Since you mentioned escapements, it occurs to me that a half dozen of these displays, properly configured, could make a really cool clicky clock.
@therealchayd
3 жыл бұрын
I love '50s tech names; "Reservisor", "device-o-tron", "thing-o-matic"
@DavidKutzler
3 жыл бұрын
Turbo Enacabulator
@SteelSkin667
3 жыл бұрын
"Magnetronic Reservisor" really is the most 1950s product name ever
@MargaretLeber
3 жыл бұрын
@@fluxoff Not to be confused with toytales.ca/think-tron-hasbro-1960/
@Mainyehc
2 жыл бұрын
Or the 1500 Megawatt Aperture Science Heavy Duty Super-Colliding Super Button or the Aperture Science Portable Quantum Tunneling Device 😂
@rycat5ESS
Жыл бұрын
Haha! I have a typewriter called a Carona-matic 8000 from the 1970s.
@dutchcanuck7550
3 жыл бұрын
I love it when you casually whip out the Texas Instruments to do a little arithmetic. I had one of those TI calculators in the late '70s. Upgraded to an HP 10C programmable calculator in 1982, for university.
@mattthe2nd865
3 жыл бұрын
Imagine how it must have sounded to have an entire wall of these firing constantly.
@ctgolfer1
3 жыл бұрын
Hi Fran Bill B here and I worked for Teleregister starting in 1959 to 1988. The indicator that you have there was part of the Stock Boards that Teleregister provided stock quotation from 1930 till 1968. Your explanation of how it operated is basically correct. Everytime a price was updated the indicators in that field would first be cleared to blank and then pulsed to the desired number. Clearing the indicators to blank provided a way of knowing where the indicator was. One area that you were amiss is the operating voltage. It was 48 to 54 volts. The pulse rate was about 20PPS and the duty cycle was 50% The clearing pulses always numbered 10 and it insured the indicator would be at the blank location. Then the lower contact would be grounded and anywhere from 0 to 10 pulses would spin the indicator to the desired number.
Can you imagine how it would be working in a stock office where you had hundreds of these things CLACK CLACK CLACKING away all day?
@aserta
3 жыл бұрын
Maddening. That'd be a word. :)
@John_Ridley
3 жыл бұрын
My uncle was the lead engineer at a small town switching station back in the day of the 10x10 selector relays. He took me in to check it out once. It was very loud. I imagine this would be similar though probably not nearly as many kerchunks per second as a room with thousands of line selectors in it.
@larryscott3982
3 жыл бұрын
@@John_Ridley Or a room of accounts with 100 electric Friedan calculators, or a typing pool office with 100 electric typewriters.
@davej9228
3 жыл бұрын
About as bad as the boss nag nag naging.
@MadScientist267
3 жыл бұрын
Some don't have to imagine.....
@tim_bbq1008
3 жыл бұрын
Those would be super cool if they had radium luminescent painted displays
@BilisNegra
3 жыл бұрын
Oh, those were the days... So much health-threatening stuff.
@guffaw1711
3 жыл бұрын
The paint does look like it though, it has a greenish yellow tint.
@trevorpomroy550
3 жыл бұрын
@@guffaw1711 Eventually it decays to a stable state. It could be radium indeed!
@dang223434
3 жыл бұрын
That TI-30 brings back some memories!
@KH6WZ
3 жыл бұрын
Yes. Fans of the TV series Mission: Impossible (1966 to 1973) have seen these digital displays - and other similar ones in many scenes. Thanks for sharing the info on these neat early digital displays.
