Part 6 (2/2)

The side plates are then secured with some of the 1/8-in. machine screws, using two nuts on each screw. The nuts should be on the side opposite the inlet valves. The shaft hole may also be filed square, a square shaft used, and the ends filed round for the bearings.

The casing for the disk is made of two enameled-iron saucers, Fig.

2, bolted together with a thin piece of asbestos between them to make a tight joint. A 3/4-in. hole is cut near the edge of one of the saucers for the exhaust. If it is desired to carry the exhaust beyond the casing, a thin pipe can be inserted 1/4 in. into the hole. Holes are drilled through the pipe on both inside and outside of the casing, and pins inserted, as shown in Fig. 5.

Solder is run around the outside pin to keep the steam from escaping. At the lowest point of the saucer or casing a 1/8-in.

hole is drilled to run off the water. A wood plug will answer for a stopc.o.c.k.

If metal dishes, shaped from thick material with a good coating of tin, can be procured, it will be much easier to construct the casing than if enameled ware is used. The holes can be easily drilled and the parts fitted together closely. All seams and surfaces around fittings can be soldered.

Nozzles are made of two stopc.o.c.ks having a 1/8-in. hole. These are connected to a 3/8-in. supply pipe. The nozzles should be set at an angle of 20 deg. with the face of the disk. The nozzle or stopc.o.c.k will give better results if the discharge end is filed parallel to the face of the disk when at an angle of 20 deg. There should be a s.p.a.ce of 1/16 in. between the nozzle and the blades to allow for sufficient play, Fig. 3.

The bearings are made of 1/4-in. bra.s.s and bolted to the casing, as shown, with 1/8-in. machine screws and nuts. Two nuts should be placed on each screw. The pulley is made by sliding a piece of steel pipe on the engine shaft and fastening it with machine screws and nuts as shown in Fig. 6. If the shaft is square, lead should be run into the segments.

The driven shaft should have a long bearing. The pulley on this shaft is made of pieces of wood nailed together, and its circ.u.mference cut out with a scroll saw. f.l.a.n.g.es are screwed to the pulley and fastened to the shaft as shown in Fig. 7.

The bearings are made of oak blocks lined with heavy tin or sheet iron for the running surface. Motion is transmitted from the engine to the large pulley by a thin but very good leather belt.

** Homemade Telegraph Key [21]

A simple and easily constructed telegraph key may be made in the following manner: Procure a piece of sheet bra.s.s, about 1/32 in.

thick, and cut out a strip 3-1/2 in. long by 3/4 in. wide. Bend as shown in Fig. 1 and drill a hole for the k.n.o.b in one end and a hole for a screw in the other. Procure a small wood k.n.o.b and fasten it in place with a small screw. Cut a strip of the same bra.s.s 2-3/4 in. long and 5/16 in. wide and bend as shown in Fig.

2. Drill two holes in the feet for screws to fasten it to the base, and one hole in the top part for a machine screw, and solder a small nut on the under side of the metal over the hole.

Mount both pieces on a base 4-1/4 by 2-3/4 by 1/4 in., as in Fig.

3, and where

[Ill.u.s.tration: Bra.s.s Key on a Wood Base]

the screw of the k.n.o.b strikes the base when pressed down, put in a screw or bra.s.s-headed tack for a contact. Fasten the parts down with small bra.s.s wood-screws and solder the connections beneath the base. Binding posts from an old battery cell are used on the end of the base. The screw on top of the arch is used to adjust the key for a long or short stroke.

--Contributed by S. V. Cooke, Hamilton, Canada.

** Keeping Food Cool in Camps [21]

Camps and suburban homes located where ice is hard to get can be provided with a cooling arrangement herein described that will make a good subst.i.tute for the icebox. A barrel is sunk in the ground in a shady place, allowing plenty of s.p.a.ce about the outside to fill in with gravel. A quant.i.ty of small stones and sand is first put in wet. A box is placed in the hole over the top of the barrel and filled in with clay or earth well tamped. The porous condition of the gravel drains the surplus water after a rain.

The end of the barrel is fitted with a light cover and a heavy door hinged to the box. A small portion of damp sand is sprinkled on the bottom of the barrel. The covers should be left open occasionally to prevent mold and to remove any bad air that may have collected from the contents.

--Contributed by F. Smith, La Salle, Ill.

** Homemade Work Basket [22]

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