The Modern Bicycle and Its Accessories

by Alex Schwalbach; Julius Wilcox

THE COLUMBIA ELECTRIC PHAETON.

The third form, that of the storage battery, is now most prominently put forward, at least in this part of the United States, by the Pope Co., which is now prepared to fill orders for the [Columbia electric phaeton], after several years of experiment, which has included the gas motor as well. At a casual glance this vehicle is an elegantly finished phaeton with box, body and folding hood, fitted with bicycle wheels but without the pole. The wheels are thirty-two inch front and thirty-six inch rear, with stout spokes and hubs, and the tires are Hartford single-tube pneumatic, with walls a little over a half inch thick. They have a mechanical fastening to the rim in addition to the constriction by air pressure, in order to guard against being rolled off on a curve. The tires require hard inflation (at about 150 pounds pressure), which can be done only with the special pump supplied. The temporary repair as made on bicycles is hardly necessary, for the tires are made very difficult to puncture, the objections to such a tire on bicycles not applying here, and the quality of resistance to puncture makes the tire so firm that the carriage will run temporarily on the tires deflated.

The entire supporting frame or truck is of fifty-point (not 50 per cent.) carbon tubing. The sides and front are doubled, rigidly braced and brazed; the rear of the frame is single and from this hangs supports for the axle bearings, the gears and the motor. Three compound flat springs transversely fastened to the truck support the entire upper body, which is not elsewhere supported. The body-supporting springs, placed equi-distant along the frame, are pivotally suspended at each end from the under side of the side tubes. Ball bearings are placed wherever any practical gain can be found thereby; the motor armatures and various pivots, with those of the steering gear, as well as all the axles and spindles, are fitted thus. The front axle, carrying the steering wheels, is pivoted so as to allow running over obstacles, as shown in the cut, representing the regular factory tests, and every vehicle is put to thorough [tests and inspections] before being passed as ready.

The motor works on the rear axle, which is divided so as to be double driving on the usual plan with bevel-gears. The motor is driven by a storage battery, consisting of forty-four chloride cells in four sets of eleven each, fitted in two sliding wood boxes; the cells are sealed against spilling and the whole is carried in the body, access to them being had by doors at the back. The run from one charging is from thirty to thirty-five miles, at the rate of twelve and one-quarter miles an hour, although excessively heavy work or an injudicious management may exhaust somewhat sooner; it was found, however, by prolonged investigation, that the average daily run of bicycles falls well within this figure. Recharging may be done in the owner’s private stable, the proper connection having been once made once for all from the nearest electric-light station, and in case of a private-power plant the cost of running need not exceed half a cent per mile for current; otherwise recharging is done at any station where there is a 110-volt direct current, and this need not exceed 50 cents for each full charge. The connections which have to be manipulated are made of different sizes, so that misplacing is impossible. A small meter is placed in sight of the driver, which shows approximately the power remaining in the batteries; this having run down and the proper connections having been made, the charging process begins and the meter starts to run backward to “full” again; no attention is required, for as soon as the “full” point is reached the battery automatically switches itself out of circuit.

POPE ELECTRIC PHAETON.

The driver sits at the left and steers with his right hand by means of an L lever. At his left is the “controller” lever, working over a notched arc resembling that of the locomotive reversing lever, and having four positions. When the lever stands vertical it is in the “stopped” position, and when the driver gets off he is to pull out and pocket a small safety plug; this leaves the circuit broken and the carriage cannot start accidentally or be started by any person who has not a duplicate plug. A very powerful band brake, working on the gear box on the rear axle, and capable of a very quick stop, is operated by a lever within reach of the driver’s right foot; a backing press is in reach of his left foot and a lever on the steering handle operates a bell. Having taken his seat and replaced the safety plug, the driver sets the lever forward to the first notch, which gradually runs the carriage up to a three-mile speed on a smooth level; the second notch increases to six miles; the third, which is the one meant for steady use and the most economical, goes to twelve miles; the fourth notch uses a position very exhaustive of the batteries, giving a speed of nearly fifteen miles, but is for sparing and emergency use.

The motor drives directly on the axle, without intervention of any belting or gearing. It is of two horse power, and in operation it is assumed that about one and three-eighths horse power is actually exerted at the wheel rims. The recharging takes three hours. With continued use, the total power available from any given set of batteries usually increases; but if allowed to stand still long fully-charged cells will gradually lose part of their charge, and to allow them to stand long in the condition of complete discharge is destructive to them. Each battery chamber weighs a little over 200 lbs., requiring two men to handle it. The total batteries weigh something over 800 lbs., and the total weight of the carriage is about 1,900. Its cost is $3,000.

Against this first cost is to be set the cost of keeping the pair of horses which the motor replaces. The cost of current for power is estimated to range from 10 to 25 cents per day. Of course the vehicle must not go out of reach of a source of supply; but electrical plants are to be found in most villages and a list of over 400 places of current stations available, is included in the pamphlet of instructions. The considerations in favor of electricity as a motor are certainly very strong, and within its limitations it is quite perfect, having neither odor, noise nor possible explosion. To the quietness of running and ease of control of the Pope vehicle we can personally testify, and its honesty and thoroughness of construction can be taken on faith in the well-established and well-earned reputation of the Pope Company. As to “getting out of order,” the study has been to make the vehicle “fool-proof.” Every condition involved in a practical vehicle for everyday use, by people of ordinary intelligence, has been thought of, and durability and service quite as long and as trying as could ever be exacted without actual abuse, was proved before putting the vehicle on the market. After carefully reading the pamphlet of instructions, our conclusion is that although they are somewhat extended and minute, there is nothing formidable in them and that any person fit to be trusted with a horse, or even with a good carriage, ought to be able, by paying attention to his duties and doing as he is told, to make this carriage “go of itself” and maintain its integrity without any trouble. An experimental carriage has been in use for two years in and around Hartford, having in that time made a mileage of 3,500; it was entrusted to untrained hands, and yet never met a mishap which required it to be taken home by any other power than its own.