Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-01-31

The S1aaccountabIe Stops and Starts
which Puzzle Mechanical LOcOmO.
lives Queer Ereak-Watchex, Engines
and Sewing-Machines That Have
Only Needed a Little Rest.


Only Needed a Little Rest.
From the Philadelphia Times
"There are times" said a we'll known machin-
st yesterday, when nearly all machines get
cranky. The trouble is often a simple one, and
Is not infrequently owing to the machinist not
knowing his business. But that is not always
the case. The very best mechanic in the world
gets hold OF nut sometimes that is difficult TO
crack. A machine, no matter of what kind may
work perfectly for months, and then one day
something goes wrong with it. The machinst
looms at it, examines it, perhaps even takes it to
pieces and puts 1t up again. but OF no avail; the
machine remains like balky horse. which moth
ing will make go. At last the machinst gets
tired and goes home. sick of pottering with the
troublesome thing.
81 He comes to work the next day, perhaps
having forgotten the previous troubles. touches
handle here, wheel there. drops a little oil
IN half dozen places. turns on the steam and
OH she goes without a murmur. as If nothing had
ever happened. No. can't explain it-neither
could he. The only conclusion to be drawn is
tnat ne omitted on the occasion OF the stoppage
tnose little necessary touches Ofhandles. turning
OF wheels and drOppngs Of oil. But there are
cases OF slightly different nature.
MACHINE THAT DID NOT CUT STRAIGHT.
For instance, had an order a little while
ago to make a paper-cutting machine from a
certain pattern. l made it. When it was p ut
to work it was found that it cut the paper with
curve instead of straight. Now, of course
could remedy that by mechanical application
and did. However. l also went to work and
made another machine exactly like the first in
every respect. The second machine is perfectly
successful Yet if you take the two machin es
to pieces an place every piece OF each machine
ALONGSIDE q 70 fbor. Sc
not hairs breadth of difference in them.
can't account for the difficulty with the first.
only know how to overcome it, and did over
come it.
Now. here is a case of a trouble l had with
an instrument, the mechanism of which was
not very well acquainted with. short time
ago my telephone wouldn't work. | couldn't
converse through it at all. The only thing
heard was terrible buzzing noise / called up
the operator at the central station but he
couldn't account for it and sent man around
He came and looked at the instrument, got con-
nected with the central and went away. Pres
emily wanted to use it again, but found the
trouble was as bad as ever. A second man was
sent around to discover the cause. After awhile
he found out that the connection with the ground
wire had become disturbed. The wire was
loosened. and only formed just sufficient circuit
to convey sound The shaking OF my engines
and machinery caused vibration, which made
the buzZing sound. The man reconnected the
strengthened, and have now no more trouble
with the phone. Almost all the troubles with
engines. machines and complicated instruments
OF all kinds are caused by just some simple mat
ter such as this. A thoroughly competent man
may overlook the cause and another NAV walk
up and spot it instantly.
WHY WATCHES STOP.
watches are so small and their mechanism
is SO delicate that it requires careful inspec-
ton to find the cause of any trouble, said Jew
eler ''The causes Of sudden stoppage are
very various, but among the most frequent is
want of oil. A drop of oil in a watch will last
from eighteen months to two years as a lubrica-
tor. At the end of that time the works become
watch may run for five years before it stops If
watch is brought to me | cannot always say
instantly what is the matter. though | often
nave to make some statement to satisfy lady
or an incOnsderate man. Sometimes | have
had watch to cure and have taken it to
pieces, but do all l would / could not get it
right. Then lay it on one side and 90 to work
on something else When | come back to the
watch it is just as likely as not that everything
will slide into place as easily as possible OF
course, the reason of my trouble has been a lit
tie nervousness l have been tired or anxious,
or my eyes or fingers have been.
sometimes have repaired watch and hung
1t on the rack for few days before returning it
haps in two or three days he brings il back
stopped again. That is sometimes poser but
In such case put the watch in my pocket and
carry it round with ME for few days. Hang
ing watch on the rack, which is perfectly still
and of even temperature is not fair test By
carrying it in my pocket | often discover the
trouble. which is generally very simple one"
AN OBSTINATE sEwISG-MACH1NE.
"Sewin' -machines are jest as pesky an
cranky as old women" said old Tom McClane,
one Of the Oldest shoemakers in Phiadel-
phia. i've worked Fem ALL There's Mackay's
machine you've heerd SO much talk about, the
one that las a royalty On. Leastwise there's
litigation on that matter goin' ON inst now
About fifteen years ago was workn' at James
A. Stevens Bros place, on Filbert street. Old
Jimmy Stevens died year or two ago. and then
his brother gave up business and went to Bos-
ton. | used to work at one O. Mackays and
was considered a pretty good hand. / thought
knowed that machine like book. but it went
back on me one day. 1t played pos sum for two
days. 1t went so stiff that l couldn't do nothin'
with it; then it broke all my threads. and at last
it took and tore about an inch and half into
one OF my uppers.
"Well, couldn't find out what was the mat
ter / guessed the thing was bewitched ANY,
how, went out and bought some spirits o. tur-
pentine and cleaned up every part of it; then I
oiled it afresh and let him be for whole day. 1
member me an my ole woman took a holiday
that day an spent it on the river in Delaware
steamer. Well. l don't know what did it,
whether it was the rest had put it in good humor,
ortiic cleaning, or the oil, but when went down
to the shop next day the old thing went along
like house atire. as though there hadn't never
been nOthin' the matter with it,
AN ENGINEERS STORY.
ever had any bother with my engine?" said
Ed. Murray, an engineer on the Pennsy ivania
railroad. "NO. can't say l ever did; but I've
heard old Jake Finlay, who used to run the ex-
press between Philadelphia and New York, tell
queer story of trouble he got into once. He
was considered a good engineer, and was un-
doubtedly thoroughly capable man. 1t was
one winter good many years ago he was run
ming his usual engine on the evening express.
He reached Trenton safely and stopped there
twenty minutes for refreshments. The rest was
over the passengers all seated. the line sgnaed
clear, the bell rang. and old Jake took off the
brake and turned the steam on. The engine
gave sort Of a feeble kick, and the big driving
wheels reyolved halt dozen times, but didn't
grip the rails, and the train didn't move. Jake
thought the train was too heavy, so he backed
1t a little to gain an impetus. Then he put on
the steam full again to go forward; but the old
Incl pEaH fho DIR; OH