Posted by Sherman in Idaho [76.121.57.131] on Monday, May 26, 2014 at 09:55:36 :
In Reply to: OT mechanical advantage posted by derek [68.122.13.111] on Sunday, May 25, 2014 at 23:46:06 :
What I heard was Mr Babbage never built the machine, but a small sub-section of it was recently built based on his drawings, and that's what's in the picture. I believe he did build a much simpler tabulating machine based on punch cards that was used to do the census once. Those who've studied the "difference engine" design are pretty sure that it could not have been built with the technology available at the time. The man was definitely a mechanical genius.
I have an 1890 Burroughs adding machine (with printer) that's complicated enough. It has a cast iron frame and beveled glass panels on the sides so you can watch the mechanism work when you pull the lever. It cost $175 new, but if it replaced one clerk in the accounting department it would pay for itself in 6 months.
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