1 riday, december 14, 1979 daily nebraskan page 15 Students' tractor plan lifts' farmer's spirits By Tom Prentiss Thanks to two UNL mechanical engin orinc students, a paranalecic Nebraska armer will continue his life-long goal of arming. Senior Marian Henke. 24. and craduate Robert Mav field were responsible for de- signing ah apparatus that uses a hydraulic lift to hoist Scribner farmer Norman Wegner up to the tractor cab. Controls on the Jractor also have been daptcd to fit Wegner, I lenke said. Henke of Falls City said Mayficld, cur ently employed in Tulsa, Okla., became nvolved in the project' as part of their inachine design class. May field could not be reached for com ment. . The two were awarded $250 for placing burth in the 1979 Student Kneineerine Design Competition, said Henke. THE NATIONAL award is from the James F. Lincoln Arc Welding Foundation of Cleveland, Ohio and was presented to the pair tor designing the lilt and braking tractor modifications for Wegner. Wegner, 37, was paralyzed from the, waist down after the tractor he was driving was struck by a truck in August, 1976. The accident left Weencr. who is married and has five children, without a way of making a living, Wegner said. "Alter the accident I realized might not be able to farm, but I still wanted to." he said, didn't give up hope though." During rehabilitation training, the State Division of Rehabilitation Services tried to find a way to allow Wegner to continue farming, according to an employee of the division, Otto Link said that after consulting with local mechanics in Omaha, the Division decided to see if UNL's College of Engineering and Technology could be of any help. UNL ENGINEERING officials were interested and work on the project began in the fall of 1978, Link said. "The people at the university were happy to take it on as a class project," he said. Henke said the project took "quite a bit of time" but the result was worth it. Henke said both he and May field visit ed the Wegner farm south of Snyder several times to check measurements on the tractor, Wegner had to bring his tractor down to Lincoln so adaptations could be made. He said he got his tractor back in April 1979. Cost of the project totaled about $1,200, Henke said. He said $800 was for the hydraulic life system and about $400 for hand control adaptations. Reaction from those involved in the project has been positive. Wegner described Henke and Mayfield as "two good boys who really knew what they were doing." "I really appreciate everything they've done because it means so much to me, Wegner said. - Henke said it was personally rewarding to be involved in a project that benefited someone so much, "From an engineering standpoint, it was great to take this from the concept stage, through the design process and to the con struction process," Henke said, "We did everything from A to Z and learned all the aspects of it," he added, Link said he was pleased at the univer sity's willingness to help out, He said there was a "big potential" for the rehabilitation service using the university to seek answers for many rehabilitation problems. AMO WEST ffllfiAy ENT5" TP ' T"TTI A hour for f ' V ndys hs few , Hot I Fast! And j ri ri, uu x-i -if ii ru-i ni n. l-j i ini uj rN Buy a medium or small pizza and got the second g one, single topping, FREE I Coupon good only on g Sunday Nights, through Dec. 16, Dine in or Carry out, fl Lunch 11-2 pm Daily ANDY PASTO'S Dinner 5-11 pm Fri-Sat 701 P St, . p Last Minute Shoppers Give shiny new coins in our special holiday bags $10 or $15 oj jingling coins in festive red and green bags -easy to give . , , great to get! In the Nebraska Union Mon-Fri 8:30-5 Sat 9-noon CAMPUS mm Ml MM HI () (; 7M rer&rome r Shop 10-9 Mon.-Fri., all stores s: T5 l iff u 1 f :0 r $20 MM You Choose The Coat! You Keep The Savings! If you're tired of trying to figure out when your favorite coat will be reduced Miller's will let you take the rnarkdownl Take a 20 MARKDOWN on any winter coat that hasn't been reduced . , . or, , f Take an ADDITIONAL $20 off any rnarkdown coat price. Clip Our Coupon! Come to our Ladies and Junior Coat department! Save 20 or $201 Offer good now thru Monday, Dec. 24th! Fashion II Ladies & Junior Coats, all stores CLIP THIS COUPON AND SAVE! 20 or 020 SAVINGS On Ladies & Junior Winter Coats Coupon good until Dec, 24th! Clip this coupon and bring it to Miller's Fashion Coat department, Lincoln Center and Gateway. Offer good thru Dec. 24th. Mwer&rame i 5-10 pm Sun-Thurs 475-5331 r 3