Pinwheel Calculating Machines

A second mechanism for entering numbers in a calculating machine was the pinwheel. As the name suggests, pinwheel machines had a series of wheels (initially mounted vertically) with nine retractable pins mounted around the edge. Setting a digit released a corresponding number of pins. Rotating the crank transferred the digits of the number to the mechanism of the machine. The pinwheel calculating machine was invented in the United States by Frank S. Baldwin and in Russia by the Swede W. T. Odhner. Odhner’s patents formed the basis of Swedish, German, French and later American calculating machines.

This is the U.S. Patent Office model for a printing pinwheel calculating machine patented by Frank S. Baldwin of St. Louis, Mo., in 1875. The machine has a brass base, two open brass pieces on each side that form a frame, and a brass, steel, and wooden mechanism.
Description
This is the U.S. Patent Office model for a printing pinwheel calculating machine patented by Frank S. Baldwin of St. Louis, Mo., in 1875. The machine has a brass base, two open brass pieces on each side that form a frame, and a brass, steel, and wooden mechanism. A cylindrical drum mounted horizontally on the frame is 11.5 cm. (4-1/2”) in diameter and 5 cm. (2”) in height.
Both ends of this drum are perforated with six round holes. The drum slides along the shaft into a series of position and may be fixed in place by a small lever. Along the surface of the drum are three slots in which levers slide. The levers may be set at any digit from 0 to 9. Moving a lever from 0 to a given number moves a steel arc that pushes the corresponding number of pins above the surface of the cylinder opposite the lever. Rotating the large cylinder rotates a series of intermediate wheels in proportion to the number of raised pins.
These wheels are linked to a set of seven cogwheels, each having ten teeth. On the outer edge of each tooth is a number in type, the numbers ranging from 0 to 9. These cogwheels are linked to a second set of three larger cogwheels that also have digits in type. These wheels may be intended to indicate the multiplier. The front of the two sets of type-wheels has a brass cover that contains a manually operated printing mechanism. The machine has no paper or ribbon
The machine is marked on the large cylinder next to the slots for the three levers: F.P. Baldwin (/) St. Louis, Mo.
Baldwin applied for his patent September 8, 1873. A few examples were manufactured and sold by the Reliance Machine Works of Philadelphia.
Compare to a production model of the machine, MA.310229.
References:
U.S. Patent 159244, February 2, 1875.
“Baldwin’s Arithmometer,” Philadelphia, Reliance Machine Works, about 1875.
P. A. Kidwell, “The Adding Machine Fraternity at St. Louis: Creating a Center of Invention, 1880–1920,” IEEE Annals of the History of Computing, 22 #2 (April–June 2000), pp. 4–21.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1875
date patented
1875 02 02
patentee
Baldwin, Frank S.
maker
Baldwin, Frank S.
ID Number
MA.252698
catalog number
252698
accession number
49064
This is one of the first calculating machines built on the design of Willgodt T. Odhner (1845–1905), a Swedish engineer working in St.
Description
This is one of the first calculating machines built on the design of Willgodt T. Odhner (1845–1905), a Swedish engineer working in St. Petersburg, Russia, in the factory of another Swede, Ludwig Nobel.
In the early 1870s, Odhner sought to improve his fortune by inventing a calculating machine. He prepared a prototype in 1875, a model in 1876 and in 1877 arranged to have 14 machines built at the Nobel factory. This is one of these machines. Like Frank S. Baldwin of St. Louis, Odhner represented digits by retractable pins that extended from the edge of metal discs. Rotating the disc had an effect proportional to the number of protruding pins. Pinwheel calculating machines came to sell widely.
This lever-set non-printing machine has a black cast–iron frame with eight brass pinwheels and a wooden base. Numbers are set by rotating the pinwheels forward using levers that extend from the wheels. Windows between the pinwheels show the number set. Commas are painted on the case to indicate decimal divisions.
The carriage is at the front of the machine, with a seven-digit revolution counter at the very front and a ten-digit result register behind this. Seven brass screws rotate to set numbers in the revolution register. Rotating a wing nut on the right of the carriage zeros the result register, and turning a crank on the left of the revolution counter zeros it. A crank at the right end of the carriage may be designed to release it. A crank with an ivory knob on the right side of the machine is rotated counterclockwise for addition and multiplication and clockwise for subtraction and division.
A mark at the top of the machine reads: W. Odhners (/) ARITHMOMETER. A second, underlined, mark there reads: L. Nobel. A third, underlined, mark there reads: St. Petersburg. The number “9” has been stamped several places that are visible when the case is opened. Specifically, it is found on the top edge of the bottom of the case and the bottom edge of the top of the case, on a gear inside the crank, and on the right side of each of the pinwheels. It also has a "9" on the inside of the carriage.
Compare MA.323605.
This machine was owned by Joseph S. McCoy, actuary of the U.S. Treasury Department.
References:
E. Martin, The Calculating Machines (Die Rechenmaschinen), trans. P. A. Kidwell and M. R. Williams, Cambridge: MIT Press, 1992, esp. p. 67, figure 36.
Timo Leipaelae, “The Life and Works of W. T. Odhner,” Greifswalder Symposium zur Entwicklung der Rechentechnik, ed. W. Girbardt, Greifswald: Univ. Greifswald, Inst. für Mathematik und Informatik, 2003 and 2006.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1877
maker
Nobel, L.
ID Number
MA.310231
accession number
113246
catalog number
310231
This is one of the first calculating machines built on the design of Willgodt T. Odhner (1845–1905), a Swedish engineer working in St.
Description
This is one of the first calculating machines built on the design of Willgodt T. Odhner (1845–1905), a Swedish engineer working in St. Petersburg, Russia, in the factory of another Swede, Ludwig Nobel.
In the early 1870s, Odhner sought to improve the family fortunes by inventing a calculating machine. He prepared a prototype in 1875, and a model in 1876. In 1877 fourteen machines were built at the Nobel factory. This is one of these machines. Like Frank S. Baldwin of St. Louis, Odhner represented digits by retractable pins that extended from the edge of metal discs. Rotating the disc had an effect proportional to the number of protruding pins. Pinwheel calculating machines would come to sell widely.
The lever-set, non-printing machine has a black cast–iron frame with eight brass pinwheels and a wooden base. Numbers are set by rotating the pinwheels forward, using levers that extend from the wheels. Windows between the pinwheels show the number set. The carriage at the front of the machine has a seven-digit revolution counter at the very front ,and a ten-digit result register behind this.
