The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1891-06-26
a BICYCLE IN AIR.
The New Invention which 1t Is Claimed
WIN Navigate AeAinst Head Wind.


WIN Navigate AeAinat Head Wind.
About three years ago Professor
Carl Myers. well-known balloon ex-
pert, began series of experiments on
a line he had been theo rizing on for
some ten or twelve years this being
the construction of a balloon or air.
ship which should become nayigable
and of some practical use. His expe-
rience evolved the curious hybrid ma
chine known as the .sair-bicycle."
Briefly speaking. it is a compound
of the balloon and bicycle. The me-
chanism is small and almost hidden
from view when tine rider is seated. 1t
was originally in the form of wire
chair. but has since been modified into
the ordinary saddle of bicy Gle.
From this depends a fork. ending in
two pedals, like those of bicycle. the
fork having head and cross-bar
with two handles. as usual. Down the
center of the fork is !, hollow tube in
which there is a cog-wheel and ratchet
attachment, which is operated by the
pedals. the handles. or both at once.
This gearing furnishes the motive
power of the machine. Thus the pow
er applied can be varied according to
the speed desired. and the hands can
rest the feet, or vice versa, without in
terfering with the Roadway of the ma
chine or decreasing its speed.
In front of the head of the machine
there projects horizontally a light but
strong steel shaft. which fits into a
steel sheath. This sheath is rigid and
firmly fixed to the head of the ma
chine. while the shaft inside of it is
cogged or racheted into the mechanism
acted upon by the chain attachments
of the pedals. AT the extreme end of
this. furthest from the rider. are four
rigid arms. the end pair of which are
rigidly liked on the sheath. so that
to the body of the rider; the other two
are rigidly fixed on the revolving shaft,
a couple of Sits being cut in the sheath
to permit of their movement. These
arms are about three feet long and the
end pair are each about four feet dis
tant from the two nearest the rider.
On them is spread a sheet or sail of
light but strong duck. in size six feet
by four, which is set edgewise to the
rider. and when at rest hangs quiver-
ing and shaking with every breath of
air. like the sails of ship in the dol
drums
long. slender bamboo rod. and close
stay which supports the hydrogen
spindle" This is the scientific name
of balloon embodving the shape of
both a needle and sphere. a long
circular body. shaped like the wooden
block which boy calls .-tipcat,n ex-
.ept that the spindle" is slightly fat
tened underneath. making it look nike
! boat turned bottom up. This spin
lie is filed with hydrogen gas. gem
Grated from water. and is covered
with the ordinary balloon netting.
which is guyed to the bamboo rod. and
he steel shaft. much the same as the
balloon is attached to the car. The
whole apparatus weighs fifteen pounds,
and is steered by the fan arrangement
1t the rear or by shifting the center of
gravity as is a bicycle.
Ths. principle may be most clearly
ieftned in simple words as that of the
shild's air balloon-it will not rise by
tseif, but blow under it and it scars to
he clouds. This is the case with the
lir bicycle. The rider takes his seat,
rather he stands with his seat between
his legs his hands holding the handles.
STOPPING a little. he springs upward
INTO the air. and by a quick pull at the
handles brings the seat right up to
iim SO that he involuntarily sits down.
ais feet falling upon the pedals A
sharp. decisive pressure on them sets
he chain and cog-wheel attachment
vhirling. and this causes the steel
lhaft in front of the head to half turn.
irst to the right and then to the left.
he two arms revolving with it. and as
he two arms attached to the sheath
-emain unmoved the extended duck is
Iwung into a right or left-hand helix.
7arying in rapidity with the action of
he pedals and producing backward
current of air similar to that expe-
fenced on the front platform of
witty moving car, only that the cur
'ent from the helix blows upward and
trikes the fiat lower surface of the
hydrogen spindle" bellying it in
ward. aud SO still more increasing the
.esistance to the powerful breeze.
which slowly raises the whole machine
nto the air. The helix at the same
ime grabs at the air in front. as it |
we're, and sucks it back. In this way
he action is the reverse to that of
hips propeller. which gives momen-
um to the vessel by its peculiar shape |
PRESSING against the water. The air
,icycle progresses by similar action |
Q that Of the propeller when the en- /
lines are reversed and the ship steams |
,ackward.
No steering gear is actually neces-
ary. although the machine carries
udder. 1t will steer by the principles
# gravitation; if the rudder leans
'ackward it ascends, if forward it de-
cends, if to the right it goes to the
light; if to the left turn to the left IS
he result. An inspection of the tilt of
he spindle will demonstrate this clear
Y. The most important point of all
this: With this unique machine a
ead wind becomes a factor of propul-
ion, thus solving the great problem of
erial navigation. The head wind
trikes it under the titled-up end of the
pindle, forcing the machine higher
nd higher. while at the same time the
elk in front is carrying it for
Tard continually. Thus the har-
er il blows Gn anything short of an
ctual gale) the faster and easier the
Machine goes ahead, while the wind
asses astern. and sweeping up the
ack of the spindle gives it parting
nd additional lift forward.-M T.
A genuine crocodile, the fifth ever
nown to have been captured in Flor
Ia was taken recently near Punta
do q 4