Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 90.djvu/867

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Popular Science Monthly

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��ings during a storm at sea. It is not an unheard-of oc- currence for mountain-high waves to strike a ship with a force of several hundred tons and make her tremble and shiver down to her keel. In such a case there seems little to hinder the raft from jerking free and sliding of its own accord down into the sea, leaving the passengers and crew without hope of escape. Even at best the chances of launching it suc- cessfully in such a sea would be small, in spite of its speci- ally devised launching ways.

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��In place of a second man to guide the large saw, a carriage is substituted on which the saw slides back and forth

��A Fountain Shoe-Shining Outfit. It Won't Soil Your Hands

THE trouble and the discomfort that accompanies shoe-shining at home can be eliminated by a fountain-brush that Theodore F. Gensmer, of Minneapolis. Minnesota, has invented. A long tube of paste fits safely inside the polish-brush handle. The simple turning of a finger grip at the end of the handle pushes in a piston and forces as much paste down into the bristles of the brush as is wanted. When the tube has been used up, another is inserted. In this way the hands do not come into contact with the polish or the shoe. Furthermore, the device prevents any waste of the polish, since the finger grip must be operated before the polish is forced down into the bristles. The felt brush polisher gives a bet- ter finish than the r--.- r^__ usual cloth. The paste container fits into a metal - lined (avitv in the brush. 1 ■--.j^^^'^

��A One-Man Saw for Felling Large Trees

ALL large cross-cut saws for felling big . trees require two men to guide them. By the use of an ingenious guiding mechan- ism, however, Frank C. Ridson, a Can- adian, has been able to do the work with one man. The end of the saw' is simply bolted on a carriage which moves hori- zontally back and forth on guide rods mounted on the tree w^hen the sawing is in progress.

The guide rods swing on a spindle which is driven into the tree. They are held steady by a lower sleeve to which the rod sleeve can be locked. A strong spring fastened in back of the tree holds the rod sleeve and prevents its turning.

The rods guide the carriage in a direction parallel with the cut- - ting movements of the

saw. This reduces the sliding friction to a minimum.

���Paste

���Piston Screw Handle

��By a simple twist of the grip on the handle a piston is forced up in the cylinder and the paste is pressed down to the bristles. It is spread with the dauber as shown on the left. A felt brush is used for the polishing and shining

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