Any record of how much time Bessler use to remove (and reinstall) the weighs when doing the translocation of wheel ?

[helloha]

What's the scenario be like during the translocation test ?

Guests clear the room, wait ? minute/hour (remove the weighs), back to the room.
Guests witness the wheel carry to another platform.
Guests clear the room again, wait another ? minute/hour (reinstall back the weighs) again, back to the room again.... something like this ?

[John Collins]

He didn’t clear the room because Christian Wolff described the action. We don’t know how many weights were removed, or whether it was all of them or just some. They were described as cylindrical and estimated to weigh about four pounds each. They were permitted to handle them and they were wrapped in a handkerchief. I think the area behind the wheel was cleared for the action.

JC

[helloha]

Are there any boxes/crates in the room, like how many or how big the boxes are ? If Bessler was to remove those weighs, he would have to store them out-of-sight from the people presented in the room.

Also how many times did Bessler pushed that iron spring ?

Would be nice if we know how long the guests have to wait for those weighs to be removed/reinstall ? The longer the waiting time, the more weighs is it.

[John Collins]

I have not found any records providing the information you seek, but there may be letters in other languages written by the many attendees at the examinations to their own countrymen about their experience. How you would find them I do not know. I do know that there is a large number of records about Bessler which have not been examined for various reasons. I’m aware of at least two large treasure troves of information which are currently not available.

JC

[helloha]

Thks for the reply, John. Appreciate :)

[MrTim]

If, as I assume, he had one or two helpers, the time would be much less than thought, as he would have used them to carry the weights between the wheel and storage box (and vice versa) while he installed/uninstalled them in the wheel. It would have taken him all day if he had to do all the work himself.

Which brings up another question: How did he access the insides of the wheel? It had to be easy, yet still able to hide the insides (and be within reach of his arm...)

See what I started there...? ;-)

[helloha]

Those helpers would be very rich (people in the room would be memorizing them), imagine all the bribery they will be collecting .... "tell me what's on the inside"

One person will do, the removal and reinstall should be fast, there are devices (which have been mentioned indirectly by eyewitness account) for the easy removal/install task.

If you use screws for the cylinder weight installation, the unscrewing process took time.
But if using "Push Release, Push Lock" mechanism (which utilize spring btw), ... less than 5 secs? And whole process maybe just less than 10 minutes? Even if it took half an hour, still fast ?

Removal process are easier than the reinstall process, because lighter portion will move up while heavier move down. When weigh took out of the wheel, that part become lighter and move up, thus all the weighs will always be at the bottom. Easy for the operator to do the removal as his hand can reach those weighs.

Reinstall process (it's a one man job), on the other hand, will require a ladder to reach the zenith. It's a 12ft wheel.
Or you can turn the wheel, bring those already installed weighs up and empty slot down, then use a rope to tie the wheel to the ground, making the wheel unmovable.
Now instead of using the rope, you can use something like the "Push Type Door Stopper" mechanism, ... in this case the Iron Spring (which also utilize spring).

[John Collins]

Bessler only ever mentions his younger brother, Gottfried, as his helper.

JC

[Robinhood46]

John,
Did it ever occur that the wheel was moved more than once in a "session", so that we can, at the very least, rule out the possibility that it took a non negligible amount of time, even up to a couple/few hours?
I have always thought the process to remove the weights was pretty rapid, but my thoughts are obviously biased by thoughts related to how the wheel worked, notably why he didn't let anyone see the ends of the weights. If the weights were simply bolted to the arms, then I don't see the reason to hide the ends of the weights. If the weights weren't fixed to the arms, because they were being passed from one arm to the next, then the removal of the weights would be very rapid, because they weren't fixed to anything.
24 weights that take 2 minutes to disconnect and remove and 2 minutes to relocate and re fix = 1 hr 36 mins, just for the weights.

[John Collins]

There does not seem to be a specific comment about how many times the weights were removed and the wheel transferred to a different set of bearings. The comments about something being done as often as was desired might be referring to the raising of weights, and not the transfer.

My own feeling about the handkerchief wrapped round a weight was that this was done to protect the visitors from the lubricating fat used in the bearing and/or the swinging weights.It was reported that this was done to disguise the ends of the weights, but I don’t think this was likely, but maybe a mixture of both reasons, or at least I can imagine Bessler suggesting the second reason to add to the mystery of the occasion.

JC