The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1908-02-27
Perpetual Motion?
Young Chicago Mechanic Part
ly Explains Claims For His
Invention of Perpetual Mo-
ton.

Chicago RecorJ-Herald.
Charles J. Weber, q mechanic
of Oak Park, not yet twenty-six
years of age, who believes that he
has solved the problem OF perpetual
motion, says that within u short
time he will have revOlutionized the
realm OF mechanics.
Perpetual motion may be said to
rank with the philosophers stone as
the favOrite quest of antiquity, and
modern physicists have long since
given over the search for it as vain.
Nothing dismayed by the dictum OF
science that perpetual motion is i'm
possible, Weber set out ten years ago
to prove the dictum false.
At his home is the working model
OF his invention, which he says has
run for two weeks with no apparent
diminution Of power. He believes
that it will continue to do so until
the materials of which it is con-
structed wear out. He already has
communicated with the Patent Office
at Washington, but until he feels GER
tain that his invention is thoroughly
protected will decline to permit 1T to
be seen. He consented yesterday,
however. to discuss his idea in t:
general way.
Power is generated by the swift
passage of number OF steel balls
down a double incline, built in the
general form of triangle. The balls
are held together by contrivance
of buckets, which act us al endless
chain.
The model, which the mechanic
built at his own home after working
hours, is inches in length, } inches
wide, and Is inches high. The balls
used in the model weigh only %
pounds in all, yet he claims for his
invention the generation of 6 horse
power.
In leaving the highest point in the
triangle the steel balls pass down all
incline of 45 degrees and fall into the
pockets of a circular drum, which Oc-
cupies the acute end OF the triangle.
With the revolution of this drum the
balls pass to Il second incline, set
at about 30 degrees. When they
| reach the base OF the triangle they
| are hoisted again into the place at the
| top by the weight of the other balls.
The spaces between the weights are
! nicely calculated, so that only four
balls are being drawn up the base OF
| the triangle, while twelve are moving
down the inclnes and over the arc OF
| the drum. The dead weight OF the
| four is lifted by the impetus of the
| twelve other balls down the double
| incline so as to leave a great surplus
| age of working power, according to
| Mr.. Webber So far, the inventor
| affirms, the principle OF the friction
has not seriousl Y intertered with the
working of his machine.
BY IL complicated system OF cog
| wheels he maintains Il constant rate
| of speed throughout the machine
| and transmits his power to a drive
shaft By employing a variety OF
sizes of wheels, he says, he has been
able to multiply his power many
| times.
"Of course such Il machine as this
wouldn't run forever" he said yester
day, "even supposing it to be practi-
cable. It's life would depend upon
the durability of the materials used.
But | believe that such machine
could be built to last at least eigh-
| teen months. Its parts would then
require to be replaced, but the cost
of this would be much less than that
of the fuel which is now used in gen
Grating steam.
II have been working on the idea
about ten years and | see no reason
to believe that it will not prove an
entire success. A relatively small
model would run a high power dy-
namo, and I estimate that to furnish
power direct for an ordinary ma
chine shop-say ], 500 orr, 900 horse
power-a machine 8 feet long, I feet
wide, and IS feet high would be SUI
ficient.'
| Mr.. Weber aud his father are the
only ones who have seen the model
in operation.