Posts tagged Wheel

My grandfather (O. Wright, 1877-1934) left behind a perpetual motion machine invention of his own design (find link to drawing of it below). Let me tell you about it.It consisted of a spoked wooden wheel, probably bicycle size, with no tire attached. Spaced all along the perimeter of the wooden rim were small rectangular blocks attached by metal hinges. Inside these blocks were hollowed-out grooves in which weighted metal balls could move freely back and forth parallel to the wheel rim; the grooves were plugged with cork.The idea was for the wheel, once it had been set on an axle of some kind, to be set in motion, causing the wooden blocks to open outward & downward from their hinges (aided by the metal balls inside) and force the wheel around and around, in perpetuity, with their weight.I know this idea may sound silly. I know all the physicists and other scientists assure us there is no such thing as perpetual motion, due to friction, etc., and I have absolutely no reason to disagree with them. It’s just that my grandfather’s little invention fascinated me at a very… More >>