veloc1pede

[Lat. velox (gen it. velocis ) = swift, and pes (gen it. ped is )=a foot.] A word applied to any kind of carriage driven by the feet, and formerly to bicycles and tricycles. The name was first used in France, toward the end of the last century, when riding on the dandy-horse became popular. The two wheels of the dandy-horse were of equal size, connected by a bar, on which a saddle was placed, and astride of which the rider sat. The impetus was given by the rider's feet touching the ground, alternately pushing and being raised. Self-propulsion was next attempted by pulling levers with the hands or treading with the feet. In this kind of velocipede there were three wheels; but it never became very popular, on account of the labor. In the year 1868 the bicycle was introduced into this country. This velocipede consisted of two wheels-as the name implies of equal size. The rider sat on a saddle connected with the backbone, and propelled himself by pre ing his feet on pedals at the ends of cranks which turned the wheel. It was a great improvement on the dandy-horse; but, owing to the heavy weight of the machine, faulty bearings, and the vibration-which was so great that this form of the velocipede acquired the name of "bone-shaker"-the bicycle never became really popular until the introduction of the india rubber tire. The attention of manufacturers was now attracted toward further improvement. Mr. Starley, of Coventry, England, invented a light wheel, consisting of a steel rim, grooved for the reception of the tire, with stretched spokes of thin steel wire. This "tension" wheel was so light and graceful, yet strong, that it at once superseded the old one, and virtually created the modern velocipede. The size of the hind wheel was reduced and the front one enlarged, and the bicycle was finally perfected sin, aş; expect, Xenophon, exist. ph = f. by the invention of almost frictionle "ball-bearings," in which the spindles roll between free pol ished steel balls. The popularity and usefulne of the bicycle led manufacturers to improve the old three-wheeled velocipede by adopting the spider wheel and ball-bearings, and the rotary pedal action. In these machines the pedals actuated a toothed wheel, which communicated the motion by a chain to another toothed wheel on the axle of the driving-wheels. By varying the proportion of these cuain-wheels, a small wheel is made equal in velocity to a larger one, and this is termed the "gearing" of the machine. (TRICYCLE.] Next came the sociable (q.v.); but, on account of its weight and cumbersomene on the road and in stabling, it was soon displaced by the tandem (q. v.). The veloci pede known as a Safety Bicycle has two small wheels of the same size (or nearly so), the rider sitting well back from the front wheel, and thus po e ing greater security from falling forward, and the requisite velocity is attained from the small wheels by the principle of "gearing-up." adopted from the tricycle, the various cla es of machines thus appropriating improvements from each other. One of the latest forms of velocipede invented is a tandem bicycle.