Seven brass screws are rotated to set numbers in the revolution register. Rotating a wing nut on the right of the carriage zeros the result register, and moving a crank to the left of the revolution counter zeros it. A crank at the right end of the carriage releases it to be shifted. A crank with an ivory knob on the right side of the machine is rotated counterclockwise for addition and multiplication and clockwise for subtraction and division. The base of the machine is covered with green felt. It fits in a wooden case.
The machine is marked on the top: ARITHMOMETER (/) W. Odhners Se Petersburg. Invention. The number 4 is visible several places inside the case, namely along the top edge of the bottom of the case, along the bottom edge of the top of the case, and on all eight of the pinwheels, next to the entry digit 7. The number 5 is on the bottom of the carriage (also inside the machine).
A letter from J. M. Furnas to adding machine manufacturer Dorr E. Felt, dated April 6, 1916, is pasted to the inside of the lid of the case. It indicates that the machine was purchased by Professor Ezekial Brown Elliott about 1865 [sic], after he was appointed United States Government Actuary in May 1865. It was used by Brown until his death May 24, 1888, and purchased from his estate by Mrs. S. Wollard, who had been appointed assistant actuary by Brown and continued in this capacity under his successor, Joseph S. McCoy. Mrs. Wollard continued to use the machine until her death September 6, 1915, at which time it was inherited by her daughter, Mrs. Lillian Bonner, herself a clerk at the Treasury Department. Mrs. Bonner sold the machine to Furnas, who was acting on Felt’s behalf. Other than the alleged date of purchase of the machine, the dates are not impossible.
Compare 310231.
References:
E. Martin, The Calculating Machines (Die Rechenmaschinen), trans. P. A. Kidwell and M. R. Williams, Cambridge: MIT Press, 1992, esp. p. 67, figure 36.
Timo Leipälä, “The Life and Works of W. T. Odhner,” Greifswalder Symposium zur Entwicklung der Rechentechnik, ed. W. Girbardt, Greifswald: Univ. Greifswald, Inst. für Mathematik und Informatik, 2003 and 2006.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1877
maker
Odhner, W. T.
ID Number
MA.323605
accession number
250163
catalog number
323605
In about 1886 the Swede W. T. Odhner, who worked in St. Petersburg, Russia, opened his own shop where he worked on improvements to the pinwheel calculating machine he had introduced the previous decade.
Description
In about 1886 the Swede W. T. Odhner, who worked in St. Petersburg, Russia, opened his own shop where he worked on improvements to the pinwheel calculating machine he had introduced the previous decade. By 1890, Odhner had a commercial product, and had begun to produce calculating machines in some numbers. In 1893 he exhibited his arithmometer, or reckoning machine, at the Columbian Exposition, a World’s Fair held in Chicago.
This is an example of an Odhner arithmometer from the 1890s. The machine has a brass frame, painted black, with eight metal pinwheels and a wooden base. Numbers are set by rotating the pinwheels forward, using levers that extend from the wheels. Digits inscribed on the frame next to the rotating pinwheels show the number set. The machine has no separate set of windows to show these digits.
The carriage is at the front of the machine, with eight windows for the revolution counter on the left and 13 windows for the result register on the right. Wing nuts at opposite ends of the carriage zero these registers. To release the carriage, one pushes down a lever at the front. the machine has no metal holds to ease the shifting. A crank with a wooden knob on the right side of the machine rotates clockwise for addition and multiplication, and counterclockwise for subtraction and division. The machine has no decimal markers.
A mark on the top reads: No 2676. Another mark there reads: The Spectator Company (/) New York
Compare MA.328418.
According to the Odhner History, W. T. Odhner manufactured calculating machines in Russia on his own from 1886 until his death in 1905. According to Timo Leiipälä, from 1892 until 1896 Odhner manufactured calculating machines in conjunction with an Englishman named Hill. These machines are marked (in Cyrillic) Odhner and Hill. There appears to be no mention of Hill on this machine. By the time Odhner manufactured machine number 2490, Hill was no longer in the picture. Leipälä dates the machine to between 1896 and 1899. The Spectator Company of New York was the U.S. agent for the Odhner calculating machine from at least 1897 through at least 1903. In 1897 it advertised this model of the Odhner as selling for $125.
References:
Timo Leipälä, “The Life and Works of W. T. Odhner,” Greifswalder Symposium zur Entwicklung der Rechentechnik, ed. W. Girbardt, Greifswald: Univ. Greifswald, Inst. für Mathematik und Informatik, 2003 and 2006.
Timo Leipälä, Personal communication.
Henry Wassen, Odhner History, Gothenburg, Aktiebolaget Original-Odhner, 1951.
The Spectator Company, The Insurance Year Book 1897-8, New York, 1897, p. 30.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1896
maker
Odhner, W. T.
ID Number
MA.323601
accession number
250163
catalog number
323601
maker number
2676
In 1892 the German firm of Grimme, Natalis & Company in Braunschweig, which had specialized in sewing machines, purchased the rights to manufacture pinwheel calculating machines on the design of the Swede W. T. Odhner.
Description
In 1892 the German firm of Grimme, Natalis & Company in Braunschweig, which had specialized in sewing machines, purchased the rights to manufacture pinwheel calculating machines on the design of the Swede W. T. Odhner. Under the leadership of the engineer Franz Trinks, they began manufacturing and improving a machine called the Brunsviga. This is a relatively early example.
The lever-set non-printing manually operated machine has a brass and steel mechanism and a metal frame, painted black, with an iron base. Seven slots in the front have levers moved forward to release pins on pinwheels below and set a number. A brass crank with a wooden handle on the right side of the machine rotates backward (clockwise) for addition and multiplication and forward (counterclockwise) for subtraction and division.
At the front of the machine, a movable carriage carries ten windows that show dials of the result register on the right and eight windows for the revolution register on the left. Holes for decimal markers above the registers presently contain no markers. Depressing a lever at the front of the machine releases the carriage for shifting. An arrow on the left of the cover of the machine points to the wheel of the revolution counter that will be affected by turning the crank when the carriage is in any one position. Rotating wing nuts at the ends of the carriage zeros the registers on it.
Marks on the top of the machine read: BRUNSVIGA, and: No1750. A mark at the top of a list of patents on the left side of the machine reads: Grimme, Natalis & Co.(/) Braunschweig - Brunswick (/) Patente:W.T. Odhner. The patents are from Germany, Belgium, England, Austria, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, Hungary, Russia (no number), Luxembourg (no number), and the United States (no number).
This machine came to the Smithsonian from the personal collection of Brooklyn high school teacher L. Leland Locke.
