Different types of mechanical calculating machines

In the literature beside the upper mentioned calculating machines also most diverse objects are called such as Abaci, slide rules or Napier slide rules mechanical calculating machines. In order to distinguish the calculating machines described here from these devices, the term of the mechanical calculating machines must be defined more near:

Are at least a Einstellwerk, a result work and an automatic decimal carry common to the mechanical calculating machines meant here. The automatic decimal carry must thereby not the full capacity of the machine seize and may be only machine internally present. The decimal carry may not thus only be partly automatically, as usual with counting on column adding machines, present.

The restriction that mechanical calculating machines with gear wheels was to work, would out-border the multiplying machines Eduard of the Selling (1834-1920), which works according to the principle of the shears.

The following section is to give an overview of the different types of mechanical calculating machines:

Adding machines

The partitioning made here concerns above all functionality and operational area of the calculating machines; becomes between adding machines (also adding machines) and four-species machines differentiated. Adding machine here a calculating machine is called, whose conception was aligned primarily to the fast addition by number columns. the fact that this partitioning does not lead to a clear demarcation of different calculating machines becomes clear with the definition of the term four-species machines.

In Europe adding machines are called gladly two-species machines. This does not become particularly fair in the USA their use. On editing keyboard adding machines can be multiplied and divided quite fast and efficiently. The hand position essentially replaces the carriage of a European four-species machine with the multiplication on an editing keyboard adding machine. So that the multiplication of two numbers on an adding machine can being accomplished like the Comptometer of the Felt and Tarrant Manufacturing company from Chicago faster, as on a Brunsviga sprocket wheel calculating machine from Braunschweig. (With continued calculation and division the sprocket wheel calculating machine plays again its advantages out).

This circumstance may be because of the fact that in Europe above all sprocket wheel and relay roller machines are manufactured, while in the USA editing keyboard adding machines form the backbone of calculating machine production. The appropriate comparison competitions and advertising statements from the wedding of the mechanical calculating machines have here possibly still another late effect.

Column adding machines

Column adding machines are meant to summing with an addition from several numbers each column individually as one is used to it with written adding. Also under these machines there are copies, which are suitable for the multiplication also. For example the coolie of Adolf Bordt Mannheim.

Adding machines with direct transmission

With adding machines with direct transmission the pressure releases the computing method on a key directly, why these machines are often called the fastest adding machines. They are usually equipped with an editing keyboard, i.e., there are keys for the numbers 1 to 9 in each column.

The torpedo high-speed adding machine of the torpedo works and the pluses of the Bell Punch Ltd. London represent here an exception. They possess the keys 1 to 5, thus a half editing keyboard or a reduced keyboard for each column.

Adding machines with actuating lever

On these machines one keys a number in and releases the computing method with a separate lever. The word actuating lever is to be understood here in the broader sense, it can also a key or a crank concern. The moreover one some makes were equipped with engines, with which the actuating lever had only releasing function. Adding machines with actuating lever were equipped with the editing keyboard mentioned above or with a numeric keyboard, as one knows them from today's pocket calculators.

The disadvantage of the adding machines with actuating lever opposite the machines without actuating levers is that they need an additional depressing the key per number. But the keystroke is usually very easy, because the energy for the mechanism supplies the actuating lever. The building method of a machine with actuating lever is easier to control, especially they possess a simpler decimal carry mechanism. An aspect interesting for beginners in the machine counting is the controllability of the input and their unproblematic correction, which are not possible on machines with direct transmission.

In mentioned column adding machines have nearly without exception no actuating lever.

Printing one and writing adding machines

Printing adding machines can bring calculation and result to paper. With a writing adding machine one can supplement the calculation around further text.

Four-species calculators

The Gattungsbezeichnung four-species calculator should be generally a calculating machine, on which one can count at least all four basic operations of arithmetic. To reread is in the article over four-species calculators.

Those in the following specified operational principles were predominantly used for four-species machines:

Relay roller machines

see Wikipedia article

Sprossenradmaschinen

see Wikipedia article

Proportional lever and pawl machines

Both operational principles decrease/go back to the most important German calculating machine technical designer Christel Hamann (1870-1948). The proportional lever principle had developed Hamann in the years 1902 and 1903. The first copy of its calculating machine Euklid which is based on this principle was sold 1908.

The first pawl machine Hamann Manus was produced starting from 1925 by the citizens of Berlin company DeTeWe. The outside form of the pawl machines was adapted to the Brunsviga Sprossenradmaschinen established at the market, in order users transferred to this new type of machine to facilitate.

Both operational principles did not find the spreading of the sprocket wheel and the Staffelwalze. For this reason I do here without the technical description of these operational principles. A description of the function mode of a Euklid machine in particular the proportional lever principle as well as a description of the Hamann calculating machines with lever adjustment is in: .

Further calculating machines

Multiplication body calculating machines

Multiplication body calculating machines have a as central functional element, on which all products of the small multiplication table are represented in staffs of different length.

With the idea of a multiplication body Leibniz is to have been concerned. In New York 1878 a multiplication body calculating machine developed living Spaniards Ramon Verea (1838-1899), by which probably only one prototype was built. In the years 1888 to 1892 the Frenchman Bolle (1870-1913) built three models of calculating machines with a which was quite unmanageable however in the operation. Swiss Otto riser designed one in larger numbers of items produced machine: Its millionaire was built from 1893 to approx. 1935.

Accounting machines and cash registers

Accounting machines are office machines, with which one can process vouchers over business transactions. They developed from typewriters and calculating machines.

Although to accounting machines and cash registers usually also the function of machine counting belongs, they are not ranked generally among the calculating machines.

Special mechanical calculating machines

There are many devices, which were designed for special mathematical tasks. Important representatives are the difference machines of the Englishman Charles Babbage (1791-1871) and Sweden George and EDP pool of broadcasting corporations Scheutz.

See also

• Four-species calculators
• Staffelwalzenmaschien
• Sprossenradmaschinen
• Cash registers
• Slide rule
• Logical machine
• Computer

Related links

• Overview of the history of mechanical calculating machines
• The whole world of the mechanical computing technology
• Calcorex calculating machine
• Facit calculating machine
• Piccolo calculating machine
• (Electrical) mechanical calculating machines
• Interactive Sprossenradmaschine

Articles in category "Calculating machine [3 / 4]"

We found here 18 articles.

Related Websites

We found here 4 related websites.

• Calculating machine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  A calculating machine is a machine designed to come up with calculations (ie ... Calculating machines shouldn't be confused with adding machines, ...


• Calculating Machines
  This site deals mainly with the mechanical calculating machines from a collector's ... The Calculating Machines Home Page is maintained by Erez Kaplan, ...


• How Calculating Machines Worked
  How Calculating Machines Worked. The basic problem of the design of a mechanical calculator was how to move a gear an amount proportional to the number to ...


• Mechanical Calculating Machines
  Mechanical calculating machines from a collector's point of view, with articles and links to relevant sites.