Stepped Drum Calculating Machines

The distinguished mathematician and philosopher Gottfried William Leibniz started thinking about stepped drum calculating machines in the 1670s, and an eighteenth century instrument built on his design survives. However, it was the French insurance executive Charles Xavier Thomas (1785-1870) who invented and sold the first commercially successful calculating machine. Proposed in 1820, it would sell successfully from about 1850.

Thomas’s calculating machine, which he dubbed the arithmometer, had cylindrical brass drums, each with nine teeth that varied in length.  If a setting lever was at “9”, it engaged nine teeth, at 8, eight teeth and so forth. This stepped drum mechanism would be modified over time, with different metals used for the stepped drums, much of the drum cut away, and different arrangement of the teeth on the gears. Nonetheless, the stepped drum survived as part of some calculating machines as long as they were manufactured.

This manually operated non-printing stepped drum calculating machine is brass, painted black ,with a black metal frame and cover. Digits are set by pushing down seven German silver levers. The number set appears in a row of windows between the levers.
Description
This manually operated non-printing stepped drum calculating machine is brass, painted black ,with a black metal frame and cover. Digits are set by pushing down seven German silver levers. The number set appears in a row of windows between the levers. A zeroing knob for the levers and these windows is to the left of them. The operating crank is on the right. Left of the levers is a window showing a number relating to automatic division. Left of this is a lever and rod combination used to set the machine for addition or subtraction and, if desired, for automatic division.
Behind the entry levers is a movable carriage with seven windows for the revolution counter, 12 windows for the result register, zeroing levers for these registers, a bell, and rods with springs for moving the carriage. The bell rings when the result passes through zero. The thumbscrews can be used to set up numbers in the result register. Sliding decimal markers are available for all three registers. The inside of the lid has a paper sheet with instructions in German and in English.
A mark on the front of the machine reads: MADAS (/) Pat. Jahnz (/) U.S.A. Ptd Dec. 16th 1913 (/) D.R.P. etc. A second mark there reads: No. 3533. A third mark there reads: MADE IN SWITZERLAND. A paper tag glued to the back of the machine reads: J.W.O. Following these initials are illegible letters. A metal tag on the front of the machine reads: W.A. Morschhauser (/) SOLE AGENT (/) 1 Madison Avenue (/) NEW YORK CITY
This model of the MADAS was introduced in 1913 and sold until about 1930.
Compare MA.317288, MA.324278, MA.323586 and 1982.0794.88.
Reference:
H. W. Egli, Ltd., MADAS 50 Jahre Arbeit, Zurich.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1913-1930
maker
Egli, Hans W.
ID Number
MA.317388
accession number
230394
catalog number
317388
This manually operated, non-printing stepped drum calculating machine has a brass and steel mechanism painted black, with a black steel cover. Digits are set by pushing down eight German silver levers. The digit set up appears in a row of windows between the levers.
Description
This manually operated, non-printing stepped drum calculating machine has a brass and steel mechanism painted black, with a black steel cover. Digits are set by pushing down eight German silver levers. The digit set up appears in a row of windows between the levers. A zeroing knob for the levers is left of them. The crank for operating the machine is to the right. To the left of the levers is a window showing a number that relates to automatic division, and two levers, one for automatic division and the other for subtraction / addition-multiplication.
Behind the levers is a carriage with a row of seven revolution counter register windows and 12 result register windows. The revolution register has no carry mechanism. The zeroing knobs for these registers are on the right of the carriage. Above the entry levers, the revolution counting register and the result register are metal bars that carry sliding decimal markers. Thumbscrews are used to set up numbers in the result register. On the left end of the carriage are a bell that rings to indicate over division (e.g. a negative result), and a mechanism for shifting the carriage. The machine has four rubber feet.
A mark on the machine to the left of the levers reads: MADAS (/) U.S.A. Ptd Dec. 16th 1913 (/) etc. A mark on the far left reads: No 5095 (/) MADE IN SWITZERLAND. A mark on the outside of the metal cover reads: MULTIPLICATION AUTOMAT. DIVISION ADDITION SUBTRACTION (/) MADAS.
The steel cover has operating instructions in German and French on a piece of paper pasted inside. The MADAS, designed by Erwin Jahnz, a German living in Switzerland, was produced by the Swiss firm of H. W. Egli. It featured automatic division. The MADAS, introduced in 1913. was made until around 1930.
