Want to make a river run uphill? E VERY DAY, America's engineers are performing miracles with water . . . creating vast, crystal lakes dous quantities . . . for pipe of large diameter and small . . . to reinforce have assumed an importance equal to that of roaring blast furnaces and where valleys were before . . . trans- massive concrete dams ... for bridges open hearths. porting entire rivers across moun- that carry pipe across broad streams Preparing men for key positions tains in steel pipe. But there's still . . . for cables that suspend it across in the great steel industry is big a big job to be done. For 108 million yawning chasms. business at United States Steel. To- Americans still lack adequate water It adds up to a tremendous task day U.S. Steel has more people in supplies, and 17 million acres could for America's steelmakers. And it's training than all but a few of Amer- be made into fertile farms with proper only one of steel's many tasks that ica's greatest universities. irrigation. will utilize the services of thousands Helping to build a better America, The jobs at hand and the jobs of trained men, for steelmaking to- the number one job at United States ahead will require steel in tremen- day is a precision operation. Chemi- Steel, offers careers with a real future cal and metallurgical laboratories to men who can qualify. How many Dimensions has a Name? When you measure a name, there are many ground of experience, technical knowledge "dimensions" to consider, such as: integrity, and creative skill gained through constant capacity, vision, strength and skill. These search for more efficient, economical sources qualities constitute a yardstick for professional for power . . . qualifications needed to attain and public recognition. the eminent position the name Westinghouse There will be many times in your career holds as a leading producer of power equip- when you can increase the "dimensions" of ment for land, sea and air. your name by the development of a product, a This is but one of many fields in which the method or through a decision you make. name Westinghouse has been indelibly written Some idea of the dimensions of the name over the years. Westinghouse, for example, may be gained by In your career you will measure many names a few facts about one of its many activities . . . and products in industry. As you do, you will building turbines. find the name Westinghouse prominently In this field is the Westinghouse J-34 jet identified with practically every one. engine which is setting a new pace in aircraft Whether those products are turbines or propulsion in the much-discussed Navy "Ban- toasters, locomotives or lamps, electric stair- shee" and the Army Lockheed F-90, as well as ways or x-ray machines, we will welcome the in many other airplanes of both services—as opportunity to share our experience . . . our yet unannounced. sureness in designing and manufacturing that Such developments require a rich back- adds a new dimension to a name . . . By metallurgical controls and tests of materials, our members are able to produce cast iron pipe with exact knowledge of the physical characteristics of the iron before it is poured into the mold of a centrifugal casting machine. Cast iron pipe is the standard material for water and gas mains and is widely used in sewage works I he great majority of cast iron pressure construction. pipe produced today is cast centrifugally, in metal or Send for booklet, "Facts About Cast Iron Pipe." sand-lined molds. Address Dept. C, Cast Iron Pipe Research Association, When this mechanized process was introduced 27 T. F. Wolfe, Engineer, 122 So. Michigan Avenue, years ago, its potentialities for improved production Chicago, 3, Illinois. controls were evident. For human fallibility was largely replaced by machine accuracy based on scientific principles. The improved production controls made possible by the centrifugal casting process have long since been realized. Hundreds of millions of feet of centrifugally- cast-iron pressure pipe are now in service. All of this pipe is more uniform in metal structure, in wall thickness, and in concentricity, than pipe not centrifugally cast. Better production control means better pipe; it re- sults in gteater uniformity of quality. Production controls in cast iron pipe foundries start almost literally from the ground up with inspection, analysis and testing of raw materials; continue with constant control of cupola operation by metal analysis; and end with rigid tests of the finished product. TAKE THIS FOOTBALL PLAYER. From head to toe Caustic Soda is part of his equipment. The plastic in his helmet, the fabric of his jersey and trousers, the leather in his pads and shoes—in the processing of all these, Caustic Soda plays an important part. Back in the locker room, his soap, towels, the trainer's surgical cotton and dressings, all are made with the help of Caustic Soda. Caustic Soda is truly an All American— the workhorse of the processing industries. Virtually everything we see or touch in our daily living makes use of this chemical. The Dow Chemical Company is one of the major producers of high quality Caustic Soda. Large plants in Midland, Michigan; Freeport, Texas and Pittsburgh, California are devoted to producing this important chemical. It is transported to industry everywhere in Dow's fleet of specially designed tank cars. Yet for all its importance, Caustic Soda is only one of over 500 essential chemicals produced by Dow— 'Chemicals Indispensable To Industry and Agriculture." In 1793 Eli Whitney helped a growing nation take The discoveries of today are the fundamentals of another step in the direction of greatness. Inventions tomorrow. When you finish school, you'll find it like his made and keep America great. But what necessary to keep up with the advances in your spe- does the greatness of American inventors and tech- cialty. The McGraw-Hill magazine serving your nology prove? field will report all that is new, necessary and It proves that Americans are better trained than important. other people in the scientific and technical funda- It is not enough to know that a new process exists, mentals so necessary for the continuing progress or that a new invention has been developed. You that has kept America the world's greatest nation. must know also how it can be made available to you. In America, the finest textbooks are available to all. You will find the best source for this information in This is the background for the technological ad- the advertising sections of your McGraw-Hill mag- vances that raise one country above all others. azines. Many of the books from which you learn your Today in school and tomorrow in business, you fundamentals bear the McGraw-Hill imprint. will find that your progress depends on your up-to- McGraw-Hill is the world's largest publisher of the-minute knowledge of your field. And, McGraw- books for technical reference and instruction as well Hill will continue to serve with books and magazines as for advanced research and study. designed to provide all that is important and current. Table of Contents • articles ELECTRONIC CALCULATOR 8 WELDING AWARDS 10 PROUD PROFESSION 12 PATENTS PENDING 14 ULTRAFAX 18 • features ENGIN-EARS 7 WE PRESENT 11 CAMPUS NEWS.. 13 PICTURE PAGE 20 STATISTICAL THERMODYNAMICS. . . . 22 SOCIETIES 24 NEW DEVELOPMENTS 26 SIDETRACKED 39 & 40 Frontispiece: Courtesy General Electric. The Spartan Engineer is published by the students of the School of Engineering, Michigan State College. Editorial and business offices, Room 508 Electrical Engineering building, P. O. box 468, East Lansing, Michigan. Phone, 8-1511; Ext. 7119. Price per issue, 25 cents. Entered as second class matter at the Lansing post office, January, 1949- most of the summer making the necessary M ICHIGAN STATE COLLEGE HAS TA- ken a big step in the right direction- a step which may mean more jobs preparations. Their efforts were well reward- ed by the enthusiasm of the delegates—most of whom plan to attend again next year. available for engineering graduates, as well During the past ten years, the outstanding as increased prestige for the school itself. Industrial Engineering Conference in the mid- We refer to the Industrial Engineering Con- west has been held at the State University of ference which the Mechanical Engineering Iowa each summer. However, this clinic was department sponsored last September. A total primarily the work of one man, Ralph M. of 71 delegates attended the conference and Barnes, who transferred to the University of they represented companies scattered from California last year. With Professor Barnes Finland to Texas. no longer on the staff, Iowa discontinued the The effect the conference may have on conferences. increased job prospects is twofold. First, Now, with the field wide open, Michigan most of the delegates were more than satis- State's engineering department would like to fied with their personal contact with our engineering department. Second, many of the take over the top spot. It has already been delegates came to realize the need for more decided to make the event an annual affair- engineers in their ogranization. plans for next year's conference are being How the conference will affect the made at the present time. school's prestige is self evident. These men ***** carried favorable impressions of MSC to UR DEEPEST SYMPATHIES GO TO many sections of the country. ln A M ost of the credit for planning and carry- g out the idea goes to Profs. James M. O the 15 