[inforoots] Mystery actuator

[Hans Neukom]

>From what you all are telling me I presume the actuator belonged to a Univac
8414 disk drive manufactured by ISS for Univac.

Thanks for your help
Hans Neukom

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  -----Original Message-----
  From: inforoots-bounces at computerhistory.org
[mailto:inforoots-bounces at computerhistory.org]On Behalf Of Utleyb at aol.com
  Sent: Mittwoch, 1. März 2006 16:51
  To: inforoots at computerhistory.org
  Subject: Re: [inforoots] Mystery actuator


  In a message dated 3/1/2006 3:34:15 AM Central Standard Time,
jcgreen00 at comcast.net writes:
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    =======================================
    "Peter Capek" <capek at ieee.org> wrote:

    >It's certainly a disk actuator.   The 2 white disks (which look to
    >be about an inch in diameter, but with a slice taken off each side)
    >visible in the ..1939.. photo look like the read/write heads, so
    >apparently two per disk, moving on one access arm.
    >
    >Just judging from the scale of this and estimating the size, I
    >would guess this assembly is from a large disk - perhaps 24 inches,
    >maybe more, in diameter (and hence, likely, no newer than about
    >1970).
    >
    >The arms appear to be numbered up to 10 in the 1940 photo, so there
    >were probably 20 surfaces used in the drive.
    >
    >Peter Capek

    Definitely a disk read/write assembly.  Linear induction motor
    patented by Peripheral Equipment Corp (later Memorex) and first used
    on their 630 drive first shipped in 1967 which provides a lower
    bound for the vintage.  630 was first OEM plug compatible with IBM
    2311.

    Couldn't be 24 inch drive as they died long before 1967.  Head
    size is consistent with 2311 and 2314.  20 heads makes it a 2314
    compatible drive.  Two heads per surface was obviously for speed as
    arm only had to move 1" rather than 2" to reach all cylinders.  Given
    it's from a Univac shop I'd say your best bet is an ISS 2314 compatible
    drive.  ISS was bought by TELEX which later sold it to Sperry Rand
    which sold it to CDC before merging with Burroughs to become Unisys.

    Memorex was shipping 660 (IBM 2314 compatible) that worked by SEP1969.
    ISS wouldn't have been far behind.

    Ask Jim Porter or check out his website:  http://www.disktrend.com/
    for possible positive identification of the device.

    Regards,
    John Green

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  The number of platters is right for a 2314 but too many for a 2311.

  Brian Utley
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