Comments on: Elaborate Mechanism Works and Works to Do Nothing Well http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/04/23/elaborate-mechanism-works-and-works-to-do-nothing-well/ Yesterday's tomorrow, today. Sun, 06 Jul 2008 17:43:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: jayessell http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/04/23/elaborate-mechanism-works-and-works-to-do-nothing-well/#comment-1054622 jayessell Sat, 10 May 2008 01:24:36 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/04/23/elaborate-mechanism-works-and-works-to-do-nothing-well/#comment-1054622 I don't think it was meant to be a Perpetual Motion Machine. It's what we would call Kinetic Art. One of the Dr. Who episodes (Tom Baker era?) suggested tapping The kinetic energy of the planet. Was there a crackpot plan to build huge gyroscopes at the equator to capture the power of its' spin? I don’t think it was meant to be a Perpetual Motion Machine.
It’s what we would call Kinetic Art.

One of the Dr. Who episodes (Tom Baker era?) suggested tapping
The kinetic energy of the planet.
Was there a crackpot plan to build huge gyroscopes
at the equator to capture the power of its’ spin?

]]> By: Axel http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/04/23/elaborate-mechanism-works-and-works-to-do-nothing-well/#comment-1054621 Axel Sat, 10 May 2008 00:41:42 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/04/23/elaborate-mechanism-works-and-works-to-do-nothing-well/#comment-1054621 It reminds me of a "Perpetuum mobile sculpture" made by norwegian artist Reidar Finsrud, it has a circular ball track similar to this one, suspended by som peldulum arangement. He claims it has been running continuously since april 1996. Http://www.galleri-finsrud.no/sider/mobile/mobile.html has some pics and a video clip, there are also some links but many of them are dead. I've never seen a good explanation of it, I wonder if it's based on some "Foucaults pendulum" principle. Like that the earth's rotation causes the pendulums to precess (change direction of swing), and that the machine is able to absorb a tiny amount of energy from this to keep the ball rolling. But you have to remember that he presents it as a work of art rather than an actual perpetuum mobile, it may be some tricks involved. It reminds me of a “Perpetuum mobile sculpture” made by norwegian artist Reidar Finsrud, it has a circular ball track similar to this one, suspended by som peldulum arangement. He claims it has been running continuously since april 1996. www.galleri-finsrud.no/sider/mobile/mobile.html has some pics and a video clip, there are also some links but many of them are dead.

I’ve never seen a good explanation of it, I wonder if it’s based on some “Foucaults pendulum” principle. Like that the earth’s rotation causes the pendulums to precess (change direction of swing), and that the machine is able to absorb a tiny amount of energy from this to keep the ball rolling. But you have to remember that he presents it as a work of art rather than an actual perpetuum mobile, it may be some tricks involved.

]]> By: Danimal Goes to ITP » Useless Technology http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/04/23/elaborate-mechanism-works-and-works-to-do-nothing-well/#comment-1048169 Danimal Goes to ITP » Useless Technology Fri, 07 Mar 2008 23:29:45 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/04/23/elaborate-mechanism-works-and-works-to-do-nothing-well/#comment-1048169 [...] the idea of technology that serves absolutely no useful purpose. So, I was happy to stumble upon this thing, an “Elaborate Mechanism Works and Works to do Nothing Well”, from 1954. Awesome. And [...] [...] the idea of technology that serves absolutely no useful purpose. So, I was happy to stumble upon this thing, an “Elaborate Mechanism Works and Works to do Nothing Well”, from 1954. Awesome. And [...]

]]> By: Davies Family http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/04/23/elaborate-mechanism-works-and-works-to-do-nothing-well/#comment-1047309 Davies Family Sat, 23 Feb 2008 05:25:56 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/04/23/elaborate-mechanism-works-and-works-to-do-nothing-well/#comment-1047309 This is our grandfather. He also appeared on a popular TV show "I've got a secret" in 1953 or 54. We were hoping to find a copy of the TV appearance or information about the machine's whereabouts. This is our grandfather. He also appeared on a popular TV show “I’ve got a secret” in 1953 or 54. We were hoping to find a copy of the TV appearance or information about the machine’s whereabouts.

]]> By: Chainsaw Fencing Champ http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/04/23/elaborate-mechanism-works-and-works-to-do-nothing-well/#comment-859872 Chainsaw Fencing Champ Tue, 04 Dec 2007 05:29:12 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/04/23/elaborate-mechanism-works-and-works-to-do-nothing-well/#comment-859872 Hey, it's like the internet. Hey, it’s like the internet.

]]> By: jayessell http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/04/23/elaborate-mechanism-works-and-works-to-do-nothing-well/#comment-142018 jayessell Tue, 24 Apr 2007 22:16:52 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/04/23/elaborate-mechanism-works-and-works-to-do-nothing-well/#comment-142018 It went 'zing' when it moved, 'bop' when it stopped, 'whirr' when it stood still; I never knew just what it was, and I guess I never will. It went ‘zing’ when it moved, ‘bop’ when it stopped, ‘whirr’ when it stood still; I never knew just what it was, and I guess I never will.

]]> By: Stannous http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/04/23/elaborate-mechanism-works-and-works-to-do-nothing-well/#comment-139701 Stannous Mon, 23 Apr 2007 17:23:01 +0000 http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/04/23/elaborate-mechanism-works-and-works-to-do-nothing-well/#comment-139701 This was featured in newsreels, LIFE and Time mags and even commented on as a sign of our spiritual-less times in Catholic Digest in 1953. I was hoping to find a copy of the newsreel on youtube but no luck. This was featured in newsreels, LIFE and Time mags and even commented on as a sign of our spiritual-less times in Catholic Digest in 1953.
I was hoping to find a copy of the newsreel on youtube but no luck.

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