Farnsworth patent 3,386,883 Fusor

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Steven Sesselmann
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Farnsworth patent 3,386,883 Fusor

Post by Steven Sesselmann »

Does anyone know if this Patent is the last patent that Farnsworth worked
on?

Did he continue research into Fusion after this, and if so, are there any
later patents?

Thanks..

Steven Sesselmann
http://www.gammaspectacular.com - Gamma Spectrometry Systems
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Steven_Sesselmann - Various papers and patents on RG
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Richard Hull
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Re: Farnsworth patent 3,386,883 Fusor

Post by Richard Hull »

Farnsworth , (ITT), had two basic patents as the result of their work. Farnsworth, the man, was totally out of the picture by 1967 as ITT retired him for medical reasons when he walked out on the project. He never personally fused another atom in his life. Farnsworth's contribution boils down to the idea that fusion could be done using the IEC concept. His fusors were never much to talk about in the scientific sense. Hirsch constructed more interesting models while at ITT from 1964 -1968. When Farnsworth left, Hirsch took over, albeit for a very short period before ITT decided it needed to be OUT of the fusion biz.

Richard Hull
Progress may have been a good thing once, but it just went on too long. - Yogi Berra
Fusion is the energy of the future....and it always will be
The more complex the idea put forward by the poor amateur, the more likely it will never see embodiment
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Steven Sesselmann
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Re: Farnsworth patent 3,386,883 Fusor

Post by Steven Sesselmann »

Richard, From what I can see Farnsworh did brilliant work, and if he
thought self sustained Fusion was possible, it probably is.

Do we know what the dispute was about and why he walked out on the
project ?

Steven Sesselmann
http://www.gammaspectacular.com - Gamma Spectrometry Systems
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Steven_Sesselmann - Various papers and patents on RG
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Richard Hull
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Re: Farnsworth patent 3,386,883 Fusor

Post by Richard Hull »

Farnsworth was indeed brilliant, but somewhat misguided and self deluded in his quests by my research. Farnsworth, the man, did little hands on work in the fusor era. Most of his hands on genius came in the 20-40s on developing television.

He had minions to do his hands on work by the early 60's. He spent most of his time up in his office dreaming up things that couldn't be turned into hardware and those that were didn't work well. He was hurt when "The admiral brought in a bonafide Phd to give the work some cache' in the eyes of the corporate leadership who wanted some academic polish at the Pontiac Street plant.

Robert Hirsch was both bright and eager to see fusion happen. He easily brought the fusion numbers of the pre 64 days up by a factor of 3 or 4 orders of magnitude. All of this was impressive, but far short of any satisfactory mark. The company forced the issue demanding a formal scientific paper be written and submitted to cement its claims and act as a reference to sell off their interests in fusion research.

Farnsworth's ideas differed from Hirsch's especially on the math and the paper stalled. Farnsworth was unfortunately and unintentionally embarrassed in front of dignitaries on hand to see the fusor on one occassion by Hirsch and the Admiral. Farnsworth left the building and went off on a 1 year bender, nearly killing himself. ITT continued to pay him, but ultimately medically retired him in 67.

Farnsworth had some prior bouts with this issue much earlier in life and was a depressive personality when under the influence and it nearly took him out on each ocassion.

He never returned or recovered effectively to manage anyhting more than a weak comeback under the PTFA moniker which was itself, still born. He died shortly after this last failure.

Science, business and industry are cold in that they care not for brilliance, or effort, only results. Farnsworth total contribution was the ideas and concept around IEC.

Ricahrd Hull
Progress may have been a good thing once, but it just went on too long. - Yogi Berra
Fusion is the energy of the future....and it always will be
The more complex the idea put forward by the poor amateur, the more likely it will never see embodiment
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Steven Sesselmann
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Re: Farnsworth patent 3,386,883 Fusor

Post by Steven Sesselmann »

Thanks again Richard for your detailed reply. It is hard to put oneselves in
Farnsworth's position, other than looking at the two patents. The older
farnsworth Fusor and what I assume to be the later Hirsch Fusor.

Hircsh apparatus might have made more fusion, but I have a feeling that
Farnsworth might have been on the right track. I like his approach better.

Steven Sesselmann
http://www.gammaspectacular.com - Gamma Spectrometry Systems
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Steven_Sesselmann - Various papers and patents on RG
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Re: Farnsworth patent 3,386,883 Fusor

Post by Richard Hull »

Hirsch's main efforts were mostly with the stock GUNNED Farnsworth design and his results far exceeded Farnsworth's own results with GUNNED SYSTEMS. His patent was for a simple demo device that elimenated the need for guns to do simple demonstrable fusion and was never presented as a fusion solution.

Remember, there were two and later three Farnsworth teams working in parallel. Farnsworth's personal team lagged, mostly due to inertia brought to the effort by Farnsworth himself and the manner in which his team proved less nimble on their feet with variations.

Richard Hull
Progress may have been a good thing once, but it just went on too long. - Yogi Berra
Fusion is the energy of the future....and it always will be
The more complex the idea put forward by the poor amateur, the more likely it will never see embodiment
User avatar
Steven Sesselmann
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Re: Farnsworth patent 3,386,883 Fusor

Post by Steven Sesselmann »

Richard, I finally figured out the fusor on the home page Farnsworth
picture. What he has done is made himself a spherical fusor chamber with
a flange attached to the bottom hemisphere, over which he had a loose
removable top hemisphere with no flange. Over the top of the whole thing
he has a glass bell jar that rested on the flange, enabeling him to evacuate
the air. This gave him easy access to the grid, so he could make changes
quickly.

Steven Sesselmann
http://www.gammaspectacular.com - Gamma Spectrometry Systems
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Steven_Sesselmann - Various papers and patents on RG
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