The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1895-09-02
@imeRy @oleicS.
august 20, 1895.

1t is a wonder that so far no
great essayist has produced an
everlasting dissertation on the
monotony of man. How much
easier it is to say the same
thing over and over again or
to ring changes deceiving your
self only, than it is to come out
with something original. A
lengthy continued residence in
Hawaii will reduce the vocabu-
larry as it limits the range of
comment. This may be alter
ed considerably when we have
a cable and get mail more fire.
quently. How isolated we
really are. There was one
stretch this year of twenty-five
or twenty-three days without
a single word from the outside
world. 1t is a marvel the
community does not quarrel
during those fasts. But to
return to and give an instance
of the monotony of man as an
individual. At Paso Robes,
California, where the principal
yard work of the householder
is removing acorns from the
lawn and walks, they have
sulphur and mud springs of
great medicinal powers. Just
ike some fellows once describ-
ed the volcano as looking like
hell, a one-lunger at Paso
Robes, in an inspired mo-
ment, remarked as he sat in a
mud bath that he was uncer-
tain as to whether he had after
the experience, more or less
respect for a hog. About 81 of
every 100 persons who visited
the place since that time have
repeated this and half of them
at least have thought they
were springing something real
clever. Around Paso Robes
are the greatest prune orchards
of the world, the best soils for
spuds and same of the best
wheat fields.
Many improvements are
constantly being made to bring
the bicycle as near perfection
as possible. One part has APP
parently been overlooked, in the
general improvement, and that
is the shape of the sprocket
wheels. 1t is, nevertheless, a
fact, that in nine-tenths of the
bicycles made today, the teeth
on the rear sprocket are made
without correct mechanical
shape; in fact, are mere pro-
,jections to keep the chain from
slipping around the sprocket
without turning the wheel.
Some are made in the shape
of a v, and are so pointed that
they form a regular inclined
plane, on which the chain
climbs whenever any power is
applied.
The object of the Cycloidal
Sprocket as usual on the Tri-
bune is to remove this useless
friction and cause the chain to
drive as freely as the running
of ball bearings. There is no
necessity for friction in the
running of a chain; all that is
necessary to prevent it, are
four conditions: lst.-That
the tooth shall be curved prop
erly to enter the chain without
contact. 2d.-That the chain
shall pull exactly at a right
angle, with it's bearing surface
against the tooth. 3d.-That
the chain block shall not shift
or change it's position while
passing around the sprocket.
4th.-That the tooth shall
leave the chain without the
least resistance. In order to
establish these conditions it
has been found, after much
consideration and practice, that
it is necessary to form the
teeth with what is known as a
cycloidal curve, which in me-
chanics, is the curve by fixed
point, say on the periphery of
a circle, when rolled along a
plane surface. The advantage
of the cycloidal tooth is most
apparent when the rider is
climbing a hill or forcing his
wheel rapidly on an up grade
or against the wind. This is
where the ordinary tooth
grinds and makes the rider
work at least Is per cent.
harder than there is any neces-
sity. There is no additional
friction with the Tribune Cy-
cloidal Sprocket, no matter
how great the power applied,
the chain simply pulls direct
and squarely on the face of the
teeth and the power is freely
impaired to the wheel. 1t
makes racing wheel run so
much easier than many of the
crack riders are using the