Posted by John Collins (194.164.38.14) on March 19, 2003 at 12:38:00:
In Reply to: Consider this posted by David on March 19, 2003 at 11:28:15:
: Hi David. I hope you and Scott don't mind me stepping in here. Redheffer I think you mean.
I understand your scepticism - I was one myself until I began to study the story through documents of the time.
You say "powering a load for a short time" but a wheel whose diameter is just short of twelve feet by eighteen inches in width; which turns accompanied by a heavy thumping noise of falling weights at a rate of approximately four thumps per second
for 54 days with one short break of an hour or so - is surely turning a load. I estimated the weight of the wheel and its weights as being in the order of 500 LBS and don't forget that to translocate it required the removal of the weights as it was too heavy to lift with them installed.
Bessler accepted every challenge except for access to the internal workings. He lifted weights (70 pounds)up and down time and time again; he translocated his wheel from one set of bearings to another; examination was completely unfettered apart from access to the internal workings. It was also made to pump water and drive heavy stampers. It would have been extremely difficult to arrange for 54 days work under load, locked up under seal and guard but he tried to comply with every other possible request. You may suggest that it could have pumped water but the machine was set up in a room in the castle for security and so, in my opinion, arranging a constant load would have been very difficult.
The "fame" as you put it actually secured him enemies who did not believe that he could possibly have built a gravity wheel - true he did receive a salary for his job as commercial councillor and built a number of other devices for his employer, but I don't think, having read his account of his life at that time that he would have chosen this road to follow if he was not genuine and convinced of the fficacy of his wheel. They (the enemies) made his life a misery and he was the subject of numerous libellous tracts ridiculing his claims throughout his life.
As for being kicked out of several towns - it is not quite accurate to say that. He attempted for several years to interest people in buying his machine, mostly without success as the price was too high. He would be forced to give up after a time and moved on to the next town seeking the ear of someone in authority who would organise a fair test of his machine. His enemies published that he had been kicked out such-and-such a town but it was just part of their dirty tricks campaign. I don't want to rehash the reasons for the enemy's spite but belive me they had good reason - their own necks.
Eventually he found a sponsor and also finally convinced Gottfried Leibniz, one of the most celebrated scientists of the time (and undoubtedly comparable to Newton although his work extended over his whole life rather than the few years as a young man, attributable to Newton)and he took up his cause. It is interesting to see the progress of Liebniz' conviction that Bessler's machine was genuine. Those who have read my book will recall that the story of Leibniz, was demonstrated through the numerous letters he wrote to other witnesses and examiners. He was at first sceptical but eventually agreed that the machine was a gravity wheel but not true perpetual motion. Eventually he visted Bessler and satyeed for two hours to examine the machine and came away utterley convinced that it was worthwhile device.
One more thing - Bessler mentioned more than once that if his machine waas found wanting after payment had been made, then his neck cold be put on the block because he would deserve it. You may think that that was just words but I can assure you justice was swift and hard then.
Hope this helps
John C.
First I want to state that although I may appear as a skeptic I am in fact not, I am in fact an advocate of free energy. I have spent an enormous amount of time and effort in this area. That being said there are still a few things about the Bessler story that I find a little suspect. History is filled with free energy con men, fr