@gliddenslivers928
3 жыл бұрын
Teleregisters are prominently featured as part of the bomber fail-safe device in Mission: Impossible - "Recovery" (Season 2, Episode 25 - 1968) and also as the safe's time-lock from "A Game of Chess" (Season 2, Episode 17 - 1968)
@marktownend8065
3 жыл бұрын
Hi Fran. Greatly enjoy your channel, particularly those featuring vintage display tech. In UK some rail control centres of the late 1950s to early 70s used very similar rotary displays made by Sodeco to store and display four-character train IDs. These tracked around schematic representations of the network by applying a train of ten pulses for each character when a train passed a trackside signal out in the field. The pulses would first rotate the source display round to a home position then be switched to the destination display for the remainder to count up to the previously stored value. All based on telephone exchange type equipment, off-stage storage of an ID used rotary selectors and the operators entered IDs using old-fashioned rotary telephone dials. A very simple system conceptually, but the displays were maintenance-intensive and were all changed out for various alternative displays over the years before the old control panels were themselves superseded fully by computer screen-based technology. When I was a trainee back in the early 80s, there were still a few of these displays around but they were gone very soon after that. Swindon Panel Society have such an old control panel at the Didcot Railway Centre museum with an operations simulator under the hood. For the train number display, the panel is currently still equipped with the display screens that were there at decommissioning in 2015, but there's a project to restore these mechanical oddities on part of it, along with some of the other displays used over its history. Here's a video of one of the displays in action. kzitem.info/news/bejne/tal8xYinq5GcpWk
@avitiello100
Жыл бұрын
Fran, I worked as an engineer for the Teleregister Corporation AKA Bunker Ramo Corp in Stamford CT. In the nid 60s. Be happy to answer any questions you may have. Also, I like to comment that the numerical indicator you have was also used by the New Haven railroad, banking industry and a small installation in Denver Colorado for the United Airlines system.
@klif_n
3 жыл бұрын
These things are just fascinating. The things they thought up to make the most of what they had at the time.
@maxusboostus
3 жыл бұрын
I guess that the isolation at the blank Display part could be used for leading zero removal too. Excellent piece of kit and video.
@deadfreightwest5956
3 жыл бұрын
This is just the sort of thing my dad would see and try to build himself. Back in the sixties, he'd have coil forms, masonite, brass screws and spools of enameled magnet wire to make his own latching relays. It was fun to him.
@lordmuntague
3 жыл бұрын
Fran - you always do cool stuff, but this series on old display technology is absolutely outstanding! Thank you!
@jozzey2008
3 жыл бұрын
Love the graphics, the style is timeless, I hope to see these stylish numbers come back in media such as tv
@electronicsworkbench
3 жыл бұрын
Pull-over from the Art-Deco of the late forties I would imagine. Very similar indeed.
@davidj3914
3 жыл бұрын
12:49 She's using a Texas instruments TI-30 calculator. I had that same exact calculator in High School 1976-77. Now that is old school....and way cool. Rock on Fran!
@annamaria2193
3 жыл бұрын
II appreciate all of your videos! Thx from germany!
@JOlivier2011
3 жыл бұрын
An array of these must have sounded so crazy in action.
@Kae6502
3 жыл бұрын
Love the typeface used in the display. Spent a few minute looking for it, but didn't find anything right off the bat. Love the path these display videos have take you! Thanks Fran. :)
@Kae6502
3 жыл бұрын
I did find this though. (a lot to dig through) www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GOVPUB-C13-f74621aa0e59172343ec89356c7e6ee8/pdf/GOVPUB-C13-f74621aa0e59172343ec89356c7e6ee8.pdf
@rambo1152
3 жыл бұрын
I'm in the UK and I bought something very similar to this in about 1970, I used it as a call counter on a telephone answering machine I designed. One difference was that mine was fully enclosed, I don't recall if it had a blank position.
@tomkatt2321
3 жыл бұрын
As others have pointed out, this works the same way EM pinball displays work. I suspect the upper leaf switch was the reset circuit that was senta series of 10 pulses that guaranteed the home blank position. Afterwards, numeric data was pulsed in through the lower leaf terminal. The case would have been the common ground. I also wonder if the working voltage was 6.3 volts, which was at that time very common as it was the same used for supplying tube filaments, and tube gear was still the prevalent technology of the time. In fact, the solenoid may well be designed for ac power, which had an added benefit of not causing the large emi kickback when the magnetic field collapsed - EM pinballs used AC solenoids for that same reason. Still very interesting - I have not seen that specific display before. Love it!
