The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-07-31
BIKES. THAT WILL
RUN THEMSELVES
The Pedaling Of the Future TO Be Done
q by Electricity.
OBSTACLES VET TO BE OVERCOME
The Weight Of the Motor the Great
Difficulty. objections TO Gas or Oil
Motors and Electricity..A attempts
tO Solve the Problem The Que>.
ton Of Grades.
From the New York sun.

OF all the innovations OF modern times
not one has achieved such oXtraordin-
airy and universal popularity in the
same space of time as the bicycle. Even
electricity, whose developments have
. been phenomenal. cannot show such a
record. 1t is not strange that in view or
this unDa ra alleled success there should
he many who look for still further tri-
umphs through the improvements that
the future is almost sure to bring. or
these improvements the self-propellinS
wheel is generally regarded as the most
important and far-reaching in its eff
fectS. Whether this is true or not de
psnds very largely upon the motives
that induce the majority of people to
ride. Those who use the wheel for the
beneficial effects of the exercise Will
certainly not look with much favor on
a device that will render muscular ef-
fort unnecessary. although these, as
well as those who ride purely for pleas
ure. would no doubt regard as desir-
able any innovations that would enable
the rider to do his own Dedalmg or
utilize the power of the machine at will
Those who use bicycles as a matter of
business principally. that Is. to save car
fare. would undoubtedly hail with de-
light Il self-propelling wheel, providing
il could be- operated with sufficient
economy. With the latter class of rid
ers the cost of the motive power would
be the prime consideration. but with the
former ii would be of secondary impor-
tance.
A wheel too heavy to carry without
Inconvenience over insurmountable OBJ
stacles would not be acceptable to those
who ride for pleasure; neither would
unsightliness, disagreeable odors, or
lack of cleanliness. But all these OBJ
jections would be tolerated to much
greater extent by those who ride from
motives OF economy. judging from
ing this as the highest weight allow
what inventors have accomplished SO
far. ii is safe to say that there Is
much greater probability OF their salts
flying the demands of the latter class
than Of the former. Their success. II
such il may De called. has been very
limited. and their efforts appear to
have been directed wholly to the ques-
ton of providing the necessary power
to propel the wheel. In fact. this part
Of the problem alone is so difficult that
il has overshadowed everything else.
When it is successfully solved the in
ventors will be able to give more atten-
cleanliness. and lightnesS.
THE MAIN PROBLEM
In order to be able to appreciate prop
erly the difficulties that inventors must
overcome to effect thoroughly sue
cessful solution Of the problem, II Will
be necessary to consider the weight and
space permissible for the motor As
well as several other details which will
be enumerated further on. The gem
eral run of bicycles weigh from about
eighteen to thirty-tive pounds. Very
few however reach the higher figure.
The average weight is perhaps about
twenty five pounds This is not too
much to be carried without inconven-
ience by any one possessed Of enough
strength and endurance to ride wheel.
but If the weight We're increased To-,
say. forty pounds. ii would be fully
as much as the majority would be able
to handle without undue eXertion. TAX
able in II self -propellins bicycle, II will
b- seen that there would be only fif-
teen pounds To cover the weight of mo-
tive bower mechanism, and also tn..
additional Strengthening that the var
ious parts Of the apparatus would re-
quire. Now to determine what amount
of power would be required tu propcl
the wheel. If the average weight of
riders is put at 40 pounds the total
weight of rider and wheel would be $50
pounds. This. on an average road, per
fectly level. would require q prOpel-
ling fore" of about two pounds if run
ming at a speed so low that the resist
ance of the atmosphere would not have
to be considered, which would be- about
ten or twelve miles. AT the latter speed
the power that would have to be- ap-
piled would be about one-siXteenth of
a horse power. On Il smooth asphal-
tum pavement less than half this power
would be required. An electric or u
gas motor Of this capacity can be made
that will weigh considerably less than
ten pounds, perhaps not over five or
six. and be substantial and durabl..
in all its parts. But to the weight
Of the motor must be added the weight
of the mechanism by means OF which
the motion is transmitted to the wheel:
also the weight of oil or gas and tank
in the case Of u gas or oil motor. and
of the storage battery in the case Of
an electric motor.
So far aS the electric motor Is con-
cerned. it may be said that at the pres.
IL So great that they could not be used
except for very short runs. With oil
or gas motors II Is probable that the
tank. fully charged. could be kept with
III three or four pounds. With the lat
ter tyne of motive power II NAV he.
said then that the motor and oil or
gas tank would weigh. say. ten bounds.
which would leave five pounds for
strengthening up the parts of the wheel
that would be too frail as ordinarily
constructed.
THE QUESTION OF GRADES.
From the foregoing it will be seen
that the power required to run on a
level road of average smoothness could
probably be obtained within the per-
missible weight of forty pounds for the.
entire bicycle. But such a machine
would not be able to propel itself over
rough roads OF up grades: neither could
II run at u rate of speed higher than
twelve miles an hour. If assisted by
the rider il could climb grades. but
from the following it will be seen that
on steep inclnations the help Of
the motor would be about offset by the