DIY Scooters (Jan, 1948)
CRAFTSMEN ON WHEELS
Scooter Has Three Speeds. Before becoming a cadet-midshipman at the US Merchant Marine Academy, William R. Kern welded some 3/4″ pipe, added a few gears, chains, and a 1/2-hp. motor, and came up with the two wheeler shown above. It carries him 80 miles on a gallon of gas at an average speed of 30 m.p.h. A V-belt, the tension of which may be varied by an idler pulley acts as a clutch to engage the three-speed transmission. The latter transmits power to the rear wheel through a chain. Gears were cut on a milling machine and hardened.
Front Wheel Is Motorized. Using a standard bicycle as a base, Dr. William S. Voorhees constructed this unique front-wheel driven motorbike. In addition to the 2-hp. engine, the front housing holds a 1-gal. gasoline tank—enough for 120 miles. The motor is connected through a belt and a ball-bearing idler pulley to a countershaft which is geared to a sprocket on the front wheel. A brake on the countershaft is actuated by a handlebar lever; with this and the coaster brake, both wheels have braking action. Speeds from 6 to 42 m.p.h, may be obtained, and the bike is said to be quite stable on turns as well as straight runs. The speedometer works off the rear wheel.Scooter Takes Hills Easily. Employing a reduction of about four to one from motor to driven wheel makes this little scooter an excellent climber. Since it uses a 2.3-hp. engine, it still has enough power to cruise at 35 m.p.h. The Rev. J. Karlton Dewey, who built the machine, used 1/2″ water pipe for the frame and welded all joints. Fittings are made from flat and angle iron. Clutch action is obtained through a jackshaft located just behind the motor. The shaft, which swivels in a horizontal plane, is moved by a pedal to slacken or tighten the drive belts in operation.
Motorbike Built from Scrap
Cast-off parts that he found lying around his father’s machine shop became the raw materials for Robert Barr’s lightweight motorcycle. A washing-machine motor, to which he added a carburetor for smoother performance, gives Barr a top speed of better than 40 m.p.h. Wheels, front assembly, and coaster brake were salvaged from old bicycles, and additions to the frame were made of 3/8″ gas pipe. Drive pulleys and chain sprockets give a ratio of 6 to 1.Aluminum Goes for a Ride.
Bob Wurgaft gets a top speed of 25 m.p.h, from his aluminum-framed scooter. It uses a 3/4-hp. washing-machine motor whose action simplifies the design. For one thing the machine needs no clutch because it starts readily with just a slight push; the brake was also omitted since it was found that motor compression stopped the wheels quickly after the motor was shut off. With two passengers a cruising speed of about 15 m.p.h, is obtained.