gallant Spartans who had such mighty plans to wall off a portion of the U of M campus just before the. MSC-M Pple and George A. Limbocker. They began (Continued on Page 28) Planning the conference last April and spent r lRED? HAVE TROUBLE THINKING? Can't seem to concentrate? An entire- ly new type of high-speed automatic computing machine with a rudimentary memory The calculating element of the machine adds, subtracts, multiplies, and divides the num- bers it receives. organ that has judgement and mathematical logic soon may solve your mental problems. Automatic computing machines of unpre- cedented speed and capabilities point to new vistas. The belief has been growing that these computers will have a profound effect on science and engineering. Imagine solving the complex realistic problems of a shell's flight in less time than it takes the actual missile to hurtle from gun to target! No machine can take the place of the scientist or engineer to do creative thinking, but this machine relieves them of burdensome calculations, no matter how complex or in- volved they may be, thus leaving the indivi- dual more time and energy for creative think- ing. The selective sequence electronic calcula- tor follows in many respects the pattern of man's mind in performing complex sequences of computations. The machine reads numbers involved in the problem and reads the instruc- tions for its solution. It consults reference tables containing the results of past calcula- tions. The memory element of the machine re- tains the many intermediate results produced in the machine, and recalls them when they are required in the course of the calculation. By means of a "central nervous system" automatically as required. Those which must the program devised by the scientist for the be recalled most quickly are held in electron- problem in hand automatically directs the se- ic circuits, and the remainder, recoverable as quence of operations, selects the proper num- rapidly as they are needed, are stored in re- bers from the various memory units or from lays and as holes in continuous card-stock the reference tables, directs them to the cal- tapes. By using these punched cards as a culating unit, guides the calculating proces- supplementary medium of storage, the memory ses, and routes the results back to the proper capacity is made almost limitless. places in the memory unit. When the desired A selective sequence electronic calculator, result is obtained, the program directs the produced by International Business Machines, machine to record it. possesses approximately 250 times the pro- The basic function of the machine can be ductive capacity of an earlier automatic se- explained in simple terms. The main opera- quence controlled calculator built by them in tion of counting is performed at very high 1944. speed through the use of electronic tube cir- The calculator is able to record 24,000 cuits which count rapidly-recurring electronic pulses. The high speed of calculation in this new machine is attained by the use of electronic circuits for computing and control, thus doing away with ineffective moving parts. To make this electronic speed effectively available for the solution of today's complex scientific problems, it was necessary to pro- vide in the machine facilities hitherto una- vailable: (1) Adequate means of getting data and procedure instructions into the machine and of getting results out of it. (2) A gigantic memory capacity for the storing of huge masses of numerical de- tail that accumulate in the process of cal- culation. (3) A highly flexible means of guiding the flow of numbers through all phases of the calculation. The great masses of numerical data and in- structions used in complicated problems are digits a minute by printing or 16,000 digits a fed into the machine automatically at high minute in punched cards. In a single second s peed. Facilities are provided for assembling this mechanical brain is able to perform 50 this material automatically from various multiplications of 14 digit numbers; 20 divi- sources within the machine and for sorting, sions of 14 digk numbers; or 3,500 additions checking and arranging it in the most effici- or subtractions of 19 digit numbers. ent order for solution of the problems. Only In order to keep this mechanical computer b functioning smoothly, programming facilities y such automatic implementation of calcula- tln developed by IBM have been designed to g programs can a small group of techni- cians keep the vast resources of the calcula- maintain proper operating efficiency. These tor usefully employed in exploring the ever- facilities consisting of card feeding and increasing mathematics of modern science. printing mechanisms and the development of The memory capacity provided, far exceeds card punches have made it possible for the that of any other calculating machine-a total calculator to assemble, sort, check, and ar- of nearly half a million digits. It can remem- range material automatically for quick solu- ber this number of digits and recall them (Continued on Page 36) WELDING AWARDS Turn Your Senior Problem Into Cash Profits M ICHIGAN STATE COLLEGE ENGIN- eering students have an opportunity to earn worthwhile amounts of money ing students to investigate various phases of arc welding. Regardless of previous knowledge of arc this year by competing in undergraduate welding, all resident undergraduate engineer- award and s c h o l a r s h i p p r o g r a m s . A l r e a d y t h e ing students, including agricultural and Linclon Are Welding Foundation and the architectural, registered in a school or American Welding Society have announced college in the United States may compete. under graduate competitions. Students may write on a wide variety of The James F. Lincoln Engineering Under- subjects, and the papers may be based on graduate Award and Scholarship Program study or actual experience. Papers may annually offers $6750 in awards and scholar- describe the welded design of a machine or ship funds to undergraduate engineering structure or any part of a machine or struc- Students and their schools for the best ture. Maintenance and repair of machinery or papers on arc welding design, research, farm equipment is another of the many sub- fabrication, or maintenance. A total of 77 jects that may be used. Laboratory research prizes ranging from $1000 to $25 are awarded and development work also may be described. to students and $1750 for 7 scholarships are Deadline for the competition is May 15, awarded to schools. The awards are as 1950. follows: Sponsored by the American Welding Awards Amount Total Society, the A. F. Davis Undergraduate 1 S1000 $1000 Welding Award Program also is designed to 1 500 500 encourage and stimulate interest in welding. 1 250 250 This program offers four cash prizes annually <* 150 600 to authors and undergraduate publications 8 100 800 for the two best articles on welding published 12 50 600 in undergraduate magazines or papers during 50 25 1250 the preceeding year. Any undergraduate of a college or university in the United States or Scholarships Amount Total Canada is eligible, but the paper must appear 4 $ 250 $1000 in an undergraduate publication. 2 250 500 The awards are as follows: $200 to the 1 250 250 author of the best paper and $200 to the Schools or colleges in which the three top publication: $150 to the author of the second awards are made to students will receive best paper, and $150 to the publication. scholarships equal to those awards. The Of course, the same paper may be entered program is conducted to encourageengineer- in both of these contests. The Spartan Engin- (Continued on Page 28) A MAN OF MANY INTERESTS Water and Electric Light Commissioners. C LAUD ERICKSON, CONSULTING engineer at MSC, believes in living the P.S. He graduated with a $905 reserve. word ambition out to the final letter. As an outstanding student, he is credited His whole life spells ambition. by Prof. Cory, recently retired EE instructor, While a student at State, he convinced the as having presented some of the best lab Dean that he could handle a combination of reports ever turned in at MSC. ME and EE. And if you've tried even a simple Claud is a member of Tau Beta Pi, engin- schedule change, you can eering honorary, and proud of appreciate his accomplish- being the number one charter ment. member of the State chapter But a heavy schedule was of Lambda Chi Alpha. a minor problem, for financial Following graduation in difficulties were rearing their '22 with a BS in engineering, u gly figures-$125 was the he remained with his part- figure with which Claud time employer on a full-time began his college career. basis. The following year he He decided: was given a leave of absence to convert MSC's power 1) a job was necessary. system from DC to AC. 2) a job was hard to find Claud's hobby seems to be (even then). collecting post-graduate de- 3) to take a job at the grees. In '27 he obtained a professional YMCA for 20c1 an hour. degree in ME from State. A professional 4) to quit. degree requires 5 years of practical experi- An opportunity for a job making blueprints ence with marked success together with the for the Drawing and Design Dept. enticed him passing of a rigid examination. The second away from the YMCA. Two years later he took trophy in his collection came in '33-an EE the part-time job that influenced his later life. In (Continued on Page 32) fact, he is still with the Lansing Board of ENGlNEERS SHOULD BE PROUD OF In the past, engineers have