cabela 's inc. is an american direct marketer and specialty retailer of hunting , fishing , boating , camping , shooting , and related outdoor recreation merchandise , based in sidney , nebraska .

the company was founded by richard n. cabela in 1961 and went public in 2004 , with that fiscal year 's revenue reaching $ 1.56 billion , a 50 % growth since 2001 .

its direct marketing operation is one of the largest in the united states .

cabela 's mail-order catalogs are shipped to 50 states and 120 countries .

more than 120 million catalogs were mailed in its first year as a public company .

it also has " trophy properties llc " ( a real estate market ) , the " gun library " ( for buying and selling new , used , and collectible firearms ) , and world 's foremost bank ( the issuer of cabela 's club visa credit cards ) .

cabela ' s

cabela ' s big game hunter 2012 is the latest entry in the cabela ' s hunting franchise .
principal subsidiaries : cabela ' s retail inc . ; cabela ' s catalog inc . ; cabela ' urltoken inc . ; cabela ' s outdoor adventures inc . ; cabela ' s ventures inc . ; cabela ' s wholesale inc . ; van dyke supply company inc . ; cabela ' s marketing and brand management inc . ; world ' s foremost bank .
cabela ' s ultimate deer hunt 2 is a pc entry in the long running cabela ' s line .
1983 : u . s . postal service assigns cabela’s its own zip code .
2001 : cabela’s charters the world’s foremost bank . the bank provides customer service , risk management and payment processing exclusively for cabela’s visa cardholders .
over the last 12 months cabela’s shares are down 29 percent . cabela’s declined comment . bass did not return calls .
cabela , david . cabela ' s , world ' s foremost outfitter : a history . storage hd9992 . u54c333 2001
© 1996 - 2018 cabela ' s inc . all right reserved . please read cabela ' s privacy policy and legal notices . cabela ' s , inc . , 1 cabela dr . , sidney , ne 69160
cabela’s issues cards through its financial subsidiary , the cheekily named world’s foremost bank ( a play on cabela’s marketing moniker , world’s foremost outfitter ) . last year more than a quarter of in - store purchases were made on the cabela’s visa .
cabela’s first announced it was considering a sale in november 2015 . the company ' s stock price had been declining and cabela ' s restructured to reduce expenses .
dick cabela , co - founder of outdoor outfitter cabela ' s , with his wife , mary . he died monday in nebraska at 77 . ( cabela ' s inc )
sequel to cabela ' s dangerous hunts 2 . cabela ' s dangerous hunts 2009 promises to be more survival orientated that the previous two .
bass pro shops ' $ 5 . 5 billion purchase means cabela’s fate is set — but sidney’s isn’t
bass pro shop ' s $ 5 . 5 billion deal for cabela ' s inc is falling apart
bass pro shop ' s $ 5 . 5 billion deal for cabela ' s inc is falling apart
as of april , jim cabela , chairman of cabela’s board of directors , owned nearly 16 percent of the company , according to government filings . the cabela’s family llc owned 8 percent .
cabela ' s - - unending progress and growth since 1961 , sidney , neb . : cabela ' s inc . , 1998 , 7 p .
cabela’s chief executive officer tommy millner said that response to the cabela’s store in billings and excitement generated after an announcement of a store coming to kalispell “made it an easy decision to extend the cabela’s retail footprint to missoula . ”
the cabela ' s in la vista opened in 2006 , making it the company ' s 18th store .
cabela’s stands out as the only u . s . retailer that owns a bank for the express purpose of issuing credit cards . analysts familiar with cabela’s say the importance of the retailer’s financial services segment can’t be overstated .
cabela’s changes its bylaws to delay director nominations in 2016 , a sign , some say , that elliott was giving cabela’s “breathing room” to pursue a sale .
a cabela ' s employee removes a sold kayak from the storefront in sidney .
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currently , cabela ' s operates 37 stores across the united states and canada .
cabela ' s african safari is a 2006 release in the trophy hunter franchise .
cabela’s is ranked 491 on this year’s top 500 u . s . brands , according to the british company , brand finance , that measures the economic value of commercial names . cabela’s is valued at $ 1 . 2 billion .
customers will have access to all cabela ' s merchandise via online order kiosks , and free shipping to cabela ' s outposts with an in - store pickup program .
missoula - - cabela’s inc . , a leading retailer of hunting , fishing and outdoor gear , on thursday announced plans to open a cabela’s outpost store in kalispell .
capital one will take over running cabela’s credit card unit as part of the deal . activist investment firm elliott management began pushing for significant changes at cabela’s last fall .
“cabela’s illegal use of gander mountain’s name to increase traffic to its website is very troubling . cabela’s has no legal basis for diverting gander mountain’s customers from reaching gander mountain’s website . gander mountain will take whatever legal action is necessary to stop cabela’s from continuing this illegal diversion . we will have no further comment as the court deals with this matter . ”
bass pro shop ' s $ 5 . 5 billion deal for cabela ' s inc is falling apart - aol finance
chairman jim cabela reports to the sec that he moved about 11 . 2 million cabela’s shares into a charitable trust sometime in 2015 .
bass pro shops and cabela ' s to merge in $ 5 . 5 billion deal
2012 : the first cabela’s outpost stores opens in markets with fewer than 250 , 000 people . currently , cabela’s operates 34 retail stores in the united states and canada .
bass pro shops ' acquisition of cabela ' s took nearly two year to complete . as part of the transaction , cabela’s credit card business was sold to capital one .
note : compare cabela ' s stock price history with the index and industry peers .
cabela ' s shares rose 15 % monday , closing at $ 63 . 18 .
» cabela’s goes public on new york stock exchange , earning $ 156 . 3 million
bass pro has officially purchased cabela ' s for $ 5 . 5 billion . the merger is expected to be completed in 2017 . ( photo : cabela ' s )
georgia bank could save bass pro ' s cabela deal - st . louis business journal
cabela ' s big game hunter is a 2007 release of the trophy hunter franchise .
subscribe to cabela ' s email for a chance to win ! no purchase necessary . follow this link to cabela ' s homepage and scroll to the bottom to sign up .
it will be the company’s third cabela’s store in montana . billings is home to an approximately 80 , 000 - square - foot cabela’s that opened in 2009 and a kalispell outpost location scheduled to open this fall .
bass pro shop ' s $ 5 . 5 billion deal for cabela ' s inc is falling apart - - the motley fool
cabela ' s credit card operation , world ' s foremost bank , operates at 4800 nw first street . ( ljs file )
a georgia bank reportedly is in talks to buy cabela ' s inc . ' s banking operation , which could revitalize bass pro shops ' plan to acquire cabela ' s retail operations for $ 4 . 5 billion .
cabela ' s retail division operates overwhelmingly popular stores throughout the u . s . as much wildlife museums and education centers as retail stores , cabela ' s showrooms provide a truly unique shopping experience . true destination stores , cabela ' s showrooms offer outdoor enthusiasts and their family an educational and entertaining shopping experience .
more coverage : cabela ' s sold to bass pro shops for $ 5 . 5 billion
cabela ' s bags strong ipo ,
daily deal , june 28 , 2004 .
back in sidney , some people wonder whether cabela’s decision to go public was a mistake .
this is a rendering of what cabela ' s new and smaller outpost stores look like .
cabela ' s has agreed to make several changes aimed at boosting its hiring of minorities .
cabela ' s big game hunter 2010 is the latest in the big game hunter franchise .
both cabela’s and bass pro shop have a retail presence in colorado . bass pro has stores in colorado springs and denver’s northfield stapleton shopping center , while cabela’s has three outposts , in thornton , lone tree and grand junction .
it’s unclear what will happen to cabela’s other facilities , though , or bass pro’s for that matter . cabela’s alone operates some 85 retail stores , with 19 , 000 “outfitters” staffing them . however , the release did say , “cabela’s stores , catalog business , and e - commerce operations will blend seamlessly with bass pro shops and white river marine group . ”
“kalispell is unique in many ways , but what makes it a cabela’s kind of place is the passion people have for outdoor recreation , ” said tommy millner , cabela’s chief executive officer .
cabela ' s ceo tommy millner said the company ' s board had unanimously backed the sale after
a thorough strategic review .
the first cabela ' s catalog in in 1963 was mailed to the company ' s customer list . the company ' s total revenue that year was $ 24 , 326 .
to shop online at cabela ' s , click here to connect with the urltoken home page .
that it had entered into a 10 - year partnership agreement to originate and service cabela ' s co - branded credit card and also agreed to acquire credit card operations from cabela ' s .
outdoor giant bass pro to acquire rival cabela’s for $ 5 . 5 billion – the denver post
cabela ' s tv spot , ' the feeling never ends . the hunt never ends . '
cabela ' s stock suffered more than 5 % decline on friday , while capital one ' s shares did not experience any material impact .
cabela ' s canada currently operates nine stores , with locations in winnipeg , regina , saskatoon , barrie on , nanaimo , moncton , calgary and two locations in edmonton . cabela ' s incorporated established its cabela ' s canada division in 2007 with a retail store and canadian headquarters in winnipeg .
gander is asking a court to order cabela’s and its internet service providers to cease all use of the two domain names “and any other similar names” and for cabela’s to surrender them to gander . in addition , the suit seeks money , including portions of cabela’s profits , attorney’s fees and up to $ 100 , 000 for each domain .
bass pro shops intends to continue to maintain cabela’s bases of operations in sidney and lincoln , nebraska and hopes to continue the very favorable connections to those communities and the cabela’s team members residing there .
guggenheim securities served as exclusive financial advisor to cabela ' s and sidley austin llp and koley jessen p . c . , l . l . o . served as cabela ' s legal counsel .
