Читать книгу The Modern Bicycle and Its Accessories - Julius Wilcox - Страница 37

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The Hildick is a spur gear, an evolution from the Gentry of last year’s show. It has only one intermediate gear, which is very novel in being a wheel without spokes or hub, so to speak, since it is rim only. The front sprocket becomes a spur gear of 8 inches diameter and 95 teeth; the rear sprocket becomes one of 3 inches diameter and 35 teeth; the two are connected by an intermediate of 13 inches diameter and 156 teeth. This large gear consists of a rather light ring which is held on the right fork by a small clip with screw-bolt and nut at either side; this ring, which of course is stationary, is grooved around its outer edge. The toothed ring, similarly grooved on its inner edge, runs around upon the fixed ring, 108 ³⁄₁₆ balls being placed within to make a ball bearing. As the toothed ring is continuous, no way of getting the balls in appears at first; but a closer inspection shows that on the back side there is a small opening in the fixed ring, covered by a removable plate, through which the balls are introduced. There is no adjustability provided for this ball bearing, but the three gears can be set into exact distances at the pitch line by the usual chain-adjuster at the rear. The gear ratio upon the sample is 76, but variations in ratio can be obtained with this arrangement with less difficulty than with other forms of chainless. Another feature is that the device is easily removable. The front gear can be interchanged with the usual sprocket, since it goes on the regular “spider;” the back gear is almost as readily substituted for the back sprocket; the fixed ring, with its running toothed ring on it, can be put on the fork or removed by handling the simple fastenings. A claim is therefore made that the device is applicable to any bicycle (with the usual distance between axles, of course) so that whoever wants to try chainless driving can do it without being committed thereto.

DRIVING GEAR OF HILDICK CHAINLESS.

The price of the Hildick chainless bicycle complete is $60, and the intention is also to sell the special parts necessary to convert a chain-driver for $25. The intermediate gear has the advantage of a bearing of extraordinary diameter, which will be a help when wrenching strains come. The construction is certainly clever and ingenious and a vast advance on the former effort of its inventor. How well this device for chainless driving will stand the rack and test of actual use in the bands of all sorts of people time will show, as it will (and as nothing else can) in the case of all devices which are not hopeless from the start. We think the Hildick worth entering for trial with the rest.