / A Hh \' 7 & J 4-it. lengths 1D ’ i of 1 by 2-in. a a material are | 1 id screwed to- Ls ee ; y it: : --- STUDDING a te —_— i a. OEE : (és 0m —,, | ' i— — ~ ee 7 4 ' tin , r; -_—--—> TABLE FOLDED ~-. BASEBOARD } TABLE SET UP Folding Table for Small Kitchens that Can Be Set Up or Folded with One Hand gether at right angles and fastened to the wall by long screws driven into the studs. The table top is then hinged to the lower member as shown. The braces are 32% in. long, and are cut and hinged so that they will fall into place automatically when the table top is lifted. The dimensions given in the upper detail should be ad- hered to closely, or enlarged in propor- tion. To fold the table it is only necessary to strike the joints of the braces with the knee or hand, while holding the table top to prevent it from “slamming.” There are no legs to sweep around with a table of this type, and the braces do not prevent a chair from being drawn up close to the table.—G. M. Beerbower, Tarrytown, N. Y. Quick Camp-Fire Lighter Camp boys in the Yellowstone National Park have a most ingenious mixture for lighting the hundreds of fires in tourists’ camps. It consists of sawdust saturated with kerosene, carried in pails, a big spoon- ful being sufficient to light any fire. POPULAR MECHANICS Improving Water Circulation in Radiator The water in automobile radiators often becomes hot very quickly, without any ap- parent cause. In such cases the rubber- hose connections should be removed, and it will often be found that the rubber swollen on the inside, reducing the diame ter considerably, which, of course, the water to circulate more makes it heat up more rapidly. come this trouble, Cause slowly dl To Ove procure two new hose connections and also two short lengt! of thin brass tubing, which will fit snug! inside the hose. The lengths of tubing must be shorter than the hose connectio: to allow the latter to be clamped to the radiator and engine in the usual way. The brass tubes will prevent the hose from bh: coming smaller in diameter and eliminate any future trouble—William C. Fin! Springdale, Pa. ° Increasing Utility of Small Motor Small motors are very useful pieces o equipment for the workshop, but, in mat cases, full advantage is not taken of the utility. The method by which one expe menter doubled the capacity of his mot is shown in the drawing. Both ends of the armature shaft utilized. On one end is fitted the sm pulley used to drive the drill press. On the other end, a faceplate, interchangeab|: with a chuck, is fitted, and directly in li: with this a tailstock is mounted on bench, and a tool-rest, to enable lis turning to be done. A long arbor, wit! emery wheel mounted at one end, is also -- DRILL PRESS GRINDER eS om ae REMOVABLE COIL- Zs MOTOR WINDING FIXTURE / FACEPLATE TAILSTOCK - Doubling the Usefulness of the Bench Motor by Driving from Both Ends of the Shaft provided, and may be used for winding coils in addition to grinding. ‘The spools of wire are mounted on simple brackets screwed to the front edge of the bench. The switch for controlling the m tor may be screwed underneath the bench, at the front.

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Aero-Propeller Shaft Installations By J. V. ROMIG propeller-driven craft, such as sleds and boats, are often handi- capped by the lack of a suitable but cheap method of installing propeller shaft. If advantage is taken tandard automobile parts, however, a neat and close-coupled arrangement, -) will give good service and operate efficiently, can be made at a minimum of ( I and labor. ront and rear-wheel hubs from a light car are used to form the-main parts of the tallation, together with a special shaft | a couple of sprockets. The shaft de- is a combination of that of a front- spindle and the outer end of a rear- spindle or shaft. Between the two is a pad or shoulder for the seat of driven sprocket. e shaft must be carefully and accu- I sropeller-< and builders of aero- i

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aillees cua XC enaine pg ' nH |) (SHAFT Wai go ie ‘ { 1 liar A H prey dt SA ee ee eee ee ee ee NY ee et ¢) ES hiGe : ° ’ = u-8¢ “a - ' —B 6 EEE “--- PROPELLER GUARD FRAME ~* PROPELLER -\\-- PIPE. BRACES / x

~~ FRAME SECTION A-B | flange, is then slipped on, the ball cones adjusted so as to allow the shaft to run freely without any shake, and the locknut tightened and fastened with a cotter pin. The regular hub cap is used, filled with good grease, just as in the car.

