Mathematical Chart, Roche Spiral Adder
date: label: date made
content: 1878
notes: label: Description
content: This octagonal wooden stick has a spiral drawn around it which is divided lengthwise to form two adjacent spirals. Numbers in each spiral begin at zero and increase clockwise going down the stick. The number in any one space is always four greater than the number in the space below it. The rule may be used to find the sum of a number on the stick and any digit from one to nine. Roche prepared models of the stick in both wood and paper. There is no indication in the patent that a model was submitted with it, and no patent tag on the object.
label: Description
content: A mark on the wooden rule reads: SPIRAL ADDER (/) INVENTED BY ROBERT FREDERICK ROCHE (/) FORT FOOTE MARYLAND. The paper version has a similar mark. It also has the mark: 27-99. This is a catalog number of the Museums of the Peaceful Arts. It also has a paper tag that reads: 17.
label: Description
content: For a rule associated with Roche, biographical information about him, and additional references, see 1984.1080.02.
label: Description
content: Reference:
label: Description
content: Robert F. Roche, “Improvement in Adding-Sticks,” U.S. Patent 206136, July 13, 1878.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place patented
content: United States: Maryland, Fort Foote Village
topic: label: Subject
content: Mathematics
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Mathematics
label: See more items in
content: Mathematical Charts and Tables
label: See more items in
content: Science & Mathematics
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of L. Leland Locke
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: MA.311957
label: accession number
content: 155183
label: catalog number
content: 311957
objectType: label: Object Name
content: digital device
label: Object Name
content: mathematical chart
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: wood (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: paper (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 2 cm x 30 cm x 2 cm; 13/16 in x 11 13/16 in x 13/16 in