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 69 items.
Page 7 of 7
Burroughs Class 5 Adding Machine
- Description
- This full keyboard non-printing manual adding machine is painted black with a green keyboard. It has black and white octagonal plastic keys. The nine columns of keys have nine keys in each column. Odd-numbered keys are concave, even-numbered ones flat. Complementary digits are indicated as well as numbers. Ten windows at the front show the sum of numbers as the numbers are entered. A single key in the upper left corner controls the numeral wheel seen through the tenth window. The machine has two legs at the back which hold it up at an angle. There is a black plastic cover. Compare to Burroughs calculator.
- The Burroughs calculator was sold as the Burroughs Class 5 from 1918 into the 1960s.
- Reference:
- American Digest of Business Machines, 1924, pp. 70-71.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1934
- maker
- Burroughs Adding Machine Company
- ID Number
- 1986.3039.01
- catalog number
- 1986.3039.01
- nonaccession number
- 1986.3039
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Burroughs Series P Adding Machine
- Description
- This full-keyboard printing electric adding machine is a relatively late desktop machine made by Burroughs Corporation. It has a tan steel frame and nine columns of tan and brown square plastic keys. To the left of these is a column of keys with abbreviations for various financial transactions. There are function bars and keys to the right of the number keys.
- Above the keyboard is a two-colored ribbon and a printing mechanism, an adjustable wide carriage, and a narrow paper tape. The ribbon and its spools are covered, with screws securing the covers. Plastic knobs at the ends of the carriage are rotated to advance the platen. Next to the printing mechanism is a supplementary mechanism for setting dates. On the right side of the machine is a place for inserting a crank, although there is no crank. At the left front of the machine is a lock, with the key in it.
- The machine is marked on the front: Burroughs. It has serial number on a metal tag on the back: P464325D. It is marked on another metal tag on the back: SERUES P (/) BURROUGHS CORPORATION (/) DETROIT, MICHIGAN MADE IN U.S. AMERICA.
- The machine came to the Smithsonian from the Hyattsville, Maryland, branch of the Vermont Federal Savings and Loan bank.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1960s
- maker
- Burroughs Corporation
- ID Number
- 1987.0285.01
- catalog number
- 1987.0285.01
- accession number
- 1987.0285
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Burroughs Series P Adding Machine
- Description
- This full-keyboard printing electric adding machine has a tan steel frame and eight columns of tan and brown square plastic keys. To the left of these is a column of keys with the numbers 71 through 79 (there is a 65 instead of a 75), presumably denoting years. Left of this is a column with four keys for the months of quarterly statements (DEC, SEP, JUN, and MAR) and two keys labeled MR and CHK respectively. There are function bars and keys to the right of the number the keys.
- Above the keyboard are four number wheels. Behind them is a two-colored ribbon and a printing mechanism, an adjustable wide carriage, and narrow paper tape. The type wheel for months has all 12 months on it. The ribbon and its spools are covered, with screws holding the covers in place. Plastic knobs at the ends of the carriage are rotated to advance the platen. On the right side of the machine is a place for inserting a crank, although there is no crank. At the back on the right side is a lock for the machine, with the key in it. There also is a lock at the left front of the machine.
- The machine is marked on the front: Burroughs. The serial number, on a metal tag on the back of the machine, is: P366728D It is from after 1960. Another metal tag on the back of the machine is marked: SERIES P (/) BURROUGHS CORPORATION (/) DETROIT, MICHIGAN MADE IN U.S. America.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1960
- maker
- Burroughs Corporation
- ID Number
- 1987.0285.02
- catalog number
- 1987.0285.02
- accession number
- 1987.0285
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Burroughs Style 13 Adding Machine
- Description
- This full-keyboard printing manual adding machine has a black metal body with a glass front. The mechanism is metal, as is the collapsible stand attached to the left side, the crank on the right side, and the stand. The knob on the crank is wooden. There are 13 columns of plastic-topped keys, each with nine keys. The leftmost column of keys is black, the next three columns white, the next column red, the next three columns black, the next three columns white, and the two rightmost columns are black. Once one key in a column is depressed, a second key in that column cannot be depressed. Above these is a tenth row, 12 columns wide, of red correction keys. One can read up to nine-digit entries on a display visible through the glass front. The 12-1/4”-wide carriage and the paper tape are at the back and not visible to the operator. The error and repeat keys are to the right of the keyboard with a non add key and two other interconnected keys on the left. The portion of the frame immediately below the keys is covered with green felt.