References:
E. Martin, The Calculating Machines (Die Rechenmaschinen), trans. P. A. Kidwell and M. R. Williams, Cambridge: MIT Press, 1992, pp. 109–113.
E. Anthes, “Zur Datierung von Brunsviga-Rechenmaschinen, Leertaste, Nr. 6, August, 1982.
F. Schellstede, “Brunsviga. Produktionxzahlen, Absatzzahlen, Werbung. Versuch einer kurzen geschichtlichen Darstellung,” Kassel, 1990.
“Sixty Years of Brunsviga,” Business Equipment Topics vol. 80 (April, 1932), p. 46.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1898
maker
Grimme, Natalis & Co.
ID Number
MA.311947
catalog number
311947
accession number
155183
maker number
1750
In 1875 Frank S. Baldwin of St. Louis patented a pinwheel calculating machine. He manufactured a few of these machines, but they did not sell well. Baldwin went on to take out a number of other patents.
Description
In 1875 Frank S. Baldwin of St. Louis patented a pinwheel calculating machine. He manufactured a few of these machines, but they did not sell well. Baldwin went on to take out a number of other patents. By 1901 he had moved to Newark, New Jersey, where he designed an improved pinwheel machine. He obtained a patent the following year. This is an early example of that machine.
The lever-set, non-printing machine has eight rings at the front that rotate forward to release pins and enter numbers. A zeroing bar for the rings is at the front, and an operating crank to the right. The crank turns clockwise for addition and multiplication and counterclockwise for subtraction and division. Behind the rings is a movable carriage with a row of 16 result windows and, behind this, a second row of nine windows for the revolution register. Both these registers have zeroing cranks. Both also have a thin metal rod below them that moves to serve as a decimal marker.
Pulling forward a lever on the left allows one to shift the carriage. A bell rings when the result changes sign (negative to positive or positive to negative). The entire machine sits in a wooden case with a missing lid.
Compare MA.311954.
A mark stamped on the front reads: No 50.
The donor dated this machine to 1902.
References:
Accession file.
Frank S. Baldwin, “Calculating-Machine,” U.S. Patent 706375, August 5, 1902.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1902
maker
Baldwin, Frank S.
ID Number
MA.307384
catalog number
307384
accession number
67982
maker number
50
This lever-set, non-printing, and manually operated pinwheel calculating machine has a metal housing painted black, a brass and steel mechanism, and nine levers for entering numbers.
Description
This lever-set, non-printing, and manually operated pinwheel calculating machine has a metal housing painted black, a brass and steel mechanism, and nine levers for entering numbers. A steel crank with a wooden handle that extends from the right side of the machine rotates backward (clockwise) for addition and multiplication, and forward (counterclockwise) for subtraction and division.
A movable carriage at the front of the machine has 13 windows that show dials of the result register on the right, and eight windows for the revolution register on the left. The revolution register has no carry. The digits on the revolution register dial are white for additions and red for subtractions. Holes for decimal markers between digits of the result and revolution registers presently have no markers. Depressing a lever at the front of the machine releases the carriage for shifting. To zero the registers, one rotates wing nuts at the ends of the carriage. The left end of the carriage carries a bell.
A mark on the front of the machine reads: BRUNSVIGA. A second mark there reads: No 4644. A third mark (part of the Brunsviga trademark) is: G.N.& C.C.a.A. A mark on the left side of the machine reads: Grimme, Natalis & Co.(/) Braunschweig - Brunswick (/) System W.T. Odhner. It includes a list of patents from Germany (64925), Belgium (91812), England (13700). Austria (45538), Hungary (69363); Switzerland (4578), and France (301119 and 303744). The United States is also listed, but no patent date is given. A fifth mark, on a property sticker attached to the back of the carriage reads: DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (/) 10248-WB-Z.
The case has a wooden base and a metal lid painted black, with a leather handle and a place for a lock at the front. A cloth bag with small loose parts is stored with the machine.
The Weather Bureau of the United States Department of Commerce transferred this machine to the Smithsonian in 1958.
Reference:
E. Martin, The Calculating Machines (Die Rechenmaschinen), trans. P. A. Kidwell and M. R. Williams, Cambridge: MIT Press, 1992, pp. 109–113.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1902
maker
Grimme, Natalis & Co.
ID Number
MA.315904
catalog number
315904
accession number
222974
maker number
4644
In 1875 Frank S. Baldwin of St. Louis patented a pinwheel calculating machine. He manufactured a few of these machines, but they did not sell well. Baldwin went on to take out a number of other patents.
Description
In 1875 Frank S. Baldwin of St. Louis patented a pinwheel calculating machine. He manufactured a few of these machines, but they did not sell well. Baldwin went on to take out a number of other patents. By 1901, he had moved to Newark, New Jersey, where he designed an improved pinwheel machine. He obtained a patent the following year, Baldwin went on to invent other calculating machines, most notably those manufactured by the Monroe Calculating Machine Company.
This non-printing machine has eight rings at the front that may be rotated forward to release pins and enter numbers. The zeroing bar for the rings is at the front and the operating crank to the right. The crank turns clockwise for addition and multiplication and counterclockwise for subtraction and division. Behind the rings is a movable carriage with a row of 16 result windows and a second row of nine windows for the revolution register behind this. Both of these registers have zeroing cranks and thin metal rods below them that move to serve as decimal markers. Lifting a metal hook on the left allows one to shift the carriage. The entire machine sits in a wooden case with lid with handle.
A mark scratched on the front of the machine reads: 150. The museum number assigned by the Museum of the Peaceful Arts is: 27-94. A metal tag on the lid of the machine reads: BALDWIN (/) CALCULATOR (/) 150 (/) PAT. AUG. 5. 1902. Another metal tag in the same place reads: THE SPECTATOR CO (/) AGENTS (/) 95 WILLIAM ST. (/) NEW YORK.
This example is from the collection of L. Leland Locke and was once in on deposit at the Museums of the Peaceful Arts in New York City.
The Spectator Company of New York sold Baldwin’s calculator from at least 1903 through at least 1907. Their advertisements boasted of the reliability of the machine and its American manufacture. It cost $250.
Compare MA.307384.
References:
Frank S. Baldwin, “Calculating-Machine,” U.S. Patent 706375, August 5, 1902.
Advertisement, The Spectator, vol. 76 #3 (Feb 1, 1904), p. 66.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1905
distributor
The Spectator Company
maker
Baldwin, Frank S.
