Improvements in Apparatus for Calculating Multiplication Sums.
Year: 1889

page_text: Jate of Application, 30th Jan., 1889
pecification Accepted, 9th Mar., 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Calculating Multiplication Sums.
I, GEORGE GATTON MELHUISH HARDINGHAM, of 191, Fleet Street, in the City of
London, Civil Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention (a communication to me from abroad by Carl Emil Ublig, Eberhardtstrasse,
Leipsic, in the Empire of Germany) and in what manner the same is to be performed
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to improved apparatus whereby the product in multiplication
sums may be ascertained by mechanical means.
Two ways of carrying out this invention are illustrated in the accompanying
drawings, whereof Figs. 1 to 10 represent one design and Figs. 11 to 15 the other.
In the former, the partial or intermediate products are shewn on slides, and in the
latter on rollers. Fig. 1 is a view of the apparatus illustrating the positions
the various parts occupy in ascertaining, by way of example, the product when the
number 264 is multiplied by the number 852. Fig. 2 is a cross section on the
line S S in Fig 1. Fig. 3 is a section of the apparatus on the line R R in Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is a plan of one of the slides. Fig. 5 is a similar view shewing a portion of
one of the slides drawn to an enlarged scale. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section and
Fig. 7 is an under-side view shewing the means employed in respect of each slide
for retaining the same in any desired position. Figs. 8 to 10 represent a modified
form of the way of carrying out this invention according to the design illustrated in
Figs. 1 to 7; the numerals referring to the units and tens in the partial products not
being placed close to one another upon the slide, but being separated so that the units
and the tens may be seen through different openings. In all other respects the
apparatus shewn in Figs. 8 to 10 operates in the same manner as that shewn in
Figs. 1 to 7. In the design illustrated in Figs. 11 to 15, rollers are provided
instead of slides; these rollers being moved longitudinally as well as rotatively when
the multiplicand and the multiplier are set up. The partial or intermediate products
are also carried by rollers. Fig. 11 is a top view of this design, the perforated

page_text: covering plate being partly broken away. Fig. 12 is a cross section of the machine
on the line OO in Fig. 11. Fig. 13 is a section on the line P P in Fig. 11. Figs. 14
and 15 represent to an enlarged scale one of the rollers in plan and in end elevation
respectively.
The apparatus shewn in Figs. 1 to 10 is arranged in the following manner :-
:-The
box or case a contains a series of parallel slides b separated from one another; each
slide being adapted to move to and fro in a longitudinal direction. The number of
slides varies according to the size of the apparatus. In the machine shown in Figs. 1
to 7, there are five of these slides, upon which are printed a number of partial or
intermediate products from 1 to 9 (Fig. 5); the said slides being likewise provided
at d with the numerals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 arranged at distances from one another
corresponding with those separating the figures of the partial or intermediate
products 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. The figures d (Fig. 4) serve to enable each
individual slide to shew the corresponding figure of the multiplicand. The box a is
covered over by a perforated plate e. The number or numbers from which the
product is determined appears or appear at one or more of the orifices h; the latter
being cut in the movable perforated slides g, which are arranged at right angles to
the slides b. The slides g carry at ii series of numerals for representing the
multiplier, which is seen through the holes kk at the side of the apparatus. are
knobs for moving the perforated slides and m m are striking pins for preventing the
perforated slides or bars from moving too far. In order to prevent displacement of
the slides b and g after they have been set, one end of each is furnished on the lower
side with grooves n (Figs. 6 and 7) in which a spring o engages. The position of
these grooves is so arranged that the multiplier or the multiplicand and the partial
or intermediate products may correspond exactly with the opening or openings
through which they are respectively seen. The apparatus is arranged in such a
manner that by placing one or more of the slides 6 to expose a given multiplicand
(4, for instance, is shewn by the first slide in Fig. 1) and by placing one or more of
the corresponding perforated slides g (for units, tens, hundreds, &c., as the case may
be) to expose a given multiplier (2 being shewn by the unit slide in the illustration)
the product (that is, 08) appears in the opening at the point where the slides b and
cross. In order to calculate in the same way the product of 264 × 852, the
multiplicand 264 is exhibited by the three first slides b of the machine; the remaining
slides being placed on zero. The multiplier 852 is shewn by the three first slides g
in such a manner that the units appear on the first or unit slide, the tens on the
second and the hundreds on the third slide; the remainder of these slides being
placed on zero. Hence the numbers 16, 48, 32 appear upon the slide representing
the hundreds, the numbers 10, 30, 20 upon the one shewing the tens, and the
numbers 04, 12 and 08 upon the unit slide. Now the numbers will have to be added
in diagonal rows from the bottom to the right-hand side; that is, 8 in the first row,
0+2+0 in the second row, 2 + 0 + 4 + 2 + 1 in the third row, 8 +0 +3 +3 +0
in the fourth row,
6+4+1 in the fifth row and 1 in the sixth. The product is
obtained as readily as the sum of the different figures seen through the openings.
The groups of figures are shewn in the following diagram

