Mechanical Accountant
date: label: date made
content: after 1903
name: label: maker
content: Mechanical Accountant Company
notes: label: Description
content: This key-driven adding machine has a black metal case, and seven columns of nine plastic or ceramic keys and one column of seven keys. The rightmost column of keys is white, with eighth fractions from 1/8 to 7/8. The two columns left of this are black with white digits. The next three columns left of this are white with black digits, and the two leftmost columns are black with white digits. Complementary digits are indicated on the keys. Results appear in a row of nine windows in back of the keyboard. The latest number entered appears in a row of eight windows behind this. A metal lever in front of the keys cancels an entry, but not the total. There is an opening for a zeroing crank, but no crank. The windows are covered with translucent plastic.
label: Description
content: This is the earlier “simplex” model of the machine, which was designed to have numbers entered one digit at a time. The simultaneous operation of two columns where a carry is involved results in loss of the carry.
label: Description
content: The machine is marked at the front: Mechanical Accountant (/) MODEL H. (/) MANUFACTURED BY (/) MECHANICAL ACCOUNTANT CO.,PROV.,R.I. (/) PATENTED JULY 30TH. 1901(/) FEB.10TH, 1903. (/) OTHER PATENTS PENDING. The tag is also stamped: DEC.15.’91. No serial number was found.
label: Description
content: Joseph Abram Turck of Providence, Rhode Island, assigned three patents to the Mechanical Accountant Company. Turck then went on to work for Felt & Tarrant Manufacturing Company of Chicago.
label: Description
content: Compare MA.371386.
label: Description
content: References:
label: Description
content: J. A. V. Turck, “Adding Machine,” U.S. Patent 631345, granted August 22, 1899.
label: Description
content: J. A. V. Turck, “Calculating Machine,” U.S. Patent 679,348, granted July 30, 1901.
label: Description
content: J. A. V. Turck, “Calculating-Machine,” U.S. Patent 720,086, granted February 10, 1903.
label: Description
content: J. H. McCarthy, <I>The American Digest of Business Machines</I>, Chicago: American Exchange Service, 1924, p. 550.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: Rhode Island, Providence
topic: label: Subject
content: Mathematics
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Mathematics
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content: Adding Machines
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content: Science & Mathematics
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Victor Comptometer Corporation
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: MA.323599
label: accession number
content: 250163
label: catalog number
content: 323599
objectType: label: Object Name
content: adding machine
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: rubber (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: metal (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: cloth (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: plastic (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 14 cm x 20.1 cm x 33.3 cm; 5 1/2 in x 7 29/32 in x 13 1/8 in