ID Number
MA.311954
catalog number
311954
accession number
155183
This lever-set pinwheel non-printing calculating machine has a steel frame painted black with eight metal pinwheels and a wooden base. Rotating the pinwheels forward using levers that extend from the wheels sets a number.
Description
This lever-set pinwheel non-printing calculating machine has a steel frame painted black with eight metal pinwheels and a wooden base. Rotating the pinwheels forward using levers that extend from the wheels sets a number. No digits are inscribed on the frame next to the rotating pinwheels to show the entry, but these digits do appear in a row of windows above the pinwheels. Rotating a wing nut on the left side zeros the entry register.
The carriage at the front of the machine has ten windows for the revolution counter on the left and 18 windows for the result register on the right. Wing nuts at opposite ends of the carriage rotate to zero these registers. To release the carriage, one pushes down a lever at the front. A crank with a wooden knob on the right side of the machine rotates clockwise for addition and multiplication and counterclockwise for subtraction and division. The revolution register and the result register have one sliding decimal marker each. The revolution register on this machine has no carry.
A mark on the top of the machine reads: No 464. A mark on the front (with quotation marks after the German style) reads: “Patent” (/) Rechenmaschine (/) Triumphator. A mark on the back reads: Sole Manufacturers (/) Leipziger Röhrenwerke G.m.b.H. (/)Leipzig-Lindenau (/) Aurellenstr. 56 (/) PATENTED.
The machine is from the collection of Felt & Tarrant Manufacturing Company. The Triumphator was manufactured in Leipzig, Germany, from about 1904.
Reference:
E. Martin, The Calculating Machines (Die Rechenmaschinen), trans. P. A. Kidwell and M. R. Williams, Cambridge: MIT Press, 1992, pp. 144–146.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1905
ID Number
MA.323655
catalog number
323655
accession number
250163
maker number
464
This lever-set pinwheel non-printing and manually operated calculating machine has a steel casing painted black, a steel mechanism, and nine levers for entering numbers. A small metal lever is at the top left of the machine.
Description
This lever-set pinwheel non-printing and manually operated calculating machine has a steel casing painted black, a steel mechanism, and nine levers for entering numbers. A small metal lever is at the top left of the machine. A steel crank with a wooden handle that extends from the right side of the machine rotates backward (clockwise) for addition and multiplication and forward (counterclockwise) for subtraction and division.
At the front of the machine is a movable carriage with 18 windows that show dials of the result register on the right and ten windows for the revolution register on the left. The revolution register has no carry mechanism. Digits in this register are white for additions and red for subtractions. The carriage has holes for decimal markers, but no decimal markers are present. Depressing a lever at the front of the machine releases the carriage for shifting. A wing nut on the left side of the carriage zeros the result register. The zeroing mechanism for the result register extends from the right side of the carriage, but is broken. A bell on the left end of the carriage rings when the result passes through zero.
The machine rests on a wooden base, but the lid of the case is missing.
Three marks on the front of the machine read: BRUNSVIGA, No 6384, and G.N.&C.C.a.A. a mark on the left side reads: Grimme, Natalis & Co.(/) Braunschweig - Brunswick (/) System W.T. Odhner (/) Patentirt in: (/) Deutschland (/) England (/) Osterreich (/) Ungaren (/) Frankreich (/) V.St.v.Nord-Amerika (/) Schweiz [. . .] 4578.
This example is from the collection of Felt & Tarrant Manufacturing Company.
Reference:
E. Martin, The Calculating Machines (Die Rechenmaschinen), trans. P. A. Kidwell and M. R. Williams, Cambridge: MIT Press, 1992, pp. 109–113.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1905
maker
Grimme, Natalis & Co.
ID Number
MA.323600
catalog number
323600
accession number
250163
maker number
6384
The family of W. T. Odhner continued to manufacture calculating machines in St. Petersburg from the time of Odhner’s death in 1905 until the Russian Revolution of 1917.
Description
The family of W. T. Odhner continued to manufacture calculating machines in St. Petersburg from the time of Odhner’s death in 1905 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. This is a pinwheel calculating machine made in that period.
The machine has a brass frame painted black with eight metal pinwheels and a wooden base. Numbers are set by rotating the pinwheels forward using levers that extend from the wheels. Digits inscribed on the frame next to the rotating pinwheels to show the number set. The machine has no separate set of windows to show these digits.
The carriage at the front of the machine has eight windows for the revolution counter on the left and 13 windows for the result register on the right. A thin metal rod attached above the windows of the carriage carries two decimal markers. Wing nuts at opposite ends of the carriage zero these registers. To release the carriage, one pushes down a lever at the front. A crank with a wooden knob on the right side of the machine rotates clockwise for addition and multiplication and counterclockwise for subtraction and division.
A mark on the top of the machine reads: Odhner’s [/] Arithmometer. Another mark there reads: No. 7368. A circular inscription on the left front reads: MASCHINENFABRIK (/) W.T. ODHNER (/) ST PETERSBURG
According to the donor, his father, the civil engineer Fred C. Dunham of the state of Washington, purchased the machine in October 1907 from the German agent of Brurnsviga, who had taken over two Odhner machines from a Russian agent. The older Dunham added the bar for decimal markers. The machine proved highly reliable.
References:
Accession file.
U.S. Census records.
Henry Wassen, Odhner History, Gothenburg, Aktiebolaget Original-Odhner, 1951.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1907
maker
Maschinnenfabrik W. T. Odhner
ID Number
MA.328418
accession number
272526
catalog number
328418
maker number
7368
This pinwheel, lever-set, non-printing calculating machine was made by the French firm of Chateau Frères, sold under the name Dactyle, and constructed on the design of the Swede W. T. Odhner.
Description
This pinwheel, lever-set, non-printing calculating machine was made by the French firm of Chateau Frères, sold under the name Dactyle, and constructed on the design of the Swede W. T. Odhner. Odhner-style machines were first made in Russia (as Odhners), then in Germany (as Brunsvigas) and then in France (as the Dactyle, from about 1905).
In 1910, about a year after this machine was made, R. H. Marchant of San Francisco, the American agent for the Dactyle, decided to go into business himself, building a very similar machine. The Marchant Calculating Machine Company officially was incorporated in 1913, and made a wide range of calculating machines into the 1950s.
The machine, painted black, has nine levers toward the top for setting numbers. The operating crank is on the right side. In front is the carriage, with ten numeral wheels on the left for counting revolutions and 18 numeral wheels on the right for recording totals. The numeral wheels of the revolution counter are numbered from 0 to 9 in white and then from 8 down to 1 in red. The result wheels have the digits from 0 to 9 around the edge. The zeroing screws for the registers are at the two ends of the carriage.
