Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 91.djvu/256

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���Popular Science Monthly

The First Life-Long Flashlight. A Generator Furnishes the Power

THE first life-long flashlights are soon to be placed on the market by French manufacturers. They will be warmly welcomed by motorists. The usual bat- teries, which are frequently renewed if used constantly, are replaced by a tiny electric generator. The generator is driven by a clock-work mechanism which is simply wound up when the battery is to be used. Since the ordinary flashlight bulb requires very little power, the strong

��Sprinkler cylinder

��Regulator wheel

��Most sprinklers stay where they are put. This one hops along like a toad and waters new ground. At right is shown the details of the design

��A Sprinkler Which Propels Itself Over the Lawn

A LAWN sprinkler which crawls or rather hops along the garden under its own power has been invented by George C. Bohnenkemper of Denver, Colorado.

The apparatus is sim- Doub)eswIvel ply constructed, consist- ing mainly of a cylinder and piston mounted on a pair of wheels. A hose leading from the water supply main is attached to the sprinkler. When the water is turned on, the piston within the cylinder reciprocates. At each forward stroke of the piston a curved metal foot, spiked at its lower end, is dragged along the ground. The spiked foot stabs the ground on the backward motion of the piston, causing the sprinkler to advance the length of the piston stroke. The rapidity of the aiston movement may be regu- ated by means of a wheel ibove the cylinder controlling he supply of water.

As a comparatively small amount of water is required to operate the motor, the main supply finds its way to the sprinkler-nozzle which keeps up a continuous spray.

����clock spring will keep the bulb lighted for a considerable time. There is nothing in the battery mechan- ism to deteriorate. With a little care, it

_ will last for years.

Exhaust water ' Elongated

x lease spike. valve ,

A Spoon Hook Which Will Not Tangle Your Fishing Line

FOR ten years Charles Leonard, of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, got his fish- ing line tangled or fouled when he used a spoon hook and pork bait for the large mouthed bass that abound in that section of the country. Sometimes the hook would snarl his line four or five times in succession, taking all the pleas- ure out of the pastime. Making up his mind one day that he would invent a spoon hook of his own that would not tangle his line, he proceeded to the task, and the result is that his name is in the Patent Office and he has a spoon hook which can be cast all day without snarling the line.

In the old type of spoon hook the casting weight was attached to the line just above the spoon. This was the cause of all the trouble. In this new hook the weight is attached at the top of the hook, above the joint. At- tached to the under side of the lead weight and leading down to a ring below the joint are two wires which prevent the spoon end of the hook from buckling or doubling back. The inventor says he has cast the hook for three hours without a tangle.

��The spoon hook with new position of lead weight, and two wires directly beneath it to pre- vent tangling line

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