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Computer Logic Systems CLS-18

G

gslick

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"Does anyone know what these are?"

https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.3758/BF03211027.pdf
CLS-18
The CLS-18 computer is new and priced
at $9,870 for the basic 4k unit. Word
length is 18 bits, with the 4k memory
expandable to 32k. Memory cycle time is
0.96 rnicrosec, add time is 1.9 microsec,
and multiply is 7 microsec. The machine
has 120 instructions, with the addressing
being direct, indirect, extended, indexed,
and push-pop. The number of priority
interrupts is 8 to 144. DMA channels: 1 to
8. Maximum I/O is 1,250 kbytes/second.
Software includes FORTRAN IV and a
two-pass assembler.
 
would be a fun box to play with. When I first started working on computers I had dreams of getting an unknown computer and trying to figure out the instructions from the front panel.
Duane Craps
 
Interesting that a couple showed up in the wild. First (and probably last) time that I've heard of the outfit. 18 bit words in the heyday of 16 bit minis (1969)
 
Al Kossow said:
datamation apr, 1970
Click to expand...
Thanks for the information. Does not seem to be any technical information available . someone needs to step through the memory and write down the contents (assuming that its core)and then go from there. .Context has me stumped. Could be for referencing different pages like the 1219 "special register" (SR). Sounds like it was very fast for it's time. The vectored interrupts sounds like how the UNIVAC 18 bit machines did it. Did anyone know where they came from?
 
The VCF Computing History Museum, where these are on display, knows exactly what these are.
I brought them out of the warehouse as examples of early fully logic IC implemented computers. We have not removed the
cards to examine them yet The top card we can see is all logic IC
and has hand drawn artwork.. Quite beautiful.
I just went through the box of materials that accompanied them, and here is a short summary of what I learned:
Computer Logic Systems of Massachusetts appears to have built this computer to pitch to ARMA corp. We have hand written specs and
design notes, schematics, preliminary manuals and tapes.
There are contracts between CLS and ARMA.
The design was quite advanced to my eye- more specs later.
Not mentioned in on paragraph on the web,
It had multiple sets of registers for quick context switching.
There are records that the units failed acceptance tests for
temperature management, and some bugs.
There are reports that the software tools-
written by an identified consulting company- had problems too.
The box shows no sign that the computer was completed-
No passing of the acceptance tests nor finished manuals.
As some of you have found, the CLS-18 has a few mentions
on the web but not much else, nor much of anything on
the CLS company. We may be able to cull some names to
possibly chase down personnel from there if they are
still alive.
 
I had thought that they might be prototypes because one of the links someone posted quoted delivery 3 months after order. If that was because of a backlog there should have been more of those around. Glad that they are in good hands.
 
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