[GreenKeys] GreenKeys Digest, Vol 116, Issue 35

[John Nagle]

On 9/30/2013 9:00 AM, greenkeys-request at mailman.qth.net wrote:
> Message: 4
> Date: Sun, 29 Sep 2013 23:49:41 -0700
> From: "Norm" <normand3 at q.com>
> To: <greenkeys at mailman.qth.net>
> Subject: [GreenKeys] Amazing Machine!!!!!
> Message-ID: <A0481A26950A4640B1AADD59565987EE at HP7600>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
> 
> 
> ----- Amazing Machine!!!!
> 
> This is not a TTY, but look at the mechanics of this, 
> I would hate to try to adjust it and it's 240 years old.
>  
> http://www.chonday.com/Videos/the-writer-automaton 

    That's one of the Jaquet-Droz automata.  Those are famous.
I've been to the museum in Neuchâtel to see them operate.
They're demonstrated once a month.

    The automata are maintained by Swiss watchmakers.
New parts have been made when necessary.
When I was there about ten years ago, the Musician
and the Draughtsman were running, but the Writer was
dismantled for maintenance, and we were shown
some of the major parts.  It's running again now.

Here's a brief description of how the Writer works

http://brassgoggles.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,41239.msg872105.html#msg872105

The amazing thing is that Jaquet-Droz was able to build
to the necessary precision.  There are parts that
have to have a specified dimension to 0.002".
When this was made, there were no micrometers or
milling machines.

			John Nagle