Mechanical Fourier Analysis

[chrome700]

Came across these videos last night and was instantly fascinated.

If you're a math / mechanical geek they're well worth your time.

http://youtu.be/NAsM30MAHLg

http://youtu.be/8KmVDxkia_w

http://youtu.be/6dW6VYXp9HM

http://youtu.be/jfH-NbsmvD4

Forgive me for not taking the time to embed these but I'm on a mobile device.

[ArtF]

wow..thats amazing. I wouldnt have though you could do a mechanical fourier analyser..

Art

[Mooselake]

That's seriously cool!  That would make an interesting Gearotic project; maybe Art should come up with a way to attach a virtual pen and paper to the simulator? :)

Something else that went by the wayside after digital computers became cheap and ubiquitous.  I've recently been wondering whatever happened to analog computers (which maybe contributed to the demise of machines like this?)?  I took an analog computer class around 1970 and was impressed by how you essentially worked backwards from an answer, but ended up with big mainframes and lost track of them.  At the time Michigan Tech had an active analog and hybrid computer program, now long defunct.

Kirk

[chrome700]

wow..thats amazing. I wouldnt have though you could do a mechanical fourier analyser..

Art

I seriously want to see the 80 or 1,000 gear versions.

[chrome700]

That's seriously cool!  That would make an interesting Gearotic project; maybe Art should come up with a way to attach a virtual pen and paper to the simulator? :)

Well, we'd need some cams and lever and linkages in the software, right Art?  ;)

I've got some random ideas that I'd like to play with in that regard, but I'd like to come up with another way to sum mechanical motion.

[ArtF]

Insanity....pure insanity

Art

[JustinO]

Fire control computer...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1i-dnAH9Y4

[ArtF]

It all goes to show there are very clever people in this world.
  I've seen similar video on bomb sites using elliptical functionals
as well as racks.. staggering that people work that stuff out..


Art

[Mooselake]

Computers sure took the fun out of a lot of stuff; you just can't take the cover off and watch the "Shafts, Cams, Gears, and Differentials" turn, or troubleshoot with an oil can.

Kirk

[danmauch]

Years ago I was a Ordnance Machinist in a Naval Shipyard. I worked primarily on Submarines. One of the jobs I did routinely was to install refurbished Torpedo Data Computer (TDC) in the conning tower. The TDC was too large assembled to come through the hatch so they were made in two halves that needed to be joined inside the conning tower and then mounted. I was amazed with  the mechanical marvels that were within. Most of the gears were antibacklash ( two gears held together with springs to keep the teeth meshed at all times) and the selsyn  drive motors. Matching up the two halves and aligning the interconnected shafts in a tight/crowded space was a real pain but interesting.
I also installed numerous other pieces of fire control equipment such as the Great Shit It Returning (GSIR) also lovingly know as the Mickey Mouse (http://www.maritime.org/wish/img/gisr.gif) because with the two handles and the display near the top it sort of looked like mickey mouse  which was a console to manually crank in torpedo firing angle for Mk14 steam torpedoes, and the angle solver. However most of my job was to overhaul the 10 MK 32 and Mk 34 torpedo tubes and their sub systems. Really interesting work and going out 8 times on deep sea trial were great experiences.

Dan Mauch

[ArtF]

Dan:

Yeah, I love those old machines. ( I was when I was 19 I was a ground control approach radar technician.., so the genre of the equipment  looks familiar.. NATO inspired.. ).  :)

ARt

[BobL]

chrome700;

The videos you supplied were absolutely impressive, thanks for sharing.. Who would have thought of a mechanical fourier analyser...

Cheers
Bob
:o

[Nate]

I've got some random ideas that I'd like to play with in that regard, but I'd like to come up with another way to sum mechanical motion.

You could go hydraulic.  I don't think a serial gear linkage would be efficient enough.