The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-03-08
a PERPETUAL MOTION RAILROAD.
A Boston Mans Invention That is In
terestiDg, to Say the Least.
H. OIL


From the Boston Globe.
What is claimed to be perpetual motion,
and what has been recognized as such by
the United States patent office, has been
discovered. and Boston man is the solver
of this scientific problem.
Moreover he proposes to put the perpet-
uRl motion to some use other than as q
scientific study, and contends that il will
be servlceable for transportation purposes.
Hosea W. Libbey, a South End physician
Is the discOverer, and his evolution was the
result of six years contemplation.
The doctor is rather averse TO calling his
invention by the term perpetual motion,
owing 20 the great many failures OF achiev-
ing this end which have brought ridicule
upon anything purporting TO be the realiza-
tion OF it, SO lie calls it an automatic aerial
railroad. This appellation gives an idea Of
what 1t is-Aa railroad.
Il Is a queer railroad, and one which
would give the traveller on it much the SEN
sation of an exceedingly rough day at sea.
In the trst place there are two sets of
tracks, one above the other, each with
abrupt declivities and gentle uudulations,
each opposite the other, the highest point Of
the upper rails being just above the lowest
on the lower track.
1t is proposed TO make the tracks elevated.
mansions supported by pillars of masonry.
There is a car shaped like double wedge
upon four tracks which at the start rests
upon the lower set Of rails The Gong Y
shaped trolley pole is attached to the top of
the car which has "a wheel on each Of its
ends, which wheels are TO operate upon the
upper track at various points. A spring at
tached to this trolley pole has a tendency to
incline the pole constantly forward.
The car DTRVIOrs RI the Start 10 1pop an
inclined plane. with the trucks upon the
lower set of tracks, and retained in its
place by wheel brake. At this time the
flange wheels on the trolley pole are poised
In the air too high to reyolve on the upper
track, which takes an ascent just forward
Of the trolley wheels.
The brake is released, and the car auto
matically starts down the slight declivity
until the trolley wheels reach a point
where they can bear upon the upper set Of
tracks, and here the lower track takes a
correspondingly quick descent.
The support then comes on the trolley
wheels, and as the car swings off the 10 er
rails it is carried down an incline upon the
trolley truck, but as soon as It gets fair
momentum it reaches a point where the
lower track rises again, and as the under
trucks grasp the rail the trolley rises above
the then descending upper rails.
Then the car is propelled by its momentum
mp a short incline until 1t reaches another
point where the trolley wheels can bear
upon the upper track, and then the lower
trucks fall into disuse again as the car
swings off into space, propelled by the
action OF the upper set of wheels
Each of the highest and lowest corre-
spending points of the twb sets OF track are
the same hight as at the start so when the
car reaches the end of O line it is at the
same elevation as at the start. There is no
continuous decline, but a series OF abrupt
deolivities
The doctor, while he does not expect that
his oontrivence will be available for pas
senger service on account OF the swinging
and unduations, claims that it would be
suitable for the transportation of mail or
merchandise. He feels confident that his
invention is practicable, because he has had
expert opinions favorable to it and has just
secured patent upon it after the Office had
spent some seven months examining it and
considering 1t.
His idea is to build line around one of
the worlds fair bulldogs and have the car
running all the time during the exposition
Dr. Libbey is an old Boston citizen, and
he has won some distinction as an inventor
through building the "no-horse to- feed, - a
machine that had ell the elements Of the
modern bicycle, which he rode over twenty
years ago.
The doctor is a short, round-faoed ioviaI
man, whose inventions have always been
made for the enjoyment he has gotten out
of them, as he never has realized cent from
any of his new ideas.
In talking of his latest invention, he said {:
81 have had this thing in mind for six
years, thinking and bordering upon it. but
somehow or other / could not bring my
self to put the idea on paper
II had the idea we'll formed In my mind
as to how could build an automatic rail-
way. but in all these years l could not
draw plan Of 1t. one night last year
was sitting in my study, and, while my
mind was on something else, | suddenly felt
as though l could put my idea in every
detail on paper. | sat down and worked
for all | was worth, making a drawing of
the rails, the car and the whole thing as |
thought it could be operated,
at was after o'clock in the morning
when | went to bed, pretty we'll satisfied
that l had got it all worked out. AS l
thought it over before going to sleep
the conviction came over me that ID would
not work as l had planned 1t.
FINALLY | arose, and taking several of
my collars, began drawing plans on them
and soon had it arranged TO my satisfaction
Then l consulted a friend, who is an engi-
neer of great experience and we'll educated
on all scientific matters.
"He looked at it carefully and said: Doc,
it will go il you can get enough momentum
to drive the car half way no
the inclines.' We tried the experi-
ment of starting roller down
an inclined plane opposite an ascent, both
similar TO the one planned by me, and in
every way up the rise from the force OBJ
tanned in the descent.
"My friend then said: But how are you
going to stop itg replied that that was the
thing that had bothered me. We thought
it over and decided that we could run it on
level until it had expended its force, and
arrange IL so it would stop at an inclined
plane similar to the one from which it
starts. 1t also could be stopped with a
brake at any point desired, aud when re-
leased would start again without difficulty
81 applied for patent in March, 1892,
sending drawing on to the patent office
They did not ask for model, but seemed
satisfied from the drawing that il would
work. I got the patent after seven months
delay"
CORSETS.