DATAMATH CALCULATOR MUSEUM
|
DATAMATH CALCULATOR MUSEUM |
Craig Model 4501
| Date of introduction: | September 1971 | Display technology: | LED-stick |
| New price: | $239.95 | Display size: | 8 |
| Size: | 5.2" x 3.1" x
1.5" 133 x 78 x 37 mm3 |
||
| Weight: | 10.9 ounces, 310 grams | Serial No: | 106617 |
| Batteries: | 6*AA NiCd | Date of manufacture: | wk 12 year 1972 |
| AC-Adapter: | Origin of manufacture: | USA | |
| Precision: | 8 | Integrated circuits: | TMS0103, 2*SN75491, 2*SN75492 |
| Memories: | Displays: | 9*Monsanto MAN-3A or Bowmar Optostic |
|
| Program steps: | Courtesy of: | Joerg Woerner |
The
Bowmar 901B, here with the OEM-label of Craig Cooperation Machines was
the first "True-Pocket-Size" calculator mainly based on components of the
Texas Instruments company. One of the advantages of the sleek housing of the
Bowmar 901B and its two identical twins
Commodore C110 and this Craig Model 4501 was the slightly angles display to
improve reading the small numerals of the LED display.
Dismantling this Craig Model 4501 manufactured in March 1972 by Bowmar/Ali Inc.
of Acton, Massachusetts, USA reveals immediately on the backside of the
calculator a bold mark reading PM901-400/E - translating into Bowmar part number PM901B-400 with Revision E. We spotted this
PCB-Mark not only with the Bowmar
901C but the Commodore Minuteman 1,
too. In addition you'll notice a rechargeable battery pack mounted into the
bottom shell of the housing, it consists of six AA-sized NiCd cells.
Removing the main electronics of the featured calculator from its housing shows the original
Texas Instruments Klixon™
keypad hiding most of the calculator electronics and we identify only two
display driver chips and the LED display. The electronics of the Craig Model
4501 is centered around a Texas Instruments
TMS0103 single-chip calculator circuit and
- like most early designs of the wildly successful TMS0100 family - two
SN75491 Segment Driver chips and two
SN75492 Digit Driver chips, each. The
remaining components on the PCB are mainly used to generate the necessary supply
voltage of the TMS0103 and its clock signal for the internal timing.
The display module of the featured Craig Model 4501 looks familiar to us, it
is still using an array of 9 Monsanto MAN-3A 7-Segment LED modules.
Later in production Bowmar used their own Opto-stic LED displays like the
one located in a Craig Model 4501 with serial number 226055 and manufactured
around June 1972.
Don't miss the later Craig 4510 manufactured by a Japanese company, but nevertheless "very Texas Instruments".
Klixon™ is a trademark of Texas Instruments.
If you have additions to the above article please email: joerg@datamath.org.
© Joerg Woerner, December 5, 2001. No reprints without written permission.