Cumulative Recorder Built for B. F. Skinner by Ralph Gerbrands
date: label: date made
content: ca 1955
name: label: maker
content: Gerbrands, Ralph
notes: label: Description
content: This motorized instrument contains a rotating reel of paper with a recording pen tip. It has metal sides, a wooden door in front of the paper, and a plastic cover on top. The glass ink holder, as well as a mount for a second pen, are stored separately. The cumulative recorder was an improvement on the kymograph that allowed experimenters not merely to record of individual events, but acquire a cumulative record of animal behavior. It was invented by the psychologist B.F. Skinner. This is an early commercial model, manufactured by Ralph Gerbrands.
label: Description
content: A mark on a tag on the motor on the left side reads in part: REG. U.S. Telechron PAT. OFF. (/) MOTOR MOVEMENT (/) TYPE 1M9A-10M V 110/120 (/) MOT MOD M 1855 CY 60 W 4. It also reads: U.S. PAT 1768386 2184342 (/) TELECHRON INC. (/) ASHLAND MASS MADE IN U.S.A.
label: Description
content: References:
label: Description
content: Kennon A. Lattal, “Steps and Pips in the History of the Cumulative Recorder,” <I>Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior</I>, 2004, vol. 82, 329-355.
label: Description
content: Accession File.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
topic: label: Subject
content: Psychology
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Mathematics
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content: Teaching Machines
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content: Science & Mathematics
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of B. F. Skinner
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1981.0997.03
label: accession number
content: 1981.0997
label: catalog number
content: 1981.0997.03
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Cumulative Recorder
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: metal (frame, carriage, pen holder, mechanism material)
label: Physical Description
content: plastic (cover material)
label: Physical Description
content: paper (paper material)
label: Physical Description
content: wood (door material)
label: Physical Description
content: glass (ink holder material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 17 cm x 45 cm x 23.5 cm; 6 11/16 in x 17 23/32 in x 9 1/4 in