Question |
| Asked by: |
Simon Robinson |
| Subject: |
Nested Gyroscopes? |
| Question: |
Anyone have any comments on an idea I've had knocking about for some time:
Construct a large gyro, creating several hollows on the rim. Put gyros in each of these hollows (numbers to be determined by further experimentation). Would powering the smaller gyros create enough force to propel the main unit? I understand the main gyro may need a "bump start" to overcome inertia. Ideas? |
| Date: |
13 March 2005
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Answers (Ordered by Date)
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| Answer: |
arthur dent - 06/04/2005 16:38:21
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| | This idea can be found in 'How to Build a Flying Saucer' by Pawlicki. It is also the subject of several patents. The mathematics of such an arrangement were analyzed by Volterra over 100 years ago. Nothing anomalous will happen.
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| Answer: |
Simon Robinson - 06/04/2005 21:11:08
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| | Any idea where I can get copies of Volterra's work?
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| Answer: |
arthur dent - 08/04/2005 02:06:06
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| | I shall have to search my records in order to find the exact reference. The calculations which I saw were in a book (in Italian) which I consulted when I was abroad. Unfortunately, this was so long ago that no photocopying facilities were available. So, I do not have a copy that I could send to you. I gleaned that the calculations had first been performed long before the textbook was written. So, it is possible that one might be able to find an earlier paper (or a later translation). You could try to search for them on Scirus. A search of Science Citations Index might reveal later papers which treated the same problem. Assuming that the book is the only source, then you could look for a copy on abebooks.com. Theoretically, you can order any book via the British Library. I do not think that they have a copy, but they can borrow from foreign libraries for you (at a price!). A word of warning: Volterra was not interested in 'nested gyroscopes' per se; his calculations were aimed at analysing things such as weather systems on, or fluid circulation within, a spinning planet.
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arthur dent - 08/04/2005 04:44:07
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| | Found it! The book is Opere Matematiche, Vol.2 by Vito Volterra. As luck would have it, a copy is currently available (abebooks.com) at a price of about 80 US dollars.
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| Answer: |
Simon Robinson - 08/04/2005 07:30:22
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| | Thanks for that Arthur, my Italian's not good (ie nonexistent) so I'll look for a translation before I get the real thing and try and find someone who can translate technical Italian for me. Thanks again.
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