Evening star., 1896-11-07

general long, narrow and clean-cut effec
that a shell has is preserved. These SHARP
lines enable the bicycle shell to forge
through the water at a speed Of twelve
miles an hour. Bicycle boats heretofore
have never been able to equal half this
speed. In justice to the inventors 1t should
be said that their boats were never driver
by more than one pair Of legs while this
has six to furnish the power
The query will naturally arise why Mr.
Plass built a seXtuplet bicycle shell es
pecially for young women devotees Of the
wheel The inventor states hat the way
he happened to do was because a favor.
lite niece made him promise that the firs
one should be built expressly for girl rid
ers With this end in view Mr.. Plass con
structed an eliptlcal gelr so that every
pound of pressure exer;ed by fair riders
feet would tell to the most ADVANTAGE He
also designed the boat as light as Il proper
observance Of strength and rigidity would
permit.
Description of the Boat.
1t is very simple in Its mechanical equip
ment. The propeller, which Is of bronze
has high pitch which is equivalent to a
high gear on a seXtuplet that travels or
land.
The propeller shaft, which is of STEEL ex-
tends almost to the bow. 1t is journaled
between every rider to preserve its align
ment. 1t also has thrust collar" OF
VI ass JOSt line dI oCedU liner. In the CEN
ter is balance wheel that gives steady
motion. This wheel Is not very large or
account OF the limited space, but quite suf
f1cfent to store enough momentum to carry
the propeller over the Center"
The pedal shafts carry what is known as
worm gear" which engages the driving
shaft. This gear is arranged 80 that one
revolution of the pedals causes five of the
propeller, which is thus driven at quite a
high rate of speed. To bring the sextupIet
shell to stop or to move backward Mr.
Plass has invented a novel contrivance. In
stead Of back-pedaling, as bicycle rider is
forced to do. the gear is shifted by little
lever which Is affixed to the handle bar
much like brake Thus. while the revolu-
tions of the pedals continue forward, the
propeller shaft Is reversed and the screw
behind Is backing water as fast as six
sturdy legs can drive 1t. The cleverness of
this idea Will at once be manifest to eyery
bicycle rider.
The Center of Balance.
An even keel is maintained by two hollow.
cigar-shaped cylinders six feet long. of
aluminium, one on each side of the boat.
held in place by outriggers. They are nee
essary, because the seats of the girls are
boatbuilders the center Of balance. These
outraged floats give wide base, which
Is equivalent to a wide beam, and prevent
capsizing.
WneD
the pedals begin to work, presto, the pro
peller revolves. and they glide about on the
water as gracefully as ever did the De-
fer der.
The only peculiar feature of the craft is
that the riders must mount one at a time
The sextuplet bicycle shell Is brought uu
to the lending, and the bow oarsman as
she would be called If 1t was a really truly
craft. bestrides her steed. Next comes the
stroke oar, and SO on until the coxswain's 8
seat Is reached, and when she vaults airily
Into the saddle everything is In readiness
for the pedals to turn.
The craft is steered, naturally, from the
stern. the handle bars being SO arranged a.
to act as a uller. and the coxswain as she
sits there can send the rest of the club any
place she likes. The trials Of the water
bicycle have disproved another statement
about the new woman. Unkind man has
said that she could not steer a boat. Now
the sextuplet bicycle shell is surely q boat
in its way. and women not only can steer
1t, but steer 1t well. 1t would be serious