The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1872-06-19
f" Perpetual Notion"

Their is on exhibition now to No. AIS
Fist Washington street a ponderous
machine that seems to possess the long
sought, Iong-hidden power of inherent
perpetual motion. We say seems to
possess such power, because it is known
to have been in motion now for some
days, and, it is believed, has not been
tempered with since it's completion,
This being true, brief description of
it may be considered in place.
The machine is the invention of Mr.,
j. j. Anderson, machinist of this city
who has been engaged in experiment.
ing for the last fourteen Year,, but who
has just succeeded in completing his
initial work. The machine is twenty
two feet long, twelve feet high and
five feet wide, weighing with the plat
form upon which it rests, about one
thousand pounds, and costing for its
construction about $500.
Eight pounds Of ordinary gunshot
are placed i'll the boxes of an oversl,ot
wheel six feet in diameter, which puts
the wheel in motion. At the base is a
receiver for the shot after its specific
gravity has acted upon the wheel.
Running into the receiver ia an Archim-
dean screw, connected with the wheel.
The shot are picked up by this screw,
carried up to the proper elevation and
emptied into hopper, from which it
is conveyed back to the boxes of the
overshot. This completes the circuit,
and so long as the machine is in mo-
ton it will remain unbrOken.
Attached to the axle of the overshot
is another large wheel, ten feet in dia-
meter, resembling the paddle-wheel of
a side wheel steamboat. This is pro.
vided with three series of ladies, at.
tached with hinge, ranged obliquely
across it's width. These ladies are
loaded with four pound blocks, which,
with the wheel, as we understand it is
for the regulation and distribution Of
the motive power. These wheels are
connected by cogs, pinions, shafts, bars
ETC., with other points of mechanism,
too intricate to admit of exclamation
here. Indeed, the whole continuance
is systematic network of parts ingen-
iously pleced to constitute a whole,
and he must be n mechanic and phil
osopher who can understand it.
And the object of all this mass of
wheels, belts, shafts, pinions, etc., is to
provide self-sustaining motive power
capable of running a clock requiring
bnt eight ounces. The clock is very
much like the ordinary time keeper in
in appearance, butt, with the remand.
er of the machine, was constructed ty
Mr.. Anderson, assisted by Mr.. Christian
also ar Indianapolis machinist.
Our reporter asked Mr.. Anderson to
point out the utility of the continuance
other than that of marking time by
hours, inmates and seconds, and he
answered that, at present, it had none,
but that he hoped yet to apply the
power to machinery as motive power,
that he was still experimenting and
frequently discovered new ideas con-
corning its action. He had attempted
to apply it to two other purposes, but
found that of keeping time the simplest
and SO adopted it.
Perhaps we should have said before
that the large wheel requires about
one week in which to make revolu-
ton. An observer sees on motion
whatever. except that of the pendulum
of the clock, and hears no noise, save
that of the quick, regular click of the
clock, mounted up in front.-IIndinna-
polls Journal.