Federal Adding Machine Corporation stock certificate 

Dated 1917 

Founder's Shares

Issued to and Handsigned twice by J. B. DeBeltrand, 

as president and shareholder

Issued for 10,000 shares

The company was founded in 1917 in New York City, New York, to manufacture typewriters and adding machines. The company was located at 251 Fourth Avenue. The adding machine had many features including total wheels, printing in plain site, correction, repeat, non-add, non-print, etc.

In December, 1919, the Federal Adding Machine Company, of which J. B. de Beltrand was the president, acquired from the
old Columbia Typewriter Mfg. Company, the Visigraph Typewriter Company and the C. Spiro Mfg. Company all the interest in and equipment for making the latest typewriter invention of Charles Spiro. It was renamed the Federal and offered in conjunction with the
adding machine product of the Federal company, broad plans for expansion announced soon after including the joining of E. J. Manning with the enterprise as second vice-president in charge of production. Later stories conveyed details of the sale of the typewriter end of the Federal business to the Hammond Typewriter Corporation.

As indicated in reference to the same machine when called the Visigraph it employed the knife blade typebar and segment construction so popular today; it had many distinctive and modern features, including a removable and interchangeable carriage
through the manipulation of a small lever in the rear,