AN IMPROVED CALCULATING MACHINE, WHICH I CALL ABITH MOMETER
Year: 1851

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I; CHARLES
XAVIER THOMAS (DE COLMAR), Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur, of Paris,
France, send greeting..
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Tenth day of February
(One thousand eight hundred and fifty-one), in the fourteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Charles Xavier Thomas (de Colmar), my exors, admors, and assigns, Her
especial license, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Charles
Xavier Thomas (de Colmar), my exors, admors, and assigns, or such others as
1, the said Charles Xavier Thomas (de Colmar), my exors, admors, or assigns,
should at any time agree with and no others, from time to time and at all
times during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed, and in the Islands of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark
and Man, and also in all Her said Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad,
my Invention of "AN IMPROVED CALCULATING MACHINE, WHICH I CALL ABITH
MOMETER;"in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, that I, the
said Charles Xavier Thomas (de Colmar), shall cause a particular description

page_text: of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, to be inrolled
in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent,
as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at
large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, 1, the said
Charles Xavier Thomas (de Colmar), do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
thereof, reference being made to the Drawings hereunto annexed, in- which the
same letters of reference marked thereon represent in the several Figures parts
which are similar in each Drawing, that is to say:-
My Invention consists in constructing an improved machine for performing
all the operations of arithmetic; namely, addition, subtraction, multiplication,
and division; for extracting the square and cube roots; for calculating decimals,
and all other arithmetical operations.
In Drawing I., Figure 1 is a plan or bird's-eye view of the machine when
the lid is raised, showing the plates M, M, M, M, and F, F, F, F. Figure 2
of the same Drawing is an underneath view of the plate. M, M, M, M.
Figure 3 is a side elevation of the same plate M, M, M, M. Figure 4 is a
section of the plan of the cylinder, the plate F, F, F, F, being taken off to
exhibit the working of the several organs composing the mechanism of the
cylinders Y, Y, Y, Y, Y, and H. Figure 5 is a side elevation of the cylinder H.
Figure 6 is a side section of the cylinders Y, Y, Y, Y. Figure 7 is an hori-
zontal elevation through the plate R, R. Figure 8 is a front plate, showing
the rod o, o, o, and bevel wheels d', d', d', d', d¹. Figure 9 is a front and side
view of the levers L, L, L, L. Figure 10 is a front and side view of the stops
for the small levers k, k¹, k, k. Figure 11 is a front view of the rack E,
wheel X, and indicator plate. Figure 12 is a front view and plan of the
cylinder Y, and of the spring S.
In Drawing II., Figure 1 represents a plan of the double dial for quotient
and multiplier. Figure 2 is a sectional elevation through A, B, of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a side elevation of cylinder and gear to obtain the quotient and
multiplier; Figures 4 and 4' are a side and front elevation of fork lever F, F;
Figures 5 and 5' are a front and side view of the lever Z, Z.
The mechanism for the multiplicant and multiplier can be inserted, as
represented in the Drawing I., in a box having about 2in. in clevation, one

page_text: foot three inches in length, and 6 in. in width. It is composed of two plates, as
represented in Figures 7 and 8 of the Drawing I., which said plates are united
together by four pillars, seen in Figures 4, 5, and 6, and of another small
plate carrying the guides G, G, G, in which the steel rod G, G', is sliding, as
seen in Figures 2 and 3. The box is covered with a wrought iron or brass
plate, which may be about 5 in. in width, and 1 ft. in length, as represented
by the letters F. F. F. F. Figure 1. This wrought iron or brass plate is pro-
vided with an equal number of slits as there are figures for the multiplicant.
beside one more for the multiplier. It is in those slits which are in Drawing I.,
six in number, that the knobs A, A, A. A. A, Figures 1, 6, and 8. with their
indicating hands, by which the figures of the multiplicant are pointed out, and
the knob B¹. Figures 1, 5, and 8, with its double hand, indicate the figures of the
multiplicator or devisor. are made to slide, as it will be herein-after described.
The ten dials c, c, c. c, c, Figures 1, 2, 3, are separated from each other by
about of an inch, and are fitted on another plate M, M, M, M, having
about 1 in. in width, and 1 ft. in length. Each of these dials c, c, c, c, C.
represent ten figures, from 0 to 9, which serve to indicate by means of open-
ings cut, as shewn in the herein-before described plate M, M, M. M, the
The above-described plate.
products obtained by the working of the machine.
Each dial
M, M; M, M, can be made to raise and to slide along the box upon the
herein-before described steel rod G. G. Figures 2 and 3, which serves as a
hinge to the said plate M. M. M. M, and by that contrivance it causes the
line of the dials c. c. 4. c. c. to be changed, which renders them successively
I fix on the same
independent of the mechanism when it is put in motion.
plate M, M, M, M, but underneath each of the said dials c. c, c. c. c. the
wheels 'D; D, D, D, Figures 2, 3, and 6, provided with ten cogs.
carries a double inclined steel pin u, u. u, u. Figures 2, 3. which presses on
the catching levers L. L, L, L. Figures 4, 6, 7, and 9, and disengages the
catching each time the dials pass from 0 to 9, or from 9 to 0. The small flat
wheels X. X, Figures 3 and 11. divided in ten equal parts, but with, only
niñe cogs, are cast on every wheel D. D. D, D. of the dials c, c, c, c, c, as
herein-before stated. These. small wheels X, X. cause all the dials c, c, c, c. c.
to be replaced at once to 0 by means of the rack E, E, E, Figures 2, 3, and
11, either by drawing the knob T. Figures 1, 2, and 3, or by means of any
other suitable mechanism, giving to the wheel X. X', a rotative motion, as in
Figure 11. When the dials c, c, c, c, c, are at 0, the said wheels X, X, are in
the position represented by the said Figure 11. The cylinders V. Y, Y, Y.
seen in Figures 4, 6, and 12, are provided with nine graduated cogs cut

