The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-03-04
; , nIDE UPSIDE DOWN
QUEER BICYCLE COURSE INVENTED
e\ GEORGE 8 OURKEE

Parkway Also he Seen at the Paris
Exposition In 1000 10 q Success
The first safety bicycle ever made
in Chicago was turned ont by the vet
eran mechanical engineer George b
Durkee The model of this first machine
is curiosity now The machine itself
is thing of great clumsiness and III
grace II was one Of several chainless
wheels invented at the same time IN
different parts of the country But Dur
KEGS invention opened up path which
has led 10 the invention of the present
bicycle. with its wonderful modern &C.
couterments
But Durkee's invention is destined 10
win him fame 1t is the new centrifugal
bicycle course which he has just finish.
ed a wonder from mechanical stand.
point and sensational. enough to reap
fortune 1t is an entire departure from
any previously thought of appliance for
sport
The scheme is simple A bicycle rider
is started on an inclined course. begin
ming at an elevation of SO feet When
he reaches the foot he continues around
the inner side of an immense vertical
circle. so feet in height The rider in
pursuing the course turns over once, his
head hanging downward when at the
highest point of the ring He is held to
the track, after the impetus given by
the incline. by nothing else but centrif-
ugal force acting, on account of the
speed, against the force of gravity. After
completing the circle the rider finishes
on a plane, rising to height of 40 feet.
The accomplishment of this feat by
man is daring act. But several appli.
cations have been received by Durkee to
make trial, provided wire netting is
suspended directly under the apogee of
the circle TO break the force in case of
a fall. The impetus given rider by the
start, SO feet high, will engender
speed which will necessitate the removal
of the feet from the pedals.
The idea seems visionary and prac-
tically impossible on large scale But
the model proves the mechanical posi-
bility of it, whether bicycle rider can
accomplish it or not. In the model
miniature car is shot down narrow
track 1t is loaded with a shot, flies
down the plane. around the circle and
finishes up at the 40 foot elevation, with
nothing but centrifugal force overcom-
ing gravity to keep it to the track and
to its position.
On account Of the numerous demands
coming in from New York and Boston
riders Durkee will build structure as
f,,o Of hn rl~c IL Ia
240 feet from start to finish. measured
in straight line. An elevator will be
built in the starting tower to hoist pas
sengers up for the perilous descent 1t
is III reality the inventors idea to build
a railway track supply cars for passen-
gers and create the most extraordinary
shoot ever opened for the edification
of the public. The patent includes, be-
sides the safety netting for bicycle rid
ers. steel fianges for preventing the cars
from leaving the track. In the centrif-
ugal railway there will be compare
lively level approach instead of the in
clined approach of the bicycle track.
The cars of the railway will be operated
by an electric trolley, wire cable or
similar artificial power.
The whole scheme was first suggested
to Durkee after seeing Fitzpatrick do
one of his daring acts in riding down a
steep incline The amount of speed en-.
gendered was tremendous, and it occur
red to the inventor that it could be util-
| lied by means OF the circular track
with sensational results If the inven-
tion proves a success in Chicago and
the ride can be accomplished by human
beings. Durkee proposes to carry his
| novel scheme for practical display to
the coming Paris exposition
According to Durkee, this invention
does not compare for utility with one
in an entirely different field Of mechan-
les which he completed in 1898 Mr.
Durkee's genius i'll mechanics is not
limited to one or two phases alone 1t
might honestly be said that he can and
has invented improvements for as many
contrivanceS 6s the human mind may
conceive Of The invention of 1893.
which won for him the John Scott
medal, awarded by the Franklin insti.
tute of Philadelphia, was the expanded
metal machine 1t was used TO cut and
| expand sheet steel in such u manner
| that it can be used in place Of woven
wire This expanded metal is now used
in the construction of fireproof build.
ings instead of laths for supporting the
plaster The expanded metal was used
as guard on all elevated ratings at
the fair grounds
Mr. Durkee has made at least 10 inn
provements OH harps. zithers, guitars
and banjos His improvements OH the
harp especially have been of such ma.
ture as to render the American made in
strument vastly superior to any of for.
eign manufacture The taper spindles.
adjustable disks and the extension Of
the sounding board over the body are
some of Durkees ideas which have
been universally adopted He has not
only made improvements, but has de-
signed and constructed types of every
known stringed musical instrument and
also instruments of percussion