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Explore

  • Slide Rules
  • Linear Slide Rules
  • Circular Slide Rules
  • Cylindrical Slide Rules
  • Manuals & Documentation
  • Index by Makers & Retailers
  • Index by Material
  • Index by Purpose
  • Resources

Slide Rules

Index by Purpose

American History Museum

While many slide rules were made as general calculating instruments, for multiplying numbers and solving equations with squares, cubes, trigonometric functions, and logarithms, many others were made to ease the calculations associated with a specific task. Click on items in the list below to see rules in the collection with an identifiable specialized purpose. For comparison, a few illustrative examples of all-purpose slide rules are shown under the link to General Calculation.

AccessibilityEngineering, ElectricalNavigation
AgricultureEngineering, GeneralNovelty Forms
AstronomyFirefightingPromotion & Sales
Business & Office WorkGaugingShipping
CarpentryGeneral CalculationStatistics
ComputingGovernmentSurveying
ConstructionManufacturingTelevision
Conversion ChartsMetalworkingTransportation
EducationMeteorologyWagering
Engineering, AeronauticalMilitary Applications

Novotni Weight Slide Rule

Richardson Direct Reading Slide Rule

Pickett N15-T Hydraulic Duplex Slide Rule for Georgia Iron Works

Instruction Manual for Georgia Iron Works Hydraulic Slide Rule

Three Photographs Related to the GIW Hydraulic Slide Rule

Documentation Relating to GIW Hydraulic Slide Rule

Charvoz-Roos SR-105D Simplex Slide Rule

Charvoz-Roos SR-104 Simplex Slide Rule

Guedon Pocket Simplex Slide Rule

Patent Model for Circular Slide Rule Invented by John W. Nystrom

Gebr. Wichmann Mannheim Simplex Slide Rule

Keuffel & Esser N4053 Polyphase Slide Rule Manual

Keuffel & Esser Analon Slide Rule Instruction Manual and Related Documentation

A. W. Faber Mannheim Simplex Slide Rule

Hawthorn's Mechanics' Slide Rule

Keuffel & Esser 4045 Mannheim Simplex Slide Rule

Patent Model for Simplex Slide Rule Clasp Invented by Rudolph C. Smith

Patent Model for Estimator Slide Rule Invented by Fredric Maurice Stapff

Patent Model for Cylindrical Slide Rule Invented by George Fuller

Keuffel & Esser 1740 Thacher Cylindrical Slide Rule

Keuffel & Esser 4015 Fuller's Spiral Cylindrical Slide Rule

A. W. Faber Mannheim Simplex Slide Rule

Keuffel & Esser 1741 Thacher Cylindrical Slide Rule

J. J. Hicks Pilot Balloon Slide Rule

Keuffel & Esser 1742 Fuller's Spiral Cylindrical Slide Rule

Gilson Atlas Calculator Circular Slide Rule

Tavernier-Gravet Mannheim Simplex Slide Rule

Tavernier-Gravet Mannheim Simplex Slide Rule

Keuffel & Esser 4071 Duplex Slide Rule

Keuffel & Esser 4088-3 Polyphase Duplex Slide Rule

Keuffel & Esser 1744 Duplex Slide Rule

Keuffel & Esser 4090 Universal Duplex Slide Rule

Keuffel & Esser 4090-3 Log Log Trig Duplex Slide Rule

Keuffel & Esser 4088-3 Polyphase Duplex Slide Rule

Keuffel & Esser 4083-3 Log Log Vector Duplex Slide Rule


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