Just stumbled across this on YouTube. Its a mono-wheel style vehicle that uses gravity to propel itself. The clip shows allot of the Brooklands race track in its heyday and also shows the test hill and home straight where allot of the c5 stands and events are held at Brooklands
http://youtu.be/rvA7hDh_vhY
Stunning.
I just realized I shouldn't of listed this under the 'marketplace' :(
It would certainly be intersting in the rain, spraying water everywhere. How does it stop? Side impact , weven a gentle nudge would send it scurying off who know where. ??If it fell over it would probably crush the driver as he fell out unless harnessed in.
Yes, it´s dangerous, but look at this modern version of Dynasphere, even more dangerous, is less wide than original and have more power so look what happen at 2:55 :o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4YmVP6i4qw
I think the driver need a whole airbag :P
Regards, Rafael
..although it is dangerous and pretty unstable , I love the fact the builder chose to give it a go and ended up with a running vehicle . The creativity and skill required are amazing...wonder what happened to the vehicles ?
The saddest part of the clip is seeing how much of Brooklands has been lost over the years , although I'm glad they've managed to preserve as much as they have.
Quote from: BooBoo on 27, February, 2012 - 12:09:34
The saddest part of the clip is seeing how much of Brooklands has been lost over the years , although I'm glad they've managed to preserve as much as they have.
This is actually the main reason why I posted the video here. It gives a sense of what the place looked like before the war and before it was partly demolished to make way for housing and business estates. It makes you appreciate what little is left and I feel proud to take part in the c5 events there as it makes me feel like I'm keeping the Brooklands spirit going
That´s my daily fight here, in Spain, the conservation of the heritage. Perhaps you can be sad thinking about how much objects dissapear in Brooklands or similar museums but you can´t imagine how much ones has been lost here in Spain and their Universities :'(. I´m the author of the first catalog of pieces of Industrial heritage of the University of Granada, Spain in his history and I´ve could check in first person how bad is the situation here and I´ve had a lot of problems with the politicians of the University when I´ve tryed to change this situation and put this news on public eye, I miss my years of planes conservation at Duxford, there people was worried about planes not in politic games all the day, at least not like here, objects are property of people to get knoweledgement of their history, not chess pieces to play politic games.
Well, this is too much serious for me, somebody wants to do a Dynasphere replica? :) :), I like the original 1930´s design much more than the second one I´ve put the video before, it´s better designed and better calculated the moment of force when you brake than the second one, with the result you can see at the video, it don´t look complicated to make, I can design the plans and make one part everyone and put all the parts together in a C5 meeting or something similar, with electric and pedal power like C5, it´s a serious offer, really, perhaps Brooklands can have some interest on this project.
Regards, Rafael
Rafael
I'd by the 1930s one - I wonder if it's street legal in the uk?
Quote from: thedesigntailor on 28, February, 2012 - 17:31:53
Rafael
I'd by the 1930s one - I wonder if it's street legal in the uk?
I would buy the 1930s one. Commuting on that would be fun if it's road legal.
The question is if the concept was registered and patented in Great Britain in 1930´s. If was registered then, there must be no problem in the making of a replica now. And if not, always can become in a perfect meeting vehicle for demostrations 8), I´m volunteer to drive it to Brooklands hill, but only uphill ;D ;D, I have four little children waiting their father at home. Somebody can check if remains some blueprints over Brooklands library? I´ll try it from the distance.
Regards, Rafael
Yep - after 50 years the patent becomes inactive and anyone can have a go
It was a stoooooooooooooooooopid idea
Don´t be rude with me ;), friend, it´s only a mind game with a substract of reality, and , perhaps, can be useful to recovery lost knoweledgements. For example, steam engines are overpassed by steam turbines but I´ve restored several steam trains in Spain to offer that piece of history to the people at the museums. This comments about Dynasphere are something like that. I think it´s a good thing people know the works of Dr. Purves, the designer of the Dynasphere and his relationship with Brooklands museum. And, also, I adore old nuts, bolts and tools :D. If you mix all of this (and some money, of course) you almost have a replica or, at least, somebody has revival for a while a lost work.
Regards and thanks for the comment :D, Rafael
Quote from: coverman on 01, March, 2012 - 11:09:53
It was a stoooooooooooooooooopid idea
many people thaught / think the c5 was a stupid idea!
Well cool....................................
No problems parking it but what about reverse and no mirrors, indicators, radio, heater, etc.
:( :( :( :( :( :( :(
Lance
Can't see why it can't have all the above - well maybe not heaters but motor bikes don't have them either.
Hardest thing would be a number plate.
Well it was a ridiculous idea for its time, as the sales figures prove . Apart from the fact that it was inherently unsafe on the road,didn't achieve its stated performance, and had serious engineering issues ie, fragile gearbox, electrics unprotected from reversing, what was good about it?
Hi coverman, I tell you, really this invention don´t pass the prototype era. I´ve read several papers of Dr. Purves and there were many improvements designed for the vehicle, (closed cabin, a periscope system to improve visibility, better gearbox, etc) but this man didn´t have enough time (and money, I suposse ::)) to develop. This vehicle wasn ´t really a road runner. Like hovercraft, another British invention, have in free and open lands its better place, beaches, dusty roads, fields, etc. It could overpass holes more than a quarter of the diameter of the wheel long and sands weren´t a problem. A funny development of somebody who dare to imagine an alternative to traditional ways to transport. I must give you the right if you say this invention isn´t the best solution, of course, but I love when people think and put their hands at work and create something, it´s part of the engineering history and have all of my respects :D. I like crazy inventions, many times are the base of the scientifical research.
Thanks and regards, Rafael ;)
The Dynasphere idea superceded by the hovercraftmakes sense, as that proved to be a very practical invention from the very first working machine.
There have been many impractical inventions over the centuries, but just because they involved thinking outside the box didn't make them all good ideas.
Quote from: rafarestaura on 02, March, 2012 - 10:43:58
I love when people think and put their hands at work and create something, it´s part of the engineering history and have all of my respects :D. I like crazy inventions, many times are the base of the scientifical research.
Hear hear! I'm behind you all the way on that! ;D
Quote from: thedesigntailor on 03, March, 2012 - 13:17:59
Quote from: rafarestaura on 02, March, 2012 - 10:43:58
I love when people think and put their hands at work and create something, it´s part of the engineering history and have all of my respects :D. I like crazy inventions, many times are the base of the scientifical research.
Hear hear! I'm behind you all the way on that! ;D
I second that! ;D