[python] Re: Post VelAero HPV researches
- From: Vicki Cornelius <vcornelius@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: python@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 15 Dec 2004 13:35:11 -0800 (GMT-08:00)
Hello Jurgen! I did see the posting and it made me smile.
I quit working on the VelAero when I wrote the article. I felt that I had taken
the long-trail approach to its logical end and a better solution would require
a new approach and new researchers.
I have kept my hand in the human-powered vehicle building, however and have
been working on other Holy Grails (lost causes?)
I have built a sucessful add-on mechanism for recumbents that allows for
arm-power in addition to conventional circular pedalling. The arms move
together in a rowing motion and the steering and rowing are decoupled so one
motion is not influenced by the other. I have been riding an old Avatar (which
I have been riding for 20 years!) with this mechanism attached to it. I would
say it bumps up the total power output by at least 30%.
The last year I have been building and am now debugging a tricycle that leans
into the corners. It is a velomobile configuration and it drives the two front
wheels and steers the one rear wheel. Very similar to Buckminster Fuller's
Dymaxion car of the 1930's. The two front wheels are articulated to allow one
to move up while the other moves down and thus cause the vehicle to bank. The
technical issue of course is that bank angle is a function of rate of turn as
well as angle of turn. My first attempt to couple steering and banking together
with a fixed relationship was not successul. The current embodiment has banking
control and steering control independent. Unfortunately I am guessing that the
potential instability issues associated with the rear-steering may require some
coupling between bank and steer to overcome them (the stability issues). The
steering fork is raked rearword at 75 degrees but the offset is such that there
is no trail.
My son Kyle who is 23 and an industrial design student has become my test pilot
and he will try the latest configuration whe he comes home for Christmas.
Probably more that you wanted to hear...
Craig
-----Original Message-----
From: Jürgen Mages <jmages@xxxxxx>
Sent: Dec 15, 2004 10:58 AM
To: python@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [python] Re: Rear Steering Recumbent Bicycles
> It is interesting to see how the prospect of a rear-
> steering recumbent bicycle continues to attract
> researchers. It is also flattering that a few remember
> the work of us old veterans!
>
> Craig Cornelius
Hi Craig,
welcome to our list - I feel honoured!
Guess you have read the postings about you:
Michael>> I was being conceived during the summer of 1978,
Michael>> when Craig J. Cornelius was building his first
Michael>> RSRB, which featured a four-bar linkage steering
Michael>> mechanism.
Michael>>
Michael>> Seems like fate!
Jürgen>
Jürgen> That is remarkably funny!
Jürgen> Would be great to have one of those recumbent
Jürgen> veterans in our list.
Jürgen> Lots of knowledge and experience.
Did you continue your experiments with the VelAero?
Cheers from Jürgen.
PS: The python list is not about RWS recumbents, so
this is slightly off topic. But what the heck - it is an
interesting subject ;-)
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