New-York tribune., 1894-10-29

and contains apparatus which instantly changes
the speed from one rate to another The Gluten
which performs this duty is controlled by rod
reaching up in front Of the rider either to the top
Of the diamond. or II the purchaser prefers, out on
the handle-bar ike the present brake-lever. Tor
which 1t will prove an excellent substitute
The prncipic OF Mr. Vogers invention Is simple.
although at frs, sight the illustration Of ii may
seem trife complicated The central cogwheel
here shown is made fast to the axle on which the
treadles are mounted. The sprocket wheel proper
fits loosely that axle. so that 1t may. when de-
sired move at a different rate Of speed from the
inner wheel. Three fat strong bars. with teeth at
the outer ends are arranged radlally within the
case, and may be simultaneously projected from or
withdrawn toward the centre. The former opera
ton engages them in the cogs on the inner sur
face of the periphery OF the sprocket wheel and
then the inner and outer wheel revolve together as
one This Is the usual situation. too But when
these arms or DOlts drawn inward each OF the
three pairs OF small intermediate gears comes into
play and transmits motion from the inner to the
outer cOgwheel. In the few machines thus far
manufactured the proportion between the teeth of
the former TO those Of the latter is one to two;
hence the sprocket wheel revolves only once to TWO
revolutions Of the treades and only half the former
speed is impaired to the driving wheel Right here
it may be remarked that one pair of intermediate
gears would do this work. just as one locking bar
to make both features triple When the rider
reaches the top of the hill. and wishes TO resume
his former speed, ne projects tne lOcklnS-Dd
again. 1t Is upon the movement Of these that the
whole system depends and the operation Is effected
cogwheel and the surface OF the further side
of the sprocket wheel This clutch slides lateraiiy
on the axle. and 1t Is operated (eher pushed or
pulled from the right hand side Of the machine by
the lever already referred TO- which is within easy
reach, If not continuously within the grasp of the
rider. OF course, in service the gearing here
posed to view Is covered BY circular plate in or
der to exclude dust and dirt.
Mr. Vogel Is engaged in designing machinery
for use in manufacturing this apparatus. The hill
climber may easily be attached to any bicycle oper
ated with a chain. AS made at present. II weighs
about four pounds but the inventor expects 10
duce this to two or less than two.
The question may be asked Why may not a per-
son ordinary bicycle, by reducing the number
OF leg thrusts per minute just one-half. accomplish
the same object? Well, he could. If he would
respondngly increase the force Of the stroke Then
with the same aggregate outlay OF strength and in
double the time required TO traverse the same dis
tance level road. he might ascend a heavy
grade. But. in practice. this Is impossible. He
can't well double the impulse given to the treadles
even at half speed and II he tries IT, he is liable 10
damage the machine Repeated trial proves this
conclusively But the effect Of gearing is exactly
parallel to that OF q lever or pulley. whereby OBJ
}ects lifted which could not otherwise be moved
with the same total amount OF exertion.