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Gordon D. Goldstein Collection

Creator:
Goldstein, Gordon D.  Search this
Names:
ENIAC.  Search this
Electrical Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC).  Search this
Remington Rand.  Search this
Extent:
2 Cubic feet (6 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Technical manuals
Design drawings
Date:
1948 - 1957
Summary:
Papers relate to Gordon D. Goldstein, a computer engineer and frequent seminar speaker and participant, especially in the fields of linguistics and machine translation.
Scope and Contents:
The Goldstein Collection documents an interesting and important period in the development of the early computer industry. Many of the items in the collection are technical in nature; others, however, provide an interesting perspective on the development of post-war American culture. Items in the collection include design and training materials, operational manuals, professional literature, advertisements and promotional items, photographs, business and office documentation, and conference and seminar materials.

The collection is divided into five series. The first three series correspond to Goldstein's employment history; the fourth series includes notes and minutes from UNIVAC and computer conferences attended by Goldstein; and the fifth series contains general computer publications and computer advertisements. Of particular interest in the last series is a copy of the 1954 Report to the Association for Computing Machinery: First Glossary of Programming Terminology. This item was edited by Grace Murray Hopper.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into 5 series.

Series 1, National Bureau of Standards, Electronic Computers Section/Standards Eastern Automatic Computer, 1948-1953

Series 2, U.S. Navy/Applied Mathematics Laboratory, 1950-1957

Series 3, UNIVAC-Remington Rand Corporation/Eckert-Mauchly Computer Corporation, 1948--956

Series 4, UNIVAC Conferences, 1950-1956

Series 5, Publications and Competitor Materials, 1950-1955
Biographical / Historical:
Born in 1917, Gordon D. Goldstein graduated from Clarkson College of Technology with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering. In 1941, Goldstein took a job with the Army Signal Corp as a civilian inspector of radio and navigation equipment. After leaving the Army Signal Corp, Goldstein took a job as development engineer at the Washington Institute of Technology where he was employed until 1950. From 1950 to 1951 he worked as chief engineer with computers for the Census Bureau in Philadelphia.

In 1951, Goldstein left the Census Bureau and took a job with the Navy Department. During his tenure there, Goldstein worked in three offices or divisions: the Naval Ordnance Laboratory (electronics scientist), the David Taylor Model Basin's Applied Mathematics Laboratory, and the Office of Naval Research (ONR), Information Systems Program where he was involved with applications of UNIVAC I. Goldstein worked in the Office of Naval Research from 1956 until his retirement in 1980.

Sources

Berkeley, Edmund C., ed. Who's Who in Computers and Data Processing 1971: A Biographical Dictionary of Leading Computer Professionals. New York: The New York Times Book and Educational Division, 1971.

Gordon D. Goldstein Papers, 1950-1979. Charles Babbage Institute: Center for the History of Information Processing.

Williams, Michael R. A History of Computing Technology. Los Alamitos, California: IEEE Computer Society Press, 1997.
Related Materials:
Materials in Other Organizations

The Charles Babbage Institute, Center for the History of Information Processing houses the Gordon D. Goldstein Papers, 1950-1979, http://special.lib.umn.edu/findaid/xml/cbi00068.xml

Archives Center, National Museum of American History houses the Computer Oral History Collection, 1969-1973, 1977 http://invention.smithsonian.org/resources/fa_comporalhist_index.aspx
Provenance:
The collection was donated by Gordon D. Goldstein on December 13, 1978.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research but is stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning intellectual property rights. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Topic:
Seac computer  Search this
Systems engineering  Search this
Univac computer  Search this
Computers  Search this
Genre/Form:
Technical manuals -- 20th century
Design drawings
Citation:
Gordon D. Goldstein Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
NMAH.AC.0554
See more items in:
Gordon D. Goldstein Collection
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8db376dd4-37a6-4318-92b7-26f233e5efd7
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-0554
Online Media:

