Modern Cycles
Cite this book
Citation
A. J. Wallis-Tayler. Modern Cycles. 1897. cyclearchive.com, https://cyclearchive.com/books/modern-cycles-a-wallis-tayler-1897/
Page numbers are pages of the PDF, which can differ from the numbers printed on the page.
Contents
- The author explains why a book on cycle construction is timely, that it abridges patents for each part of the machine for inventors, and that a separate chapter treats repairs and renewals; dated December 1896.
- Opens on the cycle as a piece of mechanism and the rider's balance on two wheels, then gives a brief history from the dandy or hobby-horse and the bone-shaker to the high ordinary and the rear-driven safety.
- Classes roadsters, racers, ladies' machines, tandems, triplets and other multi-rider bicycles, sociables and convertibles, illustrating makers' patterns such as Humber, Starley Brothers, Premier, Sparkbrook, Drzewiecki and Crypto Works.
- Describes the extinct Otto and Welsh two-track machines, Griffiths' four classes of tricycle by wheel arrangement, and the surviving gentleman's, tandem and sociable tricycles of Starley, Humber, Sparkbrook and Marriott & Cooper.
- Covers cycles built to carry others: the cycle fire-engine used in Paris, passenger carriers in which the passenger takes no part in propulsion, and goods carriers such as Singer's front-driver parcel machine.
- Outlines the odd forms of cycle with more than three or fewer than two wheels: quadricycles or tetracycles, multicycles, unicycles or monocycles, manumotive or hand-power velocipedes, ice velocipedes and water cycles.
- Sets out Griffiths' points of efficiency and discusses wheel-load distribution in bicycles and tricycles, adjustment, power consumed in driving, weight distribution, centre of gravity, strength of parts, traction, pedal pressure, work done, energy of motion, vibration and economic considerations.
- Describes the framework, wheels (hubs, rims, spokes, spring and disc wheels, solid, cushion and pneumatic tyres and valves), steering (heads, handle-bars, forks), driving gear (chain, bands, cam, crank, toothed and variable-speed gears), cranks, pedals, saddles, brakes, and fittings such as lamps, bells and spanners, with abridged patents throughout.
- Follows the making of a rear-driven safety through its framework, wheels and driving gear, then enamelling and nickel-plating: polishing, baths, the plating tank, electric current, preparation, treatment of different metals, stripping and replating.
- Treats repairs under four heads: resetting and brazing damaged frames, mending wheels, machined work on bearings and driving gear, and repairing punctured and leaking pneumatic tyres and valves.
- Gives a verbatim copy of R. W. Thomson's 1845 specification, No. 10,990, for carriage wheels fitted with an inflated elastic belt, the first patent for a pneumatic tyre.