John Ernst Worrell Keely
John Ernst Worrell Keely (September 3, 1837 – November 18, 1898) was an American inventor from Philadelphia who claimed to have discovered a new motive power which was originally described as "vaporic" or "etheric" force, and later as an unnamed force based on "vibratory sympathy", by which he produced "interatomic ether" from water and air. Keely's claims were highly disputed throughout his career, and in the 21st century, are generally considered to be pseudoscientific.
John Ernst Worrell Keely | |
|---|---|
Keely c. 1895 with a nonfunctional "Keely Engine" | |
| Born | September 3, 1837 |
| Died | November 18, 1898 (aged 61) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US |
| Burial place | West Laurel Hill Cemetery in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Inventor |
| Years active | 1872—1897 |
| Organization | Keely Motor Company |
| Notable work | Keely engine |
Keely secured substantial investments from many people, including John Jacob Astor IV. Despite numerous requests from the stockholders of the Keely Motor Company, which had been established to produce a practicable motor based on his work, he consistently refused to fully discuss the principles on which his motor supposedly operated, and also repeatedly refused demands to produce a marketable product by claiming that he needed to perfect his inventions. He became embroiled in several lawsuits, and after Keely's death evidence of his elaborate fraud was discovered.