The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1891-11-09
THE KEELY MOTOR.

Five feet away from tho transmitter"
a thick glass jar, forty inches high and
teninches In diameter and fitted up with a
metal top, stood on n small wooden table.
1t was filled with water, and at the bot
tom reposed what seemed to be a collec-
ton OF iron weights graduated In size so
that they looked like two pyramids rest
ing with bases together on the apex OF the
lower one
To the top Of the jar the magician at
tached wire of platinum and silver, the
other end OF which he fastened to cylin-
der.
Then he proceeded to operate. not upon
the connection thus formed, but by wind
ing bit OF string about the spindle In
front OF tho cylinder. then Jerking the
string and setting the spindle whlzzing as
boy spins top. After this performance
he struck several notes on the harp and
sought with his other hand corresponding
notes on the resonant rods at the base OF
the cylinder. The force he said, could
not be generated until the harp and the
rods both struck the same notes while the
spindle buzzed.
At last q deep clear note resounded from
both harp and rods at the same time and
Mt the instant ii broke upon the ear the
weight that lay on the bottom OF the far
Quivered and then slowly but steadily
moved up through the water until 1t
touched the top OF the jar, whore 1t re-
mained.
Mr. Browne like other physicians who
had seen or read OF Keely's experiment
thought at first Of the Cortesian diver"
that little porcelain figure attached at the
feet to a hollow glass ball.
The diver floats on the surface OF the
In a., t1. tn g H..lI
until you compress the air within the jar.
pressure causes the water to penetrate
the little glass bulb th rough the holes left
for the purpose and the diver sinks On
removal OF the pressure he rises. What
puzzled Mr.. Browne first was the fact that
Kecly's weights were foaters, not divers,
that they rested on the bottom until
called to the top instead OF being sent
down from the surface. Moreover there
was, according TO some accounts. no air
space between the surface of the water
and the bottom OF the back OF the Jar. SO
that there were several marked points OF
difference between the magical foaters
and the diver.
Mr.. Browne did not bother himself with
the either or harp or the buzzing spindle.
These things were very similar In their
operation 10 the tapping with the wand
or the Presto change y with which stage
magicians distract the attention OF their
audiences In order to cloak their sleight
OF hand. lie devoted bis attention to the
top and bottom OF the jar.
He duplicated Keely's jar weights and
ALL The top pyramid was OF weights,
grocery store weights, comprising q two
pound. one pound, and a half pound
weight. The lowor pyramid was simply a
hollow iron float, In compartments, each
compartment corresponding In size TO ono
of the weights. Each compartment would
sustain the weight Of the corresponding
number OF the upper pyramid when the
water was pressed into the hole Ia the
apex OF tho lower.
Then he put powerful magnet In the
pase OF the Jar connected by n fine wire
going through the floor with a battery
and connecting also NTH one OF the disks
on the transmitter so the magnet would
release the weights and they would float
10 the top. In the top OF the Jar he placed
the mechanism shown In the cut by which
with a slight pull on the wire pressure
was brought on the air In the jar. water
was forced into the float under the weights
and they sank again.
All OF which shows that gravity can be
"annihilatcd" without the aid OF hnr-
monic vibrations" but by the most rudl-
mentary use Of magnetism and COM
pressed air.