Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 88.djvu/627

 Popular Science Monthly

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��How to Construct a Simple Cyclecar Starter

A RELIABLE home-made starter for cyclecars, or other light cars, capable of being operated from the seat, can be made in the following manner:

Drill a ^-inch hole in the end of a strong piece of wood, i in. hy \]A, ins. by 3 ft., shown at A Fig. i. Make a bear- ing by fitting in a piece of steel or brass tubing. Make another hole B ^s in. in diameter, about i ft. from the first one;

��y

��Fig. 1 . Wooden

lever and anchor

for chain

��and fit in a bearing.

I/. I'r. Kw 1

���Bend a piece of steel, }/2 in. by 3^ in., into a U-shaped form as at C. After drilling holes in the ends, connect this piece to B b\' means of a bolt.

Saw off the crank of the car a few inches from the bearing. It must then be tapered and a 14-tooth motorcycle sprocket keyed and bolt- /TiAME ^^ o^' ^^ shown in Fig. 2. Place a spring on the in- side of the casing to bear against the engaging rat- chet, thus forcing it to catch when the sprocket is turned. Fig. 2. To throw this ratchet out after the engine has start- ed, a small wire or cable is run from the seat to a bell-crank, and this forces the sprocket and ratchet out. The long lever-arm is now fastened by the bearing A at some convenient place on the frame, allowing for a free move- ment back and forth. The piece C is then bolted on at B, Fig. i, A wire rod, attached to C is fastened to a chain, which passes over the sprocket and connects with a coiled spring. When the arm is pulled forward, this spring draws it back. The relation of parts is shown in Fig. 4.

To operate, the wire f^'^; ^" ^^^' lever fastened to the seat is tachment of first released, allowing the wooden lever

��Fig. 2. Mo-

torcycle

sprocket on

crankshaft

���ratchet to spring into mesh. The lever- arm is then pulled up with a jerk; this spins the engine over from one to two turns, depending upon the size of the sprocket and the distance of B from A. When the motor starts, the wire from the seat is drawn back and the ratchet is pulled out of gear. In case the motor kicks, the lever simply flies out of the hand and falls down on a spring cushion or on the wire rod. No damage is ever done by a kick, since, by the time the engine has turned o\'er once, most of its energy is lost. The main advantage over a crank lies in the increased leverage derived, and also in the greater number of turns which can be given the engine. With this starter, the greatest amount of force is delivered just at the point when

���Fig. 4. Rela- tion of parts, as applied to cycle car cranking from the side

��the engine has its highest compression, which makes it desirable for magneto ignition. There is positively no danger of getting a broken arm with this starter. The diagrams are for a cyclecar, cranked from the side. By means of a series of pulle>s and wire cable, the same principle ap[>lics where the engine is cranked in front. — X. S. McEwEN.

Removing Tires with a Clpthes-Pin

SINGLE-CLINCH bicycle-tires may be quickly removed by means of an ordinary clothes-pin. Separate the

prongs of the clothes-pin until it splits. The larger piece may be used in prying the bead of the tire away from the hooked edge of the rim, and also for lift- ing it over the edge. Use the other prong to prevent slipping back into the curve of the rim. — G. M. Morrison.

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