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Dalton Extra Special Adding Machine

National Museum of American History

Object Details

Dalton Adding Machine Company
Description
This ten-key printing manually operated adding machine has an black aluminum frame with a steel keyboard painted green. The white plastic digit keys are arranged in two rows and marked with digits and their complements (complements are in red). The three red function keys are makred repeat, total, and correction. The metal crank with handle is on the right side. The color-coded place indicator is above the keyboard. One may enter numbers up to nine digits long and print up to nine digit results. The printing mechanism, which held a two-colored ribbon, is on the top of the machine. The “four-inch” carriage has a paper tape dispenser behind it, but no paper tape. Above the platen is a serrated edge for tearing the paper tape. The machine has four rubber feet.
A mark on the front reads: Dalton (/) ADDING, (/) LISTING AND (/) CALCULATING MACHINE. Another mark there reads: STOCKWELL & BINNEY. A brass tag attached at the bottom front reads: Dalton (/) ADDING (/) MACHINE (/) CO. (/) REG. U.S. OFF. It also reads: PAT. SEPT. 24, 1912 NO. 1039130 (/) PAT. DEC. 31, 1912 NO. 1049057 (/) PAT. DEC. 31, 1912 NO. 1049093 (/) OTHER PATENTS ISSUED AND PENDING (/) CINCINNATI,OHIO(EAST NORWOOD). A metal tag attached at the bottom on the back gives the serial number: NO 73430.
The machine was transferred to the Smithsonian collections from the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Table Mountain, California. Stockwell & Binney is the name of a California chain of stationery stores.
Compare to MA.335299 (that machine lacks a place indicator).
Reference:
J. H. McCarthy, American Digest of Business Machines, Chicago: American Exchange Service, 1924, p. 536.
Location
Currently not on view
Credit Line
Transfer from Smithsonian Institution Astrophysical Observatory
1920
ID Number
MA.323329
accession number
251557
maker number
73430
catalog number
323329
Object Name
adding machine
Other Terms
adding machine; Ten-Key, Listing, Manual
Physical Description
aluminum (overall material)
rubber (overall material)
plastic (overall material)
steel (overall material)
Measurements
overall: 34.5 cm x 31 cm x 37.5 cm; 13 19/32 in x 12 7/32 in x 14 3/4 in
place made
United States: Ohio, Cincinnati
See more items in
Medicine and Science: Mathematics
Adding Machines
Science & Mathematics
National Museum of American History
Subject
Mathematics
Record ID
nmah_690127
Metadata Usage (text)
CC0
GUID (Link to Original Record)
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a5-007f-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

Related Content

  • 1920: A Year in the Collections

  • Adding Machines

    American History Museum
Dalton Extra Special Adding Machine
There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .
International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
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