A cartoon example of true genius: Fred Flintstone punches out from his shift at the quarry. He holds out a flat piece of stone (the time card) and it’s strategically bitten by a trained dinosaur (the time clock).
If nothing else this shows that for almost as long as people have been keeping track of time, we’ve been developing better ways to manage it. What a journey it’s been.
On the way to where we are now – online time clocks for multiple platforms, time card readers, seamless integration with database payroll processing, electronic invoicing – there’s a name or two you might recognize. Check it out!
Timeline:
1888: First commercial time clock invented by Willard A. Bundy
1889: Willard and Harlow Bundy form Bundy Manufacturing Co. in Binghamton, NY
1899: Bundy acquires Standard Time Stamps Co.
1900: International Time Recording Co. (ITR) formed with Bundy Mfr. as a branch
1901: ITR Co. acquires Chicago Time-Register Co., maker of the first autograph time recorder
1907: ITR acquires Dey Time Register Co. which makes dial, card, & job-time recorders
1908: ITR acquires Syracuse Time Recording Co. which manufactures dial recorders
1910: ITR merges with Computing Scale Co. and Tabulating Machine Co. to form Computing-Tabulating-Recording Co. (CTR).
1924: CTR is renamed International Business Machines (IBM)
1958: IBM sells its time recording business to Simplex Time Recorder Company
circa 1990: The first electronic time recorders debut
More pictures of old time keeping systems:
Still wanting more? Visit the Bundy Museum in Binghamton, NY!
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
have a collection of early time recorders including willard and frick originals; full set of gledhill brooks and National Time recorders and early simplex clocks. would be inyterested to talk to you on the subject if you have interest.regaards ph.
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I am trying to contact somebody with information on Gledhill Brook Tiome Clocks. Not having much joy so far.
Iam in the U.K CO7 7BX
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would like to find time card (s) for circa 1900 National Time Recorder se London. Would you have any idea of where to find one or more.
Thanks, Paul
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We have one of the Simplex Time Recorder Co clocks just like the one fourth from bottom of your pics. Do you have any idea the age of this clock? The patent no. is 2,102,711. Thanks for your help!
Cindy
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kulang tong documentation.. ang hirap maghnap.. grabeh.. huuhuhuhuhu
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