Bendix G-15 Central Processing Unit

Maker:
Bendix  Search this
Measurements:
overall: 61 1/2 in x 28 in x 30 1/2 in; 156.21 cm x 71.12 cm x 77.47 cm
Object Name:
Minicomputer
Date made:
ca 1956-1960
Credit Line:
Harry D. and Velma R. Huskey
ID Number:
1988.0435.01
Catalog number:
1988.0435.01
Accession number:
1988.0435
See more items in:
Medicine and Science: Computers
Data Source:
National Museum of American History
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a1-3842-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmah_334620

National Bureau of Standards- United States Department of Commerce

Designer:
Henry Dreyfuss , American, 1904 – 1972  Search this
Medium:
B&W Printed Material
Type:
archive
Archive folder
Object Name:
Archive folder
Date:
1969-1972
Credit Line:
Henry Dreyfuss Archive, gift of Various Donors
Accession Number:
Dreyfuss Symbol Sourcebook Working Papers Folder 088
Restrictions & Rights:
Usage conditions apply
See more items in:
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum Collection
Archives Department
Data Source:
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kq4f54b4920-1c71-4e49-a93f-3ace98955530
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:chndm_Dreyfuss_Symbol_Sourcebook_Working_Papers_Folder_088

Model biplane with coil on lower wing

Associated institution:
Bureau of Standards  Search this
Maker:
National Bureau of Standards  Search this
Physical Description:
wood; copper; paint (overall material)
Measurements:
overall: 8 in x 21 in x 22 1/2 in; 20.32 cm x 53.34 cm x 57.15 cm
Object Name:
Model Airplane
radio demonstration
Other Terms:
Airplane Model; Model Airplane; Radio
Date made:
1918
Associated date:
1920
Credit Line:
U.S. Department of Commerce, National Bureau of Standards
ID Number:
EM.313594
Catalog number:
313594
Accession number:
188571
See more items in:
Work and Industry: Electricity
Data Source:
National Museum of American History
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a9-58ea-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmah_1096778

Friez type A reed indicator for radio ranging

Physical Description:
steel; brass; copper; textile; plastic; wire; paint; paper (overall material)
Measurements:
overall: 4 1/4 in x 5 in x 9 in; 10.795 cm x 12.7 cm x 22.86 cm
overall: 4 1/4 in x 4 7/8 in x 8 3/4 in; 10.795 cm x 12.3825 cm x 22.225 cm
Object Name:
Indicator, Radio Range
aircraft instrument
Other Terms:
Indicator, Radio Range; Components; Radio and Television; Radio and Television
Credit Line:
U.S. Department of Commerce, National Bureau of Standards
ID Number:
EM.313619
Catalog number:
313619
Accession number:
188571
See more items in:
Work and Industry: Electricity
Data Source:
National Museum of American History
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a5-245f-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmah_705801

Aluminum tuned reed indicator

Associated user:
unknown  Search this
Associated institution:
Bureau of Standards  Search this
Measurements:
overall: 2 7/8 in x 9 1/8 in x 3 1/2 in; 7.3025 cm x 23.1775 cm x 8.89 cm
Object Name:
Indicator, Aircraft Tuned Reed
aircraft instrument
Other Terms:
Indicator, Aircraft Tuned Reed; Radio
Credit Line:
U.S. Department of Commerce, National Bureau of Standards
ID Number:
EM.313617
Catalog number:
313617
Accession number:
188571
See more items in:
Work and Industry: Electricity
Data Source:
National Museum of American History
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a5-403d-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmah_705881

First fog landing beam receiving set

Associated user:
unknown  Search this
Associated institution:
Bureau of Standards  Search this
Maker:
Dunmore, Francis W.  Search this
Measurements:
with antennas installed: 6 1/4 in x 65 in x 9 3/4 in; 15.875 cm x 165.1 cm x 24.765 cm
w/o antennas: 6 1/4 in x 17 in x 9 3/4 in; 15.875 cm x 43.18 cm x 24.765 cm
Object Name:
radio receiver
Receiver
Other Terms:
Receiver; Radio
Date made:
1929-11-12
Credit Line:
U.S. Department of Commerce, National Bureau of Standards
ID Number:
EM.313622
Catalog number:
313622
Accession number:
188571
Collector/donor number:
X29
See more items in:
Work and Industry: Electricity
Data Source:
National Museum of American History
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a5-3109-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmah_706153

