Mystery Gadget 72



What's this device do? Hint: it involves distances.

The answer is here.

Or after the jump.
     Posted By: Paul - Thu Apr 04, 2019
     Category: Technology | 1930s





Comments
An early example of an autopilot! I thought it was a prototype of a microwave oven. I was way off.

agent j
Posted by agent j on 04/04/19 at 10:06 AM
So Boeing has been perfecting their system for 80 yrs.? And, I wish the people annotating the old mags had better handwriting.
Posted by John on 04/04/19 at 10:45 AM
The rods on the left reminded me so strongly of a Gatling-style rubber band shooter someone made that my mind refused to leave that track.

I don't know why so many people are afraid that automation is going to put them out of work -- a working model of this was made a hundred years ago, and they still haven't gotten it perfected.
Posted by Phideaux on 04/04/19 at 01:56 PM
Except for the hint, I would have said it was a super-duper soldering gun.

The autopilot system on the 737 "max" 8 planes hasn't put anyone out of work. In fact, it has currently created lots of extra work for Boeing engineers, who were surely eager to work nights and weekends. What a friendly system, except that it seems to be the first appearance of Skynet.
Posted by Virtual on 04/04/19 at 05:25 PM
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