Burroughs Payroll Segregator
date: label: date made
content: 1920
name: label: maker
content: Burroughs Adding Machine Company
notes: label: Description
content: In the first half of the 20th century, many workers were paid in cash. Businessmen needed to know the coins and bills they would need to meet their payroll. This device, invented by John Magnus of Burroughs, was designed to carry out such calculations. It has seven columns of black and white color-coded plastic keys. The keys in each column are numbered from 1 to 9. The front of the machine has ten sets of numeral wheels labeled with denominations of money from 1 cent to $10. Knobs on the right zero the wheels.
label: Description
content: A red paper tag attached to the object is marked: PATENT DEPT. (/) #45. The machine is marked on the front: BURROUGHS (/) PAY ROLL (/) SEGREGATOR. A metal tag attached to the base of the keyboard reads: B.A.M.CO. (/) MODEL (/) NO. 401.
label: Description
content: Compare to 1982.0194.12.
label: Description
content: According to the accession file, “This is the original model of Payroll Segregator from which the patent drawings were prepared . . .” The object was model #45 in the collection of the Patent Division of Burroughs Corporation.
label: Description
content: Reference:
label: Description
content: John Magnus, “Adding Machine,” U.S. Patent 1,699,540, filed January 21, 1921, issued January 22, 1929.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: Michigan, Detroit
topic: label: Subject
content: Mathematics
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Mathematics
label: See more items in
content: Adding Machines
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content: Science & Mathematics
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Burroughs Corporation
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1982.0794.11
label: catalog number
content: 1982.0794.11
label: accession number
content: 1982.0794
objectType: label: Object Name
content: adding machine
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: glass (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: plastic (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: metal (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 15.6 cm x 17.5 cm x 38.4 cm; 6 5/32 in x 6 7/8 in x 15 1/8 in