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 53 items.
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Felsenthal A-10 Protractor and Map Coordinator
- Description
- This clear plastic semicircular protractor is divided by ten mils and marked by hundreds from 100 to 3,100 in both the clockwise and counterclockwise directions. It is also divided by single degrees and marked by tens from 0° to 180° in both directions. Diagonal lines extend some of the measurement markings out to the edges of the rectangle surrounding the protractor. Pinholes are at the origin point and in the upper left and right corners. The interior of the protractor has cutout stencils for a circle, triangle, square, and two oblong shapes. The middle also contains scales placed at right angles to each other. They are divided and marked by hundreds from 1,000 to 2[00]. The scales are labeled: 1:21120.
- The left edge of the rectangular plastic piece is divided by tenths of an inch and marked by ones from 1 to 3. Inside the 3-inch ruler is a scale for mils divided by hundreds and marked by thousands from 5,000 to 1,000. The scale continues on the top of the rectangle, again divided by hundreds and marked by thousands from 5,000 to 1,000. The scale is labeled: 1:62500. On the right side of the top is a scale labeled: 1:20,000. It is divided and marked by hundreds from 1,000 to 2[00]. This scale also repeats on the right side of the rectangle. On the right edge of the rectangle, there is a scale divided by millimeters and marked by ones from 1 to 7. It is labeled: METRIC.
- The bottom of the protractor bears a scale divided by hundreds and marked by thousands from 1,000 to 8,000. It is labeled: 1:62500. The bottom edge has a second scale, divided by hundreds and marked by five hundreds from 500 to 3,000. It is labeled: 1:21120. The name of the instrument is printed on the very bottom edge: MAP COORDINATOR AND PROTRACTOR - A-10. Donor Ben Rau dated the object to 1942.
- See also 1977.1141.01, 1977.1141.02, 1977.1141.03, 1977.1141.05, 1977.1141.08, 1977.1141.09, 1977.1141.10, 1977.1141.11, 1977.1141.12, 1977.1141.18, 1977.1141.19, 1977.1141.20, 1977.1141.22, 1977.1141.23, 1977.1141.24, 1977.1141.30, and 1977.1141.39.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date attributed by donor
- 1942
- maker
- Felsenthal
- ID Number
- 1977.1141.21
- accession number
- 1977.1141
- catalog number
- 336405
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Felsenthal Artillery Protractor
- Description
- This clear plastic semicircular protractor is divided by tens and marked by hundreds from 100 to 3,100 mils and from 3,300 to 6,300 mils. Mils are units used in artillery and other military applications; 1,000 mils is equivalent to 56.25°. A pinhole is at the origin point. The bottom edge of the protractor is divided by hundreds and marked by five hundreds from 0 to 8,000 yards. A small vernier appears to the left of the scale, and the scale is labeled: 1/20,000.
- The interior of the protractor has a semicircular opening with a groove parallel to the origin point. Below the opening is a maker's mark: 16 INCH (/) G. FELSENTHAL & SONS, INC. (/) -CHICAGO-. The letters U.S. are printed above the origin point. Donor Ben Rau, who worked for Felsenthal, dated the object to 1942. The form of the maker's name indicates it was probably manufactured for the U.S. Army in the 1950s.
- This protractor is very similar to 1977.1141.11, although the scale for plotting the distance of fired artillery is in yards rather than in meters.
- See also 1977.1141.01, 1977.1141.02, 1977.1141.03, 1977.1141.05, 1977.1141.08, 1977.1141.09, 1977.1141.10, 1977.1141.12, 1977.1141.19, 1977.1141.20, 1977.1141.21, 1977.1141.22, 1977.1141.23, 1977.1141.24, 1977.1141.30, and 1977.1141.39.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date attributed by donor
- 1942
- date made
- 1950s
- maker
- G. Felsenthal & Sons, Inc.
