James W. Bryce
Encyclopedia
James Wares Bryce was an American
engineer and inventor. In 1936, on the centenary of the United States Patent Office, he was honored as one of the country’s 10 greatest living inventors.
Born in New York City
on September 5, 1880, his father was from Edinburgh
and mother was from Wick
.
He studied for three years at City College of New York
before taking a draftsman position in 1900. In 1903 he worked for J. Walter Christie
and helped develop a front-wheel-drive racing car. In 1904 he went to work for H. T. Goss, who later formed the partnership of Goss & Bryce. One of their contracts was with Bundy Manufacturing Company
who made time clock
s used to track hours worked by industrial workers.
He took a position at the Computing Tabulating Recording Corporation (later known as IBM
) in 1917 as supervising engineer of the division that developed time recording machines.
Time clocks used punched cards to record workers in and out times. Subtracting these two gave hours worked on each day, and adding them all up gave total work time. This was easily automated by mechanical machines. However, to compute wages, the hours must be multiplied by salary per hour. Bryce invented one of the first electro-mechanical multipliers using relay
s for this application, and became IBM's chief engineer. In 1937 Bryce was approached by Howard Aiken
of Harvard University
, who persuaded IBM to fund a programmable calculator which became the Automatic Sequence Controlled Calculator (ASCC), better known as the Harvard Mark I
.
When Aiken published a press release announcing the ASCC. Bryce was the only IBM person mentioned.
In 1946 Bryce designed the first commercial electronic multiplier using vacuum tube
s, which IBM marketed as the IBM 603
.
He adapted the 603 to become the arithmetic logic unit
in the Selective Sequence Electronic Calculator (SSEC).
However, he was too ill to attend the dedication of the SSEC in January 1948, and died in March 1949.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
engineer and inventor. In 1936, on the centenary of the United States Patent Office, he was honored as one of the country’s 10 greatest living inventors.
Born in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on September 5, 1880, his father was from Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
and mother was from Wick
Wick, Highland
Wick is an estuary town and a royal burgh in the north of the Highland council area of Scotland. Historically, it is one of two burghs within the county of Caithness, of which Wick was the county town. The town straddles the River Wick and extends along both sides of Wick Bay...
.
He studied for three years at City College of New York
City College of New York
The City College of the City University of New York is a senior college of the City University of New York , in New York City. It is also the oldest of the City University's twenty-three institutions of higher learning...
before taking a draftsman position in 1900. In 1903 he worked for J. Walter Christie
J. Walter Christie
John Walter Christie was an American engineer and inventor. He is best known for developing the Christie suspension system used in a number of World War II-era tank designs, most notably the Soviet BT and T-34 series, and the British Covenanter and Crusader Cruiser tanks, as well as the Comet...
and helped develop a front-wheel-drive racing car. In 1904 he went to work for H. T. Goss, who later formed the partnership of Goss & Bryce. One of their contracts was with Bundy Manufacturing Company
Bundy Manufacturing Company
The Bundy Manufacturing Company was a 19th-century American manufacturer of timekeeping devices that went through a series of mergers, eventually becoming part of International Business Machines. The company was founded by the Bundy brothers....
who made time clock
Time clock
A time clock, sometimes known as a clock card machine or punch clock or time recorder, is a mechanical timepiece used to assist in tracking the hours an employee of a company worked. In regards to mechanical time clocks this was accomplished by inserting a heavy paper card, called a timesheet,...
s used to track hours worked by industrial workers.
He took a position at the Computing Tabulating Recording Corporation (later known as IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
) in 1917 as supervising engineer of the division that developed time recording machines.
Time clocks used punched cards to record workers in and out times. Subtracting these two gave hours worked on each day, and adding them all up gave total work time. This was easily automated by mechanical machines. However, to compute wages, the hours must be multiplied by salary per hour. Bryce invented one of the first electro-mechanical multipliers using relay
Relay
A relay is an electrically operated switch. Many relays use an electromagnet to operate a switching mechanism mechanically, but other operating principles are also used. Relays are used where it is necessary to control a circuit by a low-power signal , or where several circuits must be controlled...
s for this application, and became IBM's chief engineer. In 1937 Bryce was approached by Howard Aiken
Howard Aiken
Howard Hathaway Aiken was a pioneer in computing, being the original conceptual designer behind IBM's Harvard Mark I computer....
of Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, who persuaded IBM to fund a programmable calculator which became the Automatic Sequence Controlled Calculator (ASCC), better known as the Harvard Mark I
Harvard Mark I
The IBM Automatic Sequence Controlled Calculator , called the Mark I by Harvard University, was an electro-mechanical computer....
.
When Aiken published a press release announcing the ASCC. Bryce was the only IBM person mentioned.
In 1946 Bryce designed the first commercial electronic multiplier using vacuum tube
Vacuum tube
In electronics, a vacuum tube, electron tube , or thermionic valve , reduced to simply "tube" or "valve" in everyday parlance, is a device that relies on the flow of electric current through a vacuum...
s, which IBM marketed as the IBM 603
IBM 603
The IBM 603 Electronic Multiplier was the first mass-produced commercial electronic calculating device; it used vacuum tubes to perform multiplication and addition. The IBM 603 was adapted as the arithmetic unit in the IBM Selective Sequence Electronic Calculator. It was designed by James W. Bryce,...
.
He adapted the 603 to become the arithmetic logic unit
Arithmetic logic unit
In computing, an arithmetic logic unit is a digital circuit that performs arithmetic and logical operations.The ALU is a fundamental building block of the central processing unit of a computer, and even the simplest microprocessors contain one for purposes such as maintaining timers...
in the Selective Sequence Electronic Calculator (SSEC).
However, he was too ill to attend the dedication of the SSEC in January 1948, and died in March 1949.