What is the table machine?

Table machines first appeared in the United States as a valuable tool that helps to provide an exact number for the people's national census. The tabulating machine was introduced to assist in ordering and processing data associated with the 1890 national census and developed Herman Hollerith. The purpose of the table machine was to speed up the process of assimilation of the census data into a usable form that would suit the needs of a country that experienced a significant population growth from one decade to another. Over the past seven years, it was required to organize the collected information and present a relatively reliable report on the state of the population in the country. Estimates of the population growth between 1880 and 1890 indicate that it would take about twice as long as the results of the next census.

In Response, Hollerith has created stock cards that allowed fast and easy coding of the state of stay, age, gender and other information considered important. WITHThe holes of the holes embedded on the cards were the collected data. In order to sort and count data for each component, the cards were powered into the tabular machine.

Tabulating machine effectively reads data based on holes configuration. The cards took place through a number of pools filled with mercury. Each pool corresponded to the hole in the stock card. The wires were pressed on the cards and monitored to Mercury. This completed the connection of the electric current, which in turn would move the counter for each piece of data.

When the process was completed, the bell would ring and another card could be inserted. Officials would group Based cards about the information contained on the card and provide a permanent set of documentation for the census. With the help of a new tabular machine, the 1890 census was completed and had been checked twice in eighteen months in eighteen months.

It was found that Hollerith's innovation also helped withother forms of accounting. In 1896, Hollerith founded Tabulion Machers. Over the years, this company merged with three others to create a computing table of recording the company. As the organization grew and diversified, there was another name in 1924, when the company became known as IBM.

The basic stock card developed for use with the original tabular machine continues to be used well until the mid -20th century. The stock card technology was still driving force until it was discarded at the beginning of the 80s and replaced with new technological advances related to the computer.