Edith Allen

“ The hand machines do not have as much power of suction as the power machines, but they do very satisfactory work. They are more effective than a carpet sweeper in removing dirt, but they do not get as much of it as the stationary cleaner. Removing the sharp grit from rugs and carpets lengthens the life of them so that the more grit a cleaner can remove without tearing the carpet, the more valuable it is.
When the pump type is being used, the piston is drawn up, drawing with it air and the dirt which is present at the point from which the air comes. A cloth filters out the dust. ”

“ Heating Unit. The heating unit of a hot-water system is like any stove consisting of a fire pot and grate. Some are adjustable so that different kinds of fuel may be [66] used. A gas burner is sometimes placed in the fire pot and used for heating a furnace, but this is one of the most wasteful ways of using gas. A real gas furnace is much more economical. The fire and heat from the fire circulate around the coils containing the water. If the coils are not constantly kept full of water, they will be injured by the heat. ”

“ Fireplaces are an enlargement in the base of a chimney where fire is built. The upper part of the fireplace is sloped forward, and, in some cases, a damper is placed in the chimney to regulate the flow of air upward. The damper should not be so constructed that it will close entirely, for if it did, the smoke would come into the room. The fire in the fireplace burns best when the fuel is put in a grate or on andirons so that air can get under it and be drawn thru it by the draft of the chimney. A steady draft makes the combustion of the fuel complete and thus prevents smoking. ”

“ Parts of oil stove burner.
22. Purpose of Oil Stoves. Oil stoves are designed for the comfort of the woman who cannot have a gas or an electric stove. They consist of tank, feed pipe and burners (Figs. 11-a and 11-b) . As they are portable, they can be moved to a summer kitchen or sheltered back porch on hot summer days.
Oil stoves are not fool-proof and should never be used by those who are afraid of them and who do not understand them. Manufacturers have done much to make accidents avoidable, and they send detailed instructions with each stove. ”

“ The success of warm-air heating depends on a natural circulation of air thruout all the rooms which are to be heated. The air is the vehicle of transmission of the heat from the fire to the rooms to be warmed.
A warm-air furnace is simply a large stove encased in a sheet-metal jacket (Figs. 26 and 27) . The jacket is usually insulated with asbestos, since the stove is set in the basement where radiation of heat is not desired. The air entering the casing is warmed by the stove. As the air is warmed, it expands and becomes lighter, so rises to the top of the furnace ”

“ The temperature in a fireless cooker is below boiling most of the time. It is, therefore, a device for simmering food, and should be used for cooking meats, fruits, vegetables and cereal dishes which require or are improved by long, slow cooking.
Since the food has to be shut in a fireless cooker to keep in the heat, fireless cookery is a method of steaming of food. For this reason, it has a slightly different flavor from food baked in the oven, much as fried food differs from roasted food. ”

“ Heating the Stones. Moisture given off by the cooking food is absorbed by the stones. They must be dried or heated very slowly to prevent this moisture from cracking them. When the stones have been removed from the cooker, wash them, because they absorb odors from the food. Keep them in some warm, dry place while they are not in use, such as in the warming oven of the cook stove or on a radiator. When wanted for use, they will then be dry enough to be placed over the gas-stove burner if it is not turned too high at first. Drying thus saves time when the stones are needed. ”

“ Gravity lamps have the tank elevated above the burner so that the force of gravity brings the fluid to the burner. It is usually a little to one side of the burner so that it cannot become heated by it. A pipe from the tank leads downward and either over the chimney or under the burner, where it will be heated by the flame of the lamp. When heated, it changes the gasoline or the alcohol to gas. ”

“ There is always some soot formed, even in the best-managed stoves, and the flame often carries ashes with it. These in time fill the narrow space about the oven and cut off or check the passage of the hot gases about the oven. When this happens and the oven damper is closed, the stove will smoke and not bake well. No stove should be allowed to get in this condition. The housewife can watch the accumulation of ashes in the stove and remove them before they become one-fourth inch thick. If this is not done, the oven will not heat well and some parts may be considerably cooler than others. ”

