The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-09-05
PERPETUAL MOTION.
The Gladfsh wheel at the Tennessee
Exposition

The most wonderful Of the mechanical
Inventions thai Is on exhibition az he Cen
tsnnial Exposition are the Giadisn wheel
which. II Is claimed, solves the long dis
credited idea Of whas Is called perpetual
motion.
This machine is placed on Vanity Fair
In one OF the concessions. where a nominal
price IS charged for admission. and II 4
worth the tine spent 20 see this discovery
in mechanics for which The world has been
seeking for centuries. Physics has taught
that IL is impos sioie 10 obtain perpetual
motion on account OF the operation OF ex-
tsrnal forces that cannos be eliminated
Gravity was the only rope left 10 the scisn-
fists who were interested in the problem
and even with their last Resource they
found Il a vain scheme
Eighty years ago a Tennessean decided
and chose the force OF gravity as the
means Of accomplishing his purpose. For
nifty years ne toiled with the problem: few
knew Of his plans and those who were let
into his scheme pronounced him a fool.
The old man was undaunted. however. and
initiated his son into the mysteries OF dis
purpose. This son WIS j. W Gladish. and
the success that has crowned his efforts
after thirty years Of hard labor amply
repays him fer tEe time he has spent and
for the unbeiief that was the only en-
eouragenlent-or 0uTagement-that his
friends gave him.
1t was In lSl7 that the father frst began
MS experiments in what is now Chatta-
nooga. and now, in the year Ia which Ten
nessee Is celebrating the 110ta anniversary
or her admission into the Union and the
achievements Of her sons during the past
century, ii Is fitting that this monument
10 mechanical genius should be displayed
TO the public.
The Gladish wheel is twelve and a half
feet III diameter and is constructed OF
wood It has twenty-five spokes that are
set IN three rows OF eight each. On each
spoke are two wooden spools that allow a
hollow tube Of heavy tin alloy to pass TO
the circumference OF the center OF the
wheel as II reyolves. Within each tube is
i've pounds Of mercury. which Is employed
on account OF It's almost perfect mobility
Let a spoke start at the highest point Of
its revolution and revolve TO the rigaG On
account or It's own weight the tube that is
connected with this spoke rests against the
center Of the wheel. The wheel passes on
until the spoke lies in horizontal position.
The moment this point is passed the mer-
curry, which As soon as the spoke assumed
an upright position In its upward course
dropped 10 the bottom OF the tube, rolls to
the outer end OF the tube. being then three
feet from the center Of the wheel. The
lever-aFm Is three feet and the weight OF
the mercury is i've pounds, making a force
OF uiteen pounds al this point. Here no
work is being done. for the tube on the OPP
posite side Is exerting an equal force in the
opposite direction. But. in a few seconds
this tube which we have been watching
slides over the spoo.s 10 the circumference:
the lever arm is twelve feet, and the force
al this point is thirty instead of fifteen
pounds which Is being exerted on the OPP
posite side. and the result is motion in the
direction Of the greater force and with a
velocity proportional 10 the excess Of force
on the right side.
The wheel. when allowed TO run alone.
acquires such a velocity that IL IS naces-
sary 10 control It 10 prevent It tearing it
self to pieces To this purpose governor
IS applied which Is run by the power gem
Grated hy the wheel
Mr.. Giadish expects 10 operate a series
Of fans and some light machinery as soon
as he can have them put IN. He IL sangu-
Inc Of great results from rs discovery and
expects 20 rcvolutionize methods in light
machinery. His invention has attracted
national attention in the world OF physic-
lists and mechanics. and those who have
seen IL express themselves with wonder az
the greatness and simplicity OF perpetual
notion as exenplined.