A PENSIONER went to the Appeal Court to have his design recognised - for a flying saucer.
Bolton inventor Joseph Thompson, 83, believes his idea for a unique flying device challenges the accepted laws of physics and could revolutionise the world's travel industry.
But experts at the Patents, Designs and Trademarks have refused Mr Thompson a patent over the last three years so yesterday a judge heard his bid to appeal against the decision.
Mr Thompson told the court in his written argument: "It will be shown that a perfectly sound idea has for all time in the past escaped the cleverest of scientists, much to their loss and to the loss of the country.
"It constitutes a breakthrough in science that will leave critics breathless in its simplicity and effectiveness."
Lord Justice Jacob, sitting in London, turned down Mr Thompson's application to appeal saying: "There would be, if Mr Thompson's device were to work, a fundamental change in the currently understood laws of physics.
"He believes his device will work but he has not found out if it does work. It is unacceptable for industrial application."
Elitism
But Mr Thompson, who developed an interest in physics and aviation following a varied working career, said he was a victim of academic elitism and challenged physicists to study his designs.
His flying saucer - which was not demonstrated in court - incorporates two counter-rotating discs, which the inventor claims would generate enough lift to carry the device into the air. He claims it could create flying cars or even take people into space. But Patent Office experts said that the ideas could not work saying it breaks at least two laws of physics and have demanded to see a working model.
Mr Thompson said: "The device harnesses the energy of atmosphere. Atmosphere is a conserved energy that can never be used up.
"If I had gone to a university and done this people would listen but because I haven't they assume I'm a crank."
Mr Thompson, who has four children and two grandchildren, has previously invented a "flying wing" device which he claims had been able to lift him some feet in the air.
He vowed to continue with his plans to build a prototype device and criticised the judge for not fully recognising his plans.
He said: "People used to say that the world was flat and the first person to say that it wasn't was laughed at as well."
WILL Joseph succeed with his flying disc plans? Have your say.
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Showing comments 1 to 25 and replies | View All
Anon, Stretford (22/06/2006 at 13:52)
When did Mr Jacobs become a physicist? When he should have been on the bench listening to cases, mayhaps?
H, Manchester (22/06/2006 at 16:19)
cosmicbrat, mid Canada (22/06/2006 at 19:07)
Joseph is not far off from the reality of cinsumer machines taking us into Space and back.. but i doubt that it will be a "flying saucer"... All hail Joseph, the great thinker...
Dave Pickup, Spain (22/06/2006 at 22:18)
a couple of million to spare,I would consider investing.This country annoys me;the only alternative technology they have invested in over the years was the useless hovercraft.They let Eric Laithwaites linear motor ,which could have transfomed the UK rail system in the 60's,go to Japan who patented it! Also,in the early 00's a Scottish guy came up with a working model displaying anti-gravity,using gyroscopes.Could he get a backer for potentially the greatest discovery since the wheel? No he could not! Give the lateral thinkers their heads,you never know where it may lead!
lenny, everett, wa (22/06/2006 at 22:21)
lookingforlogic, stockport (22/06/2006 at 22:50)
Of course wether the government would actually allow that to happen is a different matter, a little like not having any water powered cars on the market even though they've been shown to work. Go ahead & build it anyway.
Frank Znidarsic, usa (22/06/2006 at 22:53)
F. Znidarsic
Rob Whitehead, Blackpool (23/06/2006 at 01:22)
Zahdio, USA (23/06/2006 at 01:33)
SKELTER, Manchester (23/06/2006 at 02:06)
ian, wales (23/06/2006 at 08:36)
brian, ottawa (24/06/2006 at 18:10)
Tiglath-Pisener IV, Assyria (24/06/2006 at 18:17)
Seeker, Boston, MA in USA (24/06/2006 at 18:33)
If you are so convinced that he is simply a genius not being given a chance or proper funding, go ahead and invest YOUR money in it.
Don't you think that if this (and similar free-energy nonsense) design actually even remotely worked that there would be tons of investors throwing money at him to in order to reap the billions that such an invention would certainly create?
Be realistic -- all this guy has is a scrap of paper based on a complete misunderstanding of physics. He has no working models. He has no prototype. He has no calculations showing that it is at least theoretically possible.
There is a reason he has been ignored by the patent system, the court system, and academia. It is because his idea was examined and found to lack any credibility whatsoever.
J.G, Canada (24/06/2006 at 18:57)
Someone, somewhere (24/06/2006 at 19:05)
--Philo
Jabin, VA,USA (24/06/2006 at 19:08)
As for me I would need to see some schemata before I make a real comment on the validity of Thompson's model.
Greg Baumbach, USA (24/06/2006 at 19:18)
"The powers that be should test it?" No, he should be able to construct a working prototype himself. If he cannot, it has everything to do with it not being based in reality, rather than "The Man" suppressing his findings.
Horse Peoop, Canada (24/06/2006 at 19:30)
john, usa (24/06/2006 at 20:03)
And comb your hair!
Joel Klassen, BC Canada (24/06/2006 at 23:40)
This statement right here is what discredits the man.
It demonstrates he has no idea what he's talking about. atmosphere is not a form of energy, it is a conglomeration of gases surrounding the surface of the earth. And what does he mean when he says it's a conserved energy that can never be used up. All energy is conserved, it is only transformed. And if it could never be "used up" or in other words, transformed from a useful form to a form of higher entropy and less use, that would mean that there would have to be an infinite density of energy, which would have significant immediate and noticeable effects. To say that the machine runs on atmosphere is as about as useful as saying it runs on love.
In addition, just saying that there have been revolutionaries in science does not give your ignorant assertions any legitimacy. For the record, Cristopher Columbus was not the first to prove that the earth was round. In fact, the concept of the round earth most likely predates the concept of the flat earth in most ancient civilizations. It saddens me that because western civilization existed in a dark age, thus making legitimate scientist seem like revolutionaries, we must now, in an enlightened era, deal with illegitimate scientists, who exist in their own personal dark age, who compare themselves to these men simply because they act outside of the current norm.
Mr Thompson has presented no prototype, no evidence, and no legitimate scientific support for what he's saying. All he's doing is spouting pseudo science and crock-pottery.
Maybe I was wrong is saying we live in an enlightened era, if this is news worthy, while advances in legitimate science often go unnoticed.
Matt Hatfield, USA (25/06/2006 at 06:52)
Terry Skudder, Tasmania. Aust. (25/06/2006 at 10:58)
Juno Projekt, BC, Canada (25/06/2006 at 12:27)
im an inventor alos. have lots of stuff, just no idea where to submit or the money to submit :/
- Juno
Kent, London (25/06/2006 at 13:02)