Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1891-06-10
AN AlR-BICYCLE.

or twelve years, this being the con-
StrCcti0l OF Il balloon or air5llip wiliuh
should become ncvi3&b!c and of Some
practical use. His experiments evolved
TIC curious hybrid machine known as
tho ''air bicycle"
Briefly speaking, says the New York
I.ccordcr, IL j.; Il compound OF t.lc bal
Icon and the bicycle. Tho mechanism
il small and Ghno2t hidden f.atn view
whcn the rider is seated. 1t was oriT-
iTG!ly in the form of . wire chair, but
he's since been modified into tho Cr-
binary saddle of u biuyclc. From this
depends 4 fork, C ndinC in tyvo pedals, like
those of L bicycle, the fork having 4 head
AID IL cross bcr with two handlc3, a3
usual. Down the center Of the fork Is
a hollow tube in which there il q co,
wheel and ratchet attachment, which il
operated by the pedals, the handles, or
both 1T once. This gearing furnishes
the motive power of the machine. Thus
the power applied can be varied nc.
cording to the speed desired, and the
hands can rest the feet, or vice versa,
without interfering with the Roadway
of the machine or decreasing its speed.
In front of the head of the machine
there PROJECTS horizontally n light but
strong steel shaft, which fits into a
steel sheath. This sheath is rigid and
firmly fixed to the head of the machine,
while the shaft inside of it is cogged or
ratchetcd into the mechanism acted
upon by the chain attachments of the
pedals. At the extreme end of this,
fUrthcrest from the rider, are four rigid
arms, the end pair of which arc rigidly
tixcd ON the sheath, SO that they oc-
cupy Il position exactly parallel to the
body Of the rider; the other two arc rig
idly fixed on the revolving shaft, a
couple of Sits being cut in the sheath to
p.rmit of their movement. These arms
arc about three feet long and the END
PR are each about four feet distant
i~om tho two nearest the rider. On
them is spread Il sheet or sail of light
but strong duck, in size six feet by four,
which is set cdgewisc to the rider, and
when at rest hangs quivcring and shali-
ing with every breath of air, like the
sails of q ship in the doltlrums.
Behind the rider there extends n long.
slender bamboo rod, and close behind
the riders hack rises wire stay which
supports the Hydrogen Spindle This
is TIC scientific name of balloon
nI15oIyiHs; the shape Of both needle
and 4 sphere, Il long, circular body,
shaped like the wood2n block which @
boy cells ''tip-cat," except that the
spindle" is slightly ilattencd under
mouth. making it look ike u boat turned
bottom mp. This spindle is iilled with
hydrogen gas, generated from water,
and is covered with tho ordinary bal
loon netting, which Is r." : - tho
bamboo rCu, AMI TIC :tGvI .,.-.,U, much
the same as the balloon, i; attached to
the CIR. The whole apparatus weighs
ti.t2ca pounds, and IS Gtecrcd either by
the fan arrangement 1T the rear or by
shifting the center of gravity as is q
bicycle.
Tho principle may be most clearly de-
fined ~ simple words as that OF The
chilti'G air Galloon--it will not rise by
itIclf, but blow under it ;::id IL 3oGrs to
the clouds. That is TIC &c wa the
air bicycle. The rider takes his seat
or r,:t..2r ho stands with lis seat be-
tween his LEGS, LIS hands Il >!li2g the
h&cllc3. STOPPING q l!It!2, ho springs
upwarl into tho cir, and b.J& quiz; pail
at TIC indies brine TIC G1;.G RIGHT up
t. i.:In 50 thGt he i:!voiylnt:lily sits
d.. i t2"t I,!llinBu2On IT," >,tl@l3 a
=. .-ai5lvG T2,'5urG Gil t'!G!-l sets the
C. ,oc3-Wiiccl attachment wilirl-
l. co.. ia, causes tho steel shaft il
f:,.--S / TIC head to half torn, {ir:5 70
th3 Il 1T ;yld then to TIC Lett, The two
am lc"ol"i0Y with it, and IS &c two
49, ........2,cl to the 3lc;.til remain I'M
II sd TIC c:;t2n(iGl duck is t;y?uny into
d -" 1T or y lcft-h2nd helix, vGryinG il
r,..,i.,ity with the action OF the peddla
md pto;tucing q backward current OF
al l,Iniar to that experienced ON this
froaG platform Of 81 awiitly-movinr cor
G.ilY th;.t TIC current frclcl G,l2 hcli>
bl0wA upward AMI strikes Thc lit lower
eUri,.cc Of tic Hydrogen Gpi::dlo,' bel
lying it iawGrl, and SO Gill Iaorc in
C"Ia3in;; its rcDi3tJIco to tho powerful
bc>cac, whi2h slowly raises TIC vholc
E28.l>inN into the air. The hell; ut fl,