- The machine is marked at the base of the front: STYLE No. 13. It is marked on a metal tag below this: No 13 71235. The Burroughs Style 13 was manufactured from 1906 until 1912.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1906-1908
- maker
- Burroughs Adding Machine Company
- ID Number
- 1988.0457.01
- accession number
- 1988.0457
- catalog number
- 330833
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Burroughs Calculator
- Description
- This full-keyboard printing manual machine has a metal case painted black with a green keyboard. It has nine columns of black and white plastic keys, with nine keys in each column. The odd-numbered keys are concave and the even-numbered keys are flat. Complementary digits are indicated. Ten windows at the front show the sum of numbers entered. A crank at the left zeros the digits in these windows. A single key in the upper left corner controls the numeral wheel seen through the tenth window.
- The machine is marked on the front, underlined: Burroughs Calculator. The serial number, on a plate on the bottom, is: 5-660768. It is marked on the back: Burroughs (/) THIS MACHINE PROTECTED BY U.S. AND FOREIGN PATENTS.
- Burroughs Adding Machine Company introduced the Burroughs Calculator in about 1911 to compete with the Comptometer. It sold as the Burroughs Class 5 from 1918.
- Compare MA*308344 and 1986.3039.01..
- Reference:
- American Digest of Business Machines, 1924, pp. 70, 71. This suggests that the machine is a Burroughs model 5205.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1920
- maker
- Burroughs Adding Machine Company
- ID Number
- 1990.0316.04
- accession number
- 1990.0316
- catalog number
- 333873
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Burroughs Calculator
- Description
- This full-keyboard electric adding machine has a gray-brown metal frame and nine columns of color-coded gray and tan plastic keys. The two rightmost columns are tan, the next three columns gray, the next column tan, the next two columns gray, and the final column, tan. One key in the second column from the right is gray rather than white. Complementary digits are indicated. Keys for odd digits are concave, while those for even ones are flat. The key stems underneath the keys have a small round hole. At the base of each column of keys is a smaller key. To the right of the number keys are rear, front, addition, and subtraction keys, and another small key.
- In front and in back of the keys is a row of ten number dials. The dials at the front are for individual totals, those in the back for grand totals. Pushing the addition or subtraction key adds or subtracts the amount shown in the lower dial from the total. There is no printing mechanism and no paper tape. An electric cord extends from the back of the machine.
- The machine is marked on the front: Burroughs. It is marked on the bottom at the front with the following serial number: B166508. It is marked on the back: Burroughs Calculator.
- This machine appears to be a more recent, electric form of the Burroughs calculator.
- Reference:
- Burroughs Adding Machine Company, Burroughs Electric Duplex Calculator, 1945 , Smithsonian Institution Libraries trade literature.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1951
- maker
- Burroughs Adding Machine Company
- ID Number
- 1996.0238.02
- catalog number
- 1996.0238.02
- accession number
- 1996.0238
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Levin Adding Machine
- Description
- This ten-key non-printing manually operated adding machine has a steel and iron frame. The ten digit keys are arranged in two columns on the left side. Two rows of nine keys across the top indicate the place number of the digit entered. The front row is for addition and the other is for subtraction. To enter a number, both the digit key and the place key were depressed. Numbers through 9,999,999 can be indicated. The metal keys have plastic and paper key tops. The space under the keyboard is covered with green velvet. The result is indicated on a row of red number wheels below these two rows of keys. The machine is stored in a small black suitcase covered with leather, lined with cloth, and provided with a metal handle on top.
- Compare to U.S. patent 815,542, dated March 20, 1906. Other Levin patents are 706,000, July 29, 1902,and 727,392, May 5, 1903.
- Judah Levin, the inventor of this adding machine, was an Orthodox rabbi in Detroit.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1906
- maker
- Levin, Judah L.
- ID Number
- MA*311442
- accession number
- 147976
- catalog number
- 311442
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Burroughs Class 3 Adding Machine
- Description
- This full keyboard printing manual adding machine has a metal frame painted black, a metal keyboard painted green, and nine columns of black and white color-coded plastic keys. A glass window at the front of the machine reveals nine number dials. A crank fits into the right side. Behind the keyboard is a 12” carriage with a narrow paper tape and a bell. The key tops for the five function keys are loose or missing.
- The machine is marked on a metal tag attached to the front: #3-674863. It is marked behind the keyboard: Burroughs. There is a line through the “o” in this mark.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1920
- maker
- Burroughs Adding Machine Company
- ID Number
- MA*335029
- accession number
- 312145
- maker number
- #3-674863
- catalog number
- 335029
- 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