Spanish break.

Because I'm away to Spain for some R & R, and may have limited access to the internet I probably won't post anything on my blog for a couple of weeks. I have a plan written up for my return as I have worked out precisely what needs to be altered in the design of the mechanisms, but I shall mull over the design during my break. With luck I shall be back on course for reconstructing Bessler's wheel on my return.

It surprises me that, given everything I know about the mechanism, I should have made such a simple error as not ensuring that the mechanism operated at the correct time in the rotation of the wheel. I wonder how many other trials by other would-be inventors failed because of something similar, something that maybe went through unnoticed. How many near-misses have their been?

Lastly, thank you for the many messages of encouragement. I had no idea so many people were following this blog.

"Una cerveza, por favor!" - Make that "Una grande cerveza, por favor!" Just practising you know ;-)

Sadly for us Brits, we seem to be a country that is fast developing a binge-drinking culture with the predictable side affects of under age drinking. In Spain you see hardly any drunks and yet they appear to indulge for several hours a day. It must be the drip drip approach that allows them to maintain their dignity despite being several sheets to the wind. In the UK we seem to hit the ground running and attempt to get as many jars of the strongest nectar available down our necks in the shortest possible time - with predictable results.

What's that saying? Oh yes - Alcohol, the cause of, and the solution to all of life's problems.

See you when I get back.

Ciao.

JC

Reconstruction analysed

I have spent time testing the reconstruction I created and following analysis of the wheel's action I am certain that the problem lies in timing. In the paper I have written in which I described the design and principle which underlies Bessler's wheel I made specific comment about the necessity to get the timing correct. It is therefore somewhat embarrasing to admit that I had forgotten to ensure that the weights, when moved, did so, not one moment before a particular point during each revolution. In fact they are acting too soon and having an effect which is
tending to counter the advantage they give towards rotation.

There are a couple of ways I can correct this and one of them is to lengthen the operating arm which moves the weight so that it is further on in the cycle when the action begins; and another is to try to delay the initiating action of the operating arm. I realise that this means nothing to anyone who hasn't seen the design, which is everyone, but I still want to keep people updated as to the state of play regarding my project.

The paper I referred to above is still being kept confidential for now.

JC

Bessler's wheel still stationary!

Well I said I'd report back, so here it is - unfortunately the latest design doesn't work. Despite this setback I remain confident because the information I have acquired from Bessler indicates that I'm on the right track. There are variables to this design and maybe others that I'm not aware of at this point so I need to go away and think about the alternatives. I'm unable to work on the reconstruction for now, anyway, as I have other plans for the next two weeks.

This news of my failure to finish with a working model will hearten many and disappoint others, but for me it is a case of keeping going. Because, as I have said before, I understand the concept which underlies the Bessler wheel and I have also managed to find some sketches of the actual mechanism, which will doubtless provoke a great deal of interest. It may be that I have misread the sketches and need to review them in a calmer state of mind.

The concept or principle upon which the Bessler wheel relies is simple and obvious once you know and, in response to more emails received, I can assure anyone reading this that there are no physical laws which will need revising to accomodate it. There is no doubt about this and I have no fears of anyone disagreeing with me once they understand the principle.

Of course there will be some who will say, 'share it - now!' But my mind is made up not to patent it (if I'm sufficiently lucky to succeed in this self-imposed task) and that could leave me potentially penniless for all my hard work, so once I give it away I have only the book to provide for me and my family. That's when I'll share everything.

JC

MIB, conspiracies and wacky wagers.

I have received two emails which have prompted me to comment on them here. The first one arrived a couple of weeks ago and suggested that by publicly recording my attempt to reconstruct Bessler's wheel, I might attract the attention of certain gentlemen-in-black (MIB). They, it seems, have only the best interests of the oil industry in mind and would take exception to my project. I was warned that they would visit me and takes steps to make me wish to stop my project.

I have always tried to keep an open mind about most things and I've tried to arrive at a satisfactory opinion by applying logic. It seems to me that the MIB, if they exist anywhere outside the vivid imagination of Hollywood, would not be against my project at all and might actually be inclined to support it. The whole world knows oil is short and likely to get shorter, so, from their own perspective, anything which helps to extend the life of the reserves of oil has to be seen as a bonus and therefore ought to be encouraged. The internet seems to be a breeding
ground for conspiracy theories, and if I believed most of the conspiracies I read about I would become totally paranoid (instead of only mildly). I incline to fatalism and if I'm to be a target for the MIB then there's nothing I can do about it.

