On the History of Gunter's Scale and the Slide Rule During the 17th Century

On the History of Gunter's Scale and the Slide Rule During the Seventeenth Century

In my history of the slide rule[1], and my article on its invention[2] it is shewn that William Oughtred and not Edmund Wingate is the inventor, that Oughtreds circular rule was described in print in 1632, his rectilinear rule in 1633. Richard Delamain is referred to as having tried to appropriate the invention to himself[3] and as having written a scurrilous pamphlet against Oughtred. All our information [188] about Delamain was taken from De Morgan,[4] who, however, gives no evidence of having read any of Delamains writings on the slide rule. Through Dr. Arthur Hutchinson of Pembroke College, Cambridge, I learned that Delamains writings on the slide rule were available. In this article will be given: First, some details of the changes introduced during the seventeenth century in the design of Gunters scale by Edmund Wingate, Milbourn, Thomas Brown, John Brown and William Leybourn; second, an account of Delamains book of 1630 on the slide rule which antedates Oughtreds first publication (though Oughtreds date of invention is earlier than the date of Delamains alleged invention) and of Delamains later designs of slide rules; third, an account of the controversy between Delamain and Oughtred; fourth, an account of a later book on the slide rule written by William Oughtred, and of other seventeenth century books on the slide rule. We begin with Anthony Woods account of Wingates introduction of Gunters scale into France.[5] Gunters scale, which Wingate calls the rule of proportion, contained, as described in the French edition of 1624, four lines: (1) A single line of numbers; (2) a line of tangents; (3) a line of sines; (4) a line, one foot in length, divided into 12 inches and tenths of inches, also a line, one foot in length, divided into tenths and hundredths. ......Buy Now (To Read More)

Product details

Ebook Number: 42216
Author: Cajori, Florian
Release Date: Feb 26, 2013
Format: eBook
Language: English