Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Curious claim of Mercury/Vacuum Perpetual Motion

I couldn't find any additional information about this. Is there some odd effect between mercury and vacuum that we are missing or was this a hoax? Why would a royal lend credibility to it with his name if it didn't work?

Mechanics Magazine, March 26, 1842;

"Perpetual motion by a drum with one vertical half in mercury, the other in a vacuum; the drum, I suppose, working round forever to find an easy position. Steam to be superceded; steam and electricity convulsions of nature never intended by Providence for the use of man.

The price of the present engines, as old iron, will buy new engines that will work without fuel and at no expense. Guaranteed by the Count de Predaval, the discoverer.

I was to have been a Director, but my name got no further than ink, and not so far as official notification of the honor, partly owing to my having communicated to the Mechanic's Magazine information privately given to me, which gave premature publicity, and knocked up the plan."



Experiments with Perpetual Motion

1 comment:

  1. Presumably the idea is that the mercury won't escape through the edges into the vacuum, due to its large surface tension. Additionally, it has high density and will propel the drum better.

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