Brown, David R.

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Project Whirlwind Limited Memo L-166. Minutes of weekly group leader meeting discussing display for AN/FSQ-7, installation of AN/FSQ-7 (XD-1), plans for the direction center buildings, gap fillers for SAGE, plans for IBM research, transfer of information between IBM and MIT, Group 63 X-ray program, status of AN/FSQ-7 (XD-1), and meetings. Present: J. W. Forrester, D. R. Brown, S. H. Dodd, R. R. Everett, A. P. Kromer, J. C. Proctor, N. H. Taylor, and P. Youtz.

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Project Whirlwind Limited Memo L-167. Minutes of weekly group leader meeting discussing status of AN/FSQ-7 program, status of combat center design, liaison, maskers for fine-grain data, advanced development program, and space survey. Present: J. W. Forrester, D. R. Brown, S. H. Dodd, A. P. Kromer, J. C. Proctor, and N. H. Taylor.

Scope and Contents Project Whirlwind Limited Memo L-121. Minutes of weekly group leader meeting discussing correction to minutes of September 14 group leaders' meeting, Western Computer Conference, Lincoln Laboratory seminars, briefing on Cape Cod System, move to Lexington, visitors to the Cape Cod System, biweekly reports, handling of classified materials, research assistants, liaison with Colorado Springs, standards, basic component research, and AN/FSQ-7 installation planning. Present: Jay W. Forrester, C....

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Project Whirlwind Limited Memo L-61. Minutes of weekly group leader meeting discussing flexowriter equipment, IBM, plug-in units, ERA drums, relations with Lincoln, and budget. Attending: C. W. Adams, D. R. Brown, S. H. Dodd, H. Fahnestock, N. H. Taylor, C. R. Wieser, P. Youtz.

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MIT DIC 6889. Project Whirlwind Memo M-2420. The only tests applied to all cores are those to determine acceptable values of [subscript r]V[subscript 1]. Other tests are made on a sample basis. Since the memory-core-procurement program is on a development basis, but has an inflexible time schedule, modifications of the specifications can be expected.

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MIT DIC 6345. Project Whirlwind Memo M-295. Memorandum on a visit by project Whirlwind I research teams to investigate 7AK7 processing at the Sylvania Radio-Tube Plant at Emporium, Pa., March 2, 1948.

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MIT DIC 6889. Project Whirlwind Memo M-2462. A review of the interest of Group 63 has shown which basic quantities require experimental determination. These include anisotropy, exchange coefficient, and relaxation frequency. Measurements can be made most directly with single-crystal ferrites. These measurements are necessary to verify the analysis of the switching mechanism in square-loop ferrites. They are also measurements of primary importance to Group 37.

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MIT DIC 6889. Project Whirlwind Memo M-2454. Groups 37 and 63 will pool their resources to support a program for obtaining single-crystal ferrites. An evaluation of organizations best equipped to undertake the program is the first step. Microwave line-broadening experiments will be undertaken to study polycrystalline samples from the MgO•MnO•Fe[subscript 2]O[subscript 3] system.

Scope and Contents Project Whirlwind Memo M-2467. MIT and IBM will share the core-testing program to obtain 150,000 good cores to January 1, 1954. MIT will perform two thirds of the testing, and IBM (High Street) one third. Cores must be tested at a rate of 15,000 tests per day beginning November 2. IBM will perform all plane testing. The specifications for General Ceramics cores are changed to accept [subscript r]V[subscript 1] from 0.090 volt to 0.120 volt. Accepted cores will be divided into two groups for...

Scope and Contents MIT DIC 6889. Project Whirlwind Memo M-2397. A two-day joint meeting was held to discuss measurement and evaluation of ferrite memory cores by MIT and IBM. During the first day, at Poughkeepsie, the specifications for selection of cores for the WWI bank-B memory and the second MTC memory were reviewed. The cores are selected to have disturbed-one voltages within plus or minus 15 percent of the mean. Modified specifications for RCA-Victor cores were discussed. Plans for a "round-robin" on...