page_text: In order to facilitate the addition of the different numbers, the various perforated
slides are connected together by telescopic tubes p, which unite the corresponding
compartments of the different slides. As the various perforated slides g are moved
relatively to one another, these telescopic tubes are extended or withdrawn accordingly.
The latter shew the direction or directions in which the numbers should be added.
For the purpose of facilitating the summing up, the individual numerals to be added
together are connected by dashes or arrows.
In Figs. 8 to 10, the intermediate products are arranged in two parts (Fig. 10) in
such a manner that the units g are placed on the right and the tens p on the left; the
numerals on each multiplicand slide being thus separated from one another by a
given space. The tens appear through the holes and the units through the holes h².
The positions of the various numbers in the example given above (264 × 852) is
shewn in Fig. 8.
In Figs. 11 to 16 the slides b are replaced by rollers b₁ rigidly mounted on axes r.
The longitudinal movement of each roller 6 is effected by means of the projecting
end of its axis r, which is marked with divisions numbered respectively from 1 to 9.
The rotation of the rollers is effected by means of rack-rods s (Figs. 12 and 13)
which gear with teeth t (Fig. 15) on the lower portion of the periphery of each of
the rollers b¹. The rack-rods s are marked at their outer ends with the numerals
1 to 9, which serve to constitute the multiplier. Upon the upper periphery of the
rollers are placed the intermediate products, as shewn in Figs. 14 and 15. In this
design, the openings ³, through which the numerals forming the product are seen,
are formed in the stationary cover; zero being exposed through each opening when
the parts are in the normal position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention,
as communicated to me from abroad by my foreign correspondent, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I claim :-
1. The improved apparatus for calculating multiplication sums arranged and
operating substantially as herein described.
2. In apparatus for calculating multiplication sums, arranging the numerals
employed to represent the intermediate products as also those shewing the multipli-
cand in rows upon parallel and movable slides, such as band y, the latter bearing the
numerals appertaining to the multiplier and being arrange at right angles to the
slides ; so that, by setting the slides to expose a given multiplicand and setting

page_text: the perforated slides to expose a given multiplier, the figures from which the
product is derived appear in the openings corresponding with the points of intersection
of the slides.
3. In apparatus for calculating multiplication sums constructed substantially as
referred to in the last preceding claiming clause, arranging the numerals constituting
respectively the units and the tens in such a manner that they appear through
separate openings h¹², substantially as described.
4. In apparatus for calculating multiplication sums constructed substantially as
referred to in the second claiming clause, the substitution for the slides b and g of
rollers operating substantially as described.
5. In apparatus for calculating multiplication sums, the employment of grooves n
with which springs o engage for holding the slides or the rollers or the parts whereby
they are actuated in place, substantially as set forth.
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