The Colombian Press and Paper Magnetic-Recording Tape - Essay Example

MCS 146F Midterm Essay The Colombian Press The Colombian Press was invented by George Clymer. This vertical hand press ismade of Iron. Its main parts include the counterweights, the levers, holding area and the support. It is operated by a human being who applies some force on the machine through the handle thereby exerting pressure, that facilitates impression and printing (Boruchoff 36). This press has a series of levers that are mounted on it to facilitate the movement of other parts. The series of levers have been incorporated to ensure that sufficient pressure is supplied to the printing media without the pressman experiencing undue strain. The other part of the press is the handle, which is mounted on the upper section of the machine and is used to apply pressure onto the printing media. It has a series of levers to multiple the force being applied by the one operating the machine. Counterweights are a very vital part of the press and perform key functions. The purpose of the counterweights, which are located adjacent to the handle, is to ensure that the force of the impression is increased. Moreover, the weights are used in raising the platen after every single impression (Eisenstein 129). This allows for the next impression without much force being required. The press is raised from the ground level by four metallic legs that terminate in molded feet. A closer look at the end of the supports suggests that they resemble the claws of a lion. The four supports are well spread to increase stability of the machine when it is not in use and when it is functioning. In addition to this, the platen is located a few meters from the ground so that the center of gravity can be lowered and ensure that the machine remains in a stable state when other parts are being moved. The Colombian press has talons with eagle clutches. These are incorporated into the design as a symbol of war. It also has olive branches on some talons to show prosperity. At one end of the counterweights, there are arrows that rest on a crescent moon. The other ends of the arrow in the counter masses are coiled to form a dolphin with open jaws. The coiling allows it to hold the hook of the press bridle thus facilitating a connection with the upper end of the levers. Another dolphin like part is extended from the counterbalance to connect it with the main lever. This mechanism works in synchrony to pass the forces that is exerted by the operator to the media on that the printing is to be done. The press also has two pillars that are embellished with cadeus intervened with what appears to be a picture of the Hermes. Since the press was hand operated, it could produce limited copies. This was enhanced in subsequent presses that had gears and powered by a prime mover to ensure that high quality prints are achieved. Current presses are electrically powered thus eliminating the need for the series of levers and the handle. Paper Magnetic-Recording Tape Paper magnetic Recording Tape was a very unique invention that is said to have allowed for storage of large amount of data. These particular tapes were used in the storage of both audio and video data. Radio stations heavily relied on this technology to record live programs (Flores 83). However, it is currently one of the dead media. Its use and application deteriorated, making it eventually (systemax.com). outdated. The invention of other storage media as well as other shortcomings the technology led to its extinction. According to Drucker, magnetic tapes were made up of two or more layers of magnetic materials that were capable of retaining magnetic energy change (21). The paper film that was to be used to store the information was laid at the base with other layers on top of it. These additional coats were used for different purposes that included friction reduction, creating uniformity and eliminating static charges. The top section of the base material consists of magnetizable particles, which are suspended in a binder. Binders may come from different polymers depending on the kind of data to be stored. The most commonly used polymers are cellulose nitrate and acrylic resins. Sundry epoxy was also used but its application was limited to the storage of audio data. An electric current is then used to create a magnetic field. A wire coil the carries the current in order to produce a field that is proportional to the signal when had been recovered. Despite the wide application of this technology, it is rarely used today. The first reason why the technology not in use is because of the deterioration problems associated with the magnetic paper tapes. Moreover, they are known to have issues with physical deformation. The tapes consist of very small films of magnetic papers that are prone to breakage. When this occurs the data stored cannot be easily retrieved. The layers may also get stretched when the electric current is applied increasing chances of data loss. According to Flores, the information contained in the tapes could not last for a very long time (78). This happens because the particles used could lose magnetic capability thus erasing the content. The other reason why this technology was abandoned is due to its limited capacity. The amount of data stored in the paper tapes depend on the length of magnetizable material used. Since it is not possible to use a very long material at a go, the tapes had limited capability and could only store a given sized of data. Over the years, technologies that had been neglected for sometimes renter the market in new forms. However, this may not be the case with the paper magnetic tapes. Since the particles used for the storage cannot be made permanently magnetic, it is quite evident the technology cannot be easily be brought back to the market. Advancement in technology have also limited the chances of the tapes being used to store large chunks of data. Works Cited Boruchoff, David. The Three Greatest Inventions of Modern Times: An Idea and Its Public. Münster: Waxmann, 2012. Print. Drucker, Johanna. The Visible Word: Experimental Typography and Modern Art. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2004. Print. Eisenstein, Elizabeth. The Printing Revolution in Early Modern Europe. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005.Print. Flores, Louis. A Paper Tape to Magnetic Tape Converter. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan, 2013. Print. Read More