Perseverance

[faraway]

Below is a message from Bill McMurtry posted to keelynet back yonder in 1998:

Gravity wheel
Bill McMurtry ( weber@powerup.com.au )
Mon, 09 Feb 1998 17:46:24 +1000

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Hi Jerry & all,

Hey, anybody else read John Collins' book on Bessler?


Now here's a challange. If John is right, and he presents a compelling
arguement as far as I'm concerned, then the alternative energy problem was
solved in the early 1700's.


This guy Bessler (Orffyreus) spent his whole life trying to convince the
scientific establishment that he was not a fraud and that he had solved the
riddle of the "perpetual motion" machine. This was in the time of Newton
when enlightened thought prohibited the reality of perpetual motion
(something for nothing), just as now. But, was it GRAVITY that Bessler's
wheel ran on?


He allowed many expert examiners to witness and perform tests on his wheel,
none of them could find any evidence of trickery, although nobody was
allowed to witness the interior workings of the wheel. Highly regarded
mechanics and scientists of the day were convinced that Bessler was no fraud.


Alas, Bessler's great undoing was that he wanted money for his discovery
and would not reveal the inner workings of his wheel until he was paid by a
would be buyer. On this count I think Bessler was myopic and, well, stupid.
He knew that his invention was an earth shaker, both to scientific thought
and industry alike. Yet he steadfastly refused to give up his secret to the
end. Today, all we are left to work with is cicumstancial evidence and a
potential "code" left by the (crazy) man in his notes.


OK. The first wheel publically demonstrated by the inventor (simplest
design) went like this:
1. Wheel was made of wood, with metal components inside. (sides of wheel
were closed in to protect secret of mechanism)
2. Around 3 foot diameter.
3. Around 4 inches thick.
4. Unidirectional rotation.
5. Permenant wheel imbalance ie: needed to be tied up or immobilised in
some manner to prevent rotation when not in use.
6. A number of metal weights were heard moving inside the wheel when in
motion. The number was usually estimated as 8 from the number of "bangs" of
these weights against the inside of the rim in one revolution.
7. The weights impacted noisily against the inside of the wheel rim on the
downward moving side of the wheel.
8. One observer commented on the sound of a spring mechanism being cocked
as Bessler replaced the weights into the wheel after removing and showing
the weights to examiners.
9. The weights were said to be cylindrical. Interestingly the weights were
presented to the examiners under a piece of cloth. They were allowed to see
the shape, feel the weight, but not to view or touch the ENDS of the
weights, why?
10. Revolutions per minute - aroung 56.
11. The mechanism was so embarrasingly simple, it was claimed by Bessler
and his patron Karl, that a boy could build it.


No electicity, no magnetism, no hi-tech bits and pieces, just good old
mechanics - moving, falling (and perhaps spinning) weights and the means of
controlling their movement within the wheel was Besslers' secret.


How hard could it be, right?


Orffyreus wheel solved in 1998? 10.5 months to go, right Jerry! My brain
hurts, I can't stop thinking about this darn problem. Help me somebody.


Get the book, Bill.


It is perseverance like that demonstrated by old Bill here that can serve as inspiration to others. Bill, here's to your brain not hurting in the near future. May your critical thinking skills pay off in a big way. For some it's an ad jingle, or song that they can't get out their head, for others it is much more.........."If necessity really is the mother of invention, then obsession surely is it's mistress" and motivation, well, certainly motivation should prove itself quite familial here somewhere. Bill, I bet you wouldn't trade the last 5 years for all the ink in india. I have a feeling Bill just might be living proof that "hands on beats a hand out, hands down". I can just see Bill now.....working feverishly to rectify what he has seen in his mind's eye with reality.....the ramifications of what leverage coupled with kinetic energy can do........My hat's off to ya Bill.

[ovyyus]

I was wrong about the dimensions of Bessler's first wheel. Bessler's first wheel was 3.5 ELLS diameter - not 3 feet.

1 ell = 22.3 inches. Therefore Bessler's first and smallest wheel was about 6.5 feet diameter and only 4 inches thick.

Feet and ells have often been confused in the historical reports and, IMO, it is important to get these basic attributes correct.

A full account of Bessler's wheel sizes and evolution can be found on my website at http://www.orffyre.com/measurements.html

PS: my email address at powerup.com.au is old and no longer functional.