Marchant XL
Serial No. XL-98757
Date: 1930s
Capacity: 9x9x18
Price paid: £25
This machine is among the earlier examples in my collection, and probably dates from the early 1930s. It was designed by Carl Friden, who later went on to form his own company which became known for its large desktop electro-mechanical machines.
Superficially, it looks like any other pinwheel machine, but it apparently operates on a different principle. One difference from normal pinwheel devices is that the setting pins remain stationary. The revolution counter features a tens carry mechanism, but does not auto-reverse – the direction of the counter is selected by the lever between the input and counter registers.
Marchant Model 8DRX
Serial No.
Date: 1950s
Capacity: 8x8x16
Price paid (including postage): £28
A large, heavy machine – not much to say about it – it’s completely jammed, and likely to stay that way.
A Collection of Mechanical Calculators 