T HE Twentieth Century is the century of successful accomplishment. The zenith of human achievements appears to have been reached. Yet every day brings its new surprises. There seems to be no limit to the output of human genius and ingenuity. We have now the aeroplane skimming through the air with bird-like ease and rapidity; the wireless telegraph and wireless telephone; the leviathan steamship “Olympic,” which annihilates distance between Europe and America and a sight of which would make our ancestors gasp in amazement, as well as other modern marvels.

And these pages tell about one of the greatest inventions of all time—a discovery of to-day that will add a crowning glory to successful Twentieth Century endeavor.

Bangerter’s Perpetulium Time Clock is most concrete, tangible and eloquent evidence that PERPETUAL FORCE—the greatest of all mechanical problems—is solved at last.

PERPETUAL FORCE!

Bangerter’s latest and highly successful creation sounds like a fairy story realized. The wizardry of true genius is thus marvellously expressed. Volumes have been written by prominent authors and leading scientific men illustrating the wasted efforts and picturing the despair of many inventors in all ages who failed in their persistent efforts to solve the problem of perpetual force—producing motion. Centuries of unwearying studies and activities only met with failure. It was called an impossible task, a phantom, a phantasy, a freak of the imagination that never could be converted to a practical issue.

But the failure of those who attempted and failed in the past could not keep back the energy and force of progress.

To-day the problem of perpetual force is really solved. It remained for a young Swiss inventor—Mr. Friedrich Bangerter—to successfully accomplish the heretofore impossible.

Bangerter’s Perpetual Time Clock is perfect in theory and practice. It is operated by a principle that cannot fail. A glance at the machine will convince the most skeptical.

From time to time we read of wonderful inventions that never get beyond the stage where they are talked about. They are impractical and impossible, because their inventors are fakirs, fanatics or dreamers—inventors lacking the character, knowledge and brains to understand whether or not their ideas are of any realizable value.

A PRACTICAL INVENTION

This is emphatically not the case with Mr. Bangerter. His is a most practical mind. His record as an inventor is one of successes. He has had twenty years’ experience as a practical and technical mechanical engineer, with a great number of patents and inventions in operation all over the world. His marvelous automatic machines—taking wrought casting and bars of metal and automatically making gears, chains, spindles, screws, pinions, etc., of the highest precision—is a striking example of his great ability.

At two World’s Expositions—in Paris, 1900, and Belgium, 1905—the Jury of International Selection of Mechanical Experts awarded him Silver and Gold Medals and Diplomas for his inventions of the most marvelous machines.

A TRULY WONDERFUL INVENTION

Bangerter’s Perpetual Time Clock is a truly wonderful mechanism and an exact, reliable timepiece. It will do the work for which it is intended, as long as the mechanical parts hold together—as long as the shafts and spindles run in their bearings.

In other words, this clock will run for

generations—yes, from 100 to 500 years—without winding. During this unbelievably long period this clock will run, show the exact time, strike the hours and play the marvelous Westminster melodies without the slightest expenditure of time or effort in winding up with springs or weights.

There is employed no electricity, chemicals, secret preparations or fuel, to produce the power and energy to run Bangerter’s Perpetual Force Clock. Yet there is a natural law behind it all—the secret of its practical application was discovered and successfully applied by the young Swiss inventor.

WHAT DOES PERPETUAL MOTION MEAN?

To avoid loss of time and to obviate dissension and discussion between readers and critics herewith is given the technical understanding of the title “PERPETUAL MOTION.” It is taken from “The International Cyclopedia,” Vol. II, Page 522, and reads as follows:

“Perpetual Motion means an engine which, without any supply of power from without, can not only maintain its own motion forever, or as long as its material lasts, but can also be applied to drive machinery, and therefore to do external work. In other words, it means a device for creating power energy without corresponding expenditure. This is now known to be absolutely impossible, no matter what physical forces be employed.”

The Bangerter Clock is eloquent evidence that the theory just quoted (and heretofore generally accepted as correct) is not, in fact, correct. It will be necessary, in the face of this new discovery, to write a new definition of Perpetual Motion.

Impossibilities of yesterday are the stern realities of to-day. We have now arrived at such a stage of advancement as to be surprised at no discovery or invention, no matter how improbable or wonderful.

NAPOLEON’S FATAL ERROR.

Napoleon was advised not to listen to Fulton’s plan of the steamboat—a certain cause of his downfall, for had he accepted Fulton’s radical and previously unheard of ideas he would presently have a fleet of steamships. He would thus be Emperor of the Ocean, for with his fleet of steamships he would surely have conquered Britain’s old-fashioned sailing navy.