GREASE CAVITY \ ¢ HUB CAP

’ iA , FELT WASHER REAR-WHEEL i’ ony F 7HUB } | WHEELHUB : j (SPROCKET : ez ‘ t ' : ' ' '

S :~ “ER \cup RACE THREADED ! ; AND GALLS PROPELLER CONE ‘s----WOOD UPRIGHT Fis.t

_ pipe \h BRACES 7) \ e \ REAR VIEW \_~—~~l Fic.2

An Exceptionally Neat Mounting for an Aero Propeller, Made from Standard Automobile Parts, Which Are Easily Obtained and Renewed rately turned from a solid piece of good machinery steel; the rear end is turned nd threaded to the same dimensions as the front-wheel spindle of the car from which the hub is taken, and the seats for the ball races must be held very carefully to size. The front énd is turned to fit the rear-wheel hub, threaded for the nut, and keyseated. The seat for the sprocket may then be turned, keyseated, and the thread for the locknut cut. The front wheel hub, minus the outer The hub that carries the propeller is a rear-wheel hub, as stated above, and it ts fitted with a second flange, made out of another hub, which is machined away until a flange is left that will pass over the turned portion of the hub proper. The propeller hub is drawn up on the tapered portion of the shaft, as in the car, and locked by means of a nut, washer, and cotter pin. The propeller is clamped be- tween the flanges by six through bolts of 3-in. diameter, the sliding flange allowing 24° vad

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318 POPULAR for a wide variation in the thickness of propeller hubs. A hub cap is screwed on the forward side of the hub, to present a neat and finished appearance. The key that holds the sprocket should be large and set deeply, as it carries all the motor torque. Two heavy wooden uprights, meeting at the top to form an inverted vee, are bolted to the sills of the frame, and straddle the body of the front-wheel hub as shown. Four %-in. bolts hold the tops of the uprights firmly to the hub. Angular braces, made of 2-in. pipe, are also fitted, Simple Cut-Film Holder Besides being non-breakable, nonhala- tion, and light in weight, it has been found that there is also a great economy in using An Economical Method of Using Pieces of Cut Film of Various Sizes in a Plate Holder cut films in making negatives. This is es- pecially true if the photographer does much copying work. Very often only a small piece of film is needed to make the desired copy. A piece of film is then cut from the regular size on hand,inthe dark room. A piece of me- dium-weight cardboard is cut to the size of the plates for which the plate holder is intended, so that it can be used instead of a plate, and a piece of black paper, cut to the size of the film to be used, is pasted on the center of the cardboard. This is to prevent halation or reflection of light from the cardboard back through the film. Small triangular pieces of paper are cut to fit over the corners of the black paper and these pieces are stuck on the cardboard by means of adhesive tape as shown in the photograph. The film is then inserted un- der these corners and will be held in place securely. This method of using cut films is economical as the film is cut to the size needed and no margins are wasted. It is, MECHANICS the ends being flattened and drilled for the bolts. The propeller should be balanced before installation, to insure vibrationless running. An arrangement of this type not only presents a good appearance, but, as the bearings are standard, they are easily re newed when worn. Being of the cup-and- cone type, they will take a thrust in either direction, and so are suitable for eithe: tractor or pusher types of propeller mount- ings. The hub cap should be filled wit! good grease, to insure perfect lubricatio: and refilled at frequent intervals. of course, necessary to mark on tl! ground glass lines corresponding to t different sizes and positions of films u —Edward H. Flaharty, Denver, Colo. Improving Radiator Stay Rods Radiators of most automobiles are ported by a horizontal rod screwed into bracket on the dash and a radiator. Due to the constant vibrat the threads at the sometimes and allow the rod to pull out. To re; the boss is a difficult job, and, in any event prevention is better than cure. If a of the proper size is screwed on the and locked tightly against the boss, there is very little danger that the threads ever be stripped.—E. T. Gunderson, Humboldt, lowa. boss on tft boss A Weather-Vane-Bearing Protector Jearings on weather vanes should protected in some way to prevent t! from rusting. This can be done by ping half ot a hollow rubber ball over the bearing. A small hole is punched throngh the ball to make it grip the shaft securely so that it will not slip down on itself, but can be forced up or down. The drawing shows a recording weather- vane protected in this way, the bearing con- sisting of a_ bicycle- wheel hub with one flange filed off. a: set in the end of a length of pipe, which split with a hacksaw at the other end, be: and bolted to the roof as shown. 1 lower end of the rod terminates just belo the ceiling of one of the rooms and is fitte

