Dalton Extra Special Adding Machine

Object Details

Dalton Adding Machine Company

Description

This ten-key printing manually operated adding machine has an black aluminum frame with a steel keyboard painted green. The white plastic digit keys are arranged in two rows and marked with digits and their complements (complements are in red). The three red function keys are makred repeat, total, and correction. The metal crank with handle is on the right side. The color-coded place indicator is above the keyboard. One may enter numbers up to nine digits long and print up to nine digit results. The printing mechanism, which held a two-colored ribbon, is on the top of the machine. The “four-inch” carriage has a paper tape dispenser behind it, but no paper tape. Above the platen is a serrated edge for tearing the paper tape. The machine has four rubber feet.

A mark on the front reads: Dalton (/) ADDING, (/) LISTING AND (/) CALCULATING MACHINE. Another mark there reads: STOCKWELL & BINNEY. A brass tag attached at the bottom front reads: Dalton (/) ADDING (/) MACHINE (/) CO. (/) REG. U.S. OFF. It also reads: PAT. SEPT. 24, 1912 NO. 1039130 (/) PAT. DEC. 31, 1912 NO. 1049057 (/) PAT. DEC. 31, 1912 NO. 1049093 (/) OTHER PATENTS ISSUED AND PENDING (/) CINCINNATI,OHIO(EAST NORWOOD). A metal tag attached at the bottom on the back gives the serial number: NO 73430.

The machine was transferred to the Smithsonian collections from the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Table Mountain, California. Stockwell & Binney is the name of a California chain of stationery stores.

Compare to MA.335299 (that machine lacks a place indicator).

Reference:

J. H. McCarthy, American Digest of Business Machines, Chicago: American Exchange Service, 1924, p. 536.

Location

Currently not on view

Credit Line

Transfer from Smithsonian Institution Astrophysical Observatory

1920

ID Number

MA.323329

accession number

251557

maker number

73430

catalog number

323329

Object Name

adding machine

Other Terms

adding machine; Ten-Key, Listing, Manual

Physical Description

aluminum (overall material)

rubber (overall material)

plastic (overall material)

steel (overall material)

Measurements

overall: 34.5 cm x 31 cm x 37.5 cm; 13 19/32 in x 12 7/32 in x 14 3/4 in

place made

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_690127

Metadata Usage (text)

CC0

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a5-007f-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa