Posted by John Collins (194.164.38.59) on April 23, 2003 at 23:21:50:
In Reply to: This from another site posted by David-Moses on April 23, 2003 at 11:16:11:
: You're working from an incomplete knowledge of the facts about Bessler's wheel. Firstly nowhere does it state that a shove was required. It is clearly stated that only two fingers were required to start the wheel moving, from which start it would accelerate to full speed. This only applied to wheels which could move in either direction.
Secondly, the wheels which required to be tied down, only worked in one direction and would begin to turn spontaneously as soon as they were released. The bi-directional wheels were produced as an answer to the suggestion that the one-directional ones were wound up.
No contradictions.
John Collins
There is something that stands out more than anything else in thinking Bessler was a fraud. First, one or two inconsistencies. It was reported by one person that the main wheel needed a slight push to get it going. Another one reported it required a forceful shove.
: Okay, the biggy. Bessler had different sizes of wheel built over the years, ending up with his 12 foot version. The 12 foot version required a push or a forceful shove (whatever). An earlier version had to be tied, braked, at the axel to prevent it from moving. It had to be retied to stop it. In other words it was always ready to "go". This is a blatant contradiction. It, in form, is the complete opposite of the last wheel. That, and summing it up with his paraphrased words,
: My machine is a true circular wheel that recieves it's rotational force from the swinging of weights, or pendula that are coordinated with each other. Once the wheel reaches on rotation the perpetual motion principle takes over, and the wheel will continue to rotate.
: He also stated these weights were in cases and at the perimeter of the wheel. This only points out a flaw in how he first went to demonstate his machines, and points towards the wheels having a hidden source of stored power. A wheel that recieves its power from the swinging of weights, specially coordinated, should not have to be tied down to stop it. This makes no sense.