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Farm Field And Garden

Farm Field And Garden image
Parent Issue
Day
2
Month
December
Year
1892
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

The qncstum is asked in The Rural New Yorkor. "la it probable that the rubber tires that have provedso successful on tmUinii sulkies will come into immediate use on buggies or other light driving vekicles?" Of sis carriage and wagon inanufactnring companies wliich reply to this question oneonly declines to expressany opinión; the remaining five appear to be substantially of the opinión expressed by one company that "the pneuinatic wheels so popular on speeding sulkies will never become popyjar on driving vehicles nntil they have undergone many changcs." The reasons given in this inetance are that "the pneumatic rubber tire at present is very oasily punctured and very difficult to repair. None of them wil] retain a uniform high pressure of air longer than tliree or four days. They give the best results on wheels twenty-eiylit inches in diameter. On larger wheels the coli mu of air islengthened of course, and requires a higher pressure to ;ive the necessary firmness to the tread. Tlie danger of puncture, the trouble in keeping them inflated and tlie annoyance of repairing punctured tires must exclude them frorn general use on any vehicle forroad purposes." One firm writes: "We have eerionA doubts wbether the pneuinatic rubber tires can ever be successfully used on a buggy intended for general purposes, for the reason that the tires are too easily punctured and damaged. Unlesd the liability to puncture and some other features can be successfully overeóme we have serious doubts whether the pneumatic rubber tires will be the kind used for the bicycle in the future, though they may be used by racing men and others who will talce nnusual care of the wheels and guard against pune ture in the tires. We cannot see, however, why the ball bearing may not be judicionsly applied to light vehicles and so lighten the draft." Another, while commending pneumatic tires for sulkies, thinks something else must be got up for road business, and suggests as a suitable tire iron outside with rubber under it; the iron to stand the wear of rough roads and the rubber to give eJasticity. Still anotlier company tliinks pneuuiatie tires on snlkies are not a success on a heavy or muddy track, and that tliey canuot take the jilace of the present wheels, because, first, their height is agaiust them for carriages, and were they made higher their strength would be very mach impaired; second, in niuddjr roads they certainly would be useless. The belief is expressed, however, that some smart manufacturing couapauy wül produce a wood carriage wheel with rubber tire and ball hearings that will be the coming wheel for all venicles.

Article

Subjects
Ann Arbor Argus
Old News