William F. Garbe

William F. Garbe (October 9, 1857 - May 24, 1934) was an American machinist and foundryman who received attention for his attempts at the construction of perpetual motion machines. Of interest, Garbe incorporated the New Power Company at Fort Collins, Colorado in 1904 to raise funds for the development of one such motor, a "New Motive Power," but this enterprise seems to have dissolved after a short time. Garbe continued to build and publicly display his gravity motors until at least the 1920s, at his shops in Fort Collins and later in Denver.

Press Coverage

 * "Denver, Colo., Aug. 31. &mdash; Invention of a machine that will 'harness gravitation' is the claim of W. F. Garbe, Denver mechanic and shopkeeper. A working model of the new invention, which is on display in Garbe's North Denver shop, is attracting wide attention. The machine comprises a system of wheels, around which link chains operate &mdash; there being a weight affixed to the centre rigid portion of the machine, which contains the axis wheel, also rigid. The weight, instead of dropping like that of a clock, revolves and thereby, Garbe declares, counter-balances the clock and produces gravitation which forms the force of the machine and which it harnesses, ready for man to use. Garbe asserts that, with his machine perfected and built to suit all purposes, it will run any kind of machinery and will eliminate the necessity of fuel in producing power. 'Some might call my machine perpetual motion, but there is no such thing as perpetual motion,' Garbe declares. 'My machine, however, will run indefinitely.' 'I realize that it has been universally taught that harnessing gravitation is an impossibility, but I am confident that I have solved the problem. 'I do not claim to know what the force of gravitation is; nor does the electrical expert know the composition or force of electricity, nor the physician the force behind radium, but for more than thirty years I have been interested in the study of harnessing gravitation, having studied in from every angle and my machine is based upon mathematics. 'We know that it is gravitation that holds the unnumbered worlds together &mdash; a force that we cannot understand. 'In Ezekiel there is mention of a 'wheel within a wheel,' and of 'the spirit of the machine,' and it is the combination of these that I have worked out. I have assembled my machine on the planetary system, with mathematical precision, and 'the spirit of the machine' is that unknown force. 'I am a practical machinist, and I am convinced that I have solved the problem of harnessing gravitation. I am perfectly willing to give demonstrations to the skeptical. 'I know with my machine I can increase or decrease power; that in my working model I can demonstrate this power, and, as it operates itself and has its own power in operation, there is no need for coal or other fuel. 'With this machine I ran run a sewing machine or operate a great industry.'"
 * "Denver, Colo., Aug. 31. &mdash; Invention of a machine that will 'harness gravitation' is the claim of W. F. Garbe, Denver mechanic and shopkeeper. A working model of the new invention, which is on display in Garbe's North Denver shop, is attracting wide attention. The machine comprises a system of wheels, around which link chains operate &mdash; there being a weight affixed to the centre rigid portion of the machine, which contains the axis wheel, also rigid. The weight, instead of dropping like that of a clock, revolves and thereby, Garbe declares, counter-balances the clock and produces gravitation which forms the force of the machine and which it harnesses, ready for man to use. Garbe asserts that, with his machine perfected and built to suit all purposes, it will run any kind of machinery and will eliminate the necessity of fuel in producing power. 'Some might call my machine perpetual motion, but there is no such thing as perpetual motion,' Garbe declares. 'My machine, however, will run indefinitely.' 'I realize that it has been universally taught that harnessing gravitation is an impossibility, but I am confident that I have solved the problem. <p style='text-indent: 2.3em;'>'I do not claim to know what the force of gravitation is; nor does the electrical expert know the composition or force of electricity, nor the physician the force behind radium, but for more than thirty years I have been interested in the study of harnessing gravitation, having studied in from every angle and my machine is based upon mathematics. <p style='text-indent: 2.3em;'>'We know that it is gravitation that holds the unnumbered worlds together &mdash; a force that we cannot understand. <p style='text-indent: 2.3em;'>'In Ezekiel there is mention of a 'wheel within a wheel,' and of 'the spirit of the machine,' and it is the combination of these that I have worked out. I have assembled my machine on the planetary system, with mathematical precision, and 'the spirit of the machine' is that unknown force. <p style='text-indent: 2.3em;'>'I am a practical machinist, and I am convinced that I have solved the problem of harnessing gravitation. I am perfectly willing to give demonstrations to the skeptical. <p style='text-indent: 2.3em;'>'I know with my machine I can increase or decrease power; that in my working model I can demonstrate this power, and, as it operates itself and has its own power in operation, there is no need for coal or other fuel. <p style='text-indent: 2.3em;'>'With this machine I ran run a sewing machine or operate a great industry.'"
