Eilbeck Hunter Taliaferro

Eilbeck Hunter Taliaferro (June 30, 1844 - December 9, 1891) was an American merchant and inventor who claimed to have designed a perpetual motion machine, which he said came to him as a vision of a bright star in a dream followed by a sense of being compelled by an unseen force to assemble the design from paper, pins, and buttons. Taliaferro first promoted his invention in Atlanta, Georgia in 1887, receiving some press attention, and entered into a failed partnership with one James M. Collier to build the machine; later, in 1890, having relocated to Nashville, Tennessee, there was a report he was making plans to form a stock company to finance his scheme.

Press Coverage

 * &mdash; in which Taliaferro makes complaints against a James M. Collier, with whom he signed a contract with to develop the machine, claiming that Collier sought to make changes to the design, did not understand the original plan, and consequently deserved neither credit nor interest in the scheme.
 * &mdash; in which Taliaferro makes complaints against a James M. Collier, with whom he signed a contract with to develop the machine, claiming that Collier sought to make changes to the design, did not understand the original plan, and consequently deserved neither credit nor interest in the scheme.
 * &mdash; in which Taliaferro makes complaints against a James M. Collier, with whom he signed a contract with to develop the machine, claiming that Collier sought to make changes to the design, did not understand the original plan, and consequently deserved neither credit nor interest in the scheme.
 * &mdash; in which Taliaferro makes complaints against a James M. Collier, with whom he signed a contract with to develop the machine, claiming that Collier sought to make changes to the design, did not understand the original plan, and consequently deserved neither credit nor interest in the scheme.

Taliaferro's Perpetual Motion Concept

 * "Dr. Taliaferro writes as follows to the Nashville 'American': &mdash; I have concluded to give to the world, through the columns of the 'American,' diagrams and brief explanations of the workings of the different parts of the mahchine, and I take this opportunity to challenge the scientific world to find a point where the machine can be made to balance, Henry Dircks, the author of 'Perpetuum Mobile,' and all prejudice to the contrary notwithstanding. Fig. 1 represents a disc, divided into 10 equal spaces provided with two rows of pegs at equal distances from each other. Three weights provided with catches are hooked upon the pins, as shown. These travel around the face of the wheel upon the pins, conveying a ball each of equal weight grooved, oval-shaped devices, as shown. Traveller No. 1, Fig. 1, takes by self-adjustment an outside pin at the top of the wheel, and brings weight No. 3 to position as shown in Fig. 2, at which point weight 1 has its greatest advantage, being solely upon an inside pin. This causes the wheel to gain in speed three times in every complete revolution of the wheel. The balls are used to give a preponderance of weight on the periphery of the wheel in the direction it is intended for it to revolve. The ball is oval. No. 1, Fig. 1, rolls out as its carrier descends, giving an outward heavy end to the traveller, and passed up entirely upon an inside pin, as shown, No. 3, Figs. 1 and 2, never touching the dead or lifting points of the wheel, A A.  In conclusion, I claim that the device starts itself the moment the travellers are placed upon it, gains in speed rapidly, and cannot stop of itself until its parts wear out. It is no trick with any hidden spring, and no external force of any kind is employed, as will be demonstrated in a short time."