AN IMPROVED MODE OF TZENSTRATING ASTRONOMICAL PHENOMENA.
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Lionel Naish, of Brighton, in the County of
Sussex, Private Tutor, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MODE OF
TZENSTRATING ASTRONOMICAL PHENOMENA.'
Sealed the 6th February 1866, and dated the 18th August 1865.
I
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Lionel Naish
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 18th August 1865.
I, JOSEPH LIONEL NAISH, of Brighton, in the County of Sussex, Private
Tutor, do hereby declare the nature of -the said, Invention for-"AN-IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR ILLUSTRATING ASTRONOMICAL PHENOMENA," to be as follows:-
My Invention of an an improved apparatus for illustrating astronomical
phenomena relates to an improved mode of constructing tellurians, and has
for its object to construct these instruments. in such a manner that various
problems may be solved with greater accuracy than with tellurians and globes
of the ordinary construction. In my improved instrument or apparatus the
horary circle which is usually adapted to the pole of the earth is removed
therefrom, and an horary circle in lieu thereof is placed at the equator, and on
it is mounted a moveable horizon which by being turned on its pivot and moved
round on the horary circle will become the horizon of any place on the earth's

page_text: surface and will also serve as a quadrant of altitude. The, horary circle is
made to rotate independently of the earth with the equatorial circle, and will
carry round with it the moveable horizon. The moveable horizon is also used
as the common meridian circle, in which case it is the horizon for any place on
the equator. The ordinary meridian circle is fixed and always remains parallel
to the same vertical plane, and thous becomes a siderial meridian circle. On this
siderial meridian circle is mounted another circle, the vertical diameter of the
latter circle being always kept at right angles to a line drawn from the sun to
the earth, and therefore illustrating the phenomena of day and night, and is
therefore called the day and night circle. At right angles to the day and night
circle is mounted another circle which is fixed permanently to it so as to have
for its axis the above-mentioned vertical diameter of the day and night circle;
this circle by its intersection with the horary circle and the siderial meridian
circle will illustrate the annual and daily motion of the equinoxes. All these
circles are graduated, and therefore the results effected by their several motions
with respect to each other can be observed with the greatest accuracy. The
axis of the earth is placed at the proper and well-known angle of obliquity,
and the whole of this arrangement is mounted on a vertical spindle
passing through a plate or arm to which motion is given in an elliptic or
circular orbit by suitable toothed gearing below, as in ordinary tellurians,
the gearing giving neither more nor less than 365 revolutions of the earth in
the year. The apparatus is surrounded by a horizontal circle like the horizon
of an ordinary globe, and on which are marked the constellations of the
zodiac divided into their proper degrees. Within this circle, and concentric
with it, is another circle on which are marked the signs of the zodiac
properly divided into degrees, and the months and days of the year. As this
inner circle is capable of motion and the axis of the earth can also be moved
round the vertical diameter of the day and night circle, which latter is also
the axis of the ecliptic, these two will illustrate the precession of the equinoxes.
The earth, with the circles above mentioned, travels round a vertical spindle in
an ellipse of the proper or true excentricity, and the sun being mounted
on another vertical spindle placed excentrically to the former, the ellipticity
of the earth's orbit is illustrated. By this arrangement the earth although
moving round the central spindle with uniform velocity will rotate round the
sun with varying velocity, these two spindles being two foci of an ellipse. An
index attached to the plate or arm which carries the earth, and its circles
points out the mean apparent motion of the sun. On a prolongation of the
axis of the day and night circle is placed an index, which coincides with a line
from the centre of the earth to the centre of the sun, which latter index

page_text: it: will be recollected is placed concentrically with the former, as if both indices
were radii drawn from the earth's centre and having the two vertical focal
spindles continually playing between them as the earth moves in its orbit.
This index. will therefore point out the actual position of the sun. in the
zodiac. The difference at any time between the indications of these two
indices will therefore be the difference between the real and apparent place of
the sun. On the index shewing the sun's real place is mounted another index
which is the radius of the zodiacal circles which are concentric with the sun,
and not with the central spindle, and the difference in position of the two
indices will show the difference in time between the clock and the sun, as far
as this is caused by the earth's variable motion in the ecliptic. But the
other cause of the difference between the solar day and civil or mean day is
the obliquity of the ecliptic which can be clearly demonstrated by means of
the moveable horizon and hour circle in combination..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Lionel Naish in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 17th February 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
LIONEL NAISH, of Brighton, in the County of Sussex, Private Tutor, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Joseph Lionel Naish, Her special licence that I, the, said
Joseph Lionel Niash, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Joseph Lionel Naish, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man,
an Invention for "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR ILLUSTRATING ASTRONOMICAL
PHENOMENA," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Joseph
Lionel Naish, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in. writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the

