Meanwhile, further incidents happened. Gärtner and his ‘gang’ were producing new pamphlets stating
that the machine could not work for longer than two weeks. It again annoyed Orffyreus because his machine could move flawlessly
forever until wear and tear of some parts stopped the machine. He made up his mind to design a large perpetual motion wheel
and demonstrate it to public and learned man again. For this reason Orffyreus
requested Landgrave, Karl, to support the test. Under the patronage of the Count
Karl, Orffyreus found himself more secured and set himself to construct his last and largest wheel at the castle of the Weissenstein,
a place that Orffyreus found to be most suitable for construction of his perpetual motion machine as his machine could be
kept under lock and key. Orffyreus was also provided guards to prevent any robbery
of his great secret. Orffyreus was very much cautious; he even did not easily
believe his friends and relatives. Orffyreus even did not believe guards appointed
by Count Karl. He even hired a personal guard to keep watch over other guards.
Orffyreus decided to install his machine at Gardener’s shed on the ground of castle of the Weissenstein.
Weissenstein Wheel
at a Glance
Diameter = 12 feet
Thickness = 18 inches
Speed = 26 RPM unloaded –
20 RPM under water screw load
Rotation = dual-directional,
Required gentle push start in either direction
Axle = 8 inches diameter
(probable diameter = 1/3
ell = 7.4 inches)
Sound = produced 8 bangs per revolution
at descending side of wheel
The wheel was 12 feet in diameter and 14 inches
thick, material being the light pine boards.* Orffyreus again
concealed the mechanism by covering it with oilcloth well stretched all over the rim.
The axle was 8 inch thick. Orffyreus showed his unusual tendencies at
Weissenstein also. He quarreled with every one around him with guards and visitors
around him. Because of his perverse attitude, he estranged his best friends and
fell among enemies.
This time also people from different walks came to watch the perpetual motion machine
of Orffyreus. Kings, princess, landgraves, professors, learned man and common
folk all came and marveled at the ingenuity of the inventor. Many went away convinced
of the absolute certainty of the action of the machine while many went away mumbling that inventor was a fraud. Clock makers again tried to discredit the invention, Orffyreus again found him involved in bitter arguments
with them. Hundreds of people believed that they
watched a true perpetual motion machine but some still doubted Orffyreus' integrity.
It was again rumored that since Orffyreus had once been a watchmaker, he cleverly used a wound up spring to drive his
machine. To belittle Orffyreus’ achievement clockmakers again proclaimed
that they had succeeded in duplicating the device using the same mechanisms used in clocks. Orffyreus took a sigh of
relief when no clock maker actually came forward with such device. Orffyreus
turned very hostile to those who were trying to belittle his claim by making their own false claim to invent such a mechanism. Still, it was difficult for Orffyreus to stop those loud-mouthed people making announcements. There are no records of any other such devices built by them. These were deliberate moves to undermine his credibility as a genuine inventor. However, learned man too came who were impressed by his machine.
Orffyreus had good opportunity to take advantage of their presence and pursue them to help for the ‘cause’
but he failed to induce their cooperation because he had big apprehension of being himself a small fish that would be eaten
by a large fish if he continued to tell them about the working of the mechanism.
In the beginning guards took
interest in the invention and they were also amused by the drama around the invention but after some time it became boring
and depressing for them, largely on account off Orffyreus character. Frank Edward
wrote: "...he became so disagreeable that guards at the room where device was stored accepted duty as a form of punishment.”
* The Wissenstein wheel was the largest in diameter (11.15 to 12 feet, with width
18 inches ( J. Collins book.- Perpetual Motion : An Ancient Mystery Solved ? pp.
16, 20, 61, 110, 197, 200 ). It produced more power than any of the other wheels.
