-
Nov 18, 1387
The 1st calculating machine- ABACUS
It was 1st developed in the 13th century by the Chinese. It is still used today in a "modern version". -
'Napier's Bones'
John Napier, famous for creating logarithms, also designed a tool called "Napier's Bones" to simplify calculations. This tool is a set of rods, each labeled with a number at the top and its multiples listed below. When the rods are arranged in a row, you can calculate a multiple of the number by summing specific digits from each row of the rods. This process turns multiplication into a simpler task of addition. -
The Slide Rule
This was a joint effort by two Englishmen Edmund Gunter and the reverend William Oughtred. This slide rule consisted of two logarithmic scales that could be manipulated together for calculation. -
Pascaline
The Pascaline was possibly the first mechanical adding device actually used for a practical purpose. It was built by Blaine Pascal to help his father, Etienne Pascal, a tax collector, with the tedious activity of adding and subtracting large sequences of numbers. -
Leibniz Stepped Drum
The famous German mathematicien Gottfried Wilhelm Von Leibniz invented a machine able to perform the four basic arithmetical operations. It uses a special type of gear named Leibniz Wheel which is a cylinder with nine bar-shaped teeth of incrementing length parallel to the cylinder’s axis. -
Stanhope's Machine
The next improvements were made by the Earl of Stanhope, in England, in 1775...
...and 1777. Neither Stanhope machine embodied new mechanical systems, but they were ruggedly constructed and more reliable. Technical skills now had a chance to catch up with inventive capacity. -
Arithmometer
The first commercially successful mechanical calculator, designed patented and manufactured by Charles Xavier Thomas. -
Scheutz Difference Engine
The world's first printing calculator, the Scheutz Difference Engine was introduced around 1853. It was built by George Scheutz and his son Edvard, based on the work of Charles Babbage. -
Pinwheel Calculator
First invented by Frank Baldwin in the US, it starts the development of commercially successful mechanical calculators. It uses a drum-based mechanism with sliders. You can see evolutions of the pinwheel calculator under IDE, EWI and UB, scan the QR code to make an appointment! -
Bollee's Direct Muliplication Machine
Bollee was the first person to develop a machine capable of direct multiplication.
Bollee’s machine was one of the earliest of its type and was a direct multiplier with a built-in multiplication table -
Comptomer
Dorr E. Felt invents the Comptometer, the first commercially succesfull key-driven adding and calculating machine. In 1886 Felt Tarrant Manufacturing Company was founded, which went on to make thousands of Comptometers . You can see evolutions of the pinwheel calculator under IDE, EWI and UB, scan the QR code to make an appointment! -
Millionaire Calculator
Millionaire calculator introduced. It allowed direct multiplication by any digit - "one turn of the crank for each figure in the multiplier". Only 5000 models were manufactured. This incredibly rare calculator can be seen under TU Delft Library! Scan the QR code to make an appointment. -
Period: to
1900- 1975 Mechanical Calculators
Steady development of mechanical calculators - size reduction, electric motor drive, added features (eg. automatic multiplication division). -
10 key adding machine
The Dalton adding-listing machine was the first of its type to use only ten keys. Its compact design and ten-key system reduced errors and boosted efficiency, making it a favorite in offices. It also printed itemized lists of entries and totals, a useful feature for accountants and clerical tasks. You can see evolutions of the 10-key under IDE, EWI and UB, scan the QR code to make an appointment! -
Curta I
A stepped gear type calculator capable of the four functions, and more using special techniques. Its incredibly small size (hand-held), makes it one of the few major innovations in mechanical calculators in the mid 20th century. This incredibly calculator can be seen under TU Delft Library! Scan the QR code to make an appointment. -
The Friden SRW
The Friden SRW was an imposing calculator weighing 42lbs. It is most notable for being able to a square root function.