page_text: same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
:
NOW KNOW YE, that J, the said Joseph Lionel Naish, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
1
My Invention of "An Improved Apparatus for Illustrating Astronomical
Phenomena, relates to an improved mode of constructing tellurians, and has
for its object to construct these instruments in such a manner that various
problems may be solved with greater accuracy than with tellurians and globes
of the ordinary construction. In the accompanying Drawings I have shewn a
plan view and side elevation of my improved instrument or apparatus.
:
Fig. 1 is the plan view, and Fig. 2 the side elevation. The horary circle,
which in the ordinary construction of globes and tellurians is usually adapted to
the pole of the earth is removed therefrom and an horary circle in lieu thereof is
placed at the equator, as at a, a, in the Drawing, but an hour circle can be
placed at the pole in the usual manner if desired. In such cases the horizon
hereafter described is alone mounted in any convenient manner at the equator.
If the horizon b be mounted on a meridian circle c, as in the Figure, the
latter being free to move about the earth's axis, then the said meridian will be
n six o'clock meridian or hour line, as it is sometimes called. On this meridian
c is mounted a moveable horizon b, which by being turned on its pivot 1, and
moved round on the horary circle a, will become the horizon of any place on
the earth's surface and will also serve as a quadrant of altitude in certain
problems. The horary circle a, as in the Figure, or six o'clock meridian circle c,
supposing the horary circle be placed at the pole is made to rotate independently
of the earth and will carry round with it the moveable horizon a. The moveable
horizon a is also used as the common meridian circle, in which case it is the
horizon for any place on the equator. If the horizon be mounted on a
meridian circle as in the Drawing, the latter will do instead to represent the
horizon of any place on the equator. The ordinary meridian circle d is fixed,
and always remains parallel to the same vertical plane whilst the earth revolves
about the sun. When arranged as shewn in the Drawing, it becomes a
siderial meridian circle. On this siderial meridian circle d is mounted another
circle e, called the day and night circle, as it indicates the boundary of sun light.
The vertical diameters of these two circles d and e coincide, and any diameter
of the latter circle being always bisected by and kept at right angles to a line

page_text: drawn from the sun to the earth's centre, it will illustrate the phenomena of
day and night; and is therefore called the day and night circle. At right angles
to the day and night circle is mounted another circle f, which I call the equi-
noctial circle; this circle is fixed permanently to the day and night circle e, so as
to have for its axis the above-mentioned vertical diameter of the day and night
circle. This equinoctial circle f, by its intersection with the equatorial circle
and the siderial meridian circle d will illustrate the annual and daily motion of
the equinoxes. All these circles are or may be graduated, and therefore, the
results effected by their several motions with respect to each other can be ob-
served with the greatest accuracy. The axis 9, 9', of the earth is placed at the
proper and well-known angles of obliquity with the plane of the ecliptic, and the
whole of this arrangement is mounted on a vertical spindle h, passing through a
plate or arm i, to which motion is given in an elliptic or circular orbit by suitable
wheelwork j, j,j, below as in ordinary tellurians. The gearing is, calculated
to give neither more nor less than three hundred and sixty-five revolutions of
the earth in the year. The wheels required to produce the earth's revolution
can be omitted, as in the Drawing, without affecting the general explanation
and solution of problems, as the earth can be rotated and moved round into
any desired position by hand. The apparatus is surrounded by a horizontal
circle k, like the horizon of an ordinary globe, and on this circle are marked
the constellations of the zodiac divided into their proper degrees. Within
this circle; and concentric with it, is another circle on which are marked the
signs of the zodiac properly divided into degrees, and the months and days of
the year. As this inner circle is capable of motion, and the axis of the
earth can also be moved round the vertical diameter of the day and night
circle, which latter is also the axis of the ecliptic, these two will illustrate the
precession of the equinoxes. A similar illustration can be effected by a circle
marked by days, &c., immovably fixed to the siderial circle d, in the plane of
the ecliptic. The-earth with- the circles above mentioned travels round a
vertical spindle m, in an ellipse or excentric circle of the proper or true
excentricity, and a ball or point denoting the sun being mounted on another
vertical spindle n,.placed excentrically to the spindle m, the ellipticity of the
earth's orbit is illustrated. By this arrangement the earth although moving
round the central spindle m with uniform velocity will rotate round the sun
at n with varying velocity. These two spindles m and n thus form two foci of
an ellipse or a centre, and an excentric point of a circle. An index o attached
to the circle f, which encloses the earth and its circles points out the mean
place of the sun. On a prolongation of the axis of the day and night circle
is placed an index p, which coincides with a liue from the centre of the earth

page_text: to the centre of the sun, which latter index p, it will be recollected is placed
concentrically with the former, as if both indices were radii drawn from the
earth's centre, and having the two vertical focal spindles continually playing
between them as the earth moves in its orbit. This index p will therefore
point out the actual position of the sun in the ecliptic. The difference at any
time between the indications of these two indices o and p will therefore be
the difference between the true and mean place of the sun which is the
equation of the centre in angular measure; and therefore the difference in
time between the clock and the sun as far as this arises from the earth's
unequal motion in the ecliptic. On the index shewing the sun's real place is
mounted another index q, which is the radius of the zodiacal circles which
are concentric with the sun n, and not with the central spindle m. But the other
cause of the difference between the true solar day and the civil or mean day
is the obliquity of the ecliptic, which can be clearly demonstrated by means of
the moveable horizon 6, and equitorial circle, and the results of the obliquity
and equation of the centre together will be found to correspond with the
equation of time, as marked on the inner ecliptic ring which is the same as
that given on the horizon of the common globe for all periods of the year.
The globe of the instrument not being limited in size, the whole distance
between the sun and ecliptic ring can be filled by it without necessarily
increasing the size of the body of the instrument, and as the results are
then read off upon larger circles, all the ordinary problems and many
more can be solved with accuracy and collaterally explained at the same
time.
Having now described my Invention; and having explained the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I claim as the Invention 'secured to me by
Letters Patent as aforesaid the apparatus herein set forth for illustrating
astronomical problems.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Lionel Naish, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Fifteenth day of February, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
J. L. NAISH. (L.S.)