www.arithmometre.org

◄

Driving mechanism

» Ribbon (1820-1822)	» Crank (1848-1907)

1) The Crank Handle

Thomas de Colmar stops using his complicated pull string mechanism for a crank handle as early as 1844!...This wasn't really new in the world of mechanics, but it did the job ....

Sebert wrote:
"The main apparatus of the Arithmometer, the one allowing it to reproduce the number entered on the machine as many times as one turns the crank handle, is made of parallel cylinders, in equal number to the order of the numbers to be reproduced, these are connected by bevel gears to a horizontal shaft controlled by a crank handle. Each cylinder completes a full turn with each crank handle rotation."
BSEIN, 1879

Mécanisme d'entraînement sur Payen P2 A

Détail de P2 A

Arbre de couche sur grand modèle P3 C

a) Location of the crank handle

The location of the crank handle has barely changed over time. It is always located on the right inside of the machine! There are only two models that have a different location for the crank handle, which is quite relative, because, in the end, they are still using the same mechanism!

Positionnement

Frontal (1848)

Droit (1850-1907)

Central (1860)

b) Various shapes of crank handles …

A crank handle is a crank handle! OK! Yes! But sometimes it can reveal a few little secrets and help us in the expertise of a machine. They have evolved greatly over the years: their length, their shape, their thickness, all have changed. The ivory handle is replaced by a steel one, which makes it more durable! We find it to be a good chronologic indicator.

La manivelle à tout faire" de 1848

T1852

Modèle classique T1865

Modèle spécial T1880

P1 & P2