Mayday! Mayday!!!

[ME]

I shamelessly used your design as a testcase for my graphics program (under dev.), and took the liberty to add some letters to your design.

Your build is looking great! Good luck!
I'm a bit worried about the outcome though, but we'll see.

[raj]

My dear ME,

You are MORE THAN welcomed to use my design.

Raj

[ME]

Oh, in that case enjoy the animation (it's not a simulation!).

I tried to led the 'H'-weight swing beyond ring 4, but a smooth curve between GH and AB didn't 'allow' to do so. (that's why I added the alphabet).

Do you really use springs 'that' long?

[raj]

Thanks awfully, my dear ME!
YOU have made me very happy. Thanks again.

I have NOT designed to use s(P)rings.

We MUST use flexible s(T)rings or cords, making sure to have their length according to size of wheels and height difference of the two axles.

The length of the s(T)rings or cords must from the 12 o'clock position on the outer Larger wheel to the axle of the smaller INNER wheel where and when weight is lifted CLOSEST to this axle.

All the 8 s(T)rings are of same length.

This gravity wheel design is unidirectional because the weights are designed to rest on and turn with the axle of the smaller INNER wheel from the 6 o'clock position to the 12 o'clock position, on the ascending side and swing away from the axle on the descending side before being lifted back again.

N.B: My built attempt design is Bi-directional.
You can see a slight difference in the position of the weights around the smaller INNER wheel axle.

Raj

[ME]

It took some effort to get the catenary (=shape of hanging chord) right... but here is a new animation with elastic strings. Enjoy.
How's the build going?

[raj]

Hello Me,

The large OUTER wheel and the smaller INNER wheel are now completed.

I am disappointed with my CRUDE work. It lacks precisions.

All that's needed now, is to connect the 8 swinging/hanging weights.

Depending on the outcome of my effort, I may seek help from a professional builder.

Raj

[ME]

Some armchair observations:
* Looking good for a trial
* After all it only has to work, not power your entire house.
* But I guess you need the support the outer wheel so it becomes more sturdy.
- Flexing of the outer wheel could become an issue when using too much weight;
- The most (elastic) stress will be on the ascending side on the outer wheel.

Good luck, and take a break from time-to-time.

Marchello E.

[AB Hammer]

Raj

Looks like a nice build to the picture. Good work.


Alan

[raj]

Dear Marchello and dear Alan,

Thank you both for your encouragements.

I am fairly confident that I could just manage to build something that would resemble my gravity wheel concept/drawing.

But I have NO clue what to expect after completetion of the prototype.

A 45 degrees turn of the wheels, resetting of weights position would be an impossible dream come true.

Raj

[Tarsier79]

Good work Raj. I find that I learn a lot more from a build than staring at a page full of calculations..

[Blitzbrain]

Hello Raj,

since you have entered the forum with your Mayday Topic... there has been a lot of development in your models...

Have you tried your machine?
If so ... What happened?

Basically the problem is to avoid moving the wheights past the axle...
every wheel that tries to lift the wheights pst this poinht will stop...
It still is working like a scale...

Bessler said in his descriptioon, that the wheel was "half full" and "half empty"... that was one main feature... if you are able to work that mechanism pnly inb one half of the wheel... you will probably make it...

I know.. everybody knows better... me too :-)

Wishing you good kuck...

[raj]

Dear Blitzbrain,

I am a very poor amateurish builder, trying my first gravity wheel full prototype (about 60 centimetres diameter).

It's coming up with very much lacking precisions, not very acurate in milimetres, miligrams and degrees of wheels, arms, weights and pivots.

In other words, I am struggling.

Thanks for your advice. I bear them in mind.

Raj

[raj]

If EVER a working PM wheel is found, I believe, it will be of CLOCK-WORK precision.

Therefore I am not likely to succeed in my building attempt.

Raj

[raj]

A big hello to all!

Just to say that my build is not going too well.

The two pictures below show two swinging weights in my gravity wheel incomplete prototype.

The first picture show the two identical weights hanging on the wheel restrained at rest. The weights are aligned on a horizontal level.

The second picture show the wheel at a keel position after restrain removed.

Now see the weights:
The weight on the left has moved up and the weight of the right has moved down, both by the same height.

But the weight on the left has moved nearer to the axle and the weight on the right has moved further from the axle.

Is this to be expected???

[ME]

But the weight on the left has moved nearer to the axle and the weight on the right has moved further from the axle.
Is this to be expected???

I guess that was the whole purpose of your design?
If I see it correctly: In your second image your right-weight is going from hanging on 1 rope, to a balance between 2 ropes; When the stretch from the second rope is at its max. then at that moment the right weight is closest to the rim.