Calculator Mechanisms
Common types of Mechanical Calculator Mechanisms:
There are also other, less common, types of mechanical calculator.
1) Full-keyboard key-driven calculators
Examples
Comptometer
2) Full-keyboard "Add-lister" calculators
Examples
Burroughs Add-lister
3) 10-key "Add-lister" calculators
Examples
Olivetti Summa Prima (with Sterling currency keyboard)
4) Rotary pin-wheel calculators
Examples
Original Odhner
Close up from the right end showing the pin wheels with the number of pins raised on each wheel depending on the number set by each lever (from top to bottom 0087654321).
These pins act as gear
teeth when the crank handle is turned.
Examples
Madas (driven by electric motor)
6) "Troncet" type stylus calculators
Examples
Addiator (sterling currency version)
Examples
Bowler Countess (Sterling currency version)
Calculator Technology
Vintage Calculators
© Text & photographs copyright Nigel Tout 2000-2022 except where noted otherwise.