prided them- their profession. selves on being hard-headed, practical men. They have played a dominant role in They have designed machines to do the work providing for the material needs of mankind. of one hundred men (and no one will question They have harnessed nature and puc science the value of that) but they have had no con- to work. They have built highways, railroads, cern for the men who were displaced. Techni- automobiles, tractors, and the airplane. cal problems were a challenge to them, but Engineers have crossed over rivers with they failed to recognize even the existence of great bridges and under them with long tun- the more difficult social problems. It is to nels. Giant dams have been constructed to their credit that engineers themselves first control floods, irrigate land, and provide became conscious of their shortcomings, and electric power for whole states. engineering educators began to introduce The telephone, radio, television—every one courses in history, economics, psychology, of the things which twentieth century people and social science. take almost for granted are the product of the The Basic College at M.S.C. is a direct scientific knowledge and technical skill pos- answer to a real need, and engineers should sessed by engineers. be among the most grateful for it. But the picture is not all bright. Some of Engineers and others who receive highly the bridges and dams which took years to specialized training must come to understand build have been destroyed overnight by the the broader problems of the society in which bomb and bombing airplane which engineers they live. They m i t accept the challenge of have also made. Great cities, which are the result of centuries of effort, have been level- social situations which their discoveries and led in a single hour. Social forces have been inventions have in a large measure created. If at work which have caused men to use the they fail to meet the challenge they may bear product of the engineer's labor to destroy. It a major responsibility for the destruction of is time for engineers to look around to see our civilization. But if they accept, they can what their creations ere doing or they may make an indispensible contribution toward a wake up some day to discover that their very standard of living for all which will be higher existence is threatened by their own inven- than any we can now imagine. tions. THE DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL gold medal for 1949. This award was pre- and Metallurgical Engineering was sented for his record of distinction in admin- separated into two departments in istration, education, and research. Dr. July. Dr. Austin J. Smith, who joined the McKibben is now head of the Ag. Engr. De- State faculty a year ago, was named head of partment of the Pineapple Research Institute, the Department of Metallurgy, and acting head Honolulu, T. H. of Chemical Engineering. The John Deere Medal was awarded to Dr. Dr. Smith received his degrees from Yale H. H. Bennett for his extensive work in soils University's Sheffield Scientific School. He and soil conservation. Although not a mem- has been Assistant Director of Research for ber of the society, he was instrumental in The Lunkenhiemer Co. of Cincinnati for the the founding of the Soil Conservation Service past twelve years. and was its head for many years. Dr. C. C. DeWitt was head of the Chem.- After the meeting adjourned, the conven- Met. Department for nine years. At present tioners went to Detroit as guests of Detroit he is Director of MSC's Engineering Experi- industries. A banquet was given at which Mr. ment Station and is a member of the Graduate Kettering, President of General Motors Re- Council. search Corp., was the guest speaker. The following day, the guests toured various * * * * * industries. THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE * * * * * American Society of Agricultural Eng- ineers was held on the Michigan State THE MECHANICAL ENGINEERING College campus in June. It was the forty department underwent many changes second annual meeting and was hailed as during the summer months with new one instructors joining the staff, two old ones °f the most successful meetings in the history of the society. resigning and the groundwork laid forseveral The morning programs covered "Power and new courses. Machinery", "Rural Electrification", "Farm Norman McClure of the heat treat lab re- Structures", and "Soil and Water" and were signed to accept a position as metallurgist Presented by leading men in industry and with the Dow Chemical Company in Midland. education. In the afternoons, general ses- F. L. Spalding was the other loss. He left to sions were held covering some of the small- join the industrial engineering staff at Brad- er topics of equal importance. Dr. J. B. ley Polytechnic Institute, Peoria, Illinois. Davidson, charter member and first president To replace these men and round out the of the society, reported informally on his staff in general, four new men were added to recent experiences in China. the MSC faculty this term. Dr. R. T. Hinkle, Student members of the society held morn- professor in charge of machine design, came ing meetings to discuss the operation and here from Cornell University. Dr. Hinkle activity of the various student organizations. earned his bachelor's and master's degrees lans for the coming year were discussed at Kansas State College and received a Ph.D. and election of officers was held. at Cornell. He was an associate professor in Dr. E. G. McKibben, former professor and machine design at Cornell. Here he will have charge of the senior problem for students head of the Ag. Engr. department at MSC, (Continued on Page 30) was recipient of the Cyrus Hall McCormick PATENTS PENDING Here's How To Protect Your Ideas A Brief Account of How To Obtain A Patent H OW OFTEN DURING THE COURSE of conversation, do we hear, "You ought to get a patent on that"? Every year, some fifty thousand people in or in public use or on sale in this country more than two years prior to the date of filing the application. A patent must be applied for, by, and is- this country do "get a patent on that." Both sued to, the actual inventor or co-inventors in terms of the number of people engaged in it of the device, process, or art. It cannot be and in respect to its commercial importance, an agent of the inventor or inventors and in the art of invention may be considered one of this respect the patent system of the United the major industries of this country. States differs from those of most other coun- But the path of the inventor is beset with tries. obstacles. Of the large number of patents Many corporations, employing men for the granted annually, only a small proportion are express purposes of invention, development of commercial value. Ignorance of the patent and improvement eliminate all controversy by system, inability to gauge industrial needs making an employee obligation a definite part and poorly drawn-up patent claims are respon- of the employment arrangements. It is a usual sible for the heavy mortality in patents. practice for the employee to sign a specially A patent is a contract between the federal prepared agreement in which he expresses his government, representing the public, and "the complete willingness to: inventor. Under this contract, the inventor (1) Assign to the company any inventions discloses to the public his invention with its which he may make, relating to the pro- uses and advantages, and in return the Gov- ducts or service of the Company. ernment grants a 17-year monopoly to the in- (2) Assist the company to obtain patents ventor which prevents anyone else from using covering these inventions, including the the invention. prosecution or defense of any interfer- The main provisions for a patent are that ences which may be declared. the invention is new and useful, has never (3) To do these things without charge to been patented or published in this or any other country before the date of filing appli- the company, as long as he may remain cation, and also has not been known or used employed by it. in this country prior to the date of discovery An employee who is not hired to invent or to make improvements for a specified pur- pose, may independently invent or make im- ment for materials having to do with the in- provements in the machines or processes or vention. Every inventor should make a prac- products with which he is connected. Upon tice of writing down a complete description these independent inventions or improve- of his idea and accompany it by rough sket- ments, he may obtain patents as his own, to ches which are dated. The inventor should which his employer has no rights. have the records witnessed by two or three One word of caution which must be added person (who sign it and date it as a matter for the protection of such employee-inventors of record) who can testify that they saw and is that to receive the full and complete rights understood it on the date specified. This is to his invention the inventor must be careful to protect the idea in its early stages. to proceed in such a way that the invention During the subsequent development of the is actually independent. idea, similar records should be kept of every In case more than one inventor claims the important step. It is often possible to keep a same subject matter, an interference is initi- photographic record of the progress, with ated by the Patent Office. This is a proce- each photograph witnessed and