The morning times., 1897-01-17
NEW GUN POWDER BICYCLE
Merchant of Latrobe, Pa, In
vents a Remarkable Motor.
EXPLOSION DRIVES PISTON
Total Weight Is Eight and Three
Quarter Pounds, and 1t Is Only
Eight Inches long-It Can Draw
a Cycle for One Hundred Miles.
Something About the Invention.

A guppowder bicycle is the latest in
vention. T. NJ FreebIe, a merchant, of La
trobe, Pa, has just invented mcst re-
markabIe motor which, with weight of
8 81 pounds and length OF 8 inches, will,
when charged with ordinary gunpow der,
carry a machine and rider 100 miles.
The small cylinder of the motor is 8
inches long and l inch III diameter. at the
forward end of which is a box known as
the exploding chamber. This is two inches
long 1 1--2 inches high and / "a inches
inches wide. From the rear end of the
cylinder projects the driving rod. Above
the cyhnderis is the powder magazine, in
ches in diameter and inches deep. III Is
from this magazine that the explosive Is
supplied by means of feeder TO the ex-
plodipg chamber below.
The motor is fastened on to an ordinary
machine, in place OF the pedals and sprocket
chain. The driving rod, which takes the
place of the chain, is similar in action, al
though much smaller than the driving rod
of an ordinary engine
The end of this rod which projects from
the cylinder connects with crank at
tached to the eccentric, which III turn is
fastened to the axle OF the rear wheel OF
the machine. The forcing outward of the
driving rod from the cylinder causes the
crank TO reyolve, and this in turn CoInmuni-
Gates the motion to the eccentric and wheel,
giving motion to the machine. The motor
isof one horsepower, and the powder maga-
zine has capacity of five pounds. From
the front of the magazine extends down.
ward a chute leading into the exploding
chamber.
Within the chute there is a system of
valves governed by rod which follows the
machine up and over the forward wheel
to the handle bar. This rod is used to
control the speed OF the machine, and also
used as a brake when gradual stop is re-
quired-
The valves in the feed chute work on
what might be called an open-and-shut
principle. There are three of them-an
upper, middle and lower one. When one
is open the other two are closed That
this may be accomplished the valves are
connected by a bar which has at the upper
end a cogwheel fitting into a smaller cog
which governs the valve opening directly
from the ina gazine into the chute.
The second valve is midway between the
Others aud acts as a governor TO both,
SluLbiHS OH tie supply HucH Iilc sptcu Is
too rapid and increasing it when more
speed is desired. The third or lower valve
opens directly into the exploding chamber,
and is much heavier than the others, for
the reason that it has to withstand the
force OF COncusSiOn and strain caused by
the exploding powder.
The exploding chamber is the heaviest
part of the motor. 1t is constructed of
steel, and in it the powder eXplodes us it
comes from the magazine through the feed
er. AS the explosion occurs a gaseous
smoke S generated, which acts much the
same a. steam in that it operates the pis-
ton-head of the driving rod within the
cylinder, one end of which is connected
with the exploding chamber. AS the vol
ume of this gaseous smoke is increased
the action OF the rod is prOpOFtionately
increased, and an increase of speed re-
suits.
To avoid any possibility of explosion
of the gases generated by the exploding
pow der, there is valve at the top OF the
exploding chamber through which the ex-
cess of gas is automatically allowed to es-
cape.
The speed of the machine, to a certain
extent, regulates the action OF the valves
in the supply chute. There is small
thumb-screw arrangement in the chute
which adjusts the angle of the back of the