 * "<p style='text-indent: 2.3em;'>Denver, Colo., Aug. 31. &mdash; Invention of a machine that will 'harness gravitation' is the claim of W. F. Garbe, Denver mechanic and shopkeeper. <p style='text-indent: 2.3em;'>A working model of the new invention, which is on display in Garbe's North Denver shop, is attracting wide attention. The machine comprises a system of wheels, around which link chains operate &mdash; there being a weight affixed to the centre rigid portion of the machine, which contains the axis wheel, also rigid. The weight, instead of dropping like that of a clock, revolves and thereby, Garbe declares, counter-balances the clock and produces gravitation which forms the force of the machine and which it harnesses, ready for man to use. <p style='text-indent: 2.3em;'>Garbe asserts that, with his machine perfected and built to suit all purposes, it will run any kind of machinery and will eliminate the necessity of fuel in producing power. <p style='text-indent: 2.3em;'>'Some might call my machine perpetual motion, but there is no such thing as perpetual motion,' Garbe declares. 'My machine, however, will run indefinitely.' <p style='text-indent: 2.3em;'>'I realize that it has been universally taught that harnessing gravitation is an impossibility, but I am confident that I have solved the problem. <p style='text-indent: 2.3em;'>'I do not claim to know what the force of gravitation is; nor does the electrical expert know the composition or force of electricity, nor the physician the force behind radium, but for more than thirty years I have been interested in the study of harnessing gravitation, having studied in from every angle and my machine is based upon mathematics. <p style='text-indent: 2.3em;'>'We know that it is gravitation that holds the unnumbered worlds together &mdash; a force that we cannot understand. <p style='text-indent: 2.3em;'>'In Ezekiel there is mention of a 'wheel within a wheel,' and of 'the spirit of the machine,' and it is the combination of these that I have worked out. I have assembled my machine on the planetary system, with mathematical precision, and 'the spirit of the machine' is that unknown force. <p style='text-indent: 2.3em;'>'I am a practical machinist, and I am convinced that I have solved the problem of harnessing gravitation. I am perfectly willing to give demonstrations to the skeptical. <p style='text-indent: 2.3em;'>'I know with my machine I can increase or decrease power; that in my working model I can demonstrate this power, and, as it operates itself and has its own power in operation, there is no need for coal or other fuel. <p style='text-indent: 2.3em;'>'With this machine I ran run a sewing machine or operate a great industry.'"
 * "<p style='text-indent: 2.3em;'>Denver, Colo., Aug. 31. &mdash; Invention of a machine that will 'harness gravitation' is the claim of W. F. Garbe, Denver mechanic and shopkeeper. <p style='text-indent: 2.3em;'>A working model of the new invention, which is on display in Garbe's North Denver shop, is attracting wide attention. The machine comprises a system of wheels, around which link chains operate &mdash; there being a weight affixed to the centre rigid portion of the machine, which contains the axis wheel, also rigid. The weight, instead of dropping like that of a clock, revolves and thereby, Garbe declares, counter-balances the clock and produces gravitation which forms the force of the machine and which it harnesses, ready for man to use. <p style='text-indent: 2.3em;'>Garbe asserts that, with his machine perfected and built to suit all purposes, it will run any kind of machinery and will eliminate the necessity of fuel in producing power. <p style='text-indent: 2.3em;'>'Some might call my machine perpetual motion, but there is no such thing as perpetual motion,' Garbe declares. 'My machine, however, will run indefinitely.' <p style='text-indent: 2.3em;'>'I realize that it has been universally taught that harnessing gravitation is an impossibility, but I am confident that I have solved the problem. <p style='text-indent: 2.3em;'>'I do not claim to know what the force of gravitation is; nor does the electrical expert know the composition or force of electricity, nor the physician the force behind radium, but for more than thirty years I have been interested in the study of harnessing gravitation, having studied in from every angle and my machine is based upon mathematics. <p style='text-indent: 2.3em;'>'We know that it is gravitation that holds the unnumbered worlds together &mdash; a force that we cannot understand. <p style='text-indent: 2.3em;'>'In Ezekiel there is mention of a 'wheel within a wheel,' and of 'the spirit of the machine,' and it is the combination of these that I have worked out. I have assembled my machine on the planetary system, with mathematical precision, and 'the spirit of the machine' is that unknown force. <p style='text-indent: 2.3em;'>'I am a practical machinist, and I am convinced that I have solved the problem of harnessing gravitation. I am perfectly willing to give demonstrations to the skeptical. <p style='text-indent: 2.3em;'>'I know with my machine I can increase or decrease power; that in my working model I can demonstrate this power, and, as it operates itself and has its own power in operation, there is no need for coal or other fuel. <p style='text-indent: 2.3em;'>'With this machine I ran run a sewing machine or operate a great industry.'"

Resources

 * https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/102169415/william-f-garbe