Popular Science Monthly
A Hog-Pen That Counts Hogs
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���DOOR for a hog-house will admit a predeter-
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mined number of animals has been invented by a Wisconsin farm- e r . On many stock- farms where there are a number of i" "jr^iW B^^^E^^ animal houses A"**iBffl ^St^^Bt^ difficulty often arises when hogs endeavor to fre- quent one house instead of apportioning their numbers to the various shelters. This difficulty is overcome by the inven- tion of a door which will admit a certain number of animals, and then no more. The door is hinged at the top. A lever communicating with a rachet above the door slips down one notch on the rachet every time the door is opened. \Mien the last spur of the rachet is reached, the door cannot be opened.
Erasing Attachment for Typewriters
X erasing at- tachment for typewriters has been brought out which does away Mr> r iTu--^' ^ with the time- '^^g j' f-^-""^ worn practice of
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lost eraser when a typographical mistake is made. A key projects from the body of the typewrit- er, resembling the tabular key, back spacer, and s'imilar refinements which have found their way into typewriter structure in recent years. Pressing the key operates a series of levers and arms which terminate in a rubber eraser, and rub it upwards and downwards on the paper, so that the particular error is re- moved. Although an erasing attach- ment of this kind would hardly prove suitable for business correspondence, it would probably find a wide field in news- paper or other offices where absolute neatness in typewritten matter is not so essential.
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Soda Fountain in a Suitcase
A SODA f oun- t a i n which can be carried with reasonable ease is the subject of a patent of in- terest to the men who make a liv- ing selling palat- able beverages on the sidewalk. One of the ingenious features of this invention is that no one would ever suspect that the innocent appearing hand case is real- ly a soda fountain. The case contains two separate compartments, in one of which the carbonated water is contained, and in the other, the glasses and various syrups. An inconspicuous faucet pro- jects from the soda water tank for the purpose of replenishing the supply.
A Finger-Knife for Egyptian Corn
HERE has recently been patented anew style of knife or cutter for harvest- ing Egyptian, li r o o m, M i 1 o Corn and similar grains. It is now in use in Cali- fornia.
The knife is strapped to the hand as shown in the illustration. When the stalk is grasped the fingers naturally close and off goes the head of grain, to be tossed into a wagon or bin immediately. The implement is very sharp and strong, so that it will cut practically any size stalk which will enter between the knife and guard. With an instrument on each hand a person can do twice as much work, thus saving half the cost of harvesting the crop. Before this invention appeared a cutter had to hold the stalk with one hand and cut it off with a knife in the other. It is now possible to cut the heads off the grain as fast as the hands can be opened and closed.
The blade is! the part between the fingers, the dull back of the knife blade protruding rearwardly through the fin- gers and being held there solid by a small leather strap around the two cen- ter fingers.
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