ANTIQUE COMPUTERS AND CALCULATORS

W1TP TELEGRAPH AND SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENT MUSEUMS: http://w1tp.com/
( Copyright (c) 2013 - See bottom of page )

*** INLINE PHOTOS VERSION ***
PLEASE WAIT FOR ALL PICTURES TO LOAD



GENERAL INTRODUCTION
As computers have taken on increasingly important roles in history, considerable interest has developed in collecting and studying these early technological innovations.
Although my primary interest lies in collecting and preserving antique telegraph equipment (the first form of widespread electrical digital communications), I also collect examples of these other instruments.


EARLY MECHANICAL AND ELECTRONIC CALCULATORS AND COMPUTER EQUIPMENT

910 CURTA MODEL I POCKET CALCULATOR: (29KB)In its original case with the original instructions, this hand-cranked pocket calculator consists of a complex set of gears that perform calculations and display results on mechanical digital counters. This was the most elaborate and expensive pocket calculator to appear on the market prior to the introduction of electronic pocket calculators. CURTA calculators are very hard to find since they were so expensive that relatively few were sold. Traded 12-17-97.

1000 IBM HAND OPERATED PAPER TAPE PUNCH: (33KB) This rare grey metal unit punches holes into paper tapes, one hole at a time.
Ralph Reinke in Germany has provided an explanation of how this device was used. He writes: ''There were special paper tapes, a bit more than 12 inches long and with printed lines for indicating 'channels'. Into this tape holes were punched with this machine corresponding to height measures in preprinted forms. The tape was cut to length and glued as a ring, then inserted in a special part of the high speed printer. This paper ring was moved forward in sync with the forms and sensed channels by wire brushes. Whenever in the program an instruction 'skip to channel n' was encountered this resulted in the progression of the paper in one quick jump. This was all found in the famous printer IBM 1403 that belonged to the IBM 1401 system and was carried through many models through IBM /360 and /370. Later this paper ring went 'virtual' and a special data structure was invented that did the very same thing.''
Paul Pierce whose wonderful computer museum is located at: http://piercefuller.com/collect/ has also written to report that this device was used to prepare paper tapes which controlled the paper feed on accounting machines so they could print information in the correct locations on preprinted forms.

1020 IBM 10 DIGIT HAND OPERATED CARD PUNCH: This rare grey metal unit accepts IBM cards and punches holes in them, one column at a time. IBM cards measure 7-3/8" long by 3-1/4" high. They contain 80 columns, each representing a digit from 0 to 9. They were the way data was entered into computers from the 1940's through the 1970's. Data was usually entered by punching the cards on a keyboard-operated electrical "keypunch" but a few hand-operated card punches such as this were manufactured for making corrections and single cards.

1050 WRIGHT PUNCH Model 2600 MANUALLY OPERATED IBM CARD PUNCH: (34KB) This rare portable mechanical punch has a movable carriage which positions an IBM card directly under a single hole punch which is operated by a 13 key typewriter-like keyboard. Pressing a key punches a hole in the card and then allows the card to move one space to the left, ready for the next hole. It was manufactured by: Barry Wright Corp. P.O.Box 5061, High Point, North Carolina. (See above item 1020 for explanation of IBM cards.)

MONROE CR-1 PORTABLE IBM CARD READER: This small portable card reader allowed users to read IBM Cards directly into Monroe electronic calculators.

5000 COMPUCORP 324G "Scientist" "Pocket" calculator:
This early "pocket" scientific calculator measures 9"x6"x2.5". It was made by Compucorp which was a division of Computer Design Corp of Los Angeles, Calif.


It has a 16 digit lighted display and performs many mathematical and programmed functions:(14KB) s/n 5314865. It is in good working condition and has the original power supply. It is engraved USN/NSRDC where is was apparently used.

7070 * EARLY UNUSUAL DISCRETE COMPONENT COMPUTER CIRCUIT BOARD:(61KB) This is a very unusual early computer circuit board in which the discrete transistors, resistors, condensers and diodes are mounted vertically above the main board and small secondary circuit boards are soldered to the upper ends of each component.
7070a * A view of the entire board:(79KB)

7070 * A Close view of the discrete components.

8500 * EARLY ALTOS Z-80 CPU PERSONAL COMPUTER:(14KB) This is one of the very early personal computer systems which used the Z-80 CPU chip.

