IMPROVEMENTS IN ASTRONOMICAL APPARATUS FOR ILLUSTRATING THE POSITION OF EVERY PART OF THE HEAVENS WITH REGARD TO EVERY PART OF THE EARTH, AT EVERY PERIOD OF THE YEAR
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Holmes Haigh, of Featherstone Buildings,
Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ASTRONOMICAL APPARATUS FOR ILLUSTRATING THE POSITION OF EVERY PART
OF THE HEAVENS WITH REGARD TO EVERY PART OF THE EARTH, AT EVERY
PERIOD OF THE YEAR."
Sealed the 14th December 1877, and dated the 20th June 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Holmes Haigh at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th June 1877.
WILLIAM HOLMES HAIGH, of Featherstone Buildings, Holborn, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ASTRONOMICAL APPARATUS FOR ILLUSTRATING THE
POSITION OF EVERY PART OF THE HEAVENS WITH REGARD TO EVERY PART OF THE
EARTH AT EVERY PERIOD OF THE YEAR."
The apparatus consists of an open or hollow sphere of the principal meridians in
which a globe representing the earth and revolving on its axis performs its circuit
round the sun, which sun is suspended from a point in the hollow sphere representing
the pole of the ecliptic.
The representation of the annual motion of the earth round the sun is obtained
by first fixing the sphere of meridians by the aid of four small columns in an
upright position, and then within that sphere fixing a metal wheel or ring with
outside cogs at a level of four and a half inches from the foundation platform, round
which cog ring moves a pinion wheel of one inh diameter, which by revolving
moves a smaller pinion wheel of half inch diameter.
The two pinion wheels are supported or revolve upon the under surface of a
crank or small arm, which is spread or extended at the pinion end to accomodate
them while the other end of the arm has a pinion affixed to its under surface,
which, turning round as an axle in the centre of the cog ring allows the arm to
travel round the cog ring. The motion is conveyed to the small arm with the two
pinion wheels by moving with the hand a long arm or mover of 9½ inches, or
thereabouts, which projects outside the sphere through a long horizontal slot of

page_text: 12, inches, or thereabouts, kept in its place at the proper level by its standards
screwed to the foundation platform. The inside end of the long arm or mover has
a column two and a half inches high affixed to it, beveled at the top to allow the
globe to revolve on it at an inclination of 231, degrees.
The revolution of the globe on its axis is caused by the small cog wheel fixed to
its axis being acted upon by another small cog wheel, both bevelled to allow an
inclination of 23, degrees. This latter cog wheel being fixed to a spindle or axle
passing through the column on which the globe revolves, and having its lower end
fixed in the centre of the small pinion wheel, under the small arm moved by the
larger pinion wheel as it travels round the large cog ring. By this arrangement of
one large cog ring two pinion wheels on the under surface of the small arm and two
bevelled wheels on its top-of the 21%, inch column, which column is fixed to the end
of the long arm or mover, the proper motion is obtained to illustrate the motion of
the earth on its axis, and also its motion in its orbit, carrying its poles parallel.
The combination of the four wheels and cog ring with the large and small arms
I claim as new.
I also claim to apply a cog ring, with inside cogs, and one inside pinion wheel in
place of a cog ring, with outside cogs and two outside. pinion wheels, to produce, in
conjunction with the other parts, the same result.
Attached to the upper axis or north pole of the model globe is one arm of a
length of two inches, with an axis or pin at the end sloping to allow the moon
arm which work upon it, and carries the model moon, to illustrate the motion of
the moon round the earth. This arrangement I also claim.
.
At two inches from the pole of the ecliptic an axis is fixed to the meridian,
sloping to allow a curved planet arm to travel round the inside of the sphere
carrying a model planet. Attached to the pole of the ecliptic is a meridian passing
through a fixed star illustrating celestial longitude, also a ineridian from the pole of
the equinoctial passing through the same star illustrating the right ascention of that
star.
The
There is also a representation of zenith distance, thus giving a good idea of an
hour angle. This arrangement illustrating the hour angle I also claim.
dimensions of the apparatus may be considerably varied.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Holmes Haigh in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
19th December 1877.
WILLIAM HOLMES HAIGH, of No. 8, Featherstone Buildings, Holborn, in the
County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ASTRONOMICAL APPARATUS FOR ILLUS-
TRATING THE POSITION OF EVERY PART OF THE HEAVENS WITH REGARD TO EVERY
PART OF THE EARTH, AT EVERY PERIOD OF THE YEAR."
The object of the apparatus which forms the subject of this Invention is to enable
the pupil to obtain a clear conception of the varying position of any point of the
surrounding heavenly sphere with regard to our planet, and consequently the
varying position of the heavenly bodies, whatever part of that sphere they may
occupy, which variation of position with regard to the fixed stars is occasioned by
the annual and diurnal motions of the earth, and with regard to the moon
and planets from the same cause in conjunction with their motion in their own
orbits.
The combinations invented to effect this object are comprised in an instrument
made chiefly of brass, resting on a wooden slab, the inside diameter of the hollow
sphere to be presently described, being 20 inches, and in the following description
this size is the size referred to, though the instrument can be made any size.
