James L. Powers - Revision history

Anton at 20:42, 13 June 2017

2017-06-13T20:42:27Z

Anton at 20:33, 13 June 2017

2017-06-13T20:33:20Z

Anton at 20:31, 13 June 2017

2017-06-13T20:31:02Z

Anton at 20:29, 13 June 2017

2017-06-13T20:29:44Z

Anton at 20:21, 13 June 2017

2017-06-13T20:21:55Z

Anton at 20:17, 13 June 2017

2017-06-13T20:17:22Z

Anton at 20:16, 13 June 2017

2017-06-13T20:16:15Z

Anton at 20:15, 13 June 2017

2017-06-13T20:15:41Z

Anton at 20:14, 13 June 2017

2017-06-13T20:14:37Z

Anton at 20:10, 13 June 2017

2017-06-13T20:10:27Z

@@ Line 38: / Line 38: @@
 US992245	Combined Punching and Counting Mechanism
-US992246	        Perforating Machine
+US992246	Perforating Machine
 US1086397	Keyboard for Perforating Machines and the like
@@ Line 52: / Line 52: @@
 US1236481	Card Accounting Machine
-US1242721	        Repeat Perforating Mechanism
+US1242721	Repeat Perforating Mechanism
-US1245502	        Tabulator-Printer for Statistical Purposes
+US1245502	Tabulator-Printer for Statistical Purposes
-US1,271,614	Combined Type Writer and Perforating Machine
+US1271614	Combined Type Writer and Perforating Machine
-US1,299,022	Perforating Machine
+US1299022	Perforating Machine
-US1,312,807	Counter for Accounting Machines
+US1312807	Counter for Accounting Machines
-US1,317,458	Card-Feed-Actuated Stop
+US1317458	Card-Feed-Actuated Stop
-US1,388,299	Combined Perforating and Printing Tabulator Mechanism
+US1388299	Combined Perforating and Printing Tabulator Mechanism
-US1,665,218	Feeding Mechanism for Tabulating Machine
+US1665218	Feeding Mechanism for Tabulating Machine
-US1,836,039	Self Starting Automatic Total Taking Mechanism
+US1836039	Self Starting Automatic Total Taking Mechanism
 == Sources ==

@@ Line 36: / Line 36: @@
 == Patents ==
-,245	        Combined Punching and Counting Mechanism
+US992245	Combined Punching and Counting Mechanism
-,246	        Perforating Machine
+US992246	        Perforating Machine
-,086,397	Keyboard for Perforating Machines and the like
+US1086397	Keyboard for Perforating Machines and the like
-,100,986	Perforating Machine
+US1100986	Perforating Machine
-,138,314 	Perforating Machine
+US1138314 	Perforating Machine
-,177,651	Stop Mechanisms for Card Sorting Machines
+US1177651	Stop Mechanisms for Card Sorting Machines
-,224,413	Combined Printing Mechanism and Perforating-Machine
+US1224413	Combined Printing Mechanism and Perforating-Machine
-,236,481	Card Accounting Machine
+US1236481	Card Accounting Machine
-,242,721	Repeat Perforating Mechanism
+US1242721	        Repeat Perforating Mechanism
-,245,502	Tabulator-Printer for Statistical Purposes
+US1245502	        Tabulator-Printer for Statistical Purposes
-,271,614	Combined Type Writer and Perforating Machine
+US1,271,614	Combined Type Writer and Perforating Machine
-,299,022	Perforating Machine
+US1,299,022	Perforating Machine
-,312,807	Counter for Accounting Machines
+US1,312,807	Counter for Accounting Machines
-,317,458	Card-Feed-Actuated Stop
+US1,317,458	Card-Feed-Actuated Stop
-,388,299	Combined Perforating and Printing Tabulator Mechanism
+US1,388,299	Combined Perforating and Printing Tabulator Mechanism
-,665,218	Feeding Mechanism for Tabulating Machine
+US1,665,218	Feeding Mechanism for Tabulating Machine
-,836,039	Self Starting Automatic Total Taking Mechanism
+US1,836,039	Self Starting Automatic Total Taking Mechanism
 == Sources ==

@@ Line 37: / Line 37: @@
 == Patents ==
 ,245	        Combined Punching and Counting Mechanism
 ,246	        Perforating Machine
 ,086,397	Keyboard for Perforating Machines and the like
 ,100,986	Perforating Machine
 ,138,314 	Perforating Machine
 ,177,651	Stop Mechanisms for Card Sorting Machines
 ,224,413	Combined Printing Mechanism and Perforating-Machine
 ,236,481	Card Accounting Machine
 ,242,721	Repeat Perforating Mechanism
 ,245,502	Tabulator-Printer for Statistical Purposes
 ,271,614	Combined Type Writer and Perforating Machine
 ,299,022	Perforating Machine
 ,312,807	Counter for Accounting Machines
 ,317,458	Card-Feed-Actuated Stop
 ,388,299	Combined Perforating and Printing Tabulator Mechanism
 ,665,218	Feeding Mechanism for Tabulating Machine
 ,836,039	Self Starting Automatic Total Taking Mechanism

