A Folding Ground Seat with Back Rest
This Seat Is Useful Out of Doors and Also for Special Purposes Indoors
Those who enjoy sitting or lying upon the grass while reading will find the device shown in the illustration convenient and comfortable. With this, one may enjoy the coolness of the ground without harm to the person or clothing. The adjustable back rest supports the body in various positions. The device is light, compact, and readily transported. It is useful also in the home and elsewhere. By placing it across the bed, or on a trunk, a good substitute for an extra chair is provided. The seat proper may be folded under and the back rest used as a prop for reading in bed.
Oak is a suitable wood, and other common woods may be used. First construct, according to the dimensions given, three rectangular frames, with mortise-and-tenon joints. Cover the seat and back frames with heavy duck, turning it in ¹⁄₂ in. at the edges. The base is an open frame, provided with adjusting notches, spaced 2 in apart. Next make the adjusting frame, as detailed. Hinge the back and the seat to the base, and fasten the adjusting frame to the back with screws, permitting it to fold, as shown.—T. H. Linthicum, Annapolis, Md.
Bicycle Carried on Automobile as Tender
Steam yachts often carry a motorboat tender, and an automobile may carry a bicycle for emergencies. An autoist whose duties require him to travel through rural districts, had numerous unhappy experiences with a stalled car until he hit upon this scheme. The bicycle is strapped on the running board of the car, its handlebars turned flat against the side, and its wheels in tire sockets in the running board. A tank in the bicycle frame holds several gallons, and if the owner runs out of gasoline, he uses the tender to get a supply, filling the auto tank by siphoning the gasoline through a flexible tube.—John Miller Bonbright, Philadelphia, Pa.
Heater Keeps Developer at Proper Temperature
Having had trouble with developer cooling down and failing to work properly, while developing in the dark room, I constructed the apparatus shown. A small light-tight box was made slightly larger than the tray, with a removable top having an opening to hold the tray. An electric-light socket was fastened inside at one end of the box and a lamp fitted to it. A wire was attached across the middle of the lower side of the box, so that the latter and the tray could be rocked. The box was lined with black paper and varnished black. The edges of the opening in the top were fringed with felt to guard against light leakage. A thermometer is used to determine the temperature. When the developer cools, turn on the light until it reaches the required temperature.—John Hoeck, Alameda, California.