“ As soon as the indicator, which is attached to a cork which floats on top of the gasoline, shows that the oil is low, turn out the fire and refill the tank. Do not fill the tank to overflowing. Gases from the stove can only get into the tank when it is empty and while there is gasoline in the pipe to feed the stove. Gasoline gas is very inflammable and will cause an explosion if it becomes ignited. The tanks from gasoline stoves cannot be removed, as all the joints must be tight to prevent the escape of gasoline fumes as well as the oil itself. ”

“ A gasoline engine should be mounted on a substantial base of concrete or heavy timbers, or on a well-built truck, and should be put in good order before the woman or girl begins to use it. The engine must be level. If more than one device is attached to it, be sure to use the right pulleys on the engine and the machine to be operated. An engine is usually equipped with pulleys of two or more sizes. The size of the wheel on the washing machine or vacuum cleaner must be of a size to make the desired number of revolutions per minute. ”

“ A stove is a device for holding the fuel and for permitting the heat to pass readily into the room. In the stove there is space below the fire for collecting ashes. There is an opening for fresh air to enter below the fuel, to aid combustion, and a damper above to act as a check draft when open, a chimney to carry off smoke, and one or two dampers in the chimney to regulate the draft. ”

“ Do not persist in running a machine when out of order. Never drive when the lubrication system is working imperfectly. Lack of cylinder oil will ruin a motor in a short time. Make it a rule to look at oil gauge before [194] starting. Care of the battery consists largely in keeping it charged and filled to the proper level with distilled water. Tires should be kept inflated at all times. In case of trouble, never run on a flat tire, as it will soon be worthless under such treatment. Never drive a machine while out of order—stop and have repairs or adjustments made. ”

“ The light from the glow of the mantle is steadier and whiter than the light from an open flame, so that it is more hygienic.
Mantles are made in different patterns so that they may be used on upright and inverted burners. The inverted mantle throws more light downward than an upright mantle. This is advantageous in lighting a room, for most of the light is wanted in the lower part of the room. Mantles can be used on lamps burning gas, kerosene, [89] gasoline, alcohol and acetylene if the burners are made to produce a blue flame. ”

“ These consist of a motor and a machine for compressing gas, a chamber which is to be cooled, and sometimes coils of pipe containing brine.
When the gas—for example, ammonia or carbon dioxide—is compressed, it heats the pump which compresses it. That is, when a liquid or gas is being compressed, it gives up heat. When a liquid or gas expands, it takes heat from somewhere. In refrigerating plants, the expanding gas is made to take the heat either directly from the refrigerator or storeroom, or from brine which is then used for cooling the refrigerator or room. ”

“ Any certain temperature causes a given piece of metal to expand to a certain size, or to contract on cooling to a different size. Some thermostats are made of a straight rod of metal like copper which expands more than iron when heated. The rod is so placed that when cool it will allow fuel like gas or oil to pass thru a pipe, and when heated, it will expand enough to close the pipe, shutting off the fuel. They are placed so that they close the pipe at the temperature desired for an oven or supply of hot water. ”

“ If the expansion tank is closed so that the overflow pipe will not open except under pressure after the air in the tank has become compressed by the expansion of the water, a higher temperature in the pipes may be reached, but such a furnace must be given more careful attention than one with an open expansion tank. Learn to know the parts of a heating system and how they operate before trying to manage it. ”

“ The greatest care is required in using a gasoline stove; in fact, they are so dangerous, that they should not be highly recommended for household use. The description and care of them are given here because some persons persist in using them when they desire a quick, hot fire in cases where fuel gas is not available.
33. When a Burner Blazes and Cannot Be Controlled. When a gasoline stove burner blazes and cannot be controlled, first close the valve leading from the tank into the pipe. There will then be little gasoline to burn, and no gases can get back into the tank. ”

“ The operation of the stove is simple. Put enough fuel, such as alcohol, into a burner to heat it hot enough to change the oil to be used to gas and ignite it.
After the burner has heated for three or four minutes, turn on the fuel valve in the pipe which leads from the tank to the burner. The fuel will light from the burning alcohol already in the burner. Adjust the height of the flame by valve, which regulates the amount of fuel flowing into the burner. ”

