Bessler wheel
Bill McMurtry ( weber@powerup.com.au )
Wed, 28 Jan 1998 01:29:25 +1000
Hello one and all,
I recently read John Collins' book on Bessler and his wheel. Excellent bit
of research on this mad man from the 1700's. John puts forward a compelling
case in favour of Besslers claims - that he had discovered a simple device
capable of continued rotation with no apparent input of energy. Thousands
have tried and failed where Bessler, it seems, arrived at a solution. The
known laws of mechanics present compelling evidence that a machine of this
nature can not be resolved through use of levers, gears, springs, etc.
Bessler used falling weights within the wheel, the mechanism always hidden
from view by the closed in sides of the wooden wheel (hense a lot of the
accusations of fraud). It was reported that eight weights were used in the
larger, later wheels. The weights were cylindrical, according to experts
that examined them, although they were never allowed to see the ends of the
cylindrical weights. Curious? It was reported that the machine made a lot
of noise as it rotated, with the internal weights hitting the inside of the
rim in the direction of rotation (the side going down). Besslers early,
smaller unidirectional wheels had to be stored with some form of brake
applied to prevent continual rotation when not required. ie: no static
balance of the wheel could be found. One examiner reported the sound of
what he thought to be a spring mechanism being loaded as Bessler
reinstalled the weights into the wheel. The mechanism was simple - to the
point that Besslers' patron Karl, a mechanic himself and the only person
Bessler allowed to see the inside workings of his wheel, could not believe
it had not been thought of before (or since). Gravity was probably the
source of energy for Besslers wheel, as put forward by John Collins, who
also finds it hard to grasp the concept of "something for nothing". But how
did he do it? He must have resorted to a concept from outside of the
accepted mechanical system of laws we are all too familiar with. Either
that or Bessler exploited an as yet unknown (and obviously hard to find)
"loophole" in those laws. Any takers?
Bill.