cabela’s bank released from fdic consent order the fdic has terminated a consent order against a nebraska - based credit card operation set up by the outdoor outfitter cabela’s . check out this story on urltoken urltoken
cabela ' s uses your cab support id to provide faster resolution to issues experienced while on our website . please provide this id when contacting cabela ' s for support via phone , email or chat .
bass pro shops and cabela ' s to merge in $ 5 . 5 billion deal - costar group
outdoor gear giants bass pro shops and cabela’s will combine in a $ 5 . 5 billion deal .
statues of wildlife adorn the entrance to a cabela ' s store in lavista , neb . 2016 .
a shirt rack is shown near a moose exhibit at the cabela ' s store in la vista .
by contrast , cabela ' s next - generation store in lavista is 129 , 000 square feet .
big game hunting comes to the kinect with the latest cabela ' s licensed game , hunting party .
to provide support for their co - branded credit card , which was started in 1995 , cabela ' s chartered the world ' s foremost bank , n . a . , in 2001 . the bank provides customer service , risk management and payment processing exclusively for cabela ' s visa cardholders . the cabela ' s visa card allows consumers to earn points back from all their purchases , which they can apply toward their next purchase at cabela ' s .
following the closing of the transaction , bass pro shops intends to celebrate and grow the cabela ' s brand and will build on qualities that respective customers love most about cabela ' s and bass pro shops . in addition , bass pro shops recognizes the strength of cabela ' s club loyalty program and intends to honor cabela ' s customer rewards and sees potential over time to expand the program in the combined company .
the value that crabtree , rohrbaugh & associates brings to every project helps cabela’s to maintain their high level of quality and customer satisfaction in an extremely competitive industry . the genuine materials used in cabela’s retail stores—from real stone and logs to museum - quality animal mounts—are a reflection of the quality of products that cabela’s sells .
bass pro shop ' s $ 5 . 5 billion deal for cabela ' s inc is falling apart @ themotleyfool # stocks $ cab , $ cof
the lawsuit doesn’t specify how much money , if any , cabela’s might be gaining from the website urls .
this could mean cabela’s will continue dazzling customers more easily than its shares will enrich investors in coming years .
bass pro shops said it plans to maintain cabela ' s operations in sidney and lincoln , neb .
and hopes to continue the very favorable connections to those communities and the cabela’s team members residing there .
that activist could have never made a mark if cabela’s had stayed private , as it was when mary and dick cabela started it at their kitchen table in the 1960s .
opening a cabela ' s outpost in saginaw will allow us to more efficiently serve our passionate customers across michigan and the great lakes region ,
cabela ' s chief executive officer tommy millner said .
in many ways this is an exciting new concept , but cabela ' s outposts also will be true cabela ' s stores offering a premier retail experience . we are confident it will be a perfect fit for saginaw .
according to urltoken , the domains urltoken and urltoken were created by cabela’s on feb . 24 , 1999 , and updated dec . 3 . they are set to expire feb . 24 . it’s unclear how long the domains actually have directed web users to the cabela’s website . the companies have a complex relationship , and at one point cabela’s actually owned gander’s catalog business , a fact the lawsuit makes no mention of .
at cabela’s , same - store comparable store sales — often used by wall street to measure a retailer’s growth — have been suffering for about a year .
elliott management , the hedge fund that owns a big stake in cabela’s now owns about 2 . 2 million more of the company’s shares than it did at the end of 2015 . the recent buys bring elliott management’s ownership of cabela’s to 9 . 3 percent of the company , up from its initial stake of 8 . 9 percent . it still has options to buy more — up to about 11 percent of cabela’s .
cabela’s operates 85 specialty retail stores , primarily in the western u . s . and canada . bass pro shops operates 99 stores primarily in the eastern part of the u . s . and canada .
in terms of employees and revenues , cabela’s is a larger company , according to public filings in recent years .
in february , cabela’s sued gander mountain for patent infringement over a fold - up cot that gander was selling .
outdoor magazine sports afield has acquired cabela ' s trophy properties , the real estate arm of the recreational brand cabela’s . ctp includes a network of real estate brokers and website focused on recreational properties that are available for sale .
hunting , fishing , and camping retailer bass pro shops is buying cabela ' s for $ 5 . 5 billion
cabela ' s has changed its bylaws to give shareholders less time to nominate candidates for its board of directors .
omaha — outdoor gear giants bass pro and cabela’s will combine in $ 5 . 5 billion deal announced monday .
cabela’s has agreed to sell its banking business to columbus , georgia - based financial services company synovus financial corp .
columbus , ga . - based synovus financial corp . ( nyse : snv ) has agreed to acquire cabela inc . ' s ( nyse : cab ) banking operation , which has revitalized bass pro shops inc . ' s plan to acquire cabela ' s retail operations .
cabela’s is pleased to have found the ideal partner in bass pro shops ,
said tommy millner , cabela’s ceo .
having undertaken a thorough strategic review , during which we assessed a wide variety of options to maximize value , the board unanimously concluded that this combination with bass pro shops is the best path forward for cabela’s . ”
men’s wearhouse is the latest store with plans to open in missoula’s new south crossing shopping center .
sidney , neb . ( ap ) - - the roughly $ 4 billion sale of outdoor outfitter cabela ' s to rival bass pro shops appears ready to close after regulators approved the sale of cabela ' s credit card unit .
cabela’s , the outdoor retailing giant , teams up with sidney — its partner of 43 years — to launch the largest development project in the western nebraska city’s history and help ease the growing community’s chronic housing shortage .
cabela’s , the thursday release said , is the world’s largest direct marketer of hunting , fishing , camping and related outdoor merchandise and is headquartered in sidney , neb .
2002 : cabela’s opens its newest store , in kansas city , kan . , near the new nebraska furniture mart .
guggenheim securities was cabela ' s exclusive financial adviser , and jpmorgan was the sole financial adviser to bass pro shops .
cabela ' s , based in sidney , expects the first cabela ' s outpost store , in union gap , wash . , a suburb of yakima , to open in the fall . construction is scheduled to begin in the spring .
capital one will be the exclusive issuing partner for cabela’s store - branded credit card under a 10 - year agreement .
cabela & apos ; s to pay nearly $ 10 . 4m in fdic settlement - the san diego union - tribune
cabela ' s north american adventures gives players the opportunity to experience hunting in more than 20 locations across the continent .
david cabela is the son and nephew of the founders of cabela ' s . he is a freelance writer and a dedicated fishing and hunting enthusiast . he lives in lincoln , nebraska .
cabela’s will pay $ 1 million to the u . s . securities and exchange commission to settle claims that the sidney , nebraska , retailer’s chief financial officer , ralph castner , misled investors regarding the company’s profitability ratios in 2012 . castner himself also will pay $ 50 , 000 to the regulatory agency . as part of the settlement , castner and cabela’s did not admit or deny wrongdoing .
privately held bass pro shops will pay $ 65 . 50 per share in cash for cabela ' s , representing a premium of 19 . 2 % over friday ' s closing price . cabela ' s had 68 , 909 , 403 shares outstanding as of its disclosure in a corporate filing .
today , cabela ' s main world headquarters building along interstate 80 in sidney encompasses more than 250 , 000 square feet .
cabela’s splits the roles of chief executive and president , promoting scott k . williams to president . tommy millner remains ceo .
a funny thing has happened on the road to selling cabela’s , the giant retailer of hunting , fishing and outdoor gear .
whether or not cabela’s is serious about selling its entire business will become clearer in about two months , a source predicted .
the transaction agreements were unanimously approved by cabela ' s board of directors following a comprehensive review of strategic and financial alternatives .
construction on the 42 , 000 - square - foot location is scheduled to begin in spring 2013 , and cabela’s expects to open the store in the fall of 2013 . it will be cabela’s second store in montana , joining the billings location .
cabela’s employs about 2 , 000 people in the western nebraska town of sidney , which has about 7 , 000 residents .
the fdic has terminated a consent order against a nebraska - based credit card operation set up by the outdoor outfitter cabela’s .
want to shoot like the pros ? cabela & apos ; s outfitters and pro staff members provide expert advice on what shooting accessories to buy and how to best use them at the range or in the field . review our buyer & apos ; s guides below to learn more about shooting gear available at cabela & apos ; s , and shop cabela & apos ; s gun library for a huge selection of firearms .
cabela’s acknowledged for the first time that the company — or parts of it — are for sale in a document filed with the u . s . securities and exchange commission .
omaha — the federal deposit insurance corp . has terminated a consent order against world’s foremost bank , a lincoln - based credit card operation set up by the outdoor outfitter cabela’s .
cabela ' s outpost stores , designed for efficiency , flexibility and convenience at around 40 , 000 square feet , will open in markets with less than 250 , 000 people , bringing the same quality products and customer service for which cabela ' s is famous to hometown markets too small to support cabela ' s popular next - generation stores ,
the company said .
after the buyout , the company will be based in bass pro’s hometown of springfield , missouri . it’s not yet clear how many of the roughly 2 , 000 workers at cabela’s headquarters of sidney , nebraska will be kept on .
in 2006 cabela ' s web site was ranked no . 1 in the outdoor retailer industry and the company was named company of the year in sporting classics magazine ' s prestigious awards of excellence . dick , mary and jim cabela are members of the sporting goods industry hall of fame , and dick cabela is a member of the direct marketing association hall of fame . over the years cabela ' s has received numerous recognitions for its work with conservation organizations . in addition , cabela ' s employees were instrumental in naming the company one of the top 100 companies to work for in fortune magazine ' s january 2000 issue .