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POPULAR a pointer. A compass face is pro- led under the pointer so that the exact ction of the wind can be seen inside ouse at any time. Silencing Overhead-Valve Assembly an overhead-valve engine, the wear e joints of the push-rod and rocker- assembly allows considerable play lost motion. Noise from this source be partly stopped by careful adjust- nt of the tappets, but the wear in the r arms cannot be compensated in and the engine will be more or ke vay, nosy. is trouble can be avoided almost en- with the coil-spring arrangement vn in the photograph. Two brackets in. round steel rod are shaped to fit head of the engine, as shown, each brackets being bolted to the top he engine and extending down along push-rod side. A clip of heavy sheet etal is shaped and fitted to each rocker- head, above the upper end of the rod, and short coil springs are tretched from holes in the clips to the kets. The lower end of each spring ly he h Effective Method of Eliminating the Noise of the Overhead-Valve Assembly on an Old Automobile is fastened to the bracket by means of a cotter pin; the loop end of the pin is placed above the bracket and engages with the end of the spring, while the split end of the key is spread below the bracket. The photograph shows a six-cylinder engine equipped with this silencing ar- rangement. The springs must be of ap- proximately the same length, and ar- ranged so that there is always a slight tension on the rocker arms. These are held tightly against the push rods at all times and thus much of the noise so com- mon to old overhead-valve engines is eliminated—Lowell R. Butcher, Des Moines, Ia. MECHANICS 319 Safe Hay-Fork Holder In hauling hay or grain in the straw it is usually necessary to carry a pitchfork, but accidents often result from placing it | LEATHER STRAP LEATHER Accidents Are Prevented by Strapping the Pitchfork to the Front Standard of a Hay Wagon carelessly on the load. A good place t attach the fork, where it will be held s« curely without any danger, is the front standard of the wagon. Two length leather strap are nailed to one of the up right pieces as shown; () Ss Ol the lower strap is simply looped around the handle I) With this arrangement the pitchfork cannot be lost, and it is in such a position that accidents are not likely to occur. securely. Marking Furnace Grates When shaking t ] yt ne grates of a turnace it often occurs that a perfectly good fire is dumped into the ash pit because the position of the grates cannot be seen from the outside and are turned in the wrong direction. To avoid this, it is a good idea to mark the ends of the shaker bars that extend outside of ‘the furnace, painting them half white and half =. black, as shown in the ——— drawing, so that the position of the grate can be seen at a glance. Dipping the heads of clothespins in white paint makes them easy to find in case they are dropped in the grass.

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320 POPULAR One Lock Fastens Entire Cabinet Locking five or more drawers in a cabi- net by means of one lock can be done very easily by means of the arrangement shown ae: -SPRING nme ANGLE IRON A Simple and Practical Arrangement for Making One Lock Do the Work of Five in the illustration. The detail shows the method of construction; each drawer has a small hole drilled in the side to receive the end of a bolt, which locks it. A small spring, fitting on the bolt under the head, pushes it out of the hole as seon as pres- sure is released. A length of angle iron is screwed to the inside of the cabinet door, as shown, so that when the door is closed it presses the bolt in and locks all the drawers; one lock on the door will then keep the whole cabinet locked. Priming the Auto Engine For quick starting in cold weather, a screw - cap oil cup, of the type shown, is tapped into the intake manifold of the automo- - bile engine, os as close to the carburetor as CP possible. A LOCATION OF OIL CUP short piece of frayed - out twine is knotted at one end and inserted through the hole in the bottom of the cup. The method of using such a priming device is to squirt some high-test fuel into the oil cup, the fuel being absorbed by the wick and vaporized inside the intake—J. G. Brown, Evanston, IIL, MECHANICS A Simple Insecticide While various kinds of insecticides on the market are effective, they are also rather expensive. A simple solution that is very effective in getting rid of bedbugs and similar vermin, consists of % pt. each of kerosene, turpentine, and laundry monia. These ingredients are all poured into a quart bottle and shaken well, a: the solution is then sprayed or brushed on the surfaces where the bugs have bee: noticed. It has been found that two plications are usually sufficient.—Tempest W. Fenton, Ashtabula, Ohio. Raising Gas-Range Burners The rapid decline of the natural-g supply has compelled many gas compa1 during the past year to supply gas at reduced pressure, and as a result the co stoves and ranges designed for high-pr: sure gas are rendered almost useless. has resulted in the flooding of the mar with so-called gas savers, many of tl without any merit whatever. In —~ NE POSIT " ORIGINAL POSITION \ "a Gaia g OF BURNER ' —~ A CENTER OF MANIFOLD NEW POSITION OF BURNER ~—*> FV, apg eZ, i] = \. MAN | \FOLL . ~~ Pg ORIGINAL POSITION OF BURNER ~~] C7 Fic.2 Changing Position of Natural-Gas Range Bur: to Suit Lower Pressures pressure gas ranges the burner is usu from 2 to 3% in. below the cooking t These distances are entirely too great the continually decreasing pressure, satisfactory cooking operations. The U. S. Bureau of Standards expe! have made many exhaustive studies burner positions, and the conclusion rived at is that less gas will be used at | pressures if the burner is within 1.in the bottom of the cooking vessel tha at the original high pressures with low burners.

