"Infinity" machines... where to buy?

pslarsen

To start out with - they don't exist so lets not discuses that.

What does exist are these small machines that can run with extremely little friction which I would love to have here on my desktop - my only problem is that I CANNOT find them and I have forgotten what they where called - so maybe you guys can help.

What I am talking about are machines based on the most simple mechanics at all, such as collisions (newton cradle), rotations and oscillation motions (e.g. pendulums) with very low energy loss. They where kept alive with help for a battery but at an extremely low effect. They where quite stylish and I remember how fascinated is was at child looking at these sometimes sculpture-looking machines.. very simple and stylish models showing off the Newtonian world.. my guess is that they are also quite EXPENSIVE..!

Do you know what I am talking about - if yes please help me out..

/Peter

Kronos5253

Not a clue... Do you have a better description of it?

Andre

It seems that specialists have a technical term for such a contraption: a clock.

Evo

Are any of these wht you are looking for?

http://www.amazon.com/ComputerGear-K.../dp/B001CD47DU

http://www.afscience.com/Kinetic-Orbital-Toy-12033.htm

http://www.afscience.com/Top-Secret-...C.qscstrfrnt01

http://www.afscience.com/Kinetic-Dolphin-Toy-12032.htm

http://www.levitron.com/

http://www.amazon.com/Fascinations-L.../dp/B000X22JEA

http://www.amazon.com/Westminster-Sp.../dp/B000Z9C5P4

TurtleMeister

http://www.officeplayground.com/Kinetic-Motion-C21.aspx

Zantra

perpetual motion devices

Averagesupernova

That would be an aniversary clock in post #3. They are wound only several times a year. The balls you see in the picture rotate back and forth. It is the equivalent of a pendulum except it rotates back and forth instead. I'm sure there are electric variations of this which cause the flyweights to rotate by a coil underneath but the ones I've seen are spring wound.
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One 'infinity machine' I recall seeing was something a former coworker brought into work. He got it as a gift for Christmas. It consisted or 2 plexiglass sheets set side-by-side on edge to form 'rails'. They were cut as to form a valley in the center. There was a shaft with three flyweights attached to it that rolled back and forth on the plexiglass rails. There was a coil underneath (hidden) that pulsed and kept the wheel going. One day we were discussing how long it would run if the batteries were pulled out. The manager of manufacturing engineering overheard this and said: "That thing has batteries?" He thought that it had been rolling back and forth for months all on its own. Scary.
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Edit: Here is a pic of said device: http://physics.ham.muohio.edu/girep9...p/figure14.htm

pslarsen

E X A C T L Y what I was looking for - THANK YOU SO MUCH
/Peter

pslarsen

HAHAHAHAHA I love that story..

jtbell

No wonder he's a manager.

Topher925

I think the official name for those things is "kinetic art".

I'm really into the solar powered stuff. I've got one of these on my windowsill that runs from sun up until sun down.