Object Details
- Description
- This special-purpose instrument consists of a wooden box, 27 counters arranged in three rows that fit in the box, and a reddish plastic cover. The cover has 27 round holes that expose the punches that drive the counters. Twenty-seven rectangular holes reveal the five-digit reading of the counters. Between the counters are three metal slots that hold paper labels for the different counters. The labels are marked in pencil or typed.
- The slip of paper in the lowest metal slot has marks that read: GUYS (/) Head / Anchors (/) Earth / Rock / Bolt, and: Double Arms / Brace / Transposition / Light. (/) Rod. These terms may refer to properties of telephone poles. The pencil markings on the paper slips above the top two rows of counters are very hard to decipher.
- The object was transferred to the Smithsonian from the Interstate Commerce Commission in 1962.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Credit Line
- Transfer from U.S. Interstate Commerce Commission
- ca 1920
- ID Number
- MA.321785
- catalog number
- 321785
- accession number
- 246883
- Object Name
- counter
- Physical Description
- metal (overall material)
- wood (overall material)
- paper (overall material)
- plastic (overall material)
- Measurements
- overall: 3 cm x 27.8 cm x 15 cm; 1 3/16 in x 10 15/16 in x 5 7/8 in
- See more items in
- Medicine and Science: Mathematics
- Counters
- Science & Mathematics
- National Museum of American History
- Subject
- Mathematics
- Telephone
- Record ID
- nmah_690546
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a5-0906-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