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a POPULAR MECHANICS 3% Figure 1 illustrates a straight-cock con- tion. By turning the manifold through Or id using a small service ell, the burner e stove utilizing this type of connec- will be raised to a more efficient ure 2 illustrates an angle-valve con- nn. By simply turning the manifold 180° the valve will be above in- of below the manifold and in this will also raise the burner to a more ent height. Of course, the valve must turned so as to face out. is a strange coincidence that, on the ority of ranges, this raises the burners exactly the height recommended by the Bureau of Standards, and is probably the lest, quickest, and cheapest method raising burners that can be devised. All is required in the way of tools are uple of pipe wrenches. Closing Furnace Damper Automatically 1 hen opening the door of a furnace to coal, the ash pit damper is often left with the frequent result that a vol- ume of smoke issues from the furnace door, fills the basement, and penetrates into the rooms above. This trouble can easily be pre- vented by the method shown in the draw- ing. The chain that operates the damper on the ash-pit door is made a little slack, nd is connected to the handle of the fur- ice door by a short length of chain, as hown. This arrangement will not inter- iere with the function of the chain in rais- ing or lowering the damper, and’ will ilways allow the damper to close when the furnace door is opened. Increasing Life of Spare Tires Motorists will find that the spare tire resists natural aging much better if it is put into service for a day every month. Whatever the cause of the deterioration, tis a fact that a spare carried month after month without being “exercised” does not retain its wearing qualities as well as one that gets an occasional day’s use. >) © — Coasting on Ice Children who live in level regions, where coasting downhill is not possible, will ap- preciate the device shown in the drawing, i HEEL ATTACHED TO SLED . we . : A 4 ‘ / ‘ x “EDGE OF HEEL BEVELED __- - -"s ; A Novel Method of Coasting on Ice by Means of a Stout Clothesline and Two Heavy Coil Spring which will enable them to coast on the i on a pond. A stout clothesline with a heavy coil spring at each end is stretche tightly across the pond, or a bay, betwee two trees. The sled is pushed backward against the center of the rope as indicated by the dotted lines, and will, as soon as it is released, coast a considerable distance over the ice, due to the action of the coil springs. An old leather heel is nailed to the back end of the sled to hold the rope. The rider pushes the sled backward against the rope by digging the sharp ends of his skates into the ice, or he may be pulled back by another boy.—Dale R. Van Horn, Walton, Neb. Preventing Pump from Freezing As an ordinary pitcher pump in good condition does not allow the water in the suction pipe to run down, the water is subject to freezing during winter. To pre vent this, I tapped the vacuum chamber directly under the check valves, for a 4%-in. drain cock, which, when opened, destroys the vacuum and releases the water. When the cock is closed the pump works as well as ever.—W. C. Robson, Cheboygan, Mich.