founded in 1961 by dick , mary and jim cabela , cabela ' s is a highly respected marketer of hunting , fishing , camping , shooting sports and related outdoor merchandise . today , cabela ' s has over 19 , 000
outfitters
operating 85 specialty retail stores , primarily in the western u . s . and canada . cabela ' s stores , catalog business and e - commerce operations will blend seamlessly with bass pro shops and white river marine group . over the past 55 years cabela ' s has built a passionate and loyal base of millions of enthusiasts who shop both at its retail stores and online .
cabela’s operates 39 stores across the united states and canada . the company will open its first cabela’s outpost store on oct . 4 in union gap , wash . , and has announced plans to open another in saginaw , mich . , in 2013 .
sign up for cabela ' s emails and receive exclusive promo codes , updates about in - store events , and alerts about new arrivals right in your inbox ! follow this link to cabela ' s homepage and scroll to the bottom to sign up .
a cabela ' s spokesman said the charged - off amounts reduced the company ' s pre - tax liability for the settlement to $ 8 million from $ 10 . 1 million .
as “the world’s foremost outfitter” cabela’s retail stores are truly an outdoor enthusiast’s destination . crabtree , rohrbaugh & associates partnered with cabela’s retail inc . to design their 247 , 000 sf flagship store in hamburg , pa . construction was completed in 2003 and the store opened its doors to seven million visitors in its first year . cabela’s hamburg was their ninth retail store and the first east of michigan in this growing chain of destination retail centers . most cabela’s retail stores built have become the largest tourist attraction in their respective states based on the volume of annual visitors . visitors spend an average of three hours in the store .
activist hedge fund elliott management reveals an 11 . 1 percent stake in cabela’s . calls for changes , including selling the business .
to spur sales of its outdoor products , cabela ' s has been using digital marketing channels in mobile marketing and social networking .
the companies’ merger is expected to be finalized in early 2017 . to read the full press release from bps and cabela’s , click
cabela ' s reported a fourth - quarter net income of $ 69 . 8 million , or 99 cents a share , compare…
cabela’s also announced plans to build new stores in acworth , ga . ; augusta , ga . ; and barrie , ontario .
bass pro ceo johnny morris says he hopes to continue growing the cabela’s brand alongside his own springfield , missouri , based chain .
despite the accolades and growth , cabela ' s continues to embrace the original philosophy that the customer is no . 1 - a philosophy instilled by company founders jim and dick cabela . this dedication to the customer is just one of many reasons cabela ' s is what the family always knew it could be - a dream come true .
cabela ' s good performance was also helped by its efficient inventory management . inventory levels increased 13 % year - over - year versus a revenue increase of 14 . 8 % which means that cabela ' s struck the correct balance between inventory levels and sales .
stop out front and try a free sample of flossie ' s funnel cake . see how easy it is to make this great treat with one of our cabela ' s deep fryers .
the transaction provides cabela ' s shareholders with a premium of 19 . 2 % to cabela ' s closing share price on sep . 30 , 2016 , the day prior to announcement of the transaction , 39 . 7 % to the closing share price on dec . 1 , 2015 , the day before cabela ' s announced its exploration of strategic alternatives and 57 . 1 % to the 90 - day volume weighted trading average prior to dec . 1 , 2015 . immediately prior to closing , capital one will acquire certain assets and assume certain liabilities of cabela ' s world ' s foremost bank . the cash proceeds from this transaction will remain with cabela ' s until it is acquired by bass pro shops .
in the lawsuit , filed in federal court in minneapolis , gander accuses cabela’s of violating federal and state statutes as well as common law . among the allegations , gander says cabela’s is in violation of the federal anticybersquatting consumer protection act , trademark infringement and trademark dilution .
get geared up for the upcoming hunting season with your official cabela & apos ; s hunting equipment . be prepared for your next big buck or trophy tom with cabela & apos ; s huge selection of hunting accessories , including archery equipment , game calls , hunting optics and more . purchase high quality hunting gear and supplies from cabela & apos ; s today and be ready for your next trip .
cabela’s lays off 4 percent of its corporate workforce , about 70 people , including sidney mayor mark nienhueser , a v . p .
cabela’s announces that it will undergo a strategic review , which is often wall street speak for selling the company or parts of it .
cabela’s has postponed the time it will accept board nominations from what would have been this month until it sets its annual meeting date .
aside from raising capital to expand the business , family - owned companies like cabela’s may have other motivations for taking the company public .
designed for efficiency , flexibility and convenience , cabela’s outposts will serve customers in markets of less than 250 , 000 across north america .
“missoula has a proud tradition of outdoor recreation and is full of sportsmen and women who live the cabela’s lifestyle , ” millner said .
reel in the big catch for less at cabela ' s ! shop the selection of fishing rods priced at $ 50 or less .
we provide cabela ' s share price history along with historical valuation ratios like price to earnings ratio , and price to sales ratio for easy and quick cabela ' s stock analysis . cabela ' s stock price history captures the daily price movement for 1 year , 5 year , and 10 years . a large variation in high and low prices during the day implies a volatile day for the company ' s stock . the closing price was $ 61 . 5 and 5 , 168 , 218 shares of cab were traded on sep 25 , 2017 . the company ' s p / s ratio was at a high of 1 . 48 on aug 05 , 2013 according to our cabela ' s stock history data .
bass pro shops reels in cabela ' s for $ 4 . 5b bass pro shops has reached a deal to acquire outdoors retail competitor cabela ' s in a deal valued at $ 4 . 5 billion , the companies said monday . check out this story on urltoken urltoken
georgia - based synovus finanical corp . is now in talks to acquire cabela ' s banking business , with plans to resell the credit - card portfolio to capital one and keep the $ 1 billion in deposits held by cabela ' s , the wall street journal reports .
pheasant valley farm and cabela ' s are committed to maintaining pennsylvania ' s outdoor heritage , wildlife conservation and hunting traditions . we believe in order to maintain this valued way of life , today ' s women must be allowed the opportunity to gain outdoor experience and learn about pennsylvania ' s rich hunting heritage .
bass pro shops will acquire cabela’s for $ 5 . 5 billion under a deal that will combine two major outdoor apparel and equipment retailers .
cabela & apos ; s offers in - store pickup to serve you at your convenience . learn more about our in - store pickup .
grier , bob ,
cabela ' s : a store with a story ,
nebraskaland magazine , august 1993 , p . 8 .
at outposts , all of cabela’s merchandise can be ordered through online kiosks and through a no - charge , in - store pickup program .
this is cabela ' s second planned cabela ' s outpost store , joining the union gap , wash . , location scheduled to open this fall . it is expected to employ about 75 full - and part - time employees . most will come from the greater saginaw area .
camping this year ? cabela ' s has you covered with tents at $ 150 or less . no coupon required . gear up now !
a missoula redevelopment agency memo revealed in may that cabela’s would be a tenant . the memo also noted that kohl’s department store will be a tenant at the new shopping center , dubbed south crossing .
we believe cabela ' s outpost stores will be perfectly suited to — and will be particularly successful in — the western united states and canada ,
said cabela chief executive officer tommy millner , in a news release .
we have more cabela ' s outpost stores on the planning table , but we can ' t reveal those locations just yet .
“in a market like dallas , fort worth , the under armour brand is really big in our stores , whereas in a smaller market , there ' s more of a bias to cabela ' s merchandise , ” said millner . “so we ' re going to be really focused on the cabela ' s brand in these smaller markets . ”
cabela & apos ; s is pleased to announce worldwide trophy adventures ( wta ) has acquired cabela & apos ; s outdoor adventures and trophy application guide service ( t . a . g . s . ) . under this strong foundation , cabela & apos ; s and wta have developed unique and exclusive offerings for cabela & apos ; s customers and club members . additionally , cabela & apos ; s gift cards and club points are easily redeemable with wta . cabela’s club members can also earn extra club points on purchases made through wta . we at cabela & apos ; s believe wta is the right strategic partner and a great organization with a very knowledgeable and a strong history of providing outstanding service and customer satisfaction . we are excited for this partnership and confident wta will be a great asset for our customers . as a result of this transaction , your account and related personal information is now owned by wta . please visit the wta privacy policy to become familiar with their policies and terms . for additional information regarding wta & apos ; s policies and terms , please contact wta . click here .
cabela ' s outfitter journal magazine , and award - winning television shows further enhance the company ' s brand image and provide the public with entertaining and educational ways to experience what cabela ' s is about . these media outlets provide sportsmen and women the opportunity to learn what the outdoors has to offer through top - quality production and informative features from the nation ' s most knowledgeable outdoor journalists and personalities .
so why would cabela’s — or any company — expose itself to such scrutiny ? when it comes to taking a business public — especially a family - owned retail business — it’s all about the money .
the hamburg cabela & apos ; s store also hosts the walker hearing center , a certified hearing center where you can have your hearing tested .
there are many different outdoor recreational areas easily accessible from the cabela & apos ; s hamburg store , including state parks , lakes and forests .
representatives for cabela ' s and bass pro shops did not respond to requests seeking comment , questions about potential store closures or interviews with executives .
cabela ' s said the outposts will have its rugged outdoor look and theme , and will feature seasonal product assortments in a flexible floor plan .
there are many different outdoor recreational areas easily accessible from the cabela & apos ; s saginaw outpost , including state parks , lakes and forests .
demolition work began in mid - july as part of a $ 24 . 5 million project that includes construction of a new building for cabela’s .
woodbury president randy woodbury said in an email thursday that demolition should be finished within the month so cabela’s can begin construction of the outpost building .
in the email sent thursday , woodbury said the cabela’s announcement is the “first of several announcements that we expect over the next few months . ”
check out cabela ' s current line of coupons , promo codes , and special offers ! save on top brands of your favorite outdoor gear .
