John S. Davis Papers, 1957-1975. Finding Aid.

Summary Information

Title: John S. Davis papers
Dates: 1957-1975
Creator: Davis, John S.
Extent: 5 boxes (4.2 cubic feet)
Language: English
Collection Number: CBI 70
Abstract:

Collection contains reports, proposals, design notebooks, technical literature, brochures, and advertisements relating to John S. 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.

Repository: University of Minnesota Libraries. Charles Babbage Institute.

Access and Use

Acquisition Information:

The records were given to the Charles Babbage Institute by John Steven Davis in 1989.

Access Restrictions:

Access to the collection is unrestricted.

Copyright:

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).

Preferred Citation:

John S. Davis Papers (CBI 70), Charles Babbage Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

Arrangement

The materials in this collection are arranged into the following groups:

• Design Notebooks, 1958-1959
• Literature and Brochures, 1957-1964
• Reports and Proposals, 1957-1976

Biographical Note

John S. Davis was an engineer with Ramo Wooldridge, a Division of Thompson Ramo Woolridge, later TRW.

Collection Scope and Content Note

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.

Subject Terms

Index Terms

• 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.
• Davis, John S.
• Thompson Ramo Wooldridge, inc. Ramo-Wooldridge Division.
• TRW Inc.
• AN/UKY-1 (Computer)
• Computer industry--United States--History--Sources.
• Computer storage devices.
• Computers--United States--History--Sources.
• Guided missiles--Electronic equipment.
• RW-33 (Computer)
• TRW-340 (Computer)

Box and Folder List

Location		Title
		Design Notebooks, 1958-1959  Note 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.
Box 2		1-2-3 System notebook, 1964. Box 2, Folder 1
Box 1		340 notebooks, 1961-1969. Box 1, Folder 1-19
Box 3		340 notebooks, 1961-1969. Box 3, Folder 18-22
Box 4		340 notebooks, 1961-1969. Box 4, Folder 1-2
Box 2		340 programming systems notebook, 1964. Box 2, Folder 14-20
Box 4		340 subroutines, 1966-1968. Box 4, Folder 3-4
Box 3		340 systems notebook, 1963-1968. Box 3, Folder 8-12
Box 2		AN/UYK-1 (TRW 130) notebook, 1960-1961. Box 2, Folder 11-13
Box 3		Flip-Flop Logic Board Test Data (RW33) (SLIC), 1959. Box 3, Folder 16
		Flip-Flop Test Results (RW33), undated.  Box 3, Folder 17
Box 4		SLIC Logic Study, 1958. Box 4, Folder 17
		Literature and Brochures, 1957-1964  Note 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.
Box 2		Literature and brochures, 1957-1964. Box 2, Folder 4-10
Box 5		Literature and brochures, 1957-1964. Box 5, Folder 1-3
		Reprints of technical articles by TRW staff, 1957-1961. Box 5, Folder 4-7
		Reports and Proposals, 1957-1976  Note 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.
Box 3		"Electronic Computer Simulation of Inventory Control," 1957. Box 3, Folder 4
Box 4		"Preliminary Report on Program for Industrial Control Systems," 1957. Box 4, Folder 20
		"Technical Proposal for Study and Development of an Airborne Digital Computer," 1957. Box 4, Folder 18
		"A High Speed, Small Size Magnetic Drum Memory Unit for Subminiature Digital Computers," 1959. Box 4, Folder 11
		"Automated Design," 1960. Box 4, Folder 15
Box 3		"Proposal for Magnetic Storage Device for the FADAC Computer," 1960. Box 3, Folder 2
Box 4		"Proposal for a Missile Checkout and Launch Control System," 1960. Box 4, Folder 8
Box 3		"The Research and Development of a High-Speed High-Density Magnetic Drum for the AN/ASN-29 Airborne Digital Computer," 1960. Box 3, Folder 1
Box 4		"Research and Development of the Computer Set, Navigational, AN/ASN-29 (XY-1), (RW 33)," 1960. Box 4, Folder 9
		"Proposal to Develop and Provide a Content Addressable Memory (CAM)," 1962. Box 4, Folder 10
		"TRANSIT for AN/UYK-1 (BRN 3) Computer," 1962. Box 4, Folder 6
Box 3		"Associative Processing Techniques," 1963. Box 3, Folder 7
Box 4		"Parallel Search Memory Design Plan," 1963. Box 4, Folder 7
Box 3		"Survey of Commercially Available Integrated Circuits," 1964. Box 3, Folder 3
Box 4		"Technical Notes on the Woven Screen Memory Program," 1964. Box 4, Folder 12
		"Final Report for Navy Hybrid Computer Study," 1965. Box 4, Folder 21
Box 3		"Low Power Computer Memory, Interim Report," 1965. Box 3, Folder 5
		"Low Power Computer Memory," 1967. Box 3, Folder 6
Box 4		"Proposal for Advanced Memory Subsystems," 1967. Box 4, Folder 19
		"Proposal for ARPA Computer Communications Network, Bunker-Ramo Corp.," 1968. Box 4, Folder 22
		"ORD High Speed Text Search Project," 1970. Box 4, Folder 16
Box 3		"BR-1018, Low Cost MOS/LSI Computer for Avionics and Missile Systems," 1971. Box 3, Folder 13
Box 4		"Planar COAX Air-to-Surface Computer," 1971. Box 4, Folder 14
		"Industrial Automation Plan, " 1973. Box 4, Folder 13
Box 3		"A Data Collection System as Part of the Fabrication Tracking System and Tool Order Cost System at Douglas Aircraft Company, (BR-1018C)," 1974. Box 3, Folder 14-15
Box 2		"Acceptance Test Plan for the Advanced Computer Network Switching System (ACNSS)," 1975. Box 2, Folder 2-3
Box 4		"Map Backgrounds for CRT Displays," 1976. Box 4, Folder 5