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POPULAR MECHANICS Carrier for Vacuum Bottle Vacuum bottles are of great convenience for keeping liquids warm and are used ex- tensively by tarmers and workmen, but they are rather bulky to handle and this feature is somewhat objectionable as the bottle is easily broken or dented by drop- An Inexpensive and Serviceable Canvas Bag for Carry- ing a Vacuum Bottle ping it on the sidewalk or ground. Carry- ing cases are made, but they cost nearly as much as the bottles themselves, and there- fore the homemade carrying bag shown in the photo will be appreciated. For a 2-qt. bottle the bag is made from a piece of canvas or similar heavy cloth, 17 by 18 in. in dimensions. One 17-in. edge is turned over and hemmed on the sewing machine; this edge will later form the top of the The 19-in. edges are then sewed together, and a disk fitting the lower end is sewed on inthe same way. Turning the bag inside out will then bring all the seams on the inside. The shoulder straps, which are made from strips of cloth with the edges hemmed, are sewed to the bag as indicated. A bag of this kind is much better than a leather one because it can readily be washed when soiled.—J. R. Koontz, Bremen, Ind. bag. Stopping Radiator-Hose Leaks Leakage of the hose connections on automobile radiators can usually be rem- edied by an application of shellac. The hose connection need not even be removed if the shellac can be run into the joint by gravity. After draining the water in the radiator to a point below the hose level, the clamp of the leaking connection is loosened and some shellac is run in. It is allowed to stand for a few minutes, un- til nearly dry, and the clamp is then tight- ened. Preventing Damage from Battery Acid Where a storage battery is to be used permanently as for radio, it is well place it in a shallow wooden lead-lin box, filled with sand, in order to e! nate the danger of having the rue varnished floor ruined by the acid, w! sometimes seeps through. A plain wood box can be used, but the lead-lined with soldered seams, affords absolute | tection, while the plain box may al acid to escape when the sand bec saturated. Another help is to mix slight proportion of powdered alkali as wood ashes or soda in the san George Davis, Oakland, Calif. Simple Tube Adapter It is often desirable to change a dr radio outfit to a larger set using a sto battery for the filament circuit. o change a larger set so that dry-cell tu can be used. A simple adapter that mits the use of both kinds of tubes wit changing the set in the i in the photo- graph. It con- sists of an old tube base that fits the sock- ets of the set. This is sol- dered in one end of a 4 or 5-in. length of 1'4-1n. brass tubingas shown, and a socket of- the proper type to carry the tubes to be used is fas- tened to the other end of the tube as shown. Four lengths of lampcord carefully soldered to the terminal old tube and after being through the tube, are connected to the c responding terminals on the socket. ears are formed on the upper end ot tube, bent back at right angles, and dr so that the socket can be tastened to t with small screws.—W. W. Brackenridg Harrison, Ohio. least is she base, bt rile 1 } ( @A piece of coarse-mesh screen over t! flower bowl permits the use of short stemmed blossoms.

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POPULAR MECHANICS Inclosing the Porch for Winter \ large open porch on northwest side of the use, has its advantages in ummer time but does provide much shelter omfort during the cold ter months, especially he open country where e wind is unobstructed, d the porch lies in its ill sweep. By providing inclosure to keep the nd out, the porch can be le useful during the nter, and the room be- d it kept much warmer. simple inclosure that es not cost much, and be made in hort time, is wn in the otographs. lhe = screen ections, which ere hooked in the space be- een the frieze nd tle seat il, and are of e during the immer months only, are re- oved and 2-in. wooden frames, of the same size as the screens, are substituted. However, as this does not admit any light on the porch, ordi- nary four-light storm win- dows are set in the frames in some sections. Three of these windows are suf- ficient in the case de- scribed, as they provide all the light necessary, but, if desired, all the sections can be made of storm windows, or windows can be spe- cially made for this pur- pose. As soon as warm weather returns, the sec- tions are re- moved and stored away for the summer, when the screen sections are again brought out and put in place. E xt ra- heavy hooks and screweyes should be used to fasten the storm section pieces of heavy allboard, tiled to l by Tanning Muskrat Skins Formerly many muskrat skins were home-tanned and made into caps, collars, ind other articles. The present home utilization of skins is much less extensive, hut knowledge of a good method of dressing the fur is still desirable. Most ot the methods employed by amateurs involve the use of alum to fix the hair; but satisfactory results, so far as pliabil- ity of the pelts is concerned, depend largely upon the labor spent on them. [he directions here given, if followed, will give better results than processes using alum. Prepare a tanning liquid composed of 1 qt. of salt and 1% oz. of sulphuric acid to each gallon of water. This mixture should not be kept in a metal container. Muskrat skins are tanned in this mixture in a day, but they may remain in it longer without injury. When removed Above: Inside View of the Inclosed Porch = in place.—R. A. Franklin, chester, Below: View Showing Arrangement of Storm Windows Outside R o- Minn. from the liquid, wash several times in soapy water. Wring as dry as possible, and rub the flesh side with a cake of hard soap. Then fold them in the middle, lengthwise, over a line, hair side out, and leave to dry. When both surfaces are barely dry, and the interior is still moist, lay them over a smooth, rounded board and scrape on the flesh side with the edge of a worn flat file or similar blunt- edged tool. In this way the inner layer is removed and the skins become nearly white in color. They are then stretched, rubbed, and twisted until quite dry. If parts of a skin are still hard or stiff, the soaping, drying, and stretching process should be repeated until the entire skin is soft. Fresh butter, or other animal fat, worked into the skins while they are warm, and then worked out again in dry hardwood sawdust, or extracted by a quick bath in gasoline, increases their soitness.—A. C. Cole, Chicago, Il.

