Remington Rand R 54 Calculating Machine

Object Details

distributor

Remington Rand Inc.

Description

This compact lever-set non-printing manually operated pinwheel calculating machine has a metal frame painted gray, with ten brass pinwheels and a metal base. Numbers are set by rotating the pinwheels forward using levers that extend from the wheels. The ends of the levers are covered with plastic. Digits inscribed on the frame next to the rotating pinwheels show the number set, and windows above the pinwheels show this number.

The carriage at the front of the machine has eight windows for the revolution counter on the left, and 16 windows for the result register on the right. The revolution register has a carry mechanism. A lever at the right side of the carriage zeros the registers on it. Pushing in a plastic button on the front releases the carriage. Levers on the right can be pushed to move the carriage a single decimal place.

A crank with a wooden knob on the right side of the machine rotates clockwise for addition and multiplication, and counterclockwise for subtraction and division. Thin metal rods above the registers carry plastic decimal markers. A lever covered with white plastic left of the entry register can be set for addition or subtraction.

A mark on a metal tag attached to the back reads: Remington Rand G.M.B.H. (/) FRANKFURT, A.M. (/) (U.S.-Zone) Germany (/) Mod. R 54 No 22603.

The machine has a gray plastic cover.

This machine closely resembles the Walther WSR16 calculating machine, made around 1955 in Niederstotzingen, West Germany. It seems likely that Remington Rand distributed the machine from Frankfurt am Main, while the device actually was made in Niederstotzingen.

For instructions, see 319872.02. These instructions include tables making it easier to use the machine with Sterling currency and with both metric and common measurements. They give the model name R 54 but do not give information about the manufacturer or place of manufacture.

Location

Currently not on view

Credit Line

Gift of W.F. Eberth

ca 1955

ID Number

MA.335383

catalog number

335383

accession number

319872

maker number

22603

Object Name

calculating machine

Physical Description

metal (overall material)

wood (overall material)

plastic (overall material)

rubber (overall material)

Measurements

overall: 13.8 cm x 29 cm x 13 cm; 5 7/16 in x 11 13/32 in x 5 1/8 in

place made

Germany

See more items in

Medicine and Science: Mathematics

Calculating Machines

Science & Mathematics

National Museum of American History

subject

Mathematics

Record ID

nmah_692287

Metadata Usage (text)

CC0

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a5-16a1-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa