Core Memory Panels from 1960's and early 1970's computers

Core Memory

Core memory or "core storage" of the type shown here was used in many early computers of the 1950's and early 1960's. Tiny ferrite cores about 1/16th of an inch in diameter hold magnetic charge even when power is cut off. The direction of the magnetic flux is used to determine whether the value is a "1" or a "0."

Core memory was developed in the late 1940's by Jay W. Forrester and Dr. An Wang.

 

(ref: The Computer Glossary, by Alan Freedman, Amacom, 1981.)

 

Photos Courtesy of Craig Solomonson and others

Core Memory Panel (7 x 9 inches)

Expanded view of memory cores (above).

Core Memory from an IBM 2821 (above).

Core Memory from an IBM 2821 (above).

Core memory example, circa 1974.

Another Core Memory example.

 

 

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