21 Jul
2024
21 Jul
'24
12:45 a.m.
-----Original Message-----
From: Tony Duell via cctalk <cctalk(a)classiccmp.org>
Sent: Sunday, July 21, 2024 5:42 AM
To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts <cctalk(a)classiccmp.org>
Cc: Steve Lewis <lewissa78(a)gmail.com>om>; Tony Duell
<ard.p850ug1(a)gmail.com>
Subject: [cctalk] Re: the 1968 how to build a working digital computer
On Sun, Jul 21, 2024 at 3:08 AM Steve Lewis via cctalk <cctalk(a)classiccmp.org>
wrote:
Several people have made Analog Computers from Meccano. The "first" I think was
at Manchester University in the UK intended as a prototype or proof of concept it was
later replaced by an engineered device.
Both were on display in the Science Museum but I believe they are now in Storage.
Cambridge University UK also had a Meccano Analog Computer. I believe this is the one now
on display at MOTAT, Aukland, New Zealand
https://motat.nz/
there are some pictures of it on my one drive (if it asks you to sign in and you don't
wish to use an incognito window)
https://1drv.ms/f/s!Ag4BJfE5B3onlsxny71p3CPOQV4svA?e=aSdamK
in more recent times Tim Robinson built one...
https://www.meccano.us/differential_analyzers/robinson_da/index.html
.. so there are some clues on how to do it about, but no book as far as I know
What I meant was that in the title of the book
they use "digital computer"
and I wonder if there was ever a book describing a mechanical "analog
computer" - and what they might even look like.
There have been mechanical analogue computers and I have at least one book
describing them on my shelves.
Typically they used disc integrators with an igenious arrangement of strings and
drums as a torque amplifier. These were then coupled by gearing which had to
be set up for each problem (simple gear trains correspond to fixed gain
amplifiers, differential gear trains to differential amplfiiers, etc).
I doubt you could make one from cardboard, but there was at least one UK
University that made a simple one from Meccano (similar to Erector Sets across
the Pond?). It was on show, not operating, in the London Science Museum at
one time, but I think it's in storage now,
-tony
Dave
G4UGM