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1<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN"
2     "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd">
3<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en">
4<head><!--#set var="title"        value="A first generation tube calculator: BULL GAMMA 3"
5   --><!--#set var="location"     value="gamma3"
6   --><!--#set var="part"         value="computer"
7   --><!--#set var="url_de"       value="rechnertechnik/gamma3.shtm"
8   --><!--#set var="prev"         value="tabulating-machine.shtm"
9   --><!--#set var="prev_title"   value="BULL Tabulating machine"
10   --><!--#set var="next"         value="gamma10.shtm"
11   --><!--#set var="next_title"   value="BULL GAMMA 10"
12 --><title>technikum29 - <!--#echo var="title" --></title>
13
14    <!--#include virtual="/en/inc/head.inc.shtm" -->
15    <meta name="t29.SVN" content="$Id: gamma3.shtm 184 2010-09-01 02:34:56Z sven $" />
16</head>
17<body>
18<!--#echo encoding="none" var="heading" -->
19<div id="content">
20    <h2><!--#echo var="title" --></h2>
21
22    <div class="box left clear-after">
23      <img src="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/bull-gamma-3.jpg"
24           alt="The BULL GAMMA 3, closed state" width="156" height="210" />
25      <p class="bildtext">
26        The BULL GAMMA 3 was build since 1952. At these days, such devices were
27        called "electronically calculating device" (original translation
28        from the BULL maintenance manual), "electron computer" or actually
29        "electron mastermind".
30        <br/>The device could be connected to several punchcard devices, for
31        example the <a href="tabulating-machine.shtm">Tabulating Machine BS</a>,
32        to the card copier PRD or to the ULP puncher.
33      </p>
34      <!--
35        Blabla-Gelaber (Blindzitat von
36        http://www.computerwoche.de/heftarchiv/1981/27/1186613/
37        Pierre Letrot in "Arts et Manufactures") soll spaeter mal uebersetzt
38        werden.
39      -->
40      <p>
41        Our GAMMA 3 installation is fully equipped and features seven
42        <a href="storage-media.shtm">delay line memory units</a> with a capacity
43        of 12 decimal digits each. To extend the built-in memory, there
44        were special so-called "storage cabinets"
45        that contained additional 24 storage units, each with a capacity
46        of 12 decimal numbers.
47        <br/>Summing up, the calculator features almost 400 electron tubes.
48        Thyratrons were used to connect this fast calculator to the slow
49        punchcard auxillary devices. A thyratron tube is capable of saving
50        temporary digital states.
51      </p>
52    </div>
53   
54    <div class="box center auto-bildbreite">
55        <img src="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/bull-gamma3.jpg"
56             alt="BULL GAMMA 3 Innen" width="692" height="565" />
57            <p class="bildtext"><b>Tubes over Tubes: BULL Gamma 3</b></p>
58        </div>
59       
60        <p>
61        The modules could be folded out, hence the calculator is quite
62        service friendly. Two big fans circulate fresh air thorught the
63        case. On the left you can see a part of the big power supply &ndash;
64        39 fuses keep the electric circuits seperated for additional security.
65
66        <br/>When this calculator is connected to our BULL Tabulating Machine,
67        all the information from the papertape reader brushes are directly
68        transfered to the GAMMA 3. Thus programs and data can be manipulated
69        directly by the GAMMA 3. The output is transfered back to the
70        printing unit from the Tabulating Machine.
71    </p>
72
73    <div class="box left clear-after">
74      <img src="/shared/photos/rechnertechnik/gamma-3-netzteil.jpg"
75        alt="BULL GAMMA 3 power supply" width="350" height="527" />
76      <p class="bildtext">
77        This picture displays the monster power supply. Comparing to this,
78        you can possibly imagine how power supplies of very big tube
79        calculators looked like! <!-- stupid-mode... -->
80        <br/>At these days, selenium rectifier were used to invert AC to DC.
81        They are made from stacks of square <!-- thanks, en.wikipedia.org -->
82        plated with about 1&micro;m of bismuth or nickel. A much thicker layer of selenium
83        which has been doped with a halogen is deposited on top of the thin metal
84        plating. The selenium is then converted into polycrystalline gray from by
85        annealing. Each plate is able to withstand about 20 volts in the reverse
86        direction. The metal squares, or disks, also serve as heat sinks in
87        addition to providing a mounting place for the selenium disks.
88        Plates can be stacked indefinitely to withstand higher voltages,
89        <!-- Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selenium_rectifier
90             Creative Commons SA license... and a blind quote here... -->
91        as you can see in the lower right of the picture.
92        At the left side you see dozens of electrolytic capacitors.
93      </p>
94    </div>
95
96</div><!-- end of content -->
97<!--#include virtual="/en/inc/menu.inc.shtm" -->
98</body>
99</html>
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