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Project Whirlwind Memo M-2449. A Joint MIT-IBM Core Measurement Committee will coordinate core measurement activity at MIT, IBM (High Street and Plant 2), general Ceramics, and RCA Victor. The round robin completed September 24 to calibrate measurement equipment at all test sites will be repeated at the end of October. To provide a frequent check on measurement techniques at the different sites, measure cores will be sent to MIT for verification.

Scope and Contents MIT DIC 6889. Project Whirlwind Engineering Note E-530. Magnetic materials are attractive for digital computer systems and other large pulse-circuit systems because they promise to be stable and trouble free. Ultra-thin molybdenum-permalloy cores and ferrite cores possessing rectangular hysteresis loops have short switching times suitable for high-speed circuits. An important application is a large-capacity coincident-current memory in which the applied field cannot exceed the coercivity by...

Scope and Contents MIT DIC 6889. Project Whirlwind Memo M-1741. Metallographic studies of ferrites will be conducted by both Group 35 and Group 63. Group 35 will undertake a long-range program of fundamental studies. They will do a very thorough job on any samples supplied to them by Group 63, including x-ray spectrographs. Group 63 will undertake a short-range program to observe microstructure of ferrites for quality control and develop techniques for observation of domains. Group 63 will carry out any...

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MIT DIC 6889. Project Whirlwind Memo M-1490. Two procedures are outlined. The first is for the receipt of one or a small number of cores submitted for evaluation. The second is for the case of a lot of cores where the particular body has previously been evaluated.

Scope and Contents Division 6 Memo M-3336. Minutes of weekly SAGE System meeting discussing proposed change in procedure, charactron display, Mark X radar, exhibit AFCRC 17, direction center floor plan changes, Lincoln Laboratory visiting committee, test specifications for drum system, digital data transmitters and receivers, meeting of installation and test planning committee, and program to study long-range objectives. Present: J. W. Forrester, W. H. Ayer, P. Brager, D. R. Brown, S. H. Dodd, R. R. Everett,...

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MIT DIC 6345. Project Whirlwind Memo M-116. Memorandum on second trip to Sylvania in Emporium, PA to discuss storage tubes.

Scope and Contents MIT DIC 6889. Project Whirlwind Memo M-1300. The use of transistors in digital computers was discussed with Mr. Jean H. Felker who has designed and constructed a 16-digit serial multiplier using 44 transistors and no vacuum tubes. The basic prf is one megacycle. A regenerative pulse amplifier which takes advantage of the instability of the transistor is the basic active circuit. Good reliability has been obtained by providing adequate margins in the circuit design, and by selecting...

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MIT DIC 6889. Project Whirlwind Memo M-2843. A trip was made to the Burroughs Research Center to discuss magnetic-core computer components and fabrication of metal cores. They are planning to make and improve metal cores and they have used magnetic cores in logical switching applications.

Scope and Contents MIT DIC 6889. Project Whirlwind Memo M-1369. The development of ferrite cores suitable for use in a high-speed memory and other computer circuits was discussed with the Vice President and Research Staff of General Ceramics and Steatite Corporation. Considerable progress has been made in development of "square-loop" ferrites for use in the memory. The company is interested in the computer field as a potential market for ferrites, and is willing to develop materials for our application. We...

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MIT DIC 6889. Project Whirlwind Memo M-1586. We have reviewed the measurements made on the batch of 300 molybdenum permalloy cores, received July 23, 1952, at Magnetics, Inc., and find that their measurements do not differ greatly from ours. More precision is needed to bring the two together. Non-uniformity is being studied. Magnetics, Inc. is going ahead with production of the 20,000 cores and will complete delivery by October 31, 1952.

Scope and Contents MIT DIC 6889. Project Whirlwind Memo M-1550. Ted Ogden and I visited Magnetics, Inc. in Butler, Pa., on June 26 to discuss magnetic cores. We have ordered 300 Mo Perm cores of 1/8 mil material, l/8" wide and 1/8" ID, 10 wraps. These cores should be finished on July 10. They are expected to have a switching time of approximately 10 microseconds, require an Imax of 200 milliamperes and have a disturbed one signal greater than 20 millivolts. If the 300 cores now ordered do meet these...

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MIT DIC 6889. Project Whirlwind Memo M-1568. The conversations covered three subjects: 1) the schedule of delivery of all the units on order, 2) inspection of completed Burroughs units, 3) testing of these units.