Ten years ago all the scientific men to whom Bangerter presented his plans for an airship, gravely shook their heads. They said:—

“Your principle is right—it shows the most practical device we have yet seen, and if there were such proposition as a ‘heavier-than-air’ possibility you would have the best chance of success.”

Very well, the “heavier-than-air” possibility has become a certainty. To-day scientific men see the weight of a man’s body (increased by a heavy framework and many mechanical contrivances) soar lightly and majestically between the blue sky and the earth below. The dream of the pitied and sneered at inventor of a decade ago is exemplified to-day all over the civilized world!

All this the scientists a few years ago did not see.

The new born force—insignificant in size and appearance, but giant-like in actual force—now known as the gasolene engine, did not then make an appearance. But now hundreds of machines are flying all over the world—propelled by the pygmy gasolene engine.

In other words, as the force of a man is mechanically figured to 1-7 of one H. P., some gasolene engines of the weight and size of a man develop 700 times more power.

This enormous force may soon bring about a revolution in warfare by displacing powder as a force to expel bullets from guns.

Tests made last year with a small model gun have demonstrated great possibilities by shooting small 3-8 inch round ball-bearing at so terrific a speed that they pierced a 1½-inch pine target at 60 feet distance, and in such enormous quantities that inside of a few seconds five targets were riddled to atoms.

FLYING MACHINES EVERYWHERE.

Aeroplanes are to-day counted by hundreds. Some carry ten or more men at a time, and keeping it up for hours with a speed of nearly 100 miles per hour.

How great is the number of the wonderful time-saving, effort-saving and distance-annihilating inventions of the past fifty years!

How wonderful is the transformation! How sudden and how amazingly great is the progress that a single generation produces in this remarkable century! Great men have lived before us. Intellectual giants were our fathers and grandfathers. But the time had not come for the infinite hand to touch the mainspring that would set all these fountains of activity to pouring out their rich treasures of knowledge and invention. But as soon as the time is reached, how supremely marvelous are the undreamed-of achievements!

AMERICA! LAND OF OPPORTUNITIES.

The development of the greatest of all countries—the United States of America—is a most prolific source and cause of inventions. After the Civil War had proven that equality and freedom were not mere figures of speech, but that they were real, substantial blessings to be enjoyed by all American citizens, a great stimulus to inventive genius was given. The brains responded to the call for improvement and development.

The winnings from mining, the rewards from manufacture, the profits to be derived in the thousand and one forms of commerce and the handsome payments to be derived from agriculture, lumbering, cattle raising, fruit culture, etc., were the strongest possible incentives to the exercise of brains and inventive ingenuity.

Manufacture and commerce were fostered and developed by rapid transportation. Railroads and steamships soon ran wherever needed. Prosperity and happiness were the natural results of this wholesale national activity.

The machinery of warfare, such as marine fortifications, great guns and war vessels, was installed and maintained at an enormous expense.

It is not too much to say that America’s prosperity has aroused the greatest possible interest in European countries. They have made the most strenuous exertions in order to compete in the world’s trade marts.

STIMULUS TO INVENTIVE GENIUS.

A long period of universal peace has made it possible to keep up inventive investigation and experimenting with marvelously fruitful results.

Up to the present time more than ONE MILLION PATENTS have been issued for the United States alone. Truly a marvelous record!

PERPETUAL MOTION—THE STUDY OF AGES.

In every age inventors have dreamed of that problem of problems—Perpetual Motion. It is a problem that has exhausted the mind, purse and patience of thousands of inventors. Almost every one has heard of some one else’s interest in this great subject. But history shows that the study of perpetual motion has been tinctured with charlatanism.

Fakirs have from time to time shown contrivances which seemed to solve the problem, but were delusions and humbugs pure and simple, as they were gotten up to delude the public and deceive investors. The notorious Keely Motor was but one case of many.

Notwithstanding the enormous amount of unsuccessful effort and study in an endeavor to solve Perpetual Motion there are yet many enthusiastic students earnestly laboring in the field.

There is one great Perpetual Motion. It is Nature’s own handiwork, and the only successful human attempt is exemplified in Bangerter’s marvelously combined clockwork in which the silent forces of Nature are harnessed to carry out immutable laws. Similar attempts had already been undertaken by scientific men, but without success, until Friedrich Bangerter touched the true keynote.

WHEN NATURE IS READY.

The time and conditions were ripe and ready. So was the man! It seems to be one of the great laws of Mother Nature to withhold her most precious secrets until she sees fit to divulge them, and then she brings in happy juxtaposition “The Time, The Place and The Man.”

This has proven true with most of the world’s most important inventions and discoveries. Nature in her own good time gives up the priceless secret—that little something that spells success and that was so long sought after until the golden moment it was revealed.

