This is a full- keyboard printing manual adding machine. It has a black metal frame, a metal mechanism, glass sides, and a metal handle with a wooden knob. Each of the six columns of black and white plastic number keys has a red key at the top. The repeat and error keys are right of the number keys. The subtotal and total keys are to the left. There is no paper tape. The printing mechanism and paper tape are not visible to the operator. A collapsible metal stand is attached to the left side of the machine. The overall dimensions with the stand up are: 49 cm. w. x 37 cm. d. x 32.9 cm. h.
The machine is marked at the bottom of the front: STYLE No. 7. It is marked on a metal tag below this: No 7-66878. According to the donor, this machine was used in a grocery store in Hopewell, Virginia, in 1917 or earlier.
Allen Wales Adding Machine Division, the National Cash Register Company
ID Number
1988.0488.01
catalog number
1988.0488.01
accession number
1988.0488
Description
This full-keyboard printing manual adding machine has a tan metal frame, a metal mechanism, and green and white plastic keys on a light green plastic keyboard. It has eight columns of keys and has an operating by a handle on the right side. Subtraction and repeat levers are next to the keyboard, as is a clearing button. Total/subtotal and non-add levers are next to the handle.
The ribbon and the printing mechanism are exposed. The paper tape is released by a lever on the right, advanced by a roller on the right, and torn off using a serrated edge along the top of the paper guide. The machine prints results up to eight digits long. Using a lever on the tip left side, paper advance may be set at nonprint, one space, two spaces or total space.
The machine is marked at the front: National. The serial number, impressed on a metal tag attached to the front at the base is: 9H 309035. A mark on the back reads: MANUFACTURED AT (/) ITHACA, NEW YORK U.S.A. BY THE (/) ALLEN-WALES ADDING MACHINE DIVISION OF (/) THE NATIONAL CASH REGISTER COMPANY (/) DAYTON, OHIO, U.S.A. (/) National.
The machine was given to the Smithsonian by Leona T. Feldman of Philadelphia, and used by her father in his law office. Her father was most probably lawyer David N. Feldman (1896-1987).
This ten-key printing electric adding machine has a bright orange and brown plastic frame, plastic keys, metal workings, and a paper tape. In addition to a block of ten numeral keys, the keyboard has an “x” key on the left, and - (/) T”and + (/) S bars on the right. The printing mechanism is behind the keyboard, with a narrow 2-1/4” (5.7 cm.) paper tape. Numbers up to eight digits long may be printed. There is a plastic serrated edge for tearing the paper tape. One type bar prints special characters. An orange button in the back of the machine can be pressed to release the lid for access to the mechanism and the black ribbon. Parts include a clear plastic cover and a black cord.
The machine is marked on the right: Sears. It is marked on the bottom: MODEL 888.58801 (/) 120 V 60 W 0.5A (/) SERIAL # 8263820 (/) MADE IN JAPAN. It is marked on the cord: KAWASAKI (/) KP-50 (/) JAPAN.
For manual, see 1988.0265.03. A receipt inside the manual indicates that the donor purchased the machine on May 28, 1973, for $46.68 (including tax).
Like many religious organizations, Christ Congregational Church in Silver Spring, Maryland, used an adding machine to track its finances.
This ten-key printing electric adding machine has a black plastic case and a metal base. It has a block of nine white number keys with a 0 bar below. Subtract and repeat keys are to the right of the number keys, and a total bar is to the right of these. Left of the number keys are non-add and subtotal keys and a correction bar. A place indicator is above the keyboard and a printing mechanism, carriage, and motor behind it. A hinged door opens to give access to the black ribbon. Color-coded dots above the paper tape serve as place markers and a serrated edge assists in tearing the tape. The printing mechanism has room for further digit fonts. One may enter numbers of up to seven digits and print results of up to eight digits. A cord extends from the back of the machine. There are four rubber feet. When the machine prints, decimal points are not indicated.
The machine is marked above the keyboard: REMINGTON RAND. It is marked on the right side: MODEL NO 93 (/) ADDING BOOKKEEPING * CALCULATING MACHINES (/) MADE IN U.S.A. The serial number on the base is 93-710565.
This round plastic coaster has several grooves around the outside. It is brown with a gold-colored center and is marked with the logo of Burroughs Corporation, the employer of the donor..
This adding machine has a black case, with a green metal plate under the keyboard. It has nine black plastic digit keys arranged in a square with a “0” bar below. The digits are in white, with smaller complementary digits in red. There are red SUB (/) TOTAL and TOTAL keys to the left of the digit keys and a smaller red key to the right. Numbers of up to nine digits may be entered. Depressing the total key and the key on the right and bringing the lever forward clears the machine. At the front is a red key marked "E” that serves as a column indicator. Moving this key to the right eliminates digits entered erroneously. The metal operating lever, with wooden handle, is on the right side. Behind the keyboard is a glass window that reveals a row of nine plastic wheels that show the total. Behind these is a narrow carriage with a rubber knobs that carries a paper tape.