The other email asked whether, seeing as I had not posted anything much this week, I had failed in my attempt to reconstruct Bessler's wheel, implying, perhaps, that I did not wish to admit it? Of course not, I have been diverted from my intended course by the usual mundane requirements of everyday living and although I try to get into my workshop daily, I can't always. I shall report success and failure equally with alacrity and honesty.

As for my reconstruction of Bessler's wheel, I have two mechanisms fitted and working and the rest assembled but not yet fitted to the backplate. I shall continue to work on it and hope that soon I will finish it.

It is strange world that I inhabit where the prospect of finishing this project and securing the future of my family takes second place to the necessary but trivial-seeming tasks of every day living, but then I can't really blame the family. I have after all, claimed to be on the verge of success for at least the last twenty years! They can't see inside my mind and know, as I do, that it really is nigh.

And finally, as they say on the news, the thought of offering odds against my producing a gravity-driven perpetual motion machine at any time in the future seems to have scared away the betting firm which had expressed an interest, so no dice! They were dithering over the exact definition of what constitutes perpetual motion and in the end decided not to offer odds.

JC

The wacky wager update

Well, two comments, one pro and one con and several emails, mostly for. I understand your point Lucius but there are needs which are not personal but which I would like to be able to satisfy if it were possible. My family has needs and there are others I could wish to help if I had the means, so for that reason as well as the others I mentioned before, I shall stick with my proposal to obtain odds against the creation of a gravity-driven wheel within the next year - and that has raised another issue.

I have been corresponding with one of the best known names in the gambling industry and it has become clear that they wish to use the term 'perpetual motion machine' and have the resulting device verified by the famous Science Museum. That seems very reasonable but I am concerned that when the time comes for verification the Science Museum's definition of perpetual motion might exclude my machine.

I have discussed this definition many many times and the whole thing seems to come down to the fact that a perpetual motion machine is defined as one which is excluded from all external sources of energy. I have always maintained that a gravitywheel obtains its energy for rotation from the force of gravity and since gravity is both external and internal to the gravitywheel it is not technically a perpetual motion machine although that is what they would have called it in Bessler's time.

I have compromised by suggesting that they could call it a 'gravity-powered perpetual motion machine'. I await their response.

JC

Blog colour change and mechanism update

Sorry for changing the look of my blog, but I'm trying to get to grips with it and increase the size of the blog posting window.

I have been working on redesigning the mechanism inside the wheel, because it sometimes locks in a half-way position. This is due to the close proximity of another part of the mechanism. I have changed one of the levers for a longer version and then I took up the extra length by creating a hump or bridge in part of its length. This enables it to pass over the offending obstacle in its path.

The mechanism moves freely now and does what I want it to do, so my next task is to assemble the remaining mechanisms in the same way as the first. This design won't suffice for a finished product but it will certainly do for a proof of principle model which is all I want.

In attempting to make this machine I have, over the years, used and reused various parts, and the part which has suffered the most is the backplate which is what I call the wooden supporting structure to which all the parts are attached. It is in the form of a three foot wide circular disc of MDF (medium density fibreboard). The current backplate is nearing the end of its useful life and will have to be pensioned off soon. The disc is so full of drilled holes from previous attempts at making a working model that now when I drill I often drill into an adjoining hole and when held up to the light the backplate looks like a representation of the sky at night!

I'd put up a picture but it has a number design features drawn on the backplate which might give someone a clue to the direction I'm taking.

JC

Should I bet on a certainty?

I wonder if it is possible to place a wager on the likelihood of the appearance, in the next twelve months, say, of a gravitywheel? If I am really convinced that I shall succeed in this venture then I suppose I should put my money where my mouth is and wager that I, or some other misguided fool, will indeed produce such a machine and one that works?

Certainly the rewards would be exceptional. I have yet to receive the exact odds available (I have applied for them) but suppose odds of 5000/1 against such a thing happening in the next year were offered; it might persuade me to part with say £50 or even £100 for the promise of upto half a £million!

The history of betting is full of off-the-wall wagers and this is almost respectable by comparison. At least I'm not betting that the earth will be governed by aliens by 2010 or that the Elvis will resurrect next year, which some have bet heavily on!

This wager has a certain attractiveness to it for me because it simplifies the actions under consideration should I succeed in my venture. I could just show the working wheel on youtube and then pocket the winnings from the wager.

No patents to worry about; no contracts to sign to sell the device ; instant availability for anyone with internet access - and of course the publishers would contact me for permission to publish my book instead of the other way around where I have currently papered the walls of my office with rejection letters.

Some may say that giving it away is foolish and I could earn tens of millions but the truth is I don't need millions, (just a couple!)


JC