Magic Gears by OSKAR

Oskar · **Joined:** Mon Nov 30, 2009 1:03 pm

Hi Non-Twisty Puzzles fans,

Magic Gears (a twisty non-puzzle) is a paradoxical set of three identical gears that can both mesh in the regular way and all in the same direction. It was inspired by this YouTube video by Jacques Maurel. Maurel writes: "The paradoxical 2 teeth gear set is used in the 'Mercier differential' (using the torque transfer technology) Patented in 1988 by Renault". Oskar's addition to the work is making Chevron Gears as invented by Andre Citroen. This way the three gears become identical and they can both mesh classically and paradoxically.

I have performed this Magic Gears "trick" to several friends, family and coleagues. I get two types of reactions: "wow" and "so what". Apparently, there exist people who are not aware how gears are supposed to mesh :-)

.

Watch the YouTube video.
Buy this magic trick at my Shapeways Shop.
Read more at the Shapeways Forum.
Check out the photos below. Note that the last picture is a .gif animation. Click it to see the movement.

Enjoy!

Oskar

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Tony Fisher · **Joined:** Sun Mar 27, 2005 7:37 pm

Sparkio · **Joined:** Sun Dec 18, 2011 3:29 pm

Interesting.

Benf207 · **Posted:** Sat Mar 17, 2012 3:36 pm

So what?

Kidding. I think this is really interesting as well. Awesome job with the reverse engineering.

Ben

David Pitcher · **Posted:** Sat Mar 17, 2012 3:43 pm

Very cool. I was wondering how these would operate since they appeared as computer generated images on your Shapeways shop. Now how can the principle be turned into a puzzle?...

Sigurd · **Posted:** Sat Mar 17, 2012 4:05 pm

I want to see a Magic Gear Cube now :lol:

Gus · **Posted:** Sat Mar 17, 2012 4:21 pm

Amazing, and very clever. Do you think this may have any practical applications in gear box designs?

iaroslavski · **Posted:** Sat Mar 17, 2012 4:43 pm

Fantastic!

Oskar,
You definitely should reuse this idea in your new gear puzzle.

darryl · **Posted:** Sat Mar 17, 2012 8:27 pm

This is by far the coolest thing I have ever seen in my whole entire life - by far!

As others have said, I would love to see this principle incorporated into a puzzle.

Well done as usual.

-d

Bram · **Posted:** Sat Mar 17, 2012 8:58 pm

Is it possible to make a bevel or rack and pinion version of this?

Tony Fisher · **Joined:** Sun Mar 27, 2005 7:37 pm

Ok guys, you've seen a nice clear video with some funny shaped things but do you honestly fully understand how 3 gears can rotate in the same direction? If you say yes then could you actually explain it to someone else?

Tony Fisher · **Joined:** Sun Mar 27, 2005 7:37 pm

Watching it for the umpteenth time I finally get it (though not the rope explanation). Essentially the parts are sliding against each other rather than moving in conventional gear on gear action.

Gus · **Posted:** Sun Mar 18, 2012 7:50 am

Tony Fisher wrote:

Watching it for the umpteenth time I finally get it (though not the rope explanation). Essentially the parts are sliding against each other rather than moving in conventional gear on gear action.

Gear on gear action - I've seen that video :shock:

wwwmwww · **Posted:** Sun Mar 18, 2012 9:28 am

Tony Fisher wrote:

Watching it for the umpteenth time I finally get it (though not the rope explanation).

I get part of the rope explanation, I think. See this picture:

Imagine you have the red rope attached to the circle at the green dot. The red rope is a fixed length and the rope can be pulled off the surface of the circle but not into it. You can see the purple dot at the loose end of the rope traces out the shape of the gear I've put green dashes on. I think this is the point Oskar is making. What I don't see is how the shape where the orange dashes is defined. And I also have no clue how one would go about making this shape in Solidworks.

Carl

P.S. This answers part of my question. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNe-qSNv9VY

Magic Gears by OSKAR

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