Accession No
2739
Brief Description
calculating machine by Schubert Rastatt, c.1950
Origin
Germany
Maker
Schubert Rastatt
Class
calculating
Earliest Date
1950
Latest Date
1950
Inscription Date
Material
metal, plastic
Dimensions
length 330mm; depth 150mm; height 140mm
Special Collection
Provenance
Transferred from Department of Geography, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England, 09/03/1981.
Inscription
‘ADM’
‘SCHUBERT RASTATT
DRV 150505
Made in Western Germany’
Description Notes
Mechanical calculating machine, green-painted metal case, soft plastic cover.
Condition
References
Events
Description
Calculating machine
A calculating machine could be any machine that adds, subtracts, multiplies or divides. Before about 1820, they were solely produced as marvels and were not sufficiently developed to be of practical use. Direct multiplication was only possible in 1895, and had immediate time-saving application, particularly in the work of insurers and astronomers.
Numbers were represented digitally, with various different methods of entry. Earlier examples usually used rotating wheels with pins protruding. The pins were linked to a weight which fell and registered the number. Later examples were key driven.
18/10/2002
Created by: Saffron Clackson on 18/10/2002
FM:44643
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