Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 90.djvu/88

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��Popular Science Monthly

���tions to light up the blue field, depending upon the wind direction. The other four are two hundred and fifty watt lamps. A man is de- tailed to adjust the lamps so as to secure just the right il- lumination regardless of wind direction.

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��The flag is kept constantly illuminated at night, de- spite the shifting of the winds and other difficulties

��Illuminating the American Flag — A Problem for Patriots

ONE of the striking scenes on the streets in Chicago is a large American flag brilliantly illuminated flying from the flag- pole on the top of one of the down town skyscrapers. The flag is thirty feet long and fifteen feet wide. The shifting of the direction of the wind, the greater amount of light required for the blue field, and the fact that the staff is near the edge of the building combined to make the i lumination a very difficult matter.

To overcome defects due to the shifting of the wind six. powerful lamps were installed, only four being used at one time. Two of the lamps are five hundred watts; these are used to illuminate the blue field on opposite sides. They are provided with projectors, and may be moved to the best posi-

���The magnets are attached to the frames of the wheels to protect the tires from tacks and bits of steel on the road

��Picking Up Tacks in Front of Your Automobile N ingenious device con- sisting of a magnet car- ried in front of each of the two forward wheels of an auto- mobile and in close proximity to the ground, has just been invented. It will prevent the puncturing of pneumatic tires by automatically picking up magnetic particles such as chips of metal, tacks, nails, and the like.

The magnet is pivoted to the front end of an extending arm attached to the front axle w^heel spindle, so that it will swing with the wheel during steering and always remain in front of it. As shown in the accompanying draw- ing, a guide roller is provided at the rear of the magnet casing for the purpose of preventing the magnet from interfering with the tire and injuring it when it is swung backward about its pivot as when passing over extraordinary projecting ob- stacles in the road.

The current for magnetizing the magnet can be secured from the magneto, storage- battery or generator on the car lighting or ignition pur- oses. The connecting wires are carried in one arm of the extending bracket which is made hollow for the purpose. Now should any tacks get squarely in the way, as they usually do when the automobile is nearing the speed limit, the magnets will immediately lure them to one side and pick them up, deferring in- definitely the time of the inevitable blowout.

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