Ah, finally someone to ask me to prove this.
Ok, any work a magnet does takes the same amount of work to reverse, correct?
Good deal, I follow.
I direct your attention to exhibit "A"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKyGDWeblQw&feature=fvw
This video shows a row of magnets being used to accelerate a magnetic ball bearing at a high rate of speed. To remove this magnet, it should theoritically require the same amount of force it produced to pull it back. Correct?
May I direct your attention to exhibit "B"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-bUdaSX ... re=related
In this video, you will note that you can direct this forward momentum up to pretty much any height you wish. Once again, to remove the ball in the direction it arrived requires an equal amount of energy. To pull the ball off straight down will also require the same amount of energy. I get that. However, if one has ever attempted to remove a magnet from another magnet I'm sure you have discovered that releasing the magnet from the side tends to require a little less energy than straight up from the poles.
I now direct you to exhibit "C"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3Iwt84dopM
In this video, you will see something more basic. A leverage based gravity wheel. Balls drop off from the outside rail, get picked up closer to the middle pivot point. Etc. Etc. Etc., it doesn't work.
BUT...If one was to remove the weights going up the wheel, and have ball bearings pouring down only on one side...I believe we would have a water wheel would we not? And they tend to turn relatively easy.
In case you're not following me, you use the magnets the lift the ball bearings to a top point where they will hang precariously above the wheel. As the wheel turns, the ball that is hanging is snatched off by the torque of the wheel, and rides down the outside edge as shown in exhibit "C". Where does this torque come from? Why, the river of ball bearings running down the outside edge of the wheel.
If you need more power to remove that ONE little ball bearing that is dangling above the wheel, simply enlarge the wheel so the outside edge is larger and holds more balls on one side.
So, herein lies my solution. GRAVITY is used to pull the weight of anywhere between 18 to 100 balls down on one side. They get fired up the ramp. Since they are magnetized, they will naturally repel one another. They naturally space themselves out so that when the first one is picked off, the next one moves into it's location. You are using the weight of 100 balls to remove only 1 from a magnet.
So up until this point I follow you. Now can you explain to me why this would not work? By the way, my design is based loosely on this theory, but i have simplified mine quite a bit further. While I feel as if I'm giving away all my secrets, I have already come up with a better version. If I patent my idea, this would be the one for the people who want to build their own.