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:29, 13 June 2017
Line 36:		Line 36:

	== Patents ==		== Patents ==
		+	992,245 Combined Punching and Counting Mechanism
		+	992,246 Perforating Machine
		+	1,086,397 Keyboard for Perforating Machines and the like
		+	1,100,986 Perforating Machine
		+	1,138,314 Perforating Machine
		+	1,177,651 Stop Mechanisms for Card Sorting Machines
		+	1,224,413 Combined Printing Mechanism and Perforating-Machine
		+	1,236,481 Card Accounting Machine
		+	1,242,721 Repeat Perforating Mechanism
		+	1,245,502 Tabulator-Printer for Statistical Purposes
		+	1,271,614 Combined Type Writer and Perforating Machine
		+	1,299,022 Perforating Machine
		+	1,312,807 Counter for Accounting Machines
		+	1,317,458 Card-Feed-Actuated Stop
		+	1,388,299 Combined Perforating and Printing Tabulator Mechanism
		+	1,665,218 Feeding Mechanism for Tabulating Machine
		+	1,836,039 Self Starting Automatic Total Taking Mechanism

	== Sources ==		== Sources ==

@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 James Legrand Powers was born in [[Odessa]], [[Russian Empire]] (now [[Ukraine]]) in 1871. He graduated from Odessa Technical School and worked in [[Odessa University]] mechanical shop. In 1889 he emigrated to the United States and was employed by various engineering concerns including [[Western Electric]].
-In 1907 Powers was hired by [[US Census Bureau]] as a mechanical expert to modify [[unit record equipment]] invented two decades earlier by [[Herman Hollerith]]. Hollerith's equipment was successfully used for 1890 and 1900 US Censuses, but when Hollerith refused to lower the rental fees for Census Bureau, Bureau's director S.N.D.North did not renew the contract with Hollerith's company, instead creating the Census Machine Shop. Powers had already done some experimental work on office machines and received several patents. He managed to circumvent Hollerith's patents (see Inventions section) and introduced new punched card equipment which was used in 1909 Cuban Census and [[1910 US Census]].
+In 1907 Powers was hired by [[US Census Bureau]] as a mechanical expert to modify [[unit record equipment]] invented two decades earlier by [[Herman Hollerith]] [1]. Hollerith's equipment was successfully used for 1890 and 1900 US Censuses, but when Hollerith refused to lower the rental fees for Census Bureau, Bureau's director S.N.D.North did not renew the contract with Hollerith's company, instead creating the Census Machine Shop [2]. Powers had already done some experimental work on office machines and received several patents. He managed to circumvent Hollerith's patents (see Inventions section) and introduced new punched card equipment which was used in 1909 Cuban Census and [[1910 US Census]] [3].
 == Powers Accounting Machine Company ==
@@ Line 13: / Line 13: @@
 By 1914 ''Powers Accounting Machine Company'' is said to have subsidiaries in [[Germany]], [[Bulgaria]], and [[Italy]]; however, the information about them is scarce. German and Bulgarian subsidiaries are said to be closed during the [[First World War]]. Nevertheless, German agency was refounded in 1923.
-In 1915 [[Prudential Building Society]] founded [[Accounting and Tabulating Company of Great Britain]] which sold Powers machines. French subsidiary called ''SAMAS'' (a.k.a. ''S.A.M.A.S.'' for ''Societe Anonyme des Machines a Statistiques'') was established in 1922, alongside with Belgian agency in 1919.
+In 1915 [[Prudential Building Society]] founded [[Accounting and Tabulating Company of Great Britain]] which sold Powers machines. French subsidiary called ''SAMAS'' (a.k.a. ''S.A.M.A.S.'' for ''Societe Anonyme des Machines a Statistiques'') was established in 1922, alongside with Belgian agency in 1919 [4].
 In 1927 the [[Remington Typewriter Company]] and the [[Rand Kardex Corporation]] merged, forming [[Remington Rand Inc.]] which acquired the Powers Accounting Machine Company within a year. After several more merges the company is known nowadays as [[Unisys Corporation]].
 == Death date ==
-James Powers died on 8 November, 1926, and the obituary appeared in [[New York Times]] two days later. Since Powers was not famous, his death went almost unnoticed, which later caused discrepancies. According to Encyclopedia of Computer Science article, Powers died around 1935. However, Deutsches Museum's stand states 1915 as the date of Powers's death.
+James Powers died on 8 November, 1926, and the obituary appeared in [[New York Times]] two days later [5]. Since Powers was not famous, his death went almost unnoticed, which later caused discrepancies. According to Encyclopedia of Computer Science article, Powers died around 1935 [1].
 == Inventions ==
@@ Line 27: / Line 27: @@
 '''Printing tabulator'''
-Hollerit tabulators were non-printing, displaying numbers on a row of mechanical counters. This caused pauses during tabulating, as it was necessary to write totals by hand. Powers introduced first printing tabulator in 1907.
+Hollerit tabulators were non-printing, displaying numbers on a row of mechanical counters. This caused pauses during tabulating, as it was necessary to write totals by hand.
 '''Electric card punch'''
-In 1907 Powers was detailed to work out an automatic card-punching machine. This machine, as developed and improved over the next 2 years, seemed to be satisfactory, and 300 of these machines were used during 1910 US Census. However, this model proved to be error-prone and was dismissed during the Census. Several years after ''Powers Accounting Machine Company'' advertised several different types of electric card punches. IBM introduced its own motorised card punch in 1929.
+In 1907 Powers was detailed to work out an automatic card-punching machine. This machine, as developed and improved over the next 2 years, seemed to be satisfactory, and 300 of these machines were used during 1910 US Census []. However, this model proved to be error-prone and was dismissed during the Census. Several years after ''Powers Accounting Machine Company'' advertised several different types of electric card punches [].
 '''Punch card verifier'''
-In 1915 Powers introduced the first card verifier, which was used to check the correctness of punching. IBM introduced its own card verifier only in 1917.
+In 1915 Powers introduced the first card verifier, which was used to check the correctness of punching [].
 == Patents ==
@@ Line 40: / Line 40: @@
 • Stan Augarten. Bit by Bit. An Illustrated History of Computers. (Ticknor & Fields, 1984).
-• Martin Campbell-Kelly. Powers, James in ''Encyclopedia of Computer Science'' (4th edition) edited by Edwin D. Reilly, Anthony Ralston, David Hemmendinger. (John Wiley and Sons Ltd, 2003)
+. Martin Campbell-Kelly. Powers, James in ''Encyclopedia of Computer Science'' (4th edition) edited by Edwin D. Reilly, Anthony Ralston, David Hemmendinger. (John Wiley and Sons Ltd, 2003)
 • Martin Campbell-Kelly. Chapter Four: Punched-Card Machinery in ''Computing Before Computers'' edited by William Aspray. (Iowa State University Press, 1990)

