The hardware is principally from Creed & Co. Brighton, England. The other components, unmarked, were designed in Australia.

All the work on SILLIAC pre-assembly modules was carried out at Alexandria by a special team from Standard Telephones and Cables Pty. Ltd. (STC): Power Systems, valves, circuits, electronics and frame-making. The pre-assemblies were then taken to the Physics Department and installed.

Some SILLIAC components were imported from the UK. The paper tape equipment, which comprises most of the Silliac objects in this donation, is designed and manufactured by Creed & Co. Ltd., Brighton, England.

construction 1954-1956
use 1956-1968

All of these hardware components were used with the Silliac computer in the Basser computer laboratory at the University of Sydney from 1956 until 1968.
The Silliac computer was built with funds raised by the Nuclear Research Foundation within the University of Sydney. The greatest single contributor to this facility was Dr. A. (later Sir Adolph) Basser (100,000 pounds).

Computer hardware (13), SILLIAC tape input mechanism with associated components, metal/electronic components/paper/pvc/rubber/Bakelite, designed/manufactured by University of Sydney/ Creed & Co, Australia/ England, 1954-1956

SILLIAC was designed and manufactured by engineers contracted through the Nuclear Research Foundation within the University of Sydney, SILLIAC was used by Sydney Uni. Physics Dept., SILLIAC was installed at Sydney Uni., SILLIAC construction ran from 1954-1956, SILLIAC was decommissioned in May 1968.

SILLIAC communicated with users via standard 5-channel punched paper tape at an input rate of 200 characters/sec and output at 60/sec. By 1956 standard 5-channel paper tape readers, punches and off line printers were readily available.

There are two large pieces of computer hardware/office furniture which house and support the smaller hardware that constitute this object record.

The paper tape reader hutch is almost a cube in shape, it has green metal sides and a dark green plastic moulded top. On the top surface there is a circular hole cut through that permits cables to run to electronic components mounted on an internal wall. Opposite the hole there is a small panel with two switches and three red buttons marked - START/STOP/BUZZER.

The paper tape preparation and comparator desk is approximately twice the size of the above hutch. It is manufactured from the same materials and is finished in the same manner. It has two drawers and a sliding shelf above the drawers. On the left side of the desk is a small panel with a switch, three buttons and an indicator. Both of these large pieces have a small label attached - "Creed & Co. Ltd. Brighton England".

There is a 5-channel paper tape reader winding mechanism. This object has a heavy base that supports a post from which is mounted an aluminium spool for the paper tape.

A single shot advance control for marking & moving tape after comparator hutch. This is a small metal rectangular box with a sloping half face on one end. On this sloping face is the "manual switch" which may occupy one of three positions - AUTO, neutral or SINGLE SHOT. The italic "Creed" chrome insignia is also attatched to this surface. There is another switch and an indicator light on the face below this. On the rear of the unit there are two sockets for multi-pin connectors and there is a cable connected to one of these sockets.

Two paper tape comparators. These are identical. They are small metal cases with a tape reading mechanism on the top face. If this reading mechanism is facing you on the top left side there is a cable that runs from the right side that finishes in a large multi pin plug.

A 5-channel paper tape punch & printer: 1950s electric type and telex terminal. The housing is finely modelled and the red and green keys are round and oblong with rounded ends. On the right side of this object is a paper tape punch mechanism. Below the key board facing the operator is a chrome handle. This may be pulled out to reveal a paper tape spool that feeds tape to the punch mechanism. The italic "Creed" chrome insignia is attached to this machine.

There is another large printer with paper tape read or write facility. All this is housed in a very contoured green hammer finish metal baffle/casing. There is a perspex window at the top that reveals the paper printer roll mechanism, a keyboard with red and green keys, and at the lower left facing the operator is a small hatch that flips up to expose a paper tape read or write mechanism. The casing is designed to be easily removed to permit access to all parts of the mechanism, it is also very form fitting and wholly encasing so as to reduce the noise during operation.

There are two 5-channel paper tape readers that are also finished in a green hammer paint. They are close to shoe box dimensions with a paper tape read mechanism at one end and two cables running from the other. The bases of these are squarish and the top portion of the machine has a more rounded finish.

There is a 5-channel paper tape punch (high speed) mechanism that is a taller more squarish shaped object. There is a cooling fan exposed at one, and below this is a tray with splayed sides. Just above this tray are two plugs and there is a switch on one side of this tray.

Paper Tape Box: A small metal box performs the function of collecting the paper tape punched pieces.

Logic Panel: A section of valve circuitry from Silliac housed in a 3 ft. x 2ft. metal frame. This is the logic panel for the high speed paper tape comparator.

Made: Creed & Co. Ltd; Brighton, England; 1954 - 1956

: Creed & Co. Ltd; Australia

: Creed & Co. Ltd; Brighton, England


Used: Adolph Basser Computing Laboratory, University of Sydney; Australia

see parts

97/231/2

1954 - 1956