Self-Motive Power

Self-Motive Power is any method of energy generation wherein the energy (as motive power) input is at least equal to the energy (as motive power) output, allowing the energy output to feedback into the operation as a self-sustaining system; and, as this method is self-sustaining, it may be said to operate in Perpetual Motion (or, at least, until material components break down); and if this method produces more energy than was initially input, that excess is Free Energy. Classical thermodynamics and its inheritors hold that any such methods are 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 an operation.

Would-Be Inventors of Perpetual Motion Machines

• 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)
• Taliaferro, Eilbeck 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
• Patrono, 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 Holtzschuherr, Otto (Count)
• 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, Timothy
• Guiddinger, John
• Christopher, Gabriel
• Horn, Jesse
• Hayworth, James W.
• Bissett, J. H.
• Tripler, Charles
• Johnson, Emil
• Gardner, Henry
• 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.
• Pedroti, Andrew
• 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.
• Cutchin, Gertrude
• 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, William 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

May 1903.

Reading

• Dircks, Henry (1861), Search for Self-Motive Power During the 17th, 18th and 19th Centuries, London 
• Dircks, Henry (1870), A History of the Search for Self-Motive Power from the 13th to the 19th Century, London 
• Vance, Percy (1916), Perpetual Motion: Comprising a History of the Efforts to Attain Self-Motive Mechanism, With a Classified, Illustrated, Collection and Explanation of the Devices Whereby It Has Been Sought and Why They Failed, and Comprising Also a Revision and Re-Arrangement of the Information Afforded by "Search for Self-Motive Power During the 17th, 18th and 19th Centuries," London, 1861, and "a History of the Search for Self-Motive Power from the 13th to the 19th Century," London, 1870, by Henry Dircks, C.E., LL.D., Etc., Chicago: 20th Century Enlightenment Specialty Co., https://archive.org/details/perpetualmotionc00verarich