Original Documents on the History of Calculators

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This site contains HTML-versions of some original documents related to the early history of calculators.
For more information on the history of calculators, see Erez Kaplan's Calculating Machines, the pre-HP section of Dave Hicks' Museum of HP Calculators and James Redin's Vintage Calculators (and their lists of links).
If you are interested in the more recent history of computers, check out the document collections of Ed Thelen and the Computer History Museum.
An extensive German source is the Rechnerlexikon.

External sites are labeled as:

: The Making of America
Gallica

Gallica

: Gallica at the BNF

: other external site

Curta (and related machines)
- Curta manual
- Early Contina and Curta brochures (translated from French)
- German Patents 747073 and 747074; and US Patents 2,525,352; 2,533,372; 2,544,426; 2,566,835.
- another CURTA manual, posted by Rick Furr.
- CURTA article from Product Engineering magazine -- October 1952, posted by Rick Furr.
- Computing Examples for the CURTA Calculating Machine.
- Hamann: US Patent 703,785.
- Hamann: German Patent 194527.
- Haack: German Patent 117682.
- Karl Holecek: "Neue Konstruktive Wege im Rechenmaschinenbau", Feinwerktechnik 55⁶, (1951)
Other stepped drum calculators
- G.G. L[eibniz], "Brevis descriptio Machinæ Arithmeticæ", Miscellanea Berolinensia ad incrementum scientiarum, [Johann Christoph Papenius, Berlin] 1³ (1710) 317-319 + Fig..
- Thomas de Colmar: UK Patent 13,504 from 1851.
- more documents
- French manual for a Thomas de Colmar arithmometer
- Lemoyne, "Mémoire sur la machine à calculer...", Annales de la Société d'émulation du département des Vosges 8 (1854) p. 144-165.
- Italian pamphlet for Payen's arithmometer
- Franz Reuleaux: "Die Thomas'sche Rechenmaschine" Dinglers Polytechnisches Journal 165 (1862) 334-362.
- Arthur Burkhardt, "Die Leibniz’sche Rechenmaschine", Z. Vermessungswesen (1896) p.392-399.
Pinwheel calculators:
- Odhner: US Patent 209,416 and German Patent 64925. Compare these patents with images from the Russian patent from June 1890 and the Swedish patent from September 1890.
  See also a Swedish advertisement from 1890. (Thanks to Timo Leipala)
- Italian Odhner Manual
- Manual for Brunsviga Doppelrechenmaschinen (see also Geodätische Berechnungen mit der Doppel- rechenmaschine Thales-Geo)
- Koll - Eggert, Geodätische Rechnungen mittels der Rechenmaschine, 1927.
- Manual of a Walther WSR 160 (ZIP, ca. 2 MB, or online)
- Walther Präzision_aus_Tradition, 1960's.
- Manual of a Walther multa 32, 1969.
- Baldwin: US Patent 159,244 and advertising pamphlet.
- Manual of a Brunsviga 13RM.
- Brunsviga 13 RK (ZIP, 2,5 MB)
- Manual for a Muldivo
- Facit manuals
- Advertising pamphlet for a Multo (Dutch)
- Eggert, Die Rechenmaschine Triumphator, Z. Vermessungswesen 31 (1909) p.809-811
- Die Entwicklung der Brunsviga-Rechenmaschine vom Jahre 1892-1926, GNC Monatsschrift (1927)
- H. Sossna, Ergebnisse einer Zuverlässigkeitsuntersuchung mit der Rechenmaschine Brunsviga", Z. Vermessungswesen 23 (1901) p.636-644.
- Wittke, "Vorzeichentreuen Doppelrechenmaschine", VR, (1956) p.217-218.*
- Otakar E. Kádner, Erfahrungen mit der vorzeichentreuen Doppelrechenmaschine, VR (1956) p.389-394,423-426
Difference Engines
- J.H. Müller's "Beschreibung seiner neu erfundenen Rechenmaschine", 1786.
- Technical description of Babbage's Difference Engine
- Nits, count of Barck: French Patent 13480.
- Charles Babbage, " Note sur la machine suédoise de M. Scheutz pour calculer les Tables mathématiques par la méthode des différences et en imprimer les résultats sur des planches stéréotypes", Comptes Rendus des Séances de l'Académie des Sciences 41 (1855) 557-560; "Observations adressées à la Société Royale de Londres (au sujet de la machine à calculer de M. Scheutz)", Comptes Rendus des Séances de l'Académie des Sciences 42 (1856) 798-799 and C.Dupin, "Remarques au sujet d'une Note de M. Babbage, relative à la machine à calculer de M. Scheutz", Comptes Rendus des Séances de l'Académie des Sciences 42 (1856) 800.
