EAGLE
DROPPED FORGED
FLUSH JOINT.
Another method that is somewhat new is known as liquid brazing, which is nothing really but a special treatment of the joint plunged into molten spelter, and out of which the joint comes surprisingly free from scale, a cleaning by a wire brush being about all the after treatment necessary. The process is a secret one, and the surrounding joints are covered with what is known as the anti-flux, so that the spelter will not adhere there, but joints to be united, of course, are covered with a liquid flux as in the old way.
The makers of the Union produce their flush joints by using what they call pocket brazing. This mode requires the forming of a series of pockets in the projecting ends of the brackets, which may be oval, circular or of any desired shape, although the oval has been found the most convenient. Before the tubing is completely fitted over the bracket arm the pockets are filled with flux, and immediately upon the application of the heat the brass begins to flow and with astonishing evenness, so much so, in fact, that when after cooling, joints are cut out, the brass is found as uniformly distributed as if laid on with a brush. Moreover, no considerable amount of brass flows out of the joint and no filling is necessary. Less heat is required for the reason that the brass is placed where necessary and the parts need not be dangerously heated to cause the brass to flow in. The pocket corrugations are found to stiffen the machine to a marked degree. Taken all in all it is a sure, clean and highly ingenious braze.
KANGAROO FRAME.
THE KANGAROO.
Apropos of frames, we reproduce here a cut of the Kangaroo, which was the first bicycle driven by chains. The earliest samples of the [Rover] type antedated it, but there had been no previous commercial use of a chain on a two-wheeler, for the Otto accomplished nothing commercially. The Kangaroo was brought out in 1884, and attracted attention because its makers were fortunate enough to break with it the 24-hour record, which had been standing unchanged since the early years of bicycling. This success, together with energetic pushing, gave the Kangaroo quite a run for a couple of years, when the rear-driver put an end to its career. It was brought to this country in 1885, but hardly obtained a firm foothold for even the time being. The forks were bowed out widely, there being no attempt to reduce width by lessening the “dish” of the wheel, and consequently the tread was what would have been considered in later years outlandishly wide. The wheel was usually 36, geared to 54, with a 22-inch wheel behind. The chief drawbacks were that the sprocket bearings were ill-supported, as a shaft could not be run through the wheel, and so they did not stand well under the twisting strain; the backlash was unusual, all the objectionable features of chain driving, which had not at that time been modified by improved construction, being increased by having it on both sides. The [Kangaroo] was also heavy and clumsy, and for some reason never satisfactorily explained it had a peculiar liability to side-slip.
EXIT THE WOOD FRAME.
A difficulty which has hung about wood frames from the first is that of the joints, nor could it ever be questioned that appearance was not in favor of the wood frame, although, on the other hand, it must be admitted that objections to appearance are soon overcome in cycling construction if there is a good balance of points on behalf of a thing. Perhaps the best-looking of the wood frames was that produced by the “Old Tonk” people, who turned to account the beauty which may be had from several layers of wood placed together. The wood frame has succeeded quite as poorly abroad, and it will probably remain forgotten until, some years hence, it comes up again as a novelty of the season. The Bamboo Cycle Company has just failed in London, and the Irish Cyclist expresses surprise that it remained afloat so long as it did. Not a single expert or a single cycling journal, says the writer, ever referred to the bamboo frame except with disapproval, although it was well advertised and the parties interested were ready to pay for opinions. A considerable number of the bicycles were sold, but the rarity of their appearance on the road suggests that even those who bought them did not use them much. Now that the company has failed, this writer says: “It is to be hoped that no one else will be so foolish as to endeavor to accomplish the impossible task of proving that a bamboo stick is as useful as a steel tube.”