Mechanical Calculators

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Facit C1-13 & ESA-01

Facit CI-13

Facit CI-13

Facit C1-13

Mechanical, pin-wheel mechanism, with key setting.

Can multiply a 10 digit number by an 8 digit number and give a 13 digit answer.

Functions - Addition/Subtraction and Multiplication/Division/Square roots using special techniques.

310 mm x 215 mm x 150 mm (12" x 8.5" x 6"), 6.75 Kg (15 lbs.).

Made in Sweden by Atvidaberg-Facit.

Serial number 799426 made in 1961 according to the serial number list on James Redin's site (see below).
This model was also made in a more angular version and was on sale till the early 1970s.
 


"Barrel [pin-wheel] Calculating Machines" (From Science Museum,London, exhibit) -
"After Arithmometers came barrel calculating machines which were smaller, lighter, and easier to operate. The inventor was an American, F.S. Baldwin, who patented a barrel machine in 1872. However, all the mass produced machines, Brunsviga, Muldivo, Triumphator, Britannic, Facit, etc.,  stem  from  the designs of W.T. Odhner ...
In Britain, barrel machines have been on sale from the 1890's to the present day [the exhibit has been there a long time !]. During the 1930's they were the most popular type of general purpose calculator.

Numbers were set on Facit machines by pressing keys, which was quicker, and less prone to error, than the lever-setting of other barrel machines."

Inside front
Inside rear

Views with the covers removed.
Top: the front.
Bottom: the rear.

In both of these views
A: The pinwheels, which are set by pressing the keys.

B: The mechanism connected to the keys which sets the pinwheels.

C: Rotating mechanism for performing the carry function.

Facit ESA-01

Facit ESA-01

Facit ESA-O1

Electro-mechanical, pin-wheel calculator.

Can multiply a 9 digit number by an 8 digit number and give a 13 digit answer.

Functions - Addition/Subtraction/Multiplication/Division.

282 mm x 260 mm x 182 mm (11" x 10" x 7"), 13 Kg (28.5 lbs.).

Made in Sweden by Atvidaberg-Facit.

Serial number 356611 made in 1954 according to the serial number list on James Redin's site (see below).

This is an electrically driven machine and is slightly earlier than the mechanical machine at the top of this page.

Inside Facit ESA-01 - 1

With the front cover removed. There is little space wasted.

Inside Facit ESA-01 - 2

With the rear cover removed showing the electric motor made by Electrolux. In 1972, nearly 20 years after this machine was made, Electrolux bought out the ailing Facit company, which had been hit by falling profits on electronic calculators.

James Redin has produced a table illustrating the development of Facit mechanical calculator models and their serial numbers at http://www.dotpoint.com/xnumber/cmisc_facit_page.htm

Also, Christofer Nöring has an interesting history of Facit calculators at http://www.xnumber.com/xnumber/facit_history.htm

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Mechanical Calculators

Odhner
Comptometer
Addiator
Addometer
Golden Gem
S & N
Monroe LN-160X
Brunsviga 10
Curta I
Facit C1-13 & ESA-01
Plus Adder
Madas 20BZS
Burroughs Add-lister
Resulta
Bowler Countess
Olivetti Electrosumma
Muldivo Mentor
Busicom
SCM 1011 CB
Sumlock Comptometer 993s
Kingson Four-Rule
Imperial Office Master
Addiator Addfeet Junior

Vintage Calculators

© Text & photographs copyright Nigel Tout  2000-2008 except where noted otherwise.