Marchant Model DRB8 Calculating Machine

Object Details

Marchant Calculating Machine Company

Description

This full-keyboard, non-printing electric duplex pinwheel calculating machine has a metal case painted black and eight columns of black and white color-coded plastic keys. A red clearance key is at the bottom of each column. The underlying keyboard is painted green. Between banks of keys are metal rods for decimal markers. Right of the number keys are red plastic ADD and CLEAR keys, as well as an unmarked red key. When the add key is depressed, the keyboard clears after each operation. Above the clear key are subtraction and addition bars. Right of these is a black lever for use in division. Left of the number keys is the switch for turning on the motor.

In back of the keyboard is a movable carriage with two registers. The upper register has 13 dials and is used to find results as on a usual Marchant machine. The lower register has 15 dials and will total results obtained in the upper register if a lever on the left side of the carriage is set at T. Behind this are eight windows for showing digits entered, a lever that may be set at multiplication or division, and seven windows for the revolution register. There are two black keys next to the carriage to clear the registers, as well as a TOTAL CLEAR key to the left of the revolution register. A metal carriage shift handle is at the front, and the motor is at the back. The machine has a black cord.

A metal plate attached to the left side of the machine reads: MARCHANT. A metal tag on the base has a tag with the serial number: DRB8-1157. Stamped on the base is the number 10060. A mark on the back top of the machine reads: MANUFACTURED FOR (/) THE (/) MARCHANT (/) CALCULATING (/) MACHINE CO. (/) SIMPLICITY (/) ACCURACY (/) SPEED. a metal tag on the motor reads: WESTINGHOUSE ELEC. & MFG. CO. Another mark on this tag reads: 139238.

The style of the MARCHANT label on the side of the machine indicates that it dates before 1933.

Location

Currently not on view

Credit Line

Gift of Victor Comptometer Corporation

1931

ID Number

MA.323610

catalog number

323610

accession number

250163

maker number

DRB8-1157

Object Name

calculating machine

Physical Description

metal (overall material)

plastic (overall material)

rubber (overall material)

paper (overall material)

Measurements

overall: 19 cm x 33 cm x 45.5 cm; 7 15/32 in x 13 in x 17 29/32 in

place made

United States: California, Oakland

See more items in

Medicine and Science: Mathematics

Calculating Machines

Science & Mathematics

National Museum of American History

subject

Mathematics

Record ID

nmah_690719

Metadata Usage (text)

CC0

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a5-0d62-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa