Have a look at "Calculating Trickies" ...
FULL INSTRUCTION (in Engl., German, French & Danish) available from ...
http://www.rechnerlexikon.de
R E M A R K S :
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Two lines of interesting and innovative mechanical calculators came on the
market under the name » CONTEX « in the '50s and '60s :
The first was a key-driven adding machine in style of a Comptometer, with
a "half" keyboard and simplified mechanism: CONTEX-A & CONTEX-B.
The second was a series of 10-Block-Keyboard machines. The CONTEX-10 is
a manual one. The CONTEX-20 is motor-driven. The CONTEX-30 has improved
motor-driven multiplication and division. This CONTEX-55 has its own
DIVISION REGISTER to show & complete the division full automatically.
R E M A R K S T O R E S T O R A T I O N O F T H E C O N T E X - 55
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(1)
The left top blue button was missing. Goal was to make 2 fixable buttons ...
... One part out of a cable connector ( = "Luester-Klemme" ) was split and
both pieces soldered on brass plates of 8 mm diameter. Smaller headless M3
Screws are used. Insulation distance pieces from connectors make the BLUE
& RED caps. Colored insulation tapes cover its top holes ...
 
... The "ON-BOARD" SOLUTION! ... and the left ORIGINAL ONE
S T A T U S : Addition & Subtraction = ok
------------- Multiplication = ok
DIVISION "sometimes" ok ...
(2)
To find the DIVISION ERROR, a CRANK FOR MANUAL OPERATION had to be made ...
 
... The motor-axle got extended with a glued-in M4-HEX-POST to solve the
"Engineering Problem": CRANKING had to be COUNTER-CLOCKWISE!
R E S U L T : Division = OK IN MANUAL MODE - ! - In AUTO MODE:
------------- Random MATRIX-TONGUES were moving in & out caused by
the vibration of the running motor ...
The calculator had to be disassembled until the Matrix-Unit was in hand.
As "1st Aid" the unit was dived in alcohol: Tongues moved back & forth to
remove all oil residues in hope that better friction will do the job ...
YES! That was it! Now the CONTEX-55 works well again!
W A R N I N G : Take your time and be patient: It is really difficult!
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Make extensive notes & pictures when disassembling this heap of levers,
springs & screws - You need 3 hands to bring the parts in place again ...
REM: The DIVISION-UNIT is "AS-ONE-PIECE" fixed with 2 SCREWS right & left !
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PS.:
The state of the CONTEX-55 in the picture shows the result 22/7 = 3.14 ...
The CAT on ULI STEIN's MUG cries: " MACHT KEIN' SCHEISS, JUNGS! "
impressum:
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© C.HAMANN http://public.BHT-Berlin.de/hamann 10/01/10
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