Clicking on the Google banner the other day I was pleased to find that it paid
homage to a remarkable indigenous Australian who was born 150 years ago.
David
Unaipon (1872-1967), is portrayed on Australia’s $50 bill. He was a preacher,
inventor and writer.
In 1909 he obtained a Commonwealth patent for the modification to existing, mechanical sheep-shears. He applied his understanding of curvilinear motion to change the motion of the cutting shear from circular to straight. This greatly improved the efficiency of the mechanical sheep-shears.From 1909 to 1944 David Unaipon made a number of other patent applications for inventions including a centrifugal motor.
His main passion, was however, the search for perpetual motion. He conducted experiments and made models in an attempt to discover the 'secrets' of perpetual motion. He wrote in his 1951 Life Story:
"Even if I never arrive, I shall always recall with pleasure the hours I have spent and the experiments I have tried in endeavouring to solve a scientific problem."
David Unaipon College: http://www.unisa.edu.au/Education-Arts-and-Social-Sciences/David-Unaipon-College-of-Indigenous-Education-and-Research/
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