despite the similarities between bass pro and cabela ' s , though , there were enough degrees of separation that should have allowed the deal to move forward with relative ease . cabela ' s operates some 80 stores in 36 states , mostly in the west , with nine more locations in canada . bass pro shops has about 100 stores , mostly in the midwest and east coast . moreover , cabela ' s specialty is hunting while bass pro ' s is , as its name implies , fishing .
bass pro shop ' s hunt for cabela ' s is becoming stuck in a regulatory thicket and could ultimately fall apart , raising questions of whether investors will ever see that buyout premium they are hoping for .
the federal deposit insurance corporation announced the agreement with cabela ' s worlds foremost bank unit on tuesday . cabela ' s will pay $ 10 . 1 million in restitution and pay a $ 250 , 000 fine . but the company , based in sidney , nebraska , did not admit wrongdoing .
sign up to track 236 nationally aired tv ad campaigns for cabela ' s . in the past 30 days , cabela ' s has had 29 airings and earned an airing rank of # 2 , 349 with a spend ranking of # 2 , 722 as compared to all other advertisers . competition for cabela ' s includes bass pro shops , dick ' s sporting goods , academy sports + outdoors , mossy oak , gander outdoors and the other brands in the retail stores : outdoor & sporting goods industry . you can connect with cabela ' s on facebook , twitter , youtube and pinterest or by phone at 1 - 800 - 237 - 4444 .
in september 1998 cabela ' s announced plans to create its own bank , and add hundreds of people to its call - center ( primarily for phone orders and processing credit card orders ) . within two years the company had already outgrown its new offices and revealed plans that would almost double the size of cabela ' s existing lincoln nebraska facility . in the few years after their first expansion cabela ' s already found themselves tight on room . they made special arrangements with the community to receive tax breaks for their building projects , widely supported because lincoln highly valued the company ' s economic boom . the growth of cabela ' s even affected the housing market , where almost all available houses were snapped up by cabela ' s employees - - the community contractors were called upon to construct new housing developments .
duff , mike ,
cabela ' s megastore masters sports and entertainment ,
dsn retailing today , november 20 , 2000 , p . 3 .
plans are to sell ownership of the credit card operation — while retaining the profit stream . that would relieve cabela’s of regulatory oversight and increase profits .
part of the deal includes an agreement with capitol one which will allow cabela ' s customers to continue using their club co - branded credit cards .
demolition crews are expected to have the former kmart building torn down and the mess cleared within a month so construction can begin on a cabela’s outpost .
cabela’s outpost stores are located in markets of less than 250 , 000 people and are designed for efficiency , flexibility and convenience , the release said .
become a outdoors savant with deals from cabela ' s ! check out their selection of knives for $ 50 or less . no coupon code required .
shop cabela ' s today to take advantage of fantastic deals , like a $ 10 discount on 10 boxes of remington game loads . great deal !
“we have resisted the temptation to say well , its 500 stores , 200 stores , 300 stores , 175 stores , ceo thomas millner said of the potential u . s . and canadian market for cabela’s stores . “all i can tell you it ' s a lot . ”
also , earnings per share came in at $ 0 . 70 . this was higher than last year ' s earnings of $ 0 . 60 per share . cabela ' s expects 2014 to be the sixth consecutive year of double - digit earnings - per - share growth , signaling management ' s confidence about the company ' s prospects .
the columbus , ga . - based bank bought certain assets , including $ 1 . 2 billion in deposits , of world’s foremost bank , a wholly - owned subsidiary of cabela’s , then immediately sold the credit card assets to capital one financial corp . ( nyse : cof ) . synovus said it will receive $ 75 million in consideration from cabela’s and capital one .
join us on this day as u . s . law shield and cabela ' s partner to make this holiday season a little brighter for some special kids . donate a new unwrapped toy and receive a $ 20 . 00 off coupon on your next store purchase . in addition , if you become a u . s . law shield member during this time you will receive a $ 30 . 00 cabela ' s gift card .
dia’s terminal is in for more than 3 years of construction . here’s how it will play out , and what to expect .
last year 30 % of revenue came from direct sales ( through catalog and online orders ) , and 59 % from physical retail stores . the remaining revenue came from cabela’s impressive credit - card business . its cabela’s club visa card , a branded rewards card usable wherever visa cards are accepted , has made cabela’s the 13 th - largest general credit card issuer in the country , trailing only the biggest banks in the u . s . , american express co . ( axp ) and discover financial services ( dfs ) .
while a bank would normally just withdraw an application before it was denied , because capital one ' s deal is tied up with the merger , it needs to get cabela ' s permission to withdraw , which the retailer is apparently loathe to do . and because cabela ' s credit card operation is chartered as a bank , the merger requires the approval of the comptroller .
but cabela’s is much less profitable because , sources said , it is still run like a family business with , for example , subpar inventory control systems .
the wilderness - themed store bass pro shops is buying cabela ' s for $ 65 . 50 per share , or about $ 5 . 5 billion .
in this file photo , a shirt rack is shown near a moose exhibit at the cabela ' s store in la vista . ( ap file photo )
demolition crews tear into the south wall of the old kmart building earlier this week to make room for a new cabela’s outpost , it was announced thursday .
sidney , neb . — cabela’s shareholders are giving a nod to the sale of the outdoor outfitter to rival bass pro shops for roughly $ 4 billion .
the settlement is more than the $ 8 million cabela ' s officials estimated last month but still less than their initial estimated liability of $ 18 million .
deer hunter 2005 and now cabela’s pro hunts . the hunter is the most realistic game ever made , but the pay 2 play formula is too cheap .
richard cabela , who sold the great outdoors , is dead at 77 , ” elizabeth a . harris , the new york times feb . 21 , 2014 .
richard n . cabela , founder of the hunting and outdoors retail chain cabela’s , one of the largest sellers of guns and ammunition in the country , died on monday at his home in sidney , neb . , where the company is based . he was 77 . ” “dick cabela dies at 77 : co - founded cabela’s sporting goods empire , ” david colker , los angeles times feb . 19 , 2014 . “remembering the slow rise of dick cabela’s guns - and - gear empire , ” kyle stock , bloomberg business week , feb . 18 , 2014 .
obituaries : richard cabela ( many additional death notices will be found in feb . 2014 )
also , cabela ' s is not too expensive at a forward p / e of 16 and analysts are expecting solid growth in the future . cabela ' s earnings are projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 17 % over the next five years , making it a good deal at current valuations .
that might be clever , but it’s also illegal , according to st . paul - based gander mountain , which on friday sued nebraska - based cabela’s , its larger competitor in the outdoors retail sector , for illegal cybersquatting .
the deal is expected to close before its oct . 3 deadline . it ' s not clear how many of the roughly 2 , 000 jobs based in cabela ' s hometown of sidney , nebraska , will remain afterward .
chairman dick cabela and his wife mary – who founded the sidney , neb . , company in 1961 and built it into one of the most successful mail - order retailers in the country – was there at a table in lone tree to sign autographs . in the parking lots of all cabela’s locations , tailgating is common , and many customers reportedly hold onto receipts from cabela’s grand - opening days as keepsakes .
the deal will give cabela’s shareholders $ 65 . 50 cash per share , but it creates uncertainty about jobs in the retailer’s home state of nebraska . the combined companies plan to keep some operations in sidney and lincoln , nebraska , but it’s not immediately clear how many jobs might be lost .
looking for a fun family activity this easter season ? look no further , as cabela ' s is hosting this all - new easter craft just for kids .
cabela’s has hired a crisis communications firm that advertises itself as a
defender
of companies against activist investors as the retailer is reportedly looking for a buyer .
stock in cabela ' s inc . , the outdoor outfitter , hit a 52 - week high and was among the biggest gainers on the new york stock exchange on thursday after the company announced earnings above expectations , a more aggressive retail expansion and a new , smaller retailing concept it calls cabela ' s outpost stores .
“the area is full of outdoorsmen and women who truly live and breathe the cabela’s lifestyle . we look forward to serving them for many years to come . ”
outdoor retailer cabela ' s has agreed to pay nearly $ 10 . 4 million and reform its credit card practices as part of a settlement with federal regulators .
cabela’s anticipates the store will employ about 75 full - time , part - time and seasonal employees . it will be located near west reserve drive along u . s . highway 93 . the area also includes lowe’s , costco , the home depot , best buy and target , among other businesses .
cabela & apos ; s outfitters and pro staff offer expert advice on the best use of hunting supplies as well as strategies to help make your hunting trips successful . cabela & apos ; s pro staff hunters are professionals offering tips and tactics on everything from hunting decoys and blinds to bow tuning . learn from the best .
cabela’s stock , meantime , has surged by 440 % over the past five years , giving the company a market value of $ 4 . 7 billion and dusting the 135 % gain in an index of retailer shares and the 35 % climb in the broad standard & poor’s 500 stock index . this prodigious run has ballooned the personal wealth of dick and mary cabela and dick’s brother james cabela to a combined $ 1 . 2 billion , based on their collective 25 % ownership of the company .
cabela ' s catalog showroom set for october opening in prairie du chien , wis . ,
pr newswire , august 26 , 1998 , p . 8 .
anyone in business is going to make mistakes ,
cabela told investor ' s business daily in 2012 .
we always learn something valuable from them .
about half of cabela’s sales come from hunting equipment , followed by general outdoors ( more than 30 % ) and clothing and footwear ( more than 20 % ) .
bass pro shops has reached a deal to acquire outdoors retail competitor cabela ' s in a deal valued at $ 4 . 5 billion , the companies said monday .
elliott management has said that , including options , it owns an 11 percent stake in cabela’s , and the paul singer - controlled firm could launch a proxy fight .
cabela ' s stores here in montana and across the country will be under new ownership after announcement of a $ 5 . 5 billion deal with bass pro shops .
the effect that family - owned companies like cabela’s can have on their headquarters cities , especially in a company town like sidney , is “immense , ” craig said .