- ID Number
- 1977.1141.18
- accession number
- 1977.1141
- catalog number
- 336402
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Felsenthal FAE-8 Artillery Protractor
- Description
- This clear plastic semicircular protractor is divided by tens and marked by hundreds from 100 to 3,100 mils and from 3,300 to 6,300 mils. Mils are units used in artillery and other military applications; 1,000 mils is equivalent to 56.25°. A pinhole is at the origin point. The bottom edge of the protractor is divided by hundreds and marked by thousands from 7,000 to 0. A vernier appears to the right of the scale. The scale is labeled: 1/25,000. Superimposed on the scale is a second scale, divided by two hundreds and marked (in red) by two thousands from 0 to 14,000. A vernier appears to the left of that scale, which is labeled (in red): 1/50,000 YARDS.
- The interior of the protractor has a semicircular opening with a groove parallel to the origin point. Below the opening is a maker's mark: 16 INCH (/) G. FELSENTHAL & SONS, INC. (/) -CHICAGO- (/) FAE-8. The letters U.S. are printed above the origin point. Donor Ben Rau dated the object to 1945, but the form of the signature indicates the protractor may not have been manufactured for the U.S. Army until the 1950s.
- This protractor is very similar to 1977.1141.12, although the scale for plotting the distance of fired artillery is in yards rather than in meters. The red ink on this instrument is particularly vibrant. See also 1977.1141.01, 1977.1141.02, 1977.1141.03, 1977.1141.05, 1977.1141.08, 1977.1141.09, 1977.1141.10, 1977.1141.11, 1977.1141.18, 1977.1141.20, 1977.1141.21, 1977.1141.22, 1977.1141.23, 1977.1141.24, 1977.1141.30, and 1977.1141.39.
- Reference: Deborah J. Warner, “Browse by Maker: Felsenthal,” National Museum of American History Physical Sciences Collection: Navigation, http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/navigation/maker.cfm?makerid=173.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date attributed by donor
- 1945
- date made
- 1950s
- maker
- G. Felsenthal & Sons, Inc.
- ID Number
- 1977.1141.19
- accession number
- 1977.1141
- catalog number
- 336403
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Felsenthal FAE-21Artillery Protractor
- Description
- This clear plastic semicircular protractor is divided by tens and marked by hundreds from 100 to 3,100 mils and from 3,300 to 6,300 mils. Mils are units used in artillery and other military applications; 1,000 mils is equivalent to 56.25°. A pinhole is at the origin point. The bottom edge of the protractor is divided by hundreds and marked by five hundreds from 0 to 7,000. A small vernier appears to the left of the scale, and the scale is labeled: 1/25,000 METERS.
- The interior of the protractor has a semicircular opening with a groove parallel to the origin point. Below the opening is a maker's mark: 12 INCH (/) G. FELSENTHAL & SONS, INC. (/) FAE-21. Donor Ben Rau dated the object to 1945, but the form of the signature indicates the protractor was probably manufactured for the U.S. Army in the 1950s.
- This protractor is very similar to 1977.1141.11. See also 1977.1141.01, 1977.1141.02, 1977.1141.03, 1977.1141.05, 1977.1141.08, 1977.1141.09, 1977.1141.10, 1977.1141.12, 1977.1141.19, 1977.1141.20, 1977.1141.21, 1977.1141.22, 1977.1141.23, 1977.1141.24, 1977.1141.30, and 1977.1141.39.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date attributed by donor
- 1945
- date made
- 1960s
- maker
- G. Felsenthal & Sons, Inc.
- ID Number
- 1977.1141.22
- accession number
- 1977.1141
- catalog number
- 336406
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Felsenthal FAE-18 Artillery Protractor
- Description
- This clear plastic semicircular protractor is divided to ten mils and marked by hundreds from 100 to 3,100 and from 3,300 to 6,300. The bottom edge is divided by quarter-yards and marked by ones from 0 to 26. There is a vernier to the left of the divisions, and the scale is given as 1:10,000. Inside the divisions is a second ruler, divided by two yards and marked by twos from -2 to 52. The scale is given as 1:20,000.
