Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-07-12

walked all the way from Georgia to Washing
ton to procure his patent The continuance
consisted OF a tall framework with four up
rights, in which was to be swung back and
forth the entire trunk of large tree. When
the butt end of the tree in swinging struck a
spring on one side the spring was set loose and
threw the tree back toward the other side,
where 1t struck another spring which in turn
flung it back to the first spring. and so on. The
only trouble with the thing, the inventor said.
was that 1t would 60 SO fast and was SO difficult
to stop when once started. OF course the per-
petual motion once obtained in this way it was
an easy matter to transform it into power for
running mills or for any other purpose The
model made according to his instructions would
not work, but that of course was the model
makers fault. Another machine for the same
purpose was composed of 200 long sticks each
pivoted at the middle. and an equal number of
rubber bands connecting them together. 1t
was simply necessary to start one stick revolv
ing on its pivot, the result being such a
multiplication of energy by the action
of this original force through the other
rubber bands and sticks, which were sup
posed to act as levers. that the inventor was
afraid lest some terrific accident might occur
and so refrained from putting i'll many sticks
and levers as he might otherwise have DONE
Still another perpetual motion machine was q
wheel from equidistant points, on the periphery
of which hung heavy balls on the ends of rods
The wheel being started revolving to the right
carried the balls dangling on the ends of the
hanging rods up around its left hand side to
the topmost point OF its circumference, when
an automatic catch threw the rods out horizon
tally to the right the heavy balls being thus
cast over far out of the center of gravity of the
wheel, which their weight pulled down to the
right side; when each ball got to the bottom OF
the wheel it fell into the wheels center of grav-
ity once more and was carried up and around
again. Given q succession of balls throwing
themselves one after another out of the center
of gravity of the wheel and you ought to have
perpetual motion. The reason you don't is the
same that prevents you from lifting yourself
up by your boot straps.
OTHER PERPETUAL MOTION DEsIGNa
Yet another interesting perpetual motion
model that he had made, the model maker said,
was a pivoted board on which a little car ran
back and forth. When it reached one end of
the board it loosened a spring, which tilted
the board the other way, so that the car ran
back to the end from which it had started
where 1t touched another spring, tilted the
board the other way, was sent back again and
so on ad ininitum. One spring that winds
another up while 1t runs down itself and vice
versa reciprocally without ceasing is another
form OF perpetual motion contrlvance offered
in many editions. Also an inclined plane down
which six cars run while three are hoisted up
to their starting point on an endless belt prin-
ciple. Six cars running down ought certainly
to be able to lift three others up, though they
don't somehow. The inventor who finds out
how to make them do so will earn his ever
lasting fortune. One of the most plausible
machines of this sort consists simply OF big
wheel pivoted on point at the center with a
metal ball running around the periphery.
According to all reason and common sense that
ball, once started. ought to 20 on forever
Model makers and patent agents are frequently
violently abused by inventors for constructing
unsuccessful models or for yen;uring to doubt
the value OF original ideas. By the way, the
latest thing in the inventive line to appear in
Washington during the recent hot weather was
a fan for an attachment to the steering piece
of bicycle, to revolye automatically and keep
the rider cool as he proceeds along the as
phaltum streets upon the flying wheel.