| What is an unbalanced wheel? An unbalanced wheel is any device capable of repeated rotation in which any given point along the circumference is either A. prone to stop in a given position along that circumference as opposed to any other, regardless of the amount of force inputed into rotating the wheel, or B. prone to rotate indefinitely according to the principle of having a constant and recoverable force which acts on one half of the wheel more than the other. My unbalanced wheel, which I call "Principled Asymmetry" fits definition A. to a tee, (Second Iteration now present at Motive Mass Experimentation Photos) but in its present manifestation is incapable of perpetuating its own motion. However I have been speculating that not all of the momentum generated by the weight on the downward cycle is lost on the upward cycle, especially if some energy continues to be inputed. How can an unbalanced wheel produce energy if it is not a perpetual motion machine, without draining power? In order to generate energy, a wheel only need be more efficient at rotation. This is similar to aerodynamics or fuel efficiency. A wheel with a single heavy arm may lose all its energy before it rotates once. A wheel with three heavy spokes will rotate for a long time if you input enough force--its more efficient than one arm. However, to keep it rotating you would need to input the same amount of force--an equal constant current of fuel or electricity. However, a wheel that is over-unity would actually become more efficient as it reaches an optimal speed. There are a number of principles operating in my Principled Asymmetry which I believe to be indicators that it has potential for over-unity, while it remains non-perpetual: A. Force applied on a weight that is about to fall increases the force of that weight when it impacts something--there is a reciprocal, cumulative effect between force applied at a height, and gravity--assuming the weight has not reached its maximum velocity. B. When a weight is supported directly by the axle of the wheel without applying any torque to the wheel, it has no negative or positive effects on the weight of the wheel, and no negative effects on the wheel structure in the form of torque that contributes to friction. C. When the upper impact of a difference weight is transferred to two fixed counterbalance arms beneath, the force causes the arms to tip sideways until the difference weight is accounted for. D. If sufficient force is inputed, the counterbalance arms swing upward, where they begin to balance one another, reaching a position where they would need a downward centering force to keep them from tipping in one direction or the other. However at this point the difference weight is supported by the axle and not by the structure of the wheel, so it cannot keep the arms from tipping in one direction or the other. E. If the counterbalance arms did stop while balanced precariously over the axle, I am supposing that a small push would produce some energy in the same way that the difference weight would transfer energy, by force exentuated by gravity. Note that at this point the difference weight is supported by the axle, and at least for a few degrees, does not resist the accumulation of force. Thus, to sum up, Principled Asymmetry might generate power given a constant power input, due to two effects: A. When the balanced counterweights reach the top they meet with no initial resistance from the difference weight, and are therefore unbalanced in force. B. When the difference weight reaches the top it is positioned in such a way that its weight is thrown downward. Providing almost equal torque to the counterweights, it lifts the counterweights about 90 degrees (assuming no power input), reducing the minimum force necessary to raise the counterweights. RETURN TO N. COPPEDGE'S BEST EVIDENCE RETURN TO N. COPPEDGE'S MAIN PERPETUAL MOTION PAGE NATHANCOPPEDGE.COM |
| This page was created in Oct. 2006 I reserve the right to modify for clarity. |
| To see historical examples that are NOT unbalanced see: Gramatke |
| Page last modified 2/4/2007 |