A History of the Logarithmic Slide Rule

Florian Cajori9781879335523, 1879335522

The slide rule, with its many variations, has been vital to mathematics and engineering since its invention in the 17th century. Interest in this field has grown dramatically and collectors can still find much material at affordable prices. Unfortunately there has been little information available except for manufacturers manuals and catalogs, making this reprint of Cajori’s classic particularly valuable. Also included with this reprint of the 1910 edition is Cajori’s extensive article On the History of Gunter’s Scale and the Slide Rule during the 17th Century, published by the University of California in 1920, which sets forth his subsequent findings. There is also a helpful explanatory introduction by Dr. Robert K. Otnes, editor of the Journal of the Oughtred Society. 178 pages. Illustrated. 61/8″ x 91/4″. Hard cover.

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Table of contents :
Editor’s Foreward……Page 1
PREFACE……Page 2
THE INVENTION OF LOGARITHMS AND OF THE LOGARITHMIC LINE OF NUMBERS……Page 5
GUNTER’S SCALE AND THE SLIDE RULE OFTEN CONFOUNDED……Page 6
CONFLICTING STATEMENTS ON THE INVENTION OF THE SLIDE RULE……Page 7
DISENTANGLEMENT OF THE MAIN FACTS……Page 8
DEVELOPMENT DURING THE SECOND HALF OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY……Page 12
DEVELOPMENT IN ENGLAND DURING THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY……Page 17
DEVELOPMENT IN GERMANY DURING THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY……Page 25
DEVELOPMENT IN FRANCE DURING THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY……Page 26
DEVELOPMENT IN ENGLAND DURING THE NINE-TEENTH CENTURY (FIRST HALF)……Page 28
DEVELOPMENT IN GERMANY AND AUSTRIA DURING THE NINETEENTH CENTURY (FIRST HALF)…….Page 30
DEVELOPMENT IN FRANCE DURING THE NINETEENTH CENTURY (FIRST HALF)…….Page 31
DEVELOPMENT IN THE UNITED STATES DURING THE NINETEENTH CENTURY……Page 33
DEVELOPMENT DURING RECENT TIMES……Page 35
SLIDE RULES DESIGNED AND USED SINCE 1800…….Page 40
BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THE SLIDE RULE……Page 61
Addenda 2…….Page 68
Addenda 3…….Page 70
Addenda 5…….Page 71
Addenda 8…….Page 72
Fig. 1. – GUNTER’S SCALE……Page 73
Fig 2. – EVERARD’S SLIDE RULE FOR GAUGING……Page 74
Fig 4. – EVERARD’S SLIDE RULE, AS MODIFIED BY C. LEADBETTER……Page 75
Fig 5. – ONE OF NICHOLSON’S SLIDE RULES OF 1787…….Page 76
Fig 6. – NICOLSON’S CIRCULAR SLIDE RULE OF 1787……Page 77
Fig 8. – NICHOLSON’S SPIRAL SLIDE RULE OF 1797……Page 78
Fig 9. – THACHER’S CALCULATING INSTRUMENT……Page 79
Fig 10. – RÈGLE DU COLONEL MANNHEIM (Lower illustration)……Page 80
Fig 12. – BOUCHER CALCULATOR…….Page 81
Fig 13. – G.FULLER’S SLIDE RULE……Page 82
Fig 14. – COX’S DUPLEX RULE……Page 83
Fig 15. – CHARPENTIER CALCULIMETRE……Page 84
Fig 16. – THE MACK IMPROVED SLIDE RULE (MANNHEIM)……Page 85
Fig 17. – OUGHTRED’S CIRCLES OF PROPORTION, 1632……Page 86