Peter Lindemann, The Mechanical Engine: A Re-Evolution of Bessler's Wheel

[hansvonlieven]

@ Mondrasek and anyone interested in pendulum physics.


Professor Franz-Josef Elmer, University of Basel, Switzerland has created a virtual pendulum laboratory that you can download in its entirety. It will teach all aspects of pendulum physics via a series of lectures and Java applets where you can study pendulum behaviour in a virtual reality by changing the parameters and observe the altered behaviour. I recommend this highly. You will find it here:

http://monet.physik.unibas.ch/~elmer/pendulum/index.html

Have fun with this, I know I had.

Hans von Lieven

[AB Hammer]

mondrasek

I have a little test for you to try, This will help you understand.

Take a weight on a string. Swing it back and forth and the drop it about 6 inches at its approximately 6:00 position. Then you will see what happens to the swing. It tends to nearly stop swinging.

When in doubt test it out.

[mondrasek]

@AB Hammer,

Of that I have no doubt.

I believe my difficulty is with the frame of reference.  In your example, only the pivot point was abruptly changed, downwards, thus negating the force of gravity that causes a pendulum to continue to swing (indefinitely if friction is removed).  But if both the pendulum and the pivot point were initially moving downward at any given velocity, and then the pendulum was put in motion, would it still swing?  I believe it would.  In this new case both the pendulum and pivot are moving in the same frame of reference.  But if you add *acceleration* to either, then that changes things.

In the case of Lindemann's idea, both the pendulum and the pivot are in the same frame of reference I believe.  But they are both experiencing an acceleration due to the rotation of the wheel.  I believe this is centripetal force?  And depending on where in the rotational cycle this acceleration is allowed to act it can either aid or detract from the acceleration of gravity. 

This I cannot visualize and therefore connot immediately dismiss this concept.  So I hope to see a simulation, or build and experimental data.  I fear the math is beyond me.

M.

[hansvonlieven]

@ Mondrasek

Look at this. The pendulum does not swing back.

Hans von Lieven

[mondrasek]

Thanks Hans, but unfortunately I do not have access to Working Model software.  The demo version also does not allow me to open the file.

M.