The Keely Motor

After a careful and tedious investigation of tlie merits of the Keely motor invention, scientific minds haye concluded that, while the inventor has discovered a wonderful and hitñerto unknown power, it is of value only in a scientiflc light, and not in a practical way. The reasoning on the subject, as given by a Philadelphia seientist, is asfollows. 1. Themachinery necessaryto produce tho power that Mr. Keely claims to produce, and that he certainly does produce with it, is so costly as to place it beyond the reach of or'cïinary manufacturers. The machine now in use cost more than 860,000, and -vhile fsubsequent machines would_ cost very considerably less, as appliauces and metl'ods of construction become simplified, the cost would still be largely in excess of that of the ordinaiy steam-engine. 2. In manipulating each engine the services would be required, not of an ordinaiy engineer, but of a man of exeeptional scientific attainments, vrho would thoroughly understand the theory of its working, and would be prepared to act in sudden and dangerous emergencies. 8. The results obtained are altogether tincertain. Before direct resulta are secured, preliminary results must be secured; that is, the condition of working is dependent upon the contingeney of ieing in a condition to work, and neither state is wholly within the control of the manipulator. Mr. Keely himself can never predict with certainty the result of an attempt to start the engine into motion; every manipulation that he makes partakes of the nature of an experiment. The engine may or may not espond to his attempt to start it. In short, it is beyond the power of his contoI; andallofhis efforts to bring it uüder lis control - efforts constantly made durng a number of years - -have been 'utile. 4. Even admitting that he may overeóme this difficulty, the results obtained are so violent that the snoek and jar upon the machinery tend rapidly to weaken it, and necessitate continual exoense for repairs. 5. It is inipossible to produce the power in volume sufficiently great to run aiachinery with it uninterruptedly; actually, the time required for generating a given amount of power is greater than the time that same amount of power will maintain the machinery in motion. A sixth disability, but of less importance than either of the others, is found in the fact thnt the power is not applicable to an existing form of steam-engine. To utilize it, a new form of engine must be devised, and one of much nicer construction than even the flnest of those used in connection witli steam; the extreme subtility of the vapor requiring a closeness of jointing f ar beyond anything yet accomplished in practical mechanics. Mr. Keely claims to have invented such an engine, but, like the power that moves it, it seemed to be impracticable and valueless for any real work.