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324 POPULAR MECHANICS UNIVERSAL SQUARE LOCKS ard rosewood try-square, and keeping AUTOMATICALLY within the ideal weight for such a tool. The handle is made of aluminum, a: Five different functions have been com- completely incloses the operating mec! bined in the latest woodworkers’ square, anism, which is simple, strong, and ve: while preserving the shape of the stand- unlikely to get out of order. On one side of the handle is a knurled thumb butto a slight pressure on this instantly unlocl the blade, which may then be moved any of the five usual operating positio: the square, acute miter, obtuse miter, acute octagon, and obtuse octagon. The blade is rigidly locked as soon as the thumb but ton is released, and it is impossible to “break” the tool until the button is de pressed. The bevel positions are all ob tained with the blade swung to the left the handle, and cover a range of 155 There is also a semi-positive lock for t! blade in line with the handle, for c« venience in carrying the tool in tool b A fine protractor scale on the blade ad to the usefulness of the tool, as it mak: it possible to measure or lay out any o angle, and makes the tool a convenie angle divider. The blade is made of te Universal Square for Woodworkers that Locks Auto- pered steel, and all — on the lock matically in Most-Used Positions mechanism is automatically taken up. SPRING TOOLPOST PREVENTS the top-rake angle is increased, and 1 CHATTERING clearance angle reduced. In use, it is pra tically impossible to make the tool dig when feeding by hand, and the effectiv ness of the gooseneck as a spring is prov: by the tool continuing to cut when feed is stopped. It is the general practice to use heavy toolposts or boxes for carrying tools on automatic and turret-lathe cross slides. The tools are often used for comparatively heavy forming operations, and, although substantial toolholders help to a great ex- COMPACT BENCH SANDER tent, they do not always prevent chatter- FOR SMALL SHOP ing on heavy cuts.” A new toolpost has been designed to overcome the tendency Pattern shops, and woodworking ta to chatter, and as it is effective when tories that have not enough interna! or used at the front of the regular wo! slide, it leaves the rear 7 a , gi to justify t! & toolpost free for part- purchase oi ing tools, and enables the slide to take the pressure of heavy cuts on the horizontal face, and not on the nar- row vees. The tool- post is made of mild steel, and carries flat forming tools ina slanting gap. The tool can be set by two hardened setscrews, and clamped by four similar screws. A hole and a saw cut through the lower portion of the box allow it to act like the familiar “gooseneck” tool, and, as the cutting edge of the tool is behind the center of the tor is direct! gooseneck, any movement of the tool connected t¢ under a heavy cut will be in a direction the spindle, which has a_ reciprocat away from the work. At the same time, ing movement of 1 in., is equipped wit! large spind sander will | interested i1 small ben machine no on the ma-ket The tool equipped wit a tetall inclosed mo tor with speed of 1,7. r.p.m. the mo

