Improvements in Apparatus for Teaching Arithmetic.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Feb., 1806
Complete Specification Left. 30th Nov. 1896-Accented 27th Feb
1.807
Complete Specification Left. 30th Nov. 1896-Accented 27th Feb.
1.807
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Teaching Arithmetic.
WILLIAM ADAM, M.A. Teacher, and MATTHEW ATKINSON ADAM, Engineer,
both of 235 Bath Street Glasgow, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
Roller counter. This instrument consists substantially of three parts, a
perforated tube with 2 plugs fitting loosely into it, the plugs being retained in the
tube in some suitable manner.
The perforations in the tube are arranged in two rows side by side along its
length.
There are 13 perforations and five fixed dots of one colour.
Above the five fixed dots in the right hand column and the bottom five perfora-
tions in the left hand column a marked space is left and a distinct line drawn
across to mark the limit of the ten, thus giving a decimal grouping. The plugs
have suitably coloured paper strips on them, or they may be painted, so that by
turning the plugs you can get any combination of two numbers in distinctive
colours on a distinct ground. A screen may be used on the instrument of the same
colour as the ground to cover the five fixed dots one by one, when shewing the
addition of numbers under five.
The plugs may have contact strips left on their ends, so that the paper or paint
may not touch the inside of the tube and so become defaced.
The instrument may be made small, so as to be used by children as a kinder-
garten gift, or large for use by a teacher in class teaching. The large form is
put on a stand, and the plugs may then be metal tubes with flanged or folded ends,
and they may be supported on glass or other suitable ball bearings.
Lines may be put on the ground to give suitable subdividing groupings.
Dated this 28th day of February 1896.
MATTHEW ATKINSON ADAM.
WILLIAM ADAM.
Improvements in Apparatus for Teaching Arithmetic.
WILLIAM ADAM M.A. Teacher 235 Bath Street Glasgow and MATTHEW
ATKINSON ADAM B.Sc. Engineer 235 Bath Street Glasgow, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This instrument consists substantially of 3 parts (1) a perforated tubo
(2) and (3) are plugs of wood or other suitable material. The perforations in the
tube are arranged in two rows side by side, nine in one row, and four in the other,
as shewn in front elevation. The ground is black, and may be enamelled, or such

page_text: that chalk can he used on it, and rubbed out at will. The five fixed dots are those
shewn between the strips (a, a,) and are coloured preferably red. The strips (a, a,)
guide a sliding cover which covers the dots, one by one at will, its outer surface
being the same as the background. A clear yellow mark (K) is drawn across the
distinct space shewn in the drawing above the ten. This gives the decimal
grouping. The plugs have suitably coloured paper strips on them, or they may
he painted, the division between the colouring being stepped as shewn. On the
top plug, the length (b) of each step is such that two dots will appear on the same
level before the next step begins to shew a dot. On the bottom plug, the
length (c) of each step is only slightly greater than the diameter of the perforations.
Another part of this plug may be stepped in black and white for shewing numbers
whose sum is less than ten. The plugs have knobs which project from the ends of
the tube, and by which they can be turned at will. The projections (F) are bent
over to retain the plugs in their place. The plugs may have contact strips d left
on their ends, so that the paper or paint may not touch the inside of the tube, and
so become defaced. The instrument may be made snall, so as to be used by
children as a kimiergarten gift, or large for use by a teacher in class teaching.
The large form is put on a stand, and the plugs may then be metal tubes with
flanged or folded ends, and they may be supported on glass or other suitable ball
bearings.
In the drawings the full line shnding represents colouring the same as the
ground . black, and the dotted line shading represents the red colouring.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :
(1.) The use of round plugs with stepped divisions in n perforated tube
substantially as described whereby any combination of two numbers whose som
does not exceed 18 can be clearly represented by coloured dots on a suitable ground,
and the decimal grouping clearly marked at the saine time.
(2.) The use in the said instrument of a background of such a nature that it can
be worked on with chalk in the same manner as 'n blackboard.
(3.) The use of ball bearings for the support of the plugs in the large form of
-the instrument.
Dated this 28th day of November 1896.
WILLIAM ADAM.
MATTHEW ATKINSON ADAM.