Rensselaer Journal, Volume 11, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 June 1901 — some: new inventions [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

some: new inventions

Saves Clumbers’ Utils.Many a housewife who thinks she Is careful not to throw anything in the t sink is surprised at the amount of waste brought to light by the plumber

who has been sent for to discover the cause of the cloggeed drain, for the matter will accumulate in spite of extreme care. A Chicoganhas designed this new sink at-

tachment to catch the waste products before they fall into the trap, thus making it easy for the material to be removed by any one Without the aid of a plumber. The device is composed of a wire basket of fine mesh, which is suspended inside an enlarged section of outlet pipe, with means for removing the lid and lifting out the basket to empty the contents. Around the central lid is a perforated rim, through which the water flows into the slanting gutter below, passing thence through a coarse screen into the wire basket, where the liquid is drained of all foreign matter. Suspended is a wire handle by which to remote the basket, and the cover can be lifted by the sliding loop at the center. the Mud Off "Rapidly. No one likes to go into the house with mud on the sides of his shoes, and yet no device which could be handily utilized to wipe the feet has hitherto been brought forward for this purpose, if we exclude the mat and old-fash-ioned iron scraper, which do the work but poorly. It is not an easy task with the aid of both the mat and scraper to dislodge the mud from the sides of the soles or the uppers, and to accomplish this special object the boot and shoe cleaner recently patented by Monroe Powell will fill its own place on the front doorstep. There is nothing expensive or complicated about the cleaner, which consists of a pair of brushes and sufficient spring wire to support them with their faces toward each other and elevated at the proper height from the step. The wire is bent to afford-A base, which is secured to

the step by double-pointed tacks, and screws are inserted through the eyelets at the ends of the wires and screwed Into the backs of the brushes. When the foot is inserted between the cleaners the wire allows them to spring outward until the shoe will pass through the bristles. By kicking the foot through once or twice the edges of the shoe will be wiped clean. X/nique Indicator. Here is a handy French letter balance which shows at a glance the correct amount of postage necessary to prepay any mail matter, the novelty

being in the manner in which the weights are automatically adjusted to counterbalance different-B 1 z e d packages on the opposite end of the beam. The letter o r package 1 s

placed in a wire loop at the upper end of a post attached to one end of the « tMting beam and at the opposite end of the beam is aupended the weight carrier. The lower weight is a fouraided cone, and is of proper size to fit the interior of the weight next above, which In turn fits the next higher, and ao on until al) the weights are suspended in the same plane on the central support, each weight representing a unit of'postage. "Rapid Comb Cleaner. The invention shown below has been designed for cleaning combs of hair, dandruff and other matter which clogs up the teeth after the comb is in use

a short time, the machine being especially useful in barber shops and hairdressing parlors, where the combs are tn constant use, and It is necessary to have them always clean.

The arrangements consists of a box with a removable top, in which is mounted a rotary brnsh of wire or stiff bristles, with a crank at one end by which It is revolved. In the bottom of the box is a row of curved fingers, which serve to remove from the bristles whatever the latter dislodge from the comb, it being a small task to remove this matter from the bottom of the box at intervals as it accumlates.

T*rof. Moore and the Hail Shooters. Professr Willis L. Moore, chief of the weather bureau, appears to be somewhat irritated because American horticulturists, as a result of the reports submitted by our consul at Lyons, are asking why this government does not adopt the French method of cannon-firing for the protection of orchards from hall and frost. In a statement which he issues as a reply to the numerous inquiries received concerning the matter. Professor Moore says the idea that the atmosphere can be bombarded into submission to man’s demands in this direction is a popular delusion “as remarkable as is the belief in the effect of the moon on the weather,” adding that “the uneducated peasantry of Europe seem to be looking for something miraculous.” “They would rather,” he says, “believe in cannonading as a means of protection, and spend on it abundance of money, time and labor, than adopt the very simple expedient of mutual Insurance against losses that must inevitably occur.” Improvement in Currycombs. Here is an improvement in currycombs which will be appreciated by every horseman, as it will do in an instant the work he is apt to neglect until it becomes absolutely necessary

-| spring plate curved vld e s a tion pr o - in his inven- > The inventor and dirt, with hair the teeth clogging of _Jfrom the

slotted to s conform with the row of teeth in the comb, with a hinge at one end to attach it to the side of the comb frame. The plate is provided at its opposite edge with a crimp extending either part way or clear across, which serves to lock the plate against the back of the comb while the latter is in use. When it is desired to clean the currycomb a slight pressure of the thumb on the locking crimp will allow the plate to spring clear of the teeth, and assume its natural curve again, at the same time ridding itself of the dirt and hair which it has dislodged from the teeth. The best feature of the improvement is the curving of the cleaner so that it will fly clear of the teeth without the necessity of pulling it free with the hand. The inventor says it will be only a question of time when all currycombs are made with the improvement be has invented. Shadobuless In an improved form of arc lamp for street and other lighting purposes the carbons are so placed as to throw no shadow un-

d e r n e ath the lamp. One of the objections to the arc light her etofore has been the shadow cast by the mechanism necessary to support the lowe r carbon, but the new lamp over-

comes this .by suspending both carbons in an oblique position from the top of the lamp, as illustrated. It is understood that the light in an arc lamp is produced by the passage of the electric current between the slightly separated points of the carbons, and to maintain these points in proper relation the Inventor has provided a clamping mechanism actuated by the expansion and contraction of the central rod of the governor. The first action as the rod expands is the clamping ofr-the carbon pencils to prevent further downward movement, and the second is the spreading of the points until the arc is formed between them. As soon as the points are consumed partially the rod is again drawn upward, allowing the points of the carbons to fall together once more, which feed is assisted by the coiled springs attached at the upper ends of the carbons. TAe (Telautograph. The illustration shows an apparatus for the receiving of written messages by wire. In receiving messages by this machine, the electrical current is made

t o actuate the point of the pen by means of the pairs of electro- magnets located o n either side of the tab1e t, as

shown. Between eacu pair ot magnets Is a movable arm, which rises or falls according as it is attracted or repelled by the magnet, and the motion ot the arm turns a toothed wheel pivoted at the side of the tablet. Thia wheel is in connection with a sliding rod, which has a rack to receive the teeth, and by the combined action of the two rotating wheels on the rods the pen point at their Juncture Is guided across the paper to transcribe the message. At the right side is an Ink fountain, which is connected with the pen point by a flexible tube, and when the pen is at rest it is placed on a pad of gelatin or like material to prevent the ink from clogging the tip ot the pen.

HOW IT OPERATES.