in addition to the book noted above see : “cabela’s inc . ” in volume 68 of the international directory of company histories p . 74 ( also available electronically )
according to the settlement , world ' s foremost bank , cabela ' s credit card operation , will pay $ 10 . 1 million in restitution and a $ 250 , 000 civil money penalty . the retailer did not admit wrongdoing .
blanding , michael . the coke machine : the dirty truth behind the world ' s favorite soft drink king ' s hd9349 . s634c5333 2010
construction on the 43 , 000 - square - foot store is scheduled to begin this fall and cabela ' s expects to open the location in spring 2013 . it will be cabela ' s third retail store in michigan , joining the dundee location , which opened in 2000 , and the grandville location , slated to open in 2013 .
cabela ' s stock price history comprises of 10 years of historical data , or the data since the inception of the company . daily open , high , low , and end of day closing price for the company , along with cabela ' s price earnings ratio , and the price to sales ratio are available in this historical stock price data . the stock price was at a 5 year high of $ 71 . 71 on aug 05 , 2013 as seen from cabela ' s stock price history chart .
the world’s foremost outfitter could cease to exist if a competitor buys sidney - based cabela’s . thousands of jobs there and elsewhere across the state are on the line after bass pro shops was said thursday to be interested in the struggling retailer .
world ' s foremost bank , the lincoln - based credit card operation run by outdoors retailer cabela ' s , has settled allegations of unfair and deceptive practices for more than $ 10 million , the federal deposit insurance corp . announced tuesday .
cabela ' s has been the best performer of the three with a stock price gain of close to 50 % . if you think that you missed the bus , don ' t worry , because cabela ' s can move higher in the future . the company posted strong results recently and the strategies that it is following are also impressive .
further , cabela ' s stated in the filing that the companies are exploring alternative structures that could allow them in closing the deals on or before oct 3 , 2017 .
cabela’s inc . officially announced plans thursday to open a 42 , 000 - square - foot outpost in missoula on the site near the intersection of reserve and brooks streets .
cabela ' s , a hunting , fishing and outdoor gear outfitter , says it plans on opening a new store in saginaw , michigan , and in anchorage , alaska .


levitron is a brand of levitating toys and gifts in science and educational markets marketed by creative gifts inc. and fascination toys & gifts .

the levitron top device is a commercial toy under this brand that displays the phenomenon known as spin-stabilized magnetic levitation .

this method , with moving permanent magnets , is quite distinct from other versions which use changing electromagnetic fields , levitating various items such as a rotating world globe , model space shuttle or vw beetle , and picture frame .

750,000 units were sold from 1994 through 1999 .

levitron

figure 2 ( a ) : force diagram when levitron is level , ( b ) : when levitron is at a tilt .
decide for yourself if the levitron was
stolen
after reading . . .
ece - theory easily explains the levitron . thus , the levitron can be viewed as a demonstration - device for ece - theory . the levitron employs counter - rotating magnetic fields to achieve its counter - gravity effect . it falls in the class of devices defined in [ 18 ] . using the levitron as a conceptual basis , the focus is levitron - like devices , which are described in [ 12 ] . the levitron is shown herein to be a rudimentary sub - class of crossfield - device technology .
sorry to be pedantic , but this is a straight forward levitator , not a levitron .
ad in journal popular science for a magneflight instruction booklet , from article
the hidden history of the levitron
, at www . levitron . com . 12 / 88 . *
i ' d change it purely based on the association of levitron with the floating spinning top .
i m . v . berry , ”the levitron : an adiabatic trap for spins” , proc .
i gans , et al . ”dynamics of the levitron” , j . phys . d 31 ,
levitron is able to levitate in mid - air by harnessing the lifting power produce by two opposed permanent magnet and stabilized in space by using the gyroscopic effect spinning produces . levitron anti . . .
because that ninja weighs less than 0 . 75 pounds , you can levitate it on the levitron .
as of 8 / 24 / 97 we have suspended sales of levitrons , super levitrons & levitron perpetuators - in light of some recent astonishing revelations concerning the true origins of the levitron anti - gravity top .
with the levitron revolution , you can float ( and slowly rotate ) nearly any object of your choosing .
by martin simon of ucla . a thorough , high - level treatment of levitron physics is presented in this
to use the levitron , first align the magnetic disc with the aid of the four leds in the base .
the levitron device is a toy top that can be made to spin while levitated above a magnetic base . some west coast toy companies market the toy . physical principles governing the levitron are similar to those exploited by the geodesic - fall process . the levitron device is arguably a “miniaturized” example of a mag - lev like process . aspects of the levitron device behavior are used herein to illustrate the geodesic - fall process dynamics , on the laboratory scale .
a levitron uses no power , just permanent magnets and suspends the spinning object above the main part of the kit .
if v m2 = 0 , then we have the levitron case . for levitation , v r must be positive . thus , one argues the levitron top must spin . however , it is m 1 that is required to spin .
the levitron revolution can handle objects ( even blatant cross - promos ) weighing up to 3 / 4 of a pound .
figure 1 : a simplified version of the levitron . the base is oriented such that it repels the top . [ 1 ]
levitron ion antigravity globe levg33 - youtube . complete with box and instructions . tested and working as shown here . retired usaf .
[ 11 ] “physical theory of the levitron” by ; h . eckardt , c . kellum aias posting ; 17 sep . ' 10
by sir michael berry , where he shows that the magnetic trapping of a levitron top is analogous to that used to trap single neutrons .
so , in keeping with our mandate here at
levitron central
to provide completely uncensored reportage and information about all things levitron , we will continue to
update
this article as these legal events unfold . in the meantime , you can e - mail mr . hones by clicking here . , and let him know what you think . then , just check back here for regular updates on the levitron legal action !
[ 12 ] “the levitron™ : a counter - gravitation device for ece - theory demonstration” revision 1 by : charles w . kellum the galactican group july 2010
[ 3 ] jones , t . b . 1997 . “simple theory for the levitron . ” j . appl . phys . 82 : 883 - 888 .
proceedings of the royal society of london ,
the levitron : an adiabatic trap for spins
1996 , band a 452 , pp . 1207 - 1220 .
ps - bill hones ' company also markets a few other
toys by physicists
- none of which is anywhere close to the levitron . when we had an opportunity to point this out to bill one day , he thought about it a moment , then smiled and admitted that something like the levitron probably comes along only once in a lifetime .
too much work ? try the levitron , which will keep even the most scientifically inclined theorizing about exactly how it works . the levitron gets touted as an
anti - gravity
device - - and in a way , it is . the latest levitron uses a cleverly arranged collection of magnets to keep a globe spinning . and there are plenty of variations on the theme : a version of the levitron called
floating ideas
gives you a base over which you can float a variety of objects , including models of the space shuttle , a vw beetle and a picture frame .
the most popular is a floating picture frame ,
notes hannifin .
it ' s great for executives ' desks .
this sophisticated system is constantly adjusting the strength of magnetism to compensate for changes in weight which prevents the magnetic disc from falling . the levitron revolution only costs $ 99 . 99 at
if the levitron ' s v m1 spin / rotation component is less than β , the top falls away along a geodesic path induced by the anti - gravity condition caused by the interaction of the levitron ' s ring magnet ( m 1 ) , and magnetic base ( m 2 ) . this factor is exploited as a propulsion system concept in [ 23 ] .
in response to several inquiries , we need to note that the ads for the levitron , and an instructional video , that reappeared on art bell ' s dreamland radio show around the holidays , were not us . it would be natural to assume otherwise , since it was ufo who advertised the levitron , along with our
exclusive
instructional video , on bell ' s show continuously for over a year . after we suspended our advertising , bell ' s network stated that they would not accept any levitron advertising until
the legal issues are resolved .
i came here expecting to see a homemade levitron - like passive levitator , with permanent magnets , but as others have pointed out , this is not that , and has nothing to do with it . so why the copyrighted name ? this is a very simple active electromagnetic levitator , which is fine , just not a levitron . there are a couple of instructables on how to make a true levitron - like device but not very good ones . there are better examples on youtube . i have made one that doesn ' t require any weights at all .
as part of our levitron litigation , we also had the opportunity to submit our own
expert reports .
so we asked three of the scientists named in this article to make whatever comments they cared to make regarding the levitron situation in general , and the expert reports of hones and co . in particular . you can read their responses yourself and decide what you think .
