Evening star., 1942-01-10
Plastic Appliance
Makes New Electric
Extensions Safe
Hazard Of Fire Is
Reduced by Use Of
Recent Invention
BY LAWRENCE CROLIUs.

BY LAWRENCE CROLIUs.
Not so long ago 1t was problem
In amateur electrical engineering to
connect more than one lamp that
you could read by, q table lamp and
possibly an appliance of some sort
like a vacuum sweeper, all at the
same time in the same room.
It would probably involve the
plugging in Of q super, three-way
plug in either a wall lamp or the
lone Dashboard receptacle provided
for the purpose. Then q network
Of extension cords purchased at the
B and 10 cent store was plugged
into the plug, with the wires them
selves burrowing here and there un-
der rugs or carpets. Where the wires
had to strike out for themselves
across open floor space they repre-
sented an excellent trap for unwary
walkers.
This made the whole business Of
using electricity a very sporting
proposition, with a definite fire
hazard added to the risk to life and
limb from tripping, and 1t has taken
many of us a good many years to
get tired of it.
Recently. however, people have
been wondering why their houses
can't have a lot of Dashboard re-
ceptacles sprinkled around their
rooms the way they are in the newer
houses. In fact number Of sys-
TENS have been developed which
make it possible for you to enjoy not
only as many outlets as you would
ind In even the House Of Tomor-
row." but twice or three times as
many If you really feel they are
needed.
New Plastic Appliances.
One Of the cleverest Of these new
wiring systems comes in the form
Of number of sections, all made
Of plastic. and fitting together like
the track of toy train. Each Sec
ton Is a handsomely nodded piece
and contains only two materials,
the tubular-type current conductors
and the plastic housing itself. We
are advised that the makers Of this
wiring system were awarded frs:
prize in plastics design competi-
ton for 1941, so you can see that
the idea is excellently worked out.
To extend electric service to any
point In a room 1t Is therefore mere
ly necessary to fasten a series of
feed sections into place, one into
the other. to the desired location.
then insert an outlet section which
has duplex outlets at 12-inch inter-
vaS. The extension can then be
terminated at that point by cover
ing the end with a cap, or 1t can
be continued on to an even more
distant point. These sections may be
run along the Dashboard, wall or
ceiling on an old house and have
such an attractive appearance that
they are not the least bit objection
able.
II you want to use this flexible
wiring system in a new house, the
sections can be mounted on the
studding or masonry, or on the
underside Of an unfinished ceiling,
after which the plaster is put on so
that 1t is flush with the faces of
the receptacles. For residential use
these devices have . capacity Of
80 amperes and can be used for
two or three wire 1920 volt direct
current or single phase alternating
current final circuits.
Hot-Air Heating Problem.
Another sore point with many .
homeowner Is the great difficulty
he has In getting heat to certain
rooms In his house from an old
fashioned hot-air furnace via q du-
bious system Of tin pipes. It often
seems that the rooms which would
most obviously be difacult to get
air to are the ones which ere
served by the least efficient look
ing ducts Hence, no warming
blasts reach these rooms and they
are either cut of from the rest Of
the house, or their users practi-
cally freeze for the duration Of the
winter.
To force air up to these rooms,
as well as the rest Of the house,
strong g-arm methods Is the only way
out Of this dilemma, short Of re-
building the entire heating system,
and you can get q compact blower
unit which fits right on the old
furnace and does Just such . job.
These new blowers are housed In
good looking, rugged steel jackets
with rounded corners and q green
finish Of a special type, and contain
powerful air-moving machinery
which works quietly and efficiently.
No belts or pulleys are used on
these blowers with their direct
drive motors, and the whole unit
is rubber cushioned against noise.
On one side of the cabinet Is To-
Gated large access door to facili-
tate the fabrication of the motor
which is required only once a year
A single large filter Is also furnish
ed which is removable through this
door after it has done yeoman
service In the extraction Of dust
and dirt from the air which is being
sent up into your home.
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Note: For further information on
any OF the products described above,
write Mr.. Crolius, in care of The
Star. and inclose q stamped, SELF
addressed envelope.
Red Tone Can Be Too Deep
1t is wise never to use a red
tone on large areas In an interior