- A rectangular slot inside these rulers is divided by half-inches and marked by ones from 0 to 7. A vernier is to the left of this ruler. The upper interior of the protractor contains two scales forming a right-angled point. There are ten divisions between each unit on the scales. The outer markings are by ones from 0 to 10 and are labeled: YARDS 1:20,000. The inner markings are by twos from 2 to 20; they are labeled: YARDS 1:40,000.
- The interior of the protractor also bears several marks: U.S. (/) W = (R X M)/1000; M = (W X 1000)/R. The maker's mark is toward the right side: FSN 6675-641-5711 (/) G. FELSENTHAL & SONS, INC. (/) CHICAGO 18, ILL. (/) FAE-18.
- Donor Ben Rau identified the object as a machine gun protractor and dated it to 1945. It was manufactured for the U.S. Army.
- See also 1977.1141.01, 1977.1141.02, 1977.1141.03, 1977.1141.05, 1977.1141.08, 1977.1141.09, 1977.1141.10, 1977.1141.11, 1977.1141.12, 1977.1141.18, 1977.1141.19, 1977.1141.20, 1977.1141.21, 1977.1141.22, 1977.1141.23, 1977.1141.30, and 1977.1141.39.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date attributed by donor
- 1945
- date made
- ca 1945
- maker
- G. Felsenthal & Sons, Inc.
- ID Number
- 1977.1141.24
- accession number
- 1977.1141
- catalog number
- 336408
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Sound Velocity Corrector, A Mathematical Chart
- Description
- This device assists in calculations of changes in the range of a gun because of meteorological conditions, particularly wind speed and temperature. A rotating disc and pointer attached to the plastic base have the scales required to correct for wind speed. A scale toward the bottom of the base gives the temperature correction. Both of these corrections are in percentages of the range. Summing them gives the total meteorological correction as a percentage of the range. One then can use a range correction chart to find the actual range correction.
- A mark on the front of the instrument reads: Signal Corps U. S. Army (/) SOUND VELOCITY CORRECTOR PT-62/TSS-1 (/) Order No. 3531-CEGSA-45 G. FELSENTHAL & SONS - CHICAGO.
- The instrument was designed and made for the United States Army by G. Felsenthal & Sons of Chicago in 1945. It had Felsenthal designation FAS-2.
- For a related range correction chart, see 1977.1141.43.
- Reference:
- Accession file.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1945
- maker
- G. Felsenthal & Sons, Inc.
- ID Number
- 1977.1141.42
- catalog number
- 336426
- accession number
- 1977.1141
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Underwood Sundstrand 11140P Adding Machine
- Description
- American religious organizations have long used computing devices. The First Baptist Church of Suitland, Maryland owned this machine.
- The ten-key printing electric adding machine has a block of nine white plastic keys with the 0 bar below. On the left are CORR, B’K (/) SPAC and X (/) REP’T keys. On the right are SUB- (/) TOTAL, ADD, and NO + (/) TOTAL keys. Above the keyboard is a place indicator. Above and behind this is the printing mechanism. One may enter numbers of up to ten digits, and print results of up to 11 digits.
- A metal plate painted gray and held down with screws covers the spools of the two-color ribbon. The machine has a paper tape 2-1/2” (6.3 cm) wide. A lever on the right releases tension on the platen. A lever on the left sets the spacing. The motor is inside the case, at the back.
- The machine is marked: Underwood (/) Sundstrand ... (/) Underwood Corporation (/) Protected by United States (/) and Foreign Patents (/) Made in U.S.A. It is also marked: 416151 (/) 11140P (/) UNIVERSAL MOTOR (/) VOLTS 115 AMPS. 1.5. The “11” in the first two digits of the model number corresponds to the number of possible digits in the total. The “P” refers to electric machines.
- References:
- American Business Machines Research, III, 1937.
