More cogitation: now the ratchets can be dispensed with. Each ratchet can be reduced to a single tooth, and that tooth placed on the end of a spring loaded arm. The neat arrangement of wheels around wheels becomes a bristly mass of hooks and spines. Should be simpler to build, and has less critical tolerences. It does however, lose the victorian steampunk look. I can probably replace the central 'heartbeat' wheel with a linear ram - which would be easier to power with steam or pneumatic power.
It is possible to create a eraseable paper tape. Its just not extremely durable.
Two tapes glued togther with internal pockets that contain paper shutters. The shutters can be slid left and right, so that the shutter can cover a hole. Its bulky - I can't imagine making it smaller then 1 cm of tape length per bit without usuing very special equipment. It also is vulnerable to data corruption, as the shutters are only locked in poistion by friction. Of course, if the tape is kept reeled, then the pressure of the tight roll will keep the shutters from shifting.
Diagram to follow.
Two tapes glued togther with internal pockets that contain paper shutters. The shutters can be slid left and right, so that the shutter can cover a hole. Its bulky - I can't imagine making it smaller then 1 cm of tape length per bit without usuing very special equipment. It also is vulnerable to data corruption, as the shutters are only locked in poistion by friction. Of course, if the tape is kept reeled, then the pressure of the tight roll will keep the shutters from shifting.
Diagram to follow.
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