White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1931-09-03
Machines That Are
Almost Human
! BYE. C. TAYLO r
The Adding Machine

| NN /lLLlAM SEWARD BURROUGHS
w got tired Of keeping books So
he studied mechanics, took a bench
In machine shop and invented one Of
| the most familiar robots, the adding
machine.
This robot doesn't resemble human
being in any way, but it performs
mathematical computations more rap
idly and far more accurately than the
human brain. It cannot think for
itself, but 1t has the power of obeying
instructions and If the instructions
are correctly given, it's answer Is In
evitably correct. This machine can
not make mistake It's human mas
ter can and frequently does.
The chance of error in giving the
adding machine it's instructions, how
ever, is much less than the chance
of error by human beings to whom the
task of making the computations
might be intrusted
All business now relies on these
robots for adding, subtracting, multi
plication, division and tabulation.
They confine their operations to simple
arithmetic. Some print the totals on
paper and another type shows the
totals on dials.
Sets of wheels are shifted as keys
are punched on the keyboard of the
machine. These keys are numbered
from l to 8, with tenth key for zero.
The machine takes care of the numer-
ical order of the numbers. For in
stance, If the number % enters into
the computation, the 2 key is first
depressed, then the 8 key and the
mechanism takes care of their order
to make them read 3d.
Some models can add two or more
columns at the same time, also add the
totals for all the columns together.
When asked to subtract, some of
these robots use complementary num-
bers on their keyboards; that Is, the
key number also will have num-
Der on 1t, and the process Of addi-
ton is reversed. The robot multiplies
by consecutive addition. 1t divides by
subtracting the dvisor from the num-
Der to be divided as many times as
the divisor is contained in that num-
Der. The operation is automatically
registered en- the counting wheels as
the quotient.
The calculating machine, similar to
the adding machine but considerably
more complicated, Is generally used
for multiplication and division, be-
cause 1t performs these computations
more quickly than does the adding ma
chine. The calculating machine most
widely used does not keep a printed
record Of It's computations. 1t indi-
Gates the result on dials.
| One type of the calculating robot
causes the items in the computation
to appear Immediately on dials when
the keys are depressed the operation
of crank clearing the figures off the
dial faces when the computation Is
completed.
All four arithmetical operations are
performed on this robot as variations
Of simple arithmetic. But the count
Ing wheels are so arranged that they
take short cuts over the simpler add
Ing machine.
On another type Of the calculating
robot the amounts to be computed are
first set up on the keyboard and the
operation Of the machine either by
hand or electric motor effects the cal
culation.
Some Of these machines show the
figures to be computed on dials before
the computation Is made, to guard
against human error in submitting the
problem to the robot.
Totaling dals show the total in
addition, the product in multiplication,
the minuend or remainder in subtrac-
ton and the quotent In division.
A calculating robot that prints a
complete record of all it's computa-
lions has recently been invented. 1t
prints the factors, figures out and
prints the answer and accumuates the
total Of all the answers with a single
operating stroke. Separate dlals on
it's face show the multiplier in multi
plication and the divisor In division
as check against error. This ma
chine is capable Of twenty multiplied
lions minute.
This latest calculating robot is used
extensively in business. 1t keeps
books, makes out bills, credits partial
payments and keeps an accurate rec
ord Of balances, doing the work Of
corps Of bookkeepers, and making no
mistakes of it's own.
10. 1881. Western Newspaper Union.)