A mark on the left front at the top reads: No. 5641.
This machine came to the Smithsonian from the United States Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C.
Reference:
E. Martin, The Calculating Machines (Die Rechenmaschinen), trans. P.A. Kidwell and M.R. Williams, Cambridge: MIT Press, 1992, p. 164.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1909
maker
Chateau Frères of Paris
ID Number
2005.0174.02
accession number
2005.0174
catalog number
2005.0174.02
This lever-set, non-printing, and manually operated pinwheel calculating machine has a metal housing painted black, a steel mechanism, and nine levers for entering numbers. At the top left is a small metal lever.
Description
This lever-set, non-printing, and manually operated pinwheel calculating machine has a metal housing painted black, a steel mechanism, and nine levers for entering numbers. At the top left is a small metal lever. A steel operating crank with a wooden handle extends from the right side of the machine. The crank rotates backward (clockwise) for addition and multiplication and forward (counterclockwise) for subtraction and division. A wing nut on the left side zeros the setting levers.
A movable carriage at the front of the machine has 13 windows that show dials of the result register on the right and eight windows for the revolution register on the left. The revolution register has no carry mechanism. The digits on the revolution register dials are white for additions and red for subtractions. A narrow metal rod carries decimal markers for the revolution and result registers. Depressing a lever at the front of the machine releases the carriage for shifting. Rotating wing nuts at the ends of the carriage zero the registers on it. A bell on the left end of the carriage rings when the result passes through zero.
Three marks on the front of the machine read: BRUNSVIGA; No 14544; and CARL H. REUTER (/) LAND TITLE BUILDING (/) PHILADELPHIA, PA. A mark painted on the front of the machine, on the case, and twice on the back reads: UC-CE-C; U.S.E.D. A fifth mark, with an elaborate drawing, is on the back of the machine and reads: BRUNSVIGA (/) REGISTERED TRADE MARK. A mark on the back of the machine reads: PATENTED IN THE UNITED STATES, 12 JUNE 1906.
The case has a wooden base and a metal lid painted black, with a broken lock and leather handle at the front. A mark on it reads: „Brunsviga.”
Compare MA.315904.
This machine came to the Smithsonian from the Office of the Chief of Engineers of the Department of the Army in 1950.
Reference:
E. Martin, The Calculating Machines (Die Rechenmaschinen), trans. P. A. Kidwell and M. R. Williams, Cambridge: MIT Press, 1992, pp. 109–113.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1910
maker
Grimme, Natalis & Co.
ID Number
MA.313426
catalog number
313426
accession number
185998
maker number
14544
This lever-set non-printing pinwheel duplex calculating machine has six levers that are rotated forward to set digits from 0 to 9. The pinwheels that carry out arithmetic operations are not beneath the levers but in a separate row of wheels in back of them.
Description
This lever-set non-printing pinwheel duplex calculating machine has six levers that are rotated forward to set digits from 0 to 9. The pinwheels that carry out arithmetic operations are not beneath the levers but in a separate row of wheels in back of them. The machine has a lever at the right bottom front and a crank for shifting the carriage at the center front. The set-up mechanism has two sliding decimal markers.
Behind this mechanism is a large carriage that has a row of 12 result dials at the front, a row of 14 result dials behind this, and a revolution register with seven dials behind these. These dials each have 20 digits around the edge. Alternate digits are for problems in addition and multiplication and for problems in subtraction and division. The windows showing the dials may be set to show either sets of digits. The revolution register has a carry mechanism. Both result registers have sliding decimal markers. Wheels used to set up numbers are between the dials of the result registers. The operating crank is on the left. Two rods are on both the right and the left side of the carriage.
The machine has an extremely heavy steel frame and mechanism. The outside is covered with a layer of silver-colored metal stamped with a small foliate pattern. A mark on the front reads: MONOPOL. A mark on the left side of the carriage reads: A.M. A mark on the right side of the carriage reads: S.D. The serial number, 367, is on a crosspiece visible only when the carriage is lifted.
According to Martin, this was the first pinwheel calculating machine with tens-carry in the revolution register. Monopol machines reportedly were manufactured between 1894 and 1914.
Reference:
E. Martin, The Calculating Machines (Die Rechenmaschinen), trans. P. A. Kidwell and M. R. Williams, Cambridge: MIT Press, 1992, p. 125.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1910
maker
Schubert & Salzer
ID Number
MA.311944
catalog number
311944
accession number
155183
This compact pinwheel lever-set and manually operated non-printing calculating machine has a steel mechanism and housing. Nine slots contain levers for setting numbers. The levers rotate forward to set digits.
Description
This compact pinwheel lever-set and manually operated non-printing calculating machine has a steel mechanism and housing. Nine slots contain levers for setting numbers. The levers rotate forward to set digits. A steel crank with a wooden handle that extends from the right side of the machine rotates backward (clockwise) for addition and multiplication and forward (counterclockwise) for subtraction and division. A wing nut on the left side zeros the setting levers.
At the front of the machine is a movable carriage with 13 windows that show dials of the result register on the right and eight windows for the revolution register on the left. The revolution register has no carry. Sliding decimal markers are on a rod over the result register. Depressing a lever at the front of the machine releases the carriage for shifting. Wing nuts at the ends of the carriage are used to zero the registers on it. A bell on the left end of the carriage rings when the result changes sign (as in over division). The machine sits on a wooden base.
Marks on the front of the machine read: BRUNSVIGA-MIDGET; No 20276; PATENT (/) G.N.& C.C.a.A.; and Carl H. REU [. . .] [(/) AND TITLE BUILDING (/) [...] HILADELPHIA, PA.. A mark on the back reads: Patented in the United States 12 June 1906.
Compare to MA.335656.
Carl H. Reuter (1866–1925) was born in Dessau, Germany, immigrated to the United States in 1885, and became a U.S. citizen in 1894. He distributed Brunsviga calculating machines from about 1908 until about 1924, when he sold his business to the Allen Corporation and returned to Germany.
References: Typewriter Topics61 (December 1925): p. 36.
U.S. Passport Applications of Carl H. Reuter.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1912
maker
Grimme, Natalis & Co.
ID Number
MA.309542
catalog number
309542
accession number
104255
maker number
20276
accession number
104255
This compact pinwheel lever-set manually operated non-printing calculating machine has a a steel mechanism and housing partly painted black. It has nine slots with levers for setting numbers. The levers rotate forward to set digits.
