A MACHINE FOR PERFORMING SUMS IN ADDITION
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Leonard Stowe, of Wellington, New Zealand, Clerk *to
the Legislative Council, for the Invention of "A MACHINE FOR PERFORMING
SUMS IN ADDITION."
Sealed the 23rd January 1880, and dated the 3rd November 1879.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Leonard Stowe at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd November 1879.
LEONARD STOWE, of Wellington, New Zealand; Clerk to the Legislative Council.
A MACHINE FOR PERFORMING SUMS IN ADDITION."
My Invention refers to the performance of addition by machinery, and consists
in the construction of a machine in the following manner :-
I prepare cylinders of suitable material made capable of revolving on a small
axis of proper length protruding at each end of the cylinder, such cylinders having
their circumference equal to their length (exclusive of their protruding axes). On
the outer or extended end of the axis of each cylinder there is a handle for turning
it round, and to the other axis is attached a single tooth which moves an index
wheel, one tooth at each revolution of the cylinder. The surfaces or perimeters of
the cylinders are to be divided into equal squares, so that each cylinder contains a
square number of equal squares according to the purpose for which it is intended,
that is to say, the cylinder to be used for simple addition, which I hereinafter call
cylinder A, is divided into 100 squares, that for adding pence, which I hereinafter
call cylinder B, into 144 squares, and that for adding shillings, which I hereinafter
call cylinder C, into 400 squares.
In each of these squares the required figures are marked or printed according to
a set order. In the cylinder used for simple addition, or cylinder A, all the numbers
are marked beginning at the left side of the cylinder with zero, the 9 digits are
marked or printed vertically in regular sequence, each figure occupying one of the
square spaces before mentioned, and to the right of every several digit or number so
marked or printed vertically round the left end of the cylinder A, the remaining
digits completing the series in descending order from left to right are printed or
marked in ten horizontal rows (and so that the sum of the digits in every row is
torty five) along the cylinder À, which is then ready for use and contains one
hundred number squares.

page_text: On the pence cylinder (or cylinder B) I mark in precisely the same way the
twelve numbers, beginning with zero and ending with number 11, and fill up
horizontal rows to the right in a precisely similar way to that on cylinder A, with
the eleven additional numbers completing the series in a descending order, so that
my pence or B cylinder when completed contains one hundred and forty four
squares, containing one hundred and forty four numbers, and the sum of the
numbers in each row is 64.
On the shillings cylinder, or cylinder C, I mark in precisely the same way the
twenty numbers, beginning with zero and ending with nineteen, and fill up
horizontal rows to the right in a precisely similar way as that on cylinders A
and B, with the nineteen additional numbers completing the series in a descending
order, so that my shillings or cylinder C when completed contains four hundred
squares containing four hundred numbers, and the sum of the numbers in each row
is one hundred and ninety.
These cylinders are now mounted in a suitable frame and are by gearing
connected with tell tale indices, so arranged that each revolution of the cylinder
moves its own index one space, as is well understood, and is commonly used in the
registering indices of ordinary gas meters.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Leonard Stowe in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st May 1880.
LEONARD STOWE, of Wellington, New Zealand, Clerk to the Legislative Council.
"A MACHINE FOR PERFORMING SUMS IN ADDITION."
My Invention refers to the performance of addition by machinery, and consists
in the construction of a machine for that purpose in the following manner :—
I prepare cylinders of suitable material each made capable of revolving
on a small axis of proper length protruding at each end of the cylinder, such
cylinders having their circumference by preference equal to their lengths (exclusive
of their protruding axes). On the outer or extended end of the axis of each
cylinder there may be a winch handle or milled button for turning it round, and to
the other end of the axis of each cylinder is attached a single tooth which gears
into an index wheel, and moves the index wheel one tooth at each complete
revolution of the cylinder.
The surfaces or perimeters of the cylinders which if unfolded would be in the
form of a square are to be divided into a number of equal squares, the number
being according to the purposes for which the cylinder is intended, as hereinafter
explained, that is to say, the cylinder which is to be used for simple addition, which
hereinafter I call cylinder A, is divided into 100 squares, that for adding pence,
which hereinafter I call cylinder B, is divided into 144 squares, and that for adding
shillings, which I hereinafter call cylinder C, is divided into 400 squares.