“ Natural gas gives very little light when burned in an open flame. Always burn it in mantle lamps. Its heating value is 1000 B.T.U. per cubic foot. When burned in a well-adjusted mantle lamp, natural gas will give about 15 candle hours per cubic foot. The heating value of manufactured gas is rated at 600 B.T.U. per cubic foot. It makes a fair light when used in an open flame burner. The yellow flame of burning gas makes considerable smoke, even when carefully adjusted. It gives four times as much light and no smoke when it is burned in a good mantle lamp. ”

“ Force pump and boiler.
A booster is a device which keeps the water hot up to the faucet (Fig. 75) . If there is a pilot on a gas water heater, be sure to use it. The burners should be cared for in the same way as on other heaters using the same fuel. Keep the tank full of water and the water free to circulate thru the pipes. Air-tight tanks may become so hot that steam is formed in large amounts. Tanks which are not connected with city water pipes may be fitted with safety valves which open when the pressure of steam inside the tank reaches a certain point, which is below the danger point. ”

“ Gas passes thru the air mixer before entering the burner. Sometimes the air inlet is only a hole put in the under side of the pipe. The opening for entrance of air is shielded so that the gas will not escape from the mixer, but will go on into the burner. A gas pipe looks about half an inch in diameter, but the stream of gas which is allowed to flow into the burner is very small, in some cases being about the diameter of a darning needle. The opening for air is so large, that a person's finger may be put into it. ”

“ If the fire is to be used for heating water or food on top of the stove, it is now ready for use. If it is still burning too rapidly, the draft may be entirely closed, or the shutter in the chimney partly closed. If at any time the stove smokes, the shutter or drafts above the fire may be closed too much and should be opened enough to let all the smoke pass. Adding too much fuel at one time and not spreading it in a thin layer over the entire surface of the fire may cause the stove to smoke. ”

“ There are three general types of these—those which burn with a wick, those which generate gas, and those which permit the alcohol to burn off of the top surface of the container.
Alcohol does not produce much smoke in burning, even when no provision is made for mixing air with it. The ordinary alcohol lamp, having a wick, may be used as a heating stove. Stoves with wicks draw the alcohol up by capillary attraction to the point of ignition, and the metal jacket about the wick prevents the fire burning back into the bowl containing the alcohol. ”

“ It cracks when dropped. Never set it on a hot stove when empty or cold, as the heat of the stove will crack it as it will glass. When hot, do not set it on a cold marble or a metal table top, as sudden changes in temperature will crack it. With proper care, granite and enameled ware give good service.
Graniteware is proving desirable for making utensils for use on electric stoves, the conductivity of the glass coating being so low, that it conducts the heat to the top of the pan slowly so the food in it gets to cooking quicker than in utensils made of most of the other materials. ”

“ Water boils in an uncovered vessel at 212 degrees Fahrenheit, and no amount of heat applied to it will make it any hotter. When a pot of food has reached the boiling point, a smaller flame will keep it boiling. Turn the gas as low as it may be safely turned and still keep the pot boiling, and the food will cook as rapidly as when the gas is turned on full.
Fig. 10. Single top burner
and valve.
Gas is a safe fuel in most hands; it saves the housekeeper much labor because it makes so little dirt. When properly managed, it is the cheapest fuel to be had at the present time. ”

“ When the tank is removed for filling, any gas forming passes out into the room and mixes with so much air that it is harmless. If it is filled before the oil burns out of the pipe above the level of the burners, no gas will be formed.
Stoves must be kept clean. A clean stove means one with a clean framework, clean burners, clean chimney, clean oil and a clean wick or ring. ”

“ Generating Electricity for Homes. Water motors, kerosene, gas and gasoline engines are the sources of power commonly used to generate electricity for private homes. A device for generating electricity is called a dynamo (Fig. 152) . The electricity generated is either used directly while the engine is running, or it is stored in storage batteries. From here it is conducted thru wires and used for lighting, heating and turning motors to do work. ”

“ A difficult place to start a car is when stalled on a hill. This is done by holding the machine with the foot brake, throttling the motor with the hand lever, and slowly releasing brake and engaging clutch simultaneously.
243. Driving the Automobile. In driving, many things should be observed. The oil pressure gauge or indicator should be noted from time to time to see that the motor bearings are getting proper lubrication. The speed of the motor should be such that the battery is being charged rather than discharged, as is likewise shown by an indicator on the dash. ”