Videos of US Navy vintage analog fire control computers
 

'nuff said!

(video #7, the others will appear to the right)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkVak...layer_embedded

Dave

Videos of US Navy vintage analog fire control computers
 

Cool!

When I saw "analog", I thought electrical analog, i.e., op amps. But
this is _mechanical_. Levers & gears & cams! Solving problems with
"... up to 26 variables ..."!!! Continuously. Yow!

Bob

Videos of US Navy vintage analog fire control computers
 

On May 19, 7:01*pm, Bob Engelhardt wrote:
Cool!

When I saw "analog", I thought electrical analog, i.e., op amps. *But
this is _mechanical_. *Levers & gears & cams! *Solving problems with
"... up to 26 variables ..."!!! *Continuously. *Yow!

Bob

Thanks for the post; I served my Machinist apprentice at the Frankford
Arsenal in Philadelphia, 1955 to 1959. I worked as a machine operator
prior to being drafted to the Korean war. (in the army Signal corp., I
was train as a field radio repairman, but I digress) I returned and
entered the apprenticeship program. As a class project the class ahead
of mine built a complete artillery fire control unit with the all of
the gears, cams and slides as I see in the video. I am sure that it
was still classified so we didn't get to really understand its
functions.
The Fire control section of the Arsenal was for the most part had
limited access. But as machinist, we sometime had to use equipment and
did visit some of the areas.

Videos of US Navy vintage analog fire control computers
 

On May 20, 6:29*am, mac wrote:
On May 19, 7:01*pm, Bob Engelhardt wrote:

Cool!

When I saw "analog", I thought electrical analog, i.e., op amps. *But
this is _mechanical_. *Levers & gears & cams! *Solving problems with
"... up to 26 variables ..."!!! *Continuously. *Yow!

Bob

Thanks for the post; I served my Machinist apprentice at the Frankford
Arsenal in Philadelphia, 1955 to 1959. I worked as a machine operator
prior to being drafted to the Korean war. (in the army Signal corp., I
was train as a field radio repairman, but I digress) I returned and
entered the apprenticeship program. As a class project the class ahead
of mine built a complete artillery fire control unit with the all of
the gears, cams and slides as I see in the video. I am sure that it
was still classified so we didn't get to really understand its
functions.
The Fire control section of the Arsenal was for the most part had
limited access. But as machinist, we sometime had to use equipment and
did visit some of the areas.

My Dad was a Navy Fire Control Tech during WWII. He has told me
about the mechanical analog computers used to solve the ballistic
differential equation. They used spinning platters and rubber wheels
for integrators. The early twentieth century was the golden age of
mechanical design not sure we have the experience to design something
like that now days. Now it can be done with a 25 cent
microcontroller.

Videos of US Navy vintage analog fire control computers
 

toolbreaker on Thu, 20 May 2010 08:48:10 -0700
(PDT) typed in rec.crafts.metalworking the following:
On May 20, 6:29*am, mac wrote:
On May 19, 7:01*pm, Bob Engelhardt wrote:

Cool!

When I saw "analog", I thought electrical analog, i.e., op amps. *But
this is _mechanical_. *Levers & gears & cams! *Solving problems with
"... up to 26 variables ..."!!! *Continuously. *Yow!

Bob

Thanks for the post; I served my Machinist apprentice at the Frankford
Arsenal in Philadelphia, 1955 to 1959. I worked as a machine operator
prior to being drafted to the Korean war. (in the army Signal corp., I
was train as a field radio repairman, but I digress) I returned and
entered the apprenticeship program. As a class project the class ahead
of mine built a complete artillery fire control unit with the all of
the gears, cams and slides as I see in the video. I am sure that it
was still classified so we didn't get to really understand its
functions.
The Fire control section of the Arsenal was for the most part had
limited access. But as machinist, we sometime had to use equipment and
did visit some of the areas.

My Dad was a Navy Fire Control Tech during WWII. He has told me
about the mechanical analog computers used to solve the ballistic
differential equation. They used spinning platters and rubber wheels
for integrators. The early twentieth century was the golden age of
mechanical design not sure we have the experience to design something
like that now days. Now it can be done with a 25 cent
microcontroller.

