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American Adding Machine, Model 5

American History Museum

American Adding Machine, Model 5
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  • American Adding Machine, Model 5
  • American Adding Machine, Model 5
  • American Adding Machine, Model 5

    Object Details

    maker

    American Can Company

    Description

    This lever set non-printing adding machine has an plain steel case painted black. Seven steel levers painted red move in circular arcs between slots in the case. The case is painted along the edges of the slots with the digits from 0 to 9 (large and in black and white) and 9 to 0 (small and in red). The large digits are used in addition, the small ones in subtraction. There is a corrugation or depression in the cover for each digit. Digits are set by placing the index finger in the corresponding depression and raising the lever by the thumb until it is stopped by the finger. They are entered by moving down a metal handle with a wooden knob on the top right. The result appears in nine windows above the levers. If no number is set, moving down the handle zeros the machine. Another handle on the right side zeros digits set incorrectly. A silver-colored repeat lever on the left front is used in multiplication. Moving it down increases the number shown on a number wheel at the front of the machine by one digit each time the entering lever is depressed. The machine has four rubber feet as well as a paper tag.
    The serial number tag on the bottom reads: MODEL FIVE (/) NO. 57251. The machine is marked on the front: AMERICAN (/) ADDING MACHINE (/) MODEL 5 (/) AMERICAN CAN COMPANY (/) PAT. AUGUST 27, 1912 (/) OTHER PATS. PEND. It is also marked there: CHICAGO, ILL. It is also marked there: PAY ROLL DISTRIBUTION - SEE INSTRUCTIONS.
    Compare MA.333921.

    Location

    Currently not on view

    Credit Line

    Gift of Katherine Patricia Becker

    date made

    1919

    ID Number

    1983.0290.01

    accession number

    1983.0290

    maker number

    57251

    catalog number

    1983.0290.01

    Object Name

    adding machine

    Physical Description

    paper (overall material)
    steel (overall material)
    wood (overall material)
    aluminum (overall material)
    rubber (overall material)

    Measurements

    overall: 23.5 cm x 18.6 cm x 23.8 cm; 9 1/4 in x 7 5/16 in x 9 3/8 in

    place made

    United States: Illinois, Chicago

    See more items in

    Medicine and Science: Mathematics
    Adding Machines
    Science & Mathematics

    Data Source

    National Museum of American History

    Subject

    Mathematics

    Metadata Usage

    CC0

    Link to Original Record

    https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a5-01e7-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

    Record ID

    nmah_690300

    Discover More

    Burroughs brand adding machine.

    Finger-Operated

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