[ 2 ] berry , m . v . 1996 . “the levitron : an adiabatic trap for spins . ” proc . r . soc . lond . a 452 : 1207 - 1220 .
the levitron revolution creates levitation via magnetism . the base unit features magnets in each of its four corners . the processor inside continually adjusts their strength to keep the magnetic disc centered and floating .
mr . johnson not only ordered these
levitator
plans ( the first page of which is already linked to this article ) he also ordered some parts that were offered , and constructed from them his own square , flat - based levitron . it was mr . johnson who , on a family vacation shortly thereafter , passed through arkansas and happened across les and harley adam and their magnet company , az industries . he showed them his levitron , and harley adam - after seeing it , but before seeing chieffo ' s plans - built a levitron of his own design . it was harley ' s levitron which was subsequently featured on the june , 1991 cover of
magnets in your future
magazine , and also in the may , 1993
electric spacecraft journal
- both of which are also linked above .
levitron was the source of trademark litigation in united states district court of new mexico . creative gifts , inc . , the owner of the levitron trademark , brought suit against michael and karen sherlock and their company ufo , alleging trademark infringement and seeking a permanent injunction . the district court , judge leroy c . hansen , held that the mark was infringed , and rejected all of the sherlocks ' defenses and counterclaims .
before we ever heard of the levitron anti - gravity top , we made our living as writers , teachers & video producers , with long experience in business . however , we had no experience in retail , toys , mail order , or the web . two years ago we found the levitron in a mail - order catalog , and immediately
flipped out
over it . we saw this wondrous thing as much more than an
executive toy
, and - in line with our desire to
uplift
people - recognized it as the perfect embodiment of our philosophy that more is possible in life than one might suspect . we played with it so much that we became levitron masters . and in doing so we realized that to fly the levitron well wasa real art . an art that we were in a perfect position to teach .
there are about five models of levitron on the market . my favorite is the cherry wood model in the video , which allows a flight altitude of about 10 cm . no strings or illusions - just physics !
see also : hidden history of the levitron ( a stolen invention ) urltoken maintained by bill beaty . mail me at : billb @ urltoken . if you are using lynx , type
c
to email .
photo of bill hones levitron physics paper by martin simon et al . frame from video of harrigan ' s levitron prototype letter from martin simon to bill hones bill hones ' attorney ' s reply to simon ' s letter - part 1 bill hones ' attorney ' s reply to simon ' s letter - part 2 partial transcript of bill hones ' appearance on the laura lee radio show harrigan patent hones patent photo of roy harrigan fax from ufo to hones ' attorney disputing statements made in his reply to simon levitron prior art # 2 - magnets in your future magazine partial transcript of bill hones ' appearance on the qvc network levitron science poster by michael mcbride letter from hones ' attorney to ufo demanding transfer of this website ufo ' s reply to bill hones regarding ownership of this website bill hones ' email roy harrigan ' s email ufo ' s email hidden history feedback page letters update excerpt from hones ' legal brief and affidavit of bill hones affidavit of ed hones photo of ed hones affidavit of hones ' attorney hones ' expert report # 1 - harry manbeck hones '
fascinations
website excerpt from harrigan / hones meeting video transcript hones ' expert report # 2 - peter manbeck ufo ' s expert report # 1 - martin simon ufo ' s expert report # 2 - michael mcbride ufo ' s expert report # 3 - tom jones levitron prior art # 3 - electric spacecraft journal magazine levitron prior art # 4 - popular science ' s
levitator
plans selected excerpts from harrigan / hones meeting video transcript legal analysis of hones patent in light of two prior art references photo of simon ' s levitron prototype made with harrigan ' s
claim 12
base configuration correspondence between rod driver and bill hones popular science classified ad for the
magneflight
levitron letter from jerry johnson to the magneflight co . letter from magneflight ' s joseph chieffo to jerry johnson jerry johnson ' s display ad for his
mag - neet - o
levitron
to say that bill hones
ripped off
the levitron may sound harsh , but this is exactly how we first heard the situation described to us . commendably , it was the scientists who blew the whistle . in march 1997 , we got an e - mail through this website from a physicist named martin simon at ucla , offering us a link to a paper he ' d written with two of his colleagues on the levitron . we readily agreed , linked to it , and only then did we read it . click here to read it yourself . it ' s also linked on the bottom of our
how does the levitron work ?
page .
the levitron revolution is an awesome gadget that appeals to everyone ' s inner geek . seriously , you can float your stuff ! check out the images below . hopefully , they ' ll inspire you to get your float on .
agreed about the trademark , although any trouble for theft of levitron ip would be ironic given their theft of the entire product proposition ! have a google on it as the inventor isn ' t getting anything from the producer . urltoken
well , that did it . we traded michael a super levitron for roy harrigan ' s phone number , and decided it was time to talk with martin simon directly . marty told us that he had indeed gone to visit roy , and had seen a videotape of roy ' s working levitron that roy had sent to bill before they ' d ever met . roy had even put some mirrors behind the floating top to prove there were no tricks . ( one of bill ' s office staff later let slip that they ' d still suspected at first that it may have been done with wires ! ) click here to see a still from roy ' s video of his early prototype levitron .
so now it seems we are faced with not one , but two
real
levitron inventors . and bill and ed hones , who invented nothing , continue to
steal
the credit from both of them to this very day .
levitron is an amazing & delightful experience ! of weight to the top , leveling the base magnet , and learning to make it . a complete kit with all pieces , top , base , weights , instructions & original box . . .
seconding leonardo2016 ' s comment . i love this ; it ' s brilliant and so simple . . . but it ' s not a levitron , which is , after all , a legally - protected name . you could get in some trouble .
the levitron revolution comes with a small magnetic disc which is where you place an object weighing up to 12 ounces on so that it may float in the air . getting an object to float is actually pretty simple . first , place the magnetic disc on the levitron and wait for the four led lights on the base station to light up . you can let go of the magnetic disc once all lights are on . at this point , you should be mesmerized at the sight of a floating disc . now , you can place an item on top of the disc as long as it weighs a maximum of 12 ounces . the levitron is capable of making up to 1 , 000 corrections per second to the electromagnets that are at the base of the device .
for the levitron , a spin component is needed to couple with spacetime torsion , to achieve spin - connection - resonance ( scr ) . this spin component must exceed some β to maintain scr and stability . stated more precisely , from the above discussion ;
com
to sell goods bearing the trademark
levitron
under an at - will license from the trademark owner . the talk page associated with an article is named
talk : example
, where
example
is the name of the article .
we were surprised when we showed him the finished tape , featuring
bill hones , inventor of the levitron
, that he didn ' t grab it up and put one with every levitron . but he wished us well , and we went on to start selling a few levitrons on the side . our goal was to bring
levitation to the masses
, so we cut the retail price by at least a third and included our video free with every top . our gamble was that we could make up the difference in volume . it worked , and the business
took off .
then it occurred to us that what we felt about the levitron was a perfect match to what art bell was doing on his syndicated talk radio shows . so we began to advertise our levitron and
exclusive instructional video
package on his show . and the rest is - as they say - history . the video worked great , and we became the largest single retailer of levitrons in the world . this website soon followed .
there are two main properties that allow the levitron to levitate stably . the first is the magnetic repulsion , which provides the force for levitation . the second are gyroscopic effects due to the spinning of the top , which account for the stability of the levitation .
duffy t . j . , taylor c . e . ( 1973 ) refrigeration for the livermore superconducting levitron . in : timmerhaus k . d . ( eds ) advances in cryogenic engineering . advances in cryogenic engineering , vol 18 . springer , boston , ma
the levitron : spin stabilized magnetic levitation - will fly for about 3 minutes or more per launch . the spin rate of the magnetic top must be just right for flight , not too fast or too slow . also the weight of the top must be adjusted to within 1 gram to achieve equilibrium between the pull of gravity and the magnetic repulsion from the large donut shaped magnet in the wood base . repost of probably my favorite physics toy of all time . ➡ follow the link in my profile for information on where to get a levitron and many of the other amazing items featured here on @ physicsfun . # physics # physicstoy # levitron # magnet # magneticfield # magnetism # earnshawstheorem # equilibrium # gravity # angularmomentum # precession # amazing # science # levitation # maglev # scienceisawesome # stableequilibrium # neodymium # neodymiummagnet
we note once again that , for the levitron , m 1 is attached to the top ( s ) , m 2 is the base . device operation shows the top must spin to levitate stably above the base . more correctly , m 1 is required to spin .
the levitron ' s processor constantly adjusts itself ( 1 , 000 times per second ! ) to keep the magnetic disc centered and aloft . so , if you add weight to it , spin the object on top of it , or bump it , the disc will remain floating .
the levitron revolution with ez float technology is a mesmerizing way to display small objects . the device allows you to levitate and slowly rotate your collectibles , toys , small office supplies - pretty much anything weighing up to 12 ounces . to float an object , you first levitate the included small magnetic disc . four led lights on the base station help guide the alignment . next , place your item of choice on top of the disc . the levitron automatically compensates for changes in weight by making up to 1 , 000 corrections per second to the electromagnets contained within the base .
so , after nineteen months of perpetrating a heavily - funded and totally baseless legal assault against us , bill hones is still selling his fraudulent levitrons , is still denying that he owes roy harrigan anything , and is still continuing in his attempts to misappropriate both our urltoken website and our levitron business .
hello , today i ' ll show you how i made levitron . so the idea of device is very simple , the electromagnet lift into the air a piece of magnetic material , and in order to create the floating effect , it is connected with a high frequency , lifting and dropping the subject .
in addition the axis of the top must tilt at a slight angle to become trapped , and the top must be spinning above a certain rate . surprisingly , if the top is spinning too fast it will not float ! these operating parameters of the levitron , and many other surprising details , are described in this
on appeal to the tenth circuit court of appeals , the levitron mark was enforced in favor of its owner . creative gifts , inc . v . ufo , 235 f . 3d 540 ( 10th cir . 2000 ) ( new mexico ) . specifically , the court affirmed the district court ( 1 ) that the term ' levitron ' is not a generic term , and that the specific categories of evidence proffered by the sherlocks in support of their claim , including internet sites purporting to demonstrate generic use , failed ; ( 2 ) that the district court ' s assignment of the urltoken domain originally procured by the sherlocks to creative was proper ; ( 3 ) that no theory of promissory estoppel could be asserted against creative by the sherlocks ; and ( 4 ) that no
naked license
of the levitron mark had been granted by creative . all 23 of the counterclaims made by the sherlocks were rejected . the court affirmed a permanent injunction against the sherlocks .
the levitron consists of a base and a top . the base is a ring magnet with north oriented upwards . the top is a magnet with north oriented downwards . the two norths repel , thereby providing an upwards force on the top due to the magnetic field from the base . a diagram can be found in figure 1 .
moreover , a technical skill - testing toy is known in the form of a permanent magnet made as a gyroscope that is manually impelled into fast rotation and then allowed to float contactless for only a few minutes in an unregulated magnetic field , in which the rotation contributes to a short stabilization until the rotational velocity is reduced by the friction with air and the gyroscope topples down . ( u . s . pat . no . 5 , 404 , 062 ) , ( professional journal : proceedings of the royal society of london , “the levitron : an adiabatic trap for spins” , 1996 , band a 452 , pages 1207 - 1220 ) , ( trademark : “levitron” ) .
as we continue to actively investigate and report on the hidden history of the levitron , individuals with missing pieces of the puzzle continue to find us . the latest of these is a retired nasa scientist from alabama named jerry johnson . it seems that mr . johnson is a longtime reader of popular science magazine and , in the december 1988 issue , he spotted a small classified ad offering for sale - for $ 5 - plans to build a levitron . click here to see that 12 / 88
popular science
ad . we note that this was about5 1 / 2 years after the harrigan patent issued , but almost 6 1 / 2 years before the hones patent .
moreover , a technical skill - testing toy is known in the form of a permanent magnet made as a gyroscope that is manually impelled into fast rotation and then allowed to float contactless for only a few minutes in an unregulated magnetic field , in which the rotation contributes to a transiently limited stabilization until the rotational velocity is reduced by the friction with air and the gyroscope topples down . [ u . s . pat . no . 5 , 404 , 062 ] , [ professional journal : proceedings of the royal society of london , “the levitron : an adiabatic trap for spins” , 1996 , band a 452 , pages 1207 - 1220 ] , [ trademark : “levitron” ] .
