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Mira 3 and 3 Junior

The Mira 3 Junior is a sweet little machine - the smallest pinwheel calculator in my collection. Allegedly a further development of the Rema range of machines, exported to Tschechoslovakia, this machine is a bit narrower, and also only has 6 x 5 x 10 capacity. The carriage shift reminds of the larger Mira 3 (see below), but the bearings of the pinwheel cylinder are only the patented Rema type on the crank side only.

The pinwheel cylinder on this machine is prone to blocking, and probably needs cleaning due to improper lubrication. As long as it does work, I am somewhat reluctant to take it all apart, although the machine itself is not really that complicated. It has a small tag on the back of the wooden board that reads (in French) "Fabriquée en Tschéco-Slovaquie".

Other notable features are the carriage lock, which looks very simple, but also incorporates a red key to release the carriage for free shifting.

Mira 3 Junior picture 2

Mira 3 Junior  picture 4

Mira 3 Junior  picture 1

Mira 3 Junior  picture 3

The Mira 3, as mentioned above, is a further development of the Rema range of machines. The main difference between the model 3 and model 2 is the new carriage shift mechanism. Model 2 retains the triangular knob typical for Rema machines. My Mira 3 is earlier than the Junior, as evidenced by the lack of shroud over the carriage lock, and the earlier, more ornate logo. The switched from Jugendstil to Bauhaus somewhere along the range. The Mira 3 is a sophisticated machine, one of the few models I have seen with automatic reset function during additions (the + vs -:x lever at the top lefthand side). It automatically clears the input when performing sums. Other machines that have this feature are the Chateau and Dactyle machines. In neither machine there is tens' carry in the revolution counter, but the larger machine has a direction indicator/lock, as well as idicator numbers on top of the input field. Of these (but not of the input field itself) I have found when cleaning the machine that the 4 5 and 6 were coloured red. Also the input clearing is arranged differently, and the comma bar has moved under the registers in the later, simpler machine. Mira 3 picture 2

Mira 3  picture 4

Mira 3  picture 1

Mira 3  picture 3

Mira 3  picture 1

Mira 3  picture 3

Finally, a family picture, showing the size and other differences between the two machines: Mira 3  picture 3