Wild computing devices from the late 1800s and early 1900s
Summary: At the beginning of the 20 century, inventors put computing devices on everything from scales to cheese cutters.
Image 10 of 26
Filed: May 25, 1900
Issued: Jan. 1, 1901
Inventor: Lars M. Landing
In 1901, Lars Landing received a patent for a device designed to help individuals quickly calculate the interest on a loan, he described the invention as follows:
"My invention relates to machines for computing interest and time, and has for its object to provide a machine of this class which will enable an operator to readily figure the interest on various principals at various rates and for various times and which will also en able the operator to readily ascertain the time (number of days) between two given dates."
Image taken from U.S. Patent 665,118 - Digitized by Google
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Talkback
RE: Wild computing devices from the late 1800s and early 1900s
There was something called an "analytical engine" which was actually shown to be Turing complete, although it was never actually constructed.
It never gained the funding and political support it needed, and would eventually become obsolete with the invention of computers based on electricity.
Still, there are some novels written on the idea of "what if this had actually be completed, and we had computing before electricity?"
RE: Wild computing devices from the late 1800s and early 1900s
A local AC train carrying stone/cement was overloaded and causes a major brush fire in 3 towns.
I wonder if Wilson's time stamp is y2k approved and if it stamps past 2012?
The Automaton
It was actually a hoax and housed a chess master (Pilsbury?).
Nifty mechanics tho.