Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-05-15
IMpORrANr IHVnNrIoN.
A VclocenIetcr Hnventcd by IN, L.
Pyle 0f 'Etiin City.

Pyle 0f 'E'hiN City.
The following taken from Sporting
LIFE will interest wheelmen:
While not description OF an actual In
vontion, the following narrative Il INTEREST
ing In its way. The instrument for measure
Ing speed that Is mentioned, while not on
the market, has ouriously enough, been re-
Gently invented and will be placed on the
market this season. More curious etill, IL
has Fan index, moving like that of steam
gause:"
"In Looking Forward n romance Of the
Electric Age, published in the March numbrr
Of u pirp NJ RsUih0s, the following prophetii
desert ntiun of n cycle in the nineteenth cen
tury appenf5: Beside the curricle on which
we had come tho day before stood another, all
Respondent IN tho nnsoilod gloss Of novelty
ayehic - in form and construction not unlike
bicycle, he motive power, however being
supplied by compact electric motor placed
benenth the seat. instead of by the muscles of
the rider. 1T seems To be Foated for Oniy one,
said l. But will u he safe for novice 10 ven-
ture alono? This is the way to expand the
seat was the reply, Il will steer TIL we reach
the main road. FIRST starting at a moderate
speed, the entire roadway being laid with n
concrete rs smooth mud hard as stone, the
| cirrlclo--as | may freely render the native
| apo lato Of our vehirle--spcd on It's course
| as nOlsrlessy ms n shadow. How do you like
! this7 said utis, when our speed rose ilrst to
| Is thon Ia % miles Hn hour. what speed
| can these machines attnin2' inquired.
! 'On u level they easily attain a speed of
1 ~ miles an hour; on a long descent they
| are never allowed to attain the velocity
| they might reuch.' Ere wa reached tho main
| road had mastered the few simple motions
| that controlled tho machine; them taking the
| tiller, nut my metallic steed TO lis paces.
! Presently, seeing me sufficiently master Of the
| machine, | lis requested 10 set Him down
| Mt n house whore lie had some business. Az he
desired me 10 call again in about an hour, re-
| minded him that had no watch. He then
drew my attent on 10 three snail dials inserted
near lhe 70 t-rcst. Dne was tho dial u rytio-
meter, recording tho distance run: Il Second
| was u watciI-dal, iiyidcd IA alrcndy tx idHned;
on third, M index, moving like TINT OF II
steam gauge, indicated tho rate of speed at
| any moment Never shall | forgot the exhi.-
araton Of that ride! Att rate OF speed such
as can be maintained by horse for brief
period only, gu dashed without let or pause.
onward sped my silent Stceu, with unhDuttd
force, III the dial showed that half my time
was oHpired.'n
An article, like the one referred to above
as ian index moving like tho arm Of n
steam gauga, 20 indicate tho rate ot speed
ut any moment )" was recently Invented by
II. l.. PILE Of Wilmington Wheel Club and a
patent has just been allowed. Dir. Pyls re-
gently finished the mod and Is now hav'
ing samples manufactured by Phlladel-
phia tlrm.
The volocsmeter, which the Invention
has been christened, Is so designed that by
proper fixtures 1t Is drawn to the telloe OF
rubber tire of wheel, receiving tbs revo.
luton from the driver and imparting 1t 10
the mechanism within, where, through o
DETECTING weight, 1t conveys the motion To
Il Fixed asatrai point nlaking Il pointer tc
move 10 correspond with a fixed scale, by
which one lie enabled to take y reading ID
an instant. The purposes Of the Invention
are pRce.mRklng, training the eye fol
speeds, speeding hors5s w., which can ht
done with mathematical accuracy.
Mr.. Pyle has Interested William Var
Wagner OF Newport, II. l., famous
bicyclsr, and he will test the instrument OF
Mhy 3lst, near Newark, N. j., on the oeca
! sion OF the Irvlngton- Midtown road race.