The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-10-10
A NEW INVNETloN.
A Roller Bearing Device That VIII Reduce
Friction in Machines.

FHCtIon N MaCNineSt
There was exhibited before the mem
bers Of the committee on new enter
prises of the Board of Trade, Friday
afternoon, a unique contrivance which,
when it has been introduced, viii be-
come universal in it's applications How
and why 1t should have been shown
to this committee, she members who
We're present are unable To- say, for
those interested claimed that they were
not looking for capital or for q plant
for manufacturing purposes. All that
the manager in charge would say was
that the inventor and wners desired
to show its unique features to Worces-
ter mechanics to ascertain their opin-
ions and criticisms.
Upon invitation, four members of the
committee, Milton p. Higgins William
Hart, George l.. Brownell and Alfred
Thomas met in the directors room at
o'clock, and witnessed demonstra-
ton of its workings and heard the
claims made by the inventor for a roll
ler- bearing the patents for which have
just been allowed. The demonstration
of the patent was in charge Of Daniel
j. Padula,> of the firm of Elpham 81 Pa
dula, but a thorough investigation
Ldli6Q 10 reveal ltldA 5tAl4elldI Npll-
nection with the invention. He is not
financial owner in the patent and
only claims that he is looking out that
the city profits by another new INDUS
try, The patent is a distinct advance
over anything that has been brought
out in the line of bearings. 1t con-
sists of a series of Hanged steel rollers
which revolve about a central cone.
Running between these rollers is an
other set Of rollers which work in uni
son with the first set ard simply act
as guides. The construction is so SIM
pie that it is claimed that the chief adj
vantage in the adoption Of this bearing
is that no oil of any kind is required
to keep it in order, a great saving in
attention on machines. The central
cone runs eccentric to The outer cone,
and it is possible by a clutch contrl-
vance operated from without to effect
a great change in speed. One of the
principal applications that has been
made of the bearing is in connection
with bicycles in which a change in gear
is possible, supposing tine gear of the
machine to be los, to between So and
Sc.
Perhaps the most notable claim made
for the bearing is that it is decided
gain mechanically for the better This
bearing is simply a differential friction
roll in place of the old differential fric-
ton gear. There is no gearing at all
in the bearing, and consequently the
element of friction is reduced to the
minimum.
Victor Boulanger is accredited with
being the inventor of the bearing and
Mayor Josiah Quincy of Boston is a
part owner. so that 1t will be from the
start a success so far as capital is con-
cerned. Already cars on the West End
Street Railway in Boston are being
equipped with the bearing, and parties
in this city who have studied it are
convinced that it marks revolution
in the line of bearings. To the casual
observer the contrivance looks not un>
like the Inflated unicycle invented by
Boulanger some years ago, and it may
be that the primary ldea sprang from
this machine. The mechanical MEM
bers of the committee who inspected
1t say that it is all that the inventor
claims for it and more.
If it is to be manufactured on an ex-
tensive scale, Worcester ought to be
the home of the industry, and it may
be that overtures will be made looking
to the establishment Of plant here.