Key Points
- In 1882 António Júlio de Azevedo Coutinho patented an adding machine.
- António Júlio de Azevedo Coutinho’s invention never went into production and only remained on paper.
History of Computers and Computing, Calculating tools, Gadgets, António Júlio de Azevedo Coutinho
António Júlio de Azevedo Coutinho
In the early 1880s, the young Portugal António Júlio Rodrigues de Azevedo Coutinho (1860-1918) devised an interesting key-adding device, which he patented in Brasil in 1882, and later in Germany (patent DE30421, 19 August 1884).
António Júlio Rodrigues de Azevedo Coutinho was born on 11 July, 1860, in Quinta de Bouçó, Fontarcada (Póvoa de Lanhoso), northern Portugal. His father João Antonio Rodrigues de Azevedo Coutinho was a local farmer and vine producer, but he was an educated man and even has a book published.
António de Azevedo Coutinho worked as a journalist and writer in Póvoa de Lanhoso, then in the nearby Braga. In 1890 he relocated to Porto, where he worked for insurance companies. António de Azevedo Coutinho died in Porto on 7 September, 1918.
The adder of de Azevedo
The adding machine of d’Azevedo has a simple and reliable construction, but never went into production and remained only on paper.
Let’s examine the mechanism of the device, using the patent drawing.
By depressing a key (marked within the lower drawings) the underlying wheel is rotated. The wheels have different numbers of teeth, according to the key (e.g. the wheel for 1 key has 1 tooth, the wheel for 2 keys has 2 teeth, etc.) The keys are returned in the initial position by means of springs.
The adder of de Azevedo
The movement from the wheels will be transmitted to the 10-teeth wheels, mounted on the tetragonal axis. Then, by means of the permanently engaged ratchet wheels and, the movement will be transferred to the result mechanism (the axis which is held in the proper position by a spring), and the result wheels.
The tens carry mechanism is implemented by means of the wheels, mounted on the axis. Fixing the wheels in the position is done by means of springs.
The zeroing of the mechanism is done by turning the knob (on the left side of the box).
The adder of de Azevedo
