Mechanical Calculating Devices

Pascaline: In 1642, a French mathematician Blaise Pascal invented first mechanical calculating machine named Pascaline. The numbers were entered by dialing a series of numbered wheels and a series of toothed wheels transferred the movement to a dial which showed the results. The machine developed by Pascal had limited (8 columns of digits) to the manipulation of addition, subtraction, division and multiplication. The main disadvantage of this machine is, it can’t add or subtract more than 8 columns of digits.

Stepped Recknor: In 1670 A.D., A German mathematician Gottfried William Leibnitz (in short called G.R. Leibnitz) modified the machine which was made by Pascal. This machine was based on the same principle of Pascal’s machine. It was able to perform the addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and also could find the square root of numbers for the first time. The machine was used for calculating till 1960 A.D. before the electric or electromechanical devices came into existence.

Difference & Analytical Engine: In 1882, a great mathematician, Charles Babbage, professor of mathematics of Cambridge University who developed the machine known as Difference Engine. It was built for the Royal Society. It could perform simple mathematical problems like addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. It needed too setup for trigonometric & logarithmic problems. So, it could it could calculate to the tabulated function of eight decimal only where the differences between certain value was constant.In 1833, Charles Babbage modified Difference Engine which was more powerful than Difference Engine. It could perform all the mathematical problems automatically. This machine was called Analytical Engine. This machine contained all the essential parts of modern digital computers. To honor to this work, he was entitled with “Father of Computer Science”. The components of this machine are:

1) Memory Unit: To store the data and information.

2) Several input & output devices.

3) Mill as a processor which was able to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, e.t.c.

Lady Ada Augusta was a great follower of Charles Babbage. She was first to suggest him to use binary number system in Analytical Engine. But not only this, she developed so many programming languages at that age and used only in Analytical Engine. So, she is called the “First Programmer” in the field of computer. She developed the high level programming language, called Ada Program.

Jacquards loom: Joseph Marie Jacquard, a French textile manufacturer, invented a machine called Jacquard’s Loom for the use in textile industries between 1802 & 1804 that could perform on the punched card and production of woven cloth with complete patterns. The entire operation was under program’s control.

Holleirth Tabulator: Dr. Herman Hollerith was a census statistician in US Bereau of Statistics. He invented a machine called as Tabulating Machine (TM) in 1880 A.D. It was also called ASCC (Automatic Sequence Controlled Calculator) machine. It was based upon Charles Babbage principle after 100 years of his death. He was the 1^st person to use the punched cards practically. Later, he established a company called (TMC), which could perform very fast calculation at that time. This company was very successful in calculation of census data like as population and other data.

Later, he integrated some other companies doing similar types of work and founded as International Business Machine (IBM) which is largest computer manufacturer Co. in the world till now. So, he was regarded as founder of IBM Company.