The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1889-10-24

SEE THE SILVER WHEELS.
A Brooklyn Mans Invention That Fascf-
mates the Eyes of All Behoidcrs.

mates the Eyes of All Behoidcrs.
'Oh, see the silver Wheels" said an
urchin enthusiastically, as a curious
looking vehicle was driven into Cen
tr2l park on a recent afternoon at the
Fifth avenue and Seventy second street
entrance.
The wheels were not silver, but be-
ing nickel plated, their appearance
was such as naturally called forth the
above remark from the urchin. The
driver of the team was Mr. James Car
penter, of S5 Hendrix street, Brooklyn.
With him was a Sun reporter.
Mr.. Carpenter is the inventor of the
novel wheel. For four years he has
been studying TO invent a wheel which
should combine durability and econ
omy. He thinks he has succeeded,
and is confident the public will agree
with him after fair trial.
There isn't fiber of wood about
Mr.. Carpenters wheel Hub, spokes
and tire are made of metal. The strik-
ing feature is the spokes, which con
sist of thin strips of flexible steel about
an inch wide, and which are in the
shape of double curve varying about
three-fourths of an inch from
straight line at the point of greatest
departure. The hub and box, unlike
those of ordinary wheels, are of one
piece, and the spokes are milled into
the box and so fastened inside that to
wrench them out of place would be
an impossibility. The tire is of iron,
and the felloe also, which is L shaped,
with the fiat side next to the tire. The
spokes are fastened to the felloe by
large rivets.
These wheels, so the inventor claims,
gives to the carriage an easy spring
which saves the wear and tear both Of
the carriage and the wheel. They
can be used on all sorts OF vehicles,
from baby carriages up to the heaviest
of trucks, The heavier the vehicle
the more advantageous the use of the
wheel, says the inventor. 1t is de-
signed to outlast two or three ordinary
wheels, and can be manufactured, so
mechanics say, even cheaper. With
these wheels, 1t is said, heavy truck
will require no other spring. A great
advantage in their use is that the weight
of team and load is supported from
the top as we'll as from the bottom of
the wheel.
The youth who called them silver
wheels was only one of thousands who
looked at them with wondering eyes.
There were many more fashionable
equipages in the park that afternoon,
but not one attracted a tenth part of
the attention. Cabmen and footmen
stared at them as long as they were in
view, and fashionably dressed ladies
and gentlemen frequently regarded
them with more than a languid inter
est. Often the beholder's face would
wear an amused expression, such as it
might have worn at the sight of two
mon of mature mind playing with a
cheap toy. A sparrow policeman saw
IN 1t nothing interesting, amusing or
suggestive. lie saw III it only nui-
sance, and stopping the driver asked
him if it wouldn't scare the horses
The inventor replied that it hadn't
scared any horses yet, and he thought
a horse that could stand q bicycle
wouldn't be frightened at n carriage
Wheel The man i'll gray stepped
aside and nobody else interrupted the
progress of the novel turnout. Every
where it was the cynosure of all eyes.
Mr.. Carpenter says he drove with it
the other day from Canal street up
through Broadway, and attracted as
much attention as though he had been
the president.
Mr.. Carpenter is the inventor of the
iron fence which inc!oses the City Hall
park, and which is found in other
parks of the city York Sun.