Description
This compact pinwheel lever-set manually operated non-printing calculating machine has a a steel mechanism and housing partly painted black. It has nine slots with levers for setting numbers. The levers rotate forward to set digits. A steel crank with a wooden handle that extends from the right side of the machine rotates backward (clockwise) for addition and multiplication and forward (counterclockwise) for subtraction and division. A wing nut on the left side zeros the setting levers.
At the front of the machine is a movable carriage with 13 windows that show dials of the result register on the right and eight windows for the revolution register on the left. The revolution register has no carry. Digits in this register are white for addition and red for subtraction. The sliding decimal markers are on a rod over the result and revolution registers.
Depressing a lever at the front of the machine releases the carriage for shifting. Rotating the wing nuts at the ends of the carriage zeros the registers on it. A bell is on the left end of the carriage.
Marks on the front of the machine read: BRUNSVIGA-MIDGET; No 25209; and PATENT (/) G.N.& C.C.a.A. A mark on the back of the machine at the bottom reads: Patented in the United States 12 June 1906.
The wooden case has a flat base and curved lid, with a handle, a lock, and a key on the right side.
Compare MA.309542.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1914
maker
Grimme, Natalis & Co.
ID Number
MA.335656
catalog number
335656
accession number
1977.0143
maker number
25209
On February 23, 1911, Rodney H. Marchant of Oakland, California applied for a patent for an improvement in calculating machines. The machine he envisioned was a pinwheel device, with a superior carriage to that of the Odhner, Brunsviga, and Dactyle calculating machines. R. H.
Description
On February 23, 1911, Rodney H. Marchant of Oakland, California applied for a patent for an improvement in calculating machines. The machine he envisioned was a pinwheel device, with a superior carriage to that of the Odhner, Brunsviga, and Dactyle calculating machines. R. H. Marchant soon joined with his brother to manufacture machines under the name of Marchant Brothers. In 1913, the Marchant Calculating Machine Company took over the assets of Marchant Brothers and began a systematic campaign to sell its machines, particularly in the western United States. This is an example of a relatively early machine, manufactured under 1911 and 1916 patents of R. H. Marchant.
The lever-set non-printing pinwheel machine has a black steel housing, a wooden base, and a black metal case. Nine levers rotate to set the pinwheels, with color-coded numbers marked on the spaces between them. A bar in front of the levers can be shifted to assist in zeroing them. A steel crank with a wooden handle that extends from the right side of the machine rotates backward (clockwise) for addition and multiplication and forward (counterclockwise) for subtraction and division.
At the front of the machine is a movable carriage with 13 windows that show dials of the result register on the right and eight windows for the revolution register on the left. The revolution register has no carry mechanism. The digits in this register are white for additions and red for subtractions. Decimal markers slide above both the registers on the carriage. A lever at the bottom front of the machine is depressed to allow shifting of the carriage. Wing nuts at the ends of the carriage zero the registers on it. A bell on the left end of the carriage rings when the result passes through zero.
The metal case fits over the machine and its wooden base, with a key at the front and four rubber feet. The machine and base are separated by a layer of felt, as on other pinwheel machines. The screws holding the machine to the base are missing.
A mark on a metal tag attached to the front of the machine reads: The (/) Marchant (/) MANUFACTURED BY (/) MARCHANT CALCULATING (/) MACHINE CO., Inc. (/) OAKLAND, CAL. (/) PATENTED JUNE 6. 1911 (/) FEB. 22. 1916. A mark scratched on the back of the machine reads: 2056. A mark on the back of the carriage at the left reads: 306. A mark on the case reads: MARCHANT (/) OAKLAND, CAL.
Compare Marchant calculating machines 311952 (different shift control from 323602, Pony size), 314637 (different shift control from 323602), 323602, and 335268. Also compare these machines to Brunsviga machines 313426, 315904, etc.
This example of a Marchant calculating machine is from the collection of Felt & Tarrant Manufacturing Company.
References:
R. H. Marchant, "Calculating-Machine," U.S. Patent 994,414, June 6, 1911.
R. H. Marchant, "Calculating-Machine," U.S. Patent 1,172,817, February 22, 1916. Marchant filed for this patent in 1914.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1917
maker
Marchant Calculating Machine Company, Inc.
ID Number
MA.323602
accession number
250163
catalog number
323602
maker number
2056/306
In 1917 the Marchant Calculating Machine Company introduced this compact, lightweight version of its lever-set, non-printing manually operated calculating machine. This is an early example of that “Pony” model.The machine has a black steel housing and a wooden base.
Description
In 1917 the Marchant Calculating Machine Company introduced this compact, lightweight version of its lever-set, non-printing manually operated calculating machine. This is an early example of that “Pony” model.
The machine has a black steel housing and a wooden base. The case is missing. Nine levers rotate forward to set pinwheels. Color-coded numbers between the levers indicate digits set. There is no entry register. Rotating a bar in front of the levers upward zeros an entry. A steel operating crank with a wooden handle extends from the right side of the machine. It rotates backward (clockwise) for addition and multiplication and forward (counterclockwise) for subtraction and division.
A movable carriage at the front of the machine has the 13 windows of the result register on the right and the eight windows of revolution register on the left. The revolution register has no carry mechanism. Sliding decimal markers are above both the entry levers and the registers on the carriage. To move the carriage, one depresses two bars in a metal box at the front of the machine. Wing nuts at the ends of the carriage rotate to zero the registers on it. A bell on the left side of the carriage rings when the result passes through zero. A layer of felt separates the machine and its wooden base.
A metal tag attached to the front of the machine reads: The (/) Marchant (/) MANUFACTURED BY (/) MARCHANT CALCULATING (/) MACHINE CO., Inc. (/) OAKLAND, CAL. (/) PATENTED JUNE 6. 1911 (/) FEB. 22. 1916. The serial number, stamped on the left of the back of the machine, is: No30004. Another maker’s mark, on the back of the carriage at the left, is: 659. The mark of the Museum of the Peaceful Arts is: 27-87
Compare to MA.323602 (different shift control, standard model), MA. 314637 (standard model) .
This machine is from the collection of L. Leland Locke, and was at one time on deposit at the Museums of the Peaceful Arts in New York City.
References:
Accession File.
J. H. McCarthy, The American Digest of Business Machines, Chicago: American Exchange Service, 1924, p. 549.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1918
maker
Marchant Calculating Machine Company, Inc.