@davidryle
3 жыл бұрын
awesome reed switches. Throwing sparks is a great thing.
@qchemp420
3 жыл бұрын
Fun to see the TI calculator. I spent 50 hours wadges to buy a 6 function TI for my physics class in 1974.
@michaelcarey
3 жыл бұрын
I've always wanted a TI-59 :-)
@BixbyConsequence
3 жыл бұрын
It was amazing to watch the prices of electronic calculators in 70's as they went from unobtanium to being sold in convenience stores.
@walterk1221
3 жыл бұрын
@@michaelcarey TI-59 with PC-100A... awesome! I own both... and an SR-56
@satibel
3 жыл бұрын
my granpa had to pester his boss for months to get a programmable calculator, and when he left in the 90s computers were at every desk.
@pizzablender
3 жыл бұрын
I remember these.. bought them surplus a very long time ago.
@retroriff
3 жыл бұрын
Now that is nice, showing electromechanical devices with long nails ...nice !
@avi8r66
3 жыл бұрын
Great find Fran
@Richard-po6fl
3 жыл бұрын
Hi Fran. I bet you never suffered one moment of boredom ever in your life. LOL. awesome bits of info.
@pbhrbb
3 жыл бұрын
About the same vintage, in telephone exchanges there were devices known as "uniselectors" that work in much the same way, except that instead of having a display, they moved wiper contacts to select output contacts. There may be one set of contacts in to 20 or so sets of contacts out. The reason I mention it is that they were wired so that when a call cleared, they would reset to the start position (equivalent to the b lank on those displays), which was all done by contacts on the uniselector. I'm wondering if there is a use of those two contacts relative to earth that does the same thing. When you showed it working, the pulse on the upper contact advanced the display, I'm wondering if connecting power from the case to the lower contact causes it to do an auto-reset? It may not, it's just a hunch.
@christopherrasmussen8718
3 жыл бұрын
When I was a kid my grandad had mini traveling displays (like the zipper on Times Square). Had a paper band. Punched it out to read like letters. Ran on a clock type motor. Wish I still had it. Skys the limit for electromechanical displays. I used to work on central clock systems. They got extremely elaborate.
@peterthinks
3 жыл бұрын
Love the FranLab logo on your shirt!
@Yaivenov
3 жыл бұрын
"That's just not how this works." Sometimes that really is all that can be said. :D
@trevorhaddox6884
3 жыл бұрын
They had something similar to this in the bomb from Nanny McPhee Returns, the rotors had sharp edges though and may have been servo driven.
@sawilliams
3 жыл бұрын
Fran you rock!
@Bards1980
3 жыл бұрын
Keep doing more of this Fran
@stevedoubleu99B
3 жыл бұрын
Things were cooler back in time. eg. A modern telephone exchange is a superb and fantastic thing, but the old electromechanical strowger exchanges were a wonder to behold, especially if you happened to be inside one when a tv phone-in takes place!!!!
@lfrankow
3 жыл бұрын
Interesting and educational as always. Keep up the great work!
@wv838
3 жыл бұрын
So simple and yet so ingenious! I wonder if the same principle was applied in the flapper-board displays used in airports and railway stations?
@Arnie10101
3 жыл бұрын
No, they are different . Look at Techmoan's channel for 'budget flip clock'
@Arnie10101
3 жыл бұрын
kzitem.info/news/bejne/u6Sl3YCHe6B2Y34
@eDoc2020
3 жыл бұрын
@@Arnie10101 Except in a clock the wheels with the flaps are driven by gears and are not directly controllable. I would imagine directly controllable split-flap displays would generally use a similar ratcheting mechanism. I actually looked US parent US3501761 and that mechanism has traits of both. The wheel is driven by a regular rotary motor like a flip clock but it is powered by contacts on the wheel like Fran's display. US3501761link: patents.google.com/patent/US3501761
@wackyvorlon
3 жыл бұрын
That is absolutely an escapement. Fascinating. I suspect it might wear less than a normal ratchet mechanism.
