Burroughs Adding Machine
Object Details
- Burroughs Adding Machine Company
- Description
- The Burroughs Adding Machine Company, long a manufacturer of full-keyboard adding machines, faced stiff competition from less expensive ten-key adding machines. In response, in 1954 they introduced their own versions of the machine, based on the British Summit. This is a prototype, designed for British currency.
- The manually operated printing machine accepts nine-digit entries and prints nine-digit totals. The gray metal machine has 11 white plastic keys in a block, numbered from 1 to 11. There also is a white zero bar and a white key labeled with a pound sterling symbol. There are 4 brown function keys right of the digit keys that are labeled ST, T, -, and R. The place indicator is in back of the keyboard and the printing mechanism, with 2-1/4” carriage, behind this. The ribbon is black. A lid lifts off the top for access to the ribbon and printing mechanism. The top part of a wheel is exposed through the case to allow one to advance the paper tape. A serrated edge assists in tearing off the paper tape.
- The machine is marked in back of the keyboard: Burroughs. A red tag attached to the object reads: PATENT DEPT. (/) #330. A metal tag attached to the object reads: DONATED TO (/) The Smithsonian Institution (/) by (/) Burroughs Corporation.
- Burroughs sold ten-key adding machines through at least 1965.
- Compare to Summit adding machines 1982.0794.76 and 1982.0794.77, and Burroughs adding machine 1982.0794.85.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Credit Line
- Gift of Burroughs Corporation
- ca 1950
- ID Number
- 1982.0794.84
- accession number
- 1982.0794
- catalog number
- 1982.0794.84
- Object Name
- adding machine
- Physical Description
- metal (overall material)
- paper (overall material)
- rubber (overall material)
- plastic (overall material)
- Measurements
- overall: 22.2 cm x 31 cm x 42.5 cm; 8 3/4 in x 12 7/32 in x 16 23/32 in
- place made
- United States: Michigan, Detroit
- See more items in
- Medicine and Science: Mathematics
- Adding Machines
- Science & Mathematics
- National Museum of American History
- Subject
- Mathematics
- Record ID
- nmah_690116
- Metadata Usage (text)
- CC0
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a5-0d8a-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
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