Rear wheel

“ In the connexion between the rear axle and the frame provision must be made for taking up the driving thrust necessary to overcome the air resistance and the resistance encountered by the front wheels, as well as the reaction to the rear-wheel driving torque, which tends to turn the axle housing in the direction opposite to that in which the wheels are turning. ”

“ The tire brake has fallen into disuse, rim brakes and internal hub brakes being usual. The retarding force that can be applied by a brake is limited by the possibility of skidding the wheel. In riding at uniform speed, without acceleration, the greater part of the load is on the rear-wheel; but as soon as the brake is applied to cause retardation the wheel load distribution is altered, more load being thrown on the front wheel. Thus the most powerful brake is one applied to the front wheel. On the other hand, a front-wheel brake often sets up an unpleasant vibration of the front fork. ”

“ Wheel bearings ought to run for six months if properly packed, but there is no way of telling when the bearing needs attention except by inspection and it is well to look them over regularly. When inspecting the rear-wheel bearings, if the construction is of the type where the wheel hub is keyed on to the shaft, it is well to inspect the key to determine whether it is tight. ”

“ The rear wheel is usually so arranged that it can turn, when the bicycle is running by its own momentum, independently of the chain and pedals (“free-wheel”) , and a variable speed gear is often provided so that the rider may at will alter the ratio between the rate of revolution of the crank-axle and the driving wheel. The front, or steering wheel, is mounted in a fork having its two upper ends brazed into the “crown,” to which also the lower end of the steering tube is brazed. The steering tube is mounted by ball bearings in the socket tube, which forms the forward portion of the rear-frame. ”

“ Another plea is that the lack of weight on the front wheel of the Safety makes it slip, and then it carries the rear wheel with it. To the last I can simply reply, as I would to the Cyclist’s notion of the slanting fork, that it is the rear wheel which slips first, last, and all the time, or else a large majority of riders are very much misled, and really can’t tell what is going on under them. ”

“ The safety cycle is always "geared up"—that is, one turn of the pedals will turn the rear wheel more than once. To get the exact ratio of turning speed we count the teeth on the big chain-wheel, and the teeth on the small chain-wheel attached to the hub of the rear wheel, and divide the former by the latter. To take an example:—The teeth are 75 and 30 in number respectively; the ratio of speed therefore = 75⁄30 = 5⁄2 = 21⁄2. One turn of the pedal turns the rear wheel 21⁄2 times. The gear of the cycle is calculated by multiplying this result by the diameter of the rear wheel in inches. ”

“ The finisher scrapes superfluous enamel out of the bottom bracket threads, and other parts where bearings, etc., require to be fitted, runs a dummy, or easy fitting tap, through the threads, wipes a little oil on the threads and screws in the bearing cups, fits the axle, cotters on the cranks and chain wheel, inserts the seat bolt, ball head cups, attaches the rear mudguard and brake work, and slips the rear wheel into the forks. ”

“ Roaring, with its muffler cut out, the pursuing car swept up and baffled him, bringing its right forward wheel up beside the left rear wheel of his car, then more slowly forging up until, with its weight, bulk, and superior power, it forced him inch by inch to the right, toward the tracks, until his right-hand wheels left the road and ran on uneven turf, until the left-hand wheels as well lost grip on the road metal, until the car began to dip on the slope to the tracks. ”

“ The large rear wheel affects the drop to some extent, but in all obstacles under four inches in height there is no perceptible benefit derived, at least not such as to warrant the extra weight and disarrangement of the steering. ”

“ This carriage presented the appearance of an ordinary stage coach on four wheels. The engine had one horizontal cylinder which, together with the boiler and the furnace-box, was placed in the rear of the hind axle. The-motion of the piston was transmitted to a separate crank-axle, from which, through the medium of spur-gear, the axle of the driving-wheel, which was mounted with a fly-wheel, derived its motion. The steam cocks and the force-pump, as also the bellows used for the purpose of quickening combustion in the furnace, were worked off the same crank axle. ”

“ It is desirable to have tire run slightly closer (not more than 1⁄16 in.) to right than to left side lower tube. A further check of alinement is observing that rear sprocket runs centrally in chain. CAUTION: If rear wheel is not correctly alined, vehicle steering will be affected, and sprockets will wear excessively on one side.
(6) With adjustment of chain and wheel alinement completed, securely tighten wheel adjusting screw lock nuts, and brake sleeve nut: replace axle lock washer and nut, tightening nut. ”

“ At their rear ends are bevel gears which mesh with pinions on cross-shafts, and there is a hand-wheel on each cross-shaft to turn it. There is also a band-wheel on each cross-shaft, which is embraced by a friction band or band-brake. The band is connected to a spring-treadle, so that the operator can loosen it by putting his foot on the treadle. The hand-wheels are small wheels, comparatively similar to those used on car-brakes, and are certainly much too light to act as fly-wheels or momentum-wheels against such a weight as that of the scraper and turntable and attachments. ”

“ The rear hub is so constructed that the wheel can be removed or returned to frame for repairing tire without disturbing the adjustment of the bearings. The front wheel is removable, same as in other bicycles. All bearings, including connections on side rods, are ball bearings.
“As the power is applied evenly from both sides, and the gears used for driving are at centre of crank-hanger box in frame, the centre of gravity is forward of the rider, where it should be, same as in regular chain wheels. ”

“ As most automobiles are propelled by power applied to the rear axle, to which the wheels are fixed, it is manifest that unless some device were made to correct the fault one wheel would have to slide while the other revolved. ”

“ There is a small grooved wheel on the axle of the fan outside, and an endless line, like a clothes-line, is carried over this wheel and a groove in the edge of a high light wooden driving-wheel rigged between two uprights in the rear and with a handle to turn. ”