Had Lilienthal to-day’s gasolene engine—an engine developing 100 H. P. to the weight of only 200 pounds, as the rotary Gnome Engine, he would have been highly successful in his efforts to fly.

The development of the automobile meant the development of the gasolene engine, which became so reduced in weight and so powerful in action that all that was necessary was to attach it to some planes, revolve propellers, and, presto! off went the flying machine with ease and speed.

As time goes on and as the needs of men multiply other great inventions will be perfected in obedience to the universal Law of Creation.

Every student of Perpetual Motion, yes, every intelligent observer of the world’s progress, will be intensely interested in Bangerter’s wonderful clock.

OTHER NATURAL FORCES.

There are many other natural sources that could be called in to develop Perpetual Force for clocks, machinery, etc., just as waterfalls, rainfalls, the blowing of winds, etc., but all these could not be considered and compared with Bangerter’s inventions. They are at present impractical on account of the extensive and expensive outside connections required.

Streams are sometimes found only at great distances, and the entire system of turbines, dynamos, electrical conducting wires and motors are much too complicated to operate a simple system of your own.

VARIATION OF TEMPERATURE.

We cannot depend upon a wind or a rainfall, but we can always depend upon a variation of temperature day after day and year after year. Some days there may be a variation of only one or two degrees, other days from 15 to 25 degrees, but no matter what the variation may be, Bangerter’s machine collects the daily results and stores their energies.

These results are produced day after day by the phenomena of expansion and contraction of material, and is so combined as to always have sufficient force stored to always keep the clock running.

In other words, Bangerter’s Perpetulium Time Clock will always run without winding.

Even if there should be no variation of temperature for a period of several days or weeks—which will never happen as long as the world exists—sufficient force would be stored from past variations to keep it running for a considerable period of time.

This clock will give perfect time in any room, in any house or building and in any exterior or interior location. It is not affected by time or locality. The mysterious forces of Nature operate it equally as well in the jungles of Africa as in a New York or London mansion.

It is the one clock for all time, all localities and all conditions.

NATURE’S MANY PHENOMENA.

How marvelous and manifold are the workings of Nature! Her phenomena and secrets are ever subjects of intense study by the world’s greatest intellects.

Nature’s manifestations are mild, majestic, mighty, cold, calm, bounteous, benign, beneficent, beautiful, terrific, tender, temperate—in fact, every adjective in the English language could be employed to describe her full gamut of moods.

Some of us have heard the furious roaring of a blizzard and observed the enormous force and terrific speed of the tempest, leaving behind death and destruction in its wake. Many towns, large and small, have been swept out of existence by blizzards, tornadoes and cyclones.

And the silent, fructifying forces of Nature—how grand and beautiful beyond expression do they accomplish their work! “Great oaks from little acorns grow,” and from little, apparently insignificant seeds spring monarch trees of the forest, their crowns majestically waving three and four hundred feet in the air. The mysteries of life have yet been revealed to no man, and the artist has not lived who has been able to paint the picture, to catch the true color effects, that only Mother Nature can depict on a world wide canvas.

NATURE’S GREAT PLANETARY CLOCKWORK.

Every atom of force in the universe performs a purpose and function. Nature never makes a mistake.

Each of the myriad forces under her control has the most logical cause for existence, and all are under the guidance of the most perfect system. The entire planetary system may be termed the Clockwork of the Universe—the great Natural Clock, absolutely authoritative and perfect in operation and giving us days, nights, seasons and variations of temperature with a regularity that never fails.

These variations of temperature really mean the source of all life and vegetation. In order that we human beings live the globe must revolve on its axis, and as the year grows on apace we receive the heat rays from another planet—the Sun—in different angles and positions and in the variations of temperature ranging from extreme heat to extreme cold.

HEAT THE SOURCE OF ALL POWER.

From heat comes all power. When the latent forces of Nature were first set aflame by primitive man he touched the spring of civilization. Since that time fire has been working for human progress. It is one of the most powerful agents in the development of civilization.

Our rude ancestors long ago discovered its great utility, and they cudgeled their brains to aid the flame of fire and obtain a still fiercer heat. The bellows was the result—the wind pointed the way to this invention.

Then followed by slow degrees the acquirement of further knowledge concerning fire and its uses. Our forefathers learned the processes of melting and smelting—later were established various metallurgical operations.

The path was thus prepared for Tubal Cain and other artificers in metals. Man eventually became exceedingly skilled in applying heat forces in his many requirements in articles of brass, tin, zinc, steel, etc.

HEAT—EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION.

