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Archimedes

My Archimedes model D

The Archimedes model D is a calculator with a stepped drum mechanism. It was made from 1915 until about 1935 in various versions.

Mine has a 12-column full keyboard, with a 12-digit input display. The carriage at the top contains a 16-digit register, and a 9-digit counter. The counter has a carry mechanism. It is in good condition, but some of the key tops have been replaced at some point, as the fonts are not all equal. It may also have been repainted.

Most machines have "Reinhold Pöthig, Glashütte" engraved on them, but this one does not. Instead it has on the carriage "Überlandwerk Glauchau A-G". This may indicate that it was part of a bulk order direct from the factory rather than through a reseller.

The Archimedes was slightly more compact than all the other stepped drum machines of the time. The spacing between the digits is determined by the bulkiness of the stepped drum, and in the Archimedes they managed to reduce its size. By putting the teeth of the stepped drum closer together on one side of the drum, the other side can be completely removed. This not only saves weight, it also allows them to be put even closer together, so that they share the space between them, occupying that space at different times.

The serial number of my machine is 3819. This makes it an early example, probably dating from 1915-1917.

Video

Here is a video where I demonstrate the Archimedes model D.

This video shows the mechanism of the Archimedes model D.

History

Glashütte is a town in Germany, South of Dresden and close to the border with Czechia. It was a centre for the manufacturing of precision mechanics with many watch and clock manufacturers based there, beginning with Ferdinand Adolph Lange in 1845 who founded what was to become A. Lange & Söhne. Nomon is also based there. There are several calculator manufacturers as well, such as Arthur Burkhardt (who married Lange's daughter), and Saxonia.

In 1890 Constantin Fischer founded a company, Werkstatt für Präzisionsuhren und Feinmechanik. He made, sold, and repaired clocks, bicycles and such. In 1899 Reinhold Pöthig joined the company. The next year there were bankruptcy proceedings, Fischer left the company, and Pöthig became the sole director. Pöthig had worked in Glashütte as an apprentice for Arthur Burkhardt, and had ideas for improvements on the classic Arithmometer design that was made there. He developed his own version and began making them in 1906, and named the machines Archimedes.

By 1912 the company was only making calculators, having abandoned all other activities, so it was renamed to "Glashütter Rechenmaschinen-Fabrik Archimedes, Reinhold Pöthig". In about 1920 Hans Sabielny joined the company. He was a very effective salesman, able to determine what the customers wanted, and use that to steer the development of new models and variants. The company grew, and many different calculator models were developed. The two other Glashütte calculator companies, Arthur Burkhardt and Saxonia, merged together in 1920, but when the great depression hit in 1929 the company failed. Some of the staff joined Archimedes, which somehow managed to survive. Sabielny and Pöthig disagreed on the future of the company in those difficult economic times, and when Sabielny left in 1932 Ulrich Eichler, Pöthig's son-in-law took over his role.

After the second world war, when Germany was divided, Glashütte became part of East Germany. Reinhold Pöthig was removed from the company as it became state-controlled. Ownership of the patents and other intellectual property had however been transferred to Thea Eichler, Reinhold Pöthig's daughter, who with Ulrich Eichler and several other staff went to West Germany. There they joined the Diehl company in Nuremberg. Diehl was a foundry and press works that was founded there in 1902 by Heinrich Diehl. This company had not made calculators before, but with the knowledge from Eichner, Kiel, and others they started making models based on the Archimedes designs from 1952 onwards. Meanwhile the original Archimedes company began to make mechanical calculators for the Eastern Bloc, but without the licences these could not be exported to the West. This continued until about 1960, when they switched to making analogue calculation machines. In 1961 the company name was changed to "VEB Rechenelektronik Glashütte", and the Archimedes brand was abandoned. Eventually the company became part of Robotron, just like Mercedes-Euklid did.

Models

The model A was first made in 1906. It was just as heavy and bulky as any other Arithmometer-type calculator of the time. The model B was identical, except that the counter had a carry mechanism. The model C and later were somewhat smaller and lighter, and had their digits closer together. The spacing between the digits is determined by the size of the stepped drums used in the mechanism. By putting the teeth of the stepped drum closer together on one side of the drum, the other side can be removed. This not only saves weight, it also allows them to be put closer together, sharing the space between them but occupying that space at different times.

Starting with the model D, many variants were produced. Not just variants with different register capacities, but also electric versions, with various amounts of automation. In the table below, I list some of them.

Books

Archimedes Diehl Vom Arithmometer zum druckenden Rechensystem
Harald Schmid
Copyright 2014
Verlag W. Sünkel
208 page softcover book
210mm × 297mm × 9mm

This book details the history and mechanisms of Archimedes and Diehl calculators, with many photographs. Available from the Wehrtechnik Museum.

Archimedes Die Geschichte einer Rechenmaschinenfabrik in Glashütte/Sachsen
Harald Schmid, Ulrich Eichler, Hellmut Hänsgen
Copyright 2016
Verlag W. Sünkel
184 page softcover book
210mm × 297mm × 10mm

This book takes a look at the evolution of the Archimedes company, contains recollections from Ulrich Eichler and Hellmut Hänsgen who worked for Archimedes, and an overview of the models that were produced. Available from the Wehrtechnik Museum.

Promotional material

Archimedes PE15/18 flyer
VEB Archimedes Rechenmaschinenfabrik Glashütte / SA.
1956?
Two-sided flyer
207mm × 145mm

This is a German advertising flyer for the Archimedes PE15 and PE18. The printer code indicates that it may have been printed in 1956.

Advertisements and Articles

Here is the entry for Archimedes in Illustriertes Orga-Handbuch erprobter Büromaschinen, 1921.

Here is the entry for Archimedes in Ernst Martin's book, Die Rechenmaschinen, 1925.

This is the entry in for Archimedes in Organisations-Lexicon by Walter le Coutre and Walter Thoms, 1930.

Lastly the entry in for Archimedes in Moderne Buero-Maschinen, 1931.

Patents

Here is the list of patents related to the Archimedes machines.

Links

• Rechnerlexikon has a page about Archimedes, and separate pages about various models like Model A, Model C, Model DE, Model F Junior, and many others. There is also an article about Calculator production in Glashütte.
• Rechnen ohne Strom has an Archimedes page containing models A, C, F Junior, and DF.
• Cris Vande Velde has several Archimedes machines, namely Model C, Model D, Model F Junior, Model GEMR, Model GEMRZ, Model LoD,
• Rechenmaschinen illustrated has an Archimedes page with models A, B, C, D, DeaD, DF Junior, F Junior, H, L, LK, LL, NH, NHD, and PE
• Glashütte Uhren has a page about Archimedes with some nice pictures.
• Watch-Wiki has a page about Archimedes.
• National Museum of American History has in its collection a Model D 9x9x16.
• Wehrtechnik Museum had a Archimedes-Diehl temporary exposition and still sells the Archimedes books by Harald Schmid.
• Rechenautomat has a page about Harald Schmid's Archimedes Book.

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