DIVISUMMA 24, 1956
Inventor
Natale CAPELLARO
Invention date
Unknown
Manufacturing date:
1956
Manufacturing location
Ivrea, Italy
Manufacturer
OLIVETTI
Dimensions
L 24 W 42 H 25
Reference Number
322
History and Functionality
At the beginning of World War II, Olivetti wanted to compete with famous manufacturers of calculating machines. Natale CAPALLERO was dedicated to this project and developed a prototype, the future Divisumma 24, which had great success and enabled Olivetti’s worldwide expansion. Natale CAPALLERO was appointed CEO. He launched Olivetti on the road to success in mechanical calculation. The transfer mechanism used is an improved version of the one invented by Christian Louis Gersten in 1722.
According to the Olivetti user manual:
“The Divisumma 24 is a great calculator with an automatic printing device equipped with a result mechanism and a memory. All of its automation and its memory device, enable, using simple, accurate and fast maneuvers, the execution of the four operations”.
With this machine we reached the maximum of mechanical complexity.
About The Inventor
Natale CAPELLARO (1902-2002) was born into a poor family.
Natale Capellaro was an Italian mechanical designer and honoris causa engineer, celebrated for his work on Olivetti mechanical calculators like the Divisumma 24. Starting his career at Olivetti as an apprentice in 1916, he was known for his mechanical ingenuity.
Once a worker at Olivetti, he was fired for stealing parts. His manager wanted to check the reasons for the stealing and went to his home and discovered he was creating a smart typewriter prototype. The manager was then able to rehire him.
By 1943, he was leading calculator design at Olivetti, creating successful models that combined mechanical ingenuity with aesthetic design, notably collaborating with Marcello Nizzoli. His innovations marked the golden age of Olivetti in the calculator market. Capellaro was recognized with an honorary degree and contributed significantly to Olivetti’s success until his resignation in 1966.
