Technical W a r Problems THE Associated Defense Committees of the Chicago technical societies, of which the Chicago Section, A. C. S., is a member, has released a new list of prob lems, the solutions to which would mate rially aid in winning the war. In order that more widespread consideration may be given to these problems they a r e printed below. Any solutions or ideas concerning them should be sent to Robert C. Brown, Jr., Chairman, Associated D e fense Committees, 205 West Wacker Drive, Chicago. Ill. All suggestions will be considered b y the appropriate sub committees of the Associated Defense Committee organization and be forwarded with report of such subcommittee to t h e proper governmental authority. Over 500 suggested solutions were sub mitted by members of the A. C. S. to t h e first list of problems published on pa&e 666 of the May 25,1942, issue of CHEMICAX, AND ENGINEERING NEWS.
Aeronautics, Etc. A-I. A rate-of-climb indicator with SL lag of not over approximately one half a second, preferably less. (Present climb indicators including bellows with air bled through a capillary have excessive lag and are rendered inaccurate by obstructions in the capillary. Approximate uniformity at all altitudes is essential. Sensitivity should be such a s to permit readings o f climbs at least a s gradual as 50 feet p e r minute.) A-2. Windshield that is fog- and fros"tproof. (A pursuit plane dives down from a high, cold level into warmer air; frost; forms on inside and outside of windshield. Air space, vacuum space, double wind shield with hot air between, heated glass, hot a i r blast on outside and inside; these are n o t new ideas and some or most o>f them have been tried.) A-3. Controls for big airplanes. (Cable controls not only have slack, but the takeup of sag stores energy, producing an ef fect known as "rubber". Selsyn controls have too much "rubber". Provision o*f small " t a b s " at the control surfaces helps for high ship speed, but is very poor for low ship speed.) A-4. Means to prevent collisions i n mass bomber raids, or on congested air ways. A-5. Means for reducing landing speeds of military >:lanes. A-6. Catapults and speed-retarding devices for aircraft. A-7. Aircraft propellers having greater efficiency. A-8. Devices for facilitating night landings. A-9. Improved refueling equipmenti both for refueling in the air ana on t h e ground with greater speed. A-10. Improved landing vision for rain and icing conditions. A-l 1. Improved wing and propeller d e icer or preventer. A-l 2. Brakes for heavy, fast airplanes^ A-13. Gyro pilot that is steady, that does not manufacture artificial rolls, wob bles, o r jerks. A-l 4. Remote drive for two or more propellers.
A-l 5. A good heater for the cabins of high-flving airplanes. A-l 6. A skin (wing surface) that will not "oil-can". A-l 7. Constant speed propellers. A-18. Better airplane weapons against tanks. Chemical and Metallurgical A-l 9. High-powered explosives and destructive chemical compositions. A-20. Explosives made from liquid or vapor hydrocarbons. A-21.* Metal extraction methods en abling more practical use of low-grade ores abounding in the U. S. A-22. Substitutes for rubber. Engines A-23. Gasoline injection equipment for internal combustion engines, especially to replace carburetors*. A-24. An air-craft engine that will de liver greater horsepower per pound of weight. A-25. Valving devices for heat-ex change and intoroooling units of engines. A-26. High-altitude engine super chargers. A-27. A lubricnting svstem to improve aircraft engine lubrication during power dives. A-28. Prime movers or starters such as spring motors. A-29. Means, preferably suitable for use in remote places, for keeping engines and their oil warm for immediate take-off during cold weather. Guns, Sights, Etc. A-30. Improved gun sights, optical or otherwise. A-31. Gun sight that will automati cally compensate for lead. (The gun is swung to stay on the target; the amount of lead is in proportion to the rate of swinging. The lead to take is very diffi cult t o figure out while firing, but the swinging of the gun could be made to do the job automatically.) A-32. Improved automatic anti-air craft guns and small arms. A-33. High-velocity gun as a tank buster. A-34. Guns operated by air, centrifu gal and electromagnetic applications. A-35. Satisfactory remote control gun turrets and mounts. A-36. Better systems of ammunition supply aloft. War Machines Α-37. Remote controlled aerial, ma rine, and land torpedoes; combat weapons in general. A-38. Automatic mines for land and sea. A-39. Invasion devices. A-40. Means for increasing the ef fectiveness of tanks, including better vision. β
Miscellaneous A-41. Protective armored clothing light in weight. A-42. Detection devices for locating objects by heat, radiant energy, sound, or other methods. A-43. An effective detecting device that can be carried aboard small boats. CHEMICAL
A-44. Special equipment to simplify servicing of motor vehicles and aircraft, and improved motorized repair shop equipment. A-45. Protecting devices against mag netic mines. A-46. Improved method of welding sheet aluminum alloy and improved ma chinery for fabricating such alloys. A-47. Floating and fixed bridges. A-48. Camouflage. A-49. Portable electric generators. A-50. Mapping devices. A-51. Construction equipment. A-52. Traffic control equipment. A-53. Water supply and storage sys tems. A-54. Well-drilling equipment. A-55. Road construction practices. A-56. Nonchatter hydraulic valves of all kinds. A-57. Radios substantially free from static. A-58. Aerial bomb protection methods for cities, buildings, and ships. A-59. Searchlights. A-60. A solvent for trinitrotoluene which has a good solubility curve for this substance, that will not hydrolvze in the presence of water; that is not flammable and is nontoxic. A-61. A simple device or method for making potable water from sea water by distillation, chemical treatment, or other wise which can be used on life boats or rafts while adrift.
Electrochemists Take Action on Kilgore Bill T P H B following resolution was adopted unanimously b y the Electrochemical Society at its 83rd meeting, Pittsburgh, Penna., April 8 to 10,1943: Whereas it appears that enactment of the Kilgore-Patman Bill (S-702, HR-2100) for the establishment of an Office of Scientific and Technical Mobilization (a) Would confuse the war effort by cre ating a t this time a new agency for the di rection of the scientific and engineering program which is now so effective in the prosecution of the war and (6) Might develop in peacetime a gigan tic bureaucracy which would impede sci entific and technical progress Be it resolved therefore that members of the Electrochemical Society be urged to examine this bill and communicate their views on it t o their congressmen, and fur thermore Be it resolved t h a t the Electrochemical Society in convention assembled, express its general opposition to the enactment of any measure which embodies government supervision, regimentation, and control of the scientific and technical resources of the Nation in peacetime. T H E Cronite Chemical Co., with research, manufacturing, and marketing depart ments on the West Coast, has been formed by the Standard Oil Co. of California, to handle a wide variety of industrial chemi cals. Ή . D. Collier is chairman of the board, R. G. Smith is president, and R. G. Follis and M. L. Baker are vice presidents. The first warehouse and sales forces are to be located in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Seattle. AND
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