Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 90.djvu/129

 Popular Science Monthly

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��The Problem of the Sloping Shoulder Solved with a Plumb-Line

TAILORS admit that the sloping shoul- der presents a problem. To solve that problem an Indiana tailor has in- vented a contrivance of as- tonishing simplicity.

An angle - shaped piece of steel is fitted against yourshoulder. Aplumb- line is suspended from the upper branch of the piece. When the lower branch is pressed down snugly against the shoulder, the bob will be displaced along the lower branch. Lines are marked on the lower branch and by reading the figures on the line opposite which the bob stops the angle at which the shoulder slopes is instantly obtained.

���The angle-shaped piece of steel is made to indicate the degree of the slope

��A Friend of the Traveling Shoe Salesman Must Have Invented This

THE illustration on the right seems to depict the dire extremity of a pedes- trian caught out in a "soaking" rain; but it is really a device which might be utilized to advantage in such a storm. It is an arrangement by which the sole of a shoe may be detached and another substi- tuted without spoil- ing the appearance of the shoe. Where the traveling sales- man of shoes has many sample styles to carr>% the weight of his stock becomes a feature to reckon with. But with this device he need carry only one upper and various soles, equipped with the screweye and socket plates as shown in the picture. The plates may be used by the layman also.

���. Two sets of plates having screweyes fitted to sockets are attached to the shoe, one set being at the heel and the other at the toe

��Making Imitation Leather from Paper Preparations

A GERMAN firm has succeeded in pro- ducing from paper pulp an imitation leather, which is to all appear- ances and for specific purposes as attractive as the real article. Long-fibered paper of the necessar\- thickness is used as the founda- tion. This is reduced to pulp and tinted, glycerin being added to the coloring sub- stance to give greater flexibility to the paper. After this it is made water-proof by a treat- ment with a weak solu- tion of borax or of shellac in wood alcohol. To get the actual ap- pearance of leather, a piece of morocco or other real leather of beautiful grain is select- ed for use in making the matrices in which the artificial product will be pressed.

The impression of the grain is made by coating a cast-iron plate with shellac lique- fied by heat, and pressing against it the real leather which is to be the pattern of the grain. When the shellac is cold the leather is drawn off and the matrix is ready for impressing the previously prepared paper mass. After the graining, the sheets are lacquered and varnished.

Another German manufacturer has a plan for rendering the paper-leather soft and pliable. He passes it through a bath of glycerin mixed with nondry- ing oils, such as castor oil, before subject- ing it to the final wet press.

There are other similar inventions, so that leather from paper may soon be a common commodity.

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