Accounting machine

This article is about a class of small business-oriented machines in use from the early 1900s through the 1980s. For other uses, see Tabulating machines.

An accounting machine, or bookkeeping machine or recording-adder, was generally a calculator and printer combination tailored for a specific commercial activity such as billing, payroll, or ledger. ^{[1] [2]} Accounting machines were widespread from the early 1900s to 1980s, ^[3] but were rendered obsolete by the availability of low-cost computers such as the IBM PC.

This type of machine is generally distinct from unit record equipment (some unit record tabulating machines were also called "accounting machines").

List of vendors/accounting machines

• Burroughs Corporation:
  • Burroughs Sensimatic ^[4]
  • Burroughs Sensitronic
  • Burroughs B80
  • Burroughs E103 ^[5]
  • Burroughs Computer F2000 ^[4]
  • Burroughs L500
  • Burroughs E1400 Electronic Computing/Accounting Machine with Magnetic Striped Ledger ^[6]
• Dalton Adding Machine Company ^[2]
• Electronics Corporation of America:
  • Magnefile-B ^[7]
  • Magnefile-D ^[7]
• Elliott-Fisher ^[2]
• Federal Adding Machines ^[2]
• IBM:
  • IBM 632
  • IBM 858 Cardatype Accounting Machine ^[8]
  • IBM 6400 Series
• Laboratory for Electronics:
  • The Inventory Machine II (TIM-II) ^[7]
• Monroe Calculator Company:
  • Model 200
  • Synchro-Monroe President ^[4]
  • Monrobot IX ^[4]
• NCR Corporation:
  • Post-Tronic Bookkeeping Machine - Class 29 ^[4]
  • Compu-Tronic Accounting Machine ^[4]
  • Accounting Machine - Class 33 ^[4]
  • Window Posting Machine - Class 42 ^[4]
• Olivetti:
  • General Bookkeeping Machine (GBM) ^[7]
• J. B. Rea Company:
  • READIX, ^{[9] [10] [11]} c. 1955 ^{[12] [7]}
• Sundstrand Adding Machines ^[2]
• Underwood:
  • ELECOM 50 "The First Electronic Accounting Machine" ^{[5] [7] [13] [14]}
  • ELECOM 125, 125 FP (File Processor), ^{[5] [7] [15]} 1956 ^[16]

See also

• Unit record equipment

References

1. Turck, J.A.V. (1921). Origin of Modern calculating Machines. The Western Society of Engineers.
2. Cortada, James W (1993). Before the Computer; IBM, NCR, Burroughs & Remmington Rand & The Industry They Created 1865-1956 . Princeton University Press. pp.  158–162. ISBN   0-691-04807-X.
3. Akera, Atsushi; Nebeker, Frederik (2002). From 0 to 1: An Authoritative History of Modern Computing. Oxford University Press. ISBN   0-19-514025-7.
4. Mecham, Alan D., ed. (1961). Data Processing Equipment Encyclopedia vol.1: Electromechanical Devices. Gille.
5. Mecham, Alan D., ed. (1961). Data Processing Equipment Encyclopedia vol.2: Electronic Devices. Gille.
6. Burroughs E1400
7. Weik, Martin H. (1955). A Survey of Domestic Electronic Digital Computing Systems. Ballistic Research Laboratories.
8. Fierheller, George A. (2006). Do Not Fold, Spindle or Mutilate: The 'Hole' Story of Punched Cards. Stewart. ISBN   1-894183-86-X.
9. Weik, Martin H. (Mar 1961). "READIX". ed-thelen.org. A Third Survey of Domestic Electronic Digital Computing Systems.
10. "10. READIX (J. B. Rea Company)". Digital Computer Newsletter. 8 (1): 6–9. Jan 1956.
11. "READIX General Purpose Computer". ADP Equipment (Bull Machine Company Gamma 60; Philco Transac S-2000 Data Processing System Enclosed) Reports: 209–219 (543–553). 1 November 1957.
12. • Encyclopedia of Espionage, Intelligence, and Security. Bukupedia. 2004. p. 76. ISBN   9780787675462.
    Photo of ATIC computer:
    • "NASIC's first computer". www.nasic.af.mil. 1958.
    Installations:
    • "MISCELLANEOUS: 3. J. B. Rea Co., Santa Monica, Calif". Digital Computer Newsletter. 9 (2): 18–19. April 1957.
13. "Elecom "50" advertisement | 102646271 | Computer History Museum". www.computerhistory.org. Retrieved 2018-05-31.
14. • "15. Underwood Corporation" (PDF). Digital Computer Newsletter. 7 (2): 10. April 1955.
    • Brown, Richard Hunt. (1955). "20. PRINCIPAL ELECTRONIC BUSINESS COMPUTERS. GENERAL DESCRIPTIONS, PICTURES AND PRICES". Underwood ELECOM 50 Computer. Office automation; integrated and electronic data processing. New York: Automation Consultants. p. 148. hdl:2027/mdp.39015021085249.
    • John Diebold & Associates. (7 September 1956). The Use of Three Elecom 50s in a Small Service Bureau. Automatic data processing: Methods reports [and orientation]. Chicago: Cudahy Pub. Co. hdl:2027/mdp.39015021085397.
15. "COMPUTERS, U. S. A.: 3. ELECOM, Underwood Corporation". Digital Computer Newsletter. 8 (2): 3–4. Apr 1956.^{[ dead link ‍]}
16. "NEWS RELEASES: Election Predictions by Electronic Computer" (PDF). Computers and Automation. 5 (12): 29. Dec 1956. Retrieved 2020-09-05.