Page:Popular Mechanics 1928 11.pdf/7

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POPULAR MECHANICS
707

the wrecked submarine must brave the treacherous depths alone; and secondly, when a diver has descended, ready to give aid. In the first case, it will take the men only a few seconds to don the apparatus.

"At this point one might well inquire, how in the world the men will be able to withstand the terrific pressure that prevails at 200 to 300 feet. Here is the answer: Under normal atmospheric conditions we all are under a pressure something like 14.7 pounds. Down around 200 feet the pressure jumps to 88 pounds, Certainly that is a terrific force to beat against a man's body. But after all, it is a relative matter, since pressure conditions become equalized all over the body.

"Nor should we forget that nature has equipped us all with a remarkably devised pressure resistor, the Eustachian tube, a tiny structure running from the mouth to the ears. So, with the aid of that and the new device, the men in a sunken submarine should be able to gain the surface without experiencing that terrific pull on the eardrums which some times spells death to a diver. All the while, of course, there is no heavy weight to hold the men down and, when they have stepped outside the wrecked craft, the buoyancy of their bodies will hurtle them to the top. Once there, granted that other human beings are fairly close by, their lives should be saved.

"Of course, a somewhat different situation exists when the crew of the submarine happens to have an expert diver from above come to their aid. In such case, the submarine's commander may send the men out of the wrecked craft one at a time. Thereupon the diver, being attached to a strong rope, need merely signal to his helpers up above, and the two men will reach the top quickly. Another diver will then go down and the procedure be continued until every man is saved.

"However, the chief point to emphasize in the new instrument lies in the fact that it enables life-saving operations to be conducted and completed without the slightest interference with salvage maneuvers. Once the crew has reached the surface, the submarine commander may aid materially in salvaging his craft."


EAST AND WEST MEET IN AUTO CARVED FOR BRIDAL USE

Oriental splendor and tradition ride on a modern motor car in an elaborate chassis carved for bridal processions in Shanghai. Rich decorations, an ornate chair, hangings and tassels of silk, with other trinkets, feature the vehicle, which is a motorized duplicate of carriages used in China when the bridal party parades abroad.

Elaborate Motor Car Designed for Chinese Bridal Processions; Its Ornate Carvings Conform to Old Oriental Traditions


RADIO GUIDES "PHANTOM" SHIP SAILING WITHOUT CREW

Radio control of ships has been further demonstrated in Germany with the directing of the "Zaehringen," an 11,000-ton vessel, through complicated maneuvers without the aid of a single person on board. The ship's only point of contact with the outside world is its antennae, the wireless orders being sent from a mother ship some distance away. The "Zaehringen" started, stopped, slowed up and changed its course wholly by radio control. Besides these performances, an interesting series of other functions can be executed by wireless direction, for instance, if the oil burners should cause a fire. By radio, automatically governed extinguishers can be put into action and, should the oil-feeding apparatus break down and the ship stop, rockets are automatically fired off to signal the operators on the mother ship that something has gone wrong.