Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-30
QUEER CYCLE INVENTIONS

1t has ever been the case. and doubtless
always will be, that wherever thing has
proven to be popular there are always
hundreds who are willin., to rush i'm and
attempt to improve the invention. One visit
to the patent Office will disclose this fact.
Scarcely a village and hamlet in the coun-
try is without its inventor, and If a census
Of all were made the result would doubt
less be large enough list of names to
make good-sized city.
The bicycle has been a fertile field for the
inventor. 1t has been worked over and
over, and still produces weekly crops i'm
the shape Of applications for patents.
A number of freak patents in the BIZ
cycle line have recently been allowed. One
OF the most unique was that given to an
inventor of Yonkers, N. Y. His model is
an Improvement on the upright wheel 1t
is front driving affair, similar to the or
binary. On the backbone of the wheel the
patent provides for an arrangement which
can be used as child's seat or a recepta-
Gle for carrying articles. The great inno-
walton is in the arrangement of the handle
bars. Instead of being IN front of the rider,
as ass IS generally the case, they curve around
from the rear. A rod is attached to the
head OF the wheel, running beneath the
saddle, to the end Of which the handle
bars are attached. eurving upward at an
directly in front of the horn of the sad
die, and is operated on the lever system.
py showing downward and in the direction
the wheel Is going. The saddle is attached
a goose-neck saddle post of more than or
binary curve. SO as to allow the free
working of the rod which connects the
handle bars with the head.
Another strange invention is that of a
Boston man, which is evidently designed to
lessen vibration. but which hardly ap-
pears to be practicable His invention pro-
vides fer curved telescope bar. which
runs from the head to a point in the
frame almost directly beneath the saddle
post. The bar is provided with an inter-
nal spiral spring, of more or less strength,
which fits into projections Of the frame
made especially for the purpose. To still
further lessen vibration, a similar bar and
spring is placed at the lower part of the
bicycle. running from the main sprocket
arrangement to an extension of the frame,
designed especially for the purpose. To
keep the two wheels together a jointed
bar runs horizontally between the differ
ent portions of the frame This improve
ment, Is designed to make the bicycle a
sort of rocking chair for the rider.
Still another freak upon which a patent
was allowed is the Idea of Philadelphia
man. 1t is hard to describe this inven-
ton. owing to its many complications. The
front wheel is less than one-half the di-
ameter of the rear wheel. and is hung in
back-facing forks. 1t turns on verti-
cal steering head, which has a length equal
to more than the diameter of the wheel.
Three distinct rods connect 1t with the
remainder of the bicycle. At the apex of
the triangular frame q seat is arranged,
resembling the seat of a chair much more
than a bicycle saddle. There are no handle
bars. Instead at each side of the seat are
grips. By twisting these the steering is
accomplished. The motion Of pedaling is
not like that on the ordinary safety Tn
stead of describing a complete circle the
invention provides for an upward and
downward movement of the foot only The
chain, and sprocket are the same as on an
ordinary safety. According to the inven-
tors claim. he has "a guiding mechanism
which, while capable of making quick
turns. 10 normally inclined to move direct
~ forward. except when guided to one side
by the rider"
A salf-halancinr hacxcle Attachment a.