Wind powered factories: history (and future) of industrial windmills
http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2009/10/history-of-industrial-windmills.html
Lost knowledge: ropes and knots
http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2010/06/lost-knowledge-ropes-and-knots.html
Mechanical calculators: computing without electricity
http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2008/05/computers-antiq.html
Montag, 12. September 2011
low tech
The short history of early pedal powered machines
http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2011/05/history-of-pedal-powered-machines.html
Pedal powered farms and factories: the forgotten future of the stationary bicycle
http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2011/05/pedal-powered-farms-and-factories.html
Hand powered drilling tools and machines
http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2010/12/hand-powered-drilling-tools-and-machines.html
The sky is the limit: human powered cranes and lifting devices
http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2010/03/history-of-human-powered-cranes.html
http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2011/05/history-of-pedal-powered-machines.html
Pedal powered farms and factories: the forgotten future of the stationary bicycle
http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2011/05/pedal-powered-farms-and-factories.html
Hand powered drilling tools and machines
http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2010/12/hand-powered-drilling-tools-and-machines.html
The sky is the limit: human powered cranes and lifting devices
http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2010/03/history-of-human-powered-cranes.html
optical telegraph - 2
Quelle: http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2007/12/email-in-the-18.html
In 1791 the Frenchman Claude Chappe developed the optical telegraph.
The first line was built between Paris and Lille during the French revolution, close to the frontline. It was 230 kilometres long and consisted of 15 semaphores.
The very first message – a military victory over the Austrians – was transmitted in less than half an hour. The transmission of 1 symbol from Paris to Lille could happen in ten minutes, which comes down to a speed of 1,380 kilometres an hour.
The technology expanded very fast. In less than 50 years time the French built a national infrastructure with more than 530 towers and a total length of almost 5,000 kilometres.
Paris was connected to Strasbourg, Amsterdam, Toulon, Perpignan, Lyon, Turin, Milan and Venice. At the beginning of the 19th century, it was possible to wirelessly transmit a short message from Amsterdam to Venice in one hour’s time. A few years before, a messenger on a horse would have needed at least a month’s time to do the same.
France
The system was copied on a large scale in other countries. Sweden developed a country-wide network, followed by parts of England and North America. A bit later also Spain, Germany and Russia constructed a large optical telegraph infrastructure. Most of these countries devised their own variations on the optical telegraph, using shutters instead of arms for example. Sweden developed a system that was twice as fast, Spain built a telegraph that was windproof. Later the optical telegraph was also put into action in shipping and rail traffic.
Holland - Belgium
In 1791 the Frenchman Claude Chappe developed the optical telegraph.
The first line was built between Paris and Lille during the French revolution, close to the frontline. It was 230 kilometres long and consisted of 15 semaphores.
The very first message – a military victory over the Austrians – was transmitted in less than half an hour. The transmission of 1 symbol from Paris to Lille could happen in ten minutes, which comes down to a speed of 1,380 kilometres an hour.
The technology expanded very fast. In less than 50 years time the French built a national infrastructure with more than 530 towers and a total length of almost 5,000 kilometres.
Paris was connected to Strasbourg, Amsterdam, Toulon, Perpignan, Lyon, Turin, Milan and Venice. At the beginning of the 19th century, it was possible to wirelessly transmit a short message from Amsterdam to Venice in one hour’s time. A few years before, a messenger on a horse would have needed at least a month’s time to do the same.
France
The system was copied on a large scale in other countries. Sweden developed a country-wide network, followed by parts of England and North America. A bit later also Spain, Germany and Russia constructed a large optical telegraph infrastructure. Most of these countries devised their own variations on the optical telegraph, using shutters instead of arms for example. Sweden developed a system that was twice as fast, Spain built a telegraph that was windproof. Later the optical telegraph was also put into action in shipping and rail traffic.
Holland - Belgium
heliographs
Quelle: http://www.aqpl43.dsl.pipex.com/MUSEUM/COMMS/heliograph/heliograph.htm
The Heliograph was a simple but highly effective instrument for instantaneous optical communication over 50 miles or more in the 19th century.
Its major uses were for military and survey work. It was still in serious use at least up to 1935, for example by Glubb Pasha's Arab Legion in Palestine.
The classic heliograph is the Mance pattern, devised by Sir Henry Mance at Bombay in 1869. See illustration below.
A British Mark V Mance pattern 5-inch heliograph. The operating key is behind the mirror.
Under ordinary conditions, a flash could be seen 30 miles (48 km) with the naked eye and much farther with a telescope.
Heliographs could be used with moonlight, but at much reduced range.
Speed was 5 to 12 words per minute, depending on the Morse skills of the operators.
The Heliograph was a simple but highly effective instrument for instantaneous optical communication over 50 miles or more in the 19th century.
Its major uses were for military and survey work. It was still in serious use at least up to 1935, for example by Glubb Pasha's Arab Legion in Palestine.
The classic heliograph is the Mance pattern, devised by Sir Henry Mance at Bombay in 1869. See illustration below.
A British Mark V Mance pattern 5-inch heliograph. The operating key is behind the mirror.
Under ordinary conditions, a flash could be seen 30 miles (48 km) with the naked eye and much farther with a telescope.
Heliographs could be used with moonlight, but at much reduced range.
Speed was 5 to 12 words per minute, depending on the Morse skills of the operators.
optical telegraphs
Quelle: http://www.aqpl43.dsl.pipex.com/MUSEUM/COMMS/telegraf/telegraf.htm
Timescale:
Aug 1794 Semaphore telegraph inaugurated in France by Claude Chappe
Aug 1795 First trials in England
Sept 1795 Surveyor appointed to lay out Lines
Jan 1796 London-Deal Line completed
??? 1796 London-Portsmouth Line completed
May 1806 Plymouth extension completed
June 1808 London-Yarmouth Line completed
May 1814 Shutter Telegraph dismantled
May 1816 Construction of Admiralty Semaphore Telegraph begins
Feb 1845 Electric Telegraph installed London-Portsmouth
Dec 1847 Admiralty Semaphore Telegraph closes
Mar 1849 Admiralty Electric Telegraph completed
The timescale above shows that the new technology was adopted, and a successful system constructed, with quite impressive speed.
The Deal and Portsmouth Lines were completed in 1796; a trial Portsmouth-Plymouth "ping" took 20 minutes.
Above: part of a contemporary drawing of the Admiralty Shutter Telegraph, and the codes for a few of the letters. Note the telescope pointing out of the window of the "officer's cabin", to observe the next station. Unfortunately the artist's grasp of perspective seems to have been a bit feeble.
Above: a map of the routes of the Admiralty Shutter Telegraph. The semaphore system that replaced it took slightly different routes.
Timescale:
Aug 1794 Semaphore telegraph inaugurated in France by Claude Chappe
Aug 1795 First trials in England
Sept 1795 Surveyor appointed to lay out Lines
Jan 1796 London-Deal Line completed
??? 1796 London-Portsmouth Line completed
May 1806 Plymouth extension completed
June 1808 London-Yarmouth Line completed
May 1814 Shutter Telegraph dismantled
May 1816 Construction of Admiralty Semaphore Telegraph begins
Feb 1845 Electric Telegraph installed London-Portsmouth
Dec 1847 Admiralty Semaphore Telegraph closes
Mar 1849 Admiralty Electric Telegraph completed
The timescale above shows that the new technology was adopted, and a successful system constructed, with quite impressive speed.
The Deal and Portsmouth Lines were completed in 1796; a trial Portsmouth-Plymouth "ping" took 20 minutes.
Sonntag, 4. September 2011
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