First reed converter type radio compass apparatus

Associated institution:
Bureau of Standards  Search this
Associated person:
Dunmore, Francis W.  Search this
Physical Description:
aluminum; brass; plastic; phenolic resin; electrical wire; copper (overall material)
Measurements:
overall: 3 in x 2 1/8 in x 4 3/4 in; 7.62 cm x 5.3975 cm x 12.065 cm
Object Name:
Radio Compass Apparatus
aircraft instrument
Other Terms:
Radio Compass Apparatus; Components; Radio and Television; Radio and Television
Date made:
1927-07
Associated date:
1927
Credit Line:
U.S. Department of Commerce, National Bureau of Standards
ID Number:
EM.313624
Catalog number:
313624
Accession number:
188571
Collector/donor number:
X32
See more items in:
Work and Industry: Electricity
Data Source:
National Museum of American History
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a5-51b1-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmah_709828

First goniometer of plate circuit for visual radio beacon

Associated user:
unknown  Search this
Associated institution:
Bureau of Standards  Search this
Maker:
Dunmore, Francis W.  Search this
Physical Description:
wood; steel; brass; cord; plastic (composite); cloth tape; wire; paper (overall material)
Measurements:
overall: 22 in x 12 in x 12 in; 55.88 cm x 30.48 cm x 30.48 cm
Object Name:
Inductance, Variable
inductance, goniometer
Other Terms:
Inductance, Variable; Components; Radio and Television; Radio and Television
Date made:
1926-08-3
Associated date:
1926
Credit Line:
U.S. Department of Commerce, National Bureau of Standards
ID Number:
EM.313595
Catalog number:
313595
Accession number:
188571
Collector/donor number:
X31
See more items in:
Work and Industry: Electricity
Data Source:
National Museum of American History
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a5-5311-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmah_713025

double-action polarized reed type of tuned-reed course indicator

Measurements:
overall: 5 1/2 in x 3 1/2 in x 1 1/8 in; 13.97 cm x 8.89 cm x 2.8575 cm
overall: 5 1/4 in x 3 5/8 in x 1 1/8 in; 13.335 cm x 9.2075 cm x 2.8575 cm
Object Name:
Reed converter
aircraft instrument
Date made:
1928-05-16
Credit Line:
U.S. Department of Commerce, National Bureau of Standards
ID Number:
EM.313615
Catalog number:
313615
Accession number:
188571
Collector/donor number:
X32
See more items in:
Work and Industry: Electricity
Data Source:
National Museum of American History
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a5-8dc8-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmah_742314

Spectrophotometer

Maker:
Franz Schmidt & Haensch  Search this
Physical Description:
wood, oak (overall material)
metal, aluminum (overall material)
Measurements:
frame: 139 cm x 64.5 cm x 64.8 cm; 54 3/4 in x 25 3/8 in x 25 1/2 in
scope box: 49.5 cm x 30.5 cm x 44.5 cm; 19 1/2 in x 12 in x 17 1/2 in
overall: 170 cm x 86.5 cm x 135 cm; 66 15/16 in x 34 1/16 in x 53 5/32 in
table: 80 cm x 64.8 cm x 55.3 cm; 31 1/2 in x 25 1/2 in x 21 3/4 in
overall: 74 in x 36 in x 36 in; 187.96 cm x 91.44 cm x 91.44 cm
Object Name:
Spectrophotometer
spectrophotometer
Credit Line:
Transfer from National Bureau of Standards
ID Number:
CH.335549
Accession number:
1977.0181
Catalog number:
335549
See more items in:
Medicine and Science: Chemistry
Data Source:
National Museum of American History
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a0-e889-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmah_2955

Photographic Negatives, SEAC

Maker:
National Bureau of Standards  Search this
Physical Description:
plastic (overall material)
Measurements:
overall: .1 cm x 13.5 cm x 10 cm; 1/32 in x 5 5/16 in x 3 15/16 in
Object Name:
photographic negatives
Credit Line:
Gift of Vicki Stauffacher
ID Number:
2013.3034.22
Nonaccession number:
2013.3034
Catalog number:
2013.3034.22
See more items in:
Medicine and Science: Computers
Computers & Business Machines
Data Source:
National Museum of American History
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ad-79e4-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmah_1449314

