The figure is sometimes called "Boyle's perpetual motion scheme" (in honor of Robert Boyle (1627-1691)), the "perpetual vase" or "perpetual goblet". It was discussed by Denis Papin (1647-1712) in the Philosophical Transactions for 1685. It was even accepted by Johann Bernoulli (1667-1748). Some commentators call it the "hydrostatic paradox". Some confuse the hydrostatic system with a capillary system.

Perpetual Motion, Paradox

Scanned by Donald E. Simanek (dsimanek of lhup.edu fame): http://www.lhup.edu/~dsimanek/museum/people/paradox.gif archive copy at the Wayback Machine

Scanned without alteration from Fig. 54 in Arthur W.J.G. Ord-Hume's Perpetual Motion, the history of an obsession. Allen & Unwin, 1977, St. Martins Press, 1977. It also appears in Dirck's books and many other places.

Scan used with Simanek's permission.

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