Babbage’s Analytical Engine and archimedes’ screw: what they have in common
- Step 1. Babbage’s Analytical Engine — was inspired by — Jacquard loom. Babbage borrowed Jacquard’s punched cards directly for entering operations and data; Ada Lovelace compared the machine to the Jacquard loom.
- Step 2. Jacquard loom — works like — Gutenberg printing press. An analogy, not proven influence: both set type and a chain of punched cards are a replaceable pattern that a machine reproduces over and over.
- Step 3. Gutenberg printing press — has part — Screw press. Gutenberg adapted the screw press known from pressing grapes.
- Step 4. Screw press — uses — Screw. The force is produced by turning a screw.
- Step 5. Screw — is used in — Archimedes’ screw. A rotating helical surface lifts water.