Can You Crack It? The Forgotten Dutch Creation Which Shaped the Contemporary World
One can find numerous contenders to claim the designation as “planet’s greatest innovation.” The circular axle. The printing press. The combustion motor.
As per a new book, however, that honor belongs to a mechanised sawmill conceived through Dutch inventor Cornelis Corneliszoon in 1593.
“Prior to automated sawing, building a modest trading ship necessitated approximately ten lumberjacks working over three months,” notes Jaime Dávila. “Using wind-driven lumber mills, the same quantity of cut lumber might be produced within a week.”
Thanks to their rapid automated cutter, which turned timber into boards with virtually no human effort, the Dutch could build ships faster compared to anyone else, an advantage that sparked a century of Netherlands maritime, financial and cultural supremacy across Europe and the world.
The Original Genuine Industrial Machine
The inventor's lumber mill, argues the writer, represented “humanity’s first authentic industrial machine.” A windmill turned a gear. A single part transformed its circular movement to vertical action to power the saw. A separate mechanism transformed that same rotary motion into a sideway’s movement advancing the log to the cutter. A ratchet system moved the log forward a measured step per cycle.
“Each element was modest on its own. Corneliszoon’s brilliance was to integrate these parts in order that the machine operated within a precisely synchronized order, cutting on every descending stroke while advancing on every upward motion. This constituted a remarkably clever use of basic components.”
Which leads us up to the current puzzle. The task is for you to reimagine one of the basic concepts behind this historic invention.
Circular to Vertical
Construct a machine which converts rotary movement into up-and-down motion. You have these components only: A rotating disc. Two pegs. Two bars. A “guide”, which is a cylinder or sleeve into which a single the bars will fit snugly. (Consider that it is possible to mount components on a stand, so the components do not fall down.)
The solution returns later today UK time with the solution.
Meanwhile, NO SPOILERS. Rather, please suggest (less celebrated) contenders for the world’s greatest creation.