page_text: lengthway, in order to represent the figures of the multiplicant from 1 to
9. The teeth of the cylinders Y, Y, Y, Y, Figures 4. 6, and 8, catch with
the small wheels A', A', A', A', A', of the same Figures. These wheels are
provided with ten cogs, and they are put in motion by means of the fork P.
Figures 6 and 8, with which the indicating knobs A, A, A. A, A, already
described, are provided. The wheels A', A', A. A. A', slide over the square'
axes A", A", A1, according to the motions of the fork P, and of the knobs
A. A, A, A, by which they are conducted to the figures of the multiplicant.
It is then that the herein-before described wheels A', A. A', A'. A, catch their
separate cogs with the section of the teeth cut. as herein-before described, on the
length of cylinders Y. Y. Y. Y, which have the number of their cogs equal to that.
of the figure exhibited by the indicating knob A, A, A, A. When the cylin-
ders Y. Y. Y. Y. perform a rotative motion, they cause the small wheels A1, A¹
A, A. to turn the same number of cogs which the figure facing the indicating
hand of the knobs A, A, A. A. points out, and the dials c, c, c, c, render visible
the same figure through their opening on the moveable plate M, M, M, M.
Figure 1. On the left of the cylinders Y, Y, Y, Y, Figure 4., another cylinder
H. Figures 4 and 5, cut helically, is set, and a slit cuts in all its length.
allows the lever B. seen in Figures 4, 5, and 8, and put in motion by the knob
B1, Figures 1, 4, 5, and 8, to regulate the number of revolutions the cylinders
Y, Y, Y, Y, are to perform together, in order to represent one of the figures
of the multiplier. Thus, for instance, when the hand of the knob B¹, Figures
1, 5, and 8, indicates the figure 9 of the left column. the multiplicant will be
multiplied by 9.
:
All the herein-before described cylinders Y, Y, Y, Y, Figures 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,
and 12 of the multiplicant, as well as the cylinder H of the multiplier, are
provided at one of their extremities with bevil wheels d, d. d, d. having twenty
cogs which catch with a similar number of bevil wheels d', d, d', d¹, set on
the same axis o, o, o, Figures 4, 5, 6, and 8. On the right hand of the
herein-before described axis o, o, o, is placed the bevil wheel 7", which cogs
with the wheel set on the axis of the crank arm N. Figures 1, 4, 6, and 8.
Close to the other extremity of the cylinders Y, Y, Y. Y, of the multiplicant
and of the cylinder H of the multiplicator, less however the cylinder Y set on
the right, I have placed a system of cogs Z, Z, Z, Z, to operate the catchings.
The moveable pins set on the levers k, k, k, Figures 4, 5, 6, 7, and 12, cog
only with the ten cog wheels Z, Z, Z. Z, Figure 7, when they are to operate
the catchings. In order to obtain that effect the spiral springs S, S, S, S,
Figures 4, 5, 6, and 12, placed between the levers k. k. k, and the cylinders

