Comments on: Vision Perpetual Motion In This Rubber Band Engine (Dec, 1933)

By: Don

Don — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 01:54:25 +0000

No, not them; I didn’t mean them, of course . . . .

By: Firebrand38

Firebrand38 — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 01:35:39 +0000

Don: Unless they’re students of the Mayan Order.

By: Don

Don — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 23:37:19 +0000

Kiwi, ALL “perpetual motors” can be written off, because perpetual motion DOESN’T WORK. Never has, never will. Those who think otherwise don’t understand basic physics.

By: jayessell

jayessell — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 23:32:20 +0000

kiwi…
The floating spinning magnet would also have to be in a vacuum or else
air resistance would stop it eventually.
(Unless you mean its perfect aerodynamic shape has none.)
((Which I don’t see how could be possible.))

By: Kiwi ingenuity

Kiwi ingenuity — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 22:51:29 +0000

Sadly, many perpetual motors have been written off because, quote, “it will stop working in a few years”
One machine I loved was 2 rings of magnets (one on top of the other) that resisted each other (so the top one floats), but were angled to keep in position, they were also perfectly aerodynamic (not moving, according to associated physics).
Spinning the floating one caused perpetual rotation.
It was written off for 2 reasons:
It couldn’t power anything, any resistance slowed it down.
It wasn’t powering itself, and even if it had a really good spin, the magnets would die after approximately 5-10 years (depending on type)

By: Myles

Myles — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 19:34:23 +0000

Just to second that I think it is funny that this article thinks that adding heat to the system to keep it going is not cheating. Also subsituting solar heat for electrical heat would not qualify as perpetual motion. Finally they say that this machine is not perpetual because eventually the band will break That is not their biggest problem. I’m guessing their definition of perpetual motion is a machine that keeps running as long as the power is turned on.

By: Neil Russell

Neil Russell — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 00:51:02 +0000

Well what do you know?
One thing I love about this site, besides the retro future stuff, is that there’s always someone with the answer! Thanks

By: ovyyus

ovyyus — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 21:12:40 +0000

Neil, rubber, unlike many other materials, actually contracts when heated: http://www.physlink.com/educat...../ae478.cfm

By: Gregly

Gregly — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 13:08:02 +0000

The point is moot anyway, as energy is introduced into the system via electric heaters (or solar heaters as they envision). They didn’t even try to fit the definition of a perpetual motion machine, they just called it that for the heck of it.

By: William Deering

William Deering — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 13:06:45 +0000

Neil, You’re right. Also, it would have been a better attempt at a true perpetual motion device if it generated power for the electric heaters. Oh well, maybe this started folks toward the path of today’s solar cells.

By: Neil Russell

Neil Russell — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 05:19:29 +0000

“The heat causes the rubber to contract”
Doesn’t that run counter to physics? Or does a 1930s rubber band have some unusual property that keeps it from softening and stretching further when heated?
Or does rubber do that, contract when exposed to heat? I don’t know.