Posted by Mike (172.165.114.176) on June 06, 2003 at 09:24:09:
..Just when I thought I was ready!!..
Ok, start with a self-leveling balance beam (low COG).
Add a heavy, somehow slideable weight on each side.
Link the 2 weights so they can come together or slide apart as a 'mirrored' pair.
Now fix a small weight high above the COG of the beam.
This small weight should be the equalivalent of the plumbing in the 'metoz' experiment, right?
So, (with the right proportions and COG) when the weights are brought together,
the COG goes high and the beam falls.. When slid apart, the COG goes low and the beam returns level.
1 up, 1 down, then both horizontally.. Not too much energy required for this, right?
All you should need to do now is link the sliding weights and rocking beam together,
possibly with some pulleys and a spring or something to get everything to 'flow' smoothly.
And, maybe something different but equivalent to the sliding weights to reduce losses.
Sounds like a little something to me..
I gotta check this out..