Hahn Philipp Matthäus the First Fully Functioning Four Feature Calculating Machine (1 results)

Hardcover. Condition: Fine. This is an article in: Der Teutsche Merkur, vom Jahre 1785, published in Weimar; Part II, pp. 86-95 in the two-part volume of 288pp+288pp. Newly bound in calf, with raised bands, leather spine label, and gilt stamping; the original (?) or at least period paste downs and fly leaves are employed in the new binding. Occasional foxing. [++] This is the second on only two papers by Hahn on his calcuating machine, the first being published in 1779 in this same journal (and which I also offer for sale). ("Beschreibung einer Rechnungs-Maschine, wodurch man ohne Mühe, durch bloße Herumführung eines Triebels, die vier gewöhnlichen Rechnungs-Arten verrichten kann" or "Description of a calculating machine, whereby one can perform the four usual types of calculation without effort, simply by moving a pinion around.") [++] Philipp Matthäus Hahn (1739 -1790), known as the "Priestermechaniker (priest mechanic)") was a German pastor, astronomer, clockmaker, and inventor of tremendous quality. He is also famous for his four-function fully-working stepped-roller calculating machine, of which the good Parson and his mechanics made five or six. [++] This article is a defense of Hahn's calculating machine which was the first fully functioning four-function (addition, subtraction, division, multiplication) calculator. It was "The First Functional Calculator"--edtechmagazine (Hahn). (The first successful commercially produced mechanical calculator would come about 40 years later with the introduction of the Arithmometer.) [++] This instrument was developed from about 1773/4, with Hahn finally publishing a description of the cylindrical brass, iron, and enamel machine and how it functioned in the "Tesucher Merkur" in 1779; the paper here, published 1785, is the second of only two works published by Hahn, this seocnd paper being a defense of his machine. [++]The famous calculator created by Leibniz in the 1670's using the stepped roller--later employed by Hahn--though the original Leibniz machines didn't really function properly. The four-function Hahn calculator was also preceded by the work of Anton Brown and Jacob Leupold (though Hahn may not have known of their work), and their work remained very largely unknown and obscure, unlike the success and visibility achieved by Hahn. [++] "Special consideration deserves the Parson Phillip Mathieus Hahn who developed in 1773 the first functional calculator based on Leibniz's Stepped Drum. Hahn's calculator had a set of 12 drums in a circular arrangement actuated by a crank located in the axis of the arrangement. Hahn made these machines until his death in 1790, however, his two sons and his brother-in-law, Johann Christopher Schuster, continued with the manufacture probably as late as 1820."--Redin, A Brief History of Mechanical Calculators (online). [++] "In an article in the magazine Teutschen Merkur from 1779, Hahn mentioned his inspiration: When my time was occupied with making astronomical clocks, I had to deal with calculations of long fractions, multiplication, and division of large numbers, and I was so overwhelmed, that my primary work was close to being stopped. Then I recalled that some time ago I read a book for Leibniz, which mentioned his calculating machine, for which he spent a lot of money, without satisfactory results. I decided to spare some time in this direction. Certainly, I also wasted much time and money experimenting and troubleshooting the construction of my device. Finally, I managed to construct a rather advanced and reliable machine. Most difficulties I met during the construction of the tens carrying mechanism." Also: "During the rotation of the mechanisms of the machine by means of the handle in the middle of the lid, a stepped drum will be engaged with the wheel of the main counter, which is also attached to vertical axes, and according to the vertical position of the appropriate stepped drum, the wheel will be rotated to 0, 1, 9 teeth. WRITE FOR FULL DESCRIPTIION.