Accession No
2735
Brief Description
calculating machine, by Brunsviga-Maschinenwerke Grimme, Natalis & Co A-G, German, 1930 (c)
Origin
Germany; Braunschweig [based on maker]
Maker
Brunsviga-Maschinenwerke Grimme, Natalis & Co A-G
Class
calculating
Earliest Date
1930
Latest Date
1930
Inscription Date
Material
metal; wood
Dimensions
box length 340mm; breadth 290mm; height 250mm
Special Collection
Provenance
Transferred from Department of Geography, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England, 09/03/1981.
Inscription
‘BRUNSVIGA’
‘BRUNSVIGA 13Z/165721’
‘BRUNSVIGA-MASCHINEWERKE
GRIMME, NATALIS & CO A-G’
Description Notes
Calculating machine. Black-painted metal case, 4 handles. Mounted on later wooden base with later wooden 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:44649
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