Casio 14-A

The 14-A is the entirely electric first Calculatrice compact of the world marketed by Casio in June 1957.

The prototype of the future Casio 14-A is completed in December 1954, by the small factory of subcontracting Kashio Seisakujo of Kashio Tadao which will found CASIO Computer later three years.

History

About 1950, after having seen an electric computer with an exposure to Ginza, the fashionable district of Tōkyō, the Kashio brothers decide to create their own computer. Working with the factory the day to finance their research, they develop their computer the soir.
At the time, the computers mechanical and are actuated by a crank. There are some motorized, but not in Japan where the technical skills are then insufficient and rare materials. The Kashio brothers replace the machine elements by electric switches with an aim of removing any part moving.

Ten prototypes are constructed, on the basis of electromagnet S. Cependant, the Bunshodo Corporation , specialized in the office accessories, does not want a computer of the Kashio brothers, because it does not make it possible to multiply the result by another number.

In 1956, the development of the machine with the new multiplicative function is almost completed. However, to allow the mass production, it is necessary to find a component which replaces the electromagnet which is not adapted. relay are then used like those used in the telephone centres. The problem of the relay is its great sensitivity to dust. To allow the computer installation of in offices, the Kashio brothers develop a relay resistant to dust. Moreover, one optimization of the electric diagrams makes it possible to reduce the number of relays of several thousands to only 342.

At the end of 1956, the Kashio brothers must present their computer to Sapporo. But to embark on the aircraft, they are obliged to dismount the machine which does not respect the high limits of size. The computer being unusable, they on their premises return without to have obtained contract.

It is in June 1957, which the company Uchida Yoko buys the rights of marketing and which the brothers create CASIO Computer Co., Ltd. which will be directed by their father.

Innovations

The keyboard of the 14-A has a key " dizaine" who distinguishes it from the other computers which have only one keyboard said " complet" comprising the figures of 0 with 9.
Moreover, it has a single bill-poster as well showing the seizure as the result, and not three bill-posters showing the two seized numbers and the result, as he is of use in this time. The single bill-poster, who will become current, is revolutionist for the time and is one of the reasons of the compactness of the computer.

Characteristics

arithmetic Functions: 14 digits
Mémoire: 3 groups of 5 Component digits
basic : 342 relays
Dimension: 1080 × 780 × 445 mm
Weight: 140 kg
Posting: 14 digits and comma

The name 14-A indicates that the computer has a capacity of 14 digits and that it is the first product, from where the first letter of the alphabet.

Posting consists of a table comprising 14 columns of 10 digits (from 0 to 9). The posting of the result is then made in illuminant a figure by column. The comma is posted by a small luminous point in bottom of the columns.

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