Posted by John Collins (194.164.232.108) on October 30, 2003 at 23:31:02:
In Reply to: Another one for John posted by Michael on October 30, 2003 at 16:39:38:
Hello again Michael,
There is a good drawing of the Worcester wheel by Dircks, (I'll have to check that it was he) which shows exactly what the wheel probably looked like. In my opinion if the drawing is correct then the wheel won't turn. There is no other documentary evidence about the Worcester wheel and no proof that it ever worked other than the surmise written in your quotation.
So in answer to your question, I personally don't think that the white pie sections are arrows. I have spent a lot of time analysing all of the drawings and I've come to some conclusions and made some discoveries on all of them. I believe that in the Apologia drawing the JB is telling us that there are four sections, because of the approximately 90 degree pie sections, but that each 90 degree segment has an internal angle of approximately 120 degrees (90 + 30). If you draw this on paper you will discover that this creates an inner circle similar to that which is inside the Apologia drawing. This allows for four weights each moving with a radius of 120 degrees, but separated by 90 degree angles. Try it.
John Collins
: Hi John,
: I pulled this from another site;
: Marquis of Worcester first described the 'overbalancing wheel' (presumable before Orffyreus created his invention). He described a wheel with 2 rims, one inside the other. Weights attached by strings in such a manner that weights coming down shift to the outer rim while weights moving upward shift to the inside rim (where they are 'lighter').
: Now I've read one of his wheels he describes, if he was as interested in all this as everyone else maybe he discovered the secret also? I say this because he gives only some vaugue details and ends it with basically saying ...so I'll leave it to you to guess what then happens. What is a little interesting in all this is the diagram of the pie sections IF they are actually arrows pointing to the center, point to what appears to be a rim within a rim.What do you think?