ELECTRICITY APPLIED TO THE BICYCLE SYSTEM.
In addition to the numerous advantages of the Bicycle System over all others, the substitution of electricity for steam will greatly increase these advantages, and will show beyond a possibility of doubt that this system is especially adapted for the utilization of this motive force, more than any other known.
Empty rail car on rail.Bicycle Electric Car “Rocket,” at Bellport, L. I.
Bicycle Electric Car “Rocket,” at Bellport, L. I.
Bicycle Electric Car “Rocket,” at Bellport, L. I.
The first, and perhaps the most important point in its favor, is the use of the overhead guide in which to enclose the electric conductor. The advantages of this combination need hardly be specified, as they are evident to any one conversant with the transmission of electric energy. One of the many difficulties inseparable from the present overhead trolley system, is the proper insulation of the conductor, as it must expose a metallic surface for the transmission of the current from the conductor to the trolley, and must evidently be left without any insulating cover whatever. It is therefore not only at the mercy of anything that may come in contact with it, but is a constant menace to the safety of the public, as many cases show, where accidents have resulted from telegraph wires coming in contact with electric power wires. Theuse of guard wires, to prevent these contacts, only partially obviates the difficulty, and certainly does not tend to make the overhead trolley system popular. As the conductor is bare, it is exposed to all the evils arising from climatic changes, such as ice, snow and rain, and the difficulties under such circumstances to insure a proper insulation from points of support are very great, as at these points the presence of ice or other substances often causes a leakage of current.
Another difficult point is always to make contact with the conductor, as the latter is only supported at points some distance apart and between these points is loose and yielding, and therefore not always a reliable medium for tapping the current; the contact is not continuous, to say nothing of the liability of the trolley leaving it entirely. In forming curves, as the wire can only be extended in a straight line from point to point, it necessarily demands a large and unsightly network of wires; but even with this additional help to form the curves, it is impossible to pass these places at any rate of speed except a comparatively slow one, on account of the tendency of the trolley to leave the wire.
These are some of the evils attending the electric trolley system, which are entirely obviated by the use of electricity with the Bicycle System. Here the conductor is safely imbedded in the overhead guide, surrounded on all sides, except the lower, with insulating material, and leaving only a narrow slot at the bottom of the guide-beam, through which the trolley enters and makes contact with the conductor. The conductor of course conforms to the curves of the guide-beam, and is therefore safely and rigidly supported, without any motion whatever in any direction; it being encased on top and sides, is entirely protected from climatic changes and must always remain dry and clean. It is also evident that it is absolutely impossible to make any accidental contact with any other conductor, or vice versa, or to imperil the lives of the public in any possible manner. The conductor having a continuous support, and always being parallel with the supporting rail, a safe contact under high rates of speed is insured, and as the guide-beam holding the conductor is readily bent to conform to the curves, all difficulty in forming or rounding curves is eliminated. The slot in the guide-beam forms a moderately deep groove, making it impossible for the trolley to get out, or to leave the conductor.[3]Another advantage of the Bicycle System is the proximity of the car top and upper guide, which necessitates only a very short trolley arm instead of the long and cumbersome one now in use, with its large momentum, and consequent impossibility of running at any considerable rate of speed. As the conductor is so safely insulated, it will certainly permit the transmission of a much higher voltage, with its many advantages, without the risks to which the present electric roads are subject.
Single car rail structure diagram.Single Electric Bicycle Structure.
Single Electric Bicycle Structure.
Single Electric Bicycle Structure.
The foregoing are some of the many advantages which directly result from the use of the Bicycle System, but there are others which result indirectly, and are perhaps fully as important.
Safety shoe technical diagram.Sectional View of Bicycle Motor Car, showing Safety Shoe at Bottom of Car. Also Method of Suspending Car from Springs at top of Motor Frame.
Sectional View of Bicycle Motor Car, showing Safety Shoe at Bottom of Car. Also Method of Suspending Car from Springs at top of Motor Frame.
Sectional View of Bicycle Motor Car, showing Safety Shoe at Bottom of Car. Also Method of Suspending Car from Springs at top of Motor Frame.