Identification Bracelet of Margaret R. Fox

Measurements:
overall: .4 cm x 6.5 cm x 5 cm; 5/32 in x 2 9/16 in x 1 31/32 in
Object Name:
bracelet
Date made:
ca 1960
Subject:
Jewelry  Search this
Credit Line:
Gift of Vicki Stauffacher
ID Number:
2013.0084.01
Accession number:
2013.0084
Catalog number:
2013.0084.01
See more items in:
Medicine and Science: Computers
Computers & Business Machines
Data Source:
National Museum of American History
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ad-c28d-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmah_1441565

Harold Lyons Atomic Clocks Collection

Author:
Lyons, Harold, Dr., 1913-1998  Search this
Donor:
Lyons, Sherrie  Search this
Extent:
2 Cubic feet (6 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Laboratory notebooks
Photographs
Diagrams
Correspondence
Technical notes
Articles
Patents
Date:
1935 - 1991
Summary:
Harold Lyons was a physicist whose primary interest was in atomic frequency standards and atomic clocks. The collection documents Lyons and his work with atomic clocks. The collection includes his research as manifested in published papers, presentations, reports, correspondence, laboratory notes, photographs and diagrams.
Scope and Contents:
The Harold Lyons Papers, 1935-1991, show his professional interests, especially his research from the 1950s, as manifested in published papers, presentations, reports, correspondence, laboratory results, and photographs. The bulk of the collection consists of papers and presentations of Lyons and others in the atomic physics field. Most of Lyons's work and the materials he collected address different aspects of microwave frequency.

Formats represented in the collection include published articles, typewritten and handwritten manuscripts, typewritten and handwritten personal correspondence, memorandums, photographs, diagrams, laboratory results, pamphlets, and newspaper clippings. The collection is arranged into five series.

Series 1, Biographical Information, 1955-1965; 1973, contains copies of Lyons's curriculum vitae (circa 1955, 1962, and 1971) and his entries in Who's Who in America and Who's Who in The West. This series also has two folders with materials relating to two honors he received, the Franklin Institute Certificate of Merit, in 1958, and the U.S. Department of Commerce's 25th Commemorative Award in 1973.

Series 2, Papers and Presentations, 1947-1962; 1973-1974, contains the journal articles and papers authored by Lyons and the conference and special presentations he gave during his career, most of which address research for aspects of the atomic clock. Included are papers he authored published in the Journal of Applied Physics, American Scholar, Scientific American, and Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences and presentations given at the National Bureau of Standards for the anniversary of the atomic clock.

Series 3, Correspondence, 1949-1991, contains general correspondence for the years 1949-1966, 1978, 1987, and 1991, as well as correspondence with the following individuals: Dirk Brouwer, Paul Forman, Polykarp Kusch, Koichi Shimoda, Wilbert F. Snyder, Charles H. Townes, and Jerrold R. Zacharias. The bulk of this series is incoming correspondence addressed to Lyons, although he did retain some copies of outgoing correspondence.

Series 4, Research, 1947-1958; 1970-1991, contains laboratory results for deuterated ammonia (via strip chart recordings) and general cesium atomic beam experiments through calibration of magnetic fields, calculation of c-fields in the magnetic chamber, and atomic beam measurements. It also contains brief information on other research interests, such as the International Scientific Radio Union, and scattered promotional materials for natural health and electrical products. In addition, this series contains a copy of the patent granted to Lyons and Benjamin F. Husten in 1955 for the atomic clock and photographs and diagrams relating to Lyons's work on the atomic clock. Included are black and white photographs of Lyons and his colleagues with views of the clock as well as diagrams and charts included in published and unpublished work and presentations. Most of the photographs and diagrams are undated and unlabeled.

Series 5, Collected Background Research Materials, 1935-1982, contains papers and presentation materials focused on atomic physics, including papers published in journals, memoranda, technical reports, conference programs, and conference proceedings. One folder in this series has materials relating to the promotion of the atomic clock through pamphlets, speeches, papers, and one oversize item of reproduced newspaper clippings. A folder relating to a university course of lectures, most likely authored by Polykarp Kusch of Columbia University, on molecular beams is also included in this series. In addition, this series contains copies of two patents, one granted to Friedrich H. Reder in 1960 for molecular resonance devices, and the other, an Australian patent, applied for in 1958, for an invention dealing with a frequency selective method and system.
Arrangement:
The collection is organized into five series.

