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History of perpetual motion machines

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The history of perpetual motion machines (also known as the history of free energy and history of over unity machines) dates as far back as the 8th century, and probably further. For millennia it was not clear whether such devices were possible, but the development of modern thermodynamics has led virtually all engineers and scientists to agree that they are impossible. Many have attempted to construct the holy grail of energy production in spite of this. Proponents of perpetual motion machines often use other terms to describe their inventions including free energy devices, mechanisms, or formulas and over unity machines.

Perpetual motion machines are a class of hypothetical machines which produce useful energy "from nowhere" - that is, without requiring additional energy input. The history of perpetual motion encompasses not only energy-creating machines but also methods of exploiting nonobvious power sources, methods, and techniques and devices with no energy loss (or output). This timeline covers those and the discoveries of energy from sources that are "free" (that is, does not cost anything) for consumption from the forces of nature which are well documented in scientific literature and other more fantastical forces. Perpetual motion machines, when hypothesised, are sometimes called free energy machines, though the term energy in that circumstance is being used in a sense outside of the scientific definition. Some are developed with elaborate machines in the style of Rube Goldberg or Heath Robinson. Some designs may appear to work on paper at first glance, but have various flaws or obfuscated external power sources that render them useless in practice; others remain untested.

Contents

[edit] Types

There are two types of perpetuum mobile:

  • Perpetuum mobile of the first kind are those devices that violate the first law of thermodynamics, the principle of conservation of energy, creating energy out of nothing. Most attempts fall into this category.
  • Perpetuum mobile of the second kind are devices that violate the second law of thermodynamics. Even though they obey the principle of conservation of energy, they attempt extraction of work from a single heat reservoir, violating the principle of no entropy decrease in an isolated macroscopic thermodynamic system. Basically the device would harvest the kinetic energy and Brownian motion of molecules in a heat reservoir, thereby cooling the reservoir, all the way to possibly absolute zero. Such an attempt of entropy decreasing is the theoretical Maxwell's demon thought experiment that attacks the macroscopic system at the microscopic level, which is not yet technologically feasible, and its theoretical possibility is still undecided. Such devices would also surpass the theoretical efficiency limits of the Carnot Cycle.

[edit] Timeline

[edit] Pre-1800s

  • About the 700s Bavaria, the magic wheel or magnet wheel, was basically a wagon wheel that spun by itself. Magnets with lead plates on their backs were affixed to the wheel, like the seats on a Ferris Wheel. Each magnet was attracted to a magnet affixed to the base on the ground. The lead allegedly blocked attraction as each magnet passes by it, so the wheel would keep moving for a time before friction stopped it. Image:Perpetuum mobile villard de honnecourt.jpg
  • In the 13th century, Villard de Honnecourt had a drawing of one in his sketchbook. Honnecourt was a French master mason and architect. The sketchbook is made up of mechanics and architecture. [1]
  • Leonardo da Vinci made a number of drawings of things he hoped would make energy for free. He designed a centrifugal pump and the "chimney jack". The chimney jack was used to turn a roasting skewer (a reaction-type turbine).[2]
  • Johannes Taisnerius, a Jesuit priest, described a magnetic-based perpetual motion machine. Taisnerius's magnetic machine consisting of a ramp, a magnet stone and an iron ball. Pierre de Maricourt had earlier noted such a system which made use of the strength of the magnet stone. This runs into trouble because the line integral of force on a closed loop in a magnetic field is zero. Taisnerius passed Maricourt's work off as his own, which explains the similarity.
  • In 1518, Mark Anthony Zimara designed a "self-blowing windmill". Zimara designed a self-blowing windmill that generated power from a set of bellows. The bellows blow the windmill sails round.
  • In the 16th century, John Dee reported seeing a perpetual motion machine during his travels (with a pension from Elizabeth I), but wasn't allowed a closer look.
  • In 1610, Cornelis Drebbel, an alchemist and magician, designed a slow perpetual motion machine that told the time, date, and season. The gold machine was mounted in a globe on pillars and was powered by changes in air pressure (a sealed glass tub with liquid varied in volume through atmospheric pressure changes, rewinding constantly).
  • In 1630, Robert Fludd, English physicist and mystic, proposed many machines. People were trying to patent variations of Fludd's machine in the 1870s. Fludd's machine worked by recirculation by means of a water wheel and Archimedean screw. The device pumps the water back into its own supply tank. [3] [4]
  • After 1635, many English perpetual motion machine patents were granted. Several are variations of a machine developed in 12th century India. An original design is a cable projecting 150 miles into the sky to induct electricity (technology at the time would limit its usefulness, as it weighed 80 tons). [5] By 1903, 600 such patents had been granted.
  • In 1638, Edward Somerset, 2nd Marquess of Worcester developed a perpetual motion machine. He gained a royal appointment as an inventor and builder. Parliament on June 3, 1663, gave a 99-year patent for his "Watercommanding Engine" (a steam engine). Somerset demonstrated many water wheels to Charles I of England, that had something to do with perpetual motion. [6]
  • In 1664, Ulrich von Cranach, a war engineer, of Hamburg, Germany designed a perpetual ball moving machine that did not work in practice. The ball machine had a rotary cannon ball which descended by an Archimedean screw along the periphery of a wheel (like a water wheel), rolled through a track, and then were carried back to the top using an archimedean screw (powered by the ball-wheel). [7] Arthur Ord-Hume illustrated this machine.[8]
  • Johann Bernoulli (also known as Jean Bernoulli) proposed a fluid energy machine. Bernoulli developed the brachistochrone problem in June 1696 and is regarded as a founder of the calculus of variation.
  • In 1686, Georg Andreas Böckler, a German architect, engineer, and author, designed 'self operating' self-powered water mills and several perpetual motion machines using balls using variants of Archimdes screws. One of Böckler's machine used an overbalanced wheel and archimedean screw.
  • In 1712, Johann Bessler, also known as Orffyreus, investigated 300 different perpetual motion models and claimed he had the secret of perpetual motion. Though allegation of fraud surfaced later (from a maid in his employment), investigators at the time, such as the lawyer Willem Jacob 'sGravesande, reported no such fraud.
  • In the 1760s, James Cox (with the help of Joseph Merlin) develops a working perpetual motion machine (known as the Cox's timepiece). The clock device is powered from changes in atmospheric pressure via a barometer. The clock still exists today [but was deactivated due to the clock's relocation].
  • In 1775, the Royal Academy of Sciences in Paris, made the statement that the Academy "will no longer accept or deal with proposals concerning perpetual motion". The reasoning was, that perpetual motion is impossible to achieve and that the search for it is time consuming and very expensive. According to the members of the academy, those bright minds dedicating their time and resources to this search, could be utilized much better in other, more reasonable endeavors. Nevertheless, many individuals continued to propose and build various "perpetual" machines, in a quest of attaining their end goal of free energy.[citation needed]
  • In 1790, Doctor Conradus Schiviers made a belt driven wheel. He also offered a machine in which several balls powered a water wheel and a bucket-chain (again raising the balls). [9] Others tried to adapt his designs unsuccessful a century later.

[edit] 1800s

  • In 1812, Charles Redheffer, in Philadelphia, claimed to have developed a "generator" that could power other machines. Upon investigation, it was deduced that the power was being routed from the other connected machine. Robert Fulton exposed Redheffer's schemes during an exposition of the device in New York City (1813). Removing some concealing wooden strips, Fulton found a cat-gut belt drive went through a wall to an attic. In the attic, a man was turning a crank to power the device.[10] [11] [12]
  • In 1827, Sir William Congreve, an English inventor and rocket pioneer, tried a machine running on capillary action that would disobey the law of never rising above their own level, so to produce a continual ascent and overflow. The device had an inclined plane over pulleys. At the top and bottom, there travels an endless band of sponge, a bed and, over this, again an endless band of heavy weights jointed together. The whole stands over the surface of still water. Congreve believed his system would go on continually. [13] [14] [15]
  • In 1866, Henry Prince of Britain described the first partially submerged perpetual motion machine.
  • In 1868, an Austrian, Alois Drasch, received a US patent for a machine that possessed a "thrust key-type gearing" of a rotary engine. The vehicle driver could tilt a trough depending upon need. A heavy ball rolled in a cylindrical trough downward, and, with continuous adjustment of the device's levers and power output, Drasch believed that it would be possible to power a vehicle. [16]
  • In 1870, E. P. Willis of New Haven, Connecticut made money off a "proprietary" perpetual motion machine. A story of the overly complicated device with a hidden source of energy appears in Scientific America article "The Greatest Discovery Ever Yet Made". Investigation into the device eventually found a source of power that drove it. [17]
  • John Ernst Worrell Keely invented, reportedly, an induction resonance motion motor. He is supposedly to have used etheric 'technology'. In 1872, Keely announced that he discovered a principle for power production based on the vibrations of tuning forks. Scientists investigated his machine which appeared to run on water, though Keely endeavored to avoid this. Shortly after 1872, venture capitalists accused Keely of fraud (they lost nearly five million dollars). Keely's machine, it was discovered after his death, was based on hidden air pressure tubes.
  • In 1881, John Gamgee developed a liquid ammonia machine which could operate at the freezing point from vaporation by radiant heat. The resultant expansion would drive a piston. The vapor does not condense to liquid to start the cycle over again, however, thus making the system inoperable. The Navy approved of the device and showed it to President James Garfield.
  • In 1899, J. M. Aldrich was arrested for getting investors for his free energy machine. Aldrich was never convicted. Reportedly, he continued to run his scheme. Ultimately, an interested investor, upon inspection of the device, found a hidden spring.
  • Mark Anthony Zimara of Italy had a huge air-powered machine (basically another attempt at a self blowing windmill). [18] His device is described in Tallmadge G. Kasten's "The Perpetual Motion Machine of Mark Antony Zimara".
  • The American, Horace Wickmam, received a patent regarding a machine with many rotating balls.
  • A Scottish shoemaker, known as Spence, designed a magnetic based machine which later was discredited.

