Wild computing devices from the late 1800s and early 1900s
Summary: At the beginning of the 20 century, inventors put computing devices on everything from scales to cheese cutters.
Image 19 of 26
Filed: Apr. 10, 1907
Issued: Nov. 9, 1909
Inventor: John M. Daly
How would you use Daly's device? In the patent he describes the operation as follows:
"Now, upon making up a freight train in which this device may be used, the number, of the engine is first ascertained and its corresponding scale ring over that particular road is placed in position., Then for each car 'to' be transported, its gross weight is learned and the propelling, pin is placed in the hole 11 opposite a number designating 102 an amount equal to the gross weight of the .car. The pin and disk are turned clockwise until the propelling pin strikes against .the fixed stop 7 and the number of gross tons that car represents on that road will be registered upon the registering wheels. A car at a time may be added and the same process employed so long as: neither the limit in the number of cars has been reached, nor the sum upon the registering mechanism exceeds U 5 the tonnage rate of the engine."
Image taken from U.S. Patent 939,479 - Digitized by Google
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Talkback
RE: Wild computing devices from the late 1800s and early 1900s
There was something called an "analytical engine" which was actually shown to be Turing complete, although it was never actually constructed.
It never gained the funding and political support it needed, and would eventually become obsolete with the invention of computers based on electricity.
Still, there are some novels written on the idea of "what if this had actually be completed, and we had computing before electricity?"
RE: Wild computing devices from the late 1800s and early 1900s
A local AC train carrying stone/cement was overloaded and causes a major brush fire in 3 towns.
I wonder if Wilson's time stamp is y2k approved and if it stamps past 2012?
The Automaton
It was actually a hoax and housed a chess master (Pilsbury?).
Nifty mechanics tho.