page_text: Y. Y. Y, Y. and H, as represented by Figure 12, act on the said levers h, k, k
and force them to meet during their circular motion the catch wheels Z, Z, Z; Z,
Figure 7. This last movement takes place only when the dials c, c, c, c. c. have
passed from 0 to 9, or from 9 to 0, because the small double inclined pins
u, u, u, u, herein-before described. Figures 3 and 6. by pressing them on the
levers L, L, L, Figures 7 and 9, allows the spiral springs S. S. S. S. to cause the
descending motion of the levers k, k, k, Figures 4, 5, 6, 7, and 12, which
action they would not perform otherwise, being kept by the small pin b, b, of
the levers L, L, L, Figure 9. The spiral springs S. S. S. S. being distended
and the small levers k, h, k, lowered, when the cylinders are made to turn
by the action of the crank arm N, the small levers k, k, l, meet the catch
wheels Z, Z, Z, Z, and compel them to turn one cog, which causes the dials
c. c. c, c, c, to turn of one figure, then the small levers, h, k, by continuing
after their circular motion meet on their passage with the small inclined pieces
I, I, I, I, Figures 5, 6, 7, and 10, fixed on the small plate, Figure 7. These
small inclined pieces I, I, I, I, will cause the small levers h, k, l, to ascend again
to their former position, and at that place they are maintained by the herein-
before described small pin b, of the levers L, L, L. Figure 9. The afore-
mentioned small levers k, k, k, having this returned to their usual position, as
afore stated, if the cylinders Y. Y, Y. Y, are made to turn the said small
levers . . . will pass in front of the catch wheels Z, Z, Z, Z, Figure 7:
without causing the said wheels to rotate.
I must explain here the reasons which have induced me to use only nine
cogs on the cylinders Y, Y, Y. Y, Figures 4 and 8. It is absolutely necessary
that each of the cylinders Y, Y, Y. Y, should receive the catchings after having
produced its figure, and to perform that operation it is required that the hold-
ings or catchings he produced in due succession one after the other. It was
therefore indispensable that the tenths should be produced before the hundredths
and the hundredths before the thousandths, and so on. For that reason I have
necessarily placed the cylinders Y. Y, Y. Y. Figure 4, in, such a position that
they are able to cog with the wheels A', A', A' A', A', of the multiplicant
figure one after the other, then the cylinders Y. Y. Y. Y, and their levers
k, k, k, will be placed relatively to each other in the position as represented in
Figures 4 and 7. The subtraction and division being the reverse rules of the
addition and multiplication, to perform these last operations I have fixed on
the square axes An, A", A", A", on which the wheels A', A', A', A', are made
to slide, as herein-before described, two bevel wheels. having each of them ten
teeth, which cause the dials c, c, c, c, c, to turn from right to left and from left

page_text: to right. The square axes A", A", A", A", on which the bevil wheels D. D. D, D.
and D, D', D', D', are set, have their pivots jutting out, as represented in
F F F F Figure 4, in order that they should be made to operate in the
direction of their length without moving out from the plates into which their
pivots are made to turn. Between the two hevil wheels D, D, D, D. and
D', D'. D', D', are sci the plates with grooves having the same width than
the band R, R, Figure 4. I cause all the bevil wheels D, D, D, D. and
D. D'. D', D', to recede or to advance together by means of the said band
R. R, which passes in the grooves of the bevil wheels in order to have those of
the front or back to cog with the wheels of the dials c. c, c, c. c. . I obtain this
change from the multiplication to the division, or that from the addition to the
subtraction, and vice versa, by turning the wing nut E'. Figures 1 and 4; in
that manner its indicator points out the rear operation to be performed. The
large knob L', of Figures 1 and 3 serve to raise the plate of the dials c, c, c, c, c;
the two knobs V, VI, Figures 1 and 2, can be placed indifferently into the
simall holes V. V. V, of the dial plate M. M. M, M, when semicolons are
required to separate the several aliquot parts or to divide the numbers in
groupe of two or three figures and to extract the square or cube root of a
number and also for fractions and decimals.
I can also obtain the quotient in the division and the multiplier in the
multiplication by setting on the back of the first cylinder on the right, A;
Figures and 3, Drawing II., that is to say, on the back of cylinder F',
Figure 4. Drawing I., a cylindrical piece B. Figure 3. Drawing II., having
about of an inch in diameter and provided with a groove c, c. Figure 3, being
about of an inch deep. This groove c. c. cuts obliquely in two parts and in
a contrary direction the cylindrical piece B. in order to give to a lever L.
Figure 3. entering into the said groove. an alternate motion. The lever L. is
moveable in an hinged piece S, Figures 1, 3, 4. and 41, set on the back plate,
and is provided at its upper extremity (having also a hinge) with a fork F.
Figures 1, 3, 4, and 4', the two arms of which are moveable, and commands
a spiral spring T, Figures 1 and 4, having a tendency to cause the said arms
to approach one from the other. The arms F, F. Figures 1, 3, 4, and 41, of
the fork are bent inside and serve to put in motion a wheel R, Figures 1 and 3
having about of an inch in diameter, and this wheel R is provided with ten
square teeth and is fixed to the dial plates. On its axis I set an indicating
hand working on the openings plate and pointing out on a dial V. Figure 1,
having a double row of figures, the number of rotations performed by the crank
arm N. Drawing I. The red numbers on the dial V, Drawing II., indicate

