In what year did W. T. Odhner receive a patent for his calculator?
Answer
1874
W. T. Odhner, an inventor working independently in Russia, successfully secured a patent for his version of the stepped drum calculator in 1874. This timing is notable because it predates Frank Stephen Baldwin's own patent in 1887, although Baldwin conceived his device slightly later in 1875. The fact that both inventors arrived at the functionally similar stepped drum solution within a short timeframe—Odhner receiving his patent a year before Baldwin conceived his version—highlights a recognized technological need for improved calculating efficiency during that era. Odhner’s design, particularly the *Original Odhner* model which started production around 1878, gained immense global traction.
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