Compare MA.317288, MA.324278, MA.323586 and 1982.0794.88.
This example is from the collection of Felt & Tarrant Manufacturing Company.
References:
H. W. Egli, Ltd., MADAS 50 Jahre Arbeit, Zurich.
Erwin Jahnz, “Calculating Machine,” U. S. Patent 1,81,310, December 16, 1913.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1913-1930
maker
Egli, Hans W.
ID Number
MA.323586
accession number
250163
catalog number
323586
This full-keyboard, electric, non-printing modified stepped drum calculating machine has a steel frame painted black, with rounded corners. The metal plate under the keyboard is painted green.
Description
This full-keyboard, electric, non-printing modified stepped drum calculating machine has a steel frame painted black, with rounded corners. The metal plate under the keyboard is painted green. The six columns of plastic keys are colored black or white according to the place value of the digit represented. A red clearance key is at the bottom of each column. Rods between the rows of keys serve as decimal markers. They are unpainted on one side and painted the same green as the plate under the keyboard on the other.
A column to the right of the number keys has three keys. One clears the entire keyboard. The other two are set to determine whether or not the keyboard clears after each calculation. Above these are plastic bars which may be depressed for electric addition or subtraction. The machine also operates using a removable crank that fits on the right side and rotates clockwise for addition and counterclockwise for subtraction.
In back of the keyboard is a carriage that has a row of 12 numeral dials for recording results and a row of six numeral dials behind these, which serve as a revolution register. The revolution register has no carry. Two thin metal rods between the windows for these registers carry decimal markers. The carriage shift lever is at the front of the machine. To the right of the result register is a knob for lifting the carriage. On the right side of the carriage is the zeroing crank for dials on it. The machine has four rubber feet. The motor is attached to the left side of the machine and has an on-off switch. It has a fraying electrical cord attached. The on-off switch for the bell is on the back left of the keyboard.
A mark on the center back of the machine reads: MONROE (/) Calculating Machine Company (/) New York, U.S.A. A mark on the left bottom edge of the carriage and on the right side of the machine under the carriage gives the serial number A20317. The machine is from after 1924 and before 1939. In the later years, it was known as the KA-120.
Reference:
J. H. McCarthy, The Business Machines and Equipment Digest, 1928, pp. 9-29 to 9-33.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1930
maker
Monroe Calculating Machine Company
ID Number
MA.323614
catalog number
323614
maker number
A20312
accession number
250163
This German stepped drum, full keyboard non-printing calculating machine has a metal frame painted black, with metal handles on each side.
Description
This German stepped drum, full keyboard non-printing calculating machine has a metal frame painted black, with metal handles on each side. It has nine columns of black and white digit keys (rightmost column, white; next column, black; next column, white; next three columns, black; next two columns, white; leftmost column, black), with a red clearance key at the bottom of each column. To the right of the keyboard is a red plastic key, which clears the entire keyboard. Above it is a subtraction key. Left of the keyboard is a keystem without a key. Between the columns are metal rods painted green on one side and white on the other to serve as decimal markers, as in Monroe calculating machines. The keyboard is painted green.
Above the keyboard nine number dials show a number set up on the keyboard. Behind is a carriage with a 17-dial result register and an eight-dial revolution counter. Right of the registers are clearance levers. Rods above both registers carry decimal markers. Thumbscrews set up numbers on the result register. A crank at the front of the machine moves the carriage.
The machine fits closely into a metal base, painted black, which carries the motor. This base has a box at the front with a small window and a lever. On the left are ten black plastic digit keys arranged in four rows. Subtraction, addition, and multiplication bars at the front.
The machine is marked on a metal tag at the front: Rheinmetall. It is marked on a metal tag on the carriage: Büromaschinen (/) Wilhelm Burkhardt (/) Nürnburg-A.Fernruf 26876. It is marked on the left of the base: 5275. It is marked on the left with serial number: 23398. A red tag attached to the machine reads: PATENT DEPT. (/) #109. The machine was model #109 in the collection of the Patent Division of Burroughs Corporation.
Compare 1982.0794.56. The serial number suggests this is a later machine.
Reference:
E. Martin, The Calculating Machines (Die Rechenmaschinen), pp. 448–452, esp. description of “superautomatic” model SASL.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1932
maker
Rheinische Metallwaaren und Maschinenfabrik Sommerda Aktiengesellschaft
ID Number
1982.0794.20
catalog number
1982.0794.20
accession number
1982.0794
The Swedish-born inventor Carl Friden was stranded in Australia during World War I and then, on his way back to Sweden, decided to settle in California. He found a place at the Marchant Calculating Machine Company, taking out several patents for machines manufactured there.