- C. Delaunay, "Rapport sur une machine à calculer présentée par M. Wiberg", Comptes Rendus des Séances de l'Académie des Sciences 56 (1863) 330-339.
- Chr. Hamann's Difference Engine.
Directly multiplying calculators:
- Verea: US Patent 207,918.
- Bollée: US Patent 556,720 and "Sur une nouvelle machine à calculer", Comptes Rendus des Séances de l'Académie des Sciences 109 (1889) 737-739.
- Steiger: German Patent 72870.
- Selling: US Patent 420,667.
- "Eine neue Rechenmaschine", Österreichische Forst-Zeitung (14.6.1889) 142-143. (Selling is erroneously called Schelling)
- Manual of a Millionaire
Other calculators:
- George B. Grant: US Patent 138,245.
- Maurel and Jayet: French Patent 2717 and J. Binet, "Rapport sur une machine arithmatique, présentée à l'Académie des Sciences, par MM. Maurel et Jayet, de Voiron", Comptes Rendus des Séances de l'Académie des Sciences 28 (1849) 209-217.
- Ramsayer's description of his "Funktionsrechenmaschinen" (German)
- Manual of a Gauss calculator (ZIP, ca. 1,3 MB)
- Manual of a Monroe Monromatic 8N (1 MB)
- Manual of a Hamann Manus R (ZIP, 470 MB)
- Manual of a Hamann Automat T (ZIP, 650 MB)
- Manual of a Contex 10 (ZIP, 894 KB)
- The Burroughs Registering Accountant and Adding Machine Sales Brochure and Instructions
- Marchant Calculators Operating Instructions
Comptometers:
- Felt: US Patent 366,945.
- Scientific American, Oct. 27, 1888
- Comptometer Model H Repair Manual
- Felt & Tarrant vs. Burroughs
- C. & R. Ferraris, "Moderni sistemi per analizzare e contabilizzare le cifre" [Italian, 1930's]. An incomplete geographical distribution of Comptometers can be derived from the included incomplete list of customers.
Simple (adding) machines:
- "Nouvelle machine d'arithmetique de l'invention de sieur Grillet Horlogeur, A Paris", Journal des Sçavans (1678) page 161-164.
- M. Galon (ed.), "Machine Arithmetique inventée par Lepine", Machines et inventions approuvées par l'Académie royale..., 4 (1735) page 131, Planche 1, 2, 3.
- M. Galon (ed.), "Machine arithmetique de Pascal", Machines et inventions approuvées par l'Académie royale..., 4 (1735) page 137, Planche 1, 2.
- C.L. Gersten, "The Description and Use of an Arithmetical Machine invented by Christian-Ludovicus Gersten,...", Philosophical transactions of the Royal society of London 39 (1735-1736) page 79, Plate.
  (The mechanism is shown more clearly by Jean Marguin)
- "Bericht des Hrn. Theodor Olivier über die Rechenmaschinen des Hrn. Dr. Roth in Paris"
- Johnson: US Patent 85,229.
- Webb: US Patent 75322 and US Patent 414,959.
- Bollée: German Patent 82963.
- Manual of a Seidel & Naumann "Additionsmaschine"
- Manual of a Scribola
- Manual of a Stima (ZIP, ca. 2,5 MB)
- Manual of a Comptator
- French brochure for Master adding machines.
- Sundstrand manual (pre-1924) [large file, here's just the cover].
- Dalton Manual (The Machine That Does Things!).
- Manual of a Burroughs Computing-Billing Machine (Style 72 03 01)
- Build your own calculator! (German)
- Dubois, "Arithmographe polychrome", Comptes Rendus des Séances de l'Académie des Sciences 51 (1860) 293-296.
M. d'Ocagne, "Description et indication du mode d'emploi de la machine arithmétique à mouvement continu de M. Tchebichef", Annales du Conservatoire des arts et métiers 2(5) (1893) 269-281.
M. d'Ocagne, "Le Calcul simplifié par les procédés mécaniques et graphiques. Première conférence: Les instruments et les machines arithmétiques", Annales du Conservatoire des arts et métiers 2(5) (1893) 231-269.
M. d'Ocagne, "Le Calcul simplifié par les procédés mécaniques et graphiques. Deuxième conférence : les instruments logarithmiques les tracés graphiques, les tables numériques ou barèmes", Annales du Conservatoire des arts et métiers 2(5) (1893) 323-349.
Mechanical Calculation in: Reports of the United States Commissioners to the Paris Universal Exposition, 1867.
Percy F. Ludgate, "On a Proposed Analytical Machine", Scientific Proceedings, Royal Dublin Society 12⁹ (1909) p.77-91 and C.V. Boys, "A New Analytical Engine", Nature 81 (1 July 1909) p.14-15, both in an appendix to B. Randell, "Ludgate's analytical machine of 1909", The Computer Journal, 14³ (1971) p.317-326. (TIFFs)
Léonardo Torres, "Sur les machines algébriques", Comptes rendus ... de l'Académie des sciences/Institut de France CXXI (Juillet-Décembre 1895) page 245.
Slide rules:
- F.Cajori: "History of Logarithmic Slide Rule", 1909.
- Otis King's Calculator:
  - old manual (12 pages).
  - newer manual (8 pages).
  - large manual.
  - brochure
- Front and back of a German Nuclear Slide Rule (Rechenscheibe LS-67).
- Polish artillery slide rule (can anyone provide a translation ?)
- It's not a slide rule. It's not a nomogram. It's.... Shell's Viscoklok (see also its manual).
- Thacher's Calculating Instrument: US Patent 249,117 and Manual for a Thacher cylindrical slide rule and part of the manual.
- Slide Rule pages of Keuffel & Esser Catalogs
- Manual of a Logaritmal
- Antonio Favaro, "Sulla Elica Calcolatoria di Fuller con Cenni Storici Sopra gli Strumenti a Divisione Logaritmica" Reale Istituto Veneto di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti - Venezia 1879
- Manual for a Fuller cylindrical slide rule (German)
- Anwendungsbeispiele Grafia-Rechenscheibe
- Manual for a Logomat Pfiffikus (German)
- How to choose a slide rule
- Slide rule crime!
- Der logarithmische Rechenschieber und sein Gebrauch(German)
Planimeters
- Antonio Favaro, "Beiträge zur Geschichte der Planimeter", Allgem. Bauzeitung. Waldhain, Wien 38 (1873) 68-90,93-108.
- "Das Coradi'sche Rollplanimeter", Österreichische Forst-Zeitung (21.10.1892) 271-273.
- "Neue Planimeter", Österreichische Forst-Zeitung (1.6.1888) 132-133.
- L. Woita, "Historisches und neues vom Planimeter", Wiener allgemeine Forst- und Jagdzeitung (1935) 88- 89, 92- 94, 98- 99
- Ed. Korfelt, "Historisches und neues vom Planimeter", Wiener allgemeine Forst- und Jagdzeitung (1935) 148, 152, 156.
- Willis: US Patent 11,568 (Reissue).
- Coffin: US Patent 258,993; Snow: US Patent 718,166; Chase: US Patent 783,568.
- Schnöckel's Planimeter.
- G. Wagner's "Ueber den Gebrauch und die Einrichtung des vor kurzem erfundenen Planimeters", 1821.
- J.Y. Wheatly, "The Polar Planimeter ...", Keuffel & Esser, New York, 1903.
- H. de Morin, "Les appareils d'intégration" (GIFs). , see also H. Morin's "Petit Catalogue Général Edition 1925-1926"
- E.J. Nyström, "Ein Instrument zur Auswertung von Stieltjesintegralen", Societas Scientiarum Fennica. Commentationes Physico-Mathematicae IX. 4, 1936.
- E. Laurila, "Über das Nyströmsche Stieltjesplanimeter", Societas Scientiarum Fennica. Commentationes Physico-Mathematicae X. 7, 1939 (with simulation).
- Manual for the Amsler Integrator 626.
- Amsler's Planimeters Use Instructions
- Planimetry in: Reports of the United States Commissioners to the Paris Universal Exposition, 1867.
- Manual for a Mader-Ott harmonic analyser, 1910 (German)
- B. Abdank Abakanowicz, "Sur l'intégration mécanique", Comptes rend. Acad. des sciences XCIV (1982) 783-785.
- B. Abdank Abakanowicz, "Sur un nouvel intégromètre", Comptes rend. Acad. des sciences 95 (1982) 1047-1048.
- Gregg Volumeter
Complete books:
- W.G. Galle, "Mathematische Instrumente" (GIFs)
- E.M. Horsburgh, "Modern Instruments and Methods of Calculation" (GIFs).
- C.G. Knott, "Napier Tercentenary Memorial Volume" (GIFs).
- J. Napier, "A description of the admirable table of logarithms", London: Nicholas Okes (1616). Edition translated from Latin by Edward Wright.
- Adriaan Vlacq, "Eerste deel van de nievwe Telkonst", an old-Dutch translation of John Napier's "Rabdologiae" [large!]
- J. Lüroth, "Vorlesungen über numerisches Rechnen" (GIFs).
Fritz Emde, "Rechenmaschine und Genauigkeit", Z. Instrumentenkunde (1936) p.265-275
Geschichte der Gründung der deutschen Rechenmaschinen Industrie (1913) (second page missing)
Some advertisements and manuals can be found on Jay M. Goldman's web site.
For more "recent" calculators: check out the Büromaschinen Lexikon
Check out more Early US Patents.

Andries de Man 12/5/2004