Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 90.djvu/158

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��Popular Science Monthly

��How to

��Build Bucket Automobiles

��Seats for

��A THOROUGHLY satisfactory pair of bucket seats may be built from the following specifications. Seats of this type

���The popular bucket seat as it is ap- plied to the chassis of an automobile

are very popular among sportsmen who are rebuilding used cars into speedy roadsters, as well as with the prominent race drivers, because of their light weight and simplicity and economy of construction. - Two pieces of sheet metal are required for each seat. The back and sides may be cut from a piece ^]/2 ft- long by 2 ft. 4 in. wide, and the bottom from a piece i ft. 9 in. square. A rather heavy metal that will withstand hard usage should be selected.

The greatest difficulty in this kind of work is in obtaining a pattern. The dimensions are given so that they may be laid off with the aid of a rule and a pair of dividers or a compass. These dimensions should be followed closely so that there will be n o difficulty i n assembling the seat.

The pattern for the back and sides is shown in the draw- ing. As the bottom lines are very diffi- cult to compute accurately, it is much easier to cut the metal as shown, and then remove the surplus after the bottom is riveted in place. , The upper edges are

��generally folded over or rolled about a wire, to give a smoother and stiffer edge.

A strip I in. wide along the lower edge of the pattern for the bottom is folded up to form a means of holding the cushion in the seat. The metal should be first cut to the outside dimensions, and then the pieces between the lugs cut away. The lugs then may be turned up and the bottom secured in the seat by means of rivets through the lugs and the sides or back. One rivet of fairly large size in each lug is sufficient. Large-headed rivets spaced evenly will have a decorative value.

As the metal for this work is usually rather light, braces may be applied to good advantage; A form which is simple and effective may be made from a piece of strap-iron bent at right angles, one end being riveted to the side and the other end to the bottom.

The picture shows a seat of this kind in a converted roadster which has been suc- cessful on the track. This is a t^^pical ex- ample of the location and appearance of the bucket seats. — S. E. Gibbs.

��O'

���Pattern for cutting the sheet metal to shape the seat-back and bottom

��A Cork Substitute for the Toilet Flush-Box Ball NE of the most troublesome devices to repair about the home is the rubber tank bulb in the flush box of the toilet. The rubber bulb itself does not wear out, but the brass bushing into which the stem is screwed becomes loosened so that the bulb does not fall squarely into its seat. This condition will result in leakage.

It occurred to me that a cork ball should serve this purpose as well as a rubber bulb. Ac- cordingly a cork ball was purchased from a dealer in rubber goods and a small hole was drilled through it. A brass rod of the same di- ameter as the old brass stem was then secured and threaded at one end for a length to equal a little more than the diameter of the ball, which was placed between two nuts, A and B, with an extra nut at B

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