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rocky
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 Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 6:31 pm Post subject: A Running German Gravity Wheel Exhibited In 1927 |
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I have been researching old magazine articles on Perpetual Motion. I found two of interest. Especially the second as it has a photo.
http://dlxs2.library.cornell.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=manu;g=moagrp;xc=1;q1=perpetual%20motion;rgn=full%20text;view=image;cc=manu;seq=0056;idno=manu0012-3;node=manu0012-3%3A7
The Manufacturer and Builder, monthly journal, New York, March 1880, pg. 50-51
Pietrowski’s Perpetual Motor “A Motor which the inventor declares when once started, will run till it wears out”
"Mr. Albert Pietrowski is a Pole, an engineer by profession, and has been in this country sixteen years. He has devoted his leisure hours to the elaboration of his invention. The model that he exhibited consists of a pair of hollow metal wheels, four feet in diameter, which revolve on the same axis, but in opposite directions. The moving power is nine metal balls placed within the wheels so as to bear the rim down at first, and then gravitate toward the axis, where a side groove runs the balls off to a grooved radius of the wheel revolving in the opposite direction. Four balls were placed in the grooved radii of the first wheel and four in the radii of the second, and when momentum had been gained, the ninth ball was added, to give additional power. To the axle of the wheels, which is also the axle of smaller grooved wheels that regulate the speed of the machinery, the shafting is applied. ‘I will show you a motor of 300 horse-power that requires nothing to keep it in operation. It will continue to run until the material wears out.’ Here is a man, who, from the above account, proposes to set a pair of wheels in motion, and keep them moving by the gravitating action of a number of metal balls, so disposed within them as to run alternately from the rim of one wheel over to that of the other wheel."
http://books.google.com/books?id=ICoDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA55&lpg=PA55&dq=conquered+friction&source=bl&ots=s0Vqz5Y5DV&sig=nOKsGUN7C3yzUYZ-jYF11IHYEp8&hl=en&ei=FHLxS626HYv-sQO0ofD9Ag&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBkQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=conquered%20friction&f=false
Popular Science Archives August 1927 pg 55 Article text: “Perpetual Motion” – Almost
"At last a practical use has been found for a “perpetual motion” machine. Though scientists agree that the original goal of a continuously moving wheel without outside source of power is mechanically impossible, all rights to such a “perpetual motion” device designed by a Swedish and a German inventor, similar to earlier attempts, have just been purchased by an American firm, manufactures of ball bearings. They are exhibiting the odd device to show how nearly it has conquered friction, the ultimate enemy of all perpetual motion schemes.
The machine was displayed recently at the Massachusetts institute of Technology. It consists of a wheel with a number of spokes, each holding a weighted ball at its end. In addition, the wheel is actuated by weighted rods that change their position constantly after the wheel is set in motion, driving it for hours before it eventually slows to a stop."
Photo text:
Left: The nearest thing to “perpetual motion,” demonstrated at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. So nearly has it conquered friction that, once set in motion, it will run for hours before stopping.
The photo shows: (see attached photos)
The machine has an axle supported by 4 pillars with a vertical rod on front axle support.
There are 2 structures on the axle.
The rear structure has 6 long slightly curved arms each with 1 small weight at the end having free movement.
The rear arms are equal distance from each other at 11, 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 o’clock.
The front structure has 6 short arms each with 1 large weight firmly attached to the end.
The descending side has 4 large weights at 11, 9, 7, and 6 o’clock with weights touching at 7 and 6 o’clock.
The ascending side has 2 large weights at 2 and 4 o’clock
On the forum I could not find any reference to this German wheel exhibited at MIT in the USA in 1927. IMO this must be very close to Bessler’s running design as it runs for HOURS before stopping. To my knowledge no one on the forum has posted a photo of any gravity device wheel that will run for hours before stopping.
Does anyone know this German inventor’s name?
Does anyone know the name of the American company that bought it from the inventor?
Does anyone know where this German invention is today?
Does anyone have different photos of this machine?
I have written companies in Massachusetts and the New England area who make ball bearings sending them the photo and asking if they are the company mentioned in the 1927 Popular Science article that bought the invention. Negative results so far.
From the photos can any of you speculate on the mechanics of how this device works?
I would like to reproduce it as a physical model if I could understand the mechanism.
Of all the machines I have seen on this forum, this one seems to be the longest running attempt.
This one then begs further research.
