'Brilliant' Man Who Was An Inventor of the Calculator Dies

[bubbazero]

18. old calculators

Neighbors had a sod farm--needed calculator for sq footage--lawns, commercial etc 1971 8 digit only add subtract MULTIPLY DIVIDE for $320.00 dollars Zeros showed on display as lower half of an eight 8 Grandfather had electric mechanical calculator from early 1950's Worked as superintendent of gas dept for local utilities used in figuring cu ft for billing storage processing etc Massive machine 12 rows of keys with 12 keys per row just for the numbers that's right kids 144 keys just to enter numbers- dials on both sides for functions. Would add subtract multiply and divide Fascinating to watch him use it-- used it until he retired early 70's 12 spinning dials encased in glass at top of each row for display. The entire key board moved on carriage as it worked back and forth to align with mechanical functions underneath fully electronic would trip breakers like a hand held blow dryer tho unit given to me to keep which I have in safe long term storage. Will donate to muesuem when generation in front of me is completely gone. I got unit because only one dumb enough to move it. Complete unit is a MASSIVE 68 POUNDS