dated. dure to determine which of the inventors is Since, to be patented, an idea must meet the originator and to decide which party has such rigid tests, it is advisable, in the early the right to a patent. Therefore, it is extreme- stages of the development of any idea, to ly important that every inventor take precau- make a preliminary search for other similar tions to attest and preserve records of every ideas. Too much emphasis cannot be stressed step of his work. here, for it is one of the most important steps Also, it i s an excellent idea to save all in the chain of events between the idea and bills, vouchers, and checks issued in pay- (Continued on Page 16) for filing of a patent application is $60. Patents Pending Second, the cost of preparing the patent draw- ing varies from $10 to $50. Third, the fees of the filing of the patent application. the attorney. A word of caution at this point; A search also is one of the best ways to the inventor must beware of the patent attor- become familiar with what already has been ney who will not quote any price at all, or done in the field and often will save many only a minimum fee. hours and much money during the develop- A reputable attorney will nearly always be mental stages. Such a search may show the willing to quote a maximum fee. Also the in- way around some small difficulty which in ventor should be on his guard against the itself is not the patentable feature of the "flat-rate" and the "no patent —no pay" idea, but which may retard progress of the types of attorney. With regard to the first, as work. long as some kind of apatent can be obtained A search rarely can be carried out by the he is content—whether its specifications and inventor himself, unless he has had experi- claims are adequate or not. As for the "no ence along this line and has access to a patent—no pay" type of attorney, remember large library where patent records are on file. some sort of patent may be obtained on al- The publications which are necessary con- most any kind of idea. The patent may be sist of three different series, The Index of worthless to the inventor, but it is "a pat- Patents, The Official Gazette, and The ent", and the attorney can collect his fee. Specifications and Drawings of Patents. Most When the work of preparing the patent ap- patent attorneys maintain Washington con- plication begins, the task of the inventor is tacts through which these searches can be nearly finished, and the burden of obtaining made at a cost of $15 to $30. the patent must be carried the rest of the way Under the methods of patent procedure principally by the attorney. He will file the which are in force in this country, it may be application with the Patent Office, in the said that the final value of a patent depends name of the inventor, and will attend to all of as much upon the skillful presentation of its the details. specifications and claims as it does upon the Merits of the invention itself. Therefore, the services of a patent attorney are essential to the average inventor. A pat- ent application never should be filed without the aid and assistance of such a person. Patent attorneys are specialists in this work—the good ones have devoted years of study to it-and can prepare a better applica- tion than the inventor could prepare by him- self. It should be remembered that the impor- tant thing is not just "to get a patent", but to obtain one which is representative and gives adequate protection to the invention. What is the cost of a patent application? So much depends upon the nature of the patent needed, and upon the other factors which have been mentioned, that definite costs cannot be stated for individual cases. In general, the minimum cost of a simple pa- tent probably will be about $125. The maxi- mum cost may be several hundred dollars, or even more. The cost is divided into three general groups. First, the total Government charges O N THE MORNING OF OCTOBER 21, 1948, at Washington, D. C , the Radio Corporation of America transmitted intelligence at the rate of a million words per minute. The successful completion of this feat marks a milestone in radio commun- ications history. The phenomenal high speed of the new Ultrafax system is produced by a combination of three features. These features are the speed of radio waves (186,999 miles per second), television's ability to transform images of information for transmission at the rate of 30 pictures per second, and high speed film processing which delivers a single frame of film ready for printing or projecting in 40 seconds. The principle steps in transmitting and receiving Ultrafax are preparing the material to be sent to assure a continuous flow at high speed, scanning of this material by using the television "flying-spot" scanner, transmission of the television image over a microwave relay system, reception on a television kinescope (picture tube) and recording the incoming images on motion picture film. At the transmitting end of the Ultrafax system a projection kinescope tube is used as a source of light. On the screen of this tube a spot continuously scans a vertical line. The light emmitted from this spot passes through the film upon which the material is to be transmitted. The light, after being modulated by pass- ing through the film, then strikes a photo- electric cell. This photocell converts the change in light intensity into an electrical response. This response is then amplified through a series of electronic circuits and the output, which is a video signal, is transmitted over a microwave system. Approximately the reverse procedure of the transmitter is used at the receiving terminal. The microwave signal is picked up by the antenna and amplified. This signal is then placed on the screen of a projecting kinescope. A recording camera then records a picture of the screen of the kinescope. The whole Ultrafax system is synchronized so that the exact duplicate of the transmitted material is recorded on film at the receiving terminal. The recording machine develops, fixes, washes, and dries film continuously with a total elapsed time of less than 45 seconds. The film is then ready for projecting or to be printed. Ultrafax can handle all kinds of informa- tion including handwritten material, foreign languages, maps, graphs, technical designs, chemical and mathematical equations, fingerprints, line drawings, and documents of all kinds. ...VIEWS OF FALL TERM CoNSIDERING THE VARIOUS FALL TERM influences which act upon the engineer's use of time as vectors, we can determine the resultant by observing only the forces as we know the directions of the vectors. For example, one points toward Macklin Field and third half coaching duties while others point toward a myriad of pep rallys, dances, society meetings and even study sessions. Although the football vector appears dominant at the present time, experienced researchers report that the vector diagram changes considerably between mid- terms and finals. A New Slant On M.E. 495 I N A HIGHLY SCIENTIFIC ARTICLE recently published in the prominent German Scientific Magazine, Vos 1st Los In Der Welt Schientific,* the most emi- made on a young man of 23.07 years sitting in a cane bottomed chair sipping vodka and eating banana peelings. Although tests were made only on this one young man, they can be nent German authority on Humidity Control used as significant for a whole variety of and Air Conditioning, Herr Doktor Buntzen- cases, so says Dr. Bowerskrugenmiller. boiner von Bowerskrugenmiller , stated that This young man was then taken to the pop- night clubs and dancing should be kaput. ular German night club, Der Hoffbrau, and the This' amazing article was accompanied by same scientific analysis made while he was the pertinent poop** to bear out Dr. Bower- dancing and drinking vodka at intermittent skrugenmiller's astounding statements. The intervals. The following heat loss chart was good doctor discovered the following among then compiled: other things. The loss of body heat is accom- plished in several different ways, namely: Conduction. & Convection 5% Evaporation 15% Evaporation 5% Skin Radiation 30% Skin Radiation 5% Conduction & Heating Expired Air 1% Convection 35% Heating Other Heated Expired Air 10% Expired Substances . . 20% Heating Other Heating Off as B.O. Expired Substances. . . . 5% (Body Odor yet) 30% Heat Given Off as (P.S. This character needs a Body Odor(B.O. to you) 4% bath.) Undetermined Heat Losses 1% Undetermined Heat L o s s e s The above test was compiled from tests 35% It was these last two items that led the *What's lp in the Scientific World good Doktor to make his unparalleled state- **flighly Technical Secret Data ment. The B. O. heat loss had increased by 26%; the undetermined heat loss by 34%. The cost of Oderen Hat Sich Aufgehalten Nicht** position of the undetermined heat l o s s e s . Be- in order to alleviate the increased B. 0. had cause of the vaporization of alcohol, the increased by 52.063 millimarks per evening of amount of vodka consumed went up by ONE dancing—a drastic amount. The undetermin- HUNDRED AND THREE PER CENT. This ed heat l o s s e s , though not definitely known, caused the cost of the vodka consumed while were thought to have consisted of the follow- dancing at Der Hoffbrau to increase by 499.93 ing, according to Dr. Bowerskrugenmiller . . kilomarks per evening over that consumed Vaporization of Ethyl Alcohol. . .31.0% while sitting in a cane bottomed chair eating Vaporization of Methyl Alcohol. . 