Title
Whirlwind vacuum tube module rackCatalog Number
102733425Type
Physical objectDescription
The rack is built around two identical frame members consisting of a piece of heavy metal that is bent up along one side and down along the other, resulting in an 'N'-shaped channel with a 1.75" bend up, a 2.25" horizontal surface, and a 0.625" bend down. Two of these, oriented in opposite directions, are held together with ten 24-contact edge connectors into which two-tube modules are inserted. Two 11-position screw terminal strips also span the two channels on the right side of the front. Twenty round holes to accommodate BNC connectors are drilled along the front of both channels; however, not all the holes are populated. On the back of the rack, phenolic board with several rows of solder terminals are mounted to the horizontal sections of each channel, and another phenolic board with two rows of solder terminals is mounted perpendicular to these. Two 5-position screw terminal strips are mounted on the left side of the back of the rack, and one 4-position screw terminal strip is mounted to the bottom of the left end of the bottom channel.About 5 long bus wires are connected to pins of the module sockets to supply common signals and voltages. The two horizontal boards are also wired with two busses each. The vertical boards attached to these hold the passive components of the rack. Wiring is point-to-point between the solder posts of the boards and the terminals of the module sockets. Some of the wiring terminates at the screw terminal strips. Many of the external wires connected to the screw terminal strips have been cut.
Three brackets that hold two neon lamp sockets each are mounted to the top of the upper phenolic board. Each pair of sockets has a red lens and a clear lens. Dymo labels are attached to the brackets; the labels are upside-down and read, from left to right: "PRINT," PAPER FEED," and "START/STOP."
BNC connectors populate 10 of the 20 holes along the top of the rack. Four of the connectors have a BNC cable that has been cut off attached, and two have a BNC tee, terminator, and a cut-off cable attached. Thirteen of the holes along the bottom of the rack are populated with BNC connectors. Six of these have a BNC tee, a terminator, and a cut-off BNC cable attached.
All ten module locations are occupied by 2-tube plug-in modules; eight of the modules have a tag attached with handwriting in pencil. The module model, serial number, and tag inscription are, from left to right: FF# 052, "E14-6-1"; FF# 669, "E14-6-2"; IOS CF# 64, "E14-6-3"; GT BA# 254, "E14-6-4"; GT BA# 94; FF# 879; GT BA# 261, "E14-6-7"; GT BA# 269, "E14-6-8"; GT BA# 259, "E14-6-9"; and GT BA# 248, "E14-6-10". Two of the modules are missing a tube.
Identifying Numbers
| Other number | E14-6 | Written in ball point pen on a sticker stuck to the left end of back of the upper channel of the rack. |
| Serial number | 455 | Stamped in white ink on the left end of the upper channel of the rack. |