Object Details
- Burroughs Adding Machine Company
- Description
- In 1904 St. Louis machinist and inventor Hubert Hopkins applied for a patent for a “multiplying and typewriting machine.” This was the first of several related patents. With the backing of local businessman John C. Moon, he soon organized the Moon-Hopkins Billing Machine Company and had a commercial machine manufactured and out on trial by 1908. Business success proved elusive, and after extensive negotiations, the Burroughs Adding Machine Company purchased rights to the machine in 1921. This is a Burroughs version of the Moon-Hopkins.
- The machine sits on a metal stand painted black (the dimensions of the machine are about 43.2 cm. w. x 60.5 cm. d. x 74.2 cm. h. – overall dimensions are 50 cm. w. x 63.5 cm. d. x 104 cm. h.) It has a metal frame and back, with glass sides. The keys have a white background, with numbers and letters apparently printed on plastic.
- The machine has two rows of keys, with ten keys in each row, at the front. These keys are numbered to form two sets of number keys. Various function keys are on the left side and at the front. Behind and above the numeral keys is another bar, and then four rows of letter and number keys as on a typewriter keyboard. Above these is a row of four keys numbered from 1 to 4. To the left of the letter keys are ribbon shift, margin release, shift lock, and shift key non-print keys. To the right of the letter keys are point off, decimal discount, and carriage-return keys. Above the keyboard is a “REG. [/] TRIP” key. It is attached to a pointer that can point to 1, 2, or 3.
- Behind the keys is a wide carriage, behind which is a narrow carriage with paper tape. The motor fits under the machine.
- A mark on the top of the machine reads: Burroughs (/) Moon-Hopkins (/) THIS MACHINE PROTECTED BY U.S. AND FOREIGN PATENTS. The serial number, visible on a plate on the left side, is: 7-823880.
- This object was lent to the Smithsonian by Burroughs Adding Machine Company in 1924. It was donated to the Museum by Unisys Corporation in 2011.
- Reference:
- P. A. Kidwell, “The Adding Machine Fraternity at St. Louis: Creating a Center of Invention, 1880–1920.” IEEE Annals of the History of cComputing, 22 #2 (April-June 2000), pp. 14–17.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Credit Line
- Gift of Unisys Corporation
- 1923
- ID Number
- MA.308347
- catalog number
- 308347
- maker number
- 7-823880
- accession number
- 2011.0264
- Object Name
- bookkeeping machine on stand
- Physical Description
- metal (overall material)
- glass (overall material)
- rubber (overall material)
- plastic (overall material)
- Measurements
- overall: 74.2 cm x 43.2 cm x 60.5 cm; 29 7/32 in x 17 in x 23 13/16 in
- place made
- United States: Michigan, Detroit
- See more items in
- Medicine and Science: Mathematics
- Bookkeeping Machines
- Science & Mathematics
- National Museum of American History
- Subject
- Mathematics
- Business
- Record ID
- nmah_690819
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a5-0f19-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
