Can You Solve It? The Overlooked Dutch Creation That Forged the Modern Globe
There are numerous contenders for the title of “planet’s greatest invention.” The circular axle. The printing press. The combustion motor.
As per a recent publication, however, that title should go to the automated timber mill conceived through Dutchman Cornelis Corneliszoon in 1593.
“Before mechanised sawing, constructing a simple trading ship necessitated around 10 lumberjacks working over 90 days,” notes Jaime Dávila. “Using wind-powered lumber mills, an identical amount of cut lumber could be produced within seven days.”
Owing to this speedy mechanical cutter, which turned logs into boards with almost no human effort, Dutch builders could build ships more quickly compared to any other nation, which sparked one hundred years of Dutch maritime, economic and cultural supremacy across Europe and the world.
The Original True Manufacturing Machine
The inventor's lumber mill, contends the writer, represented “mankind’s first authentic industrial machine.” A wind turbine turned a wheel. A single part transformed the circular motion to up-and-down action for the saw. Another component changed that same spinning movement into a lateral motion advancing the log to the cutter. A geared mechanism moved the log ahead a measured step each cycle.
“Every component was simple on its own. The Dutchman’s brilliance lay in how to combine these parts so the machine acted in a perfectly controlled order, cutting on every downward stroke and moving with each upward motion. It was an astonishingly intelligent use of fundamental parts.”
Which brings us up to the current challenge. The task is you to reinvent one of the basic concepts behind this historic invention.
Round and Up
Construct a mechanism which converts rotary movement into vertical motion. Your available these components only: A spinning wheel. Two pegs. Two rods. A “guide”, that is a cylinder or housing into which a single the rods can slide perfectly. (Assume it is possible to mount components on a base, so the parts don’t collapse.)
I’ll be back later today UK time featuring the solution.
In the interim, NO SPOILERS. Instead, please suggest (less celebrated) contenders for the world’s most impactful creation.