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 [[File:J_L_Powers.jpg|thumb|James Powers, c. 1915]]
-'''James Legrand Powers''' (1871, [[Odessa]] - November, 8, 1926, [[New York]]) - American inventor and entrepreneur, the founder of [[''Powers Accounting Machine Company'']].
+'''James Legrand Powers''' (1871, [[Odessa]] - November, 8, 1926, [[New York]]) - American inventor and entrepreneur, the founder of [[Powers Accounting Machine Company]].
 == Biography ==
@@ Line 13: / Line 13: @@
 By 1914 ''Powers Accounting Machine Company'' is said to have subsidiaries in [[Germany]], [[Bulgaria]], and [[Italy]]; however, the information about them is scarce. German and Bulgarian subsidiaries are said to be closed during the [[First World War]]. Nevertheless, German agency was refounded in 1923.
-In 1915 [[Prudential Building Society]] founded ''Accounting and Tabulating Company of Great Britain'' which sold Powers machines. French subsidiary called ''SAMAS'' (a.k.a. ''S.A.M.A.S.'' for ''Societe Anonyme des Machines a Statistiques''; Anonimous Society of Statistical Machinery) was established in 1922, alongside with Belgian agency in 1919.
+In 1915 [[Prudential Building Society]] founded [[Accounting and Tabulating Company of Great Britain]] which sold Powers machines. French subsidiary called ''SAMAS'' (a.k.a. ''S.A.M.A.S.'' for ''Societe Anonyme des Machines a Statistiques''; Anonimous Society of Statistical Machinery) was established in 1922, alongside with Belgian agency in 1919.
 In 1927 the [[Remington Typewriter Company]] and the [[Rand Kardex Corporation]] merged, forming [[Remington Rand Inc.]] which acquired the Powers Accounting Machine Company within a year. After several more merges the company is known nowadays as [[Unisys Corporation]].

@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 James Legrand Powers was born in Odessa, Russian Empire (now Ukraine) in 1871. He graduated from Odessa Technical School and worked in Odessa University mechanical shop. In 1889 he emigrated to the United States and was employed by various engineering concerns including Western Electric.
-In 1907 Powers was hired by US Census Bureau as a mechanical expert to modify unit record equipment invented two decades earlier by Herman Hollerith, so that improved machines will not infringe Hollerith's patents. Powers had already done some experimental work on office machines and received several patents. Powers managed to circumvent Hollerith's patents and introduced new punched card equipment which was used in 1909 Cuban Census and 1910 US Census.
+In 1907 Powers was hired by US Census Bureau as a mechanical expert to modify unit record equipment invented two decades earlier by Herman Hollerith. Hollerith's equipment was successfully used for 1890 and 1900 US Censuses, but when Hollerith refused to lower the rental fees for Census Bureau, Bureau's director S.N.D.North did not renew the contract with Hollerith's company, instead creating the Census Machine Shop. Powers had already done some experimental work on office machines and received several patents. He managed to circumvent Hollerith's patents (see [[Inventions]]) and introduced new punched card equipment which was used in 1909 Cuban Census and 1910 US Census.
 == Powers Accounting Machine Company ==