biggest and smallest

[jim_mich]

Thanks John,

It sounds like maybe a bolt that tightens down on the axle pin producing more friction and slowing the wheel, not something that adjusts the internal mechanism.

[jim_mich]

With just a little more work Bessler could have measured the horse power of his wheel. Of course the idea of horsepower had not been invented yet!


To make a Prony brake mount a pulley or wheel on the shaft to be tested, or just use a large diameter shaft. Clamp two boards around the pulley keeping things symetrical so they balance. Make the boards with a radius pocket so they stay riding/slipping on the pulley while it turns. Put a bolt or other bump at a known distance near the outer end of each board and position a scale under one end to measure pressure. Start the engine then slowly tighten the clamps noting the scale pressure and RPM. The RPM can be measured by adding a clicker, such as bolt that touches a piece of sheet metal once each revolution, and counting clicks while watching a clock second hand. It is best to use a hard wood like oak and cool it with water.

HP = Lb x Ft x Pi x 2 x RPM / 33000

If you make the measurement 2.626 Ft (31.51 inches) then the formula is...

HP = Lb * RPM / 2000

[Fletcher]

I think the main observation here is that the one-way wheels were always in a state of overbalance, or out of balance if you will, or at least the visible effect to the observer was as so.

This probably meant the Rotational Center of Mass was displaced left or right of the center axle depending on direction of rotation & probably not below the center horizontal line to avoid any keeling. So it was most likely a fixed point in one or other of the top 2 quadrants probably level with or above the horizontal axle line.

The OOB effect must have been continuous otherwise he could not have slowed the wheel rpm to a virtual crawl (almost stopped by friction) & still enable the wheel to develop torque & rotate. In other words there was very little momentum used to "carry" the rotation so it was always OOB (fixed point of COG). No oscillating GOG or partial OOB I'm afraid. This would seem to also eliminate CF's other than as anxillary.

The speed adjusting bolt can have 2 possible actions. 1. friction brake against say the internal axle or 2. mechanism governer or limiter. Seems to me that if there were only one bolt then most likely it was a friction brake of sorts working against the torque generated by the constant OOB of the wheel.

JB made the comment that with only 1 cross bar he could get it to barely turn itself. This would imply that speed (rpm) & power (torque) were not discreet variables. Increase the number of mech sets & you increase the speed & power. Of course changing internal ratios could alter that relationship between the 2 variables but the basic premis must hold true - more mechs means faster & stronger. The two-way wheels change that dynamic because ??? - greater interia ? but they would be slower to accelerate but should attain the same/similar rpm without load as a one-way wheel.

-fletcher

[Michael]

Hi Fletcher,

>Increase the number of mech sets & you increase the speed & power.

(And probably the always primed continuous process)


R.

M.

[John Collins]

the speed of the first two wheels could be slowed down or allowed to run at full speed by screwing a bolt in or out. Bessler describes how spectators were allowed to do this and enjoyed trying it. It just had a braking action I guess.

Graham wrote

Hi there John, I don't remember reading about this before . Could you let us know the source of this information

It comes from Apologia and reads "The bolts which regulated the motion were screwed into and out of the axle by many people, for I allowed all my friends to operate it."

Thanks for your friendly greetings Graham, and may I also wish you and everyone else on this board a very happy Christmas and peaceful New Year - and all of us a working Bessler wheel.

[graham]

John wrote

may I also wish you and everyone else on this board a very happy Christmas and peaceful New Year

Your right John , this poor old world is desperately in need of a peaceful New Year , I'm sure a solution to our energy problems in the shape of a gravity powered motor would go a long way towards achieving this goal.

Secondly, I didn't realize that there was even more infomation to be found in "Apologia Poetica" . I was under the impression that it was just a rambling account of his life .

I guess I'll just have to order it from you won't I ?

Graham