ID Number
MA.311952
catalog number
311952
accession number
155183
maker number
30004/659
This lever-set, non-printing manually operated calculating machine has a black steel housing and a wooden base. Rotating the levers sets the pinwheels to enter a number. Color-coded digits marked on the spaces between the levers indicate the digits set.
Description
This lever-set, non-printing manually operated calculating machine has a black steel housing and a wooden base. Rotating the levers sets the pinwheels to enter a number. Color-coded digits marked on the spaces between the levers indicate the digits set. A bar in front of the levers rotates for zeroing. The wooden-handled steel operating crank extends from the right side of the machine. It rotates backward (clockwise) for addition and multiplication and forward (counterclockwise) for subtraction and division.
At the front of the machine is a movable carriage with 13 windows showing dials of the result register on the right and eight windows for the revolution register on the left. The revolution register has no carry. The dials in this register have red digits for subtraction and white ones for addition. Decimal markers slide above both registers on the carriage. The two bars in a metal box at the front of the machine assist in moving the carriage in either direction. Wing nuts at the ends of the carriage zero the registers on it. A bell on the left side of the carriage rings when the result passes through zero. A layer of felt separates the machine and its wooden base. The lid is missing.
A metal plate to the left of the levers reads: The (/) Marchant (/) MANUFACTURED BY (/) MARCHANT CALCULATING (/) MACHINE CO., Inc. (/) OAKLAND, CAL. (/) PATENTED JUNE 6. 1911 (/) FEB. 22. 1916. the serial number on the back reads: No5398. A mark on the back of the carriage at the left reads: 1705.
Compare MA.335268, MA.323602, and MA.323603.
This machine comes from the collection of Felt & Tarrant Manufacturing Company.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1918
maker
Marchant Calculating Machine Company, Inc.
ID Number
MA.323603
catalog number
323603
accession number
250163
maker number
5398/1705
This lever-set, non-printing, and manually operated pinwheel calculating machine has a black steel housing, a wooden base, and a black metal case with a leather handle. Niine levers are used to set the pinwheels, with color-coded numbers marked on the spaces between the levers.
Description
This lever-set, non-printing, and manually operated pinwheel calculating machine has a black steel housing, a wooden base, and a black metal case with a leather handle. Niine levers are used to set the pinwheels, with color-coded numbers marked on the spaces between the levers. A bar in front of the levers can be shifted to zero them. A steel crank with a wooden handle extends from the right side of the machine. It rotates backward (clockwise) for addition and multiplication and forward (counterclockwise) for subtraction and division.
At the front of the machine is a movable carriage with 13 windows that show dials of the result register on the right and eight windows for the revolution register on the left. The revolution register has no carry mechanism. Digits in this register are white for addition and red for subtraction. Decimal markers slide above both the registers on the carriage. At the front of the machine are two bars in a metal box, one for moving the carriage in either direction. Wing nuts at the ends of the carriage zero the registers on it. A bell on the left side of the carriage rings when the result passes through zero.
A rectangular metal plaque attached right of the entry levers reads: The (/) Marchant (/) MANUFACTURED BY (/) MARCHANT CALCULATING (/) MACHINE CO., Inc. (/) OAKLAND, CAL. (/) PATENTED JUNE 6. 1911 (/) FEB. 22. 1916. A maker’s number on the back of the machine, is: No 5819. A National Bureau of Standards inventory number, stamped on the base and on the front of the cover is: BS 16940. Another maker’s number, on the back of the carriage at the left, is: 2126.
The metal case that fits over the machine and its wooden base has a lock and key at the front, and four rubber feet.
Compare to MA.323602 (different shift control), MA.311952 (Pony size), and MA.323603.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1918
maker
Marchant Calculating Machine Company, Inc.
ID Number
MA.335268
accession number
314637
catalog number
335268
maker number
5819/2126
Franz Trinks led development of the Brunsviga calculating machine from the 1890s, steadily patenting improvements in Odhner’s original design.
Description
Franz Trinks led development of the Brunsviga calculating machine from the 1890s, steadily patenting improvements in Odhner’s original design. The Trinks Triplex was one of these.
The pinwheel lever-set non-printing machine has a black metal housing, a steel mechanism, and 20 levers that are used to set numbers. A steel crank with a wooden handle that extends from the right side of the machine is rotated backward (clockwise) for addition and multiplication and forward (counterclockwise) for subtraction and division.
At the front of the machine is a movable carriage with 20 windows that show dials of the result register on the right and 12 windows for the revolution register on the left. This revolution register has no carry. The digits on the revolution register dials are white for additions and red for subtractions. At the back of the machine is a second revolution register with 12 windows. There is a carry in this register.
The revolution register and the result register have sliding decimal markers. Pushing back a button at the front of the machine releases the carriage for shifting. Rotating wing nuts at the ends of the carriage zeros the registers on it. Rotating appropriate wing nuts on the left side of the machine zeros the pinwheels and the second revolution register. A bell on the left end of the carriage rings when the result passes through zero.
The case consists of a wooden base with a handle in the side, and a curved metal cover painted black.
As the name suggests, the Trinks Triplex was three machines in one. It could be used simply to generate results of up to 20 digits. The mechanism also includes a split device for the result register, which allows one to solve two problems simultaneously. Finally, one can figure the sub-result of a problem in one section and accumulate the total result in the second, showing all factors on the machine at the conclusion.
References:
J. H. McCarthy, The American Digest of Business Machines, Chicago: American Exchange Service, 1924, p. 70.
E. M. Horsburgh, ed., Handbook of the Napier Tercentenary Celebration of Modern Instruments and Methods of Calculation, Edinburgh: G. Bell & Sons, 1914, pp. 84–91.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1921
maker
Grimme, Natalis & Co.
ID Number
MA.324277
accession number
256654
catalog number
324277
maker number
45666
This manually operated, lever-set and non-printing pinwheel calculating machine has a black steel housing and a wooden base. Nine levers rotate forward to set digits on the pinwheels, with color-coded digits marked on the spaces between the levers.
Description
This manually operated, lever-set and non-printing pinwheel calculating machine has a black steel housing and a wooden base. Nine levers rotate forward to set digits on the pinwheels, with color-coded digits marked on the spaces between the levers. A row of nine dials in back of the levers records the number entered. A bar in front of the levers can be raised to zero them, and a wing nut on the left side rotates to zero the entry register. The steel operating crank with its wood handle extends from the right side of the machine and rotates backward (clockwise) for addition and multiplication and forward (counterclockwise) for subtraction and division.
