Index to Subjects

Types of Ancient and Modern Machines Page
General knowledge lacking[5]
Key-driven machine, first of the modern machines[6]
Recording, the primary feature of adding machines that print[7]
Validity and priority of invention[8]
Description of Pascal’s invention[11]
Constructional features of the Pascal machine[12]
Increased capacity of modern calculator[13]
Patent office a repository of ineffectual efforts[14]
The Early Key-Driven Art
First attempt to use depressable keys for adding was made in America[17]
Description of Parmelee machine[18]
Foreign digit adders[18]
Single-digit adders lack capacity[19]
Some early U. S. patents on single-digit adding machines[20]
Calculating machines in use abroad for centuries[21]
First key-driven machines no improvement to the Art[21]
Description of the Hill machine[22]
Hill machine at National Museum[25]
Inoperativeness of Hill machine[25]
High speed of key drive[26]
Camera slow compared with carry of the tens[26]
Hill machine merely adding mechanism, incomplete as operative machine[29]
Chapin and Stark patents[29]
Description of Chapin machine[29]
Inoperativeness of Chapin machine[30]
Description of Stark machine[33]
Inoperativeness of Stark machine[37]
Nine keys common to a plurality of orders[37]
Description of Robjohn machine[38]
First control for a carried numeral wheel[41]
Description of Bouchet machine[42]
Bouchet machine marketed[43]
Misuse of the term “Calculating Machine”[43]
Description of Spalding machine[47]
Prime actuation of a carried wheel impossible in the Spalding machine[49]
The Key-Driven Calculator
Theory versus the concrete[50]
All but one of the generic elements solved[51]
Originality of inventions[51]
A conception which led to the final solution[52]
Evolution of an invention[55]
Trials of an inventor[55]
The first “Comptometer”[56]
Felt patent 371,496[56]
Description of Felt calculator[59]
Recapitulation of Art prior to Felt calculator[60]
Why Hill failed to produce an operative machine[61]
Idiosyncrasies of force and motion increased by use of keys[61]
Light construction a feature[62]
Operative features necessary[62]
Classification of the features contained in the early Art of key-driven machines[63]
Carrying mechanism of Felt’s calculator[63]
Transfer devices[64]
Carrying mechanism versus mere transfer devices[64]
Details of Felt carrying mechanism[65]
Manufacture of the Felt calculator[69]
Trade name of Felt calculator[70]
Felt calculator exhibit at National Museum[70]
Significant proof of Felt’s claim of priority[75]
Rules for operation an important factor of modern calculator[76]
Early Efforts in the Recording Machine Art
First attempt to record arithmetical computation[79]
Description of Barbour machine[80]
Barbour machine not practical[81]
Description of Baldwin machine[82]
Baldwin’s printing mechanism[89]
First key-set crank-operated machine and first attempt to record the items in addition[90]
Description of Pottin machine[91]
Early efforts of Wm. S. Burroughs[95]
General scheme of Burroughs’ first inventions[96]
Brief description of machine of early Burroughs’ patents[97]
All early arithmetical printing devices impractical[101]
Practical method for recording disclosed later[102]
Inoperative features of early recording mechanism[105]
Adding mechanism attached to typewriter[105]
Description of Ludlum machine[106]
Ludlum machine inoperative[108]
First Practical Recorders
Burroughs a bank clerk[111]
Felt interested in recorder Art[111]
Felt’s first recording machine[113]
Felt recording mechanism combined with his calculating machine[113]
Description of Felt’s first recorder[114]
First individualized type impression combined with printing sector[115]
First practical arithmetical recorder[116]
The first sale of a recording adding machine on record[116]
Features of first practical recorder[119]
Description of Felt’s second recorder[120]
Felt principle of printing adopted by all manufacturers of recorders[124]
Wide paper carriage for tabulating[124]
The wide paper carriage machine[127]
Litigation on tabulator patents[127]
“Cross Tabulating”[128]
Felt recorder in “Engineering” of London, England[131]
Total recording a Felt combination[131]
Legible listing of items and automatic recording of totals first achieved by Felt[132]
The key-set principle more practical for recorders[135]
Description of first practical Burroughs recorder[137]
Date of use of first practical Burroughs recorder[140]
Introduction of the Modern Accounting Machine
Opposition to the use of machines for accounting[144]
Banks more liberal in recognition[145]
Improvement slow for first few years[146]
The High-Speed Calculator
Felt improvements on Comptometer[149]
Scientific distribution of functions[150]
Power consumed by old carrying method[151]
Cam and lever carrying mechanism[152]
One-point carrying cam impossible[153]
Felt’s improved method of carrying[153]
Gauging and controlling prime actuation[154]
Alternating stop scheme[155]
Multiplex key action[156]
Control of the carry by the next higher actuator[156]
Forced simultaneous key action old[157]
Forced simultaneity applied to a calculator impossible[157]
Flexible simultaneity of key action a Felt invention[158]
Duplex Comptometer[159]
Introduction of full-stroke mechanism[159]
Error signal keyboard[160]
Locking of the other orders by a short key-stroke[161]
Inactive keys locked during proper key-action in cash register[161]
Inactive keys not locked during proper key-action in “Comptometer”[161]
“Controlled-key Comptometer”[162]
The mass of recorder inventions patented[163]
But few of the recorder patents of value[163]
Reserve invention as good insurance[164]
Erroneous advertising[164]
Error key[166]
Sub-total[166]
Repeat key[166]
Locked keyboard[166]
Quick paper return[166]
Paper stop[167]
Cross tabulating[167]
Item stop[167]
Motor drive[168]
Distinguishing marks for clear, totals, and sub-totals[168]
Adding cut-out[168]
Self-correcting keyboard[169]
Split keyboard[169]
Dual action keyboard[169]
Non-add signal[170]
Selective split keyboard[170]
Selective printing cut-out[171]
Grand totalizer[171]
Alternate cross printing[171]
Determinate item signal[172]
Subtraction by reverse action[172]
Selective split for keyboard[172]
Rapid paper insert and ejector[172]
The Bookkeeping and Billing Machine
Early combinations[174]
First practical combination[177]
Moon-Hopkins Billing machine[177]
Napier’s Bones first direct multiplier[181]
First direct multiplying machine[181]
Description of Barbour Multiplier[182]
Description of Bollee machine[188]
Bollee’s principle commercialized[189]
[A Closing Word]

Footnotes:

[1] Note: The title of this book does not coincide with the above argument, but in view of the common use of the term “calculating” its application is better understood.

[2] Note: As all the drawings of the Felt patent are not reproduced here, the cam is not shown.

[3] Note: All the drawings of the Pottin patent are not shown here.

[4] In making this comparison, the reader should be careful not to confuse the later key-set crank-driven type like that of Pottin described in the preceding chapter. It was the old key-driven type of cash register which contained the forced simultaneity of key-action.

Transcriber’s Notes:

The illustrations have been moved so that they do not break up paragraphs and so that they are next to the text they illustrate.