August 4, 1917





RECORD   AND   GUIDE





139







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i

1   NE"W

1




AND   USEFUL   APPLIANCES   1





Novelties and New Applications of Familiar Devices,                                   1
of Aid to Architects, Builders and Building Managers                                    1





Described without regard to advertising consideration                                                   1

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Electric Heater.





A





heater* has recently been perfected
and introduced to the electrical trade.
This unit is substantially constructed of
pressed steel on the principle of the port¬
able lamp and is of very attractive de¬
sign. The reflector has a triple coat of
copper plating highly polished. The
back is finished in black enamel and the
base and upright
is polished
nickel. The re¬
flector is fasten¬
ed to the up¬
right by a hinge
joint and is ad¬
justable, permit¬
ting the heat
rays to be di¬
rected parallel
to the floor or
diagonally up¬
ward. The heat¬
ing element
core is made of
composition ma¬
terial, the re¬
sistance wire
being first
wound into a
small coil and
then wound around the core one inch in
diameter, thus giving a large amount of
resistance material in a compact space.
The coil will run at a normal tempera¬
ture of about 1,200 degrees, which in¬
sures long life and satisfactory service.
The manufacturer claims that the heat
rays are easily felt at a distance of six
feet from the device, this extreme dis¬
tance being possible by virtue of the
specially designed parabolic reflector.
The wire protecting guards over the
heating element are easily removable
when necessary to clean the reflector or
change the removable heating element.
The base of this appliance is made of
metal and so weighted that if the heater
is tipped over it will assume a position
with the heating element pointing up¬
ward, thus eliminating the fire hazard
if the heater should be accidentally up¬
set while the current is on. The eb-
onized wood handle at the back of the
reflector makes the heater easily port¬
able.







Efficiency of Materials.
C TUDY of the results of an investiga-
*^ tion of the heat-insulating efficiency
of various fire-resistive structural ma¬
terials has been made by the United
States Bureau of Standards, and certain
preliminary conclusions have been
reached. In general, it appears that
gypsum shows a greater efficiency as a
fire-resisting material. Concrete and
clay vary somewhat, depending upon
their porosity. The denser clays con¬
duct the heat a little more rapidly than
concrete. The more porous clays, how¬
ever, conduct heat somewhat less rapid¬
ly than the concrete. The effect of the
aggregates on concrete is not very
marked in changing the relative con¬
ductivity. There is little difference in
this respect between gravel, trap rock,
slag, and soft-coal cinder aggregate.
Limestone concretes, however, seem to
stand out as giving a much lower con¬
ductivity. There was found to be but a
slight difference between the behavior
of the gypsum specimens furnished by
different manufacturers. The dense
high-plaster mixtures give much better
results than the porous low-plaster,
high-water  mixtures.





Improved Pipe Strap.

A LL plumbers realize the difficulty of
•'* hanging pipe to ceilings with the
ordinary types of pipe straps generally
obtainable. It requires one hand to hold
the pipe, and the other to manipulate
the hammer. And still the mechanic is
required to hold the pipe in place. This
is the difficult task. By the use of the
improved pipe strap, that has recently
Iieen introduced to the plumbing spe¬
cialty houses, much of the trouble of
the plumber hanging pipes is eliminated.
This type of hanger is made with two
itrongs, which are driven into the wood
instead of nails or screws, as are most
e^enerally used with old-style straps.
Each prong has a hook near the point,
v/hich gives the strap an anchor hold in
the wood. Though simple, this device
IS a great time saver, according to the
claim of the manufacturer, and should
appeal to all plumbers on account of its
convenience.





Conduit Couplings.

A TUBULAR slip coupling for con¬
duit pipes has recently been devel¬
oped and introduced to the electrical spe¬
cialty trade. This type of coupling con¬
sists of a sleeve, the outer surface of
which is taped toward each end to form







cutting edges. These edges are for the
purpose of facilitating driving the conduit
through a wall or partition. The inner
surface is beveled at the ends in order
to permit the easy insertion of the con¬
duit.





