Sources of Small Magnet Motors

Many toy cars have motors with magnets you can remove.

A magnetic motor spins by its own internal magnetism; magnets are strategically placed so that a shaft is turned by attraction and repulsion forces. Invented by Wesley Gary in the 1870s, this motor uses no outside source of power. This technology was never explored nor well developed; but it is not pseudoscience, since no laws of physics are broken. In 2011, no commercial units are available; however, experimenters freely share their findings with the world so other experimenters can continue the research.

Wesley Gary Motor

You can duplicate the original motor configurations drawn by Wesley Gary. He had several designs; one was a teeter-toter arrangement, with the magnets swinging past each other. Another was a spinning horseshoe magnet suspended on a thin shaft. Yet, another was a complex series of magnets driving a large gear. By duplicating Wesley's original motors, you can move on to develop other configurations.

Howard Johnson Motor

In 1979 the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) awarded Howard Johnson patent number 4,151,431 for his magnetic motor invention. The motor spins by its own internal magnetism. The USPTO has teams of engineers examining each patent application; they do not award a patent if the machine does not truly work. If you want to duplicate his motor, the USPTO makes the patent and drawing public. If you wish to produce the motor commercially, contact a patent attorney to discuss any possible royalty agreements with Mr. Johnson or his estate.

Kohei Minato Motor

In 1997 the USPTO awarded patent number 5,594,289 to Kohei Minato for his magnetic motor invention. This motor is significantly different from Johnson's motor; it utilizes stacked rotors instead of a rotor inside a larger one. The USPTO makes all the data about the motor available. It's legal to duplicate any patent for noncommercial personal use; commercial use, however, requires you to contact the inventor or his estate to discuss royalty arraignments.

Your Own Motor

You can develop your own motor. Thousands of designs are freely available and distributed; after looking at the designs, imagine the best way to design yours. Talk to several physicists or engineers who can assist you with the final design. If your motor works, you should contract a patent attorney who can assist you in obtaining a patent for your invention. Bear in mind, though, that magnets do not last forever. Over time, magnets become weak and your motor will eventually stop.

References

• Avon History Organization: The Gary Effect Magnetic Motor
• Pure Energy Systems: Directory: Magnet Motors
• United States Patent and Trademark Office: Permanent Magnet Motor
• United States Patent and Trademark Office: Magnetic Rotating Apparatus
• Rex Research: Kohei Minato Magnetic Motor

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Pure Energy Systems: Howard Johnson Magnet Motor