A perpetual motion machine (also known as Orffyreus) invented by Jean Ernest Elie Bessler (1680\u20141742). The idea of a large overbalanced wheel, delivering more energy from a series of falling weights than is required to return the wheel to its original state and therefore gaining energy as it rotates, was first suggested by Villard de Honnecourt (c. 1225-c. 1250) in the 13th century. A large, heavy wheel, once turning, has great momentum and will continue to turn for some time. This attractive idea was explored by many in the ensuing centuries, Bessler (Orffyreus), following in their footsteps with several attempts, finally believed himself to have succeeded in achieving perpetual motion. A famous Dutch mathematician, philosopher, and physicist, Wilhelm Gravesande (1688-1724) remembered today for his method of measuring Young\u2019s Modulus the extent to which a substance stretches under tension of a material in the form of a wire, was impressed with this last version and described its appearance in a letter to Sir Isaac newton. Bessler was unwilling to reveal to Gravesande the secret of its internal construction, afraid that others might steal the idea. The secret died with him.<\/p>\n
The French Academy of Sciences ruled against any further consideration of claims to have devised perpetual motion machines in 1775. Both the British and the U.S. Patent Offices have refused to examine patent applications for such machines, in the latter case unless accompanied by a working model or other convincing evidence there have been no takers so far.<\/p>\n
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A perpetual motion machine (also known as Orffyreus) invented by Jean Ernest Elie Bessler (1680\u20141742). The idea of a large overbalanced wheel, delivering more energy from a series of falling weights than is required to return the wheel to its original state and therefore gaining energy as it rotates, was first suggested by Villard de […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-211150","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-o"],"yoast_head":"\n