The Brennan was invented by Thomas Mehan and manufactured in Chicago in roughly the years from 1929 to1931. This was not a good time to be starting a business in the United States, and the Brennan Adding Machine Company soon folded. The rights to manufacture the machine were acquired by Remington Rand by 1932, and it soon began to manufacture a similar machine as its "grocer's special."
The machine is marked on the right and left side, with a stencil of an airplane: THE (/) BRENNAN. It is stamped on the bottom with serial number 4305.
The prior owner of the machine did not know where it was used.
References:
This machine resembles that shown in an advertisement in Typewriter Topics, vol. 74, March, 1930. p. 61. It has more function keys than shown in 1929 advertisements.
E. Martin, Die Rechenmaschinen und ihre Entwicklungsgeschichte, (1925 edition with later supplement), p. 457.
This ten-key listing electric adding machine has a blue-green plastic case with a black plastic cover for the paper tape and two-color ribbon. It has three rows of white plastic digit keys, with two bars below these, one for entering single zeros and the other for double zeros. Right of the digit keys are total, subtotal, subtraction, and entry bars. Left of the digit keys is a column of function keys, with a lever at the top and at the bottom of the column. Left of these are three further function keys and a white key which may be depressed. Above the keyboard is a place indicator for digits being entered. Numbers of up to 12 digits may be entered.
Behind the keyboard is the printing mechanism, which includes one bar for printing special characters. Results with up to 12 digits may be printed. There is a paper tape 3” (7.7 cm.) wide, with a plastic serrated edge for tearing it. A lever at the right releases tension on the platen. A plug extends from the back of the machine. The machine has a dark gray cloth cover laminated with plastic.
A mark on top of the machine reads: olivetti-underwood. a mark on a metal plate attached to the back reads: Multisumma 22 Olivetti (/) MADE IN ITALY - FABRIQUE EN ITALIE. The serial number on the bottom is M 346630.
According to Shapira, Olivetti purchased a controlling share of Underwood in 1959. The Olivetti Multisumma 20, apparently a later machine than the Multisumma 22, was introduced in 1965.
Reference:
N. Shapira, Design Process Olivetti 1908-1978, 1979, p. 251, 252.
This small lever-set non-printing manually operated adding machine has a black metal case with a lid that opens to reveal nine curved levers. These levers are moved forward to set a number. The nine red plastic keys across the top of the machine are for subtraction. The metal handle may be used to carry the machine when the lid is closed. The machine has four rubber feet. It is marked on the front: STAR ADDING MACHINE (/) MANUFACTURED BY (/) TODD PROTECTOGRAPH CO. (/) ROCHESTER, N.Y., U.S.A. (/) PATENTED NOV. 22 1921. OTHER PATENTS PENDING. It is marked on the bottom with serial number: 21243. This example is from the collection of Felt & Tarrant Manufacturing Company.
According to Typewriter Topics, the lid was added to the Star in 1924. It served both to keep out dust and to allow the machine to be locked. That year, the device sold for $44. The Star had sold previously as the AMCO, and was purchased by the Todd Company and renamed in 1922. It was redesigned and put on the market as the Todd Visible in April 1926.
Compare MA.326517.
References:
E. Martin, The Calculating Machines (Die Rechenmaschinen), trans. P. A. Kidwell and M. R. Williams, Cambridge: MIT Press, 1992, pp. 326-328.
Typewriter Topics, vol. 58, October (?), 1924, p. 77.
Business Machines and Equipment Digest, 1928, sec. 3-1A, p. 4.
This full-keyboard non-printing adding machine represents the successful adoption of mechanical aids to computation by American scientists. It was one of several computing devices owned by the meteorologist Daniel Draper. Draper used Comptometers in his work at the New York Meteorological Observatory from about 1886. He acquired this machine in 1914 or later.
The machine has a metal case painted brown and a metal mechanism, with eight columns of octagonal, color-coded plastic keys. Complementary digits are indicated on the keys. Keys for odd digits are concave, and those for even digits are flat. The length of the key stems increases going from front to back. There are subtraction levers, numbered decimal markers in front of the keys, and nine windows to show the result in front of the decimal markers. A zeroing handle is on the right side. The machine fits on a wooden stand and has a metal cover painted black.
The machine has serial number F58074. It is marked on a metal plaque screwed to the back of the machine: TRADE COMPTOMETER MARK (/) PAT'D [. . .] (/) Felt & Tarrant Mfg. Co. (/) CHICAGO. It is also marked there with several patent dates, the last of which is; SEP.15.14. It is marked on the front of the metal cover: COMPTOMETER (Pronounced like Thermometer) (/) FELT & TARRANT MFG. CO. (/) CHICAGO. U.S.A. (/) Adds - Divides (/) Multiplies - Subtracts
Reference:
P. A. Kidwell, “American Scientists and Calculating Machines: From Novelty to Commonplace,” Annals of the History of Computing, 12, 1990, pp. 31-40.
