The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-08-18
PRACTICAL PEDALING.
A Railroad Bicycle That Has Proved
TO Be Labor Saving.
Description Of the Novel Machine-Pa-
tent Has Been Claimed.

With the overwhelming popularity re-
Gently attained by the bicycle, it Is natural
TO suppose niat practical use of the noise
less wheel would follow. All the new
ideas advanced for the Improvement Of the
machine havo been in the way of comfort
for the rider. It remained for the brain
of western man TO put forward wheel
that could be used on the railroads, there
by resulting In quick repairs Of the road
and the resultant saving OF labor and
wages.
There were recently issued from the pat
ent office in Washington letters patent on
a railroad bicycle that, for simplicity and
effectiveness, stands alone. The patents
proper belong TO clever devices attached to
an ordinary wheel whereby the bicycle Is
held TO the rails and at the same time re-
tains its chief aim OF usefulness, lightness
of weight
A concise description OF the wheel would
be about as follows: An ordinary, solid
tire wheel is used to start with. Two
spools, or broad grooved wheels, the groove
being of the same shape and size as tho
top of an ordinary Il rail, are placed di-
rcctly in front of the forward and rear
wheels. A rod OF tho lightest steel is bolt
eel to tho frame OF the forward wheel but
back OF the axle, the bolts being loose
enough to allow this rod to be moved up
and down at will
When in position for use, the rod or rods
project in front of the forward wheel diag-
onally To the rail upon which the machine
Is TO run and at the point OF juDcture,
about 1S inches in front; one OF the iron
spools Is attached to an axle that permits
IL TO run easily. Beyond this the rod runs
a few inches, turning up slightly and being
welded together in a graceful curve. These
spools can be raised and the machine used
on the public highway If necessity calls.
just forward Of the back wheel, and so
close up TO it as almost to touch, is the sec
opd spool, or wheel, identicAly the same
size as the ono already described. But 10 Is
attached TO the rear wheel in different
manner, being fastened 10y bolts 10 the
lower part of tho diamond shaped frame
connecting with the two main wheels.
Like the forward wheel, or spool, this,
too can be raised in a second from the
track and fastened 10 the frame without
bothcring the rider.
From this description 1t is obvious that
these two spools will hold the large wheels
OF the bicycle exactly in the center of the
rail, provided some means be furnished for
maintaining the machine in an upright
position. That means is most plain and
simple
From the frame Of the rear wheel of the
cycle light steel rod runs TO third and
smaller wheel, on the opposite rail, and
the outer en-. Is made into an axle upon
Which this smaller wheel revolycs. AS
braces, rods run from this one. close To its
outer end, back 10 the diamond frame, one
being attached 10 the handle bar and one
% the rear angle of the diamond frame
just behind the saddle. All three rods are
fastened to the main machine with pins,
which can be removed instantly, and thus
the entire balance wheel attachment may
be set aside whenever desired. The rods
are also made so as 10 telescope ut half their
length, and thus the entire attachment can
bc packed into the most compact space
VIXEN not in Use.
These rods have still another use when
the machine Is In operation. At about tie
center OF the space between the main ina
chine and the balance wheel the rider fas-
tens tho necessary luggage or tools 10 them.
This weight adds materially to the stabili-
" of the machine aud does not interfere in
tho slightest with the ease or rapidity with
which it can be driyen-in fact, at the
first trial it was demonstrated that VERY
little pedaling was necessary to send ii
along ut very high rate of speed.
A veteran bicyclist seated on one OF
these wheels thoroughly equipped for the
railroad could not help but smile with
satisfaction over the way steep grades are
climbed compared with the extreme hard
pcdallrg that is necessary TO climb the
hills on the country roads. No grade on
the average railroad can compare with
those of u country road, but even the long.
est and steeIcst can bc overcome with the
ease that bicycle is propelled on level
turnpike.
1t is claimed by the inventor that speed
Of 20 to 20 miles an hour can be main
tained without difficulty, and that being
hard pushed a. speed OF 40 miles an hour
could easily be reached
1t Is probable that the greatest use of such
an attachment would be by the railroads
themselves, and by line repaircrs working
for telegraph companies. Tho ordinary
railroad tricycleis clumsy, massive affair,
a regular 'man killer" To operate, while
this new railroad bicycle is very light and
can be propelled far moro rapidly and with
tho expenditure of no more than tithe OF
the muscular effort required by the ma.
chino now in use A light wire woven
basket can be attached TO the balance
wheel rods, in which the line or track re-
palrer can carry such few tools as lac needs,
and he can thus be enabled to patrol
great extent Of track and reach any point
where his services may be required with
the loss of but little time st. Louis
Globe Democrat
An ~ /ctrocycic.
An exchange tells of Cincinnati IN
yentOr who has designed what he cnlls m,