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The Gyroscope Forum |
12 May 2024 16:42
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Welcome to the gyroscope forum. If you have a question about gyroscopes in general,
want to know how they work, or what they can be used for then you can leave your question here for others to answer.
You may also be able to help others by answering some of the questions on the site.
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Question |
| Asked by: |
Bob Higbee |
| Subject: |
Can anyone answer Jesse Smith's question |
| Question: |
On July 10, 2004 and then again on December 7'th of 2004, a Mr. Jesse Smith asked a question that was not answered properly (in my opinion).
Can anyone answer Jesse Smith's question? Here is Mr. smith's question reprased and shortened:
Energy must be expended when applying a moment to a spinning gyroscope 90 degress to the gryo's axis of rotation - does this applied energy increase the gryo RPM.
Please answer "yes", or "no".
There are no tricks to this question. I am inclined to think that the answer is yes. For example, I ran across a web sight selling a gyro that claimed to do just that:
http://www.powerballs.com/works2.html
I would also like to re-ask Mr. Smith's question - is there an equation relating the increase in gryo RPM to the input torque? |
| Date: |
30 December 2005
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Answers (Ordered by Date)
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| Answer: |
Glenn Hawkins - 30/12/2005 02:51:43
| | | Hi Bob,
No!
Glenn H.
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| Answer: |
Glenn Hawkins - 03/01/2006 14:14:39
| | | Hello again Bob,
I have to clarify my answer. Yes and no just won’t do. First it was good of you to suggest reading the site. You’ve introduced a good mystery. I don’t know how the RPMs in the Power Ball are accelerated. Mechanically there will exist reasons as to how and why, cause and effect, but a mechanical explanation isn’t given on the site and I’m guessing an explanation is purposely avoided. Gearing could transfer wrist action to precession and then to increasing rotational speed, but there’s no gearing apparent. One wonders if friction generated around the race is not somehow part of the explanation as a way to extract energy to be first converted, and then somehow transferred to increased rotation. I see no way that the possible difference in axel lengths and, or unbalanced weight distribution alone should make a difference in RPMs. More than that is happening.
A person’s wrist acts as one gimbals and the race that the axels set on act as a second gimbals. This means that it is gimbals precession where a perfect coupling occurs, and not a precession orbit, which we study. This means that if a Power Ball were attached by an axel to a post, or tower the Power Ball wouldn’t orbit the post, or tower, nor stay aloft. Therefore I needn’t buy them, as I can’t use them for experimenting.
Again, I am at a lose to know how the RPMs are increased, but I’m certain they can’t be increased just by adding force at a right angle as this could not automatically by this action alone increase RPMs. Your post reveals an unexplained mechanical mystery. I would be interested in reading an explanation from anyone who understands ‘why’ and ‘how’.
http://www.gyroscopes.org/forum/questions.asp?id=496
Come on fellows. I do not know. Who knows? Tell me. Tell us.
Good show, you persistent and inquisitive Bob Higbee you. I hope you get an explanation, more than the simple answer you ask for and simple, 'No!' that I gave.
Glenn H.
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| Answer: |
Glenn Hawkins - 03/01/2006 15:17:56
| | | OK, I think I have it. It’s not such a big deal after all. Torque from the wrist action causes gimbals, or coupling kind of precession. As the couple happens the axels on the Power Ball are forced against the inter ring creating friction between axel and race (inter ring). As the ball twist into precession the friction causes the small diameter axel to be rotated against the race, which causes the larger Ball to be rotated faster.
If there were no friction between race and axel, but only right angle torque then this would not affect the spin speed of the Power Ball. So, the act of tilting a gyro doesn’t increase RPM’s. The friction of axel contact to race during precession is the cause here.
OK, I think I have it. It’s not such a big deal after all. Torque from the wrist action causes gimbals, or coupling kind of precession. As the couple happens the axels on the Power Ball are forced against the inter ring creating friction between axel and race (inter ring). As the ball twist into precession friction causes the small diameter axel to be rotated against the race, which causes the larger Ball to be rotated faster. Importantly, it looks like after all there is a system of gearing to increase the spin speed, which is the opposite of the speed reducers of which you are familiar.
If there were no friction between race and axel, but only right angle torque this would not affect the spin speed of the Power Ball. So, the act of tilting a gyro doesn’t increase RPM’s. The friction of axel contact to race during precession is the cause here.
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| Answer: |
Luis Gonzalez - 09/01/2006 00:54:35
| | | The answer is NO it does not increase the gyro RPM (the explanation for how the powerball works is as Glenn has explained).
The energy input is used to produce the motion of precession.
Thank you, Luis
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| Answer: |
Glenn Hawkins - 20/03/2006 01:16:39
| | | Thank you for collaborating together with me, Luis.
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| Answer: |
Gary Tiani - 06/12/2006 21:21:36
| | | I wish I had read this site before I tore my Power-Ball apart. I couldn’t see any mechanism for accelerating the gyro. But, once I had it apart the race-way along the inside circumference was clearly visible. It’s a neat trick to couple the precession motion into the gyro’s rotor.
It was nice of the manufacturer to use screws and clips with no glue. Everything still worked when I put it back together.
Gary
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