The biggest problem is going to remain "What is it we are trying
to calculate?" And "how do we do that?" After that, the rest is
just 'engineering' and 'metalworking.

Those first two questions are fundamental to any project - be
it making a mechanical computer, or designing a software program.
"Data + Structures = Program".

tschus
pyotr

--
pyotr filipivich
We will drink no whiskey before its nine.
It's eight fifty eight. Close enough!

Videos of US Navy vintage analog fire control computers
 

toolbreaker wrote:
On May 20, 6:29 am, wrote:
On May 19, 7:01 pm, Bob wrote:

Cool!

When I saw "analog", I thought electrical analog, i.e., op amps. But
this is _mechanical_. Levers& gears& cams! Solving problems with
"... up to 26 variables ..."!!! Continuously. Yow!

Bob

Thanks for the post; I served my Machinist apprentice at the Frankford
Arsenal in Philadelphia, 1955 to 1959. I worked as a machine operator
prior to being drafted to the Korean war. (in the army Signal corp., I
was train as a field radio repairman, but I digress) I returned and
entered the apprenticeship program. As a class project the class ahead
of mine built a complete artillery fire control unit with the all of
the gears, cams and slides as I see in the video. I am sure that it
was still classified so we didn't get to really understand its
functions.
The Fire control section of the Arsenal was for the most part had
limited access. But as machinist, we sometime had to use equipment and
did visit some of the areas.

My Dad was a Navy Fire Control Tech during WWII. He has told me
about the mechanical analog computers used to solve the ballistic
differential equation. They used spinning platters and rubber wheels
for integrators. The early twentieth century was the golden age of
mechanical design not sure we have the experience to design something
like that now days. Now it can be done with a 25 cent
microcontroller.

Much of this stuff was still around in the
70's and 80's. I can't speak for the Navy,
but the Army's Pershing I and Nike Herc missiles
used extensive mechanical computation devices
to solve ballistic flight and intercept equations.

The centerpiece of the Pershing I guidance
computer was a beautifully crafted ball-and
disk integrator.

Videos of US Navy vintage analog fire control computers
 

A factor that's been mentioned before, wrt electronic circuits used for
defense or critical missions, is immunity to an EMP event.

Mechanisms have high immunity levels, but I suppose that instruments that
rely on magnets could be affected.

--
WB
..........


"Jim Stewart" wrote in message
...

Much of this stuff was still around in the
70's and 80's. I can't speak for the Navy,
but the Army's Pershing I and Nike Herc missiles
used extensive mechanical computation devices
to solve ballistic flight and intercept equations.

The centerpiece of the Pershing I guidance
computer was a beautifully crafted ball-and
disk integrator.

Videos of US Navy vintage analog fire control computers
 

Wild_Bill wrote:
A factor that's been mentioned before, wrt electronic circuits used for
defense or critical missions, is immunity to an EMP event.

Mechanisms have high immunity levels, but I suppose that instruments
that rely on magnets could be affected.

Not a factor. Mechanical computation devices
were used, but there was still plenty of
semiconductors in the design. And in 1972
we were doing a major change program to EMP
harden the equipment.

Mechanical computation equipment was used because
it worked, was accurate enough, and fit within
the space and power availability for the mission.

Videos of US Navy vintage analog fire control computers
 

pyotr filipivich on Thu, 20 May 2010 13:07:30
-0700 typed in rec.crafts.metalworking the following:
toolbreaker on Thu, 20 May 2010 08:48:10 -0700
(PDT) typed in rec.crafts.metalworking the following:
On May 20, 6:29*am, mac wrote:
On May 19, 7:01*pm, Bob Engelhardt wrote:

Cool!

When I saw "analog", I thought electrical analog, i.e., op amps. *But
this is _mechanical_. *Levers & gears & cams! *Solving problems with
"... up to 26 variables ..."!!! *Continuously. *Yow!

