Burroughs Experimental Adding Machine

This is an example of an experimental machine made in the Patent Department at Burroughs Adding Machine Company but not developed into a product. It is a manually operated ten-key printing adding machine with a metal frame painted black. The round black plastic number keys are in two rows, with function keys arranged on either side. Below the keyboard, at the front of the machine, is a set of ten number wheels covered by a glass window. The number showing in the window is the result. There is no place indicator. A wide carriage and a black ribbon are at the back. The two metal handles on the right side, one next to the number keys and the other near the carriage, have wooden knobs. There are three disjoint pieces.

This is Burroughs Corporation Patent Division model #68. It is marked in the front and behind the carriage: BURROUGHS. It is marked on a metal tag below the number wheels: B.A.M.CO. (/) MODEL (/) NO. 501A .

Pasinski submitted patent department model number 545 in 1928. However, Burroughs also did considerable work on ten-key adding machines in a decade earlier, and the object may date from that time. hence the date range might be 1915 to 1928.

A metal tag attached to the object reads: DONATED TO (/) The Smithsonian Institution (/) by (/) Burroughs Corporation.

Currently not on view