Model of the calculating machine Mercedes-Euklid

Historical background

The Mercedes-Euklid Modell 1 is the first model of a proportional lever machine by Christel Hamann and was manufactured in Berlin in the year 1903. This was prior to the establishment of the ""Mercedes Büromaschinen GmbH"" in Berlin by Dr. Gustav Mez in the year 1906. The company manufactured calculating machines and typewriters and had its breakthrough with the Mercedes-Euklid Modell 1 that was sold as of 1906.

Handling

Addition and subtraction are implemented in the calculating machine via the proportional lever principle. In proportional lever machines, ten parallel racks can be shifted by 0 to 9 cogs such that lifting the lever turns a gear in the result mechanism by the respective number. Multiplication can be done by adding multiple times, whereas for division, an algorithm similar to the long division is used. The Mercedes-Euklid allows calculations with decimal numbers as well as percentages and square roots.

Opinion of the Guß- und Armaturwerk Kaiserslautern A.-G.:

“ … daß sich die vor einem Jahre erworbene ""Mercedes-Rechenmaschine"" seit dieser Zeit zur vollsten Befriedigung täglich in Benutzung befindet.”

“ … that the ""Mercedes-Rechenmaschine"", purchased a year ago, is in everyday use ever since and is to full contentment.”

Text written by: Annelie v. Trotha and Sabine Wolpers

Translated by: Lea Renner