In each of these squares the required figures are marked or printed according to
a set order; for example, on the cylinder used for simple addition or cylinder A all
the numbers are marked as follows:-Beginning with any horizontal row at the
left hand side of the cylinder with zero, the 10 figures are marked or printed in a
horizontal row towards the right hand side in regular sequence from 9 to 1, each
figure occupying one of the square spaces before mentioned, and the vertical rows
of the small squares are filled with numbers by printing or marking next to each
several figure or number so printed in the horizontal row, the remaining figures
completing the series in descending order if the cylinder is turned from left to
right. Thus, next to the figure 7 standing in the horizontal row come the figures
6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0, 9, 8, in a row round the cylinder (so that the sum of the digits in
every row either horizontal or vertical is 45). The cylinder A is then ready
for use.
On the pence cylinder (or cylinder B) I mark in precisely the same way, but
with 12 numbers beginning with zero and ending with the number 1, and fill up
the rows round the cylinder in a precisely similar manner, completing each series
in a similar descending order (so that the sum of the digits in every row either
horizontal or vertical on the pence or B cylinder is 66).
On the shilling cylinder, or cylinder C, I mark in precisely the same way the
20 numbers, beginning with zero and ending with 1, and fill up the rows round the
cylinder in a similar manner to that described above in reference to cylinders A
and B, completing the series in a descending order (so that the sum of the digits in
every row either horizontal or vertical on the shilling or C cylinder is 190).
These cylinders are now mounted in a suitable frame and are connected by the
tooth before mentioned on the axis, and by gearing with tell tale indexes so
arranged that each complete revolution of a cylinder moves its own index one
space or tooth as is well understood, and is commonly used in the registering
indexes of ordinary gas meters. These indexes may be made to record the results
of the calculation made on any cylinder, either independently or in combination
with one or more of the other cylinders by means of gearing and ratchet wheels,
or other suitable arrangements.
The machine may contain as many cylinders suitably divided and numbered
with corresponding index wheels as may be found desirable, as for example,

page_text: cylinders similar to the above A, B, and C, for the adding of common numbers,
or pounds, shillings, or pence, or tons, hundred weights, &c., or whatever quantities,
or numbers, or denominations of coins, or currencies it may be desired to add.
The cylinders may be worked automatically by clockwork or other means if
convenient to do so.
And in order that my Invention may be more fully understood I have hereunto
annexed Drawings representing one form of the machine, an inspection whereof will
clearly describe the details thereof, and I will describe the manner in which a
calculation is to be performed by that machine.
Figure 1 shows the machine when complete as arranged for performing addition
of common numbers and pounds, shillings, and pence.
Figure 2 shows the arrangement of figures on the pence or B cylinder as they
would appear if the surface of the cylinder were unwound and laid out flat.
Figure 3 shows the arrangement of figures on the shilling or C cylinder, and
Figure 4 shows the arrangement of figures on cylinder A for adding common
numbers.
Suppose it be desired to add the numbers 4, 7, and 11, in the pence column of
an account, the index of cylinder B is first set to zero, that is, with the zero visible
in the slit DE, at the extreme left hand of the slit (see Figure 1). I now keep
my eye fixed on the slit and on the vertical row in which this figure 0 occurs,
and rotate the cylinder from right to left until the figure 4 appears in the place
lately occupied by the figure 0. I now run my eye along the slit D E until I find
a fresh square blank or containing a figure 0, and then as before keeping my eye
fixed on this new vertical row of figures I again rotate the cylinder in the same
direction until the figure 7 appears in the place lately occupied by the blank
square or by the figure 0 last above named; again I run my eye along the slit
until I find a third blank square or figure 0, and then rotate the cylinder in the
same manner until the figure 11 appears in the horizontal row in the place of the
last named blank square or figure 0. It will be seen that the cylinder B has made
one whole revolution and a part of a revolution, and that the figure 10 is now the
figure visible at the left hand of the slit DE. The one complete turn of the
cylinder has turned the index through one tooth or division by means of the tooth
on its axis. The index will therefore show the figure 1 which represents 1 shilling,
and the figure 10 at the left hand side of the slit represents the number of
pence, total 18. 10d. (4 +7 +11 =
22 pence).
The other cylinders are operated in precisely the same manner, and may or may
not be connected as may be thought desirable by suitable gearing, or the index
wheels may have other index wheels geared to them in the well known manner
adopted in ordinary gas and water meters and other registering machines, so that
for example, each complete revolution of the index of the cylinder B, which is
divided into twenty divisions, each representing one shilling, will move a second
index through one tooth which will represent one pound sterling.
Having now described my Invention and the manner in which it is to be
performed, I wish it to be understood that what I claim as the Invention to be
secured to me by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is, the machine for
performing sums in addition, herein before described or any modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Leonard Stowe, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this First day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty.
LEONARD STOWE. (L.S.)