The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-09-23
weight on it, without scarcely r,aking

weight on il, without scarcely rlaking
any impression on It.
The spokes are of II material which can
be bent and twisted and tied int knots
like Irvine without breaks ng--in.f fact, they
cannot be broken. Mr.. Collins also has
II new way of stringiug his wheel, SO that
the pressure aud weight are never on less
than four spokes at the same time. All
these ideas and parts of mechanism are
included in the seventeen patents grant
ed to Mr.. Collins.
- The main invention, however, consists
of the nmatic hub. Around the axle,
protected by steel thimbles, so that there
is absolutely no wear on the rubber, is a
pneumatic tube, blown up the same as
pneumatic tires. This tube is encased in
a MCKEE steel frame, to which the spokes
are attached. The frame. hanging on
these inflated hubs, causes the rider to
rock easily, as though he weie sitting in
a swing. There is consequently the least
possible vibration, Earring and jolting
In running up against ditch or curb
stone, for instance, as did Mr.. Boyd last
Thursday, the pressure of the frame for
ward is against this inflated tube in both
hubs, so that it simply springs and
swings, as it were. Instead of jolts, which
is the reason it does not throw the rider
over the handle bars. Besides making
riding easy, it saves the frame from being
snapped at the joints or broken by lar
ring.
Mr. Collins has half dozen or more
patents on parts of this hub. One for
instance is the case holding the ball-bear-
ings; another is II cap to the nut holding
the oil 80 that machine ridden every
day would only need oiliog once year.
This, therefore, does away with an oil
can in the saddle and cement, plugs and
other appliances carried to mend pune
tured tires.
The pneumatic tube in the hub is so
well protected that there is absolutely no
wear on it; hence it can II t become out OF
order and will last about three years--as
lJ..g as rubber will last before it becomes
hard and crumbles up. In other words.
II tube will last just rs long in this hub
as it would hanging up against wall,
exposed to the dir, without being used.
Among the many advantages claimed
by Mr.. Collins for his wheel are strength
and durability and easy Kidding The
narrow, solid tire does not spread out,
consequently there is that much less
ground resistance and correspondinely
easier pedaling. General Miles gives as n
reason why he wants this wheel for the
army that it will not break down, and
that it has non puncturable tires "Thc
whee. with puncturable tire" General
Miles is quoted as saying, sis not adapt
e" for the army. Why, all the energy
would have to do to stop forward move
by the bicycle corps would be for it TO
scatter carpet tacks along the road and
all would blow up" The same reason
is advanced ty the District of Columbia
authorities in their request to Mr. Col
Inns to turn them out IL lot of his ma
chimes for their police rs soon rs possible
This description of Mr.. Collins iuven-
ton is necessarily incomplete, but will.
no doubt. suffice to give the public, es-
pecially the cycle world, an idea of what
the new wheel, which every body who has
seen or heard of it believes will revou-
tiopiZe the Eicycle is like