the Firmat argentina swing: a new perpetual motion?

path_finder · Post by **path_finder** » Wed Jun 03, 2009 8:27 am

La balanÃ§oire de Firmat (Prov. Santa Fe - Argentine)
Depuis le 20 juin 2007, une balanÃ§oire se balance seule sur la Place Belgrano de Firmat
(since the June 20th 2007 this swing is self balancing on the Belgrano place in Firmat, Argentina)
An invisible zombie?

What is interesting: why only this one and not the others?...
Therefore it cannot be from the wind.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3GN91cJ5RQ&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9pQpq4iMzU

jonnynet · Post by **jonnynet** » Wed Jun 03, 2009 10:03 am

Sure it can, for example when there's something different on the suspensions.

jim_mich · Post by **jim_mich** » Wed Jun 03, 2009 1:05 pm

The rope or chains are slightly different lengths. This causes one side of the seat to swing at a slightly different speed. The slight difference of speed causes the seat to twist. The twisting of the seat causes it to catch the wind when swinging one direction and the not catch the wind when swinging back.

If you could produce a pendulum that catches a greater force during part of its swing and a smaller force during the rest of the swing then the pendulum would accelerate until air friction or some other load consumes the extra forces.