Series 1, Biographical Information, 1955-1965; 1973

Series 2, Papers and Presentations, 1947-1962; 1973-1974

Subseries 1, Publications, 1947-1948; 1950-1953; 1957; 1959-1960; 1962; undated

Subseries 2, Presentations, 1946-1958; 1973-1974

Series 3, Correspondence, 1949-1991

Series 4, Research, 1947-1958; 1970-1991

Subseries 1, Laboratory Findings, 1952-1954; undated

Subseries 2, Other Research Interests, 1947-1957; 1970-1991

Subseries 3, Photographs and Diagrams, 1957; undated

Series 5, Collected Background Research Materials, 1935-1982
Biographical / Historical:
Harold Lyons was born February 16, 1913 in Buffalo, New York, and attended the University of Buffalo, graduating summa cum laude with a B.S. in Physics in 1933. After obtaining a Ph.D. in Nuclear Physics from the University of Michigan in 1939, he worked at the Naval Research Laboratories for two years and then joined the National Bureau of Standards (NBS) in 1941. In 1944, he was appointed chief of the Microwave Standards Section of an Interservice Radio Propagation Laboratory (IRPL) established at the NBS during World War II. He continued in that position after the war when the IRPL, in 1946, was reconstituted as the Central Radio Propagation Laboratory (CRPL).

Lyons's work on microwave frequency standards led directly to his interest in atomic frequency standards and atomic clocks. On his initiative a substantial program of research and development was pursued in the Microwave Standards Section from 1948-1951. There under his direction the first operative atomic clock, based on the absorption of microwaves of ammonia, was constructed in 1948 and announced in early 1949.

Lyons remained with the CRPL after it was moved to Boulder, Colorado, in 1954, but left a year later to work in Hughes Aircraft Company's Culver City, California, research labs. Here he continued his atomic physics research, particularly applications for the atomic clock, including satellite technology, and expanding to development work in lasers. He continued his work on lasers at Electro-Optical Systems Quantum Physics Division from 1960-1962. In the late 1960s and during the 1970s, he was an independent physics consultant and conducted research through an association with the University of California, Los Angeles.

Harold Lyons died March 23, 1998 in Los Angeles, California.
Related Materials:
Materials in the Archives Center

National Company (NATCO) Atomic Clocks Records, 1955-1968 (AC0547), contains related archival materials, principally on the development of the first commercial atomic clock, the Atomichron.

Materials in the National Museum of American History

The Division of Work and Industry, formerly the Division of Information, Technology and Communication, holds the first operative atomic clock, constructed under Lyons's direction at the National Bureau of Standards in 1948.
Provenance:
The collection was donated by Harold Lyons's daughter, Sherrie L. Lyons, in January, 2000.
Restrictions:
The collection is open for research use.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning intellectual property rights. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Topic:
Atomic frequency standards  Search this
Atomic clocks  Search this
Time -- Systems and standards  Search this
Physics  Search this
Atomic absorption spectroscopy  Search this
Genre/Form:
Laboratory notebooks
Photographs -- Black-and-white photoprints -- Silver gelatin -- 1950-1960
Diagrams
Correspondence -- 1940-2000
Technical notes
Articles -- 20th century
Patents
Citation:
Harold Lyons Atomic Clocks Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
NMAH.AC.0701
See more items in:
Harold Lyons Atomic Clocks Collection
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8c80341a7-6d61-433a-8e66-4c27f27218fa
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-0701
Online Media:

