A New or Improved Abacus or Device for use in Calculating and for like Purposes.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Jan., 1899--Accepted, 18th Feb.,
1899
A New or Improved Abacus or Device for use in Calculating and for
like Purposes.
I, GEORGE BOWER FROOM, of 12, Kendon Road, Clapham, S.W., Gentleman, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
My invention relates to a new or improved abacus or device for use in calculating
and for like purposes, the object of which is to facilitate the processes of calculation
and more particularly to temporarily indicating the totals of columns of figures,
while checking and before permanently entering or marking such totals in account
books or the like.
In carrying my invention into practical effect, my improved device comprises a
preferably rectangular frame constructed of wood or other suitable material and
furnished with cross bars, wires, on their equivalent upon which are mounted
sliding buttons, beads or the like.
In a device of this kind for indicating money additions, figures, or results, the
bar or wire at one end is furnished with four sliding buttons or beads corresponding
to the number of farthings in one penny, while the next bar or wire is furnished
with twelve buttons or beads to indicate the number of pence in one shilling.
The next bar may be left vacant or a space may intervene to separate the buttons or
beads indicating pence from those indicating shillings, and the following bar
would then be furnished with ten buttons or beads representing shillings and the
bar beside it with two buttons or beads representing tens of shillings, or these two
bars may be replaced by a single bar carrying twenty buttons or beads corresponding
to the number of shillings in one pound. A vacant bar or space again intervenes
and the next following bars each carry ten buttons or beads, the first representing
pounds, the second tens of pounds, the thirds hundreds of pounds, the fourth
thousands of pounds, the fifth tens of thousands of pounds and so on to any
required amount.
In order that my invention may be more fully understood, I will now proceed to
describe same with reference to the accompanying drawing.
The improved device, as shown, comprises the rectangular frame a, furnished
with cross bars b, upon which buttons c, free to slide up and down, are mounted.
The first bar 1 carries four buttons or beads to indicate the farthings as herein-
before described, the second bar 2 carries twelve buttons or beads indicating the
pence. A space then intervencs or a vacant bar is left as indicated in dotted lines
and the bar 3 is furnished with ten buttons or heads indicating shillings, the
bar 4 being furnished with two buttons or beads indicating tens of shillings. A
space again intervenes or a blank bar is left as indicated in dotted lines, while the
bars 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11, are each furnished with ten buttons or beads representing
respectively pounds, tens of pounds, hundreds of pounds etc. up to millions of
pounds.
In using the device and presuming a column of figures upon first addition to

page_text: come to £1121 12 21 and it is required to check this addition before inserting
the total in the columns of a book or the like, it may be temporarily indicated upon
this improved device as shewn in dotted lines in the drawing, by sliding down one
button or bead on the bar 1 to indicate the farthing, two buttons or beads on the
bar 2 to indicate the pence, two buttons or beads on the bar 3 indicating shillings
and one on the bar 4 indicating tens of shillings thereby making twelve shillings,
one button or bead on the bar 5 indicating the pound, two on the bar 6 indicating
tens of pounds, one on the bar 7 indicating one hundred pounds, and one on the
bar 8 indicating one thousand pounds.
In this manner any total may be indicated, said total either representing pounds,
shillings aud pence, or merely units, tens, hundreds, thousands etc. etc. when
it may be employed to indicate the totals of figures of any kind, while additions
may be made upon it by bringing the necessary further beads down to those already
indicating any figure, total or result, and substractions may be worked in a like
manner.
The buttons or beads c may be of any required shape or form, and may be
coloured or not in any particular and suitable manner as required, while in order
to render the working of the device silent, the meeting surfaces of the buttons or
beads may be covered with india-rubber or other suitable material, or a washer of
suitable material may be inserted between each bead.
If required the edge of the frame may be marked in any suitable manner so as to
clearly show the value indicated by each button or head upon each wire throughout
the device.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
The new or improved device for use in calculating and for like purposes,
comprising a suitable frame such as a furnished with suitable cross bars, wires, or
their equivalent such as 6 carrying sliding buttons, beads or the like such as c, the
whole combined, arranged and operated, substantially as herein described and
shown with reference to the accompanying drawing and for the purposes specified.
Dated this 5th day of January 1899.
F. G. CASSELL
(Of Cassell & Co.),
22, Glasshouse Street, Regent Street, London, W.,
Agent for the Applicant.