AN IMPROVED CALCULATING APPARATUS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughts-
man, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED CALCULATING APPARATUS."-A
communication.
Sealed the 20th July 1855, and dated the 30th May 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Vincent Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 30th May 1855.
I, ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED CALCULATING APPARATUS" to be
as follows:-
This Invention relates to a novel construction of apparatus for adding up
long columns of numbers.
This apparatus consists of a round box or case having three graduated
circles or zones on its edge, the two inner of which are each divided into one
hundred equal divisions. These are numbered inversely from "1" to "99."
Closely fitting within the inner numerical circle is a wheel having its rim
divided into one hundred grooves, and its axle being concentric with the box.
Under this wheel, and lying on the bottom of the box, is another concentric
wheel, having one hundred teeth of concave sides, and to the central axle an
index hand is attached. Acting in the concave between the teeth of the
second wheel is a jointed lever. This lever is held tightly against a stop pin by

page_text: a spring, and the end of the lever, acting in the concaves, is held firmly in its
place by another spring. A spring stop also bears against this second wheel,
and allows it to pass or turn in one direction only by the action of the jointed
lever. A small bar is placed at the initial division of the scales, to prevent the
pin or pencil held by the operator from passing too far forward. A pin on the
first or grooved-wheel comes in-contact-with-the jointed lever once for every
revolution of the wheel, and this wheel also carries an indicator which points to
numbers on the "outer" scale.
To add up a sum by this apparatus, the two hands or indicators are placed
at the initial bar before mentioned; the operator then places the point of his
pencil in the groove of the grooved wheel opposite the number marked on the
inner circle, corresponding with the first figures in the columns, say, "48,"
and brings it to the initial bar, and thus of the next, say, " 59." The indicator
on the grooved wheel will then have passed around the circle once and seven
one hundredths times, and will indicate "7" on the outer scale, but on passing
the tail of the jointed lever; that lever will be tripped, and thereby the second
wheel will be driven one tooth forward. This movement is indicated by the
pointer on the central axle which has moved one division forward on the inner
circle, and hence points at "1." The result will be read by the operator, 107.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alfred Vincent Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 30th November 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Alfred Vincent Newton, Her special license that 1, the said Alfred Vincent
Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Alfred Vincent Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at
all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great

page_text: Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"AN IMPROVED CALCULATING APPARATUS," being a communication from abroad,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention relates to a novel construction of apparatus for making
accurate additions of long columns of numbers.
The apparatus consists of a round box or case, shown in the accompanying
Drawing at A, A, A, provided with three graduated circles or zones near its
edge. The two inner of these circles are each divided into one hundred equal
divisions, and numbered inversely, as seen in the Drawing, from "1" to "99."
Closely fitting within the inner numerical scale or circle is a metallic wheel B,
having its rim divided into one hundred grooves. This wheel revolves around
an axle C. Under the wheel B, and lying on the bottom of the box, is a
metallic wheel D, having one hundred teeth of concave sides, and an axle also
at C, to which an index hand E is attached. Acting in the concave between
the teeth of the wheel D is a lever F composed of two pieces, having its
fulcrum at H. This lever is held tightly against a stop pin m, by a spring h,
and the end of the lever, acting in the coucaves of the wheel D, is held firmly
in its place by a spring k. In the scollops of the tooth wheel D, also acts a
spring, which allows the wheel D to pass or turn in one direction only by the
action of the lever F. A small metallic bar J is placed at the initial division
of the scales, to prevent the pin or pencil held in the hand of the operator
from passing too far forward. A più g is also placed in the scale B, which
comes in contact with the lever F, at y, once for every revolution of the wheel.
An indicator p is also attached to the wheel B, pointing to numbers on
the outer scale. A ring P is screwed to the box or case (A, A, A,) for the
convenience of hanging the machine up when not in use.
The operation of adding up a sum by this apparatus will be thus:-The box
or case is laid on a table or desk, and the hands E, p, are brought round to the
juitial bar J. When the operator wishes to make additions, he places the

page_text: point of a pencil or pin in the groove of B, opposite the number marked on
the inner circle corresponding with the first figures in the columns, say, "48,"
and brings it to the initial bar J; and thus of the next, say, " 59." The hand p
will then bave passed around the circle once and seven one hundredths times,
and will indicate "7" on the outer scale, but on passing the tail of the jointed
lever F, the pin 9 will come in contact with it at y, and tripping it up will
cause the other end of the lever to move the toothed wheel D the distance of
one tooth forward. The spring I will hold the wheel D in position, while the
spring his regaining its original position and pressing back the lever F against
the stop m. This movement of one tooth of wheel D is indicated by the
hand E, which has moved one division forward on the inner circle, and hence
points at "1." The result will be read by the operator, "107." When
the operation has been thus continued until all the numbers of a long
column shall have been joined or added, the numbers indicated as abovo
described are to be recorded, the hands being again placed at the initial rod J,
ready to be again moved for a second calculation.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of "An Improved Calcu-
lating Apparatus," as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and
explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be under-
stood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent I claim, the jointed
lever for moving the larger numerical indicator, and the pin or its equivalent
for acting upon the lever, substantially in the manner and for the purposes
herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Thirtieth day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
A. V. NEWTON. (L.S.)