@chasmosaurus3
3 жыл бұрын
It looks a bit like a clock's anchor escapement.
@siscok5lyt
3 жыл бұрын
Fran had me when she used the word RELUCTANCE.
@EagerSpace
3 жыл бұрын
Really cool. Thanks.
@stphinkle
3 жыл бұрын
I suspect that the contacts being open in the blanking position is a way for the computer to initialize the displays and make sure they are in the correct initial position when the advance pulses come down. The computer would pulse that circuit on start up until all the displays open and they would be cleared so they could then send the correct number of pulses to display the correct number every time, no matter which position the display was in at power off time. If you repeated until the circuits open, you could have any easy clear the display function. Remember, computers at the time did not have big memory circuits and these are electromechanical output devices.
@589nm6
2 жыл бұрын
I feel like i've seen these operating in a sign in an old movie.
@davidsteinhour5562
3 жыл бұрын
Escapement indeed! How fascinating.
@bvbatcu1650
3 жыл бұрын
I like that TI-30 calculator.
@bwsettle1
3 жыл бұрын
DAAAAAAG! Nice TI-30
@tjnak
3 жыл бұрын
I did look through the comments looking for my question first. Not seeing it. Would these be the same technology used in the early 60’s airport flight and gate signs? I remember watching them at SFO 1967 fascinated at the clicking sound as the boards reset every few minutes.
@w34356
3 жыл бұрын
did you check those digits on the display for radiation?
@larryscott3982
3 жыл бұрын
The two contacts at the back also appear to slide into a chassis. So it’s plug and play. I suspect there was an expected max cycle before failure. And in a big board there would be a test cycle, bringing all displays to report the same in unison. And pop out and replace the bad one(s) in a flash. In a stock exchange they’d test every AM. At the Chicago mercantile they a magnetic dot flip display. And it was tested frequently!
@anomaly95
3 жыл бұрын
It likely did need a lot of maintenance for the large boards. Phone carriers in the step-by-step days had maintenance teams running around the clock in the central offices to replace strowger switch parts.
@curtislowe4577
3 жыл бұрын
We've seen these in a period film showing an airline arrival/departure board updating haven't we?
@beefchicken
3 жыл бұрын
Telephone stepping gear is almost always actuated on the negative edge of the pulse. It allows the mechanism to self-step as it hunts for a signal, usually presence or a sense of ground. If it actuated on the positive edge, then the power would be interrupted before the mechanism had fully actuated, leaving it stuck in an in-between state.
@MikeF1189
3 жыл бұрын
It's like a step by step telephone switch.
@anomaly95
3 жыл бұрын
Yep. Strowger switch. Would be awesome if Fran has one.
@jtveg
3 жыл бұрын
Thanks for sharing. 😉👌🏼
@DJ_Cthulhu
3 жыл бұрын
Quite like those numbers; Wonder if there's a font available.
@Miata822
3 жыл бұрын
Very cool!
@gritnix
3 жыл бұрын
A slightly easier way (maybe) to understand the logic is to put the upper tabbed pin on the back at positive voltage. You then pulse the chassis to ground 10 times. You then are guaranteed to be on the blank. You can then stay there, or pulse the bottom tabbed pin on the back to ground to go to the 1. At that point, the rest of your circuit (or nowadays uController software) "knows" where the display is and can go from there.
@BradRaedel
3 жыл бұрын
Cool display. As there is no way for the controller to actively know the last position, it could just send a pulse train (10 or more) to ensure they were all at the blanking panel (index 0). I would image they were not dynamically incremented, but all blanked, then advanced to the desired value for each new data point.
@ABPhotography1
3 жыл бұрын
What a lovely, smart and funny lady
@Madness832
3 жыл бұрын
Could you imagine yourself, in that conference room @ ~2:08, w/ all those things clicking & clacking away?
