Inventions and their inventors 1750-1920 (eBook)

1 Communications

1.1 Computers

Calculating Machine

Patent abstract:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM S. BURROUGHS, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanical Accountants, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of apparatus used for mechanically assisting arithmetical calculations; and my invention consists in the combination, with one or more registers, of a series of independent keys and intervening connections constructed, arranged, and operating, as fully specified hereinafter, so as to indicate upon the register the sum of any series of numbers by the proper manipulation of the keys, and also so as to print or permanently record the final result.

Calculating Machine

Patent abstract:

The key No. 1 is of such length that when pressed down to its stop it will cause the lever (E) to traverse through a space sufficient to raise the rod B by the action of the pawl one notch and showing on the side the indication "1." The key No. 2, is of such length that when depressed to its stop it will cause the lever to traverse twice as far as will the key No. 1, and consequently will raise the rod twice as much, or two notches, and the other keys are proportioned in the same manner, No. 9 then is capable of being depressed nine times as far as No. 1, and will therefore raise the rod or indicator nine notches.

Mechanical Tabulating Machine

Patent abstract:

In the first place I have substituted for the continuous web or strip of my prior application a separate strip, card, or tablet, A, upon or within which the index-points are forged, as by punching holes in said card, and instead of using a separate templet or die for locating the several index-points I prefer to stamp or impress upon the cards, as by printing, the places or relative positions in which the index-point for each item is to be located. The card is, for convenience only, divided by lines into spaces, each space being numbered, lettered, or otherwise designated by marks or printed matter to indicate the place where a hole is to be punched in recording the several items pertaining to the individual. In this way each card when properly punched becomes a permanent record of the individual (whose name and number in the books or other matters can, if desired, be written on the face or back of the card) and can be filed away as such, or the several records so formed can be classified and distributed, as hereinafter described. Moreover; the record-card thus formed can be prepared at any time or place and by unskilled operatives, as each record is complete in itself and bears no special relation to any other record except in so far as the relative locations and positions of the corresponding marks are concerned, it being necessary that the corresponding index-points of all cards should occupy the same relative positions to all the others, which condition is insured by printing all the cards belonging to the series from the same or duplicate plates.

1.2 Printing and photography

Camera

Patent abstract:

This invention relates more particularly to improvements in that class of photographic apparatus known as "detective cameras;" and said invention consists in the novel and improved form, construction, and arrangement of parts constituting the case or body, the lens-support and shutter, and the film-holder, together with the various combinations of such instrumentalities as are hereinafter described, and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein I have illustrated one embodiment of my present improvements, Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the complete instrument.

Kinematoscope

Patent abstract:

What I aim to accomplish is as I have above stated, to so exhibit stereoscopic pictures as to make them represent objects in motion such as the revolving wheels of machinery, and various motions of the human body, adding to the wonders of that marvellous invention “the stereoscope” a semblance of life that can only come from motion. It is to breathe into the statue like forms of the stereograph as it were, the breath of life. It may have occurred to many the possibility of effecting this desirable result, and the “phantasmascope” gives a clue to the manner of accomplishment of it. That is, that it must be done by viewing in succession a series of pictures (taken in different positions of the moving object) with sufficient rapidity to insure the image of one being retained on the retina until the next one is brought into view.

Linotype