History of Computers and Computing, Mechanical calculators, 19th century, Charles Weiss
Charles Weiss
On August 31, 1886, Charles W. Weiss of Brooklyn, New York, received a patent (U.S. patent №348437) for an Electro Magnetic Adding Machine. Weiss acted as an assignor to the Kruse Check & Adding Machine Company in New York, a manufacturer of check machines, which was also interested in cash registers.
Besides the patent, we don’t have any information about the single-column adding machine of Weiss. It was one of the first adding device with electromagnetic operation, after the machine of Charles Pidgin and Francis Leonard from 1883.
The single-column electric adding machine of Charles Weiss
The gear wheels are moved by means of an electromagnetic mechanism, powered by batteries. By pressing of a key, is closed particular contact and in this way is formed an electromagnet, which is rotating a lever, connected with the gear-wheels. The angle of rotation of the lever depends on the location of the contacts.