Posted by Darren (208.143.232.66) on May 22, 2003 at 13:01:00:
In Reply to: Maybe... posted by D. on May 21, 2003 at 17:06:02:
: I am amazed at the way all the big names around here completely dismiss the clues towards pendula driving the wheel.
I don't think everyone is completely dismissing the clues, on the contrary. The wheel *needs* to have a rythmic force happening inside, similar to a pendulum, for the wheel to even work... but... that pendulus force won't be created by a classic, swinging, pendulum shaped component.
: Wheel gets its force from swinging weights
"Swinging weights" is a very vague description. Don't automatically read "grandfather clock pendulum" into this.
: One weight moves out, one moves in
This statement actually *contradicts* the idea of a classic grandfather clock type mechanism because this describes two objects, one moving in and one moving out, and a pendulum is but a single object.
: Wheel can be changed by the modification of pendula etc.
"Pendula" could be referring to the exterior pendula that he attached (in some drawings) to regulate the wheels. Doesn't necessarily mean they were required for it's functioning.
Darren