174 



Popular Science Monthly 



The twelve pumps terminating in one large mixing tank are 

 illustrated above. Each pipe is connected with a separate 

 tank and the object of the apparatus is to obtain an 

 accurate blend of the twelve different grades of oils 



Blending Twelve Grades of Oil 

 Into One 



A PUMPING plant of a new kind has 

 been constructed for a large oil 

 company in the West to mix oils. There 

 are twelve pumps, each of which is 

 separately controlled by a clutch. Dif- 

 ferent grades of oils are required for 

 various purposes, and it is the object 

 of this equipment to supply the blends 

 or mi.xtures of oils according to the 

 formulas prepared by experts. Each 

 of the twelve pumps is connected by a 

 pipe with a different tank of oil, the 

 main jet from all of them terminating 

 in one large mixing tank. 



successors is an apparatus in- 

 vented b\' a Massachusetts 

 man. It has a game field pro- 

 \ided with semi-conical catch- 

 ing-hoods arranged in tlie 

 positions of the various play- 

 ers in the fields. These hoods 

 serve to catch the ball and 

 return it to a side pocket. 

 There is a mechanical batter 

 which swings a bat on a metal 

 post set beside the home-plate. 

 A spring operates the bat with 

 considerable force. 



The pitching device calls 

 for real skill on the part of 

 the player. The ball is pitched 

 from a pivoted arm which has 

 a ball-receiving cup at its up- 

 per end, and a notch in the 

 ts base portion by which it is 

 in retracted position. When 



rear of 



latched 



the latch is released the pitching arm 



throws the ball toward the batter. 



The success of the player depends upon 



his ability to judge of the speed of the 



ball and then "bat" accordingly. 



After considerable practice the player 

 can sometimes "lift" a "high one" to 

 center field or send a swift one bowling 

 toward the shortstop position with such 

 speed that it strikes the catching-hood 

 with a resounding thud. This is one 

 game where foul balls are unheard of. 

 If the batted ball flies off at an angle the 

 sides of the apparatus are high enough 

 to pre\'ent it leaving the board. 



Another Baseball Game in 

 Disguise 



IF baseball, the great American game, 

 fails to live up to its reputation with 

 the coming generation it will at least 

 not sink into obli\ion. The large and 

 \'aried collection of games simulating 

 it \\ ill serve to immorlalizeitto future 

 residents of this workl, and the historians 

 of a million years hence will make men- 

 tion of the fact that numerous game sets 

 left behind by us lead them to believe 

 that as a race we were a people of hm 

 mentality, worshipping a game callc 

 basi'ball with as much fervor as the 

 ancient Egyptians worshipped their gra\- 

 en images. 



The most recent addition to the collec- 

 tion of games which niiglit puzzle our 



The baseball game out- 

 ball in position ready to 

 a pivoted arm to the 

 ter which stands erect 



showing the 

 be pitched from 

 mechanical bat- 

 home - plate 



