Re: space elevators damnit

The use of counterweight was incredibly common in primitive elevators and most modern elevator still have a counterweight...

Indeed, in the case of most primitive and all modern elevators, the aim was not to lift stuff "for free", but merely reducing the power needed to lift something.

However, if...

- Your cabin is at the bottom, with X kg of materials to lift

- Your counterweight "basket" is empty at the top of the "shaft" (let's assume it's the same weight as the empty cabin on the bottom)

- You put more than X kg of counterweight material - for example processed mineral - in your counterweight basket on top...

Then, unless the friction of your system is ludicrous, the gravity will do the work of raising the cabin for you.

However, you will need to expand a bit of energy to slow down the movement...

I really can't figure where is the trouble you're speaking of, and there's no relation with a perpetual movement... Perhaps I'm a dumb blonde after all...