. the levitron has two main components , a large donut shaped permanent magnet in the base , and a disk shaped magnet in the top itself , which are oriented such that the like poles of these two magnets repel . hence , the pull of gravity is balanced by a magnetic repulsion , allowing the top to float for minutes at time .
the levitron revolution is one of the sweetest gadgets to have around the house or office . the device features ez float technology which allows you to float pretty much any object you can think of mid - air as long as it weighs no more than 12 ounces . you can even slowly rotate the object in the air with this cool device .
in recent decades , microscopic particles have been studied by trapping them with magnetic and / or electric fields . there are several sorts of traps . for example , neutrons can be held in a magnetic field generated by a system of coils . neutrons are spinning magnetic particles , so the analogy of such a neutron trap with the levitron is close .
toroidal confinement schemes have certain advantages in the study of fusion reactions . one of the machines designed to take advantage of this type of field configuration is the superconducting levitron . this device uses the magnetic field produced by a current - carrying ring , a set of coils that produces a poloidal field , and a toroidal wound magnet ( fig . 1 ) .
so , we tracked down the company that licensed it , and were introduced to a man named bill hones ( rhymes with
bones
) as
the inventor
. he told us that he had a degree in physics , but had worked mostly as a bush pilot . we proposed to him that we produce an instructional video to teach people to fly the levitron . we would cover the entire cost of production , all he had to do was appear in it . bill agreed , we met for a few hours and shot the video , and the result became
secrets of the levitron : the art of levitation
. click here to see a picture of bill hones , taken from our video .
in the ideal case , the force on the top due to the magnetic field exactly balances the force due to gravity . in order for these two vectors to cancel each other out , they need to be equal in magnitude and opposite in direction ( compare figure 2 ( a ) and 2 ( b ) ) . the levitron gives us two parameters to make sure the vectors come close to exactly canceling : the weight of the top and the leveling of the base . you can adjust the weight of the top by adding or removing small rubber , plastic , and copper rings , which come with the levitron . the legs of the base are adjustable , so that you can make sure it’s level on any surface .
. the magnetic sources properly attached to a vehicle could cause said vehicle to move ( i . e . fall ) along the geodesic path induced by the anti - gravity region . this process can be observed as the levitron top falls away from its base , when the top ' s angular momentum slows below the minimum required for stability [ 11 , 23 ] .
to read the expert report of tom jones from the university of rochester . suffice it to say that , for the first time in the long and twisted tale of the levitron , bill hones must now face his own spurious claims and contradictory statements
head on .
what will be the result ? can mr . hones possibly transmute his crumbling reality ? stay tuned !
for the top to remain suspended , equilibrium alone is not enough . the equilibrium must also be stable , so that a slight horizontal or vertical displacement produces a force pushing the top back toward the equilibrium point . for the levitron , stability is difficult to achieve . it depends on the fact that as the top moves sideways , away from the axis of the base magnet , the magnetic field of the base , about which the top ' s axis precesses , deviates slightly from vertical . if the top precessed about the exact vertical , the physics of magnetic fields would make the equilibrium unstable . because the field is so close to vertical , the equilibrium is stable only in a small range of heights - between about 1 . 25 inches and 1 . 75 inches above the center of the base . the earnshaw theorem is not violated by the behavior of the levitron . that theorem states that no static arrangements of magnetic ( or electric ) charges can be stable , alone or under gravity , it does not apply to the levitron because the magnet ( in the top ) is spinning and so responds dynamically to the field from the base .
so , if after reading all this , you still want to buy a levitron from bill hones , his contact information is just below . or , better yet , you might consider patronizing any other retailer who innocently bought levitrons wholesale from bill . and , when you buy your top , let them know of the existence of this website so that they may consider this information before restocking .
then , one day in 1997 , chieffo ' s wife saw bill hones demonstrating
his
invention on qvc . chieffo ' s response was to call bill hones ' company , fascinations , and inform hones ' sales manager that he was the real inventor of the levitron . since chieffo had never contacted roy harrigan or seen this article , he had no idea that the big levitron scandal was just breaking . in hones ' inimitable style , he never returned chieffo ' s call . but chieffo , emboldened , then went back to one of his manufacturing contacts , and tried to convince them to partner with him to challenge the invalid hones patent . only - as we at ufo have also discovered - most companies are reluctant to risk a lawsuit , and they passed again . then , chieffo happened upon this article .
this , in spite of the continuing discovery of even more damning evidence against the validity of the hones patent . for instance , you can click here to see the second publication of a design for a flat - based levitron , which occurred in may 1993 , or about nine months before hones filed for his flat - based levitron patent . this publication , along with the
magnets in your future
magazine linked above , is alone enough to invalidate the hones patent . both of these articles derived from the same prototype , built by az industries , but based on yet a third
prior art
publication , some plans reportedly sold through popular science magazine in the late 80 ' s . these plans - amazingly - not only feature a levitron with a flat base , but one that is square as well . click here to see the first page of these plans . repeated attempts to locate the alleged author of these plans - a pennsylvania man named joseph chieffo - have been unsuccessful . mr . chieffo , if you ' re out there , we ' d like to hear from you . again , note that all three of these examples predate the application for the hones patent , but postdate harrigan ' s patent by several years .
on may 21st 1999 , a 44 - year old chemical plant inspector - and part - time poet and inventor - who was new to the internet , typed his name into a search engine . he was
floored
to discover that he had achieved a measure of fame via this article . his name was joseph chieffo , and now the full story of his invention , the first commercial levitron , can be told .
and you are not an idiot . . . . everyone makes mistakes . . . the datasheet are not for idiots . . . electronic datasheets are . . . . ' ' chinese ' ' for 99 . 9 of the people . . even some electronic engineers dont know how to read them properly . . . if your levitron works its by far the simplest and most awesome of all . . . ! ! !
over a month had passed since bill agreed to
think about
making roy some sort of settlement offer , and he had done absolutely nothing - except to go on vacation , and continue to take credit publicly for the levitron ' s genesis . click here to read a partial transcript of a recent appearance by bill on qvc , one of the televised shopping networks . while we waited for bill to do something , we added an introduction featuring roy to our video , and began to credit him on this website . also , michael mcbride put his
poster
on the internet , and we put a link to it on our
how does the levitron work ?
page . you can click here to read the poster . it reveals the truth in even clearer terms than martin simon had . to call this whole situation
a controversy
would seem to be a misnomer !
recently we were contacted by someone we previously had no knowledge of - - a just - retired professor of mathematics from the university of rhode island named rod driver . professor driver was among the many scientists trying to understand the workings of the levitron shortly after its commercial appearance . in this regard , he contacted both bill and ed hones in early 1995 - about a year before we ever met either of them . he spent about thirty minutes on the phone with bill , and another twenty with ed , asking them in detail about the levitron and how they had come to invent it . he even faxed bill some basic information about earnshaw ' s theorem after bill seemed unaware of it . as professor driver recounts , during these conversations neither bill nor ed hones gave the slightest indication that they had learned about spinning the magnet from someone else - - and they certainly didn ' t mention roy harrigan .
a variety of technological fields are concerned with the production of high temperature gases or plasmas produced and contained in magnetic containment zones having a wide variety of configurations . for example , the configurations may be toroidal , cylindrical or generally spherical . such configurations are typified , in the controlled fusion or controlled thermonuclear reactor art by so - called stellarator , astron , magnetic mirror , levitron , alice , baseball or tennis ball scam and other types of machines or devices .
yet , in trying to evaluate what - if anything - bill hones might deserve for his
development
of the levitron , another factor really needs to be taken into consideration : about half of the estimated one million levitrons in existence today have been sold in japan , and bill hones receives nothing for these sales . the reason , he told us once , was because he had traded away the japanese rights early on . . . in exchange for
development
!
okay , so what can you do ? originally , we suggested that people not buy levitrons , anywhere , until
this situation is resolved .
but we ' ve since realized that we - personally - don ' t really want to be
against
anything . especially something as magical and uplifting as the levitron . however , we do believe in taking action for the kind of world we prefer to live in , and shedding light on the facts as we find them to be .
the most ironic part of bill ' s lawyer ' s letter is where he maintains that our continued
. . . use of the domain name ( in our website address ) will cause confusion , mistake , and deception , and constitutes trademark infringement , unfair competition , and misappropriation .
