Science & Mathematics - Overview
The Museum's collections hold thousands of objects related to chemistry, biology, physics, astronomy, and other sciences. Instruments range from early American telescopes to lasers. Rare glassware and other artifacts from the laboratory of Joseph Priestley, the discoverer of oxygen, are among the scientific treasures here. A Gilbert chemistry set of about 1937 and other objects testify to the pleasures of amateur science. Artifacts also help illuminate the social and political history of biology and the roles of women and minorities in science.
The mathematics collection holds artifacts from slide rules and flash cards to code-breaking equipment. More than 1,000 models demonstrate some of the problems and principles of mathematics, and 80 abstract paintings by illustrator and cartoonist Crockett Johnson show his visual interpretations of mathematical theorems.
"Science & Mathematics - Overview" showing 11 items.
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Comptometer Model A
- Description
- This key-driven, non-printing adding machine is an early example of a Comptometer with a metal case.
- It has eight columns of plastickeys. The keys in the two rightmost columns, which represent cents, are white, the three middle columns are black, and the three lftmost columns are white. Such color coding was common in machines designed for financial calculations. Complementary numbers are indicated. The keys are alternately concave (for odd digits) and flat (for even digits). The keys are worn, and one is missing. The key stems are flat, and become progressively longer as the digits become larger. The subtraction levers are at the same level as the decimal markers.
- The nine numeral wheels are white or turquoise around the rim, depending on the decimal place of the digit indicated. They are visible through windows in the glass. The zeroing handle is on the left. The Model A Comptometer was Felt & Tarrant’s first “duplex” machine, in that it would add in more than one column at a time, each column having the capacity to add, receive, and carry simultaneously. This was not true of the earlier wooden box models.
- The first Model A Comptometer was produced in January 1904 and had serial number 15000. Over 6,200 machines were produced in the next two years. This machine has serial number 17536, which is marked in the center front. It has a metal tag screwed to the top that reads in part: TRADE COMPTOMETER MARK. There are ten patent dates on this tag.
- This machine came to the Smithsonian in 1981 from the collection of Esther S. and James C. Henderson, who ran an office equipment business in Corvallis, Washington.
- For a related adding machine section, see MA*323643.
- References:
- Felt & Tarrant, "Accession Journal ,"1991.3107.06.
- J. H. McCarthy, American Digest of Business Machines, 1924, Catalog Section, p. 71.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1904
- maker
- Felt & Tarrant Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1982.0234.01
- maker number
- 17536
- catalog number
- 1982.0234.01
- accession number
- 1982.0234
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Comptograph
- Description
- After Dorr E Felt invented and began to sell successfully a key-driven adding machine known as the Comptometer, he designed a printing adding machine dubbed the Comptograph. This example has a cherrywood case and eight columns of metal key stems, with turquoise and white color-coded discs set in the metal key tops. Digits and complements of digits are shown on the discs. Each column has nine keys. The cover under the keys consists of metal slats with holes drilled in them, with one slat for each column of keys. A glass window at the front shows nine metal wheels that record totals.
- On the right side toward the front are a knob and a lever. Depressing the lever allows one to turn the knob and zero the total. Immediately to the right of the keyboard is a small lever, which is pushed up to release the keys. Further to the right are two large buttons attached to levers. When the button at the right back is depressed, the carriage moves to a new column. The other button on the right may advance the paper. To the left at the front is another large button on a straight shaft (depressing this button probably is intended to print totals or subtotals). At the back of the machine is a wide carriage, the printing mechanism for the adding machine, and a ribbon. This mechanism prints eight-digit entries and totals. A bell on top of each of the spools for the ribbon rings to warn that the ribbon is almost unwound.
- The machine is stamped on the front below the glass window: 1902. It is marked on a metal plate screwed to the right side: MODEL A No 1902 (/) PATENTED. It is also marked there: MAR. 11. 1902. It is also marked there: OTHER PATENTS PENDING. (/) COMPTOGRAPH CO. (/) CHICAGO, U.S.A.
- The coloring of the keys resembles that on the Comptometer with catalog number MA*248688, which dates from 1898, and the Comptograph with typewriter MA*323636. The Accession Journal dates this machine to 1900, but the tag screwed to the machine indicates a slightly later date.
- References:
- Felt & Tarrant, Accession Journal, 1991.3107.06.
- Pamphlet 1994.3060.05.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1900
- maker
- Comptograph Company
- ID Number
- MA*323632
- catalog number
- 323632
- maker number
- 1902
- accession number
- 250163
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Comptograph with Typewriter
- Description
- In the first half of the 20th century, a few companies manufactured accounting machines that could both type text and carry out routine calculations. This is an experimental combined typewriter and adding machine.
- It has a cherrywood case and eight columns of metal key stems, with turquoise and white color-coded discs set in the metal key tops. Digits and complements of digits are shown on the discs. There are nine keys in each column. The cover under the keys consists of metal slats with holes drilled in them. There is one slat for each column of keys. A glass window at the front shows nine metal wheels that record totals. Only eight-digit entries and totals print. On the right side toward the front are a knob and a lever. Depressing the lever allows one to turn the knob and zero the total. Immediately to the right of the keyboard is a small lever that is pushed up to release the keys. Further to the right are two large buttons attached to levers. To the left at the front is another large button on a straight shaft.
