Solo pinwheel calculator
Object No. 2010/1/170
This object is part of a collection relating to the history and development of calculating devices assembled by Assoc Professor Allan Bromley of Sydney University, comprising mathematical instruments, slide-rules, mechanical and electronic calculators, electronic analogue computers, computer components, kit computers, education computers, and associated ephemera. Allan Bromley was a lecturer and researcher at the University of Sydney Basser Department of Computer Science from 1978 until his untimely death in August 2002. He specialised in Computer Architecture, Computer Logic and in particular the History of Computing. He was regarded as the world authority on Charles Babbage's Calculating Engines (instigating the building of the Difference Engine No.2 at the Science Museum London) and the Ankithera Mechanism and had extensive knowledge of calculators, analogue computers, logic, stereopsis, totalisators, clocks and time keeping and mechanical engineering.
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Summary
Object Statement
Mechanical pin wheel calculator, SOLO, plastic / metal, made by the Solo Calculating Machine Co Ltd, Japan, 1960s
Physical Description
The Solo mechanical pinwheel calculator consists of seven vertical rows of hand adjustable setting levers, connected to an internal pinwheel and housed within a green plastic frame. Each of the seven rows contains a set of teeth and are numbered on the right, '9:1' for additions and on the left, '1:9' for subtracting. The values of each row, from right to left are single units, 10's, 100's, 1000's 10,000's, 100,000's and 1,000,000's. In there centre of the teeth there are 7 windows, used for displaying the numerals based on the calculations being made. A plastic lever on the right hand side of the device can be pressed to resert the windows to zero. The base of the calculator has four circulat rubber feet to avoid slipping while in use.
DIMENSIONS
Height
100 mm
Width
114 mm
Depth
95 mm
SOURCE
Credit Line
Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program in memory of Associate Professor Allan Bromley, 2010
Acquisition Date
20 January 2010
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