Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 90.djvu/142

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126

��Popular Science Monthly

��Automobile Luggage- Carrier for the Running Board

��SOME of the latest models of automo- biles do not permit of a luggage-carrier at the rear of the car, and most of the ready- made carriers designed to be used else-

���The strips of poplar with angle-iron attach- ments for luggage - carrier on running board

where on a car are expensive accessories; but the one shown in the illustration is of simple design and construction and is to be attached to the running board. The materials needed for this carrier are 3 pieces of tire-steel, or bar-steel, about 3^ in. thick, 17 in. long and ij^ in. wide; also 2 pieces of the same thickness ^-in. wide as long as the running board. The steel is inexpensive and it costs little to have it bent. One strip of poplar wood as long as the running board, 2)^ in. wide and J^ in. thick; a few screws, rivets and bolts to hold the parts together and 3^ pt. of paint will be required.

The work necessary on the carrier is the drilling of the 24 holes in the steel strips, 2 in the vertical section of each angle-piece and 3 in each of the lengthwise pieces to correspond, the latter being riveted to the former. Four holes are also drilled in the horizontal section of each steel angle, 2 of them countersunk for screws to which the angles are fastened to the poplar strips, and 2 through which 3^-in. stove bolts are passed through the poplar strips and into holes in the running board. The holes in the latter may be new ones or those already bored for other purposes.

On the undersides of the poplar strips cut out 4 spaces 2 in. wide for the straps to pass through for holding the luggage. The measurements for this carrier should be carefully obtained by finding the exact

��distance from the inside edge of one of the holes in the running board to the outside edge of the opposite hole, giving the dis- tance from center to center of the holes. There are usually two of these holes at each end of the running board, out of which the bolts must be taken if these holes are to be used instead of boring new ones.

Handy Receptacle for Small Screws and Brads

IN a block 15 in. long, 8 in. wide and 2 in. thick bore 2 rows of holes, 4 holes to the row, to a depth of 1^4 in. If it is desired to have these holes of curved or concave bottom like the old-fashioned money-till, take the piece to a planing mill where they have bits especially for this purpose. A hinged cover should be put on the block with some kind of clasp to keep it securely fastened down when not in use. Eight sizes of brads or small screws may be arranged in this size block as desired. Blocks may be made larger or smaller according to the needs. The convenience of this receptacle is obvious.

��A License-Tag Holder for the Front Axle of an Automobile

IN states where there is no legal restric- tion on the height of the front license-tag for an automobile the front axle makes a good place to fasten it, and a good holder for the purpose is illustrated. It is simple in design, may be applied to any I-beam front axle, accommodates any length of tag and allows it to be easily removed and re- placed when necessary. It consists of a steel bracket, bent as shown and secured to the axle with a U-bolt. Fastened across the lower part of this bracket is a piece of

���A bracket to hold a front license tag for an automobile rigidly and without rattle

sheet steel bent up to form a socket for the tag. A clip-and-spring is secured to the upper end of the bracket and when the tag is held down tight in place with this clip the holder for the tag will not be liable to rattle. — W. Burr Bennett.

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