Description
The Swedish-born inventor Carl Friden was stranded in Australia during World War I and then, on his way back to Sweden, decided to settle in California. He found a place at the Marchant Calculating Machine Company, taking out several patents for machines manufactured there. By 1933 he had decided to start his own company. The Friden models A (8-digit entries) and B (10-digit entries) appeared in 1934.
In 1936 the young company introduced this machine, the model C. It featured automatic return clearance for the carriage and dials and was sold in two sizes, one that allowed entry of numbers up to eight digits long (the C 8) and one allowing ten-digit entries (the C 10). This is an early example of the C 10. It has a case painted greenish black. A later version of the model C, introduced in about 1941, had a gray case. It sold until 1949.
The stepped drum, full-keyboard electric non-printing calculating machine has ten columns of black and white plastic number keys, colored to make it easy to distinguish different units of money. A blank clearance key of red plastic is at the bottom of each column. Metal rods between the columns of keys turn to indicate decimal places. On the right are red and black function keys. The machine has no separate keys for multiplication.
Behind the number keys is a movable carriage with an 11-digit revolution register and a 21-digit result register. An arrow above the first column of keys assists in setting the carriage. The result register has plastic buttons above it that can be used to set up numbers. Decimal markers slide above the two registers. Zeroing knobs are on the right of the carriage. The cord is missing. The corners of the machine have metal streamlines. It resembles in key color and general appearance the contemporary Marchant keyboard electric machines built on Friden’s patent.
The machine is marked on the sides: FRIDEN. A second mark, visible through a window at the front of the machine, is: C10-41272. A paper tag glued to the front left of the machine reads: FRIDEN CALCULATIN [...] ACHINE CO. (/) OAKLAND, CALIF. The Friden Calculating Machine Company moved from Oakland to San Leandro in 1936.
Compare the Marchant ERB calculating machine with museum number 1977.1225.01, as well as a later model C 10 with catalog number MA.335422.
This machine was transferred to the collections from the Office of Exhibits at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History in 1982. It had no Smithsonian Institution tag.
References:
Carl Holm, “Milestones in the Development of Friden.”
Ernie Jorgenson, Friden Age List, Office Machine Americana, p. 1
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1936
maker
Friden Calculating Machine Company
ID Number
1982.0243.01
catalog number
1982.0243.01
accession number
1982.0243
maker number
C10 41272
By 1939 Friden Calculating Machine Company had introduced a “Supermatic” version of its calculating machine that featured multiplication by direct entry of digits (rather than repeated addition).
Description
By 1939 Friden Calculating Machine Company had introduced a “Supermatic” version of its calculating machine that featured multiplication by direct entry of digits (rather than repeated addition). This is an example of that full-keyboard non-printing electric stepped drum machine. It has a metal frame painted gray and ten columns of color-coded gray and blue-green plastic number keys, with a blank green key at the bottom of each column.
Metal rods between the columns of keys turn to indicate decimal places. On the right are two columns of function bars and keys. On the left is a register that indicates numbers entered for multiplication. Below it is a block of 9 white digit keys, with a 0 bar below. These are surrounded by further levers and function keys.
Behind the number keys is a movable carriage with an 11-digit register and a 21-digit result register. The result register has plastic buttons above it that can be used to set up numbers. Zeroing knobs for the registers are on the right of the carriage. Decimal markers slide below the two registers on the carriage. The machine has four hard rubber feet. An electric cord attachs to the machine at the back.
A mark on the bottom of the machine reads: S10-105632. A mark on the back and sides reads: FRIDEN. A sticker attached to the bottom reads: MODEL S. It also reads: FRIDEN CALCULATING MACHINE CO., INC. [() MADE IN SAN LEANDRO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A. It also reads: DESIGN PAT. 103,425.
Design patent D103,425 was granted to Carl M. Friden March 2, 1937. According to Carl Holm of Neopost, the model S 10 was introduced in 1938. The date given is from Jorgenson.
Reference:
Ernie Jorgenson, Friden Age List, Office Machine Americana, p. 2.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1939
maker
Friden Calculating Machine Company, Inc.
ID Number
MA.334378
catalog number
334378
accession number
313935
maker number
S10 105632

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