Are You Able to Solve This? That Overlooked Dutch Invention Which Forged our Contemporary Globe
One can find many contenders to claim the designation as “world’s most significant innovation.” The circular axle. The printing press. The combustion motor.
As per a recent publication, however, that title should go to a automated timber mill invented through Dutch inventor Corneliszoon van Uitgeest during 1593.
“Before automated cutting, constructing a simple merchant vessel required around ten lumberjacks laboring for 90 days,” notes Jaime Dávila. “With wind-driven sawmills, the same amount of processed timber might be manufactured within seven days.”
Thanks to this speedy mechanical saw, that converted logs to boards using almost no manual labor, Dutch builders were able to construct ships faster compared to any other nation, which sparked one hundred years of Dutch maritime, financial and artistic dominance across the continent and the world.
The Original True Manufacturing Device
Corneliszoon’s sawmill, contends the writer, was “mankind’s first true industrial machine.” A wind turbine turned a wheel. A single part converted its rotary motion to vertical motion for the cutting blade. A separate mechanism changed the rotary movement into a lateral movement advancing the log to the cutter. A ratchet system moved the log forward a measured step each stroke.
“Every component was modest by itself. The Dutchman’s genius lay in how to integrate these parts so they acted within a precisely synchronized sequence, sawing on every downward motion while moving with each upward stroke. This constituted a remarkably intelligent use of basic components.”
Which leads us up to today’s challenge. I’d like for you to reimagine one of the basic concepts underpinning Corneliszoon’s machine.
Round and Up
Construct a machine that turns circular motion to up-and-down action. You have these components only: A spinning wheel. Two pins. Two rods. A “sleeve”, which is a cylinder or sleeve through which one of the bars can slide perfectly. (Assume it is possible to put things on a stand, so that the parts do not fall down.)
The solution returns at 5pm UK time featuring the answer.
In the interim, NO SPOILERS. Instead, feel free to propose (non obvious) contenders for the planet’s most impactful creation.
