Can You Crack It? That Forgotten Netherlands Invention Which Forged the Contemporary World
There are numerous contenders to claim the title of “planet’s greatest innovation.” The wheel. The printing press. The combustion motor.
According to a new book, however, that honor should go to a automated timber mill invented through Dutchman Corneliszoon van Uitgeest in 1593.
“Before mechanised cutting, constructing a modest merchant vessel required approximately ten lumberjacks working for three months,” notes the author. “With wind-driven lumber mills, the same amount of processed timber might be produced within seven days.”
Thanks to this speedy automated cutter, which converted timber to boards with virtually no human effort, the Dutch were able to construct vessels faster than any other nation, which sparked a century of Netherlands naval, financial and artistic dominance in the continent and the globe.
The Original True Industrial Device
The inventor's lumber mill, argues the writer, was “mankind’s first authentic industrial machine.” A windmill rotated a gear. One component converted the rotary motion to vertical action for the saw. A separate mechanism changed the spinning movement into a lateral movement advancing the log toward the cutter. A geared mechanism shifted the log ahead one precise increment each stroke.
“Each element seemed simple by itself. The Dutchman’s genius lay in how to combine these parts so they operated in a perfectly controlled order, cutting on every downward motion while advancing on every return stroke. This constituted an astonishingly intelligent use of fundamental parts.”
Which brings us to today’s puzzle. I’d like for you to reimagine one of the fundamental ideas underpinning this historic invention.
Circular to Vertical
Design a mechanism which converts rotary movement into vertical motion. Your available these components exclusively: A rotating disc. Two pins. Two rods. A “guide”, which is a tube or housing into which one of the rods will fit perfectly. (Assume it is possible to mount components on a stand, so that the components don’t fall down.)
I’ll be back later today UK featuring the solution.
In the interim, NO SPOILERS. Rather, please suggest (non obvious) candidates for the planet’s greatest creation.
