Madas Calculating Machine

This electrically powered and non-printing key-driven calculating machine has a metal frame painted black and a metal keyboard painted green. At the top of each of the nine columns of color-coded black and white plastic keys is a window showing the digit entered. A clearance key and two other keys are to the left of the keyboard, and a large button for operating the machine is to the right. Further to the left are levers relating to shifting from addition and multiplication to subtraction, and to automatic division.

Behind the keyboard is a carriage with 9 windows of a revolution counter, 16 windows of a result register, a bell, and zeroing levers for both registers. The motor is behind the carriage on the right. A black cover fits over the front part of the machine. Instructions for operating the machine are given on paper sheets attached to the inside of the cover.

The case is marked: MULTIPLICATION AUTOMAT. DIVISION ADDITION SUBTRACTION (/) MADAS. A mark on the left front corner reads: No 6792 (/) MADE IN SWITZERLAND. A metal tag attached to the left near the front reads: H.W. EGLI STE AME (/) Calculating Machines (/) ZURICH (Switzerland). A mark left of the keyboard reads: PROPERTY (/) OF (/) UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN. Another mark there reads: XV 3200 AH (/) #6792. A mark above the keyboard reads: W.A.Morschhauser (/) SOLE AGENT (/) 1 Madison Avenue, NEW YORK CITY.

The key-set MADAS with electric drive was introduced in 1922. This example comes from the Department of Biostatistics of the University of Michigan School of Public Health.

Compare MA317288, MA.324278, MA.323586 and 1982.0794.88.

Reference:

H. W. Egli, Ltd., MADAS 50 Jahre Arbeit, Zurich.

Currently not on view