From an article by J. Gordon Ogden, Ph.D., in “Popular Mechanics,” September, 1910, we quote:

“Expansion is one of the most remarkable of the phenomena to be reckoned with in the natural world. Practically every bit of matter from the Great Brooklyn Bridge to the tiny hairspring in one’s watch is under its imperial domination. It is a tremendous force, and the world of mechanics has to treat it with the deference and respect due to its gigantic power. Unlike gravity, and other forces of nature, it is whimsical and takes sudden fits and starts, now acting one way, now another. It affects different bodies in different ways, and seems to be at variance with the time-honored forces whose action can be predicted under all circumstances. At least that is what it apparently does. In our meagre knowledge of the great underlying laws that control the universe it is possibly unwise to speak so unkindly of expansion, as though it were a spoiled child in need of correction; its behavior, however, is so contrary to what one might expect that one is at a loss to say anything else.

“The walls of a building are sometimes rectified by the enormous force exerted by the contraction of iron rods. Bars of iron are placed so as to join the two walls where the bulging is most pronounced. These bars terminate in screws furnished with nuts. The whole of their length is heated and the nuts tightened. On cooling the bars will contract with practically irresistible force, causing the walls to straighten up. This operation is repeated until the rectification is completed. Boiler plates are fastened with red-hot rivets. The contraction of the rivets incident upon their cooling draws the plates tightly together, forming a steam-proof joint.”

“Tyndall, in his work on heat, gives an excellent illustration of the force of expansion and contraction. ‘The choir of Bristol Cathedral was covered with sheet lead, the length of the covering being 60 feet and its depth 19 feet 5 inches. It had been laid in the year 1851, and two years afterward it had moved bodily down for a distance of 18 inches. The descent had been continually going on from the time the lead had been laid down, and an attempt to stop it by driving nails into the rafters had failed, for the force with which the lead had descended was sufficient to draw out the nails. The roof was not a steep one, and the lead could have rested on it forever without sliding down by gravity. What, then, was the cause of the descent? The lead was exposed to the varying temperatures of day and night. During the day the heat imparted to it caused it to expand. Had it lain upon a horizontal surface, it would have expanded all around; but as it lay upon an inclined surface it expanded more freely downward than upward. When, on the contrary, the lead contracted at night its upper edge was drawn more easily downward than its lower edge upward. Its motion was, therefore, exactly like that of a common earthworm; it pushed its lower edge forward during the day and drew its upper edge after it during the night, and thus by degrees it crawled through a space of 18 inches in two years.’

“Mention has been made in a preceding article of the effect of unequal expansion upon two different metals that have been bolted together. It is by this principle that the action of the ordinary thermostat, so familiar now as a controller and regulator of the temperature of high buildings, is explained—a rod made up of two different metals whose rates of expansion are different. When the temperature of the room in which the thermostat is placed becomes too high the rod curls toward the metal point S and touches it, completing an electrical contact which causes a motor to shut off the draft. When the temperature of the room falls below a certain point the rod curls in the opposite direction toward the metal point T. This causes a motor to open the draft and thus furnish a more abundant supply of hot air.

“Everybody in these days of cheap and reliable timepieces carries a watch. And yet there are very few who appreciate the methods and devices by means of which the troublesome expansion and contraction of metals are corrected, in order that a watch may keep correct time. The balance wheel of a watch corresponds to the pendulum of a clock, and any variation in its dimensions will cause it to move faster or slower, as the case may be. The hairspring is really a long strip of metal which becomes weakened in its effect when expanded by an increase in temperature and has its power augmented when contraction takes place.

“To correct both of these conditions the rim of the balance wheel is made up of two different metals, the outer part brass, the inner part iron. When the hairspring becomes weaker by expansion the brass of the balance wheel also expands; but as it expands more than the iron to which it is bonded, it curls in toward the center of the wheel, making practically a wheel of smaller diameter, and causing the same effect as is produced when a clock pendulum is shortened. Exactly the opposite conditions obtain when the timepiece is exposed to extreme cold and the balance wheel has its diameter increased, thus causing a slowing up to counteract the increased strain produced by the contraction of the hairspring. The same principle is applied in the construction of first-class clocks. Any uncorrected variation in the length of a pendulum is fatal to the timekeeping quality of a clock. A gridiron pendulum made up of alternate rods of steel and brass serves to correct the result of the expansive force.

“The central steel rod passes through holes in the lower horizontal framework and supports the bob at the lower end. The steel rods are so arranged that they will expand downward, while the brass rods expand upward and the total length of each metal used is exactly sufficient to counteract each other’s expansion, and the centre of the bob will remain at a constant distance from the point of suspension.”

Scientific men and engineers are more or less familiar with the phenomena of expansion. But no inventor produced a system capable of utilizing this force to run a clock until Bangerter succeeded in mastering the problem.

Bangerter’s clock is unquestionably a triumph of human ingenuity. It is a mechanical masterpiece. Herewith follows the complete specification: