Posted by John K (24.79.131.249) on March 12, 2002 at 23:16:47:
In Reply to: Re: Gravity Wheel posted by Christopher on March 12, 2002 at 21:28:38:
Hi Christopher,
Thanks for your response. It definitely has been fun so far, although I will admit that the more I've tried to actually implement some of my ideas, the more frustrating it can become at times. Sometimes it's just not having the right tools or materials that you need, to accurately represent what you've developped, in theory. But overall I've really enjoyed the time speculating, and throwing around ideas with my father in law !!
Tell me, is it possible to attach a jpeg or other file to a message, in this forum ? It would be neat to be able to demonstrate concepts in picture form.
One idea I've been toying around with, consists of basically a pulley which has some sort of 'box' attached to both ends. In this scenario each of the 2 boxes would carry ball(s). When a box would fall, it could (possibly) decrease in weight by losing a ball,and when a box would rise, it could rise to a level where it might (possibly) increase in weight, by receiving a ball previously deposited at that level. So the arrangment would involve some sort of doors which would release balls to the ground, or to the high point ( eg a peg sticking out of the bottom of the box, could hit the floor to release a ball). As well, balls which had been deposited at the bottom or at the top by the box at one end of the pulley, could be picked up by the box at the other end of the pulley.
I've messed around with a number of different scenarios :
-there could be multiple pulleys involved, which confers more mechanical advantage gained or lost, by the loss or addition of a ball
-the boxes could be of different weights to start with
But I guess if this would stand any chance of working, the balls would somehow have to 'know' which was the right box to go into at any time, in order to keep the system, 'out of balance'.
It's interesting trying to work out the feasibility of this system, using numbers. This involves keeping a 'balance sheet' to keep track of the weight at both sides of the pulley, at any time.
Any thoughts on this one ?
John K
p.s I have to admit a part of me thinks I'm crazy for even entertaining this perpetual motion stuff...but as I read the intelligent posts of other people here, at least it makes me feel I'm in good company !