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| Norman Rockwell 1920 Perpetual Motion Magazine Cover |
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| Exhibit Photo MIT 1927 of German Gravity Wheel |
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| German Wheel 1927 Close Up |
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_________________
- Rocky (Robert)
"All the clues become clear when you see the working machine." - Rocky
"Perhaps God will allow you to invent it, and fathom the mystery of true motive power." -Johann Bessler AP 265 |
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rocky
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| Posted: Thu May 20, 2010 6:48 pm Post subject: re: A Running German Gravity Wheel Exhibited In 1927 |
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Between builds of a physical machine I do online PM research but it is getting harder to find a free online site for back issues of newspapers and magazines. I am retire so I have the time to do this lengthy research but most sites are now charging to view their archives and most are outrageous, wanting $4 to $8 to view one past article. I have found only a few universities that offer free viewing. Cornell University has been my best site so far.
Can anyone give me links to where I can do newspaper/magazine archive research free? I will share what I find here on the forum.
I have accessed all Scientific American articles on perpetual motion from 1846 to 1869. The SA magazine editors make it clear that they do not believe a perpetual motion device is possible but they do report about people who claim they have one. Whenever a machine is displayed in a case or large exhibit base they always suspect fraud and a concealed power source. But some articles seem genuine. Since names and towns are given, I am researching contacting relatives to inquire about these devices.
Here are some more very interesting articles I have found. The first one about Mr. Richter’s machine sounds like Bessler’s MT 24-27 folding arm designs. The one about James G. Hendrickson, of Freehold, N.J. is mentioned in the PM books of Henry Dircks and Arthur W.J.G. Ord-Hume as an abridged article; you will find the original full story here quite remarkable. He was arrested for fraud and the judge ordered his device disassemble to find the secret power source, a concealed spring was suspected. But when it was broken open, no power source was found! He later applied for a patent and sent a WORKING gravity weight machine to the US Patent Office (1857) in Washington but the inventor died before a patent was given.
Scientific American, December 29, 1849, Volume 5, Issue 15, pg. 116
A letter to the Journal of Commerce, New York, thus describes a new perpetual motion that has lately been invented by a Mr. Richter, of Madison Geo.
Within a glass case about the size of a common Yankee Clock, is held a brass wheel and its adjuncts composing the machine. The motive power is gravitation, operating upon weights thrown off from one side of the wheel. Leaden weights slide along the circumference of the wheel; to each of these is attached an arm, occupied with a brass bar, in such a manner as to throw out the bar with a brass weight attached to the extreme end, unfolding these bars in turn, much as if the hand that had been held drawn up to the shoulder, were thrown outward from the body by the straightening of the elbow joint, the extended clenched fist occupying the position of the brass weight. The brass weights carry their side of the wheel downward, and as each leaden weight, which had slidden forward and downward upon its passing the vertical point, passes the opposite point below, past which it is carried by the gravitation of the brass weights, it slides or falls back, and this movement in turn moves the inner end of the bar to which the brass weight is attached, in such a manner as to cause the weight to fold themselves up. This position they occupy with the circumference of the wheel until again the leaden weight passes the vertical joint, and they are in turn acted upon from the wheel as before. A cord passing around the shank of this lower motive wheel, is carried over a wheel above, carrying what may be called the escapement works of a clock with a pendulum. The pendulum, and the motive wheel below will continue its revolutions; stop the motive wheel below, and the pendulum above stops, showing that the motive power lies in the wheel with its weights below, and not in the works above. Loosen the cord that passes over the shank of the motive wheel below and carries the works above, and at once the motion of the large wheel below is accelerated, constantly increasing in speed with its own revolutions, and throwing off the weight with a rapidity and force that, unchecked, would cause the machine to tear itself into pieces. The inventor finds it necessary to keep the cord quite tight around the shank of the great wheel, in order to prevent his machine, when in motion, from destroying itself by the mere force of its own propelling power.
