From: utzoo!decvax!harpo!npoiv!npois!houxm!ihnp4!ihuxs!warren
Newsgroups: net.physics
Title: perpetual motion puzzle?
Article-I.D.: ihuxs.254
Posted: Tue Dec 28 14:17:23 1982
Received: Wed Dec 29 04:48:30 1982
Reply-To: warren@ihuxs.UUCP (Warren Montgomery)

I received a puzzle as a christmas gift that I though would be of
interest to net.physics readers.  It is an apparent perpetual motion
machine, consisting of a small lightweight top that spins "forever"
on a black plastic base.  I have seen these other places, and their
owners assure me that if the motion isn't perpetual, it at least
lasts virtually forever in spite of heavy use.  Here are a few facts
about the puzzle determined from personal observation:

The top is about 1 inch in diameter, made of plastic with an
embedded powerful magnet, oriented so that the north and south poles
spin with as the top spins.

The base is a sealed cylinder of black plastic, about 3 inches in
diameter and 1 1/2 inches high.  It has a slightly raised rim around
the edge to retain the top, and slopes somewhat towards the center. 
It also has a raised pattern in the form of an '!' mark with the dot
in the center of the base.  Within the sensitivity afforded by a
pocket compass, the base has no permanently magnetic components. 
The base is relatively light in mass, and the mass appears to be
concentrated in the center.

When the top is spun on the base, it will drift towards the center. 
Every time the top comes near the center of the base, it appears to
accelerate its spinning, and as a result of contact with the '!'
marking be flung towards the edges of the base.  The top frequently
passes between the two segments of the marking, though this is not
critical to the perpetual motion phenomenon.  (The top continues to
spin if prevented from passing through the gap, and will also
continue to spin on a sheet of paper held very close to the top
surface of the base.)  The top spins equally well in either
direction.  While I have not tested this in any quantitative way,
the top appears to have a maximum and minimum speed.  When spun too
slowly, it is knocked over by the raised pattern on the base before
it can be accellerated.  It does not appear to continue to
accellerate indefinitely if allowed to remain at the center of the
base, though frictional losses would undoubtly impose a limit even
if the internal mechanism doesn't

The question is, of course, how does it work?  It is fairly obvious
that something in the base is coupling energy into the top through
the magnet in the top.  To really understand this thing, you have to
explain:

1)	How is the top driven, and how is the drive synchronized to
	the motion of the top (in both directions!).  (Remember that
	the base doesn't seem to contain any permanent magnets.

2)	What is the power source that allows prolonged operation
	with no replaceable parts?

Since it was a gift, I have no idea what it cost, but the general
construction and packaging suggest to me that it couldn't have been
more than about $10.  This rules out anything really exotic, like
mini nuclear reactors and the like!  Have fun with this one,  I
certainly am!

		Warren Montgomery
		(ihnss!warren)

PS:  If you want one of these things, send me mail and I will return
the name and address of the company that makes them or post it to
the net if there is an overwhelming response.

PPS:  I don't own any stock in the company that makes them!