From: cjh@tinton.ccur.com (Christopher J. Henrich)
Subject: Re: GRAVITY-NEUTRALIZING AIR/SPACECRAFT
Summary: Deja Vu revisited
Organization: Concurrent Computer Corp., Tinton Falls, NJ
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 22:02:59 GMT

In article <1992Dec8.172135.2714@cnsvax.uwec.edu> mcelwre@cnsvax.uwec.edu writes:
>    
>
>                       Gravity-NEUTRALIZING Air/Spacecraft
>                         or ZERO/REDUCED-Gravity Chamber
>
>               NASA should build an experimental spacecraft based on 
>          U.S. Patent #3,626,605 [at least $3.00 per complete copy from 
>          U.S. Patent Office, 2021 Jefferson Davis Hwy., Arlington, VA  
>          22202; correct 7-digit patent number required.  Or try getting 
>          it via your local public or university library's inter-library 
>          loan dept..], titled "METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING A 
>          SECONDARY GRAVITATIONAL FORCE FIELD", awarded to Inventor 
>          Henry W. Wallace on Dec. 14, 1971. 
>    
>               In the patent, Figs. 7A and 7B are basically side views 
>          of a gravity-NEUTRALIZING FLYING SAUCER, or, if anchored to 
>          the ground, a ZERO-GRAVITY CHAMBER [which could have MANY 
>          possible GROUND-level applications for science, medicine, 
>          manufacturing, etc.].  Each oval diagram shows a motor 
>          spinning a central disc at a very high speed, about 28,000 
>          RPM, and also rotating two other discs sandwiched around the 
>          first disc, via gears, at a much slower speed, perhaps 2,800 
>          RPM, in the opposite direction.  The two outer discs have 
>          extensions [counter-balanced via off-center axis] that, as 
>          they rotate, alternately make contact with two wide 
>          extensions from opposite walls of the spacecraft.  The 
>          central disc should have shallow spiral-shaped grooves on 
>          both sides for air-bearings, to allow the needed very close 
>          contact with the two outer discs. 
>    
>               I should clarify that each of the two outer discs has 
>          ONLY ONE [counter-balanced] extension, each one pointed 
>          opposite (180 degrees) the extension of the other disc. 
>    
This sounds like the "Dean Drive" which fascinated John W. Campbell
about 1960.  

>               Your favorite university or research company could make 
>          a big name for itself by making a small model of this work. 
If you make it work, yes...

Mr. Dean tested his machine by running it on a bathroom scale.
It vibratrted up and down, so the scale readings oscillated; they
seemed to oscillate about a midpoint that was less then the dead
weight of the machine.  Skeptics talked about the limited accuracy of
this method of measurement, and suggested an alternative: mount
the machine so that is thrust should be horizontal, and suspend it
by a long rope from a tree branch (or hook in the ceiling, etc.).
If it really works, then the rope will slant, like so:

                      O     -- the hook
                       \
                        \
                         \
                          X -- the machine

I think Mr. Dean never consented to try this.

Regards,
Chris Henrich