Incredible inventions still working after 180 years without interruption
Secrets of the most durable gadgets in history are still unsolved (photo: Unsplash)
Scientists and engineers continue to observe two exceptional 19th-century inventions that have effectively embodied the idea of perpetual motion, according to Uncle John’s Lore.
The Beverly Clock: winding powered by the atmosphere
The mechanical clock, created by Scottish mathematician and astronomer Arthur Beverly in 1864 for an exhibition in New Zealand, has never been manually wound since it was started. It is currently kept at the Department of Physics at the University of Otago in Dunedin.
Unlike conventional floor clocks, where a hanging weight must be periodically lifted using a key, Beverly’s invention does this automatically. The secret lies in a sealed box containing about one cubic foot of air, connected to a moving diaphragm.
When the room temperature changes during the day by even 6°F (about 3.3°C), the air inside the box expands or contracts. This minimal movement of the diaphragm is enough to lift the internal weight, thereby allowing the clock to continue running for another day.
The mechanism has stopped only a few times: for maintenance, dust cleaning, or on rare days when daily temperature fluctuations in the room were lower than the required threshold.
The Oxford Electric Bell: a battery that has not faded since 1840
Another extraordinary device is located at the University of Oxford in England. It is an electric bell purchased by physics professor Robert Walker in 1840, which has been ringing continuously for more than 180 years.
According to scientists’ estimates, during this time, a tiny metal ball (the clapper), suspended on a silk thread, has struck two brass bells about 10 billion times.
Its operating principle is based on electrostatic attraction and repulsion:
The ball touches the first bell, becomes charged, and is repelled toward the second one.
Upon touching the second bell, it changes its charge and flies back to the first.
Since the process requires an extremely small amount of energy, the dry batteries (electrochemical cells), shaped like candle holders, have still not run out.
The most paradoxical fact is that no one in the world knows exactly what these batteries are made of. The device is enclosed under a sealed glass cover, so the movement of the ball can be seen, but the sound cannot be heard.
