Pedal Power: in Work
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A projectlof Volunteers in Asia Pedal Power: In Work. Leisv.re, and Transportation Edited by: James C. McCullagh Published by: Rodale Press, Inc. 33 East Minor Street Emmaus, PA 18049 USA Paper copies are $ 4.95. Available from: Rodale Press, Inc. 33 East Minor Street Emmaus, PA 18049 USA Reproduced by permission of the Rodale Press, Inc. Reproduction of this microfiche document in any form is subject to the same restrictions as those of the original document. Leisure, and Transport . How to produce your own enerav from a stationarv---- -- ---- J bicycle! US 0 Perform kitchen tasks using pedal-powered equipment! 0 Watch TV from electricity produced at home! v 0 Actual building instructions for a newly designed energy dycle! dite . lnW~r~~ leisure and Trmsprttiion How to produce your own energy from a stationary bicycle- with actual building instructions for a newly designed energy cycle! l Perform kitchen tasks using pedal-powered equipment! e Watch TV from electricity produced at home! y Operate many household machines without plugging into household outlets! This unique new book explores the potential for pedal-driven devices in the workshop, in the kitchen, on the farm, for transportation-anywhere, in fact, where inexpensive energy to run simple machines is needed. It tells you why we need to develop the potential for human power and how to do it in an inexpensive and healthful way. In PEDAL POWER you’ll read about l The use of human muscle throughout history from hand cranking to capstans, treadmills, treadles and pedals. e l The broad range of pedal power apparatus particularly useful in developing countries as transportation, water pumps, borehole pumps and winches. l The invention and development of the Rodale Energy Cycle. * The use of the “primemover” to operate a trash can washing machine, water pumps, and a wood saw. l The advantages of a treadle band saw and other treadle workshop equipment. 0 The future of pedal power: the recumbent bicycle, pedaled lawn mowers, boats, tire pumps, saws, sewing machines, typewriters, cooling fans, railbikes, delivery vehicles, and personal rapid transit systems. PEDAL POWER is like no other book ever written. Its never-before published building instructions and designs for new pedal-power inventions make it well worth the price aione. O-87857-1 78-7 Edited by James C. McCullagh With Contributions From: David’Gordon Wilson Stuart S. Wilson John McGeorge Mark Blossom Diana Branch RODALE PRESS Emmaus, PA Copyright @ 1977 Rodale Press, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system without the written per- mission of the publisher. Printed on recycled paper Library of Congress Cataloging in Publicatibn Data Main entry under title: Pedal power in work, leisure, and transportation. Bibliography: p. Includes index. 1. Pedal-powered mechanisms. I. McCullagh, James C. II. Wilson, David Gordon, 1928- TJ1049. P4 621.4 77-6422 ISBN O-87857-178-7 2 4 6 6109 7 5 3 - Contents vii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .......................... ............... ix INTRODUCTION ................................ ............... CHAPTER ONE: Human Muscle Power in History- 1 David Gordon Wilson .............................. .......... The Manpower Plow of Shantung ....................... .......... 3 4 Handcranking ........................................ .......... 10 Levers Actuated by Am and Back Muscles ............... ......... ......... 13 Capstans ............................................ ......... 13 Treadmills.. ........................... ............. LegsonTreadles ..................................... ......... 15 15 Leg Muscles Used in Cranking .......................... ......... 25 Pedal Power in the Workshop .......................... ......... CHAPTER TWO: Pedal Power on the Land: The Third World and Beyond-Stuart S. Wilson . _. ............ .37 -Transportation . .._............................ ............. 38 Stationary Pedal Power. _. ............. 45 The Dynapod The Winch Pedal Drives for Irrigation Pumps . ................... 48 Pedal Drives for Borehole Pumps . ........... ....... .51 CHAPTER THREE: Multiuse Energy Cycle: Foot-Powered Generator-Diana Branch . ............ 57 The Energy Cycle . _. __ . ............ 58 Genesis of an Idea Testing Program Refinements in Design Winch......................................,............ .......... 67 Homemade Foot-Powered Generator.. * . .......... 71 Materials Building Instructions Rear-wheel Bicycle Adapter . .80 Materials Building Instructions V Pedal Power CHAPTER FOUR: American Tinkerer: Further Applications of Pedal Power--John McGeorge __ . _. _ . .87 TheFrame....................................................................89 TheJackshaft . ...89 The Flywheel . __ . _. _. .90 MakingaFlywheel .._............