Houdaille POWERCAM
Originally: 2310 Minnis Drive 120, Fort Worth, Texas
This was Larry Brown’s second bicycle drive invention utilizing a cam.
“HOUDAILLE INDUSTRIES, INC., Fort Worth, Texas, one of America’s largest privately held companies, was founded over 60 years ago providing industrial applications for new inventions. It is today an international manufacturer of a wide spectrum of products for industrial use. Operating on a decentralized basis through 14 divisions with 50 manufacturing facilities, Houdaille products can be found throughout the world, from the depths of the sea on the Trident submarine, to the heights of outer space on the Columbia space voyager.”
Updated 12.3.2022
The POWERCAM device could be retrofitted to any standard bicycle (unlike BioCam) and used very large chain rings and a cam at the center of the cranks facing the bottom bracket cup. This device theoretically allowed the effort to be reduced where the muscles were weakest and to alternately be increased where the muscles were strongest.. not altogether unlike the purpose of the Shimano Bio Pace chain rings.
From a 1986 advertisement:
“Our unique can design reduces fatigue and improves leg development without overloading your knees and ankles. The POWERCAM is excellent for training, recreational riding, touring, commuting, time trials, triathlons and distance racing. Judge for yourself at your local dealer. (Also available on our chrome-moly 14-speed Custom bicycle.)”
Ad for the Complete bicycle.
7 pages of atechnical features and installation instructions.
Scans courtesy Karl Swanson & Ray Brandes
