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3-D Objects, Models, Sculpture
Palmer's Computing scale
- Author / Creator
- Available as
- Physical
Details
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- Creator
- engraved by George G. Smith
- Other Title
-
- Computing scale
- Format
- 3-D Objects, Models, Sculpture
- Language
- English
- Publication
-
- [Boston, Mass.] : [Aaron Palmer], [1843 or 1844]
- ©1843
- Physical Details
-
- 1 circular slide rule ; 280 x 280 x 5 mm
- OCLC
- ocm63906142
- The "computing scale" is a circular slide rule consisting of a 264 x 264 mm sheet containing the engraved outer logarithmic scale, pasted to a millboard square, enclosing a circular sheet with engraved inner logarithmic scale pasted to an inset revolving disk (millboard, 215 mm diameter x 3 mm, with inset brass button near the rim). The edges of the square are covered with maroon or brown leather, usually with gold tooling on the upper turnover. A sheet containing "Directions for using this scale", letterpress-printed on yellow paper in 4 columns with a border of type ornaments, is pasted to the back.
- On disk: "Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1843 by Aaron Palmer, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the State of Massachusetts. Engraved by George G. Smith 186 Washington St. Boston." (The engraver's name is omitted in the earliest printings.).
- This record pertains to the earlier version of this device, produced and distributed in 1843 and 1844; a later version, first issued in 1845, combines the same "computing scale" with "Fuller's Time telegraph" on the opposite side, replacing the printed directions. Specimens of this version comprise two variants of the computing scale: earlier, omitting gauge points D, B.G. and W.G. from the outer scale, with no engraver's name on the disk; and later, with missing gauge points and engraver's name and address added. There are as well at least four variants of the directions: two separate printings of a text of about 1500 words that begins with a table of 32 gauge points, one printing (the earlier?) without imprint, the other with imprint "D.H. Ela, Printer, 37 Cornhill, Boston"; a printing or printings of a revised and expanded text of about 2100 words that begins with a table of 18 gauge points, without imprint; and a further revision, without the table of gauge points, with imprint "Stereotyped by T.S. Sprague, Hartford, CT" (as transcribed on website of Kuenzig Books, viewed Sept. 2013).
- A user's guide was issued under title: A key to the endless, self-computing scale ... / by Aaron Palmer. Boston : Published by Smith & Palmer [i.e. George G. Smith or John Cutts Smith, and Aaron Palmer], 1844. A revised reprint of this guide, with an enclosed miniature version, was issued under title: Palmer's pocket scale ... Boston : Published by Aaron Palmer : D.H. Ela, Printer, 1845.
- A prospectus, included in A key to the endless, self-computing scale, pages 3-4, specifies three different syles: no. 1, for business, $2; no. 2, for "higher branches of mathematics", $3; and no. 3, for nautical and astronomical calculations, $5. The version actually produced appears to have been no. 1 only.
- For further details, see articles by Bobby Feazel in Journal of the Oughtred Society: "Palmer's computing scale", in v. 3, no. 1 (1994), pages 9-17; and "Palmer's computing scale--revisited" (which includes a guide to dating), in v. 4, no. 1 (1995), pages 5-8 (viewed Sept. 2013 via "literature search" at sliderules.lovett.com). Feazel's tabular dating guide does not account for all variant states of the directions.