Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-04-04

4 city man who had been informed
that there was piece of mechanism
supporting 10 be a perpetual motion
in existence at Lyons, Wayne county,
made a visit to the town a day or two
ago TO satisfy his curiosity on the sub
iect On his return he said: 81 can
Not say. Il came, ! saw, / conquered,
for 10 tell YOU the truth | was unable
to discover how the machine does what
saw it do, but there is some trick
about it am satisfied. Still as a me-
chauical curiosity the continuance
OUGHT to pay in a dime museum. |
went down to Lyons and after q little
search found David Jennings, man
about 40 years old, the inventor Of the
motor, or whatever you would call it.
made known my wish to see his ma
chine. and after little parley he con
scented to give me view of it, prefac-
inc his consent by stating that it was
taken apart and would have to be con-
pected before it would work. We
went 10 his house, in the yard back of
which stands workshop containing
tile motor Every door of the shop
was locked, and as its owner produced
a KEY 90 the front door he advised me
that / could 60 in the back way with
les. trouble than by the front, as
would have to climb a ladder in the
latter case. He opened the back door
from the inside and | was ushered into
% room twenty feet square, fitted up
like carpenter shop, with various
tools lying around. The apparatus |
came 10 see was attached to bench
and consisted of a chain about five feet
long made of peculiarly shaped links
that could not easily be described with
out drawing. One Of the links was
out of place and the inventor proceed
ed tu.uul itiu order. When that was
done the conhivance was ready for
exhibition. the chain ran over three
rollers luat formed a vertical triangle,
one side Of which was perpendicular.
The Chain was so constructed that in
running between the rollers that were
vertical The links had movement by
which Heg closed together so that in
the space of foot there would be one
ortwo more links than in the same
distance when the links were extend
sd llpre would consequently be a
au equal distance than in any other
place 10 the chain. 1t was on this diff
ference 10 weight that Mr.. Jennings
said the power of the machine de-
pended One of the pulleys over
which the chain ran was connected
win 3rake-wheel by which the mo-
ton of me chain could be stopped by
applying HE brake After the chain
Wa, connected and the brake taken off,
the chain began to run around the pull
leYs as though it had an inherent mo-
ton. The pulleys over which it ran
Were set on rollers that reduced the
friction TO the minimum. but the force
Of the machine was only trille, as |
could stop it with my fingers. The
chain seemed to carry itself around
Ae triangle continuously, but | no.
tcel thu. Jennings would not let me
take hold of the brake, and ] half sus-
pee.eJ fhat it had something to dowith
The constant motion of the chain,
which, apparently moved in def
sance Of the laws of gravity. II ! had
beeu allowed to closely examine the
whole thing | am satisfied that ! could
have discovered the secret of its action.
] admit that it is a well-contrved de-
Wee 70 catch the eve and deceive tho
lnskiIItul into the belief thatit is per-
peiual motion. Jennings told me that
Pee bad spent $4,000 on the invention,
ana bad been working at it for TWEEN
g-one years. The machine he has in
Lyons 5 thelO2d one he has built, and
DE Is not satisfied with it.
"if you ask Jennings for an explana-
aon Fl The working of the contriyauce,
rs answers are not clear. He talks
aaooi Che surplus power in the 'dou-
'a .aan and the mechanical con-
'"Hn#a1 Of the links in a way that
-.l me think he is not informed on
q" of mechanics or is trying to
. tho visitor by the use Of jargon
.a'' sounds learned but means moth
.. dorchester Post ErBraSs.