Early Integrated Circuit modules – NORBIT

I have looked at an old injection moulding machine that has ciruit boards containing these modules.

The following information is gathered from various web searches.

Philips/Mullard/Valvo produced circuit blocks they called NORBITs.  These are plastic blocks, like oversized DIL packages, in several colours. With two rows of pins, eight on one side and nine on the other. Apparently they have very electrically robust inputs and outputs; although considering their rarity I would suggest being very careful with them.

The Philips Pocketbook for 1969 describes the 60-series of five members:

  • 2NOR60 = dual four-input NOR gate = black body
  • IA60 = dual inverter amplifier = blue body
  • TU60 = timer unit = red body
  • 2SF60 = dual switch filter = green body
  • PA60 = power amplifier = blue double-width body

Other possibles are:

  • 4NOR60 = two 2-input NOR gates plus two 3-input NOR gates
  • FF60 = possibly a flip-flop = ??
  • LPA60 = unknown function
  • HPA60 = unknown function
  • GLD60 = unknown function
  • UPA61 = unknown function
  • 2NOR61 = unknown function

Other notes suggest ‘NORBIT 2’ and ‘NORBIT S’.

NORBITs were not a commercial success. See patents that employ them.

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