GOODS & SERVICES: New Ideas, Oct. 6, 1952

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GOODS & SERVICES

Robot Cook. At Manhattan's airlines terminal and other busy places, Lunch-O-Mat Corp. installed a new food-vending machine which uses a Raytheon radar stove (TIME, Oct. 28, 1946) to cook and serve a hamburger, a baked ham sandwich, frankfurter or coffee within 15 seconds after coins are dropped in the slot. The vender also serves cold sandwiches, pies, milk and fruit juices. Price of the machine: $2,600.

Mechanical Messenger. In Atlantic City, Western Union showed, off its new "Intrafax" facsimile machine for use by private companies. The machine sends exact copies of sales slips, balance sheets, drawings, telegrams and letters, and it can be used between office floors or neighboring buildings. The sender places a letter on a metal drum, then presses a button. An electric eye scans the letter, reproducing it on paper on another machine in the receiver's office in a few seconds. Price: $648 and up for a year's lease.

Bug Bag. To keep garbage pails or bathroom wastebaskets bug-free, Dallas' Health Guard Bag Co. began national distribution of a kraft paper bag, specially impregnated with Chlordane insecticide, which retains its bug-killing qualities for about two months. Price: seven for 25¢.