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N EXCEEDINGLY heavy crane. is not economical for all purposes in shipbuilding; also the character of. the work in mod- ern shipyards requires a wider range of action than stationary ctanes... To, meet the re- quirements of mobility and economy of operation, the John F. Byers Ma-. chine Co., Ravenna, O., have developed a special auto-crane. The accompanying illustrations show the main. features of this machine. A 30 or 40-foot boom is 'mounted on a truck on which is assembled the power unit, the control system, and the cable drums. This truck or car, which is 17 feet 10 inches long, is provided with outriggers to render the crane stable under the side swing of the boom. The entire machine weighs from 11 to 14 tons, depending on whether it is mounted on road wheels or railroad trucks. It is designed for lifting 4500 pounds at a 20-foot radius. - A choice of either of three types of power plant is available for the opera- tion of the crane, including a 25-horse- power locomotive crane-type engine, a _25-horsepower motor, or a 30-horsepower vertical gasoline or kerosene engine. Traction is provided through a chain drive to the wheels, which may be standard gage railroad type or special broad road wheels spaced 10 feet in outside width. This shipbuilding auto-crane, as it is called, may be changed to accommodate Auto-Crane for use is afforded 'by most - DETAILS OF SHIPBUILDING AUTO-CRANE: a clam-shell or orange-peel bucket for excavation work or for rehandling loose material. Two or three drums are fur- nished as desired; if only two drums are included in the original installation, a third may be added in the field. For smaller shipyards, building wooden ships, the crane may be worked between the ways. Water Purifying Device The problem of supplying palatable drinking water on vessels operating on the lakes as well as on the ocean often assumes serious. proportions. Notwithstanding the vast amount of rush work going on in shipyards all over the country, consideration is being given to this important detail. in Shipbuilding Plants - Lakes is at a close, the Ships are _water emerges from the apparatus it * Now that navigation on the Great being refitted for the coming Season and devices for assuring an adequate supply of pure water at all times an being installed on a number of boats, The Jewell Water Improvement Co. Chicago, has developed a device which is said to insure.an abundant 'supply of pure water at all times. Steam is the heating medium and the appa. ratus is claimed to be automatic jy operation. It has only three valves, one each for steam, water and bloy- off. The process of distillation leaves the water pure as the impurities con. tained do not vaporize. To make the water palatable, it is aerated. As the is said to be as cold as the water supply. The main body parts are made of -- cast iron with all fitting surfaces ma- chined. Such brass and copper parts as come in contact with the water are given a coating of tin. A number of these stills have been in service for some time on both freight and passenger steamers. Among the vessels using this device are the Nix0, Hamilton Transportation Co., Chicago; Epwarp Smitu, White Gratwick & Mitchell Steamship Co., North Tona / wanda, N. Y.; Epwarp Bucx ey, National Transit Co., Escanaba, Mich.; HENnxE- pin, Lake Shore Steamship Co., Mil waukee; and ArasKa, Mullen Coal Co, Amherstburg, Ont. incoming -- AUTO-CRANE IN A WOODEN SHIPBUILDING YARD 96