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 5 items.
Burroughs Model 9 Adding Machine
- Description
- This full-keyboard manually operated printing adding machine has a metal frame painted black, a metal mechanism and handle, a green felt keyboard, and a glass front. There are six columns of number keys, with nine keys in each column. Some plastic key covers are missing. There are non-add, subtotal, and total keys. The sum appears on number wheels visible through the glass front of the machine and prints on a 2-1/2 inch paper tape at the back which is not visible. The machine is marked on the front: BURROUGHS (/) DETROIT, MICHIGAN. It is also marked there: No.6-157907.
- Alfred Harrell, the donor of the machine, was a Smithsonian photographer.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1912
- maker
- Burroughs Adding Machine Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0368.01
- accession number
- 1981.0368
- catalog number
- 1981.0368.01
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Burroughs Class 4 Adding Machine
- Description
- This full keyboard printing electric adding machine has a metal frame painted black and ten columns of color-coded black, white, and red plastic keys. It has function keys left of the number keys and an addition bar and other function keys to the right. The keyboard is covered with green felt. There is a row of number dials at the front of the machine, as well as a row of five small dials between the keyboard and the lower dials on the left. The machine has a motor underneath it, and a wide carriage.
- The printing mechanism is at the back. It has 11 type bars (one of these is probably for symbols). Part of the back cover is missing and there is no stand. The machine is marked on a red tag attached to the object: PATENT DEPT. (/) #34. Thus it is model #34 in the collection of the Patent Division of Burroughs Corporation.
- The Burroughs Class 4 was introduced in 1912. This model demonstrates improvements in the double ribbon mechanism invented by John H. Magnus, a Burroughs inventor.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1912
- maker
- Burroughs Adding Machine Company
- ID Number
- 1982.0794.03
- catalog number
- 1982.0794.03
- accession number
- 1982.0794
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Burroughs Experimental Adding Machine
- Description
- The Burroughs Adding Machine Company made most of its profits on adding machines that had one column of nine keys for each digit of a number (these are called full-keyboard adding machines). Members of the Patent Department also experimented with machines having only ten keys for entering numbers. This is an example of such an experiment.
- The manually operated printing adding machine allows one to enter numbers with up to nine digits and print nine-digit results. It has an additional column of symbol keys in the output. The frame of the case is metal painted black, the sides are of glass. One of these sides is missing. Ten black numeral keys are arranged in two rows. The six white function keys are for subtotal, non-add, backspace, non-print, repeat and error (a seventh function key has key stem only). A row of numeral wheels above indicates the sum. The keyboard is covered with green felt. A dial-shaped place indicator is on the right front. The machine has a 10 3/8”- wide carriage. There is a paper tape, but no ribbon was located. A metal handle with wooden knob painted black is on the right.
- The machine is marked on the front: BURROUGHS. It is marked on a metal tag above the keyboard: B.A.M.CO. (/) MODEL (/) NO. 106. A metal tag attached to the object reads: DONATED TO (/) The Smithsonian Institution (/) by (/) Burroughs Corporation.
- This machine resembles the drawing in A. A. Horton’s United States patent 1,323,475, but is not precisely the same. Horton applied for the patent in 1911 and was granted it in 1919. According to a note with the patent application, a patent originally was applied for July 31, 1911. It was allowed May 19, 1917, but forfeited to prevent publicity of the invention in view of wartime conditions that prevented filing a patent application in Germany. The application was renewed May 15, 1919, and issued December 21, 1919.
- The machine is from the collection of the Patent Division of Burroughs Corporation.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1911
- maker
- Burroughs Adding Machine Company
- ID Number
- 1982.0794.13
- accession number
- 1982.0794
- catalog number
- 1982.0794.13
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Burroughs Class 3 Adding Machine
- Description
- This full keyboard printing adding machine is manually operated. It has a metal frame painted black, with a metal keyboard painted green. There are five columns of black and white color-coded plastic keys. The non-add, total, and subtotal keys are on the left. The repeat key is on the right. In front of the keys is a row of six number dials, under glass. These indicate the sum of numbers added. The crank on the right side operates the machine.
- Behind the keyboard is the black ribbon, printing mechanism, narrow carriage, and paper tape. The tape is visible to the operator, unlike that on earlier Burroughs machines. There are six digit type bars with an additional type bar right of these that prints symbols.
- The machine is marked on the back of the keyboard, with a line drawn through the letter “O”: BURROUGHS. It is marked on a metal tag at the base of the front: 3-283826. It is marked on the back (partly obscured): BURROUGHS ADDING MACHINE CO.
- Compare MA*323588. Burroughs acquired the Pike Adding Machine Company of Orange, New Jersey, in 1909. This machine is very similar to the Pike.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1915
- maker
- Burroughs Adding Machine Company
- ID Number
- 1986.0192.01
- catalog number
- 1986.0192.01
- accession number
- 1986.0192
- maker number
- 3-283826
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Burroughs Class 3 Adding Machine
- Description
- This full keyboard printing manually operated adding machine has a metal frame painted black, a metal keyboard painted green, and seven columns of black and white color-coded plastic keys. A row of eight number wheels is visible at the front of the machine through a glass window. An operating handle that fits on the right side, and three function key stems are on the left. The printing mechanism, with space for ribbon and paper tape, is behind the keyboard. The carriage is 10 cm. (4”) wide, with a serrated edge for tearing the paper tape and a knob on the right to advance the paper. The machine is not entirely assembled and is incomplete. Several spare pieces are present, including a row of red plastic keys like the clearance keys on a Monroe.
- The machine is marked on a tag at the front: 3-37428. It is marked behind the keyboard, with a “g” in an unusual font: Burroughs.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1917
- maker
- Burroughs Adding Machine Company
- ID Number
- MA*335030
- accession number
- 312145
- maker number
- 3-37428
- catalog number
- 335030
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center