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Subject: 
Re: Variations on the "ADDER SUBTRACTOR" ("differtrans" ?)
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.robotics
Date: 
Thu, 28 Jan 1999 04:14:12 GMT
Original-From: 
Peter Hesketh <PBH@PHESK.DEMON.CO.UKnomorespam>
Viewed: 
2857 times
  
In article <36AFD272.E2ED9872@lynx.bc.ca>, Mark Tarrabain
<markt@lynx.bc.ca> writes
> Who originally came up with this device?  (I mean in the real
> world, not necessarily just doing it with LEGO).

The differential goes back to the origins of the motor car at least.
The use as an adder/subtractor goes back to WW2 or earlier: there was a
marvellous suitcase sized mechanical analogue computer which was used to
calculate bomb aiming.  Aircraft speed, wind speed and direction could
be dialled in.  It contained lots of lovely gears, a couple of DC motors
and a suction-driven gyro with a mechanical shaft position-follower
output which did not load the gyro.  I wish I hadn't pulled mine to
pieces, now.
--
Regards - Peter Hesketh, Mynyddbach, Mon.
Forty reasons why a dog is better than a woman: number 21
"When a dog gets old and starts to snap at you incessantly, you can
shoot it."
--
Did you check the web site first?: http://www.crynwr.com/lego-robotics



Message is in Reply To:
  Re: Variations on the "ADDER SUBTRACTOR" ("differtrans" ?)
 
I like the name "differtrans", personally. :) But that's just my opinion. With so many variations on a theme coming about, I have to wonder if anyone's come up with the "best" implementation -- minimal volume and using no unusual pieces (such as the (...) (28 years ago, 28-Jan-99, to lugnet.robotics)

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