Digital computers at manchester university
Tom Kilburn, G.C. Tootill, D. Brent Edwards, B.W. Pollard · Proceedings of the IEE - Part II Power Engineering · 1953
The new universal high-speed digital computing machine now working at the Computing Machine Laboratory, Manchester University, is described. It has a high-speed storage capacity of 10 240 binary digits and an intermediate storage capacity of over 280 000 binary digits. Its other features include a completely automatic transfer system between the two types of store; a B-tube which allows instructions to be modified in a much shorter time than by normal accumulator use, thus facilitating the programming of iterative processes; and a fast multiplier which carries out a multiplication in the same order of time as the normal addition or subtraction operations. Input and output operations in this machine utilize normal 5-hole teleprinter tape. Input is by way of a photoelectric reader and output can occur either from a tape punch or a teleprinter, or both can operate together. The method of maintenance and also some reliability figures are given.