Collection of pages from K&E catalogs for the 4168 Family of Slide Rules
Description:
Catalog pages from the 1952 Educational Products catalog
The 4168 group of slide rules was a 5" plastic polyphase duplex slide rule.
The following model numbers make up the 4168 family of slide rules:
- 4168 ------ 5" plastic Duplex
- 4168C ---- 5" plastic Duplex with pocket clip
- 68 1550 -- 5" plastic Duplex with pocket clip
- 68 1555 -- 5" plastic Duplex
- 9068 ----- 5" plastic Doric Duplex
- 10000 ---- 5" plastic Doric Duplex
- 10002 ---- 10" plastic Doric Duplex
Scale Set:
DF = CF L CI C = D L
K A = B ST S = D T
History:
The 4168 first appeared in the 1949 catalog under the model number 9068. The entry in the 1952 Educational Products catalog list the 4168 with a "(formerly 9068)" statement in its description. The slide rule last appeared in the 1972 catalog under its 68 xxxx series number.
The 10000 and 10002 were mysterious versions of the 4168 that probably predates the 9068 by a few months. These two slide rules do not show in any catalog available except for a mention in the cursor replacement table in the 1949 catalog. The best estimate is that the rules were produced for several months in 1948 and then replaced with the 90xx series numbers for plastic rules of that time. There is a manual that gives the only real clues to the nature of the rules. They have the scale set of the 4168 and the 10002 shown in the illustration in the manual appears to a 10 inch rule. It is assumed that the 10000 is a 5" rule as its replacement cursor is the same as the 9068.
The following is a brief history as told in the catalogs available at this time.
- 1948 -- The 4168 first appeared in the 1948 price list for the 1944 catalog as a 9068.
- 1952 -- The 4168 was introduced in the 1952 Educational Products catalog and the 1952 full line catalog.
- 1959 -- The 4168C was introduced. The C version has a pocket clip on it.
- 1962 -- The 4168 model numbers were changed to 68 xxxx series numbers.
- 1972 -- The 68 1550 is the only model shown in the 1972 catalog.
Links to catalog pages for the 4168 family of slide rules:
Scans: Link to scans of 4168s