Scientific American Volume 1009 Issue 9 (Aug 29, 1863) pg. 138
The Boston Journal publishes a letter from a correspondent at Newport, VT., who describes a “perpetual motion” machine, on exhibition at that place, and states that it is attracting great attention. Mr. Leach, of Vermont, claims to be the inventor. The writer says:
“It is a simple wheel, runs on gudgeons, and is independent of any outside spring, weight, or power, as a propeller. On the same axle on which the metal wheel is fixed, is a band wheel, on which a band runs over a small pulley that drives a small circular saw. Set it on a table and remove the brake, and it will start itself and run with great velocity, driving the saw. It is the simplest thing in the world, though I cannot intelligibly describe it; but it is at once understood by the beholder. It will not, nay cannot, stop without a brake, as it is so fixed by means of balls and arms, that the descending side of the wheel is perpetually further from the center of motion than the opposite ascending. The most incredulous beholder here is at once convinced, on seeing it, that a wheel can be make its own motive power. The model runs on and runs forever. It is a small wheel, ten inches in diameter, with ounce balls attached to movable arms. Whether an increase in the dimensions of the wheel will increase its power in proportion, remains to be tried; but one thing is certain, it will make Mr. Leach, who is poor, a wealthy man. It is no cheat, no humbug, no Yankee trick, but a stubborn and fixed fact; and ere long the world will be convinced that the principle of perpetual motion ever existed, and has now been discovered by a Green Mountain boy.”
Scientific American Volume 1009 Issue 19 (Nov 7, 1863) pg.291
Perpetual Motion. – The Kingston British American says Mr. C. Carruthers, a mechanic of the Grand Trunk Railway, has, after ten years of thought and labor, discovered the principle of perpetual motion. The model is constructed of eight levers, and each of these levers has a weight attached to it. Seven of the weights are descending while one weight is ascending.
Scientific American Volume 1001 Issue 22 (Nov 26, 1859) pg. 349
PERPETUAL MOTION – PATHETIC STORY OF ITS INVENTOR
About six years ago we published the first description of a machine invented by Mr. James G. Hendrickson, of Freehold, N.J. “to go of itself.” A model was brought into our office and we found that it would go without any impulse from without, and would not stop unless it was blocked. The power was self-contained and self-adjusted, and gave a sufficient force to carry ordinary clock-work without any winding up. In short, we saw no reason why it would not go until it was worn out. Our announcement of the fact brought out a great deal of ridicule and although they could not dispute the fact that it was “going,” they nearly all attributed the movement to some hidden spring or ingenious trickery. The inventor was an old man, who had spent his whole life in pursuit of the object he had now attained. He had become so much accustomed to ridicule that he was very patient and the only reply he made to those who pronounced the thing impossible, was: “But it does go.”
The notice which we printed attracted the attention of the curious, and for the first time in his history, the inventor found a profit in his handiwork. He was invited to be present at various fairs and exhibition of new inventions, and wherever he went, his machine formed one of the chief attractions. The professors were all against him, and as they had pronounced the whole thing a fraud, they were determined to prove the truth of their assertion. Accordingly, Mr. Hendrickson was seized at Keyport, N.J. for practicing “jugglery,” under the “Act for Suppressing Vice and Immorality.” At the trial, several builders, engineers and philosophers were called who testified positively that no such motive power as that alleged could drive the machine, and that there must be some concealed spring within the wooden cylinder. An axe was brought, and the cylinder splintered into fragments. Alas! for the philosophers, there was no concealed spring, and the machine had “gone of itself.”
He built a new machine constructed of brass, hollow throughout, so that the eye could examine all its parts. This was brought to our office nearly two years ago, when we noticed it once more, and gave to our readers some of the facts we have now recalled. The inventor was trying to secure a patent for this discovery, but the work went on slowly. The Patent Office required a working model to test the principle, and one was sent on to Washington. The moment the blocks were taken out, the wheels started off “like a thing of life”; and during 10 months that the model remained in the Patent Office, it never once stopped. The inventor had perfected two new machines, and made a comfortable livelihood exhibiting them, prosecuting his efforts meanwhile to secure his patent. Age crept upon him however before this point was reached and last Saturday afternoon he breathed his last in the old homestead at Freehold.
He had been so much persecuted by the incredulous that he had provided a secret place beneath the floor of his shop where his last two machines were deposited. It was in the form of a vault, covered by a trap-door, which was locked, and the floor so replaced as to avoid suspicion. After his last illness commenced, he made known this secret to his family. The night after his death the shop was broken open, the floor taken up, the trap-door pried off, and both models stolen; some prying eyes had discovered the secret. – New York Journal of Commerce.
Do you forum members find these old articles interesting? Would you like me to share more here?
Again I would appreciate any links to online sites for viewing past newspaper or magazine articles for free or a reasonable fee.
-Rocky (Robert)
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jim_mich
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| Posted: Thu May 20, 2010 10:06 pm Post subject: re: A Running German Gravity Wheel Exhibited In 1927 |
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Path,
Thanks for the Modern Mechanics link which IMO is misnamed!
lots of trivia to be found, got engrossed and did not realize how much time I spent viewing different magazine articles.
Ralph |
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triplock
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rocky
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| Posted: Fri May 21, 2010 4:11 pm Post subject: re: A Running German Gravity Wheel Exhibited In 1927 |
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Fletcher asked:
| Quote: | | are there any illustrations or photos to go with the articles ? |
The older articles in the 1800s only have engravings with some stories. There were none on any PM article. In the 1900s you get the photos.
Like the MIT photo, I will post any engraving, drawing or photo on anything new I find.
I have a question for John Collins and Stewart and anyone else living in the UK. I am thinking about subscribing online to The Times (London) so I can search their newspaper archives going back 300 years looking for ‘perpetual motion’ stories. Have any of you already done this looking for clues in your PM research? Have you found anything interesting like the American articles I have posted here?
For the first time my wife is helping me in PM research. Her hobby has been researching our family tree looking at online birth and death certificates and newspaper obituary notices. In my looking for old magazine and newspaper stories about people claiming to have a perpetual motion device, I exclude those who use magnets, fluids or air pressure; I only copy the stories about gravity weight machines. Since I have names and cities and dates, my wife is using ancestor research knowledge to see if she can find the relatives of these people. It would be nice to know what happened to their invention.
This is off topic but it should give you a laugh .... I found this newspaper story next to a PM story. Apparently it was greatly frowned upon to snore in church during the sermon:
Scientific American, December 29, 1849, Volume 5, Issue 15, pg. 116
Ancient Patent Instrument for Church Sleepers
It appears from Lewis’ History of Linn, that in the early time of Massachusetts, it was the custom for a man to go about the meeting houses during divine service and wake the sleepers. He bore a long wand, at one end of which was a ball and on the other was a foxtail. When he observed the men asleep, he rapped them on the head with the knob, and roused the slumbering sensibilities of the ladies by drawing the brush slightly across their faces – these were the days of rubs and snubs.
-Rocky
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docfeelsgood
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John Collins
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| Posted: Sat May 22, 2010 6:14 am Post subject: re: A Running German Gravity Wheel Exhibited In 1927 |
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Hi Rocky. Many years ago I researched all available magazines published world wide but I did not get around to investigating the newspapers, so as far as I'm concerned it's an untapped resource.
I know this has been mentioned before but I would point out that Henry Dircks did a pretty good job of investigating all historic claims to PM but his books only cover a period before about 1860. They contain hundreds of drawings of early attempts.
http://www.archive.org/stream/perpetuummobile00dircgoog
http://www.archive.org/stream/perpetuummobile01dircgoog
It's certainly a good idea to examine the Times after that date..
JC |
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docfeelsgood
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dradford
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| Posted: Sat May 22, 2010 10:40 pm Post subject: re: A Running German Gravity Wheel Exhibited In 1927 |
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These articles are fascinating, but what's eating me is - where did all of these wonderful machines vanish to? Where are they now? It's not as if anybody would throw away any of these devices, they must have taken a huge amount of work to make, and would obviously have been known to be very valuable, to whoever inherited them?
And what of all the people who viewed them? That must be tens of thousands of people. Didn't any of them write a diary entry about them?
Please keep them coming, I was particularly interested by this one:
"Perpetual Motion. – The Kingston British American says Mr. C. Carruthers, a mechanic of the Grand Trunk Railway, has, after ten years of thought and labor, discovered the principle of perpetual motion. The model is constructed of eight levers, and each of these levers has a weight attached to it. Seven of the weights are descending while one weight is ascending."
Especially that last sentence. Seven weights would obviously have the energy to make one weight ascend very quickly.
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dradford
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| Posted: Tue May 25, 2010 11:02 pm Post subject: re: A Running German Gravity Wheel Exhibited In 1927 |
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I think these articles point to our best hope of ever finding the secret - one of these allegedly working wheels must still exist, in fact, I see no reason why ALL of them wouldn't still exist, it's not as if they were insubstantial items, nor that they were made out of wood, they would be heavy, metal objects, and would have been witnessed by thousands of people at the time. Surely there is more information we can find out from old newspaper articles, and the like, and also, could we not trace descendents of these inventors, or of the people who finally ended up in possession of these devices?
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