_......., . ..gO TheV-beltPulley . ...90 PossibleApplications..................................................,........91 Trash Can Washing Machine The Wood Saw Water Pumping The Pitcher Pump Log Splitter Cider Press CHAPTER FIVE: Treadle Power in the Workshop-Mark Blossom .................................. .97 Hand-MadeToys ............................................................ ..9 7 Construction.. ............................................................. ..lO 0 RenaissanceofHandCrafts....................................................lO 4 CHAPTER SIX: The Future Potential for Muscle Power- David Gordon Wilson ..................................................... .106 High-PowerDevices ........................................................ ..lO 7 Low-Power Special-Feature Devices ........................................... .107 Low-Power “Convenience” or “Status” Devices .................................. .107 Need for Improved Muscle-Power Delivery Systems .............................. .108 ARecumbentBicycle ....................................................... ..lO 8 APedatedLawnMower ..................................................... ..lll PedaledBoats ............................................................. ..113 Yacht Battery-Charging Generator ............................................. .114 Irrigation Pumps ............................................................. .114 TirePumps ................................................................ ..117 Saws ..................................................................... ..117 Sewing Machines, Typewriters ................................................ .117 Cooling Fans. ............................................................... .118 DeliveryVehicles.............................................................ll 8 Raitbike ................................................................... ..119 Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) Systems ......................................... .122 CONCLUSION ...................................................... .124 POSTSCRIPT ...................................................... .125 APPENDIX ......................................................... .126 BIBLIOGRAPHY .................................................... .127 fMDEX ............................................................ ..12 8 vi Acknowledgments In many respects this book is an outgrowth of the good work done by Dick Ott, Lamar Laubach, and others who developed the Energy Cycle described in Chapter Three. I am deeply grateful to them for their technical assistance and advice. I am also grateful to the hundreds of readers of Organic Gardening and Farming who provided valuable suggestions concerning possible ap- plications of pedal power. My special thanks to David Gordon Wilson, Stuart S. Wilson, John McGeorge, Mark Blossom, and Diana Branch who have considered the use of human power from new and interesting perspectives. And my appreciation to Diane Gubich for her good research. James C. McCullagh vii Introduction In this age of lasers and deep space most “appropriate” and efficient machine probes, much of the muscle in the industri- ever invented, is making a rocky comeback alized world sags like a rag doll. in many countries. A compelling example of In this rich technological age much of the this renaissance is in Dodema, the new population, particularly in developing coun- capital of Tanzania, now under construction. tries, has been displaced from the workplace The master plan for Dodema calls for a com- by “inappropriate” technologies. The leap is plex network of roads that will encourage from bullock cart to jet plane. maximum use of the bicycle Furthermore, Thus the paradox. Part of the world the plan decrees that the ratio of bicycles to dreams of the likelihood of a “workless” state cars will be 70:30, thus assuring this ma- ripe with leisure time; the other part is trying chine a major role in an enlightened trans- to catch up. And the “catching up” is some- portation system. times written in bold letters. On any given In addition, the bicycle has come under day, London, Lagos, and Tokyo can close scrutiny by those who believe it offers experience traffic jams of simiiar proportisns. great potential for performing stationary work The industrialized nations, especially and for goods transportation. America, have given birth to certain assurnp- The literature is filled with examples of tions which are rapidly gaining currency pedal- and treadle-driven machines around the globe: cars are “better than designed to perform all types of useful work. bicycles; processed