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.
This printing key-driven adding machine machine has a cherry case, a steel mechanism, steel keys with German silver and plastic key tops, and steel dials at the front that record the result. The eight columns of keys have nine keys in each column. The celluloid discs in the key tops are color-coded for cents (the two rightmost columns that are white), dollars to hundreds of dollars (the three middle columns that are turquoise), and thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars (the two leftmost columns that are white). Complementary digits are indicated on the discs. Nine numeral dials show the result through a single glass window in a metal piece at the front of the machine. A zeroing knob with lever is on the right side at the front. The printing mechanism is at the back, with a roll of paper tape above it. The paper tape is held down by a heavy curved wire. The wooden container for the paper tape folds down, covering the printing mechanism for transfer.
The machine has serial number 189, indicated at the center of the machine in front of the numeral wheels. It is marked on a metal tag on the right side of the machine: COMPTOGRAPH (/) PATENTED (/) JULY. 19. 87. 366945 [. . .] NOV. 25 90. 441,233 (/) FELT & TARRANT MFG. CO. (/) 52-53 ILLINOIS ST. (/) CHICAGO. The patent numbers and patent dates given are the first and last of those listed.
This device is from the collection of Felt & Tarrant Manufacturing Company, as passed down to Victor Comptometer Corporation. It is described as #18 in that collection, an “improved narrow printing comptograph.”
This is a relatively early product of a company that would (under the name of Burroughs Adding Machine Company) come to dominate the market for adding machines in the United States.
A heavy full-keyboard printing manually operated adding machine, it has a metal frame painted black, and glass sides that reveal the metal mechanism. The dashpot is on the inside on the left. There are nine columns of color-coded black and white plastic keys. That is to say, the two leftmost columns are black for cents, the next column white for dollars, the next two columns black for tens and hundreds of dollars, the next column white for thousands of dollars, and so forth. The unlabeled metal key at the left front is used both to correct errors and in totaling. Another unlabeled metal key, on the right side, is used to repeat entries, as in multiplication by repeated addition. The keyboard is covered with green felt.
The machine is operated by bringing forward a metal crank with a wood handle. The register at the front of the machine toward the bottom has no number wheels. The printing mechanism at the back of the machine prints totals up to nine digits long. The carriage behind it is hinged at the bottom so that it can be swung open when the operator wishes to see the result (the machine is, to use the language of the day, blind printing). The carriage is 3 1/2” (8.7 cm.) wide. This machine lacks a ribbon and a paper tape. The object has four rubber feet. A metal key unlocks the cover.
The machine is marked on the front glass side: BURROUGHS’ (/) REGISTERING (/) ACCOUNTANT. It is marked on a metal plate screwed to the front of the machine below the keyboard: AMERICAN ARITHMOMETER CO. ST. LOUIS U.S.A. (/) OWNER OF PATENTS (/) PAT’D. A serial number tag is at the base of the machine, but no serial number is visible.
The machine appears to be earlier than MA.323592, which is from 1903. It is from the collections of Felt & Tarrant Manufacturing Company, and was donated by the successor firm of Victor Comptometer Corporation.
Reference:
Instructions for Operating the Burroughs Registering Accountant, pp. 5-6.
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.
This full-keyboard non-printing adding machine has a black metal case with six columns of black and white, octagonal keys, colored according to the place value of the digits entered. Complementary digits are indicated on the keys. Keys representing even digits are flat, those for odd digits are indented. In back of the keyboard is a movable carriage that contains a counter register and a result register above it. Numbers in the counter register can have up to seven digits. Those in the result register 13 digits.
To the left of the number keys are two white keys, one for the key drive and one for the crank drive. To the right of the number keys is a white key that, when pushed, releases the keys. On the right side of the machine is a crank that may be rotated to enter numbers into the register when the “crank drive” key is pushed down. The machine is designed to combine key-driven addition and crank-driven multiplication. It is the first model of a “Duo” Comptometer, and comes from the collection of models at Felt & Tarrant Manufacturing Company. There is no provision for subtraction.
A patent for the invention was filed July 31, 1923 and granted just over nine years later on August 2, 1932. It is patent 1,869,872. A metal tag stored with the object is marked: 134.
This ten-key printing manual adding machine has an aluminum frame painted black with a steel keyboard painted green. The digit keys, which include complementary digits in red, are arranged in two rows.. On the right are plastic repeat and total keys. On the left is another key stem, with no key cover. There is no place indicator. The metal crank with wooden handle is on the right side. The printing mechanism is behind this, with a 2-5/8" carriage apparently designed for a 2-1/2” paper tape. There is no paper tape. The ribbon prints in both black and red. Apparently the machine does not print symbols.
