Hollerith machine images

Hollerith and His Tabulator

Herman Hollerith looks out over the invention that brought data processing to the world. Sixty-two million cards were placed in the readers of these machines and then dropped into the sorting box (right) when the appropriate lid opened. (Image courtesy of The Computer History Museum, www.computerhistory.org)

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Each card was placed into this reader. When the handle was pushed down, the data registered on the analog dials. (Image courtesy of The Computer History Museum, www.computerhistory.org)

Hollerith's Keypunch Machine

All 62 million Americans were counted by punching holes into a card from the census forms. (Image courtesy of International Business Machines Corporation. Unauthorized use not permitted.)

What a Concept in 1891

Imagine. Using electricity to count. The date on this issue of "Electrical Engineer" was November 11, 1891. The page at the top is a census form filled out by a census taker.

High Tech, 1890 Style

The beginning of data processing made the August 30, 1890 cover of Scientific American. The binary concept. A hole or no hole! (Image courtesy of Scientific American Magazine.)

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