Jacob Rabinow Papers

Author:
Rabinow, Jacob, 1910-  Search this
Names:
Census Bureau  Search this
Control Data Corporation  Search this
RABCO  Search this
United States. National Bureau of Standards  Search this
Collector:
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Engineering and Industry  Search this
Extent:
5.5 Cubic feet (14 boxes, 1 map folder)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Correspondence
Patents
Photographs
Engineering drawings
Date:
1947-1990
Summary:
The collection documents three major areas of Jacob Rabinow's work in improvement of electronic and other devices: phonograph record players, optical character recognition (reading machines) and automatic self regulation of watches and clocks.
Scope and Contents:
This collection comprises material from three major areas of Jacob Rabinow's work in improvement of electronic and other devices: phonograph record players, optical character recognition (reading machines) and automatic self regulation of watches and clocks. Included are technical descriptions, engineering drawings and sketches, numerous patent applications, patents, photographs of devices and voluminous correspondence, often related to patents and financial claims arising from them. The papers are grouped into the three areas of product innovation in approximate chronological order. In addition to many U.S. patents, Rabinow was granted numerous foreign patents, including British, French, German, Canadian and Japanese which are part of the collection. The patents as early as 1910 1917 were collected and assembled by Rabinow in his search of previous inventors' work.
Arrangement:
The papers are arranged into three series.

Series 1, Straight Line Photograph Arm, 1910-1917; 1947-1988

Subseries 1.1, Patents, 1910-1917; 1947-1988

Subseries 1.2, Litigation and Royalties, 1954-1980

Subseries 1.3, Brochures, Publicity, Photo Prints, and Advertisements, 1954-1980

Subseries 1.4, General Correspondence, 1954-1978

Series 2, Reading Machine, 1956-1990

Subseries 2.1, Patents, 1957-1958

Subseries 2.2, Brochures, Publicity, and Photo Prints, 1954-1970

Subseries 2.3, Correspondence, 1956-1960

Subseries 2.4, General Correspondence, 1954-1978

Series 3, Automatic Regulation of Watches and Clocks, 1948-1981

Subseries 3.1, Patents, 1948-1975

Subseries 3.2, Patent Right Litigation and Royalties, 1948-1976

Subseries 3.3, Brochures, Publicity, and Photo prints, 1953-1964

Subseries 3.4, General Correspondence, 1948-1981
Biographical / Historical:
Jacob Rabinow was born Jacob Rabinovich in the Kharkov, Ukraine in 1910 and moved with his family to Siberia in 1917 during the Bolshevik Revolution. In 1919, the Rabinow Family moved to China, where his father died. With his mother and brother, Rabinow then immigrated to the United States in 1921, where his mother established a corset shop in New York City. Rabinow graduated from the City College of New York with a Bachelor's Degree in Engineering (1933) and a Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering (1934). After graduation in 1934, he worked at diverse jobs until he was hired by the National Bureau of Standards (NBS) and now known as National Institute of Standards and Technology or NIST in 1938. At NBS Rabinow calibrated flow meters and then, with the outbreak of World War II, designed proximity fuses for Army bombs and rockets. To calculate the velocity of the falling fuses, he devised an acceleration integrator. He also worked on bombing techniques. Rabinow eventually became Chief of the Electro-Mechanical Ordnance Division at NBS before leaving in 1954 to form his own company, Rabinow Engineering.

At Rabinow Engineering, projects included the development of automatic winding equipment and test equipment for Sprague Electric; design of a letter sorter later built by Burroughs; a digital computer for the U.S. Post Office; and the construction of reading machines for RCA, UNIVAC, and others. When servicing machines began to require too much staff and travel, Rabinow sold his company and became a consultant. In 1964, Rabinow Engineering eventually became part of Control Data Corporation (CDC) where Rabinow was head of the Rabinow Advanced Development Laboratory. In 1968, Rabinow formed RABCO Company to manufacture his straight-line phonographs. RABCO was later acquired by the Harmon-Kardon Corporation. In 1972, Rabinow rejoined NBS where he was Chief Research Engineer. In 1975, he retired, but acted as a consultant.