The machine is marked on a metal tag attached to the front: THE (/) DALTON (/) ADDING (/) MACHINE (/) CO. (/) REG.U.S.PAT.OFF. It is also marked there: PAT. SEPT. 24, 1912, No. 1039130 (/) PAT. DEC. 31, 1912, No. 1049057 (/) PAT. DEC. 31. 1912, No. 1049093 (/) OTHER PATENTS PENDING (/) CINCINNATI, OHIO(EAST NORWOOD). It is marked on the back: NO28554.
The donor, Bobbie Harvey, was a member of the Smithsonian guard force and donated this machine in 1975. He said it was given to his father by a friend some years previously.
This ten-key printing manually operated adding machine allows one to enter numbers and record totals up to ten digits. It has a dark brown metal body with two rows of white plastic number keys. Both numbers and their complements are indicated. The handle, mechanism, and stand are metal, with a wooden knob on the handle and carriage handles covered with decaying rubber. In addition to number keys, there are backspace, subtract, non-add and multiply keys on the keyboard. A hand-motor lever is to the right of these. Above it are release, total, and subtotal keys.
Directly above the number keys is a place indicator. To its left is the correction bar. Above these is the printing mechanism (with a two-color ribbon) and carriage (about 10” wide), and a paper tape. On the right is the crank. The machine is on a metal base, with a metal stand with wooden kick stand. There is no motor or cord. The stand has one wheel at the center of the back and two wheels at the front.
The machine is marked above the number keys: Dalton (/) CINCINNATI, OHIO. It is marked on the carriage: Dalton (/) ADDING, (/) LISTING AND (/) CALCULATING MACHINE. It is marked under the handle: NO203986. The underside of the base is marked: 0100. It is also marked: 0230A .
Reference:
Office Machines Research Inc., section 3.21, 1937.
This lever-set non-printing adding machine has an etched steel case, painted black and resting on four rubber feet. Seven levers move in circular arcs between slots in the case. The case is painted along the edges of the slots with digits from 0 to 9 (large and in black and white) and 9 to 0 (small and in red). The large digits are used in addition, the small ones in subtraction. The cover has a corrugation or depression for each digit. Digits are set by placing the index finger in the corresponding depression and raising the lever by the thumb until it is stopped by the finger. They are entered by moving down a metal handle with a wooden knob on the right side. If no number has been entered, moving the knob zeros the machine. The result appears in seven windows above the levers. Another handle on the right side zeros digits set incorrectly.
The machine is marked on a plaque attached to the front: AMERICAN (/) ADDING MACHINE (/) AMERICAN CAN COMPANY (/) ADDING MACHINE DIVISION (/) CHICAGO, ILL. No 23096. It is also marked there: PAT. AUG. 27, 1912 (/) OTHER PATS. PEND.
Compare MA.323606.
By 1924, American adding machines were made by the American Adding Machine Company of Chicago.
Reference:
J. H. McCarthy, The American Digest of Business Machines, Chicago: American Exchange Service, 1924, p. 27, 518.
This small pamphlet gives instructions for using the wooden box model of the Comptometer. The document was received with a later model of the Comptometer (see MA.335357).
Reference:
P. A. Kidwell, “American Scientists and Calculating Machines: From Novelty to Commonplace,” Annals of the History of Computing, 12, 1990, pp. 31-40.
This U.S. patent model for a lever-set non-printing adding machine has wooden sides and metal covers for the back and the lower front. Four large toothed wheels are used for setting numbers, with five registering wheels in front and below these. Between each of the large wheels is a strip of metal; the digits from 0 to 9 are indicated along the edges of these strips. Each of the four right registering wheels is attached to a spur wheel with ten teeth that meshes with a large toothed wheel. Placing a finger in one of the teeth of a large wheel and rotating it forward advances the registering wheel proportionally. The number entered is visible in a row of windows at the front of the model. The four registering wheels to the left have on their left side a ring of ten equidistant pins that are used in carrying.
The patent tag for the machine reads: 21243 (/) J. Burns (/) Addometer (/) Patented Aug 24 (/) 1858 (/) Calculator.
On March 26, 1867, Jabez Burns of New York City took out U.S. Patent 52934 for an improved powder mixer. The model for this patent is in the Medical Sciences collection of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. It seems likely that this is the same person who invented the addometer and the same Jabez Burns who was born in Ireland in about 1827, came to new York at age 18 in January of 1845, and worked variously as a cartman, peddler, accountant, and inventor. He had a son, also called Jabez Burns.
References:
Jabez Burns, "Addometer," U.S. Patent 21243, August 24, 1858.
U.S. Census records 1850, 1860. Civil War draft regisration records, June, 1863. New York City directories.