Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 90.djvu/210

 194

��Popular Science Monthly

��A Fountain Brush Which Cleans Both Sides of the Teeth

ANEW toothbrush which can clean both sides of the teeth at the same time — and wash them while cleaning them — has been in- vented by Lincoln C. Stock ton, of Denver, Colorado. The handle of the tooth- brush is hollow and is connected with a bulb filled with water or any cleansing liquid from which the liquid may be discharged in- to the hollow handle and into the head of the brush, which is provided with ducts to carry the liquid to the brushes.

The brush is operat- ed in the same man- ner as the ordinary toothbrush. There are, of course, two brushes — one to clean the outside of the teeth and the other to clean the inside of the teeth. As the brush is moved back and forth the bulb is pressed from time to time, forcing the water or cleansing liquid to the teeth.

��clean of the

���You squeeze the bulb,

move the brush and

both sides

teeth at once

��UID DENTIFRICE

���VALVE SPRING

��FOUNTAIN SYRING

��A Spinal- Column Harness for Back-Bending Workman

THE man who invents a substi- tute for the spinal-column, or some sort of contrivance to take the pain out of back bending, will make enough money to buy his wife a car- load of diamond tiaras.

Evidently Robert E. Kelly, of Cocoanut Grove, Florida, had the diamond tiaras in sight when he invented his spinal-column harness illustrated on this page. Its purpose is to prevent fatigue of the back muscles — so he says. But does it? Hasn't he overlooked the fact that the wearer must perform work in storing up energy in the spring and that he must constantly fight the spring's tendency to bring him into an upright position'

��the

��The invention consists of an elongated

bar which, between its ends, is twisted into

a coiled spring on which there is mounted a

pad to rest against the body. At each end

of the rod are padded grip-members. One

of the ends is shaped to straddle the

neck end of the body and to extend over

the shoulders; the other end is shaped

to pass about the legs of the operator,

exterior to the thigh portions.

With the aid of its grip- members the brace is able to remain in position on the body of the operator, even when he is standing upright. W'hen the workman I assumes a stooping

j position the weight of

the body is in a large measure sustained by the elastic tendency of the brace to assume the straightened-out position.

Perhaps the inven- tor's idea may be to help the workman to raise up again after he has been bending for some time. We can imagine that he might find some difificulty along that line. •However, "The proof of the pudding is in the eating," and the only way to find out the good qualities of Mr. Kelly's back brace is to try it out.

���Uncle Tom may think he is beating the forces of nature but he isn't f Every time he bends over he has to perform a cer- tain amount of extra work in storing up energy in the spring

�� �