Electric Soldering Iron.
A COPPER pointed electric soldering
** iron, which is heated by the con¬
tact resistance with two carbon elec¬
trodes, or more specifically by the white
heat produced at the electrode tips, has
recently been placed on the market. The
copper point is brought in contact with
the electrodes by releasing a catch on
the spring. The iron may be heated
ready for use in less than two minutes
according to the claim of the manufac¬
turer. The outfit is designed for tinning,
running seams and soldering low-fusing
metals such as zinc and lead. Two sizes
are made, one requiring 60 watts and
the other 150 watts. Any special point¬
ed copper can be attached to this solder¬
ing iron. To heat the irons only five
to seven volts are necessary, transform¬
ers being provided to give the low volt¬
age.





Cracks in Plaster Work.
^ RACKS in plastered walls and ceil-
^^ ings are due to various causes,
\'hich may act individually or in combi¬
nation. The cracks are in many in¬
stances caused by the settlement of the
building. These may be readily deter¬
mined by their length, breadth and
depth. Cracks in plastered work also
occur from the shrinkage of bad or un¬
seasoned lumber used in the construc¬
tion or framing of the structure, which
may cause displacement in the joists or
lath. Other prime causes for cracked
I'iaster are too sudden drying of the
work; the laying of one coat of mortar
on another before the first has had suffi¬
cient time in which to dry out, or on
walls that have a strong suction, which
absorbs the moisture or life of the coat
being laid, thus making the plaster scaly
and apt to peel off. In this last case
the plaster does not set but only dries
and shrinks, which gives rise to cracks,
and eventually falls or crumbles away.
The use of inferior or bad materials, in¬
sufficient proportions of lime or hair, or
the skimping of labor is often followed
l^y cracks. Insufficient labor and un¬
skilled workmanship in the application
of plaster is a great source of trouble,
but it is to be understood that even the
best type of skilled workman will not
be able to make a plastering job perfect
unless the materials are up to the stand¬
ard. On the other hand, the best ma¬
terials will not balance poor labor in ob¬
taining an excellent job. It is only
through a judicious selection of mate¬
rials and their skilled manipulation that
a high class and enduring quality of
work can be obtained.





of





Floor Surface Spring Hinge.
A PROMINENT manufacturer
^~* hardware is marketing an improved
spring hinge, ball-bearing, of the hori¬
zontal compression type which is fas¬
tened to the bottom corner of the door
and. to the surface of tne floor. The
statement is made that this type of
spring hinge is easy to apply as no
hanging strip is required. It has a posi¬
tive hold-back when the door is swung







to 90 degrees, so that the door will not
close suddenly when required to remain
open. The tension of the spring is ad¬
justable. The spring is made of oil-
tempered steel wire. The floor plate is
reinforced, eliminating a weak condition
often existing in this type of hinge. The
weight of the door is carried on hardened
tool-steel ball-bearings contained in en¬
closed steel ball-race. The workman¬
ship, appearance and finish of these
hinges are standard in every respect.





Reel for Lamps.
A MONG the electrical appliances that
■**■ have lately anpeared on the market
is a reel that consists of a ball casing
containing a winding mechanism and a
drum capable of winding ten feet of in¬
sulated lamp cord. The lamp does not
revolve, nor does the cord twist during
the winding operation. The manufac¬
turer claims that this device can be
adapted for use with drop lamps, portable
lamps and the like, as well as to provide
an extension lamp.

RECORD   AND   GUIDE   IS   IN   ITS   FIFTIEJTH   YEAR   OF   CONTINUOUS   PUBLICATION,





Pipe Solvent.
P LUMBERS and householders are
^ saved time and trouble by the use
of a pipe solvent that is rapidly gaining
popularity. The manufacturers claim
that this composition will loosen and re¬
move obstructions in closet bowls, cess¬
pools, sewers, sinks, bathtubs and wash
trays, obviating the necessity of tearing
up floors and taking apart plumbing fix¬
tures in order to get at the source of
the stoppage. The further claim is also
made that the use of this^ compound
will not damage plumbing pipes or fix¬
tures.