8500a A view of the computer with the cover removed:(18KB)

8500b A view of the computer with the CPU board hinged upwards:(11KB)

8500c A view of the power supply compartment:(26KB)

8500d A view of the manufacturer's label on the back of the compuer:(22KB)

8600 * EARLY ROCKWELL AIM-65 PERSONAL COMPUTER WITH BUILT-IN PRINTER:(14KB) Not many of these early Rockwell Personal Computers were made. The system consists of a motherboard on which is also mounted a printer mechanism that prints on adding-machine tape. The CPU board requires +5 and +12 volts which must be connected to binding posts on the side of the board. A large and detailed schematic diagram and a complete set of manuals accompanied the computer and includes a special book on FORTH for use with this computer.

8600a A closer view of the CPU board:(22KB)


8700 * OHIO SCIENTIFIC CHALLENGER C1P PERSONAL COMPUTER:(23KB)This is a lovely early Ohio Scientific Challenger Model 1P Personal Computer. It is such an early version that the manual carries a publication date of Aug, 1978 and is marked 'preliminary. I found it with a box of program tapes and a set of manuals. The manuals are entitled: Superboard II, Challenger 1P, Users Manual (Preliminary, Aug, 1978). The Challenger Character Graphics Reference Manual, Aug, 1978. The Challenger Technical Report, Aug, 1978. The 8K Basic-in-ROM Reference Manual, Aug, 1978. How to use the SCX-102 and SCX 103 sampler tapes. Several Advertisements, and articles about the computer.

8700a A view of the manuals:(15KB>

8700b A closer view of the computer:(19KB>

9000 * EARLY COMMODORE ''PET'' PERSONAL COMPUTER:(22KB) This is one of the very early personal computers desgined to be used in the home environment. It had a peculiar little keyboard and a built-in cassette tape recorder for program storage and playback. It was supplied with 4K of memory.

RADIO SHACK MODEL 100 PORTABLE LAPTOP COMPUTERS: These popular computers included a word-processor, database, and communications program and ran on "AA" batteries. Several in inventory.

RADIO SHACK MODELS 1, 3, 4, 4P: Many of these popular personal computers are in my collection as well as parts and manuals.

NOTE: More computer equipment will be added as soon as possible.

LINKS TO OTHER COMPUTER SITES:

http://vmoc.museophile.sbu.as.uk



CONTACT INFORMATION

Please Note: IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE AN ANSWER TO YOUR EMAIL
IT MEANS THAT I CAN NO LONGER RESPOND.
Please use internet search engines to find other information if you do not receive a reply.

Professor Tom Perera Ph. D. - W1TP
Professor Emeritus:
Montclair State University
  • Go to Tom Perera's Professional Neuropsychology Home Page.
    • Email Address: (To help me avoid automated 'junk mail' programs,
      I ask you to type my email address as follows with no spaces between words:)

    • PLEASE TYPE: keys
    • THEN TYPE THE @ SYMBOL
    • THEN TYPE: w1tp.com

    • Please NOTE: { it is w1tp - W then the NUMERAL "1" (one) then tp }... (It is NOT wLtp or wItp).

    • Please NOTE: IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE AN ANSWER TO YOUR EMAIL IT MEANS THAT I CAN NO LONGER RESPOND.
      Please use internet search engines to find other information if you do not receive a reply.

    • Please NOTE: You MUST include the word KEYS in the Email Subject Line.
    • Please Sign your email.
      IF you do not receive a reply my spam cleaner might have intercepted your email.
      Pease try again with a different Subject and Text.

    • ( Please Enquire Before Sending Attachments Larger Than 1MB - Thank you.)
    Internet On-Line Telegraph & Scientific Instrument Museums:
    http://w1tp.com

    Internet ENIGMA Museum:
    https://EnigmaMuseum.com

    COPYRIGHT NOTICE: (Copyright (c) 2023: Prof. Tom Perera Ph. D.)
    Although all the pictures and text are copyrighted, you may use any of them for your own personal applications including public lectures and demonstrations, publications and websites as long as you mention the w1tp.com Museum. If you plan to offer them for sale to the public in any form, please email me for permission which I will generally grant as long as you mention my museum: http://w1tp.com or https://EnigmaMuseum.com My email address is given at the bottom of this page. Some of the material may require contacting other copyright owners for commercial use and I will inform you by email. Please also see the Disclaimer of Warranty.