3.0% banana peelings. Vaporization of Isopropyl Alcohol. 0.2% Prominent American scientists have check- Vaporization of 2, 4, 6, trimethyl — ed the good Doktor's results and have gener- 1, 3, 5, trisuccinyl — 8 — Ureidoctanol ally reached the conclusion that his experi- 0.8% ments are invalid; consequently the bottom Total 35.0% has dropped out of the cane bottom chair industry and the price of banana peels has The big reason, however, that caused Dr. slipped considerably. Bowerskrugenmiller to make this statement was his very scientific theory as to the com- **Mum. The Societies The Michigan State College chapter chosen vice-president and Lloyd Fraser of the ASME held its initial meeting secretary. Other officers are Michael Mclner- of the year September 28, in the new ney, president, and Lester Smith, treasurer. Physics building. Philip Lang was named junior representative Two new officers were elected to round on the Engineering Council. William Graham out the executive staff. Robert Easter was is the senior representative. Professor L. C. Price delivered a short speech to the group in which he stated, "It is almost a must for an engineer to belong to a professional society in his field if he expects to advance in his profession." The character of ASME members and the variety and excellence of the society magazine "Mechanical Engineer" were also stressed by him. President Mclnerney gave an account of the activities of the society for the coming year. The activities include a p : cnic, the engineering exposition, activities carnival and an outline of the type of programs for future meetings. At their last spring term meeting, the Chemical Engineers elected Donald Tuscher, Detroit Senior to head the or- ganization for this school year. Ber- nard Yemc will be assisting him as Vice-President and Program Committee Chairman. October 5, 1949. The financial situation was put in the care A vote was taken on the type of key to be of Bob Kinney and Jim Keller as Secretary selected for presentation to engineering will be in charge of keeping a record of all students serving on the council for one year meetings. Two men, Russ Cummings and or more. The date was set for the Engineer's George Westerfeld were elected to represent Ball. It is to be held January 14, at the the Chem. E ' s at the Engineering Counsel. Union Building. R. W. Ludt will again be guiding the society An ammendment was made to the constitu- in the capacity of Faculty Advisor. tion to approve the American Foundryman's The following committees were named to Society which is to take effect as soon as assist the President in his duties: official notice has been received from the Student Council. Program Committee—Bernard Yemc, (Continued on Page 32) Chairman; Thomas Rohrer; Willis Thompson. Membership Committee-Jack Marsh, Chairman; Ken Turbin; Ed Sczesny. Nominating Committee-Don Tuscher, Chairman; Woody Armstrong. ***** Radio Club The MSC Radio Club had a meeting on October 6. The main purpose of this meeting was to elect officers. The officers elected were: Ken Kortge, W8AHT, president; Art Craig, W8AGJ, secretary; and Jerry Vincent, treasurer. Plans were made for conducting code classes for persons interested in obtaining an amateur radio license. A schedule of these classes is posted at the ham shack, 6th floor, Electrical Engineering Building. * * * * * T he first ASCE meeting of the year was held September 27. There was a large turnout of members from last year and many new members. The speakers of the evening, Dr. C - 0. Harris, head of the Civil Engineering Department, and Harry Conrad, President of Christman Construction Company, pointed °ut the advantages and privileges of belong- ing to the ASCE. The motion was made and ca rried that future meetings would be held ev ery other Thursday. * * * * * Engineering Council The first meeting of the Engineering Coun- cil tor the fall term was held Wednesday, IMPROVED ATOMIC HEAT EXCHANGER the heat transfering agent, a greater effici- ency may be achieved. The removal of the heat from a nuclear reactor is one of the problems slowing down STANDARDIZING SURFACE FINISHING the development of atomic energy for commer- cial use. Intense heat is produced by the Surface finishes are of engineering impor- chain reaction of a fissionable material. The tance in design and manufacture of bearings, problem is to utilize this heat efficiently. screws, and other mechanical sliding parts. A Previously the heat was removed by circu- finely machined surface, appearing absolute- lating air or water throughout the reactor; ly smooth to the eye, is disclosed under high however, a large part of the heat was wasted magnification as a series of peaks and by using these as the heat transfering agent. valleys with still finer peaks and valleys on The new proposed heat exchanger will be the flanks of the major ones. In grinding liquid metal. The liquid metal will carry the processes this roughness depends on the heat away from the reactor to a place where depth of the cut; rate of feed; the relative it can produce steam. In turn, this steam will speed between the cutting wheel and the be used to drive turbine generators. material; the grit size, hardness, bonding It is hoped that by using liquid metal as material; and the state of dress of the wheel; the type and quality of the lubricant at the point of cutting and the physical properties of the material being cut. In the past, the American Standards Asso- ciation has provided a written standard for surface designations; however, this written standard allows for four different roughness height ratings. Any one of these ratings may be satisfactory if both the designer and shop are sure that the other is using the same rating, but the use of all four ratings through- out the country could lead to confusion. Even though one system of units is agreed on and designation of roughness is therefore PROBLEM: You are designing a valve grinding standardized, the problem of measuring machine. You have to provide a drive for the chuck accurately the unknown surface still exists. that holds the valve stem. This chuck must be adjust- able in three different directions. Your problem now is to devise a method of driving the chuck which permits these adjustments. How would you do it? THE SIMPLE ANSWER: Use an S.S.White power drive flexible shaft to transmit power to the chuck. The shaft provides a positive, dependable drive that permits free movement of the chuck in any direction. * * * This is just one of hundreds of remote control and power drive problems to which S.S.White flexible shafts provide a simple answer. That's why every engineer should be familiar with the wide range and scope of these useful "Metal Muscles"* for mechanica! bodies. General Motors and Chrysler are coopera- ting in an effort to produce a set of accurately ruled geometric surface finish specifications w hich are to act as gauge blocks for surface finish measurement. All sets of the speci- mens will be replicas of one master set, so that complete uniformity will be assured. METAL FRACTURE THEORY New theories as to why and how metals break were announced recently by leading scientists. Their investigations show that the fracture of metals begins with extremely small cracks, which act as nuclei and grow into a large split when enough tension is applied. Prior to this investigation, it was usually assumed that the break in the metal occurred simultaneously throughout the sample. The nuclei, which may result in fracture, (Continued on Page 34) Arrangements often can be made for those students entering the competitions to receive credit for their papers in engineering seminar. game last September. As we see it, nothing The student should see his seminar instructor but the ill-timed paint brush act earlier in and department head. the evening loused up their plans. Here is an opportunity for you engineering Seems to us, some sort of suitable award students to earn part of your college expenses is in order-a citation at the very least. Had and at the same time show others that the their carefully laid plan succeeded, it would MSC Engineering School is among the best in have gone down in history as a clever climax the nation. to a long-standing rivalry. Of course it's only a wild idea, but maybe Papers presented for publication in the next year one of our more capable C. E. ma- Spartan Engineer should be typewritten, doub- jors could rig up something similar for his le spaced, and 1000 to 2500 words in length. senior problem. All articles will be subject to minor editing ***** by the Spartan Engineer staff. If the article can utilize pictures, this mag- W E ARK PLANNING TO ADD A NEW feature to the Spartan Engineer, effec- tive with the next i s s u e - a "Letters azine will be glad to publish them with the the paper. Prints should be standard black and white. If advance arrangements are made, to the Editor" column. We want to know what the Spartan Engineer photography staff will you think of the magazine and what kind of do the photo work. articles you want us to print. We want to know what you don't like about the magazine and what features you would like included that aren't there now. All letters received will be published, if possible, provided they are not slanderous, pointless, or too long. Letters over 150 words will be subject to editing. Your letters do not have to be about the Spartan Engineer. They may deal with com- ments dr criticisms of the engineering de- partment o r the school, one of the societies, something you think