1 | <?php |
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2 | $seiten_id = 'gamma3'; |
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3 | $version = '$Id: gamma3.php 881 2015-11-24 21:28:54Z heribert $'; |
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4 | $title = 'A first generation tube calculator: BULL GAMMA 3'; |
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5 | |
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6 | require "../../lib/technikum29.php"; |
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7 | ?> |
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8 | <h2>A first generation tube calculator: <b>BULL GAMMA 3</b></h2> |
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9 | |
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10 | <div class="desc-left borderless"> |
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11 | <img src="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/bull-gamma-3.jpg" |
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12 | alt="The BULL GAMMA 3, closed state" width="156" height="210" /> |
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13 | </div> |
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14 | |
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15 | <p> |
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16 | The BULL GAMMA 3 was build since 1952. At these days, such devices were |
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17 | called "electronically calculating device" (original translation |
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18 | from the BULL maintenance manual), "electron computer" or actually |
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19 | "electron mastermind". |
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20 | <br/>The device could be connected to several punchcard devices, for |
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21 | example the <a href="tabulating-machine.php">Tabulating Machine BS</a>, |
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22 | to the card copier PRD or to the ULP puncher.<br><br> |
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23 | The former director of the BULL company, Pierre Letort, described in the magazine "Arts et Manufactures", No. 22, dated June 1953, the operation of the GAMMA 3:<br> |
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24 | |
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25 | <blockquote>"In its current configuration, the computer acts as an extension unit for the |
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26 | punched card machine it is connected to. The cards are read in the reader |
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27 | station which transmits data to the computer.<br> The computer in turn performs all |
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28 | necessary calculations and transmits the results back to the punched card |
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29 | machine which will print or punch these values. Regardless of the task, the |
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30 | computer is so fast that there is no visible delay caused by the calculations".</blockquote> |
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31 | </p> |
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32 | |
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33 | <div class="desc-left auto-bildbreite borderless no-copyright"> |
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34 | <a class="popup" href="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/gamma-3.jpg"> |
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35 | <img src="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/bull-gamma3.jpg" alt="BULL Gamma 3" width="350" height="361" /></a> |
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36 | <div class="bildtext"> |
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37 | <p><b>Tubes over Tubes: BULL GAMMA 3</b></p> <a class="popup" href="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/bull-gamma3.jpg"> enlarge picture</a> |
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38 | |
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39 | </div></div> |
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40 | |
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41 | <p> |
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42 | The modules could be folded out, hence the calculator is quite |
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43 | service friendly. Two big fans circulate fresh air thorught the |
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44 | case. |
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45 | <br/>When this calculator is connected to our BULL Tabulating Machine, |
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46 | all the information from the papertape reader brushes are directly |
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47 | transfered to the GAMMA 3. Thus programs and data can be manipulated |
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48 | directly by the GAMMA 3. The output is transfered back to the |
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49 | printing unit from the Tabulating Machine.<br> |
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50 | Our GAMMA 3 installation is fully equipped and features seven |
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51 | <a href="storage-media.php">delay line memory units</a> with a capacity |
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52 | of 12 decimal digits each. To extend the built-in memory, there |
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53 | were special so-called "storage cabinets" |
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54 | that contained additional 24 storage units, each with a capacity |
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55 | of 12 decimal numbers. |
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56 | <br/>Summing up, the calculator features almost 400 electron tubes. |
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57 | Thyratrons were used to connect this fast calculator to the slow |
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58 | punchcard auxillary devices. A thyratron tube is capable of saving |
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59 | temporary digital states. |
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60 | </p> |
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61 | |
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62 | <br><br><br><br><br> |
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63 | |
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64 | <div class="desc-left auto-bildbreite borderless"> |
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65 | <img src="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/gamma-3-netzteil.jpg" alt="BULL GAMMA 3 Netzteil" width="350" height="527" /> |
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66 | <div class="bildtext"> |
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67 | <p><b>Here you can see a part of the big power supply</b></p> |
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68 | </div></div> |
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69 | |
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70 | |
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71 | |
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72 | <br> |
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73 | This picture displays the monster power supply. 39 fuses keep the electric circuits seperated for additional security. Comparing to this, |
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74 | you can possibly imagine how power supplies of very big tube |
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75 | calculators looked like! <!-- stupid-mode... --> |
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76 | <br/>At these days, selenium rectifier were used to convert AC to DC. |
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77 | They are made from stacks of square <!-- thanks, en.wikipedia.org --> |
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78 | plated with about 1µm of bismuth or nickel. A much thicker layer of selenium |
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79 | which has been doped with a halogen is deposited on top of the thin metal |
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80 | plating. The selenium is then converted into polycrystalline gray from by |
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81 | annealing. Each plate is able to withstand about 20 volts in the reverse |
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82 | direction. The metal squares, or disks, also serve as heat sinks in |
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83 | addition to providing a mounting place for the selenium disks. |
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84 | Plates can be stacked indefinitely to withstand higher voltages, |
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85 | <!-- Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selenium_rectifier |
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86 | Creative Commons SA license... and a blind quote here... --> |
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87 | as you can see in the lower right of the picture. |
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88 | At the left side you see dozens of electrolytic capacitors. |
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89 | </p> |
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90 | |
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