Popular Science Monthly 



679 



Fuel From Waste Paper — A War- 

 Time Economy 



A GROUP of Long Island women have 

 devised a means of cutting down their 

 coal bills by using waste paper for 

 fuel. The waste paper — old newspapers, 

 wrapping paper and card-board which 

 may accumulate about a house is torn into 

 small pieces and put into a watertight 

 receptacle. Boiling water is poured over 

 it and it is set aside until the mass becomes 

 soft. If it is put to soak in the evening it 

 will be ready to handle the following 

 morning. The mass is then formed into 

 balls about four inches in diameter. The 

 balls may be dried in the sun or in 

 the oven. As soon as 

 they are thoroughly dry 

 they are ready to use. 



These paper briquets 

 are said to be a very satis- 

 factory substitute for coal. 

 At any rate, they are 

 capable of augmenting 

 the regular coal supply 

 to an appreciable extent. 

 They catch quickly and 

 burn more slowly than 

 might be expected. 



A Fountain Ink-Eradicator. It Works 

 Like a Pen 



EVERYBODY carries a fountain pen. 

 Why not fountain ink-eradicator also ? 

 That is the underlying idea of an invention 

 patented by Robert G. Mason, of Brooklyn, 

 New York. Two thin tubes holding 

 eradicating solutions, fit in the rubber 

 holder. To make an erasure, the cap 

 on the lower end of the holder must 

 be removed. Then the feeding valves 

 in both tubes are released allowing 

 drops of the solutions (chloride of 

 lime and citric acid, each in its own 

 tube) to moisten the spot and wipe 

 out the ink. 



When the solder is melted, 

 the lifter is inserted in the 

 puncture in the cap of the 

 can, and ring and cap 

 are lifted off together. 

 At left is the hot ring 

 for melting the solder 



A New Can -Opener Which Does 

 Not Destroy the Can 



THE high cost of cans for preserving 

 fruits and vegetables can be materially 

 reduced by the use of a simple device which 

 unseals the cans so that they can be used 

 again and again. 



You first melt the solder around 



the cap on the can with the heated 



ring as shown in the small circular 



photograph above. Before 



Non-corroding applying the hot ring, you 



Cork 



^US? 



spring 



Liquid- 

 container 



Valve stem 



The two tubes for the ink-eradicating solutions fit 

 thin holder which is about the size of a fountain- 



into the 

 pen case 



must puncture the cap; for, 

 unless a hole is made in the 

 cap, the atmospheric pres- 

 sure of fifteen pounds to the 

 square inch would hold the 

 cap to the can as if by suc- 

 tion. When the solder is 

 melted, the pick, or lifter, 

 (shown held in the right 

 hand above) is inserted in 

 the puncture made in the 

 cap, and the ring and cap 

 are lifted off together. 



The cans should be scalded 

 and well washed with soda. 



