BesslerWheel.com

[jim_mich]

Gyroscopic Propulsion Device

I feel that if a mechanical device can produce a thrust, then the reverse may also be true and a similar device might be able to harness gravitational thrust. Here are pictures from US patent 4,784,006 which says it produces a propulsion force when rotated.

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[Jonathan]

I've seen this before! I'll have to go look at the patent, but I rememeber coming to the conclusion that it only seems like it would do something, and that in fact it wouldn't produce a thrust or run powered by gravity (if you put a barrier in the way so that it was off set to the side rather than downward).
EDIT
I went to look at the patent and I can't get the pictures to come up, but I read it and I think I get it. I might be able to fiddle with a model of it tonight. Also, I think you are right, if inertial propulsion is possible then so too is PM.
EDIT2
I finished that model, and I'm not very impressed with it so far. It's not wonderful, it's a little unbalanced, but not from the weights. Because I don't have any springs on hand, I used rubber bands, and one seems to have been exposed to heat at some point, because it doesn't stretch exactly the same as the others. Also, I couldn't get an optimal ratio between the sizes of the flywheel radius and rubber band length, so I had to opt for a wheel that is a little big for the rubber bands, and even with the weights on it, it doesn't sag very far. I'll see if I can find a replacement rubber band, but I don't think it will effect the performance much.

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Disclaimer: I reserve the right not to know what I'm talking about and not to mention this possibility in my posts. This disclaimer also applies to sentences I claim are quotes from anybody, including me.

[Georg Künstler]

Hi Jim_Mich,
propulsion is correct, but on this construction, the forces are symetrical.
This construction is working like a draw up a spring, and release. So no win.
To build a selfrunning wheel, the forces must be asymetrical. This can be archived by swinging in many ways. Thereby the timing of swinging must be adjusted very well. Have a look to 'Kippschwingung', i don't know the correct english translation for it.

The future has begun.

Best regards

Georg

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Best regards

Georg

[Jonathan]

I looked up 'Kippschwingung' and apparently it roughly means 'tilting oscillation' or 'the springs/tips/tops/ends/points of the oscillation'. It is hard to say how I got so many different translations, but my guess is that Georg is refering to the end points of the oscillation or swing, somewhat like has been discussed recently under the topic 'pendulums/weights':
http://www.besslerwheel.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=157
I'm really not sure of these translations though, free online translators aren't very reliable. Hope this helps though.

[jim_mich]

Jonathan, the US PTO drawings are tiff files using the uncommon CCITT Group 4 compression. Many older computers do not have the required software to recognize, decompress and display these files. See http://www.uspto.gov/patft/help/images.htm

I use the older version AlternaTIFF plugin on my Windows98 computer. See http://www.uspto.gov/web/menu/plugins/tiff.htm

I checked my daughters new WindowsMe computer and it handled the files just fine without a plugin.

Hope this helps.

[Jonathan]

Thanks jim_mich, I was aware that they did something weird with their pictures and for awhile I wasn't able to veiw them. Then suddenly I was able to, but somehow it used Quicktime. And now that's not working, I don't know why my computer does these weird things.

[jim_mich]

Jonathan, many times when you upgrade a program it sets itself as the default program for your computer to use when veiwing or playing certain file types. If Quicktime will read these files then go back and set Quicktime as the default program for tiff files.

Hope this helps.