John S. Davis was an engineer with Ramo Wooldridge, a Division of Thompson Ramo Woolridge, later TRW.
Contains reports, proposals, design notebooks, technical literature, brochures, and advertisements relating to Davis' work at Ramo-Wooldridge and from the associated companies of Thompson Ramo Wooldridge--later renamed TRW--Thompson Ramo Wooldridge Products Company, and Bunker Ramo. Significant topics among the reports and proposals include: the RW-33 computer, air to surface missile systems, computer memories, and early electronic control systems. The design notebooks trace the development of the AN/UKY-1 computer and the TRW-340 computer. This collection contains materials from Ramo-Woolridge (RW), Thompson Ramo Woolridge (TRW), Thompson Ramo Woolridge Products Company (TRWC), and Bunker Ramo (BR). A short history of some of the machines written by Davis is also available.
The materials in this collection are arranged into the following groups:
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the University of Minnesota Libraries. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.
The records were given to the Charles Babbage Institute by John Steven Davis in 1989.
Access to the collection is unrestricted.
The Charles Babbage Institute holds the copyright to all materials in the collection, except for items covered by a prior copyright (such as published materials). Researchers may quote from the collection under the fair use provisions of the copyright law (Title 17, U.S. Code).
John S. Davis Papers (CBI 70), Charles Babbage Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.
The Design Notebooks series contains the AN/UYK-1, TRW 340, 1-2-3 system, and SLIC design notebooks. The AN/UYK-1 and 340 notebooks include logic diagrams and engineering specifications, and trace the complete development of these computers.
The Literature and Brochures series includes technical papers by members of the technical staff of the process control group of BR, TRW, or TRWC, which are interesting for the breadth and depth of the early material, and the fact that there was little control on the release of technical details. Brochures and advertisements are also included.
The Reports and Proposals series contains material on various products under development. Most reports have notes by Davis about the project and its significance. Of special interest in Reports and Proposals are the materials on the RW-33, the Air-to Surface-Missile Systems (ASM), and the early industry control systems. Other reports cover proposals for magnetic drum systems, early control systems, and the BR 1018. These items are in chronological order.