The Fine Article: The computer is about 3 ft wide, 4 ft tall, and 6 ft long. Looking inside the Mark 1 was like looking into a fine mechanical watch. Everythin

The Fine Article: The computer is about 3 ft wide, 4 ft tall, and 6 ft long. Looking inside the Mark 1 was like looking into a fine mechanical watch. Everything was very compactly designed and organized. The first look is completely mind bending, making one wonder what is all this stuff and how does it work? How could anyone ever have put together something like this and made it work? Especially in 1930. The components are so packed inside that you can only stick your finger into the components. There is not enough space for your hand or arm to fit inside. All of the components are either parallel or at right angles to each other. Each component part is built like the mechanical integrator, all in one piece. The component parts are all reasonably strong and the mounting plate it is built on is usually a sheet of steel 1/2" thick. The component parts are usually mounted using 4 to 6 1/4" socket head cap screws. You do not have to be very careful with these parts, as they do not damage easily. The component parts have input and output gearing and shafting which connects them to the other component parts of the computer. Most of the shafting is 1/4" diameter, some is a little larger. The shafting is held in place by ball bearings, which are held in place by various mounting blocks. Miter gears are used to make 90 degree turns of the shafting which allows them to connect to the various component parts. A tool box is furnished with the computer. This tool box contains the special tools necessary to reach inside the computer. Some of the tools have small lights on the end of a rod about 3 ft long. The light can be swiveled on the end of the rod, so you can put it far enough into the computer to see with. Other tools are 3 feet long with 90 degree bevel gears at the end. This might hold an Allen wrench, so you could turn an Allen screw or socket head cap screw deep in the computer. As you can guess, working on the internals of the computer while the ship was moving was quite difficult.