page_text: the quotient, and the black numbers those of the multiplier. On the lower part
of the small iron band Q. Q, Figures 1, 2, and 3, communicating with the wing
nut E of the Drawing I., is set a piece O, Figures 2 and 3, Drawing II.,
supporting perpendicularly a fork projecting towards the bottom of the
apparatus. Between the two arms of the herein-before described fork a
pin K, Figures 1, 2, 3, 5, and 5, is moving. The said pin K forms a part
of the lever Z, Figures 1, 2, 3, 5, and 5', fixed to the back plate by means
of a screw. The lever Z is ending in the shape of a fork Z, Z, Figures
1, 2, 3, 5, and 5', the arms being at angle and kept in between the two
arms F, F, and the spring T, herein-before described. The small iron
band q, q, Figures 1, 2, and 3, communicates a right or left motion to the
lever Z commanding the back plate according to the motion given to the
crank arm E, Drawing I., for performing either an addition or subtrac
tion. The right or left hook Z, Z, Figures 2, 3, 5, and 5', of the lever
distends the corresponding arm of the fork F, F, Figures 1, 3, 4, and 4',
leaving the opposite arm to be alone in communication with the cog
wheel R. Each revolution of the crank arm N, Drawing 1., causes an
alternate motion to the fork, the arm of which communicating with the
wheel R, Figure 3, Drawing II., causes the last to turn of a cog from right
to left or from left to right according to the arm which is acting on the said
wheel R. I set on the dial plate V., Figure 1, the same number of cog
wheels R, with their hands and double set of figure dials, as I have placed
cylinders in the machine. The same fork F, F, Figures 3, 4, and 4', will act
successively on the several wheels when put in communication either by
carrying the plate on the right or on the left. The dial plate for the present
arrangements have been increased of " of an inch in length, the square axes
A", A, A, and the pillars of back plate, Drawing I., of the machine have
also been lengthened of the same quantity.
MODUS OPERANDI OF THE ARITHMOMETER.
The apparatus operates by following the clementary principle of the
arithmetic, and its movements seem to follow and to indicate the judgment
which is required to perform a scientific operation.
ADDITION.

page_text: on the left, I turn the crank arm N until it stops and the figures pointed out
by the knobs A, A, A, A, A, are exhibited on the dials c, c, c. c, c, through the
openings on the plate M, M, M, M. If I begin again what has been herein-
before stated, I have all the numbers added one to the others, which is really
making an addition, and the total will be exhibited on the dials c, c, c, c, c,through
the openings as before stated instead of setting for every sum the multiplicant
A, A, A, A, A, to one it is more preferable to push it to nought and to take
no notice of it, the only thing required then being merely to have the crank
arm N to perform one revolution.
MULTIPLICATION.
To perform the multiplication I operate in a manner similar to that herein-
before described when speaking of the addition. However, instead of placing
the multiplier B' to 1, I set it to the figure by which the operation of multi-
plying is to be performed; thus, for instance, if I have the number 35,695,
to multiply by 2, I place the multiplier B' at 2, and I turn the crank arm N,
until the hand of multiplier B' be forced to stop. I had to multiply
the above number 35,695 by the number 22, I would be obliged in the same
manner, and as if I had to write the figures with a pen, to multiply again
the same sum of 35,695 by the same number 2, therefore I take care to
raise the plate M, M, M, M, of the dials i, i, i, i, and to push it off a notch
from right to left in order that I, should no longer operate on the units,
which be then separated as a matter of course. If I had to multiply with
hundreds would have to operate in the same manner, that is to say, I
would be obliged to disengage the tenths, and so on. For any other quantity,
following the principle hercin-before described, I would, according to what
I have before stated when speaking of addition, perform the operation
of multiplication without making use of the multiplier B' by placing it at
nought and by giving as many turns of the crank arm N as the number 1 is
found repeated in the sum which is to serve for the multiplier. The apparatus
can multiply by means of the same number of figures as there are contained
in the multiplicant: I construct apparatus having eight and sixteen figures
and I find no difficulty in constructing them with even a much larger number.
1
SUBTRACTION.
I perform that operation in a manner similar to what 1 have herein-before
described when speaking of addition. The only difference is that I turn the
wing nut E for the subtraction, which causes the wheels D, D, D, D, and
D', D', D, D¹, of the dial to cog in the reverse direction to that of addition,

