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Re: London Science Museum
From: Alexandre Eremenko
Date: 2012 Jun 27, 12:46 -0400
From: Alexandre Eremenko
Date: 2012 Jun 27, 12:46 -0400
Fred, No that was not the one of Babbage, it was a "modern" (1920-s) differential equations solver. It was used by some British university. I've seen several machines like that before, but this seems singular to me because of its enormous size: it occupies the space on the floor about 30 times 30 feet ! And consists of shafts and wheels, and seats for about 20 operators. But I did not investigate what exactly and how it is doing. Alex. > Alex, > > Was that impressive piece Babbage's differential engine or another device? > > I know this is a bit off topic, but... > > Thanks, > > Fred Hebard > > > On Jun 27, 2012, at 3:58 AM, eremenko---purdue.edu wrote: > >> >> Strangely, they do not show their Bygrave rule in the current >> "Mathematical" exhibition, >> though they show many slide rules, including cylindrical ones. >> There is also a Troughton sextant looking exactly as the one that >> belonged to Gauss (see an old discussion beginning with "Sextant in >> German money"). >> >> The most impressive piece is a hudge analog differential equation >> solver, >> which is a clockwork-type mechanism with shafts and wheels, occupying >> a large room and served by no less than 20 people:-) >> >> Alex. >> >>> I visited that museum in 2009 and, by prior arrangement, also visited >>> their storage facility and was allowed to examine and handle their >>> Bygrave >>> slide rule. See: >>> >>> http://fer3.com/arc/m2.aspx/Manufacture-Bygraves-LaPook-aug-2009-g9378 >>> >>> gl >>> >>> --- On Tue, 6/26/12, Alexandre Eremenkowrote: >>> >>> From: Alexandre Eremenko >>> Subject: [NavList] London Science Museum >>> To: NavList---org >>> Date: Tuesday, June 26, 2012, 9:20 AM >>> >>> I recently visited the Science Museum in London. >>> It has a Troughton dividing engine in a permanent exposition, >>> but currently they also have two exhibitions: >>> "Mathematics" and "Computers". In "Mathematics" exhibition they >>> have many interesting items, I mean analog computers, various >>> plotting devices and two other dividing engines, one of them WORKING! >>> (What else can you display under the title "Mathematics" in a >>> museum:-)The >>> other dividing engines are another later one by Troughton, >>> and one by Cary (London), which was used until 1920 and still working: >>> in the museum display, you press a button, and an electric motor makes >>> the parts of the engine move.Other very impressive things are >>> differential >>> analisers: pure mechanical >>> devices for solving differential equations. It is amazing to see a high >>> precision clockwork >>> devices of such size:-)Alex.P.S. The very first Ramsden's dividing >>> engine >>> described in Bill Morris >>> blog is in Smithsonian Institution >>> in Washington DC. But I was never able to see it. Apparently it is not >>> on >>> display. >>> ---------------------------------------------------------------- >>> NavList message boards and member settings: www.fer3.com/NavList >>> Members may optionally receive posts by email. >>> To cancel email delivery, send a message to NoMail[at]fer3.com >>> ---------------------------------------------------------------- >>> >>> >>> >>> : http://fer3.com/arc/m2.aspx?i=119778 >>> >>> >>> >> >> >> >> > > > > > > : http://fer3.com/arc/m2.aspx?i=119783 > > >
