Posted by John Collins (194.164.38.77) on April 28, 2003 at 23:52:53:
In Reply to: Question for John Collins posted by grim on April 28, 2003 at 17:26:51:
: Hi Mr Grim,
Alden did involve me for several months, reviewing his work. I advised him to divorce the religious content from the practical, which he did to a limited extent. As for his interpretation, personally I don't accept all his "chiastic" notions but that's just my opinion
With regard to the "noisemakers" I think it's a valid point, especially given that Bessler admitted trying cover up the sounds coming from the earlier wheels by attempting to deaden the noise of the weights by inserting strips of felt or leather where they landed. He says that he didn't use them later because they wore out too quickly, but he may have tried to divert attention with additional noises. I've thought about that a lot and let us say that you have three weights making a noise at each revolution, if you add one more just to make people think that there are four, I think that the rhythm would be broken and you'd hear three bangs followed much more quickly by the fourth. In order to get it right you'd have double the number of bangs so perhaps the "sound of about eight weights" should make us suspect only four?
A "scratching" noise was reported coming from some of the earlier wheels so perhaps that was the sound of the muffled weights?
John Collins
Hello John
: What is your opinion of Alden Park's interpretation of Bessler's "Little Book"?
: Do you think there's anything to that particular part about the "noisemakers" used to disguise
: sounds that may have given away possibly identifiable sounds made by the devices internals?
: Thanks once again for your timely and informative responses.
:
: Regards
: grim