BesslerWheel.com

Path_finder said on Friday: There is a way for solving this point: the two ends of each rod must be on the two different sides (like explained in the drawing below). That drawing captures the concept beautifully. I agree with your hypothesis PF. This is what I’ve been working on but with a slight ...

A further report for those interested in my test-bed model of the brachistochrone ramp. The best average time I can seem to get is 0.48 secs down a 35 cm ramp with rails 3 cm apart and a 5° slope (mandated by the design) measured between the take- off point and the bottom of the ramp. It needs to b...

raj says: Let us hear from you. This is keeping me out of the workshop. But what the heck! Perhaps raj, you could draw your approximation of the track of a single weight as the wheel turns (assume that it does). I say this because I can't see how there isn't a "double lift" on the upside c...

Double post.

See below.

shap-O

raj I just quickly eyeballed your diagram and unless I'm mistaken you will have a problem with the "upside" of the wheel because the lever will not allow the weight to move to the centre until the weight is at about 10 o'clock and the fulcrum of the lever is at about 8 o'clock. Green ink i...

Thanks raj

You and I obviously used the same text books. :-)

Regards

shap-O-vert

path_finder said: Remember the brachistochrone. Let's fall your weight vertically, it will reach the center much more quicker. OK. I'm just back from the workshop to report that testing the first model of the brachistochrone ramp has increased the velocity of the weight to 0.56 secs down the ramp (3...

raj says: Based on your comments above, I am forced to conclude that a simple seesaw, with a weight closer to the fulcrum (in whatever gear) and another identical weight further away from the fulcrum (in whatever gear), will not move at all, but stay balanced. Which, or whose, comments above, raj? C...

Really?

Given that Torque has dimensions of force times distance isn't it the exact opposite; assuming the weights are of equal mass, of course.

Ciao

shap-O-vert.

path_finder says: Also I don't understand well why NINE bows. Let me see if I can explain this a little more clearly. There are nine bows because there are nine class one levers, each with their fulcrum on the rim of the wheel. Each of these levers has a bowed arm pivoted on the top of the effort e...

Five as a lever system

1. Class one lever with a brachistochrone arm at the Effort end

2. Invert and reverse

3. Add the disguise.

Simple aye?

Ciao

shap-O-vert

Thanks path_finder. I viewed those posts at the time. However, I didn’t recognize their relevance to the design I was working on until your more recent post – notwithstanding my incorporation of a pivoted “brachistochrone� style arm at the Effort end of each of the nine, class one, levers th...

This reference of path_finder ’s to the brachistochrone is interesting because Bessler consistently claimed to be a mathematician. For example he said in AP: …I had the help of good scholars to show me the difference between good and bad learning, and so was eventually able to become successivel...

Yes. Those slot cars. I'll give it a shot and let you know.
The bow will twang big-time. The Bow.

Thanks path_finder for the reminder.

It'll fit with the design nicely, too.

Regards

shap-O-vert