arithmometer (arithmomètre)
Date1850-1870
Inventory Number1997-1-0249
ClassificationCalculating Machine
Subject
Maker
Thomas de Colmar
1785 - 1870
Cultural Region
Place of Origin
Dimensions10.7 × 74 × 18.8 cm (4 3/16 × 29 1/8 × 7 3/8 in.)
Material
DescriptionThis Thomas de Colmar Arithmometre is encased in a rectangular dark-wooden box with a lid attached to long, back edge with three hinges. The brass faceplate covers the entire interior bottom half of the box and is nearly flush with the walls. Along the top of the face plate there are twenty brass dials. Above each dial is a small, concave depression into the brass faceplate. At the bottom of each dish is a hole revealing a white number from 0 - 9. At the rightmost end of the twenty brass dials is a larger brass dial and at the leftmost end is a larger white dial.
On the left-hand side of the face plate are ten vertical tracks, each supporting a brass slider with a small arrow pointing to the left. To the left of each track, the numbers from 0 to 9 are engraved, with 9 at the top and 0 at the bottom. The brass sliders can be set to any of the nine digits. The sliders are used to input the number upon which the calculation will be performed.
In between the ten tracks and the twenty brass dials is another set of ten brass dials. Beneath each of these dials is a black, concave display for a white number between 0 and 9. These concave numeral displays are smaller than the ones described above.
To the right of the ten slider tracks is a storage box with a broken glass covered white door. Inside the box, there is a small cardboard box with extra parts, and a length of wire.
To the left of the ten slide rails are two brass buttons with white heads. To the right of the top button is engraved "SOUST'ON ET DIVIS'ON". To the right of the bottom button is engraved "ADD'ON ET MULTI'ON". Users can push either button to set the function of the machine.
In between the ten tracks and the white storage box is a brass crank with a white handle on one end. The handle is on a hinge and can be flipped up to facilitate cranking.
On the outside of the front of the box is a metal key hole. The top half of the box has a small brass strip with two pegs attached to the rim. The bottom has a brass strip with two holes on the rim. The pegs fit into the holes when the box is closed. Similarly, the top half of the box has two differently sized wooden pieces cut into the walls that insert into equally sized holes cut into the walls on either side of the bottom half of the box.
To see Thomas de Colmar's English patent application, complete with pictures of his hand-drawn diagrams, click here.
On the left-hand side of the face plate are ten vertical tracks, each supporting a brass slider with a small arrow pointing to the left. To the left of each track, the numbers from 0 to 9 are engraved, with 9 at the top and 0 at the bottom. The brass sliders can be set to any of the nine digits. The sliders are used to input the number upon which the calculation will be performed.
In between the ten tracks and the twenty brass dials is another set of ten brass dials. Beneath each of these dials is a black, concave display for a white number between 0 and 9. These concave numeral displays are smaller than the ones described above.
To the right of the ten slider tracks is a storage box with a broken glass covered white door. Inside the box, there is a small cardboard box with extra parts, and a length of wire.
To the left of the ten slide rails are two brass buttons with white heads. To the right of the top button is engraved "SOUST'ON ET DIVIS'ON". To the right of the bottom button is engraved "ADD'ON ET MULTI'ON". Users can push either button to set the function of the machine.
In between the ten tracks and the white storage box is a brass crank with a white handle on one end. The handle is on a hinge and can be flipped up to facilitate cranking.
On the outside of the front of the box is a metal key hole. The top half of the box has a small brass strip with two pegs attached to the rim. The bottom has a brass strip with two holes on the rim. The pegs fit into the holes when the box is closed. Similarly, the top half of the box has two differently sized wooden pieces cut into the walls that insert into equally sized holes cut into the walls on either side of the bottom half of the box.
To see Thomas de Colmar's English patent application, complete with pictures of his hand-drawn diagrams, click here.
Signedunsigned
Inscribedengraved on the brass faceplate: SOUST'ON ET DIVIS'ON / ADD'ON ET MULTI'ON
written in pencil on tape inside lid of box: Measures to minutes[?] of [?] / 2.92968
written in pencil on tape inside lid of box: 2.302.5851 [writing is hardly legible]
FunctionThe Thomas de Colmar Arithmometre is capable of all fundamental arithmetic calculations: addition, multiplication, subtraction, division. The number upon which a user would like to operate is input by setting the ten brass sliders on tracks to the desired digits. Note that the input number cannot be greater than ten digits.
In order to perform addition, the user must set the white plastic slider to the ADD'ION ET MULTI'ON position. The user then turns the crank until the input value is displayed in the larger set of black dishes along the top of the calculator. A numbers can be added to that number by inputting it using the brass sliders and turning the crank in the same manner. In order to subtract some number X from a number Y, Y is input using the eight sliders first. The white plastic slider is set to subtraction, and X is input second. There are knobs associated with each of the black number displays used to reset the numbers displayed to 0. The large black knob to the right of the sixteen large black number displayers is used to reset their values to 0.
The Arithmometre is capable of multiplication and division as well because numbers entered into the second set of smaller, black number display windows will be used as multipliers or dividers. In part because of this feature, the Arithmometre is one of the first multiplication machines capable of successful commercial production.
For a complete explanation of how to perform all various arithmetic operations, see Colmar's English Patent Application.
In order to perform addition, the user must set the white plastic slider to the ADD'ION ET MULTI'ON position. The user then turns the crank until the input value is displayed in the larger set of black dishes along the top of the calculator. A numbers can be added to that number by inputting it using the brass sliders and turning the crank in the same manner. In order to subtract some number X from a number Y, Y is input using the eight sliders first. The white plastic slider is set to subtraction, and X is input second. There are knobs associated with each of the black number displays used to reset the numbers displayed to 0. The large black knob to the right of the sixteen large black number displayers is used to reset their values to 0.
The Arithmometre is capable of multiplication and division as well because numbers entered into the second set of smaller, black number display windows will be used as multipliers or dividers. In part because of this feature, the Arithmometre is one of the first multiplication machines capable of successful commercial production.
For a complete explanation of how to perform all various arithmetic operations, see Colmar's English Patent Application.
ProvenanceCalculator taken from the Howard H. Aiken Computation Laboratory, 33 Oxford Street, at Harvard University on 13 March 1997.
Historical AttributesOn March 13, 1997, the calculating machine was picked up from the Howard H. Aiken Computation Laboratory, 33 Oxford Street. The instrument was transferred to the Collection by Edward P. Jackson, Facilities Manager in the Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences. At one time, it was on exhibition in the entrance area adjacent to IBM Mark I computer on the first floor.
Thomas de Colmar
Date: circa 1860
Accessories: two instruction books (in French) dated 1856, 1860; explanatory article by F. Reuleaux (in German) dated 1892
Object number: 1990-5-0026
Jakob Amsler
Date: circa 1906
Accessories: instrument is in four (4) parts; the rail is in own box and is inventory # 2006-1-0002b; letter from Prof. William Brower containing the complete history of ownership and use (missing)
Object number: 2006-1-0002a
Frank S. Baldwin
Date: 1897-1907
Accessories: instruction manual (in object file); history of instrument (both in very poor condition)
Object number: 1997-1-0246
Fabre et Cie
Date: circa 1856
Object number: 5470
Hammond Typewriter Company
Date: circa 1923
Accessories: four Hammond type shuttles for different type faces, each with a wooden storage box; four laminated paper rectangles with symbol placement guide; instruction book, instruction sheets, advertisements, and correspondence (in object file)
Object number: 1996-1-0373
Walter Balcke
Date: 1952-1964
Accessories: mahogany box; cardboard instruction card
Object number: 1997-1-1601
David-Didier Roth
Date: circa 1845
Accessories: pointer for operating calculator
Object number: DW0159
Forster
Date: 1950-1960
Accessories: spare ink cartridges; pen attachments
am auxiliary box containing small Allen wrench, scotch tape, extra parts, and storage instructions
Object number: 1999-1-0054