Perpetual Motion

Self-Motive Power, Perpetual Motion, and Free Energy all may refer to variations of the same concept: a method whereby an initial energy input enables the action of a mechanism that outputs more energy than was available when the action began; the action would therefore be self-motive (as it can operate from its own energy output) and perpetual (barring material breakdown, e.g. the components of a machine that is generating energy wear out) and effectively free (as more energy is output than was originally input). Classical thermodynamics and its inheritors hold that such action is impossible within physical systems as they have been understood, as energy cannot be created, only transformed, and that any energy input will be transformed (entropy) into both heat and motive power (work), reducing the amount of motive power available to enable the continuing action of the mechanism.

Would-Be Inventors of Self-Motive Power

 * de Honecort, Wilars
 * Zimara, Mark Antony
 * Sinclair, George
 * Sommerset, Edward
 * Capra, A.
 * Orffyreus, Jean-Ernest Eli-Bessler
 * Ferguson, James
 * Haywood, John
 * Varley, Richard
 * Redheffer, Charles
 * Spence, John
 * Kirkpatrick, James
 * Mackintosh, F. S.
 * Vallance, Dixon
 * Denniston, Samuel
 * Congreve, William
 * Banning, Elijah T.
 * Taylor, William
 * Boon, Sanford (Col.)
 * Hendrickson, James G.
 * Hosmer, Harriett
 * Cheney, Leonard
 * Leach, W. L.
 * Wickersham, Jr., Horace
 * Willis, E. P.
 * Birch, John (F Street Hermit)
 * Keely, John Worrell
 * Allen, George F.
 * Ellsworth, J. D.
 * Schultze, Frederick E.
 * Paine, H. M.
 * Jones, Hiram
 * Glassey, William
 * Muller, August
 * Schumacher, Heinrich
 * Vickery, Hezekiah
 * Freuing, Henry (Apple John)
 * Sprague, Peter T.
 * Gary, Wesley W.
 * Pullman, H. S.
 * Oaks, George (Hermit of Latonia)
 * Pielnowski, Albert
 * Oberon, W. S.
 * Hyett, William F.
 * Jennings, David
 * Elliot, Samuel
 * Wells, Mort
 * Hazzard, Frank
 * Russell, Luther
 * Lafevre, J.
 * Cook, George
 * Gamgee, John
 * Garrett, Joshua
 * Evans, David
 * Suiter, Albert
 * Fouchet, Joquima
 * Brown, Charles
 * Tracy, M. T.
 * Forster, R. J.
 * Smith, Herkimer
 * Mielan, G. A.
 * Buie, Robert
 * Crandall, O. K.
 * Furman, George H.
 * Jeffreys, Aaron
 * Logan, Andrew
 * Schroeder, William
 * Auckenplauss, Rudolph
 * Pooch, Henry
 * Cressey, E.
 * Beaman, Aaron
 * Cook, D. M.
 * Waltner, John
 * Hainly, Frank
 * Schirrmeister, Charles
 * Orendorff, John
 * Paillet, Joseph
 * Cornwall, Louis
 * Gray, William H.
 * Schwartz, Zachariah
 * Withers, John E.
 * Stephenson, George
 * Edwards, Joseph
 * Anderson, Elbert J.
 * Parker, Clarence
 * Hanson, Charles H.
 * Robertson, Archibald James
 * Grill, Gottfried
 * Guntle, William
 * Duley, Benjamin
 * De Force, George L.
 * Robillard, Richard
 * Parsons, Jehu (Hermit of Irvington)
 * Talliaferro, Ellbeck Hunter
 * Stanley, Christopher
 * McNabb, Bill
 * Jones, R. J.
 * Breitenmoser, J.
 * Vandegrift, E. T.
 * Gouley, John L.
 * Jones, R. J.
 * Massey, Harvey
 * Bisbing, Thomas
 * Crepeau, H. T.
 * Carnes, Charley
 * Buechner, Louis
 * Unthank, William Stanley
 * Snowden, John
 * Mattox, P. C.
 * Dibble, H. D.
 * Cunningham, W. J.
 * Mills, Jacob
 * Meinhart, Barber
 * Mills, Hannibal G.
 * Grubers, Joseph
 * Libbey, Hosea W.
 * Luna, Alejandro
 * Hanson, Erasmus
 * Campbell, William C.
 * Quisenberry, William
 * Page, Herman
 * Conday, Joseph
 * Burrows, J. H.
 * Heine, Charles
 * de la Torre, Antonio
 * Haile, J. T.
 * Rickles, Louis
 * Gottworth, Henry
 * Timmis, William
 * Vanmossler, John
 * Powell, Robert
 * Yandell, J. E.
 * Brennan, Isaac
 * McCarthy, Richard
 * Patrano, Michael
 * Kesler, Martin
 * Starns, Elliott
 * Pepper, F. N.
 * Harris, Bijah
 * Finglass, Benjamin
 * Kellar, George
 * Bowker, I. (Rev.)
 * Stroble, Fred
 * Sturgill, John
 * Beckman, J. P.
 * Carl, Lewis
 * Scott, Robert L.
 * Prowse, D.
 * Snodgrass, Nelson
 * Ward, Arthur
 * McAdams, Louis C.
 * von Holtschuherr, Otto
 * Letter, Ben
 * Heilbrun, Paul
 * Baurichter, William
 * Pfeifer, Andrew
 * Pole, Benjamin C.
 * Hall, Carter
 * Rahigey, P. P.
 * Hackman, Fred
 * Weltner, L.
 * Dunn, Joseph
 * Wolma, A. J.
 * Burns, W. H.
 * Rogers, S. S.
 * Gordon, Charles A.
 * Russell, Albert S.
 * Aldrich, J. M.
 * Henry, E.
 * Whitmore, Reuben A. (Catoctin Hermit)
 * Owens, W. G.
 * Ericson, Morton F.
 * Gladish, W. J.
 * Kaller, J. G.
 * Fall, Samuel P. (Hermit of East Lebanon)
 * Brambel, Grant (Wizard of Sleepy Eye)
 * Sandifer, G. J.
 * Nickum, S. B.
 * Britts, B. B.
 * Ratliff, John
 * Rist, John S.
 * Bissing, Justus
 * Heglar, Arthur L. (Dr.)
 * Sundquist, John
 * Birt, Alfred
 * Crank, R. L.
 * Hoverman, Henry
 * Schmehl, Howard B.
 * Ravenskilde, Peter M.
 * Leeper, James
 * Mahoney, Arcadia A.
 * Mahoney, Timothy
 * Guiddinger, John
 * Christopher, Gabriel
 * Horn, Jesse
 * Hayworth, James W.
 * Bissett, J. H.
 * Tripler, Charles
 * Johnson, Emil
 * Dayton, A. J.
 * Martin, Samuel
 * Town, Barnard
 * Fairbanks, Ruland
 * Reinhemer, H.
 * Pope, Anderson
 * Howard, Charles (Hermit of Okefenokee Swamp)
 * Brown, James
 * Webster, George
 * Shade, Otto
 * Salmon, B. F.
 * Trainer, John
 * Pence, W. H.
 * Lusadder, D. S.
 * Goss, William
 * Merner, J. Warren
 * Sahib, Basilo
 * McMillen, William
 * Herford, William
 * Redmond, Albert (Const.)
 * Debus, William
 * Kemble, Amos
 * Ormsby, Joseph H.
 * Rose, Herbert
 * Otto, Francis Henry (Perpetual Motion Otto)
 * Haller, James
 * Dean, Harry Burness
 * Shannon, Jere
 * Kelley, Patrick
 * Doyle, William H.
 * Pedroli, Andrea
 * Cheek, John W.
 * Wondries, Charles
 * Clark, Emmett
 * Grimes, J. S.
 * Barrett, Harry
 * Vantine, Thomas
 * Morris, F. W.
 * Aldert, David
 * Stephens, A. J.
 * Keel, G. A.
 * Merrilatt, P. C.
 * Winemiller, George
 * DeWitt, Charles N.
 * Elliott, Peter O.
 * Zeigler, D. G.
 * Place, James E.
 * Frey, Aaron
 * Schapp, Adolph
 * Bunch, John W.
 * Russell, E. F.
 * Pegram, George
 * Ferry, James
 * Sahlenberg, Carl August
 * Glenn, T. L.
 * Sweet, C. N.
 * Uniapon, David
 * Knoerl, John
 * Webber, Charles J.
 * Scott, J. O.
 * Tuch, Christian Carl
 * McMahon, Frank
 * Saunders, W. L.
 * Maycock, A. H.
 * Perrigo, Harry E.
 * Markwood, Alfred Taylor
 * Kirk, John R.
 * Stritzen, John
 * Grossman, Karl
 * Larson, Hans August
 * Hodges, Noel
 * Gernand, Andrew
 * Hitchcock, Stanley J.
 * Herr, Chris F.
 * Rogers, Charles
 * Raymond, H. B.
 * Ackerland, Erick
 * Canion, W. G.
 * Banks, L. R.
 * Blades, Joe D.
 * Blanchette, Elie
 * Freer, Charles H.
 * Florio, Virginio
 * Kennedy, James W.
 * Bevins, George
 * Bryner, Carl
 * Laney, James
 * Fletcher, Ambrose
 * Raes, Joseph
 * Ulram, Richard
 * Kilpatrick, Elbert C.
 * Giragossian, Garabed T. K.
 * Merrill, Floyd B. (a.k.a. Burke, James)
 * Hoffman, C. J.
 * Garbe, W. F.
 * Coleman, D. W.
 * Storm, Nathan
 * Davis, Riley
 * Brown, Homer D.
 * Wolfe, Charles J.
 * Lingelbach, Arthur C.
 * Bartlett, Reed
 * Sparks, J. G.
 * Ivanoff, Peter Mollow
 * Vick, Lawrence
 * McGill, Eustace
 * Spurlock, Charles E.
 * Parella, Antonio
 * Grande, Otto
 * Webb, John O.
 * von Platen, Baltzar
 * Burke, Arnold
 * Newman, Joseph Wesley