T E C H N I C A L   D A T A   of the  Mechanical  Calculator   TORPEDO
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This German calculator is a small and  light-weight "HALF-COMPTOMETER"

Serial Number:       010380

Dimensions:   (ca.)  Width   =  8_1/4" /  21 cm
                     Depth   =  6    " /  15 cm
                     Height  =  4_1/4" /  11 cm

Weight:       (ca.)  4_3/4 lbs  /  2.2 kg

Mechanics:           9*5 "HALF"-Keyboard,
                     COMPTOMETER-Coding = Instant Additions

Functions:           Addition, Subtraction (as 9-Complement Addition)

Registers:           Input       =  8 Decimals
                     Arithmetic  =  9 Decimals
Manufacturer:
                     TORPEDO WERKE
                     Frankfurt a.M. / Germany
                     1930


H O W   T O   U S E    the  TORPEDO
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To CLEAR the REGISTER push the right LEVER down and release it. 

As mentioned to the "Key-Driven-Calculators" BURROUGHS & COMPTOMETER:
Calculator courses suggested to use only the lower-half of the full
keyboard to speed-up additions in saving hand/arm motions:

            instead key 6  press  3 + 3  in sequence
                        7         3 + 4
                        8         4 + 4
                        9         4 + 5

Obviously the method was used, because the lower-half of the keyboard
show more wear on most calculators of this type. Consequently TORPEDO
made a "HALF-COMPTOMETER": Smaller, mechanically less sophisticated,
more light-weight and therefore much cheaper than the "big" ones.

Because for "SUBTRACTION" 9-Complement "Addition" has to be used, the
leftmost key has to be a "9" ( on the BURROUGHS this key is empty ).
Logically TORPEDO placed two keys instead: "5" + "4" ...

Because there are no 9-Complements on the keys, do it in this way ...

A Subtraction Example:                     765 - 432 = 333
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  o  Enter on the right columns  "765"

  o  Calculate the SUBTRAHENT MINUS 1        432 - 1 = 431
  o  Calculate the 9-COMPLEMENTS of  "431"           = 568

  o  Hit on the right columns                          5
                                                        3+3
                                                         4+4

  o  INSTEAD "Press all 9-Keys left of the subtrahend simultaniously":
     - PRESS all "5"-Keys left of the subtrahend simultaniously
       and than
     - PRESS all "4"-Keys left of the subtrahend simultaniously

For more information:      Have a look at the BURROUGHS site
                         Have a look at "Calculating Trickies" ...
impressum:
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© C.HAMANN         http://public.BHT-Berlin.de/hamann         05/16/07