Object Details
maker
Marchant Calculating Machine Company
Description
This full-keyboard, non-printing electric proportional gear calculating machine has a metal case painted black and ten columns of tan and white plastic keys. A maroon clearance key is at the bottom of each column. The underlying keyboard is painted gold. Between banks of keys are metal rods for decimal markers.
Right of the number keys are auto divide and stop keys, subtraction and addition bars, shift keys for use in multiplication, and a reverse key. In front of these are clearance keys for the dials. Right of these is a column of ten keys for automatic multiplication and two carriage shift keys. Left of the number keys is an on-off switch. Above the number keys is a row of ten windows to show a number set up (the decimal markers extend from between the number keys to between these windows).
Behind this register is a movable carriage with an 20-window result register and an 11-window revolution register. Numbers are represented by the rotation of sets of gears on three shafts under the carriage. Sliding decimal markers for the registers on the carriage are provided. Pushing down a lever on the right side of the carriage allows manual movement of it. The motor is at the back of the machine, inside the case. The machine has four rubber feet.
Marks on the right and left sides and on the back read: MARCHANT. A mark on the bottom reads: 10-M-104367. A torn paper label on the bottom reads: silent (/) speed.
The 10M sold from 1935 into the 1940s. In 1939, the GSA price was $552.50, and the regular price was $600 to $650. A service contract was $25/yr at GSA rates. The earliest model 10Ms had serial numbers in the 104,000s.
References:
Harold T. Avery, U.S. Patents, 1940, 2,216,659, 2,211,736, and 2,217,195.
Also see American Office Machines Research Service, vol. 3, 1938, section 4.3, p. 14–16, as well as section 4.13 under “Marchant.”
SCM Collection, 1984.3084.88.
Location
Currently not on view
Credit Line
Gift of SCM Corporation, Business Equipment Division
date made
1935
ID Number
MA.335377
catalog number
335377
accession number
318944
maker number
10-M-104367
Object Name
calculating machine
Physical Description
metal (overall material)
plastic (overall material)
rubber (overall material)
Measurements
overall: 21 cm x 38.1 cm x 37 cm; 8 9/32 in x 15 in x 14 9/16 in
place made
United States: California, Oakland
See more items in
Medicine and Science: Mathematics
Calculating Machines
Science & Mathematics
Data Source
National Museum of American History
Subject
Mathematics
Link to Original Record
Record ID
nmah_690721