Posted by Vector Viper (205.162.15.2) on May 27, 2003 at 23:50:00:
In Reply to: Reference frames posted by Rob on May 27, 2003 at 23:17:01:
: That's certainly a different way of looking at things! I've been looking at Bessler's wheel from a different point of view, and I think it's making me more skeptical of the whole idea:
: We all look at the wheel as rotating about a stationary axle. But what if we take the wheel off its supports and let it roll along the ground? We can easily envision the wheel rolling along, as long as it is on a downward slope. It is harder to imagine the wheel rolling along continuosly on a flat and level plane (a flywheel with no friction maybe). But Bessler's wheel supposedly did actual work - can we imagine a wheel rolling itself up-hill all by itself? It's not using gravity, it's defying gravity. Perhaps someone will come up with a good idea by trying to get a wheel to roll up-hill, but it seems like an impossibilty to me. Sorry I may sound a little "David-ic"
I agree-sounds real odd, I do think a wheel can lift itself-its
output can be geared down for more torque, less speed.
You are forced to 1:1 drive rolling on the ground...
Viper