The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-11
NEW INVENTIONS.

NEW INVENTIONS.
In a newIy-designed folding umbrella the
lower portions of the ribs are attached to
sleeves sliding on the upper parts. with the
braces fastened to the sleeves TO force them
outward as the umbrella is opened.
Napkins can be readily attached to the
clothing by new device formed of a cir
cular spring band with clamps folded in one
side. one of which receives the edge of the
napkin and the other engages the coat
lapel.
A door knob has been patented for use on
Office doors, composed of dial set in the
face of an ordinary knob with adjustable
hands on it, to be set by turning the knob
until they indicate the hour Of the users
return.
To prevent pencils from slipping out of
the pocket a rubber cylinder has been de-
signed with soft rubber rings arranged on
it's surface to catch on the inside of the
pocket when the device is placed on the
head of g. pencil.
A simple protective seal for bottles is
formed of a glass cap nodded at the END of
the neck to prevent the insertion of a cork
screw until the cap is broken, the cork be-
ing compressed and inserted through slot
in the side of the neck.
German has designed a barrel cleaner
which has folding brushes attached to a
shaft and operated by rods after they
pushed through the bung hole to engage the
sides of the barrel and scrub it by turning
crankS at the outer end of the shaft.
A railway spike has been designed which
will not pull out and allow the rail to turn,
a slot being cut in the spike near the head,
in which an auxiliary spike is inserted at
nearly right angles to be driven into the tie
and fasten the main spike in place
In the manufacture of a new bicycle tire
the tube is lined with a nonconductor and
then filled with ground rubber, the tire be-
ing then heated in a vulcanizer to render
the filling soft and spongy and harden the
surface of the tube at the same time
A boat has been designed which can be
easily handled on land when it is necessary
to move it around Instructions in stream
wheeled trucks being attached to the bot
tom, with extension handles at either end
by which the boat can be lifted by two men,
Lawns can be sprinkled with a. new hose
attachment, which costs little and can be
easily connected, a split sleeve being formed
of the proper size to fit tightly on one side
carrying a spoon-shaped blade against
which the water strikes and breaks into a
spray.
Potatoes can be rapidly cleaned of sprouts
by new machine, consisting of a cylinder
formed of Stats spaced around two circular
heads and set in a frame, to be revolved by
a crank after the tubers are dumped in, the
Stats breaking off the sprouts as the cylin-
der revolves.
An Englishman has designed a new method
OF propeIling and steering boats, having the
propeller mounted on a small hull in front
of the main ship and connected to it by rods,
which are adjustable by means of levers to
swing the forward hull at an angle for steer
ing the boat.
To prevent check rens from slipping off
their hooks Iowa man has designed
holder formed of a leather disk from the
center of which a. second disk is almost cut,
leaving a portion answered at the rear, with
a slit in the inner disk, which fits tightly
over the hook.
A handy support for carrying guns is
formed OF strap passing around the Shout
der and under the arm and carrying fiat
metal strip suspended at about the height of
the belt, ending IN nook SNAPPED 70 Mt the
stock close to the trigger to support the gun
from the shoulder.
An improved crutch has a rubber tip at
the bottom for use in ordinary weather, with
a steel point placed inside the rubber and
attached to knob on the side of the shank
by which ii can pushed down below the rub
Der and held there for use when the pave
mentS are slippery
A German has designed an igniter for
miners lamps by which they can be lighted
without exposing the flame to gases in the
mine, an igniting strip OF friction caps being
passed In close proximity to the end of the
wick tube, to be lighted by a sliding plate
operated by lever.
Oars are prevented from disengaging them
selves from the boat by an improved row.
lock, which has a ring to clamp the oar, with
short shank on one side, ending in disk,
which slips through slot in a socket at
tached to the boat, resting in a circular
pocket at the bottom.
Medicines can be delivered from bottles
without splitting by the use of a new device
consisting of a band TO clamp the neck Of
the bottle and support a wire bale from
which small measure is suspended to re-
tain its vertical position when the bottle is
tilted TO pour the medicine.
A Kentuckian has designed a mixer for
stirring the contents of barrel, the device
having a central tube. around which are
fixed folding blades to be opened by NOV
ing a sleeve on the tube after the mixer
is inserted in the barrel, a crank being fixed
on the upper end to revolve it.
Thermometers are accurately adjusted by
the use of Michigan mars invention, the
graduated back being fixed in a clamp be-
fore the mercury tube is permanently ad-
engages the tube and sets II accurately In
comparison to perfect thermometer.
A Minnesota woman has designed but
tonhole opener for use with buttonholing
machines, consisting of a central handle
with one end formed with tapered point
to cut the hole open, when the tool is re-
versed and fiat, double-edged blade Is
used to make the hole OF the proper length.
Rubber overshoes are securely held in
place on the foot by a lever attachment
inserted in the heel Of the overshoe. the
lower end extending through the heel and
ending in a toothed head, which grips the
shoe heel being easily removable by a
slight pressure on the other end OF the lever
A Michigan man has patented a folding
crate which Is made Of wooden strips OF the
size desired. with wire loops fastened to half
Of the strips to enter eyeiets IN the corre-
spending edges Of the other strips and al