Long steam tricycle

The Long steam tricycle appears to be one of the earliest preserved examples of a steam tricycle, built by George A. Long around 1880 and patented in 1883.[1][2][3] One example was built, which after some years of use was dismantled and the parts dispersed. In 1946, one John H. Bateman, with assistance from the 96-year-old Long, reassembled the machine, which is now on display at the Smithsonian Institution.[3] The example at the Smithsonian has been noted as the "oldest completely operable self-propelled road vehicle in the museum".[4]

Long steam tricycle
Patent drawing dated July 10, 1883
ManufacturerGeorge A. Long
Productionc. 1880
ClassSteam tricycle
EngineGasoline-fired steam, 2-cylinder, 90-degree, V-twin engine
Bore / strokeUnk.×1 5/8"
TransmissionTwo speed, rear-wheel drive via quasi friction drive
Frame typeSteel tubular
SuspensionSolid; full-elliptic springs suspending independent, height adjustable seats
Brakes2×Spoon brake (front)
TiresFront: 2×36 in (910 mm)
Rear: 60 in (1,500 mm)
Solid tires on spoked wheels
Weight350 lb (160 kg) (wet)

In 2004–2010, the item was displayed at Blackhawk Museum in northern California.[5][6]

Specifications

Specifications in the infobox to the right are from the Smithsonian Institution America on the Move collection.[3][7]

Steering the two front wheels was accomplished via two independent tillers which would have made simultaneous steering and control of the brake levers difficult for a single individual.[3]

See also

References
  1. "1880 Long Steam Tricycle - Pictures". Remarkablecars.com. 2009-06-17. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
  2. "Long Steam Tricycle - Pictures". Remarkablecars.com. Retrieved 2019-09-29.
  3. "America on the Move | Long steam tricycle". Americanhistory.si.edu. 2008-10-24. Retrieved 2014-06-17.
  4. Oliver, Smith Hempstone; Berkebile, Donald H. (1953), Wheels and Wheeling: The Smithsonian Cycle Collection, Smithsonian Institution Press, p. 49
  5. "Arts Listings: Museums-East Bay Through May 30", The Berkeley Daily Planet, May 18, 2010, retrieved 22 September 2019
  6. "Automobiles de collection: Long steam tricycle", Les voitures anciennes et histoire des marques des véhicules (in French), archived from the original on 2014-11-13, retrieved 2014-06-18
  7. Roger White, Nicholas Jackson (ed.), "Race to the Museum: Long Steam Tricycle, About 1880", The Atlantic blog, The Atlantic, retrieved 22 September 2019

Further reading
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Long steam tricycle.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.