--This is a good time to update people on my idea. :-)
The page incase you didn't get it last time:
http://www.netins.net/showcase/pb/tomi_mot/
I've bought the magnets, taped them into six cylinders, and have left themsitting on my table for several weeks. I'm planning to test the idea at thebottom of my page. It's by far the cheapest way to go. And if the basicprinciple that it tests doesn't work, then the radial, continuous runningversion won't work either.
The biggest reason why I haven't tested things yet is simple: I can'tfigure out a good way to attach the two runner magnets that will still allowthem to roll. I know there are lots of obvious ways to go about doing this,but I'm on a limited budget.
I've also been pretty busy with school.
--As was stated before by Jerry, me, and others is that some force will berequired to get the runner magnets started into the rails. As you push therunner magnet closer to the rails, the like-pole magnetic fields push itaway until you get it past the threshold where it will begin to move throughthe rails by itself.
I've observed, since I've gotten the magnets, that this threshold is passedjust as the runner cylinder is half-way into the rail assembly (I'm rollingit into the rails, not inserting it from above). Once it's past thisthreshold, it begins to be pushed by the like-pole magnetic fields towardsthe neutral center. Then it begins to be pulled by the unlike-pole magneticfields to the end of the rails.
At this point, (and to my surprise) inertia actually carries it completelyout of the influence of the rails, and it rolls across the table (note thatI was testing this on a level table, not an uphill grade). The originalTOMI experiment relied on gravity to get it out of the influence of therails once it reached the end. The runner then rolled downhill and into thenext set of rails (note that gravity is the force used to get it past theinitial "threshold" in this case).
My design (in theory) doesn't rely on inertia or gravity. Hopefully, theforce of a runner magnet going through a set of rails will be enough to getanother runner magnet past the inevitable threshold so it will begin movingthough its set of rails. That's what I'm trying to test with the projectdescribed at the bottom of my page.
Perhaps the whole TOMI thing is just a fancy, magnetic spring where theenergy applied to get a runner started is what's actually pushing the thingthrough (if that's the case, then science has already proven that any motorbased on TOMI won't work). I sure hope that's not the case.
--It's getting late, and I know most of what I said was pretty muchincoherent. I do better describing what's going on in a diagram. Ifsomeone wants me to, I'll draw a diagram up tomorrow to better explainanything I've said here. I'm considering drawing something up to show whatI mean about the "threshold" I talked about. It would also help if the"threshold" had a name. How about the "Magnetic Resistance Threshold"(MRT)? If it already has a name, then someone please tell me so I'll quitsounding so stupid. :-)
Thanks for reading all of that.
-pb
----- Original Message -----From: Chris <sargent@nidlink.com>To: <jdecker@Keelynet.com> <interact@Keelynet.com>Sent: Sunday, September 26, 1999 23:35Subject: Back to the TOMI device
> I've been looking at the archives at both the original and the second> (circular) TOMI devices. I can't find a reason why they WON'T work (and> believe me I've done a lot of thinking). . . so does any one know where I> can buy magnets on line?>> Secondly, my question is to those people who have looked at the second> device: I have noticed that the basic principal behind the second deviceis> two magnets are always driving one (hence the acronym TOMI). Is there away> to have three drive one or four . . .and so on? Or does this device haveto> be built as it is shown? Is there any proof of centrifugal force> degradation of magnetic fields?>> Any help would be greatly appreciated as I intend to get off my duff and> start doing some construction. I do intend on keeping the group posted as> to my progress. . .>> Chris>>> -------------------------------------------------------------> To leave this list, email <listserver@keelynet.com>> with the body text: leave Interact> list archives and on line subscription forms are at> http://keelynet.com/interact/> -------------------------------------------------------------