- Documentation 1990.3188.7.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1944
- maker
- Underwood Corporation
- ID Number
- 1978.0279.01
- maker number
- 416151
- accession number
- 1978.0279
- catalog number
- 336517
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Remington Rand Adding Machine
- Description
- This black ten-key printing adding machine is manually operated by depressing keys and moving forward a crank on the right. In addition to a block of white number keys, the machine has a MULTIPLY key on the right and R, SUB(/)TOTAL and TOTAL keys on the left. A key at the front marked “C” moves the decimal place of the digit entered. The machine accepts entries of up to seven digits and prints seven-digit totals. There is a set of seven windows above the keys that indicate the place of the digit being entered. There is a printing mechanism at the back, but no paper tape.
- The machine is marked on the left side: ADDING* BOOKKEEPING*CALCULATING MACHINES (/) MADE IN U.S.A. It has serial number: 71-654292.
- Compare objects MA*335204 and 1985.3010.01. There is a plastic cover which is marked as part of the object, although it reads “General."
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1949
- maker
- Remington Rand
- ID Number
- 1982.0474.01
- maker number
- 71-654292
- accession number
- 1982.0474
- catalog number
- 1982.0474.01
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Burroughs Class 9A Adding Machine
- Description
- This full keyboard printing electric adding machine has a black steel frame with black, white, and two red plastic keys. Numbers printed are visible. The ten columns of square numeral keys, with the keys in each column numbered from 1 to 9, are to the left of the column of function keys. Right of the function keys are bars marked for addition and subtraction. The narrow printing mechanism at the back can print numbers of up to 11 digits.
- A mark on the front of the machine reads: Burroughs. One on a plate under the keys reads: A550544. IA metal tag screwed to this plate reads: A305. A red paper tag attached to the object reads: PATENT DEPT. (/) #97. A tag to the right of the number keys reads: 139-286. A metal tag attached to the object reads: DONATED TO (/) The Smithsonian Institution (/) by (/) Burroughs Corporation. An electric cord extends from the back of the machine. There is a black cover. A dark brown metal plate found in the box with the machine has no apparent connection to it.
- The object was model #97 in the collection of the Patent Division of Burroughs Corporation.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1944
- maker
- Burroughs Adding Machine Company
- ID Number
- 1982.0794.18
- accession number
- 1982.0794
- catalog number
- 1982.0794.18
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Barrett Model 123E Adding Machine
- Description
- This full-keyboard printing electric adding machine has a metal case painted black and nine columns of black and white color-coded keys. The steel keyboard is painted green. To the left of the keyboard are a non-print lever and a subtract lever. To the right are a subtotal key, a total key, an add bar, a repeat key, a correction key, and a non-add key. Above the keyboard is a set of small dials that indicates totals. Next to these on the left is a crank that may be used to shift the dials to the left or to the right in multiplication.
- Behind the dials are the ribbon, printing mechanism, and narrow fixed carriage. This example has no paper tape. There are 13 type bars, and 12-digit results may be shown. The spools for the ribbon are under metal covers which are screwed down. At the back of the machine, outside the case, is the motor. The cord is cloth-covered. The legs at the back of the machine are longer than those in front, so that the machine sits at an angle.
- The machine is marked on the front: Barrett Desk Electric (/) REG. U.S. PAT. OFF. (/) LANSTON MONOTYPE MACHINE COMPANY (/) PHILADELPHIA, PA. U.S.A.; It is marked on a metal tag attached to the front of the machine: MODEL ROOM. It is also marked there: 133820-123E; It is marked on a white paper tag attached to the machine: to E. Racz 11-22-44K. It is marked on a red paper tag attached to the machine: PATENT DEPT. (/) #149. The machine is from the Patent Division of Burroughs Corporation.
- References:
- American Office Machines Reference Services, May, 1939, 3.21, p. 1-6 describes this model.
- Ernst Martin, The Calculating Machines, pp. 240-243, indicates that a manual Barrett machine was introduced in 1910, with production passing to Lanston Monotype in 1922. No electric Barrett machines are shown in McCarthy, American Digest of Business Machines, 1924 or in the Business Machines and Equipment Digest for 1928.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1940
- maker
- Lanston Monotype Machine Company
- ID Number
- 1982.0794.26
- catalog number
- 1982.0794.26
- accession number
- 1982.0794
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
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