The Construction of Charles Babbage's Difference Engine No. 2

Abstract

Charles Babbage designed Difference Engine No. 2 between 1846 and 1848. Contemporary drawings illustrate a machine - never built during his lifetime - that calculates and tabulates polynomials, printing results in hard copy and producing stereotype molds for plates intended for use in conventional printing presses. This article describes construction of the first complete physical realization of a full Babbage engine design and outlines Babbage's ambitions for this advanced engine.