- Behind and above the keyboard is a typewriter with QWERTY keyboard. The type for the typewriter is below these keys. There is a lever on the upper left side of the typewriter carriage to shift the case of the letters and one on the upper right of the typewriter to slide the carriage left or right. At the back is a wide carriage, the printing mechanism for the adding machine, and a ribbon. There are two bells under the typewriter, one on top of each spool of the ribbon.
- According to documentation, this machine was an experimental model of inventor Dorr E. Felt and never led to any patent or product. The coloring of the keys resembles that on Comptometer MA*248688, which dates from 1898 and Comptograph MA*323632, which dates from 1900.
- Reference:
- Accession Journal, 1991.3107.06.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1900
- maker
- Felt & Tarrant Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- MA*323636
- catalog number
- 323636
- accession number
- 250163
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Comptometer Model C Section
- Description
- This model has one column of nine white plastic keys and a second column of nine black plastic keys. Digits and complementary digits are indicated on the keys. Keys for odd digits are concave, and those for even digits are flat. The mechanism is of steel and the 3 numeral wheels have a black plastic rim. There are two subtraction levers at the base of the keyboard and a crank on the right. The entire model rests on a wooden base. There is no cover. The model was used as reference by Dorr E. Felt and J. A. V. Turck in developing the mechanism for production of the Model C Comptometer.
- Reference:
- Felt & Tarrant, Accession Journal, 1991.3107.06.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1909
- maker
- Felt & Tarrant Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- MA*323642
- catalog number
- 323642
- accession number
- 250163
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Comptometer Model A Section
- Description
- This model has two columns of nine white plastic keys. Digits and complementary digits are indicated on the keys. Keys for odd digits are concave, those for even digits are flat. The mechanism is of steel and the two numeral wheels have white plastic rims. There are no subtraction levers, but there is a zeroing crank on the right. The entire model rests on a wooden base; there is no cover. The model was used as reference by Dorr E. Felt and J.A.V. Turck in developing the mechanism for production of the Model A Comptometer.
- Reference:
- Felt & Tarrant, Accession Journal, 1991.3107.06.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1904
- maker
- Felt & Tarrant Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- MA*323643
- catalog number
- 323643
- accession number
- 250163
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Wooden Box Model Comptometer
- Description
- This key-driven non-printing adding machine has a wooden case and eight columns of color-coded plastic keys. It is a relatively late example of a Comptometer with a wooden (rather than a metal) case.
- The key tops are flat and made of plastic. They are colored black and white, with complementary digits indicated in red. There is a spring around each key stem, and the stems become progressively longer as the digits increase. Eight subtraction levers are in front of the keys and eight decimal markers are attached to a metal plate painted black, which is in front of these. A row of nine windows in the plate reveals number wheels which represent totals and differences. The zeroing mechanism is a knob with a release lever on the right side.
- The serial number, stamped on the front of the machine under the decimal markers, is 5021. A metal tag screwed to the top of the machine behind the keyboard is marked: TRADE COMPTOMETER MARK (/) PAT’D (/) JUL.19.87 JUN. 11. 89.(/) OCT.11.87 NOV.25.90 (/) JAN.8.89 DEC.15.91. (/) SEP.22.96 (/) Felt & Tarrant Mfg. Co. (/) CHICAGO
- According to other records, this machine was sold in 1906 to H. Messersmith Company of Buffalo, New York, and traded in in 1910 for a Model C. The machine became part of the collections of Felt & Tarrant Manufacturing Company and was exhibited at the Century of Progress Exhibition in Chicago in 1933.
- Compare to 1987.0107.04.
- Reference:
- Felt & Tarrant, Accession Journal 1991.3107.06.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1906
- maker
- Felt & Tarrant Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- MA*323650
- maker number
- 5021
- catalog number
- 323650
- accession number
- 250163
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Comptometer Model C, British Currency
- Description
- This model of an adding machine section has a single black key “1” key, with a complementary 0 digit, in the rightmost column. Left of this is a column of nine white keys. Keys for odd digit keys are concave, and those for even digits are flat. Three numeral wheels are at the front. The rightmost has alternate zeros and ones, and the two to the left both have the digits from 0 to 9. There is a handle on the right side. There is no case. The keys apparently could be used to add shillings (there being 20 to a pound).
- This object came to the Smithsonian from Victor Comptometer Corporation, the successor firm to Felt & Tarrant Manufacturing Company.
- References:
- Accession Journal 1991.3107.06.