Rabinow held 230 United States Patents on a wide variety of mechanical, optical and electrical devices. Of note is his magnetic particle clutch (1956) used in tape and disk drives; first automobile clutch to work by magnetic and not electrostatic charge (1956); first phonograph whose cartridge moved along a straight track rather than at the end of a swinging arm (1959); first self-regulating clock (1960); and his best known invention, a Reading Machine (1960). Rabinow was honored for his scientific work with the Naval Ordnance Development Award (1945); the President's Certificate of Merit (1948); the IEEE's Harry Diamond Award (1977); and the Lemelson-MIT Lifetime Achievement Award (1998) Rabinow died September 11, 1999.
Related Materials:
The Division Medicine and Science holds the Rabinow Scanned Comparison Reading Machine (Accession #: 1982.0393.01).
Provenance:
Collection donated by Jacob Rabinow, 1990, Decmeber 17.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Topic:
Electrical engineering  Search this
Computers  Search this
Electrical engineers  Search this
Genre/Form:
Correspondence -- 1930-1950
Patents
Photographs -- 20th century
Engineering drawings
Citation:
Jacob Rabinow Papers, 1947-1990, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Identifier:
NMAH.AC.0403
See more items in:
Jacob Rabinow Papers
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep89c2aa548-4a5d-493e-a066-fe931d5dff11
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-0403

Sextant, Bubble, National Bureau of Standards, Type A?

Manufacturer:
Bausch & Lomb Optical Co.  Search this
Materials:
Aluminum Alloy
Glass
Rubber
Paint
Plastic
Unknown Plating
Dimensions:
3-D: 24.8 × 14.6 × 11.4cm (9 3/4 × 5 3/4 × 4 1/2 in.)
Type:
INSTRUMENTS-Navigational
Country of Origin:
United States of America
Credit Line:
Transferred from the U.S. Navy
Inventory Number:
A19630066000
Restrictions & Rights:
Usage conditions apply
See more items in:
National Air and Space Museum Collection
Data Source:
National Air and Space Museum
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/nv91b6db0d1-59b1-4088-9cc4-1cc52f0ad6f0
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nasm_A19630066000

A metric America a decision whose time has come

Author:
United States National Bureau of Standards  Search this
Physical description:
xvii, 170 pages illustrations 26 cm
Type:
Books
Place:
United States
Date:
1971
Topic:
Metric system  Search this
Weights and measures  Search this
Metric System  Search this
Weights and Measures  Search this
Poids et mesures  Search this
Système métrique  Search this
Call number:
QC91 .U56m
QC91.U56m
Data Source:
Smithsonian Libraries
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_sil_9652

Mainframe Computer Component, SWAC Product Counter

Maker:
National Bureau of Standards  Search this
Physical Description:
metal (overall material)
Measurements:
overall: 20 cm x 23 cm x 4 cm; 7 7/8 in x 9 1/16 in x 1 9/16 in
Object Name:
mainframe component
Place made:
United States: California, Los Angeles
Date made:
1950
Credit Line:
National Bureau of Standards
ID Number:
1983.0208.09
Catalog number:
1983.0208.09
Accession number:
1983.0208
See more items in:
Medicine and Science: Computers
Data Source:
National Museum of American History
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ac-ffcc-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmah_1367810
Online Media:

Mainframe Computer Component, SWAC /IO Selector

Maker:
National Bureau of Standards  Search this
Physical Description:
metal (overall material)
Measurements:
overall: 83 cm x 26 cm x 5 cm; 32 11/16 in x 10 1/4 in x 1 15/16 in
Object Name:
mainframe component
Place made:
United States: California, Los Angeles
Date made:
1950
Credit Line:
National Bureau of Standards
ID Number:
1983.0208.10
Catalog number:
1983.0208.10
Accession number:
1983.0208
See more items in:
Medicine and Science: Computers
Data Source:
National Museum of American History
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ac-c730-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmah_1367827
Online Media:

Mainframe Computer Component, SWAC Control Register #2

Maker:
National Bureau of Standards  Search this
Physical Description:
metal (overall material)
Measurements:
overall: 83 cm x 22 cm x 5 cm; 32 11/16 in x 8 11/16 in x 1 15/16 in
Object Name:
mainframe component
Place made:
United States: California, Los Angeles
Date made:
1950
Credit Line:
National Bureau of Standards
ID Number:
1983.0208.08
Catalog number:
1983.0208.08
Accession number:
1983.0208
See more items in:
Medicine and Science: Computers
Data Source:
National Museum of American History
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ac-c732-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmah_1367833
Online Media:

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