Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-10-17

Mr.. Christyis co7ltrivance throws rho
weight ahead of the hub or centar Of
the front wheel. That weight acts-as
pressure In the direction in which
IL lies, OF course, and ON level ground
MI. Chrlsty'S bicycle, it is said. will
practically run alone. In making This
new machine it will be necessary. of
course, to distribute more of tho
weight to the front wheel than o,naS
there in ordinary safeties. but that
can be done very easily by putting
the saddle farther forward.
Mr.. Christy'S bicycle has been shown
to few Chicago manufacturers. and
those who have examined it want the
privilege of making thousands more
just like it.
III my bicycle" says Mr.. Christy,
We have a weight and therefore a
pressure or force in front of the center
OF the wheel. Being in front of the
wheel that weight is consequently not
one " DE overcome, but is a propelling
force. The rider is therefore able to
move the bicycle much easier and with
less energy or power. BY gearing the
rear or sprocket wheel higher he can
Saln from six to twelve inches i'm
speed with the same force in each rev.
olutlon of the pedals; that is, the rider
,propels the bicycle with the same en-.
ergy that is required to run other BIZ
cycles geared from six to twelve
inches lower. 1t has been admitted
by good mechanics that l can gain
several inches in speed. Experts who
have seen my wheel want to use it
and | feel sure that l have a world
beaten"
In Mr.. Christy's' bicycle the front
wheel is made with an inner rim. and
in place of regular axle the front
fork holds stationary a three-armed
spider, with ball-bearing pulleys at
the ends, which rest upon the inner
rim and furnish a support upon which
the wheel reyolves. One of the arms
and pulleys of the spider is extended
to a point forward of where the
wheel touches the ground and thus
the least weight added to the saddle
tends to propel the wheel. Mr..
ChriSty has tested the model recently
and says that it will run away from
the ordinary safety.
In his application for a patent ON
his invention Mr.. Christy makes the
following claims and statements:
The primary object of this inven-
ton is TO construct wheels for any
Il
resistance Of the bearings to a mini
mum and at the same time reduce the
weight.
The second object is to so arrange
the several parts incident to the con-
struction that the same may, be rigid
to the vertical and horizontal strains
The third object is to so construct
and arrange all parts relative to one
another that the maximum strength CT
such parts may be attained and retaf n
their relative positions regardless Of
all undue strains that may be applied.
The fourth object is to construct a
wheel that may be of easy draught
when used as a driver or is driven by
arranging the several friction wheels
relative to the track exterior rim.
The fork maintains a fixed position.
To it is firmly secured the spider
carrying the SheavetS. There is no
movement Of the spider, but the wheel
proper, consisting of the rim, with it's
connections TO the circular track, rO-
tates around the spider, the lower
sheaves serving to maintain the wheel
in perfect alignment with the spider.
All parts secured to the rim rotate
and move together while the spider re-
mains rigid the connection of the
sheave bearings being such that fric-
tiOnal resistance is reduced to the
minimum. The SheaveS freely rotate
in contact with the interior of the
circular track. The weight and pres
sure of the rider being ahead of the
center are used in propelling the
wheel. The spider, having three pull
leys, is fixed rigid with the framework
of the front wheel, which acts as the
axle and the inner rim the hub. The
pressure being forward of the center
upon the inner rim or hub, gives the
advantage Of the leverage over the
fulcrum, and, the inventor declares,
ena bles the rider to propel his bicycle
much easier and at greater speed than
can be attained on the ordinary ma
chine.