The Brunsviga Calculating Machine.

Progress, Volume V, Issue 7, 2 May 1910, Page 225

The Brunsviga Calculating Machine.

One of these machines was brought into our office a few days ago by a member of the Adams Co., acting as agents for the manufacturers, Messrs. Grimme, Natalis and Co. of Brunswick, Germany, ami was operated befoie us with great speed and accuracy. Levels pulled out at intervals moved other levers in other parts of the machine. Numbers weic displayed in vaiious places with monotonous regulanty. After the making of quite a number of these passes the answer to some abstruse question of figuies would come out clear against a backgiound of steel. As he perfouned each operation the operator gave the thing a name, and every now and then he would state what it was he was aftei, and occasionally ho would tell us how the machine was going to do tins woik not usually expected of machines It is a sight that very soon palls on the most eagei inquiiei.

To nn (lei stand the business done, and theiefore to get an adequate idea of the powers of the machine, it is necessary to acquire some adequate knowledge of what it really can do. This the following list of woik done at the office of the Department of Lands and Survey, Wellington, shows fairly clearly: — One o± the Brunsviga Calculating Machines has now been m use since Maich, 1902, and has given every satisfaction. The machine stands on a wooden base measuring 19 inches by 8 inches, and is 51/;5 1 /; inches high. There are 9 setting wheels, so that the laigest number that can be set on the machine is 999,999,999: while theie aie eighteen product wheels and ten quotient wheels. Thus the capacity of tbe machine (without intermediate record) is nine figures by nine, giving a product of eighteen figures. The machine is piovuled with an excellent series of safety devices which have up to the present been effectual in pi eventing bieakage.

The machine will: 1. Add columns nine or less figures wide. 2. Subtract figures nine wide. 3. Multiply nine figures by nine, giving a result of nine figures. 4. Divide any number of figures by nine figures, giving a result of nine figures. 5. Extract square roots up to eighteen figures. These operations are individually of very great use, but the greatest power of the machine is shown in the combination of them. Thus to any number on the product wheels can be added or subtracted the product of any other two numbers. Hence if P. Q. & E. denote any three numbers, the machine will give either P + QR or P — QR. The various uses to which the machine has been applied are: 1. Calculation of traverses. 2. Tabulation of traverses. 3. Solution, of triangles. 4. Ray Trace Computations. 5. Polygon Computations.

6. Calculation of curves. 7. Calculation of areas. 8. Geodetical calculations, as (a) Solution of G-eodetical triangles. (b) Spherical excess. (c) Latitudes, Longitudes and Azimuths, etc., etc. 9. Astronomical calculations, as (a) Time. (b) Latitude. (c) Azimuth, etc., etc. 10. Earthworks and Levelling. "11. Least Square calculations, etc, etc. In calculating areas, the various products aio not wntten down, as this is an unneces&arily slow way to proceed. Advantage is taken of the power of the machine to add or subhact any pioduct to or from any number on the machine Thus, supposing the following aio to be multiplied together, and the sum of the pioduct is required: + 284.6 x + 391 4 — 896.4 x—3490.7x — 3490.7 — 2486.5 x + 8764.9 etc. etc. 391.4 is first multiplied by 284 6 positively, and the product is Jp±t on the machine. 3490.7 is now multiplied by 896 4 positively, and the lesult is the sum oi the two products.

8764.9 is now multiplied by 2486 5 negatively, and the lesult appearing upon the machine is the algebraic sum of the vaiious products. Pioceedmg in this manner the whole area is calculated, and the final result appealing on the machine is the double area. So that it will be seen that when the numbers are ready for multiplication, no othei lecord is necessary until the double area appears on the machine. Tins saving in labour has made it possible to calculate figures contained by many sides — the largest one taken out so fai contained 107 sides. As the machine automatically registers the multiplier, a glance at the recoid wheels shows whethei the correct multiplier has been used or not. Thus," if 1284 3isto be multiplied by 9848.6, it may happen that 985.6 has inadveiten'tly been used; in a ease of this kind there is no necessity to repeat the whole calculation, as the 5 can be reduced to four by a turn of the handle, thus giving the correct multipliei.

This facility the machine affords for the coirection of errors committed by the operator is one of its most valuable features, and the error can be corrected whether it extends to one or more figures. The machine can also be used as a difference engine, and tables quadratic in form can be readily calculated. In fact, for all classes of tables, sucli as geodetical tables, tables for sag factors, etc., etc., the machine is extremely useful. The above remarks as to the capacity of the machine refer to its operations without any intermediate record. If necessary, any number of figures can be dealt -with if they aTe used in sections of nine or less figures each. The uses of the machine by merchants and mine owners, timber owners and others, are very numerous. It is equally at home in counting the costings of an office as in getting the cost of the laying of the mains of a drainage system. It is invaluable for gjeneral statistical workj," and. those life assurance offices that have ever taken

to one of the machines never care to face their business without it. County Councils, Laboratories, Mercantile Offices and establishments of all kinds in the Old World find an honoured place for the machines on their premises, and there are letters from the principals in great abundance to show their appreciation. Wo give illustrations of four varieties of ihe machine.