@TheBookDoctor
3 жыл бұрын
Oh my god, you HAVE to write a book with all this amazing display history. It seems bottomless, this well of weird old gizmos you have.
@idezilla
3 жыл бұрын
Fran, I have a demo cockpit display that still functions. It has a motorola 68000 cpu for the innards. Would you like it?
@dennissweeney475
3 жыл бұрын
..so smart and good looking! ..just saying, ..enjoy your videos!😊✌
@qmurphy8833
3 жыл бұрын
It's interesting that it slides in backwards like a cartridge. I guess it makes sense, the front panels of the boards would have been much easier to access then back through all the internal bits.
@larryscott3982
3 жыл бұрын
They were probably replaced often. In board with 100s, yeah. Every week 1 or 2 could fail a test sequence. And plug and play pop out, pop in.
@qmurphy8833
3 жыл бұрын
@@larryscott3982 I'm sure servicing these were a chore
@larryscott3982
3 жыл бұрын
@@qmurphy8833 If they’re inserted from the front without having to connect wires, assuming the contacts at the back go into a socket, it might be like charging a light bulb
@isaxlaboratories
3 жыл бұрын
Great video! The paint looks like it could be radioluminescent with it's yellow-ish tint. Have you tried measuring radiation?
@gd2329j
3 жыл бұрын
I'm more interested in the electromechanical bits running the displays . It must be automated & probably a derivative of a teletype system . I'm betting the CLS command dipped the grid & tested the batteries ! But still very impressive for its age .
@McTroyd
3 жыл бұрын
A filament winding on a power transformer from that era could supply 12.6 volts easily enough.
@MrChief101
3 жыл бұрын
There seems to be a biggish amount of open space in there. I'll bet a nickle some smart person wanted to install a second drum and use some kind of rubber display belt with more symbols, alphabet maybe. New program disk below and boom. Maybe. Pretty cool system in the name of Mammon!
@BartManNL
3 жыл бұрын
Where do you find these things?? Four of them would make a great clock!!
@thefuzzman
3 жыл бұрын
I admit I'm new to the channel, but I gotta ask. The theme music, was the guitar tone made using the Frantone pedal?
@Daveyk021
3 жыл бұрын
Make a 3 1/2 digit DVM using them? LOL We think the 121GW is slow, that meter would be slow but so damn cool used to constantly monitor what is supposed to be a relatively stable voltage. That would be too cool retro tech.
@AlanCanon2222
3 жыл бұрын
I'm no Clarke-level futurist but I predict that through the scholarship of Fran Blanche, all mysteries of the development, theory of operation, manufacturing techniques, and operational history of electronic and mechanical displays will one day be solved. 2025 FranLab fans, I'm lookin' at you.
@dranthonyv5475
3 жыл бұрын
Thank you for another excellent review. You definitely have a PhD in Electronics Archeology. For deeper details on this Teleregister display see its lovely old Patent: patents.google.com/patent/US2886806A/en?q=display&assignee=teleregister&oq=teleregister+display&page=2 These electromechanical displays were driven by vacuum tube logic circuits running at over 100V. It’s fascinating to review “old” gadgets, but then realize their spirits live-on in our “modern” electronics and software (e.g., ASCII characters like NULL, ACK, NAK, and Carriage Return anyone?).
@bobfitz7169
3 жыл бұрын
Coooool
@RichardBronosky
3 жыл бұрын
Someone ought to recreate this as a 3D printable mechanism. Just design it around a "uxcell DC 12V 2A 5mm/260gram Mini Electromagnetic Solenoid" or similar.
@rcajavus8141
3 жыл бұрын
retro is in - try and figure out if it could be done for cheap and make recreations for sale :D as you can see, people want clocks and stuff made from this :D
@MainebobOConnor
3 жыл бұрын
This reminds me of later technology... split-flap departure board in Frankfort Airport kzitem.info/news/bejne/xKBpmKtrs2pidKA and then I discovered that they are still making split flaps.... And for an insight into how they work and the amazing number of flaps, check out this video kzitem.info/news/bejne/p26t3mGemKWXhWU
@trainliker100
3 жыл бұрын
Often a better mechanical term for you describe as "teeter totter" is a "bellcrank" (a crank that changes motion through an angle).
