What Is an Adding Machine?

The adder is based on the principle of gear transmission, and realizes the addition and subtraction operation through manual operation.

Adding machine

Right!

The adding machine is based on the principle of gear transmission, and realizes the addition and subtraction operation through manual operation.

French Pascal made a mechanical adding machine in the 17th century, which became the world's first mechanical computer

Abacus and abacus are the earliest manual calculation tools for humans, and mechanical computers are a kind of calculation tools that use mechanical technology to implement mathematical operations. (Right) French Pascal who invented a mechanical adder.

French Pascal was born in 1623. He designed the machine when he was 19

This adding machine is based on the principle of gear transmission, and realizes the addition and subtraction operation through manual operation. There is a set of wheels in the machine, each wheel is engraved with 10 numbers from 0 to 9. The number on the first wheel on the right represents ten digits, and so on. When adding two numbers, first dial a number on the wheel of the adder, then rotate the corresponding number on the corresponding wheel according to the second number, and finally get the sum of the two numbers. If the sum of two digits exceeds 10, the adder will automatically carry through the gear. It is because the small wheel of one digit has rotated 10 digits before the next small wheel is forced to rotate exactly one digit. The calculated result is displayed on the reading window on the panel of the adder. After the calculation, the wheels must be returned to the zero position one by one.

Pascal's adding machine caused a sensation in France. When this machine was on display, there was a steady stream of visitors. Pascal's adding machine reminds people that it is completely possible to replace people's thinking and memory with a purely mechanical device.