Talk:Rolamite

Dreadful article
First, the author doesn't even understand the difference between 'invented' and 'discovered', using them as synonyms of each other which is ridiculous. Second, this is not a new basic machine at all but an application of the wheel. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 79.79.153.6 (talk) 14:20, 24 July 2022 (UTC)

Untitled
It would be great if more details of this could be dug up. Reading over the contents of the compilation link that's currently on the page is very interesting - but also very dated. For instance, the articles frequently talk of nearly frictionless movement and it being an order of magnitude better than ball bearings. How would modern manufacture of this device compare to modern ball bearings, for instance? Is the rolamite used in anything? There was much speculation that it could be used in nearly countless applications. If it isn't being used - why not? Did the claims not live up to reality or something? The article on airbags in cars seems to say it had been used there but has been replaced in modern times by a different mechanism. Is rolamite no longer relevant - or is it simply forgotten? BigZaphod 07:52, 8 December 2006 (UTC)

Near the bottom of this webpage there's a really good answer. Summed up: most of the applications it could be used for are done better by other technology. One example I noticed on my own from the patent is the rolamite thermostat switch. Why make a switch with three moving parts that have to be precisely machined and put together when one can use a mercury switch with one moving part, viz. a blob of mercury? There's still uses for them though. TheDragoon (talk) 08:10, 8 January 2008 (UTC)

Via BoingBoing: http://home.wanadoo.nl/a.a.m.sol/1221e.htm A Rolamite scale. Way cool. :) Not sure if it should be worked into the article or not, but thought I'd point it out.   BigZaphod 19:47, 8 December 2006 (UTC)

refs removed
remove by user:JzG... these should be reinstated ...
 * Compilation of Rolamite information and articles
 * A Rolamite letter scale

J. D. Redding

What a rolamite really is.
The article gives a terrible explanation of the rolamite. The useful property of the thing is that it can be used to make a spring with an arbitrary force/distance curve, one that doesn't obey Hooke's Law. The basic rolamite is a constant-force spring. They've been used in seat-belt mechanisms. It's also useful as a sliding bearing. But it's not a rotational bearing. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Nagle (talk • contribs)

Rolamite in turntable tone arm
As I read this article, sparked by a random memory and wondering if the rolamite had ever been used in something, I remembered seeing a Harman-Kardon turntable in the 1970s, that was described as having a rolamite bearing. I found a PDF file of the owner's manual at audioasylum.com that, on the last page, confirms use of a rolamite in the vertical tonearm bearing. They even describe the way it works, in general terms. Viewed 2014-September-13 — Preceding unsigned comment added by 108.47.46.243 (talk) 22:16, 13 September 2014 (UTC)
 * That's a cute, but niche, application. Seat belt inertial locks and early airbag triggers were the main application. I can't find many others. The rolamite appeared at the end of the era of mechanical logic, and never really caught on. John Nagle (talk) 05:41, 14 September 2014 (UTC)

"One source claims it is the only basic mechanical invention of the 20th century." Says the current article. The Newbould Mechanism, invented 1971, patented (I think) in 1974, is described by the Smithsonian as the 28th basic mechanism. So I think the reference can be removed. Incidentally I cannot find a Wiki article for the Newbould mechanism, so there is some work for you, it is one of those infuriating developments that seems childishly obvious, AFTER some one else has thought of it. AnnaComnemna (talk) 17:52, 25 August 2015 (UTC)

Incorrect drawing
The drawing of the Rolamite is wrong. The position of the bearings has been reversed, making it impossible to understand how Rolamite works.

Correct Drawing

--83.57.97.23 (talk) 20:12, 2 December 2015 (UTC)


 * Agreed. Didn't this article used to have the isometric drawing from the patent? Andy Dingley (talk) 21:05, 2 December 2015 (UTC)


 * You're right. I just edited File:Rolamite.svg and uploaded a new version on Commons. But due to some caching problems at Commons, it hasn't gone live yet. Right now, some sizes of the automatically generated PNG versions are wrong, and some are right. Here's the new version: . How do you force a cache purge/regen on Commons? John Nagle (talk) 21:28, 2 December 2015 (UTC)
 * There's apparently some bug on Commons with updating of all the derived versions after replacement of a new image. I changed the size of the thumbnail here slightly so that Commons had to generate a new .PNG from the .SVG file, and now it's right. John Nagle (talk) 21:48, 2 December 2015 (UTC)
 * It took about 24 hours, but all versions are correct and in sync now. John Nagle (talk) 09:25, 7 December 2015 (UTC)

YouTube citation
Is this really a valid citation? It's just a video title and length, not really an actual work but something someone has uploaded of their own accord, with no link2601:401:180:E1E0:C9C8:33B:EE64:B13F (talk) 08:03, 1 August 2020 (UTC)