Bob

Thanks for the post; I served my Machinist apprentice at the Frankford
Arsenal in Philadelphia, 1955 to 1959. I worked as a machine operator
prior to being drafted to the Korean war. (in the army Signal corp., I
was train as a field radio repairman, but I digress) I returned and
entered the apprenticeship program. As a class project the class ahead
of mine built a complete artillery fire control unit with the all of
the gears, cams and slides as I see in the video. I am sure that it
was still classified so we didn't get to really understand its
functions.
The Fire control section of the Arsenal was for the most part had
limited access. But as machinist, we sometime had to use equipment and
did visit some of the areas.

My Dad was a Navy Fire Control Tech during WWII. He has told me
about the mechanical analog computers used to solve the ballistic
differential equation. They used spinning platters and rubber wheels
for integrators. The early twentieth century was the golden age of
mechanical design not sure we have the experience to design something
like that now days. Now it can be done with a 25 cent
microcontroller.

The biggest problem is going to remain "What is it we are trying
to calculate?" And "how do we do that?" After that, the rest is
just 'engineering' and 'metalworking.

Those first two questions are fundamental to any project - be
it making a mechanical computer, or designing a software program.
"Data + Structures = Program".

Oops, that should read "Data + Algorithms = Programs"

--
pyotr filipivich
We will drink no whiskey before its nine.
It's eight fifty eight. Close enough!

Videos of US Navy vintage analog fire control computers
 

Some of the analog fire control systems used large potentiometers ahead of op-amps wound in trig
fashion to strip off the functions of angles. The pots were housed in large PCB-filled drawers
called "coffins".

Bob Swinney
"pyotr filipivich" wrote in message
...
pyotr filipivich on Thu, 20 May 2010 13:07:30
-0700 typed in rec.crafts.metalworking the following:
toolbreaker on Thu, 20 May 2010 08:48:10 -0700
(PDT) typed in rec.crafts.metalworking the following:
On May 20, 6:29 am, mac wrote:
On May 19, 7:01 pm, Bob Engelhardt wrote:

Cool!

When I saw "analog", I thought electrical analog, i.e., op amps. But
this is _mechanical_. Levers & gears & cams! Solving problems with
"... up to 26 variables ..."!!! Continuously. Yow!

Bob

Thanks for the post; I served my Machinist apprentice at the Frankford
Arsenal in Philadelphia, 1955 to 1959. I worked as a machine operator
prior to being drafted to the Korean war. (in the army Signal corp., I
was train as a field radio repairman, but I digress) I returned and
entered the apprenticeship program. As a class project the class ahead
of mine built a complete artillery fire control unit with the all of
the gears, cams and slides as I see in the video. I am sure that it
was still classified so we didn't get to really understand its
functions.
The Fire control section of the Arsenal was for the most part had
limited access. But as machinist, we sometime had to use equipment and
did visit some of the areas.

My Dad was a Navy Fire Control Tech during WWII. He has told me
about the mechanical analog computers used to solve the ballistic
differential equation. They used spinning platters and rubber wheels
for integrators. The early twentieth century was the golden age of
mechanical design not sure we have the experience to design something
like that now days. Now it can be done with a 25 cent
microcontroller.

The biggest problem is going to remain "What is it we are trying
to calculate?" And "how do we do that?" After that, the rest is
just 'engineering' and 'metalworking.

Those first two questions are fundamental to any project - be
it making a mechanical computer, or designing a software program.
"Data + Structures = Program".

Oops, that should read "Data + Algorithms = Programs"

--
pyotr filipivich
We will drink no whiskey before its nine.
It's eight fifty eight. Close enough!

Videos of US Navy vintage analog fire control computers
 

Robert Swinney wrote:

Some of the analog fire control systems used large potentiometers ahead of op-amps wound in trig
fashion to strip off the functions of angles. The pots were housed in large PCB-filled drawers
called "coffins".


I still have a couple of the vacuum tube opamps they used.


--
Anyone wanting to run for any political office in the US should have to
have a DD214, and a honorable discharge.