Comptograph
date: label: date made
content: 1900
name: label: maker
content: Comptograph Company
notes: label: Description
content: After Dorr E Felt invented and began to sell successfully a key-driven adding machine known as the Comptometer, he designed a printing adding machine dubbed the Comptograph. This example has a cherrywood case and eight columns of metal key stems, with turquoise and white color-coded discs set in the metal key tops. Digits and complements of digits are shown on the discs. Each column has nine keys. The cover under the keys consists of metal slats with holes drilled in them, with one slat for each column of keys. A glass window at the front shows nine metal wheels that record totals.
label: Description
content: On the right side toward the front are a knob and a lever. Depressing the lever allows one to turn the knob and zero the total. Immediately to the right of the keyboard is a small lever, which is pushed up to release the keys. Further to the right are two large buttons attached to levers. When the button at the right back is depressed, the carriage moves to a new column. The other button on the right may advance the paper. To the left at the front is another large button on a straight shaft (depressing this button probably is intended to print totals or subtotals). At the back of the machine is a wide carriage, the printing mechanism for the adding machine, and a ribbon. This mechanism prints eight-digit entries and totals. A bell on top of each of the spools for the ribbon rings to warn that the ribbon is almost unwound.
label: Description
content: The machine is stamped on the front below the glass window: 1902. It is marked on a metal plate screwed to the right side: MODEL A No 1902 (/) PATENTED. It is also marked there: MAR. 11. 1902. It is also marked there: OTHER PATENTS PENDING. (/) COMPTOGRAPH CO. (/) CHICAGO, U.S.A.
label: Description
content: The coloring of the keys resembles that on the Comptometer with catalog number MA.248688, which dates from 1898, and the Comptograph with typewriter MA.323636. The Accession Journal dates this machine to 1900, but the tag screwed to the machine indicates a slightly later date.
label: Description
content: References:
label: Description
content: Felt & Tarrant, Accession Journal, 1991.3107.06.
label: Description
content: Pamphlet 1994.3060.05.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: Illinois, Chicago
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.323632
label: catalog number
content: 323632
label: maker number
content: 1902
label: accession number
content: 250163
objectType: label: Object Name
content: adding machine
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: metal (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: wood (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: ceramic (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: cloth (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: rubber (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: glass (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 31 cm x 48 cm x 51.6 cm; 12 7/32 in x 18 29/32 in x 20 5/16 in