[edit] 1900 to 1950

[33] [34] [35] [36]

[edit] 1951 to 1980

[edit] 1981 to 1999

  • In 1984, Joseph Newman claims development of a free energy device based, reportedly, on alternative physics. Newman sued the U.S. patent office to recognize his device. Previous analysis of the device incorrectly measured the true power output of the machine. Calculation for power did not account for the non-sinusoidal current consumption. Newman, initially open to testing, now (reportedly) refuses to ship a unit for testing. In the 1970s, Newman presented a week-long demonstration in the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans (attended by 9,000 people from across the country). Newman is suing some former investors, who, he claims, are trying to steal the design.
  • The date 1984 appears on this page describing the Kromery converter, which purports to exploit resonance effects to cause a lead-acid battery to recharge itself. Glowing claims are made for its performance. However, the "explanation" given for the operation of the converter is scientifically illiterate, incoherent rubbish, and the tests described on the page are meaningless.
  • In 1985, Greg Watson of Australia claims the development of the Simple Magnetic Overunity Toy (SMOT). In the SMOT, a steel ball is pulled up a ramp by magnetism and then falls, so the magnetic energy is converted into kinetic energy. Watson claims that an effect called "regauging" then happens, allowing the process to be repeated without the application of outside energy. In 1997, he sells kits for the device. Skeptics state that attempts at replication have failed. Reportedly, investors were not able to regain their investments.
  • John Bedini claimed development of several free energy devices. Bedini has, reportedly, refused to allow independent investigation. [80] [81] [82] [83] [84] [85] [86] [87]
  • In 1986, Bruce De Palma claimed development of an overunity machine (referred to as the "N-Machine" or "N Machine") that was described as a closed path Homopolar generator with output four times more power than consumed. It used a one-piece rotor rather than today's conventional two piece rotor and stator electric generators. It was basically a magnetized gyroscope. De Palma has been unwilling to help independent investigators, like PSITRON, analyze his device. One Electrical Engineering professor analysed this device, but skeptics claim the investigation contained a measurement error. De Palma was an associate of Richard C. Hoagland. De Palma died in 1997. [88] [89] [90] [91] [92] [93] [94] [95]

[edit] 2000s

  • In 2001, Carl Tilley and Robert Kibbey in Tennessee have claimed an over unity device. Their demonstration failed in 9 February and as of 11 February they have been evading proper demonstrations.
  • In 2002, the GWE (Genesis World Energy) group claimed to have 400 people who developed some device that sounds like it separates water into H2 and O2 using less energy than is scientifically possible. As of 2003 they have evaded independent confirmation.
  • On March 26, 2002, the Motionless Electrical Generator (MEG) is patented (U.S. Patent 6362718) by five inventors: Stephen L. Patrick, Thomas E. Bearden, James C. Hayes, James L. Kenny, and Kenneth D. Moore.
  • In 2006, Steorn Ltd. claimed to have an overunity device based on rotating magnets, and took out an advertisement soliciting 12 scientists to test their claims. The selection process for twelve began in September of '06, but nothing else has happened yet.
  • In late 2006, Erke Energy Research and Engineering Corporation located in Istanbul, Turkey claimed to have produced a free energy generator based on the principle of inertia. Short newspaper article in English

[edit] Patents

This sort of invention has become common enough that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has made an official policy of refusing to grant patents for perpetual motion machines without a working model. The USPTO has in the past granted a few patents for motors that are claimed to run without net energy input. These patents were issued because it was not obvious from the patent that a perpetual motion machine was being claimed. These are:

[edit] References

[edit] External links

[edit] Further reading

  • Ord-Hume, Arthur W. J. G., "Perpetual Motion: The History of an Obsession". New York, St. Martin's Press. 1977. ISBN 0-312-60131-X
  • Angrist, Stanley W., "Perpetual Motion Machines". Scientific American. January, 1968.
  • "Directions for constructing a Perpetual Motion Machine without the Use of Water or a Weight".
  • Childress H, David, The Free-Energy Device Handbook (Magic Wheel and others)
  • Veljko Milković and Nebojša Simin,nl:Vrije-energiegenerator
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