DESCRIPTION OF THE ENGRAVING.--No. 1, the left leg, filled with
water from B to A. 2 and 3, valves, having in their centers very
small projecting valves; they all open upwards. 4, the right
leg, containing air from A to F. 5 and 6, valves, having very
small ones in their centers; they all open downwards. The whole
apparatus supposed to be air- and water-tight. The round figures
represent hollow balls, which will sink one-fourth of their bulk
in water (of course will fall in air); the weight, therefore, of
three balls resting upon one ball in water, as at E, will just
bring this top even with the water's edge; the weight of four
balls will sink it under the surface until the ball immediately
over it is one-fourth its bulk in water, when the under ball will
escape round the corner at C, and begin to ascend.
The machine is supposed (in the figure) to be in action, and
No. 8 (one of the balls) to have just escaped round the corner
at C, and to be, by its buoyancy, rising up to valve No. 3,
striking first the small projecting valve in the center, which,
when opened, the large one will be raised by the buoyancy of the
ball; because the moment the small valve in the center is opened
(although only the size of a pin's head), No. 2 valve will have
taken upon itself to sustain the whole column of water from A to
B. The said ball (No. 8) having passed through the valve No. 3,
will, by appropriate weights or springs, close; the ball will
proceed upwards to the next valve (No. 2), and perform the same
operation there. Having arrived at A, it will float upon the
surface three-fourths of its bulk out of water. Upon another
ball in due course arriving under it, it will be lifted quite
out of the water and fall over the point D, pass into the right
leg (containing air), and fall to valve No. 5, strike and open
the small valve in its center, then open the large one and pass
through; this valve will then, by appropriate weights or springs,
close, the ball will roll on through the bent tube (which is made
in that form to gain time as well as to exhibit motion) to the
next valve (No. 6), where it will perform the same operation,
and then, falling upon the four balls at E, force the bottom one
round the corner at C. This ball will proceed as did No. 8, and
the rest in the same manner successively.
Device by Compressible and Distensible Bags in Liquid
In the year 1823, an account of a Perpetual Motion device was sent
to "Mechanics' Magazine" by some correspondent. This appears to have
considerable claim to ingenuity, though the correspondent states that
"it failed from friction." The figure and account furnished are as
follows:
[Illustration]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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