( ! ) we leave it up to the gentle reader to determine whether more
deception
will occur with us , or bill hones , controlling the
levitron
domain name on the worldwide web .
so we consulted a newly - discovered
patent server
website , and for the first time , read both the harrigan and hones patents ourselves . and there , in the 1983 harrigan patent , was the amazing levitron . the hones patent seemed to add nothing new , except for some drawings of a hand . it looked to us like all bill had patented was his hand ! you can judge for yourself - click here to see the 1983 harrigan patent , and click here to see the 1995 hones patent .
finally , in the course of this motion , the
art bell mystery
was solved when bill hones revealed that he had evidently misrepresented to art bell and / or his network that the legal issues regarding the inventorship of the levitron , and ufo ' s rights to sell levitrons , had been resolved - which , of course , they have not . and , although we have not communicated with mr . bell or his network about this , our impression of art bell is that he does not like to be lied to .
the actual act of getting the top to float is quite challenging . the strength of any permanent magnet is sensitive to temperature , so the repulsion force between the top and base can change from hour to hour , or from place to place if the levitron is moved . the mass of the top must be adjusted precisely such that the push between the two magnets exactly balances with the pull of gravity— the smallest weight , an o - ring with a mass less than 1 gram , can make the difference of levitating or not .
in the following months bill ' s father , ed hones , used computers at the los alamos national laboratory to study the prototype . then he and bill hones made some minor changes in the design and got a patent in their own names . they entered into an agreement with a manufacturer in china to produce the
levitron ,
and they marketed it as their own invention . bill and ed hones sold as many as half a million of these levitation devices , giving harrigan neither a penny in royalties nor a word of recognition !
in new mexico , mike and karen sherlock had established a business marketing
levitrons .
and they were producing an instructional video , featuring bill hones , to help their customers learn how to work the toy . during the taping in january 1996 , hones looked into the camcorder and declared
i am the inventor of the levitron .
he seemed to have come to believe his own fantasies . it is a shock to watch videotapes of hones ' s performances in 1996 in comparison with the videotapes of his 1993 visit with harrigan .
the top spins stably in the range from about 20 to 26 revolutions per second ( rps ) . it is completely unstable above 30 rps and below 18 rps . after the top is spun and levitated , it slows down because of air resistance . after a few minutes it reaches the lower stability limit ( 1 8 rps ) and falls . the spin lifetime of the levitron can be extended by placing it in a vacuum . in some vacuum experiments , the top falls after about 30 minutes . why it does so is not clear ; perhaps the temperature changes , pushing the equilibium out of the stable range ; perhaps there is some tiny residual long - term instability because the top is not spinning fast enough ; or perhaps vibrations of the vacuum equipment jog the field and gradually drive the precession axis away from the field direction . levitation can be greatly prolonged by blowing air against an appropriately serrated collar placed around the top ' s periphery so as to maintain the spin frequency in the stable range . recently , a levitron top was kept rotating for several days in this way .
in the following months , bill ' s father , ed hones , used computers at the los alamos national laboratory to study the prototype . then , he and bill hones made some minor changes in the design and got a patent in their own names . they entered into an agreement with a manufacturer in china to produce the
levitron ,
and they marketed it as their own invention . bill and ed hones sold as many as half a million of these levitation devices , giving harrigan neither a penny in royalties nor a word of recognition !
we have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars promoting the levitron and bill hones as its inventor . it has now become painfully clear to us that bill hones has been deceiving us from the beginning , and allowed us to unknowingly perpetrate a fraud . therefore , we have decided that we cannot in good conscience continue to promote and sell levitrons for bill hones . consequently , we have suspended most of our business and posted this explanation . we will , of course , continue to honor all of our ufo guarantees , and provide any needed flight support as usual .
bill and ed hones responded with a lawsuit charging the sherlocks with defamation and trademark infringement , and seeking to shut down the web site . in april 1999 , seeing how absurd their case was , bill and ed hones withdrew the defamation complaint , leaving only the trademark - infringement charge . despite abundant evidence that the term
levitron
was being broadly used generically , a federal judge ruled in july that the sherlocks had to turn over their
urltoken
web site address to hones . ( the sherlocks will soon re - post their story at another web address . )
hones had desperately tried to get access to these tapes prior to his sworn deposition , but ultimately had to resort to a subpoena of harrigan ' s attorney , and a subsequent review by the court , before hones could get his hands on them . harrigan protested the release of these tapes , based on his realization that hones and co . have attempted to
spin
every piece of documentation connected to this affair . but our recent viewing of this material verifies for us that mr . harrigan ' s fears were unfounded . there , in several hours of meetings commemorated on the tapes , harrigan clearly reveals to hones all the
secrets of the levitron ,
as well as many more specific ideas not contained in the harrigan patent , but expressly manifest in the hones device , as well as in a number of hones ' other levitron products . if there was ever any lingering doubt of bill hones ' true debt to roy , or of bill ' s disregard for the intellectual property rights of others , this videotape ends the debate . you can click here to read excerpts from the transcript of the original harrigan / hones meetings , and see for yourself what happened .
which states that no configuration of non - moving permanent magnets can be in equilibrium . typically if one tries to float a magnet above another , the loose magnet will quickly flip over and the opposite poles will come together with a snap . the key to achieving equilibrium ( magnetic force v . gravity ) with the levitron is that the top is not stationary , it is spinning . just as the conservation of angular momentum fixes the direction of a spinning gyroscope’s axis of rotation , the spinning top is similarly stabilized— but that’s not the complete story as other subtle physics principles play a role .
the question of what , if anything , roy or bill each deserves in any
final
settlement is , thankfully , not ours to decide . feelings run the gamut , from bill hones - who thinks roy deserves
something
but not enough to give him anything - to roy harrigan - who , understandably , also thinks bill deserves zip . michael berry , even though he credits roy as
the inventor
of spin - stabilized magnetic levitation , also thinks that bill should get credit for being
the developer , who has enabled the public to appreciate and enjoy the levitron .
in addition , courts have upheld the rights of trademark owners with regard to commercial use of domain names , even in cases where goods sold there legitimately bear the mark . in the landmark decision creative gifts , inc . v . ufo , 235 f . 3d 540 ( 10th cir . 2000 ) ( new mexico ) , defendants had registered the domain name
urltoken
to sell goods bearing the trademark
levitron
under an at - will license from the trademark owner . the 10th circuit affirmed the rights of the trademark owner with regard to said domain name , despite arguments of promissory estoppel .
shortly after bill hones filed the above - linked affidavits as evidence for his claims , he sent us ( as part of his
disclosure
requirements ) an additional expert report which defines more clearly his new position regarding the differences between
his
invention - the levitron - and roy harrigan ' s invention - which on the surface appears identical . click here to read that new expert report . not surprisingly , roy harrigan maintains that hones and co . are blatantly misrepresenting his patent ' s claims in order to
spin
recent damning revelations . could that be ? stay tuned for the next update !
this could be a possible clue as to why mr . chieffo - apparently - abruptly abandoned his plans to market his own levitron . in another section of chieffo ' s only letter to mr . johnson , joseph chieffo writes - rather ironically in view of what came after -
seldom do i encounter someone who shares my appreciation for the simple beauty of the levitation phenomenon . although , i must confess , with a measure of sadness , that my business ambitions with respect to the levitator have somewhat dimmed what was once an almost childlike fascination for ' defying ' gravity . ambition seems to corrupt one ' s vision .
therefore , in order to
keep our shop open
we ' re announcing that we will continue to sell both our instructional video , and the reprint of the michael berry science paper . these two items are the only two products that we ' ve been selling all along that bill hones doesn ' t sell . the video -
starring
bill - features an added introduction by roy , as well as a clip of roy ' s working levitron prototype . the videos are $ 10 delivered , and the berry science papers are $ 5 . and , we ' ll give a percentage of every sale to roy harrigan .
after his failed attempts to contact the magneflight company , mr . johnson constructed and sold
about fifty
of what his wife barbara dubbed the
mag - neet - o
. click here to see one of jerry johnson ' s advertisements for the first commercial , low - cost , square , flat - base - magnetized - normal - to - its - surface levitron . by our count , this is now invalidating prior art # 5 against the hapless hones patent . and , it appears from the chieffo letter that - although chieffo does claim a
discovery
- he also seems to acknowledge that harrigan got there first .
for years , bill hones has claimed that his innovation was the idea of spinning one magnet over another . then , after the scientists discovered otherwise , hones abruptly revised his story , claiming that his invention was a flat base - magnet . ( when queried , saul leitner responded repeatedly :
is the levitron a dish - shaped magnet ?
) now , in light of irrefutable evidence that roy told bill a flat base - magnet would work ( see link above ) , hones has again revised his story , claiming that his real brainstorm ( or his father ' s ) was the idea to magnetize the flat base - magnet in a certain way .
regarding fig . 1 , the basic configuration of the levitron device is illustrated . it ( the levitron ) consists of a top ( s ) , a magnet ( m l ) attached to the top , and a base which is / contains the magnet ( m b ) . the top can be made to spin , while levitated above the base . the spin of the top is necessary to maintain the levitated equilibrium . if the top were not spinning , the force of magnetic torque ( from m b ) on m l would force the top to turn over , thus destroying equilibrium and stability . these principles are explained in [ 12 ] . generally the spin of the top causes the torque to “precess” around the direction of the vertical heave - force h resulting from the natural repulsion of m l and m b . this “precession” , about the force h , prevents the top from overturning and preserves equilibrium and stability . equilibrium and stability are lost when the top ' s rpm falls below a stability value . the top then tends to fall ( out of equilibrium , to the left or the right ) to the floor . this fall is an example of uncontrolled geodesic - fall , as the path of fall is determined by the relative configuration of m l and m b at the time of instability .