The record-union., 1897-11-10
LATE CYCLING NEWS.
THE CHAINLESS WHEEL-SLIP-
LESS TIRE-GEAR CASE.
Carrying Wheels by Rail-SmalIer
Ball Bearings-Transmit
ting Power.

The victory of the New York CITY
local consulate of the L. A. W. III III
oucing the Mayor to veto the ordinance
exempting delivery wagons from car
rying lamps is considered highly I'M
portant, as it establishes precedent
One of the largest makers OF chains
In the country, for whose product
diamond hardness is claimed, has a
new device which should be boon to
riders. 1t is a thin plate pivoted on
the bolt link, which swings over the
head of the chain bolt and prevents II
from working loose 1t is so much a
part of the link that it is not notice
able until pointed out
One Western maker intends putting
out for 1898 a bevel gear wheel for $50
His chain wheels will list at $50, and
be furnished with gear cases. Another
maker, in Ohio, will produce a chain
less that will be entirely new, neither
cog, clutch action, or any form of
transmission known at present.
A tire that won't slip has just made
will not slip under any conditions of
surface. such as wet car rails, asphalt
concrete, plank or macadam road The
makers even guarantee that it will not
slip when ridden on ice Another claim
made is that it can be ridden with
much ease on rough roads or rough ma
cadam and that the teeth form a cush-
ion for the tire One of the strong
af,,t, h.
that it is very fast over smooth sur
faces, as it gives an air space between
the surfaces and the tire and obviates
suction. They claim that it is 80 per
cent. puncture proof, on account Of hav-
ing rubber teeth. Another feature
Which the company makes a point of is
that this tire throws but little mud
1t is claimed that the teeth have a
tendency to release the mud when the
tire leaves the surface over which it
passes. The tire has been put to Sc
were test, and has withstood the tell
ing conditions in excellent style
There is an apparent tendency on the
part Of manufacturers to revert to the
use Of smaller balls in bearings next
year. Brakes are also likely to be more
sought for by riders and more freely
offered by makers.
Opinions of the new chainless ma
chine vary greatly. The chief merit ac-
corded it by all is its immunity from
the effects of rain, mud and dust. due
to the driving mechanism being en-
cased. The only criticisms. apart from
those Of mechanical theorists. appear
to be on the score of its wide tread and
its weight of 26A pounds. One thing
the advent of the beveled gear wheel
promises to accomplish, is the complete
conversion of the American mind to
the English idea of protected gears.
Every advantage claimed for the bevel
gear wheel is based directly on the fact
OF It's water proof and dust proof fea-
lures, and these Identical claims applv
equally to the gear cased wheels uni
versally used in Great Britain and 10
the incfosed chain models now apnear-
ing here.
New York HERALD: Two Cfncin-
natl geniuses are said to have solved
a problem which has worried many me-
chanlcs for a long time, and in so doing
10 nave evolved an idea that is new TO
the cycling world The claim is that
these two sons of the Ohio metropolis
nave found out how to gain speed in
a mechanical contrivance without the
loss or power. The new appliance.
which at present is applied to bicycles
only, because the great desiderat tun of
bieyclists is to gain speed, is called a
power transmitter."
The idea is declared to be a very SIM
pie one, but to many persons who are
not up in mechanics it may appear to
be difficult of explanation. The pow
er transmitter," says the Cincinna ii
Enquirer, is located at the hub of the
rear wheel. The ordinary chain passes
over at the rear wheel on what answers
the same purpose as the ordinary small
sprocket wheel. The sprockets of this
wheel are loose. and are really a part of
q large sprocket wheel The latter CON
sists Of parallel disk wheels attached
TO the hub of the wheel. Resting upon
the small sprocket wheel are extended
levers which fit into specially construct
ed grooves at some distance from the
center of the hub
AS the chain pulls at one point of the
innner sprocket the extended lever an
cages one Of the grooves and transmits
the power to that point 1t Will be
seen that the same force that is ap-
piled 10 the small sprocket is traus-
mitted to a greater radius. and hence
with the same exertion additional speed
is attained. Unlike the present meth
cd. the pulling section of the chain on
the rear sprocket does not cover one
quarter OF the circumference thereof.