Exhibit of the month
In this section we will be presenting a changing selection of outstanding mechanical calculators, their historical background and functionality. Most of the time this presentation will feature a 3D-animation of a mechanical calculator produced by one of our students or employees. These animations, often created as part of a bachelor’s thesis, will show you the use and functionality of a specific mechanical calculator in amazing detail. Sometimes even the first attempts on working with the 3D creation software Blender that students are able to realize during the university lecture “History of Mechanical Calculating” held here at the Arithmeum are so impressive that we will be showing you the resulting video here. That is why, though we aim to ensure a consistent quality of presentations, you might experience certain differences in quality and length. Yet, these shouldn’t keep you from enjoying the fascination of those mechanical wonders we are happy to show you!
Le Compteur—the small counter by Léon Bollée
As a young man, French inventor and automobile manufacturer Léon Bollée designed several calculating machines, including “Le Compteur,” which was intended as a cash register. Although the mechanism inside is strikingly simple, the machine features some very interesting ideas.
The special feature of the counter lies in its input method. Two separate dials allow whole numbers and decimal numbers to be entered separately. The heart of the machine, a central differential gear, even allows inputs to be made on both dials simultaneously, with the machine correctly calculating the sum.
In his project work, Marten Schauhoff prepared the machine for didactic purposes and modeled and animated it with great attention to detail. Join us in discovering how this simple but clever mechanism works in Léon Bollée's counter.