should be done, compli- ments or congratulations to a person or group -any topic you wish to write about. Here's your chance to get some of those gripes off your chest. Your letter might be the one that brings results. Let us hear from you. All letters must be signed. However, the name of the sender will be withheld upon request. Welding Awards eer will accept papers for the Davis Program. However, only the best papers will be pub- lished. A copy of the rules and conditions of both contests may be obtained by writing The James F. Lincoln Arc Welding Foundation Cleveland 1, Ohio. "Is this the same ROEBLING that helped you build the Golden Gate Bridge?" ROUND- FI.AT-SHAPEII-WIRE. "Well, Ted, that's one way to put it! WIRE ROPE. Roebling wire rope is Roebling high carbon wire is a quality made in a large range of types to assure product and dependably uniform in gauge, And this sure is the same Roebling. topflight performance in every application. grain structure and finish. This, of course, Besides making wire and huge Roebling Preformed "Blue Center" Wire means that machine stoppages and rejects cables for suspension bridges, Rope is unsurpassed for ease of handling, are cut to a minimum, and production Roebling weaves wire screens. I've smooth operation and long life. costs pulled down. EtECTRICAtL W B B E - C A B L E - 6 rt -to seen screens like this in quarries and MAUXET WIRE. Roebling makes more mines all over the country." Whatever career you are studying for, than 60 standard types of electrical wire when you get on the job you willfindone and cable —meets practically every trans- or more types of Roebling products serv- # -if & mission, distribution and service require- ing there, dependably and at low cost. ment. Roevar Magnet Wire is a leading John A. Roebling's Sons Company, Tren- The fact is, its Bridge Division is only one specification for high-speed winding. of Roebling's seven major divisions, each ton 2, New Jersey. WOVEN WIRE FABRIC. From the Producing a distinctive line of wire or wire largest, most rugged Aggregate Screens Products of wide and essential service to the most finely woven Filter Cloths, in industry. Importantly too, at the big there's a full line of Roebling industrial Roebling plants in and near Trenton, New screens. Wires made of special steels and Jersey developments are made constantly non-ferrous metals assure longer wear and that bring new efficiency and economy to a vast range of industrial operations.' corrosion resistance. be opened to undergraduates in the spring of Campus News 1951 or sooner. Equipment has been ordered for a course in experimental stress analysis. taking the design option. Pending arrival date the course may be of- Fritz 13. Harris joined the staff as an as- fered as an elective in the spring of 1950. sociate professor in industrial engineering. He graduated from Louisiana State Univer- Dr. Charles 0 . Harris was installed this sity, and has a master's degree from the fall term as the new head of the C. E. de- Chrysler Institute of Engineering. He later partment. Dr. Harris came here from the worked for the Oldsmobile division of Gen- University of North Dakota where he headed eral Motors Corporation. Ralph Rotty, a the engineering mechanics department. graduate of the University of Iowa with a He received his B. S. from the University degree in electrical engineering, has a mas- of Illinois in 1932 and his M. S. from there ter's in meteorology from California Tech, a in 1934. After two years in industry. Dr. master's in engineering from the same school Harris joined the faculty of the Armour and is a candidate for a Ph.D. in mechanical Institute where he later headed the engineer- engineering at State. G. E. Berndt moved ing mechanics department until 1941. After from graduate assistant to instructor in receiving his doctor's degree from the Un- mechanical engineering. He will be in auto- iversity of Michigan, he went to the Illinois motive work under Professor Hobbs. Mr. Institute of Technology and from there to Berndt is a State grad, class of '41, and is Notre Dame. working on his master's. Dr. Harris said he has been greatly impres- Authorization has been granted and plans sed by the cooperativ e spirit of the facul- arc being formulated for two new courses to ty. A good place to stay is a good place to start Mr. Workhoven worked 41 years cludes sickness and disability bene- for Standard Oil—a long time, but fits, group life insurance and vaca- in this company, not an unusually tions. Our employee retirement long time. Each month, dozens plan sends monthly checks to re- among Standard Oil's 48,000 em- tired Standard Oilers. ployees receive 20-, 30-, or 40-year Peace of mind and pride of ac- service pins. The men and women complishment are the common who wear them have reason to know properties of Standard Oil employ- that Standard Oil is a good place ees. That is why so many of them to work. stay with us through the years. Among the things that make it Their long service is an endorse- so is Standard Oil's employee bene- ment of Standard Oil, for in this fit program, one of the finest and country an employee is free to broadest in any industry. This pro- choose his employer. gram includes group hospital and A company that is chosen by surgical operation insurance, cov- ering employees and members of many people as a good place to stay their immediate families. It in- is also a good place to start. It can truly be said, that for Claud Erick- son, ambition is more than a printed word. degree. He couldn't ignore Civil Engineering, and that degree was added in '34. After a tedious study of law, he took, and The Societies passed, the State Bar Examination in '36. An ambitious schedule still is his. Besides A. S. M. the position as Mechanical Engineer in Lan- Two years ago saw the formation of the sing, he finds time evenings to act as consul- "Michigan State Metallurgical Engineering ting engineer for his Alma Mater. Society" by students interested in Metal- He is a member and past president of both lurgy. This local group has since grown to be the Michigan Engineering Society and the an active addition to the other engineering Lansing Engineers. A list of his other affili- societies on campus. ations reads like that of a politician. This fall marks the re-birth of the local The theory and operation of the heat pump society into a student branch of the "Ameri- interests him, and he has presented papers on can Society for Metals" which is the out- the topic before several engineering societies. standing professional group in the field of The heat pump is an advanced method of metallurgy. heating and cooling, based on the refrigera- "The Michigan State Group of Western tion cycle, utilizing heat in the ground or in Michigan Branch of the American Society for well water. Metals", as the new organization is called, Interesting heating possibilities have so hopes that with its new sponsorship it will be caught Claud's fancy, that he has equipped able to assume a more active and complete his new home in Lansing with radiant electri- participation in engineering activities. Stu- cal heating. It is the first house in Lansing dents who are interested in the study of to use this method. metals are cordially invited to attend meetings. BUILD the basic machines of an industrial world! by CARL MALMBERG Superintendent, Tank and Plate Shop ALLIS-CHALMERS MANUFACTURING CO. WEST ALL1S WORKS (Graduate Training Course—1930) PRODUCTION METHODS have become a good deal more technical and compli- cated in the last few years. There is a big difference between the way we do things now and the way we did them when I left the Allis-Chalmers Graduate Training Course to work in the machine shop in 1930. That is why there are more and more op- portunities in the manufacturing end of the business for young engineers who get a thrill from watching a project grow from a roll of blueprints to a big electric power installation or machinery for a giant processing plant. Close Coordination In my section of the shop we specialize in fabricating machines and parts from sheet and plate steel. We work closely with the the welding for the whole plant. In fact, here at Allis-Chalmers there are design engineers to develop the most eco- big opportunities for young engineers in One recent interesting project was the all phases of engineering work—design, nomical way of producing their designs fabrication of stainless steel buckets for and we do much designing on our own. research and development, manufactur- impulse-type hydraulic turbines to replace ing, sales and erection—in nearly any in- We work closely with every other manu- the old cast-type buckets. Working with facturing department, because more and dustry you can name. For Allis-Chalmers design engineers and hydraulic engineers, builds primary equipment for electric more Allis-Chalmers products are being our tank and plate specialists developed a power . . . mining and ore processing . . . designed to replace cast members with design and method of manufacturing that pulp and wood products . . . flour mill- welded members, and in my work we do produced buckets with several times the ing . . . steel . . . agriculture . . . public life of the old type. works . . . for every basic industry. Opportunities Everywhere The thing that influenced me most when New developments in every department I left the University of Illinois to join mean almost endless opportunities for Allis-Chalmers, was the tremendous young engineers. Right