The Electrostatic Pendulum Experiment from Patrick Cornille

Tests and design by Jean-Louis Naudin and André Tuszel

created on 11/10/97 - JLN Labs - last update on 11/12/97

Notes from Jean-Louis Naudin : This experiment has been conducted by André Tuszel and myself (on 11/09/97) and the main purpose of this test is to reproduce the original Patrick Cornille's Pendulum electrostatic experiment.

The device has been built as indicated in the drawing above, using two 700 gr steel balls (hollow).

We have used a Wimshurst electrostatic generator ( 250 Kv in dry air, but in this case the estimated voltage was about 70kV ( 75% humidity level in my lab.... ))

The Wimshurst generator has been connected to the Elpex device with non insulated wires.

After ten synchronized pulses ( made with the spark gap lever of the Wimshurst generator ), the Elpex deviation was 12 mm wide with a period of 2 sec.

The direction of the force was the same as indicated by Patrick Cornille. If the phase of the pulse generated was inversed, the oscillation stopped quickly. Thus this confirm that a thrust was generated only in one direction.

Today we can conclude that this first pendulum experiment confirms the original Cornille's experiment.

The purpose of this first test was only to check if the Cornille's effect was reproducible by anyone, this is the case, now I am working to understand better the process, improve the thrust and give you more accurate results.

Today with the new Elpex V2.0 device, we have obtained a 39 mm deviation. ( the device weight is also 1500 gr. )

See also the Elpex V2.0 device, design, pictures and tests results.

Back to the Electrostatic Pendulum home page