Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: May 28, 2025
Among the better class of machines there are three methods by which this change is effected first, that employed on the omnicycle, to which I have already referred; secondly, an epicyclic combination of wheelwork which moves as one piece when set for speed, thus adding nothing to the working friction except by its weight, but which works internally when set for power, thus reducing to a small extent, by the additional friction, the gain of power which the rider desires; thirdly, a double set of chains and pulleys, each set always in movement, so that, whether set for speed or power, there is rather more friction than there would be if there were no additional chains, but these are free from that increased friction due to toothed wheel gearing, from which the epicyclic contrivances suffer only when set for power.
There is much difference of opinion whether any of these arrangements are worth carrying, for perhaps nine miles, for the sake of any advantage that may be obtained in the tenth. It is on this account that the drums on the omnicycle are so excellent; whether expanded or not, there is, on their account, no loss of work whatever, for there is no additional friction.
Before the days of the safety bicycle an excellent tricycle, called the "omnicycle," was put on the market; and the villagers were greatly excited over one I purchased, of course only for road work, expecting me to use it on my farming rounds; and Mrs. Bell was heard to say, "I knows I shall laugh when I sees the master a-coming round the farm on that thing."
In these, a band or line passes over the circumference of a sector or wheel, and the power is directly applied to it. The motion of the feet in the omnicycle, and of the hands and body in the Oarsman, is therefore uniform. There would be no harm in this if it were not for the starting and the stopping, which cannot be gradual and at the same time effective in machines of this type.
The ingenious expanding drums on the omnicycle make this machine exceptionally good in this respect, for increased leverage is effected without increased friction, which is the result of "putting on the power" in some of the two-speed contrivances.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking