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Ballou Adding Machine

National Museum of American History

Object Details

patentee
Ballou, John
Ballou, John
Description
This U.S. patent model for a non-printing lever-set adding machine has a metal casing painted black and a wooden bottom. The curved front of the machine has slots for six movable rings. The part of the case to the right of each ring is marked with the digits from 0 at the bottom of the curve to 9 at the top. A crosswise shaft in the machine carries a series of six toothed metal rings that fit between the openings in the case and serve as finger wheels, ratchets, and registers. The rings are sufficiently thick so that digits can be inscribed around their edges, next to the teeth. One digit of each wheel is visible at the top of the machine, showing the result when numbers are entered by turning rings forward. The left side of each ring has a pin every ten places, which drives the adjacent wheel when carrying is required.
The inventor of this device, John Ballou, lived in Cincinnati, Ohio. He apparently did not take out any other patents.
Compare to patent model for Burns Addometer, catalog number MA.308911.
Reference:
U.S. Patent 27,418, March 13, 1860.
Location
Currently not on view
1860
ID Number
MA.309323
accession number
89797
catalog number
309323
Object Name
adding machine
Object Type
Patent Model
Physical Description
metal (overall material)
wood (overall material)
Measurements
overall: .1 cm x 11.5 cm x 13.9 cm; 1/32 in x 4 17/32 in x 5 15/32 in
place made
United States: Ohio, Cincinnati
place patented
United States: Ohio, Cincinnati
See more items in
Medicine and Science: Mathematics
Adding Machines
Science & Mathematics
National Museum of American History
Subject
Mathematics
Record ID
nmah_690841
Metadata Usage (text)
CC0
GUID (Link to Original Record)
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a5-1b38-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

Related Content

  • Adding Machines

    American History Museum
Ballou Adding Machine
This image is in the public domain (free of copyright restrictions). You can copy, modify, and distribute this work without contacting the Smithsonian. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Open Access page.
International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
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