now, the erection breadth of opportunity. Some of my shop is building a big crusher for process- friends from that GTC class of 1930 are ing taconite in the Mesabi range, and we sales engineers now, some are design en- are supplying most of the other ore proc- gineers, some have traveled around the essing equipment for this gigantic plant, world with erection crews. I chose manu- too. At our Norwood plant, engineers facturing because I like to see things take have completely rebuilt the production shape before my eyes. I tried a good many system on motors and small pumps for things before I made my choice and my greater efficiency and lower costs. choice has been good. reaches a certain critical size, it will form a New Developments complete split between grains. Enough rapid- ly growing nuclei in a sample will eventually form along the boundaries between the grains cause the sample to break. However, nothing or crystals of metal where the atoms in the will happen if only nuclei smaller than the grains are most active. The minute cracks critical size are present. The smaller the tend to grow under tension, and if a nucleus nucleus, the bigger the force needed to expand it into a break. A prediction that metals five to ten times stronger than they are at the present time can be produced. "If we can find ways of pre- venting crack formation along the boundaries, and make the only possible break occur through the much stronger grains, we can increase the metals' strength at high tem- peratures." BETA-RAY THICKNESS GAGE A new instrument which u s e s radio-activity to measure the thickness of sheet materials moving along a conveyor has been developed by General Electric. (Continued on Page 36) Alcoa had 25 years ago, pretty good indication If you had been born 85,000 years ago and were that it's "a good company to work for". still alive, think of all you would know about But here's the most significant point: Sixty-one what happened on earth. years ago, when Alcoa started, only five men And if you had devoted all those years to work- were employed. Today about a million people ing with one particular material found on earth have jobs in the aluminum industry, an industry • - . say aluminum . . . think what you would comprised of: companies who produce aluminum know about that. from ore; companies who smelt aluminum scrap; Actually, man has known of aluminum for less others who make semi-finished aluminum prod- than 150 years and didn't really start to use it ucts; and hundreds of companies who manufac- commercially until 1888 when Alcoa started pro- ture useful articles in which aluminum plays an ducing it. Yet in Alcoa's employ today is a group essential part. of men and women who possess a total of 85,000 Today the same pioneering spirit that marked years of aluminum working knowledge. the founding of this industry is evident in These people, 2,900 of them, proudly wear this Alcoa's laboratories, mills and foundries. Here button as members of the Alcoa 25-Year Service men are developing new uses, new techniques Club. Many have been in the family longer than that promise even more for the future of alumi- 25 years. Their jobs range all the way from mill num. ALUMINUM COMPANY OF AMERICA, Gulf hand to president, from engineer to chairman of Building, Pittsburgh 19, Pennsylvania. the board. They are a fourth of all the employees Electronic Calculator tion of the problems. Only by such automatic devices can a small group of technicians control the vast amount of material necessary for the solution of the ever-increasing mathe- matics of modern science. The calculator has been made so automatic that the attendant need give no more than a few general instruc- tions to complete a comparatively long se- quence of operations. Could it be that the social consequences of machines that can perform the functions of the human brain are incalculable, and may be disastrous? This seems unlikely according to one expert who states: " T h e more I deal with these machines, the more impressed I am how dumb they are compared to the human brain." Because of their similarity to the human brain and their potential ability to fit into complicated control mechanisms, it is thought that these new machines may be the beginning of a second industrial revolution. Science, government, and industry will bene- fit from the exceptional versatility and effic- ciency of this new calculator. Instead of spending whole lifetimes on single problems as many of the world's greatest scientists have been obliged to do, only a few days or months may be required with the help of this electronic brain. Problems heretofore avoid- ed as being hopelessly time consuming can now be undertaken. New Developments This gage, known as the "Beta-Ray Thick- ness Gage," bombards the material with beta-rays. Source of the rays used in the gage is radioactive "strontium 9 0 . " The instrument measures the number of high-speed electrons passing through the sheet material being checked. This measurement is trans- lated, by means of an electronic circuit, into terms of how much the sheet being checked varies from the desired thickness. The strontium-90 beta-ray source has a surface of about one-half inch, and is enclo- sed in a brass cartridge is an opening through which the rays pass. The cartridge wall is thick enough to stop the radiation, and the opening can be closed when the instrument (Continued on Page 38) Electricity Welds Glass To Glass To Bring You Arthur Godfrey tional methods, such as blowing or pressing. The heart of your television set is the big permanently welded at 2000" Fahrenheit into a single piece of glass. Electric sealing is but one of the many glass picture tube which you see being products of Corning research that have worked on above. Today, sealing glass by means of electricity helped make glass one of the most versatile The glass bulb for this tube, which brings —a process developed by Coming Glass engineering materials. you Arthur Godfrey and other television Works—permits production of glass shapes That's why we invite you—when you've fin- stars, is made of two pieces of special Corning never before thought possible. ished school and started work—to call in glass—one, the face, shaped somewhat like For example, rectangular panels of heat- Corning before your product or process a resistant glass are welded together to form Pie plate, and the other, the funnel. planning reaches the blueprint stage. Corning The problem is to weld these 10- to 20- hermetically sealed windows for oven doors Glass Works, Corning, New York. inch pie plates and funnels together perma- on kitchen ranges. These windows—Pyrex nently, without breaking the glass or dis- brand Aircells—can always be seen through torting its shape. because they won't fog up. This is done by preheating the edges of By this method of electric sealing, heat- the face and funnel, then further heating and acid-resistant glass tubing is formed into these edges until they are soft by shooting pipe lines for processing food and chemicals. a high-frequency electrical current through Even pieces of hard-to-melt glass can be them. joined to form shapes with greater strength Then they are pressed together and and size than can be attained by conven- tudes where an ordinary parachute would be New Developments useless. He would be enclosed in a bullet- shaped metal " c a p s u l e " with a propeller on is not in use, so that persons handling it are its tip. in no danger. Beta-rays have a very low This parachute is designed for use in penetration and the radiation from the stron- rocket research and is capable of gently tium-90 is slight. lowering delicate research instruments to the The thickness gage is capable of checking ground from rockets flying at altitudes as metal strips moving along conveyors as fast high as 100 miles. Released from a rocket, as one thousand feet per minute and is accur- the device slows gradually from supersonic ate within two percent. speeds to about 27 miles per hour by means ABSOLUTE FREEZING POINTS? of its whirling propeller or " v a n e s " which act as an air brake. General Electric Research Laboratory Although not intended now for use by scientists have cooled four substances far humans, the rotochute might be redesigned so below their so-called "freezing points" with- that it could carry a pilot and could be fired out having them freeze. They have "super- by an explosive charge from a rocket. The cooled" water 71 degrees Fahrenheit below pilot then could guide the course of the its freezing point; mercury, 72 degrees below rotochute by controlling the pitch of its its freezing point; tin, 198 degrees; and gal- vanes and land with greater accuracy thanis lium, 125 degrees. possible with an ordinary parachute. Not only must the temperature and pressure be right for a substance to freeze, but par- AUTOMATIC STEERING RECORDER ticles about which material freezes called A new instrument, which automatically and "nuclei", must also be present. They have continuously records a ship's course, has been able to super-cool water, mercury, tin been developed by General Electric. This and gallium by ridding their samples of nuc- device, called "Ship Steering Recorder," lei, which are usually present in most fluids. marks the ship's rudder position, compass If there are nuclei in a given material, then the commonly accepted freezing point is valid. direction, and calculates any deviation from the set course on a moving roll of paper. An Water below its freezing point is often error