The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1821-09-05
PERPETUAL MOTION


1t appears, by the Saratoga Sentinel, thai
another individual has laid claim to the dis
coVery OF perpetual motion - and that he
has been exhibiting his machine to the visitors
at the Springs in that village. The editor OF
that paper says, " the machine, in fact, pos
sesses Se!t-mordng power, and would, doubt
less, continue in operation until worn out or
prevented from moving by accident. 1t con-
sists of wheel, and ivory balls or rollers, SO
constructed, that while the balls on one side
are protruded, those of the opposite side are
inclined towards the centre of the wheel. thus
Keeping up rotative and continual motion.a
The principle of the machine, as above de-
scribed, is not new it has been before resorted
TO Tor the same purpose, but without success.
Indeed, little reflection will satisfy any one.
that machine constructed upon that princi-
pie cannot posses selfmoving power With
whatever ingenuity the "balls or rollers'' mar
be disposed of-by whatever circuitoIs route
they may ascend from the lowest to the high
est point in the wheel--stin it is impossible fur
them, In their descent, TO produce a power
more than sufficient for their ascent. If so.
land to suppose otherwise is to Disregard we'll
known laws,) then no power is gained. and
the machine is Of itself inert. This is not sR
the dificulty-there is the friction of the ma
chinery and the resistance of the air to be-
oyercome-obstacles which, in practice, ust-
al VI ac.o H. e
power applied. In fact, therefore, so far FROM
their being any increase of power, (Which is
necessary TO self motion,'') there is, and must
be, constant loss-so that, by the application
of Goeights alone, no 6 rotative'' machinery can
be kept in motion after they have reached the
lowest point of their descent.
These suggestions may, perhaps, be of little
weight with those who witness the motion ola
machine, professedly constructed upon the
principle before mentioned. When, however.
it shall be made certain that wheel, actasutlu
possessing no other moring poper than weig1rts,
continues to revolVe after those weights have
once descended, then it will be time to admit
that reasoning on this subject is wholly falla-
cious.
Notwithstanding the ten thousand failures
to discover the long-sought-for principle OF
perpetual notion" ingenious mechanics
still seem bent upon trying the utmost stretch
OF their faculties in the search. The &C phl-
losopher's stone," which by its touch was To-
transmute the baser metals into gold, was new
er sought for by alchymists with more conf
dence in its existence, than is the supposed
principle of perpetual motion. Il is not conn
petent for any one to assert that such a prnci-
pie does not exist; but it is very certain thar
much time and labour is sometimes wasted ia
the pursuit of it, for want of attending to
few well-estabIshed general principles. a
little attention to these would have satisfied
many, who have failed, that the principle uG
their machines was opposed by jmmutable
laws, which no combination of machinery
could counteract.
On the whole, it may well be doubted
whether man can apply any principle SO as to