I think Johann Bessler’s wheel was doomed from the start, because he was way too soon. And there were events happening which were destined to impede his progress.
Johann Bessler first demonstrated his remarkable gravity-enabled perpetual motion machine in Gera, on 6th June 1712.
Thomas Newcomen demonstrated his amazing steam engine in Tipton, near Birmingham, England in 1712 too.
The latter was based on the work done by Denis Papin’s steam digester and pressure cooker, who died just one year after the two demonstrations took place - in 1713.
Denis Papin worked with Karl the Landgrave of Hesse, who supported his steam experiments. Johann Bessler also benefitted from the Landgrave’s patronage. Newcomen benefitted from Papin’s work with Karl.
Karl also attempted to get information about Newcomen’s steam engine, but the inventor was as close-mouth about its workings as Bessler was.
The two types of machine were obviously different, and one, the Newcomen, was clearly effective at pumping water. Bessler’s machine was never going to have the capacity to pump as much water from such a depth as Newcomen’s steam engine. Bessler demonstrated his machine’s lifting ability but apart from pumping water for fountains, the Carillon and a submarine with an air pump, it was difficult to find a genuinely beneficial use for it. Bessler himself initially thought his machine would be able to pump water out of flooded mines, something that the Newcomen’s engine had show itself as far more proficient.
The Newcomen engine was developed into James Watt’s much improved and highly successful steam engine. Andrew Gordon, a Scottish scientist described an electric motor in his paper, Philosophia utilis et jucunda (1745), the same year that Bessler died, and the invention developed slowly along side the steam engine.
The internal combustion arrived in 1876, and also ran along side the steam engine and the electric motor. Then the steam engine gradually gave way to the gas engine, and the electric motor went it’s own way, until very recently.
Bessler’s machine arrived more than 300 years ahead of its time. It couldn’t compete with steam, coal or petroleum. But now oil is running out, the climate is getting warmer because of steam, coal and oil……now it’s time for Bessler’s machine.
There wasn’t a need for his wheel when he demonstrated it and there hasn’t been one between then and now. With fossil fuels on the way out, alternatives too costly, not available globally, there is only the one solution. Bessler’s wheel’s time has come.
PS, in light of my decision to delete any further comments by Ken B where he promotes his book, or his videos, I am putting a clickable link to his website. I hope he accepts this and stops promoting his book here. https://cosmicvault.tripod.com/page06.html
JC