“ RUNNING GEAR The steering of a motor car, or the change in the direction of its movement, is effected by changing the position of its steering wheels, usually those in front, in relation to the rear wheels. In a horse-drawn vehicle, the axles are parallel when it is moving straight, as are also the planes of its front and rear wheels. To turn the vehicle to one side or the other the front axle is swung so that it is out of parallel with the rear axles, the vehicle turning to the side on which the axles would meet if they were extended. ”

“ Rear wheels will be thrown out of true by the springing or bending of the axle, and front wheels also from this cause, but more probably from faulty adjustment of the steering mechanism or the bending of the drag link or steering arms. ”

“ In action these bevelled wheels are similar to the gear wheels first described, but instead of revolving lightly on their bearings and pushing round the teeth of the opposite wheel as they come in contact, their shape causes a strong repelling action also to take place, the tendency of the bevelled faces of the gear wheels being to force themselves apart, which throws a considerable cross strain upon the bearings. The power, too, is deflected at right angles, which is another source of loss. ”

“ The front wheels, d, d, are hung to the front axle, E, so that the center of each wheel base is in a line coincident with the axis of the pivotal connection which is provided between the journals for the wheels and the axle, which arrangement practically destroys any tendency to deflection from the course that might otherwise arise from striking an obstacle, and so renders the steering easier. ”

“ This accommodating action of the gear is important for free turning of corners, but it has its disadvantage, in that if one wheel, while the vehicle is on the straight, meets with more obstruction than the other, the gear allows it to be obstructed, and tends to push the other wheel round against the action of the steering gear. Correspondingly, if one wheel is on a greater thickness of greasy mud or a more slimy bit than the other wheel, it has more freedom of, and help to, rotation than the other, and skidding or sideslipping on the greasy road results and is aggravated. ”

“ In the high gear position the epicyclic toothed wheels are to the extreme left position. The chain-wheel is mounted by a free-wheel on a drive-ring, with which the ends of the spindles of the planet wheels engage at high gear. The sun-wheel, not shown in the figure, is held stationary, and the annular wheel engages with a ring screwed to the hub-shell, by means of keys engaging in notches. ”

“ I prefer, however, to have the shaft extend across the machine, as it makes a stronger and more rigid construction.
'Brake mechanism is arranged in connection with the carriage for stopping and retaining the hand-wheels to hold the blade at any position of adjustment. Said brake mechanism may be made, as indicated, with levers, n, having one end fulcrumed beneath the platform at n', and the other provided with a pad or shoe, N, to press against the rim of the hand-wheel, a suitable spring, s, being connected therewith to give the required holding pressure. ”

“ In regard to the various accidents which may happen to the car itself through outside causes, one thing to be remembered is that the fly-wheel or front axle of the car is probably not more than seven or eight inches above the ground; therefore if very rutty roads are being used, it is well to direct the wheels out of the cart ruts and keep one rut in the centre of the vehicle. ”

“ It will be readily understood that if the carriage of which a and b are the driving wheels be set to move in a straight course and the road resistance to both wheels be the same, then h will remain parallel with the axle. If, however, the steering wheels are set to turn a corner, the wheel b being on the inner or smaller curve, then the wheel a will have to move faster than b, and the arm f will be pulled through a greater angle than the arm g, and the cross-piece h will cease to be parallel with the axle. ”

“ The shaft-gearing of these spur-wheels consists of impact roller motions, so that the crank centrally on the shaft, within easy reach of the operator upon the seat and between the driving-wheels, may be effectually operated by the hand, and a lever from the guide-wheel is designed to be in such a position as to be within easy reach of the operator’s feet forwardly, so that no difficulty will be encountered, all of which will now be fully set forth. ”

“ Great care must be taken to turn both the driving-wheels to exactly the same diameter, or one wheel would travel farther in a revolution than the other, and as they ought to be both fixed rigidly on to the crank shaft, the engine would never travel in a straight line, but would always run in a circle. You will require some steel wire for the axles, and can fasten them to the wheels by soldering or by cutting a slot with a fine file in the centre of wheel, as at A, Fig. ”

“ The pinions mesh with two wheels that are mounted on a countershaft, on which is also fixed a chain-sprocket, from which the drive is transmitted, through a long chain, to a chain-wheel surrounding the differential gear mounted on the back axle. Traction-engine type of steering gear, with revolving fore-carriage, is most generally adopted, and is rendered sufficiently rapid in its movement by suitable gear, operated by a diagonal shaft and wheel, from the driver’s footplate. ”

“ The power is transmitted from one of the pulleys by a rubber belt to an intermediate shaft, which carries a toothed wheel that transmits the power to the axle by means of an endless chain. On this axle are three conical gear wheels, two of which are furnished with hooked teeth, and the third with wooden projections and fixed permanently in place. ”

“ The steering mechanism used in automobile construction is arranged to operate independent of the axle, or in other words the wheels turn on a pivot, or knuckle, held between the yoked ends of the axle. A spindle or axle extends outward from each steering knuckle to accommodate the wheels. A set of short arms extend to rear of the steering knuckles; an adjustable spacer bar, commonly called a tie or spread rod, serves as the connection between the arms. ”

“ Considering that the railway-carriage builder gives up the coach-wheel principle, and returns to the primitive construction of the pair of wheels fixed to the axle turning in bearings, we see that our ordinary carriage-wheels turning independently on their axles are best suited to comparatively narrow wheels, and to smooth ground or made roads. Here they give greater lightness and speed, and especially have the advantage of easily changing direction and turning, which in the old block-wheel cart can only be done by gradually slewing round in a wide circuit. ”