- British Patent No. 5387 to Dorr E. Felt, applied for March 5, 1909, and granted June 6, 1910.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1909
- maker
- Felt & Tarrant Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- MA*323652
- accession number
- 250163
- catalog number
- 323652
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Comptometer Model B, 1/20 Fraction
- Description
- This full-keyboard non-printing adding machine has a metal top and mechanism, eight columns of color-coded octagonal plastic keys with complementary digits indicated, and a zeroing crank on the right side. The second column of keys from the right has only one key in it. The keys are alternately concave (odd digits) and flat (even digits). Nine rows of number wheels in front of the keyboard indicate the result. The second number wheel from the right has only zeros and ones on it. The sides and base of the machine are missing. It is marked on a metal tag screwed to the top at the back: TRADE COMPTOMETER MARK. The last patent date on the tag is: AUG.9.04.
- This is a forerunner of the Model C Comptometer for British currency (MA*323652).
- Reference:
- Felt & Tarrant, Accession Journal 1991.3107.06.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1908
- maker
- Felt & Tarrant Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- MA*323653
- catalog number
- 323653
- accession number
- 250163
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Comptometer Model C, British Currency Indexer
- Description
- This full-keyboard non-printing adding machine has a steel frame painted black, a steel mechanism, and eight columns of black and white plastic keys, with complementary digits indicated. The rightmost column has three black keys and indications of quarters from 1/4 to 3/4. The second column has eleven white keys. The third column has nine black keys. The fourth column from the right has one black key. The four left columns have nine keys each. The keys are alternately concave (odd digits) and flat (even digits). The machine is designed for calculations involving pounds, shillings, and pence.
- Thesubtraction levers are at the front of the columns of keys, decimal indicators in front of these, and nine windows covered with clear plastic that show the result. The wheel in the first position is divided to read eighths. A zeroing lever is on the right side. At the back of the machine is a metal attachment painted black that holds five paper-covered dials. Four of these dials are covered with metal shutters. The shutters are opened manually by pressing down on the key directly below the shutter. The shutter is then locked in position. A release lever on the left side closes the shutter. A knob on the left side manually rotates the dials. The entire instrument is designed to make it easier to multiply units of British currency. The machine has serial number 33077.
- A label received with the object indicates that the British Currency Indexer was made approximately in 1914.
- Reference:
- Felt & Tarrant, Accession Journal, 1991.3107.06.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1909
- maker
- Felt & Tarrant Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- MA*323654
- maker number
- 33077
- catalog number
- 323654
- accession number
- 250163
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Mack Improved Mannheim Simplex Slide Rule by Dietzgen
- Description
- This wooden ten-inch Mannheim slide rule is faced with white celluloid. The top edge is beveled and has a scale of inches divided to sixteenths of an inch. The bottom edge is flat and has a scale of centimeters divided to millimeters. The base has A and D scales, with B and C scales on one side of the slide and S, L, and T scales on the other side of the slide. The L scale is not lettered. The base underneath the slide is marked: EUGENE DIETZGEN CO. CHICAGO–NEW YORK (/) W. F. M. It is also marked: PAT. JUNE 28 1898. The indicator is glass in a metal frame. A paper glued to the back of the rule gives the properties of various substances and equivalents of various weights and measures. Carved into the back is: W.F.M. 1907.
- The base of the rule is cut lengthwise into two sections that are joined together by invisible springs. This was intended to create more uniform resistance to the motion of the rule (even if it is fully extended) and to make it possible to straighten the parts of the rule by scraping, should it become warped. A cardboard box covered with burgundy leather is marked: The Mack Improved Slide Rule (/) NO. 1765 (/) EUGENE DIETZGEN CO. (/) CHICAGO. NEW YORK.
- This rule is named for John Givan Davis Mack (1867–1924), an early member of the engineering faculty at the University of Wisconsin who taught from 1893 to 1915. On June 28, 1898, he received U.S. Patent 606388 for dividing the base of a slide rule and rejoining the pieces with springs. He assigned the patent to the Eugene Dietzgen Company of Chicago, which first sold a slide rule built on Mack's patent in 1898 and offered this version from 1902 to 1912 for $4.50.
- The carved initials are those of the owner, the spectroscopist William F. Meggers (1888–1966), who was long associated with the U.S. National Bureau of Standards. He received his B.A. in physics from Ripon College in 1910, his M.A. in physics from the University of Wisconsin in 1916, and his Ph.D. in physics, mathematics, and astronomy from Johns Hopkins University in 1917. It seems likely that he acquired this rule as a student. For a less precise slide rule associated with Meggers, see MA*293320.2820. For later slide rule instructions distributed by Dietzgen, see 1981.0933.07.
- References: Catalogue & Price List of Eugene Dietzgen Co., 7th ed. (Chicago, 1904), 171; Rodger Shepherd, "Some Distinctive Features of Dietzgen Slide Rules," Journal of the Oughtred Society 5, no. 2 (1996): 42–45; Peter M. Hopp, Slide Rules: Their History, Models, and Makers (Mendham, N.J.: Astragal Press, 1999), 159–160, 276; J. G. D. Mack Papers, University of Wisconsin Archives: U. S. Patent 606388.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1907
- maker
- Eugene Dietzgen Company
- ID Number
- MA*335270
- catalog number
- 335270
- accession number
- 314637
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center