The term “adding machine” or “calculating machine” to most of us
represents the machine we have seen in the bank. The average person is
not familiar with the different types of accounting machines, to say
nothing of the many uses to which they are put; but he has a vague idea
that to hold any value they should produce a printed record, he doesn’t
know why and he hasn’t stopped to reason why; but those he has seen in
the bank do print, and any machine the bank uses, to his mind, must be
all right.
There are, of course, people who do know the different types of
accounting machines, and are familiar with their special uses, but
there are very few who are familiar with the true history of the modern
accounting machine.
[Sidenote: _General knowledge lacking_]
Articles written by those not familiar with the true facts relative to
the art of accounting machines have wrought confusion. Their errors
have been copied and new errors added, thus increasing the confusion.
Again, claims made in trade advertisements and booklets are misleading,
with the result that the truth is but little known.
These facts, and the psychological effect of seeing a certain type of
machine in the bank would lead the average man to believe that the
recording-adding machine was the only practical machine; and also (as
someone stated in the December, 1915, issue of the Geographic Magazine)
that Burroughs was the inventor of the recording-adding machine.
Although the history of accounting machines dates way back into
the tenth century, the modern accounting machines are of quite
recent origin, and are especially distinguished by the presence of
depressable keys. The keys in these machines act as a means of gauging
the actuation which determines the value in calculation, whether the
machine is key-driven or key-set with a crank or motor drive.
These modern machines, which come within the classification of
key-driven and key-set, have their respective special uses.
[Sidenote: _Key-driven machine first of the modern machines_]
The key-driven machine, which was the first produced of these two
types of modern machines, does not print, and is used for all forms of
calculation, but is generally behind the scenes in the accounting rooms
of all lines of business, and for that reason is not so well known as
the key-set crank-operated or motor-driven machine, which is designed
to print and is always in full view in the bank where it is used to
print your statement of account from the vouchers you have issued.
When we stop to analyze the qualities of these two types of machines,
we find that each has its place and that neither may truly serve to
displace the other. The organization of each is designed with reference
to the special work it was intended to do.
The calculating machine, having only to perform the work of
revolving the numeral wheels in calculating addition, subtraction,
multiplication and division in its many forms and combinations, may
be key-driven (on account of the slight mechanical resistance met with
in action), and thus, as a one-motion machine, requiring only the
depression of the keys, may also be much more rapid of manipulation
than the two-motion recording-adding machine which, after depressing
the keys for each item, requires the secondary operation of pulling a
crank forward or operating a push bar that connects the motor.
The recording-adding machine being designed to print the items and
answers of addition, requires power for the printing which cannot be
supplied by key depression. Thus an extra means for supplying that
power must be provided in the form of a crank lever, or in the latest
machines by a motor. The keys in such machines serve only as digital
control to gauge the setting of mechanism which prints the items and
adds them together. The secondary motion operates the mechanism to
print and add and finally to clear the machine for the setting up of
the next item. The recording of added columns of figures requires that
the answer must always be printed. This demands special operation of
devices provided for that purpose, which also adds to the time spent
in the operation of such machines as compared with the key-driven
calculator.
[Sidenote: _Recording, the primary feature of adding machines that
print_]
To state which of these two types of machines is the more useful would
cause a shower of comment, and has nothing to do with the object of
this article. Suffice it to say that where a printed record of items
added together with their answer is required for filing purposes,
or to bring together loose items like those in your bank statement,
the recording-adding machine serves; but when rapid calculation in
addition, multiplication, subtraction or division, or when combinations
of these forms of calculation are required, the key-driven calculator
is the practical machine for such work.
Although the key-driven calculator is generally not so well known, it
is, as stated, the oldest of the modern accounting machines, and its
usefulness places it in the accounting room, where it is oft-times
found employed by the hundreds in figuring up the day’s work of
accounting.
[Sidenote: _Validity and priority of invention_]
The purpose of this book is based wholly upon showing the validity and
priority of invention which constitute true contributions to the Art of
these two types of modern accounting machines; to place the facts for
once and all time before the public in such a way that they may judge
for themselves to whom the honor is due and thus settle the controversy
that exists.
The quibbling of court contests over the terminology of claims of
patents owned by the various inventors have been set aside and only
the true contributions to the Art which pertain to the fundamental
principles that have made the modern machines possible, are here dealt
with.
The dates of patents on inoperative or impractical machines have from
time to time been held up to the public as instances of priority of
invention; but when the validity of these patents, as furnishing any
real contributions to the Art, is questioned, they are not found to
hold the theme or principle that made the modern machines possible, and
as inventions, fade into obscurity.
[Illustration: _Figure 1_]
[Illustration: _Figure 2_ One of the Pascal Machines]
The Art of either the calculating machine or the adding-recording
machine is not new; it is, as a matter of fact, very old. As before
stated, the Art of “accounting machine” dates back to the tenth
century, but the first authentic evidence of a working machine is
extant in models made by Pascal in 1642 (see illustration).