James Haller

James Haller was a machinist and inventor of Danish descent who claimed to have solved the problem of perpetual motion in 1901, reportedly after thirty years of work. Haller resided in Somer, Kenosha County, Wisconsin, the same town as F. H. "Perpetual Motion" Otto, a regionally infamous inventor of similar devices.

Press Coverage

• "PERPETUAL MOTION IN SIGHT. A Wisconsin Man Thinks He a Machine that Has Constructed Can Not Stop.", Quad-City Times (Danvenport, IA): 1, 21 June 1901, https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/300470259/, "Kenosha, Wis., June 21. — James Haller, a Dane residing in the town of Somers, claims that he has solved the problem of perpetual motion. Thirty years ago he began work on a machine to solve the question, and today he sent a model to the patent office, seeking a patent. Haller claims for his machine that it is impossible for it to stop. Eight months ago the machine was started and the people who have watched it closely claim that it has never lost a second. tip to the present time the motion of the machine has been from east to west and not circular, but Haller claims that the new model solves the question of circular motion. Haller is a man of education, and his machine has met with many failures. The little machine is a wonder so far as workmanship is concerned, all the intricate parts having been whittled out of wood. The only metal in the model is to be found in the axis of the swinging beams. The old Dane guards his secret with a great deal of care. He has been requested to allow a picture of [his machine in motion] to be made, but he refused the request until after the model is returned from the patent office. The people residing near Haller have great faith in the device and they claim that the old man has been offered a large sum for the patent rights." 
• "PERPETUAL MOTION OTTO HAS A NEW RIVAL. James Haller, of Somers, Kenosha County, Confident That Perpetual Motion Problem Has Been Solved.", Journal Times (Racine, Wisconsin): 3, 21 June 1901, https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/333949205/