in course as slight as two-tenths of a found in nature, particularly in the form of degree can be detected. clouds. The water in super-cooled clouds is without nuclei, so it does not turn to ice. The steering recorder takes up no more Discoveries of methods to produce snow room than a table-model radio-phonograph. The from super-cooled clouds are based on putting record is kept on a 12-inch-wide roll of waxed nuclei into such clouds, resulting in trans- paper, passing beneath metal points which formation of water droplets in the cloud to are connected electrically with the ship's snow crystals. rudder and compass. Running at low speed, Research laboratory metallurgists have the instrument can make a continuous eight- made "clouds" of super-cooled gallium, tin day record without attention. and mercury, by dispersing those metals in their fluid form as minute droplets suspended in oil. Some of the droplets may contain nuclei, but the freezing that begins in them cannot spread to the others through the oil, so that those without nuclei can be reduced in temperature far below their freezing point without freezing. SUPERSONIC PARACHUTE The pilot of the future may safely escape his disabled supersonic craft at high alti- Mary has a little car, She drives it very brisk, For Mary doesn't care, you know, She only has her *. * * * * "Why does Mable let all the boys "I told him that he mustn't see me Barber: "You say you've been here kiss her?" any more." before? I don't remember your face." "She once slapped a guy who was "What did he do?" Student: "Probably not. It's healed chewing tobacco." "Turned out the lights." up now." * * * * * * * * * * * * A cute little dog stopped at a fire Coed (pouring a drink for the boy "The last issue of the humor plug. There was a sign on the plug, friend): Say when." magazine must have been good." "\VET PAINT". So he did. Boy friend: "Any time after the "How do you know? I thought you first drink is all right with me." never read it." "I don't, but the editor's been * * * * kicked out of school." A woman's best asset is a man's * * * * imagination. "I would like some alligator shoes." * * * * ''What size does your alligator wear?" A dumb girl may count on her * * * * fingers, but a smart one counts on her legs. Coach: "What's his name?" * * * * Manager: "Gussfurbnocklefortzener." Coach: " P u t him on the first team! "Wait, George, this isn't our baby. I never did like the State News anyway." In fact, this is the wrong carriage." A student had been in the hospital ''Aw, shut up, this is a better * * * * for several weeks and had been well carriage." looked after by his pretty nurse. * * * * Several years after the breakup of "Nurse," said the student, one their l o v e morning, "I'm in love with you. I affair, the man met his old flame at a dance. don't want to get well." And then there was the Egyptian Let "Don't worry," replied the nurse, princess who was laid in her coffin " me see," she said coldly, "You won't. Your doctor's in love and became a mummy. "Was it you or your brother who used to be an admirer of mine?" with me, too." "I really don't remember," replied * * * * * * * * the man - "Probably my father." * * * * Frosh: "What was all that racket?" Soph: "Some M.E. just fell down the stairs with a quart of whiskey." Engineer: "I can't see what keeps other, are there any skyscrapers in heaven?" Frosh: "Did he spill it? " you from freezing." °> son, Engineers build sky- Soph: "No, he kept his mouth Coed: "You aren't supposed to, sscr Papers." closed." big boy." A boy who wants to make the news, Aspires to fill his father's shoes. His sister aims for something better, She hopes to fill her mother's sweater, * * * * Grandmother (looking at her grand- "Was your friend shocked over the daughter's new bathing suit): "If I death of his mother-in-law?" Coed: "I'll never marry a man who could have dressed like that when I "Shocked hell, he was electro- snores." was a girl, you'd be six years older cuted." Housemother: "Yes, but be careful- today." how you find out." * * * * * * * * * * * * We have a friend who just got a ' 'Have you ever awakened with a soft job. He's working in a bloomer Prof: "Well, young man, I suppose jerk?" factory and pulling down about 400 a that as usual, they've sent the fool "Heavens, no. I'm not even month. of the family to college." married." Frosh: "Oh, no sir. They've * * * * changed all that since your time." * * * * Papa Robin returned to his nest * * * * And then there was the widow who and proudly announced that he had told the bachelor: "Take it from me.... made a deposit on a new Buick. Coed: "I'll stand on my head or ' don't get married." bust." * * * * Phys. ed. instructor: "Just stand . * * * * on your head. We don't expect too Well-dressed man, cigar in hand, much." Beneath this stone lies Murphy. falling through the air from an They buried him today. airplane: "Gad! That wasn't the * * * * He lived the life of Riley, washroom after all!" While Riley was away. * * * * Arriving at a strange hotel, a fussy It was Prom time. Fifty couples woman thought she'd better know * * * * were dancing. where the fire escape was. She began It began to rain. Two hundred and exploring, and during the tour she "I think when Tom and I are mar- fifty couples were dancing. opened a door and found herself in a ried, we'll go to Hawaii and see what bathroom occupied by a gentleman. it's like." * * * * "Oh, I'm sorry," she twittered. " "Don't be silly, it's the same was looking for the fire escape." everywhere." Bore: "When I was in Africa, a lion As she continued her search, she crossed my path. I had no gun in my heard the pad of bare feet behind her * * * * hand, so I took a pail of water and and a shout made her turn. It was the A young engineer's wife was poured it over his head and he ran gentleman, clad in nothing but a bath always antagonized by her husban d's away." towel. going out at night. His departing Bored Listener: "I can vouch for "Wait a minute!" he gasped. words, which especially angered her, that. I was in Africa at the same "Where's the fire?" were always, "Good night, little time and the lion ran into me and mother of three." when I stroked his mane it was still * * * * But one night she could stand it no quite damp." longer. When he took his hat, started * * * * for the door and called out ^cheerily, They parted at the doorstep, "Good night, little mother of three," "I'll take a honeymoon sandwich." And she whispered with a sigh, she answered, just as cheerfully, "What's that?" "I'll be home tomorrow night, dear." "Good night, father of one." "Hot chicken and no dressing." And he answered, "So will I." It's a picture that gives automotive engi- ucts and improving manufacturing methods. High neers clear-cut facts on performance—a speed "stills" can freeze fast action at just the crucial picture that suggests how photography with moment—and the design or operation of a part can its ability to record, its accuracy and its be adjusted to best advantage. speed, can play important roles in all And high speed movies can expand a second of modern business and industry. action into several minutes so that fast motion can be slowed down for observation—and products be No, this is not the "doodling" of a man on the tele- made more dependable, more durable. phone. Far from it. It's the photographic record of an oscilloscope trace that shows, and times, detona- Such uses of photography—and many more—can tion in a "knocking" engine. It all happens in a few help you improve your product, your tools, your hundred-thousandths of a second-yet photography production methods. For every day, functional pho- gets it clearly and accurately as nothing else can. tography is proving a valuable and important ad- junct in more and more modern enterprises. Oscillograph recording is but one of countless functional uses of photography in bettering prod- Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester 4, N. Y. 1000 Specialists tell us "When you can measure..." Lord Kelvin, writing in 1883, summed up once and who make a specialty of measurement and allied prob- for all the importance of measurement. lems—the more than 1000 staff members of the G-E "When you tan measure what you are speaking General Engineering and Consulting Laboratory. GE about," he said, "and express it in numbers, you know & C serves the entire company, and is also frequently something about it, but when you cannot measure it, called on by other industries and government agencies. when you cannot express it in numbers, your knowl- edge is of a meagre and unsatisfactory kind." It solved the two problems above by developing the The need for detailed and accurate "numbers" is as first "turbidimeter" and a "recording vibrometer great today as it ever was. Recently, for example, Gen- now finding applications throughout industry two eral Electric engineers working on water-purification out of thousands of similar problems handled by the equipment were hindered by the lack of any accurate laboratory each year. way to measure water's turbidity. Another group The work of GE & C illustrates again how General needed data on the vibrations in their equipment. Electric backs up research and creative thinking, im- But at General Electric any group up against tough plements new projects with the best available facilities measurement problems does not have to be stymied for and so remains in the forefront of scientific and engi- long. It can "appeal" its case, can seek the aid of men neering development.