The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-15
NO CHAIN OR SPROCKETS
WONDERFUL BICYCLE INVENTED BY
A NEW YORK PHYSICIAN.
One Push of the Pedals VIII Cause 1t
riage of wheels on Trains.

NEW YORK, Dec. 14-In the third-story
loft of a building on Greenwich street a
new and novel bicycle is on exhibition TO
those who have been invited to see it. The
beauty about the bicycle is that it will run
the length of a block with one push of the
pedals. Some cyclists hold that this would
be a disadvantage, as the rider might want
to get off in the middle of the block, but all
this is provided for by splendid brake that
keeps the machine under perfect control.
The new bicycle is named after New
York physician, who is the inventor. 1t Is
protected by patents that cover every de-
tail of the machine, and all that the doctor
is waiting on to put the new wheel before
the public is the organization of a company
to provide the capital for it's manufacture.
This bicycle, with its block-running pro-
clivities, is the most novel that has been
sprung on the cycling market up to the
present time. Not only is 1t chainless but
sprocketless and, one might say, crankless.
The long steel rods connecting the pedals
with the machinery of locomotion, which
serve the purpose of cranks, operate in an
entirely different manner from the crank
the usual safety. The mechanical prln-
ciple upon which the bicycle is propelled
resembles very largely the old method used
upon the star machine. There is a Gluten
on either side working on ball bearings at
tached to the rear wheel. Each clutch is
controlled by a spring. The spring is tight
ened by strap or rope running from the
pedals to the rear wheel.
The inventor is of the opinion that steel
ribbon will eventually be found the pest
likely to break a leather band or closely
wound rope. Owing to the clutch method
of propulsion it had been found necessary
materially
bicycle frame. AT first sight 1t looks odd
and uncouth as compared with the bicycle
so common on the streets. The pedals
swing very high from the road, which is
necessary owing to the fact that there is
no rotary motion-nothing but an up-and-
down movement similar to that of a vertical
steam pump. For this reason the tubing
forming the base of the machine is very
large hypothenuse of very slight triangle.
boxes on the rear wheel to the handle-bar
head, joining the latter above the front
wheel Attached near the center of TINS
long piece of tubing is a cylinder, at either
end of which ply small rollers over winch
the steel ribbons run to the rear clutches.
This cylinder corresponds to the crank
hanger on the usual bicycle.
A full stroke with the pedals on the BIZ
cycle necessitates very high knee mo-
ton. However, it is not necessary to take
full stroke if the rider chooses to make
a short one. So admirably does the lock
of the clutch work that the slightest mo-
ton of the pedal-if only an inch-puts the
rear wheel in motion. This results in a Pc
culiar movement which, for want of better
comparison might be termed sculling with
effort the rider can keep the bicycle con-
stantly in motion. Owing TO the fact that
the clutch does lock perfectly it is impos-
sibe to ride the wheel backward. There is
no rear motion to the rear wheel. AT test
made of the ability of the wheel to run over
an ordinary surface one push OF the pedals
sent it over 260 feet in three revolutions of
the lift. Some idea may be gained of the
power in the clutches by that result.