The Portland daily press., 1897-10-23
THE CHAINLESS BICYCLE.
New York Scientific Americoan).

| THE CHAINLESS BICYCLE.
New York Scientific Americoan)
There Is general impression among
those who follow the developments of
bicycling that the year 1898 will see the
chainless wheel firmly established as
rival to the chain-driven type. More than
one of the leading manufacturers have
lately expressed their intention of offer
ing to the pu bile bevel geared machine,
or Its equivalent. 1t is freely stated that
the mechanical difficulties, which have
been made the subject of considerable and
costly experiment. during the past two or
three years, have been thoroughly mas
tered, and that the chainless wheel has
been brought to a pitch of perfection
which warrants the launching of few of
these machines upon the market
The idea of a..chainless bicycle, as many
of our readers well know, is not by any
means new. As far. back as 1898, a firm
had put on the market a bevel geared
wheel, and not a few of these machines
may still be seen upon the road, and are
apparently giving satisfaction; although,
|
any great demand for this type. 10 Judge
| from the sentiments of the press, the
| manufacturers and the wheelmen who
| take any interest In the subject, there is
no question that, if 1t can be mechanical.
ly perfected, the chainless wheel will be
lncontestably superior to the chain and
sprocket type.
| 1t will be an interesting study to CON
slider the two systems on few leading
! points of comparison, such as simplicity
of parts, ease of running and durability
AS regards the first, 1T must be admitt.d 4
that the chain gear has everything in it
| favor, provided, OF course, that the chain
Is regarded as one Ipiece-which, for the
purpose sof the present comparison it
fairly may be. A chain that is properly
made with links of equal pitch and uni
form hardness throughout will show an
even wear, and may be considered as a
single link lin the driving mechanism.
Assuming the future chainless wheel to
| be beveled gear machine in place of
| the chain we shallH Hhaveia shaft, two bevel
wheels and two sets of adjustable ball
bearings to stransmit the motion from
| crank axle to rear wheel. While a slight
variation in the chain line will not 6eri-
ously affect the running of the sohain and
| sprocket gear similar variation in the
bevel gear will produce binding action
that will result in hard running and
rapid wear. Hence the gears must be cut
care and accuracy. This Of course is a
mere matter of good workmanship and
the firms that contemplate building
these machines will doubtless turn out q
smooth-running and perfectly sska1igned
gear.
A comparison on the score of friction
and ease of running under everyday con-
ditions will probably show results in fav-
or of the hevel gear; whereas a oompari-
son under ideal conditions on the testing
machine will show and if we remember
rightly has shown results in favor of the
chain. The differences due to the fact
that the beyel gear is always enclosed In
a gear case and running in clean oil
whereas on the road the chain Is not
merely transmitting the power from the
cranks but is using up certain amount
of that power in grinding up the grit and
dust of the road into the pasty mess with
which the average chain is encumbered.
AS matter of fact the chain has never
been given chance to demonstrate what
1t can do. In the first place it is not i'm
probable that except in the case of the
best makes it receives less care In the Sc
lection Of Its material and the machining
of its pins and links than any of the
other wearing parts of the wheel. Ger
tainly it does not compare in this respect
with the bearings. And whereas the
bearings are carefully incased and various
precautions in the way Of dust caps and
|
the chain for some inscrutable reason is
left to gather up all the friction -produo-
ing matter it may. Except on the
ground of appearance there is absolutely
no defence to be offered for 81 custom
which does violence to the first principle
of good mechanical practice.
Before the chain is pronounced inferior
to the bevel gear it should at least be
given anBopI ortunity TO prove Its eff
cheney under he protection OF q satisfac-
tory gear case.
What has already heen said on the
question of friction applies with equal
force to the question OF durability. A
protected bevel gear would undoubtedly
outlast an unprote cted chain gear though
we think that under equal conditions the
results might be reversed particularly if
the same high class material and work
nanshlp were put into the chain and
sprockets as will be sure to characterize
the cha1nless gear. In such d case the
chain gear would have q great advantage
IN the fact that it is adjustable whereas
the other is not-an advantage which will
increase In proportion to the distance the
wheel is ridden
There is one respect however in which
the chainless wheel will possess an un-
doubted superiority to the present type,
that is in its compact and shipshape APP
pearanoe and the ease with which it can
be cleaned and kept in presentable shape.
Ii is likely that this will prove to be ons
of the most important factors in eStab.
fishing the now type in the pubic favor;
but how far the chainless type will sue.
oeed in demonstrating its mechanical
superiority to the present popular machine,
time and the test OF hard usage alone can
tell.