One of these features was that of having to wind the motor spring that furnished power for the type impression. The other feature was that there was no provision for printing the ciphers. Although the ciphers were always omitted from the keyboard of non-recording adders, as they could perform no function in addition or other forms of calculation, they could not without inconvenience, be eliminated from items in recording.
The Second Felt Recorder
First practical arithmetical recorder
While the last-described Felt patent was still pending, Felt improved his mechanism for recording, installing new features and eliminating the objectionable features referred to. These improvements were of such a satisfactory nature that the Felt & Tarrant Mfg. Co. made twenty-five recording-adders, with the new features, which were sold to various banks. The first of these machines was placed on trial with the Merchants & Manufacturers National Bank of Pittsburgh, Pa., in December of 1889.
Good evidence of the practical features of this machine was set forth in a testimonial given at the time by W. A. Shaw, the cashier of the bank, after it had been given a six months’ test. This [testimonial] is extant and has been reproduced on opposite page.
The first sale of a recording-adding machine on record
Records show that the bank purchased that “Comptograph,” which was the trade name given the Felt recording-adder, and used it until 1899, at which time this machine, along with others of the same make purchased at a later date, were replaced by the bank with “Comptographs” of more modern type.
This Felt recording machine was without question the first practical recording-adding machine ever sold that would produce legible printed records of items and totals under the variable conditions that have to be met in such a class of recording.
Testimonial