Using Magnetic Procession

[george_roanoke]

I posted this reply in the "Did you see this video based on calloway's vtrack?", but it deals with more than just the calloway vtrack, so I thought it worth opening another topic.  Hopefully this post is a little more clearer the other.( Here is the link for the vtrack incase you haven't seen it: http://youtube.com/watch?v=kCr3lOhMJCg )

Most of the designs I've seen seem to work on weak to strong magnetic fields. Well i got passed the sticky point on a magnetic ramp design by stacking smaller magnets in a sine wave pattern along the sides of the ramp. The V or diagonal formation of the magnets in some designs could be represented by smaller magnets stacked as half waves (or half sine waves) . So I completed the wave pattern, which kept the steel ball rolling till the wave pattern ended. Worked best in an alternating wave pattern. As one wave completed its attraction and begin to diminish the other took over-one side to the other.  If you think about it, it works like us walking with two legs.  We begin to proceed forward with one leg and would actually fall to the earth attracting us (or stick to the earth like the sticky point with magnets), but the other leg catches us and pulls us forward --- and so on.  I guess the V gate designs would be like hopping with both legs (or in the case of diagonal magnet arrays, like hopping with one leg), thus stopping and going and the need to generate a starting force over and over again.  With the alternating sine wave pattern on the sides, as the momentum of the object (in this case the steel ball on the ramp) carries it a little past the first sticky point, it?s caught by the attracting field on the other side.  Attracking it back and forth, like our two legs carrying us forward. 
This brings another idea to mind.  On a down slope it?s easier to walk and pick up speed, gravity and momentum helping us out.  In the same way, having the track slope up and down would help the forward momentum all the more.
Regarding the Calloway wheel video, by aligning his magnets on both sides in only a half wave, he's not giving the attracting magnets any other chioce but to stop.  It's like taking a step over a puddle with one leg and not bringing the other over.  Your stuck right above the puddle.  By completing the wave you give the attracting magnets a path to continue--once the inertia pushes them pass the high field (or "sticky point").

Clear as mud right ?
Here is a rough idea of what I'm talking about:

                      -
                 -   -
             -  -    -
         -  -   -    -   <---small magnets stacked in half wave.  Same effect as   
    -   -   -   -   -        one large rectangle magnet on diagonal slant.  Both produce
-  -   -    -   -   -        low than high field.
^                   ^
low               high
field              field
                   
                      -   
                 -   -    -
                -    -    -    -
           -    -    -    -   -    -           <---small magnets stacked in full wave.
      -    -    -    -    -   -    -   -       
  -  -    -     -    -    -   -    -   -   -
^                     ^                     ^
low                 high                low
field                field                field



    -      -      -
   ---   ---    ---
  ----- ----- -----       <-small magnets stacked in wave pattern on this side of track
-------------------
________________   
________________       <----track         
         --------------------
           ----- ----- -----         
            ---   ---    ---      <-- small magnets stacked in wave pattern on this side
              -     -       -

Try it yourself.

I've always been told magnetic fields are static.  I guess.  But even if they are static, by arranging them in these low to high, or wave, patterns---combined with some sort movable mechanism like the smot or calloway wheel----we can create dynamic movement.  Just like ,as mentioned previously, us walking across the earth.  Or like the earth moving around the sun.

regards,
gr

[tropes]

Hi George
Good to see some form of drawing. Now what rolls down the track? a PM? an iron rod? and what is the polarity of the small PM's? As far as the video, most of us have wheels that rotate when we use our hands to oscillate a PM in front of it.
Peter

[george_roanoke]

I used a steel ball on the track.  On one side all the magnets faced north polarity, and on the other all were facing south polarity.  I tried it also with like polarities facing each other, but unlike seemed to worked the best.

[slncspkr]

Hi George.
   It is really good to hear that someone has been able to pass the stiky spot.
congrats!
  It's any way you can post a little video to see it?
please?.
thankyou.

slncspkr.

[george_roanoke]

I'll work on getting a demo movie.  Here is a somewhat quick setup I used just to show it works: I used the magnets and steel ball from the Geomag magnet kit.  I stuck them in the wave pattern onto the sides of two butter knives, and for the track I cut a piece of 1/2 inch copper pipe in half (but any nonmagnetic material will do, as long as the friction is low--- for instance the steel ball has a harder time rolling with a rubber track).  Then just put the knives directly against the side of the pipe half and put on a slight incline so you can be sure it's working and not just an unleveled surface (not to high of an incline if your magnets aren't that strong).
  Here also is the drawing from before.  The wave pattern was a little off on the last one.  I was trying to show the high field on one side was directly across and even with the low field on the other side, creating the alternating pattern.  It works even if they aren't alternating, but the alternating seems to work best.

    -       -       -
   ---    ---    ---
  ----- ----- -----       <-small magnets stacked in wave pattern on this side of track
-------------------
________________   
________________       <----track         
     --------------------
       -----  -----  -----         
        ---     ---     ---      <-- small magnets stacked in wave pattern on this side
          -       -        -


Looking forward to seeing the applications everyone comes up with!