@WarriorZ676
3 жыл бұрын
This Summer, Fran Blanche is...THE RESERVISOR Half human, half 1950s computer, she's 12 Volts of REVENGE With her solenoid muscles, she can lift cars and break doors! Crime has a reservation, WITH JUSTICE!
@kane100574
3 жыл бұрын
Awesome!! It would be fun to make them display your dialed number... Adreno or Pi zero fun, with lots of WATTS! lol Half an Amp.. wow...
@dfpguitar
3 жыл бұрын
I wonder if a thumb click counter uses a similar mechanism
@UmeshMohan
3 жыл бұрын
o.o So coooool
@Smelter57
3 жыл бұрын
Add an animation of these to the Bina-View intro to have the copyright / release date. Just a suggestion!
@Ni5ei
3 жыл бұрын
I really need to move to the US So much awesome vintage tech there I could never find here in Europe... Where do you find this stuff? Craigslist? I know my way around eBay and I never see stuff like that on there :(
@MrFiver1111
3 жыл бұрын
Living in Europe you should know that old peoples houses contain very old devices that they keep away but you can't really go anywhere with lockdowns to ask
@blave549
3 жыл бұрын
I'm a little disappointed to see a TI calculator on your bench. Shouldn't that be an HP-41CX? (JK. I think I used to have the same model -- TI-58? I don't have it anymore, but I do have a CX...)
@qu1j0t3
3 жыл бұрын
This was a really nice explanation. Clear camera work and demo, and interesting history. Enjoyed a lot.
@maxmuster3297
3 жыл бұрын
Fran wrote below the video: "Why can't displays be this cool today?" - And I totally agree.
@Mofapilot
3 жыл бұрын
I think, that e-ink displays are the coolest, we currently have. Especially the ones with color
@rhodexa
3 жыл бұрын
Because they are bulky, inefficient, expensive, require maintenance and need to be made specifically for a purpose. - I love this displays, i would use them in everything, but i also think that modern displays are amazing (Might not be as visually interesting as the old ones, but doesn't remove the fact that the engineering behind them is just breathtaking) xD
@radical_ans
3 жыл бұрын
@@Mofapilot Agree. Have you seen Technology Connection's video on E-Ink displays: kzitem.info/news/bejne/xZ6IzatmgZijjIo&ab_channel=TechnologyConnections
@maxmuster3297
3 жыл бұрын
@@rhodexa I understand that and I agree, but older technologies are much nicer to explore and to look at. You can clearly see what is happening and how everything works. That is what makes me happy when someone makes a video about them. :)
@rhodexa
3 жыл бұрын
@@maxmuster3297 Yeah, i feel the same. Even old 8-bit computers are a beauty; you may not be able to see what's happening but is so much easier to comprehend, and thus, imagine and admire what it is doing.
@mrh-blue
3 жыл бұрын
This is what you do best Fran. Eloquent and interesting as always. Keep up the great work. Thank you.
@NielMalan
3 жыл бұрын
I do wonder who designed the typefaces for all these cool displays that Fran digs up for us.
@SamHarrisonMusic
3 жыл бұрын
they always seem to look amazing dont they? :)
@ThePoxun
3 жыл бұрын
These displays are very similar in operation to score reels on early electromechanical pinball machines from around the same era. I'd suggest checking out Joes Classic Video Games channel... they have several (dozen) repair videos on electromechanical pinball machines (and later stuff too) where he goes into detail of their operation including displays, bonus counters and other cool stuff. EM pinball machines have an artistry to them that modern electronics just aren't capable of
@Shamino0
3 жыл бұрын
I was about to say the same thing. For reference, here's a recent video repairing (among other things) one of those displays. kzitem.info/news/bejne/z3iCt3WVjYCoqX4
@3vi1J
3 жыл бұрын
@@Shamino0 Lol... knew it was going to be a Joe's video before even clicking the link. It really is insanely interesting how they accomplished these things with the technology of the time.