The difficulty with the present car motor is, that the power necessary to round sharp curves must be so much greater at these curves than on a straight line, due to the width of gauge, and consequent grinding and wedging, as well as the large rolling friction, that the motor must be constructed heavy and powerful enough to answer the purpose in either case. The advantages of the Bicycle System in rounding curves, and reduced rolling friction, have been described in former pages, and it should be very evident that a much lighter motor can be constructed, and with light Bicycle Needle cars, will give a speed greater than anything yet attained. Another disadvantage of the present heavy cars and motors, is the necessity of gearing the motor down to get power enough to start the car without burning the armature out. The motor of our new electric locomotive contains but a single stationary shaft, with the armature and wheel revolving on same, and in addition revolvable about a vertical axis enabling it to round curves. This supersedes the intermediate shafts of the present gear motors, whose friction and liability to breakdowns render high speed impossible.The Bicycle cars running so much easier, permit the coupling of the armature directly with the driving-shaft without the necessity of intermediate gearing and all the evils connected with it. As the motor is in the car itself, it is entirely free from all the dust and dirt to which those now used are exposed, and every part is constantly in full view, and within easy reach of the engineer. Anyone conversant with the difficulties of supervising the present car motor and keeping them clean and well regulated, will fully appreciate the benefits derived from this alone. It is obvious that the outgoing and incoming currents could be sent through separate conductors in the overhead guide-beams, or if preferable, the return current can be sent through the supporting rail.
Each car has its own motor, and is therefore entirely independent, thus facilitating switching or changing from one track to another; it will also be possible to have the trains of almost any length, as each car furnishes its own traction and as a greater number of passengers increases its traction, no adding of dead weight is necessary. With one locomotive pulling a long train it is entirely different, as the adding of a number of cars is counteracting the traction of the former, and must be equalized by a corresponding weight of the locomotive, thus furnishing a dead load of no benefit, and besides, necessitating an increased motive force. In making up a train of these independent car motors, flexible electric connections will enable the engineer in the front car to control all the motors, and thus operate the whole train.
Illustration on page45describes the Bicycle electric car and the structure for an electric elevated road. The weight of car and motor combined will only be about six tons. With this combination it is possible to maintain a very high rate of speed. Certainly, without exceeding the number of revolutions already attained by electric motors, one hundred and fifty miles an hour would be feasible. Experts have expressed the opinion that electricity is the coming motive power. If this be a fact, as some of the recent electrical experiments seem to indicate, some system should be used which in all cases would be entirely safe, as the public will certainly not patronize any which would imperil their lives or property.
The cars are furnished with a grooved metal keel at each end, inside of which the wheels are revolving, so that, if from any possible cause one of the latter should break, the car would only drop far enough to allow this groove to slide on the rail, but would not allow the guide-wheels to leave the overhead guide-beam.
Now, in regard to collisions, which are apt to occur from many causes, even where a separate line is furnished for outgoing and incoming trains, unless some means are furnished to make such a contingency impossible. There is an electric system at present in practical operation in Austria, where in case trains approach one another too near for safety, a bell is set ringing in the engineer’s cab of the train following, which warns him of danger, and continues to ring until a safe distance between the trains is established. A dial may also be arranged in the engineer’s cab, which will show the position of every train and their relative distance from one another. Either one of these plans would remove all possibility of collision.
Wheel structure on rail diagram.Side View of Bicycle Motor Wheel, with Motor Enclosed, Armature Being a Part of the Wheel. Also Detail of Trolley Shoes, Showing Method of Taking Current from the Conductor.
Side View of Bicycle Motor Wheel, with Motor Enclosed, Armature Being a Part of the Wheel. Also Detail of Trolley Shoes, Showing Method of Taking Current from the Conductor.
Side View of Bicycle Motor Wheel, with Motor Enclosed, Armature Being a Part of the Wheel. Also Detail of Trolley Shoes, Showing Method of Taking Current from the Conductor.
Elevated rail structure going through a city.Single Post, Double Track, Steel Elevated Bicycle Structure, for Use in Streets in Villages and Cities. Cost, per mile, $65,000.
Single Post, Double Track, Steel Elevated Bicycle Structure, for Use in Streets in Villages and Cities. Cost, per mile, $65,000.
Single Post, Double Track, Steel Elevated Bicycle Structure, for Use in Streets in Villages and Cities. Cost, per mile, $65,000.
Motor car viewed from the font near a station.Front View of Motor Car “Rocket,” at Bellport, L. I., Showing Power Station and Structure of Railroad.
Front View of Motor Car “Rocket,” at Bellport, L. I., Showing Power Station and Structure of Railroad.
Front View of Motor Car “Rocket,” at Bellport, L. I., Showing Power Station and Structure of Railroad.