Old Tech thread

[Pyan]

Sorry, farntfar, already (genuinely) been patented... TV control device

 

[Ursa major]

View attachment 52920

An early, not to say unique, example of a private police organisation being very honest about its poor arrest statistics in the publicity it puts on its vans....

​

 

[farntfar]

Sorry, farntfar, already (genuinely) been patented... TV control device

It was definitely before 1976 when your patent was filed, and it was in England.

It wasn't his only invention either.
Most of them were, of course, rubbish, but if he'd only taken a copyright on saying "This time next year we could be millionnaires." before Del Boy stole it, he might really have been.

 

[Vertigo]

Apparently this was a genuine thing back in 1955 ... I can't suss out if the radio was dynamo powered, "pedal faster to play it louder"
View attachment 52902

Anyone notice the distinct absence of brakes on that bike. Eeeek!

 

[Ursa major]

Given the lack of gearing and the absence of obvious brakes, perhaps braking required using the pedals to stop the wheels going round.

 

[-K2-]

Anyone notice the distinct absence of brakes on that bike. Eeeek!

It I suspect uses "coaster brakes.' By turning the peddles backwards just slightly and applying pressure, an internal drum on the rear wheel about the axle is the break. They're actually very effective.

K2

 

[-K2-]

So I'm going to mention something that is actually old technology that most folks will never even know exists, but, most people will make use of them at one time or another. It's called a 'sprag clutch.' A guy here turned me on to these due to their ingenious but simplistic design. The backlash, how much the cone rotates before the clutch engages, is virtually nill/zero/imperceptible. It really is an amazing piece of engineering.

I believe (yet can't confirm), that this is a Formsprag Co. design from WWII. There are other types using springs and so on, yet nothing else works quite so well, so simply, yet amazingly due to the ingenious shape of the sprag. History of Formsprag Clutch

K2

 

[Pyan]

More Art Deco tech - a 1930s custom KJ Henderson motorbike...

And a late 30's GM Futureliner truck, more a concept vehicle than a production item:

 

[Parson]

Oh Wow! @pyan that morocycle is to die for! I'll bet it's worth a mint! The camper? panel truck? bus? is pretty cool too.

 

[Dave]

The Atom's Power for Peace: Diagrammatic drawings of a locomotive train, a power house and an ocean liner.

 

[M. Robert Gibson]

I'm sure I saw a proper orchestra playing once and it had a stylophone section

 

[Alex The G and T]

The Nun would be bashing the student organist's knuckles with a ruler for such sloppy fingering.

 

[BigBadBob141]

REF: Pyan.
That 1930s custom built motorbike looks a bit like Judge Dredds Law Master!

 

[Pyan]

The Atom's Power for Peace: Diagrammatic drawings of a locomotive train, a power house and an ocean liner.

View attachment 52964

There was a nuclear powered passenger/ cargo ship built: the NS (Nuclear Ship) Savannah, back in the late Fifties. She was decommissioned in 1971, and is now a museum ship in Baltimore.

NS Savannah Virtual Tour

 

[psikeyhackr]

There was a nuclear powered passenger/ cargo ship built: the NS (Nuclear Ship) Savannah, back in the late Fifties. She was decommissioned in 1971, and is now a museum ship in Baltimore.

NS Savannah Virtual Tour

I wonder if a nuclear ship with a Thorium molten salt design would make more sense.

 

[KiraAnn]

Back in the 60’s we bought an old house in Telluride - before it became the hangout of the rich. Among other things we found in that old house was this gadget.

Pretty cool piece of engineering. And a great toy.

 

[Phyrebrat]

@pyan s Art Deco vehicles are a thing(s) of beauty! I know what internet rabbit hole I’ll be falling through the rest of the day.

pH

 

[Vince W]

It's surprising how so many people 40 and under have no idea what these amazing pieces of technology are:

@ctg ; I think I found your grand-dad

K2

Anyone who has every played guitar in a semi-serious way lusts after the warm overdriven tones of a tube amp.

and my grandparents had one of these (well similar):

The sound was astounding.

 

[Venusian Broon]

Anyone who has every played guitar in a semi-serious way lusts after the warm overdriven tones of a tube amp.

and my grandparents had one of these (well similar):

The sound was astounding.

Yep all guitarists really want the warm sound of 'tube amplifiers and the smoothness of analogue effects pedals. Probably. If they can afford it. (In their defence Digital racks of effects are pretty cheap and do tons of stuff.)

At least I do.

 

[Phyrebrat]

Anyone who has every played guitar in a semi-serious way lusts after the warm overdriven tones of a tube amp.

and my grandparents had one of these (well similar):

The sound was astounding.

As a vocalist, I used an AKG Solidtube or RODE NT1 with one of these babies Joemeek VC1Q. Long live Joemeek!

pH