Babbage's Difference Engine No 2, 2002.

Made:
1991-2002 in London and England
maker:
Science Museum
Difference Engine No Difference Engine No Difference Engine No Difference Engine No Difference Engine No Difference Engine No Difference Engine No Difference Engine No Difference Engine No Difference Engine No Difference Engine No Difference Engine No Difference Engine No 2, designed by Charles Babbage, 1847-1849 Difference Engine No 2, designed by Charles Babbage, 1847-1849 Difference Engine No 2, designed by Charles Babbage, 1847-1849 Difference Engine No 2, designed by Charles Babbage, 1847-1849 Difference Engine No 2, designed by Charles Babbage, 1847-1849 Difference Engine No 2, designed by Charles Babbage, 1847-1849 Difference Engine No 2, designed by Charles Babbage, 1847-1849 Difference Engine No 2, designed by Charles Babbage, 1847-1849 Difference Engine No 2, designed by Charles Babbage, 1847-1849 Difference Engine No 2, designed by Charles Babbage, 1847-1849 Difference Engine No 2, designed by Charles Babbage, 1847-1849 Difference Engine No

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Difference Engine No
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London

Difference Engine No
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London

Difference Engine No
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London

Difference Engine No
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London

Difference Engine No
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London

Difference Engine No
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London

Difference Engine No
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London

Difference Engine No
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London

Difference Engine No
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London

Difference Engine No
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London

Difference Engine No
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London

Difference Engine No
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, London

Difference Engine No 2, designed by Charles Babbage, 1847-1849
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Difference Engine No 2, designed by Charles Babbage, 1847-1849
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Difference Engine No 2, designed by Charles Babbage, 1847-1849
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Difference Engine No 2, designed by Charles Babbage, 1847-1849
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Difference Engine No 2, designed by Charles Babbage, 1847-1849
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Difference Engine No 2, designed by Charles Babbage, 1847-1849
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Difference Engine No 2, designed by Charles Babbage, 1847-1849
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Difference Engine No 2, designed by Charles Babbage, 1847-1849
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Difference Engine No 2, designed by Charles Babbage, 1847-1849
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Difference Engine No 2, designed by Charles Babbage, 1847-1849
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Difference Engine No 2, designed by Charles Babbage, 1847-1849
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Difference Engine No
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Difference Engine No.2, designed by Charles Babbage, 1847-1849, built by Science Museum, first completed June 1991, printing mechanism constructed and added in 2002

Charles Babbage - inventor, reformer, mathematician and philosopher - designed the Difference Engine No.2 to solve equations and print the results in the form of mathematical tables. It was one of two types of engine, difference engines and analytical engines, designed by Babbage. The engine was built by the Science Museum and the main part was completed in June 1991 for the bicentennial year of Babbage's birth. The printing mechanism was completed and added in 2002. Doron Swade, senior curator of computing and IT, oversaw its construction. Babbage conceived the engine to calculate a series of numerical values and automatically print the results. Difference Engine No 2 was never constructed in his lifetime.

Details

Category:
Computing & Data Processing
Object Number:
1992-556
Materials:
iron, steel (metal) and bronze (copper, tin alloy)
Measurements:
: 2.1 x 3.4 x .5 m
type:
difference engines
credit:
Science Museum, London

Parts

Difference Engine No.2, designed by Charles Babbage, built by Science Museum

Difference Engine No.2, designed by Charles Babbage, built by Science Museum

Difference Engine No.2, designed by Charles Babbage, 1847-1849, built by Science Museum, first completed June 1991, printing mechanism constructed and added in 2002.


Charles Babbage - inventor, reformer, mathematician and philosopher - designed the Difference Engine No.2 to solve equations and print the results in the form of mathematical tables. It was one of two types of engine, difference engines and analytical engines, designed by Babbage. The engine was built by the Science Museum and the main part was completed in June 1991 for the bicentennial year of Babbage's birth. The printing mechanism was completed and added in 2002. Doron Swade, then Senior Curator of Computing and IT, oversaw its construction. Babbage conceived the engine to calculate a series of numerical values and automatically print the results. Difference Engine No 2 was never constructed in his lifetime.

Measurements:
overall: 2.1 m x 3.4 m x .5 m,
Materials:
iron , steel (metal) and bronze (copper, tin alloy)
Object Number:
1992-556 Pt1
type:
difference engine
Figure Wheel

Figure Wheel

Figure Wheel, part of Difference Engine No.2, designed by Charles Babbage, 1847-1849 built by Science Museum, completed June 1991.

Measurements:
overall: 25 x 105 mm
Materials:
bronze
Object Number:
1992-556 Pt2
type:
figure wheel
Spare parts for Babbage Difference Engine No. 2

Spare parts for Babbage Difference Engine No. 2

1 fibre box of spare parts for the Babbage Difference Engine No. 2 (1992-556).

Object Number:
1992-556 Pt3
type:
parts
Spare parts for Babbage Difference Engine No. 2

Spare parts for Babbage Difference Engine No. 2

1 box of moulds and spare parts for the Babbage Difference Engine No. 2 (1992-556).

Object Number:
1992-556 Pt4
type:
parts
1 box of reconstruction moulds and other accessories and spare parts

1 box of reconstruction moulds and other accessories and spare parts

1 box of reconstruction moulds and other accessories and spare parts, for the Babbage Difference Engine No. 2 (1992-556).

Object Number:
1992-556 Pt5
type:
accessories