Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-07-26
WHAT VOC GAIN IN POWER you
I.nASE In TIME.

WHAT VOC GAIN IN POWEH YOU
LOOSE IN TIME.
To the Editors of the Union and American:
Much has recently been said on the use
of springs as source of mechanical
power, not only for small purposes but
for others requiring in their operation
considerable amount of mechanical force.
Much favorable expectation has also Deen
EXPRESSED and kind of hopeful confi-
dence exhibited that e'er long, rev era
would arise in the mechanical world tnat
would entirely revolutionize the present
methods of obtaining machine power.
That there is need for new motor OF
cheap construction, portable, and Oh ea--
~ application, no one will deny, but
nothing has yet appeared answering tins
description that even in remote degree
promises to fulfil the purpose, economl-
cally, easily, and with a diminished ex-
penditure of physical strength:
There are certain mechanical laws that
man cannot overstep-certsinsprinclpies
are inherent in all mschines-a disregard
of which leads to false contrivances that,
however promising they may appear In
in their practical application:
To make a model windmill is an easy
matter, but to make it grind corn Is
quite another thing.
A spring, under any form or construc-
ton whatever is not q motive power,
but must itself be moved; therefore, hay
ing no inherent force of its own, like
steam, moving water, wind or muscular
strength, it will depend for its motion
upon some one or other of these sources
of power, and can never practically give
out the amount of force required to wind
it and give an increased speed.
That spring may be madesto operate
small machinery sewing machine
is no new question; but in whatever
way springs are 30 applied, more power
that is more muscular strength-will be
consumed in SO doing, than when running
the machine direct, because the friction
of the spring machine must be overcome,
in addition to the machine it drives and
muscular strength has to run them both.
The Franklin Williamson Journal
recently records the success of 'spring
power" 30 applied, but only so far as
mere motion is concerned. 1t gives not
the least idea of the amount of power ex-
pended compared with the work perform
ed, which is really the only data upon
which q correct judgment of its economy
can be based; for the purpose of its sppli-
cation is 10 lessen physical labor and not
in any way to increase it. The article
also alludes to the running OF
lathes and street cars by the same
means. Now, to run street car round
the South Nashville road requires the
power of two horses for one hours time;
machinery may be contrived that would
enable boy to perform the same work,
but no amount of springs or any mechan-
ical combination whatever, could possibly
enable him to accomplish the distance in
the same time; otherwise, the power OF
the boy, by the law of ''virtual velocities,
must equal two horses, which everybody
knows it does not. If tn eboy's strength
is one-tenth of the horses, it will take
him ten times as long, and If we estimate
| it at twentieth-which Is nearer the
mark-it will take him twenty hours tc
accomplish the round trip, and all the
springs in christendom combined, would
not hasten him a mite; because the fol
lowing mechanical principle is insur
mountable: ''If you multiply power you
must diminish speed" and it matters no
what mechanical powers you employ, the
result is ever the same,
THos. J. BAILEY.