page_text: same manner as I have herein-before described when speaking of subtraction.
The dividend must be set down in the dial, and by writing the sum by means
of the small knobs which are prepared for every opening. I write the division
in the same manner as I wrote the multiplicant, by means of the knobs
A, A, A, A. A. However, the operation is conducted in the reverse manner
to that of the multiplication; that is to say. I begin to act on the figure
placed on the left. Thus, for instance, if I wish to divide 625 by 25, I place
62 above 25 (according to the principle I have herein-before described (when
speaking of the multiplication.) and I set the multiplier B₁ at the top of the
slit, and I turn then the crank arm N until the figure of the dividend be less
than that of the devisor. The knob of the multiplier B will point out the
mmmber of times the sum is contained. For the above example, I
will obtain 2 for the first figure from right to left, and I operate on the
remaining number as I have operated on the figure 62. I turn five times the
crank arm N, and will obtain nought; therefore the number 25 will be
found to be contained 25 times in the number 625.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I wish to be understood that I do not
restrict myself to the precise details, proportions, or modus operandi I have
described, provided the general features of the organs and arrangement of my
Invention be preserved; but what I claim as my Invention, and intended to be
protected by the herein-before recited Letters Patent, is,
Firstly, the constructing and dividing cylinders as hereinbefore described,
reference being had to Figures 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 12 of Drawing 1.
Secondly, the obtaining the products, as herein-before described, reference
being had to Figures 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8 of Drawing 1.
Thirdly, the changing from multiplication to division, and from addition to
subtraction, as herein-before described, reference being had to Drawing 1 & 4,
Drawing 1.
Fourthly, the mode of effecting the stoppings as herein-before described,
reference being had to Figures 7 and 9 of the Drawing I.
Fifthly, the method of replacing the numbers to 0 as herein-before de-
scribed, reference being had to Figures 2, 3, and 11 of Drawing 1.
Sixthly, the arrangement for putting the machine in motion as herein-
before described, reference being had to Figures 1, 4, 5, 6, and 8 of Drawing 1.

page_text: Seventhly, the arrangement for obtaining the quotient and multiplier as
erein-before described, reference being had to all the Figures of Drawing II.
In witness whereof, 1, the said Charles Xavier Thomas de Colmar, have
hereunto set my hand and scal, this Seventh day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-one.
CHARLES XAVIER (...) THOMAS (DE COLMAR.)
This is the Specification marked A, referred to in the affidavit of Peter
Armand le Compie de Fontaine Moreau, sworn before me, this 9th day of
August 1851.
HENRY MOWBRAY.
I, PETER ARMAND le Comte DE FONTAINE MOREAU, of 4, South Street, Fins-
bury, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, make oath and say, that I
am acquainted with the manner and character of the handwriting of "Thomas
Pickford," Her Britannic Majesty's Consul of Paris, in the Republic of France.
And this deponent further saith that the signature "Thomas Pickford," set,
subscribed, or written in the margin of the Specification hereunto annexed,
marked A, and dated the Seventh day of August instant, and purporting to be
executed by Charles Xavier Thomas (de Colmar), Chevalier de la Legion
d'Honneur, of Paris, France, whereby it is stated that the Specification was
acknowledged by him, the said Charles Xavier Thomas (de Colmar), before
the said "Thomas Pickford, on the said Seventh day of August, at Paris
aforesaid, is of the -proper handwriting of the said "Thomas Pickford.
L' DE FONTAINE MOREAU.
Sworn at the Chancery Affidavit Office, Southampton
Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, this 9th day of August 1851, before me,

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the affidavit of Peter Armand le
Comte de Fontaine Moreau, the Specification aforesaid was enrolled word for
word as above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped
according to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
N
day f Juxusi in the voan of