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POPULAR roll. The 16-in. table of the machine und, and tilts 45° down and 15° up. over-all dimensions are only 16 by 16 in., and the machine may be fitted . pedestal, if desired. LONG-LIFE MOLDS DEVELOPED IN IRON FOUNDRY cording to Dr. R. Moldenke, an ority on foundry practice, a promi- carburetor manufacturer has devel- a mold for cast iron that can be ed repeatedly ; in fact, some of the molds e already had 10,000 castings made in hem, and not one has yet been discarded. has necessitated constant attention » the molds, of course, but is a great step vard in the molding of cast iron. he molds are made of cast iron, lined th a highly refractory material, which is rotected from abrasion and penetration f fine iron filaments, and which wears to urface that need be repaired or patched ly on rare occasions. While the castings so far made have been light, no great diffi- culty is anticipated in making heavier ones. UNIVERSAL VERNIER CALIPER OPERATED BY THUMB Needing only one hand to adjust it to size within its range, a new vernier iliper should find instant approval mong mechanics. Both inside and outside measurements 1ay be made with the tool, and, in addi- an extension of the movable jaw ves as an accurate depth gauge. The is moved by means of a small knurled Method of Setting Movable pa of Caliper,-Using Only the Thumb heel, operated by the thumb, permitting very accurate setting, and it may be locked a small cam lever. The scale is gradu- ted in sixteenths of an inch and millime- ters, and, with the vernier, readings to 1-28 and 1-10 mm. may be taken. The tool is ttractively finished, and will make a wel- come addition to any tool kit. MECHANICS 325 ELECTRIC VALVE GRINDER HAS “HAND” MOTION Oscillating and revolving movements combined, thus duplicating the motions made when grinding by hand, is the out- Left, Grinding Valves with the Offset Attachment; Right, Grinder, Showing 3-in-1 Driver Blade standing feature of a new valve grinder of clever design. The tool resembles an electric drill, and is provided with 3 and 6-in. grinding spin- dies, each of which will take any of the valve-driver blades, and which are gripped in the tool chuck. A special hook at- tachment is supplied for use in grinding valves held in cages, and, when grinding such valves, the body of the tool is held in a special vise. The tool may also be used for loosening stuck cage-type valves, with- out removing them from the cylinder block. Some valves are located under the gas tank, or below the cowl, and are hard to reach with the ordinary grinder; with this tool, however, an offset attachment is sup- plied, which enables the mechanic to grind the valve quite easily. This attachment also enables the operator to grind all the valves from the side of the engine, instead of from the top, if he prefers to work that way. @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. a a

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326 ATTACHMENT CONVERTS LATHE INTO GRINDER Garages, service stations, and repair shops will welcome a new grinding attach- ment for the lathe. The tool will do all Grinding Crankshaft on Lathe, Using Ball-Bearing Throw Blocks kinds of external grinding on any lathe, and may be used on lathes of 18-in. swing and over, for crankshaft grinding. The unit consists of a sturdy, heavy- duty grinding stand with a base machined to fit the toolpost slot on the lathe car- riage, and a rigid “whaleback” casting to carry the driving motor. The grinding wheels are carried on the spindle by lock- ing collets, and hence may be removed from the spindle without the necessity of retruing when replaced; they may also be used at either end of the spindle. Collets POPULAR MECHANICS of the same type are used to carry the spe- cial wooden pulleys used on the motor spindle, so that the correct pulley for each size of grinding wheel may be quickly put in place. The motor is adjustable on the whaleback, to regulate the belt tension. When used for crankshaft grinding, a set of patented throw blocks, counterbal- ances, jigs, and a steady rest are furnished. CAN’T CROSS THREAD ON NEW GREASE CUP Users of grease cups—and their name is legion—will appreciate a novel form of cup recently patented. A spring-bayonet joint operates on a slight turn of the cap when removing or replacing the cap for fill- ing. When the cap is in position, the threads are, for all practical purposes, engaged, and it is impossi- ble to start the cap crooked. While the cup is self-feed- ing, the grease can be forced by hand to clear the passages of hardened grease and dirt before au- . tomatic feeding begins, thus insuring per- fect lubrication. The cup is designed to feed about one-third of its capacity at each adjustment, to prevent emptying it m pletely. The spring-snap bayonet joint holds the parts firmly together. COMPLETE MACHINE Work of immense variety may be done with a machine now in course of pro- duction by a French concern; it is really what its makers call it— SHOP IN ONE TOOL by 30 by 32 in., making the machine id for model makers, and small works! “The Complete Workshop’—as, with a few simple changes in the position of the head, it may be used as a radial drill, shaper, miller, grinder, gear-cutter, slotter, and saw, adapted for either hand or power. The speeds may be changed, by gearing, for different varieties of work, the head run- ning at from 20 to 2,200 r.p.m. The tool feeds are all automatic, and the tool head not only swings around the column, but also swiv- els on the cross slides, so that the work may be machined at any angle. The heavy base is provided with T-slots to accommodate a swiveling graduated vise, and work-holding clamps and fixtures. The space occupied is only 15 Left, “The Complete Workshop” Set Up for Milling; Right, in Use as a Shaper