A movable carriage at the front has 18 windows that show dials of the result register on the right and ten windows for the revolution register on the left. The digits in the revolution register are white for additions and red for subtractions. Decimal markers slide above all three registers. A metal box at the front of the machine holds two bars, one for moving the carriage in either direction. Wing nuts at the ends of the carriage zero the registers on it. A bell is on the left side of the machine.
A metal tag to the left of the levers reads: The (/) Marchant (/) MANUFACTURED BY (/) MARCHANT CALCULATING (/) MACHINE CO., Inc. (/) OAKLAND, CAL. (/) PATENTED JUNE 6. 1911 (/) FEB. 22. 1916. A metal tag attached to the back reads: 81399. A mark on the back of the carriage to the left reads: A1216. A metal tag attached to the base reads: DONATED BY (/) BENHAM ENGINEERING COMPANY (/) CONSULTING ENGINEERS (/) OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA (/) USED BY FOUNDER (/) COL. WEBSTER L. BENHAM (/) PAST NATIONAL DIRECTOR, ASCE
A layer of felt separates the machine and its wooden base. The base is not rectangular, but curved to follow the profile of the machine It has 3 rubber feet and fits inside a leather-covered, velvet-lined box.
This calculating machine was used by consulting engineer Webster Lance Benham (1882–1952), a veteran of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, in his work at Benham Engineering Company in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He founded that firm in 1909. The date of the machine is deduced from the serial number.
Compare to the Marchant Model A Pony (MA.311952), which only will calculate 13-digit products.
References:
J. H. McCarthy, The American Digest of Business Machines, Chicago: American Exchange Service, 1924, p. 549.
Accession file.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1922
maker
Marchant Calculating Machine Company, Inc.
ID Number
MA.328417
catalog number
328417
accession number
272525
maker number
81399/A1216
This pinwheel, lever-set non-printing calculating machine has a black metal case painted black, and 12 levers that are moved forward and down to set the brass pinwheels.
Description
This pinwheel, lever-set non-printing calculating machine has a black metal case painted black, and 12 levers that are moved forward and down to set the brass pinwheels. Digits are indicated to the left of each lever on the case, and a register at the top of the machine indicates the number entered. There levers have a zeroing bar. To the left of the levers is a divide/multiply lever. On the right side is an operating crank with a wooden handle.
At the front a movable carriage has a row of 12 windows on the left side that shows the digits on the revolution counter and a row of 20 windows on the right for showing totals. There is a carry in the revolution counter. Rotating thumbscrews at the ends of the carriage zero the registers on it. All three registers have sliding decimal markers. A mechanismat the front releases the carriage shift.
The machine rests on a metal base that has a metal handle at the front. The bottom has four rubber feet.
A mark stenciled on the front of the machine reads: LEHIGH (/) CALCULATOR. A mark stenciled on the back reads: LEHIGH (/) CALCULATOR (/) [...]ANUFACTURED & GUARANTEED (/) BY (/) THE LEHIGH (/) CORPORATION (/) NEW YORK, U.S.A. (/) FACTORY - NEWARK, N.J. (/) PATENTED (/) (OTHER PATENTS PENDING) (/) AUG. 4, 1921 (/) APR.25, 1922 (/) MAY 3, 1922. The serial number, stamped on the bottom, is: 8145.
The patent dates on the machine apparently refer to patents taken out by Hugo Enders of Lehighton, Pa., and then Belleville, N.J., in 1921 and 1922, although the dates do not match precisely in all cases. Enders took out patents relating to calculating machines and assigned them to the Lehigh Corporation of New York City, N.Y.
According to Typewriter Topics, the Lehigh calculating machine was introduced in about July of 1920, when it was manufactured in Lehighton, Pennsylvania. By 1922, the Lehigh Corporation had completed a new factory in Newark, New Jersey. It stopped selling machines the following year.
Compare Triumphator calculating machine MA.323655.
References:
“The Lehigh Calculating Machine,” Typewriter Topics, vol. 45 # 3, July, 1920, p. 260.
“Gaining the Lehigh Objective,” Typewriter Topics, vol. 50 #2, February, 1922, pp. 190, 193.
J. H. McCarthy, The American Digest of Business Machines, Chicago: American Exchange Service, 1924, p. 549.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1922-1923
maker
Lehigh Corporation
ID Number
MA.311946
catalog number
311946
accession number
155183
maker number
8145
After the Russian Revolution of 1917, the owners of the company founded by W. T. Odhner moved from St. Petersburg to Sweden to continue the manufacture of calculating machines. This machine dates from the Swedish phase of the company’s existence.
Description
After the Russian Revolution of 1917, the owners of the company founded by W. T. Odhner moved from St. Petersburg to Sweden to continue the manufacture of calculating machines. This machine dates from the Swedish phase of the company’s existence. It is designed specifically for calculations involving British currency.
The lever-set non-printing machine has a metal frame painted black with ten metal pinwheels and a metal base. Numbers are set by rotating the pinwheels forward using levers that extend from the wheels. Digits inscribed on the frame next to the rotating pinwheels show the number set. The machine has no separate set of windows to show these digits.
The carriage at the front of the machine has 15 windows for the revolution counter on the left. The three central dials have red digits, the others have white digits. The revolution register has no carry mechanism. A group of ten windows for the result register is right of the revolution register. Right of this are two split windows. The split window on the far right has four dials that can show numbers ranging from 0 to 11-3/4, increasing by quarters (for pence). The split window to the left of this has two dials which can show numbers from 1 to 19, increasing by ones (for shillings). A shaped metal piece covers the two split windows and another covers the two right windows of the usual result register. Sliding a lever moves one of these pieces upward and the other downward, so that either the split windows or the two right windows are visible.
Wing nuts at opposite ends of the carriage zero the registers on it. To release the carriage,one pushes down a lever at the front. Pushing other levers moves the carriage a single place to the right or left. A crank with a wooden knob on the right side of the machine rotates clockwise for addition and multiplication, and counterclockwise for subtraction and division. The set of eight pinwheels, the revolution counting register, and the result register each have one or more sliding decimal markers. Moving a lever at the top left of the machine switches between multiplication and division. A lever in front of this apparently relates to the units of currency used in calculations.
A mark on the front reads: AKTIEBOLAGET [/] Original-Odhner [/] GOTEBORG. The serial number marked on the back is: No61606.
This machine comes from the collection of Felt & Tarrant Manufacturing Company.
Reference:
Henry Wassen, Odhner History, Gothenburg, Aktiebolaget Original-Odhner, 1951.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1922-1927
maker
Aktiebolaget Original Odhner
ID Number
MA.323604
accession number
250163
catalog number
323604

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