@aserta
3 жыл бұрын
The patent drawings show some really cool designs. US2737650A Including the copper dial plates. EDIT found the rack in which these slide, it's at edit 6. EDIT 9 Found the actual patent drawing for the unit in the video US1979028A. The ratchet mechanism dates back to 1932!!! Whoa. This baby is even older than the 50's. Edit 2: US2617870A is also interesting. Edit 3: whoa, check this one out. US3245074A yeah, i fell down the hole. Edit 4: another variant US2737650A Edit 5: On the original patent, one of his partners (if that's what you call them) had this one US1890878A Edit 6: JACKPOT found the rack in which the dial is set, check this baby out. US2117661A
@Mainyehc
2 жыл бұрын
This comment deserves more likes.
@DandyDon1
3 жыл бұрын
These would make an interesting electro-mechanical clock I think.
@suadcokljat1045
2 жыл бұрын
...the clock would be bundled with earplugs ;-) Cheers! S
@ibanezleftyclub
3 жыл бұрын
Forget about the mechanics, that font is absolutely amazing.
@angrydove4067
3 жыл бұрын
Do you have an electro-mechanical pinball machine reel in your collection? This is similar, in a way.
@butchs.4239
3 жыл бұрын
Yep, reminds me of old pinball machine tech.
@justinthomas2458
3 жыл бұрын
Exactly what I was thinking
@CARLiCON
3 жыл бұрын
yes very similar but most of the pinball electro-mechanical displays are vertical perspective whereas Fran's is horizontal
@galfisk
3 жыл бұрын
This slo-mo film of pinball mechanisms is fascinating: kzitem.info/news/bejne/taOdm4uFr4J8o4o
@kevinwallis2194
3 жыл бұрын
hahaha i just posted the same thing. I also worked in a really old building, and the elevator used the same kind of switches to stop and start the elevator.
@Yrouel86
3 жыл бұрын
I can only imagine the awesome sound a board would've made when reset all to blanks and the clunking noise all day during use
@stevejohnson1685
3 жыл бұрын
Massimo, Fran et. al - I am old enough to remember when these were the displays used in Chicago at O'Hare Airport and the two downtown Chicago train stations in the early 1960's. Periodically they'd cycle the entire wall-sized display to "blank" and regenerate it with new flight / train numbers, gates / tracks, and arrival / departure times. I distinctly remember the clack-clack (pause) clack-clack of the double-pulse advancement. But my distinct recollection is that the displays would all sequence to "clear" simultaneously, but then all the lines would re-build from left to right (or right-to-left, maybe), because we'd have to pause to wait for the new information to appear. Thanks for digging this weird stuff up, Fran!
@zrebbesh
3 жыл бұрын
The two oval openings on the top are the sockets where the 'lock' popped in when you slid it into the rack. You needed to release the lock manually (which required a special tool) in order to extract it from the rack.
@artcamp7
3 жыл бұрын
love the font. interesting explanation of a clever mechanism
@QlueDuPlessis
3 жыл бұрын
So, when I'm investigating an unknown coil for a relay or solenoid, I use an adjustable current source. By gradually ramping up the current to the point where the device activates, you can simply measure the voltage that develops across the coil. I'm a tad weird in that I prefer current source driver circuits for coils and L.E.D. circuits.
@briswolf
3 жыл бұрын
Not weird at all!
@GaryCameron780
3 жыл бұрын
I like the TI calculator right out of the 1970s
@marcoloos9395
3 жыл бұрын
I have one myself. Actually I have 2 😉
@GoblinGrenade
3 жыл бұрын
Thank you for this interesting content.
@praveenb9048
3 жыл бұрын
One of those displays is older than me and the other is a bit younger
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