In the Drawings which illustrate this Invention, Figure 1 is an elevation ;
Figure 2 is a plan of the ten-inch wheel affixed to the slab, shewing its position
with regard to the facia; Figure 3 is a plan of the facia.
These Drawings, Figures 1 and 2, and 3, are half size.
Figure 4 shews a plan of the ten-inch wheel W, the connecting lever c, l, and the
two pinion wheels w1 and w2, as seen from the under side. Figure 5 is a plan of
the upper side of the same parts as Figure 4, with a part of the lever L shewn.
Figure 6 is a section of the parts chiefly concerned in the production of the diurnal
and annual motion.
Figures 4, 5, and 6 are drawn full size.
The hollow sphere which will be referred to as the sphere represented on
Figure 1, is drawn half size, and is composed of five principal meridians marked
M1, M2, E 2, and U, and is made of strip brass, 1-inch broad, by -inch thick ;
each strip joined by brazing composes a separate ring. One meridian marked E is
horizontal, and denotes the ecliptic; one is perpendicular, M 1, to the ecliptic, and
crosses it at right angles, at the first point of Aries A; one Q the equinoctial,
inclined at 23 degrees to the ecliptic, also crossing at A; another, M 2, crossing
also at A, and inclined at an angle of 23 degrees to M1; these four are connected
by another meridian U, which intersects them at right angles.
This meridian is described as the colure, and passes through the north and south
poles of the ecliptic and equinoctial, which points have cach a boss as at A, and
the point opposite A, that is as at the point Libra. There is also a boss at each
junction, B and b. These bosses are made from half-inch bar brass, and are 2-inch
deep, filed into grooves to grasp the meridians. The boss at the top of M1 repre-
sents the north pole of the ecliptic; the boss at the top of M 2 the north pole of the
equinoctial. The bosses at the bottom represent the south poles. The bosses are
united to the meridians with solder.. Solder is also used where the meridians are
cut half way to make flush joints.
In addition to these principal meridians there is a quadrantal meridian from I,
through 8; and perpendicular to the equinoctial Q, which it joins.
There is also a quadrantal meridian, i, perpendicular to the ecliptic, which it
joins. At the junction of these two quadrantal meridians with each other a star is
placed, s, in the same way as the bosses.
There is another quadrantal meridian from I, through H, to the equinoctial Q,
which it joins at right angles about six inches beyond the colure U, that is at about
125° from A. H and are connected, as shewn, thus forming an hour angle,

page_text: H, I, U. The point U I make at 50° north declination for convenience in illus-
trating the hour angle. The colure U has an axle x 1 screwed to it, on which axlo
the planet arm x 1 to J revolves, thus illustrating the orbit of a planet. The axle
The lower
is filed away to fit on the colure, to which it is screwed, by a collar.
end of this axle has the sun bracket K affixed with a screw.. From the end of
The sun is
this bracket is a pendulum wire holding the sun in a plane with A.
turned out of inch bar brass, with a projecting meridian about an inch deep,
which has a small hole drilled through, into which is inserted the pendulum hook.
There is attached to the sphere the facia F, having a long slot, as shewn, through
which the handle or lever L projects, enabling the handle to be worked from the
outside.
Above and below the slot in the facia are projections, as shewn, grooved to allow
the meridian U to rest in them. The upper projection has the meridian secured to
it by a collar screwed on. The meridian U is cut away between the two projections
to allow the lever L to be worked. The sphere is placed upon a slab of walnut
wood 20 inches by 18 wide, which is grooved to allow the bottom of the sphere to
sink into the slab. The sphere is supported by three small walnut columns n,
grooved at tlie top, in which grooves the sphere rests. The ecliptic E is marked
with the 12 signs of the zodiac, and the equinoctial Q has the degrees marked at
intervals of 30. The meridian from I to A is marked in a similar manner, also the
upper part of m 1 to A. The meridians are bronzed, except the equinoctial Q and
those meridians that are perpendicular to it, which are burnished.
Having described the frame or sphere with the planet axle, planet arm, sun
bracket, and pendulum wire suspending the sun, also the facia and supports, I now
proceed to describe the ten-inch spur wheel W with 250 teeth, round which wheel
the globe performs its annual revolution. This wheel, which has a diameter of 10
inches, is supported on four brass legs at such height that the centre of the globe
shall be in a plane with the ecliptic E. The centre of the wheel W must not he
palced in the centre of the sphere under the pole of the ecliptic, but 14 inches out
of the centre towards the facia F. When the globe is at the centre of the facia it will be
inch nearly further from the sun than when at the opposite point.". At the centre
of the wheel W is the axle of the connecting lever c, l, which lever projects over the
ten-inch wheel W in a broad head, under which head are the two pinion wheels;
w1 is one inch diameter, with 25 teeth, and w2 is half-inch diameter, with 12 teeth.
The connecting lever travels round the 10-inch wheel W, and has the one-inch wheel
w1 so fitted to it as to cog with the wheel W, and thus turning or revolving, acts
upon the half-inch pinion wheel w 2. The one-inch pinion wheel w 1 revolves on an
The connecting
axle with a shoulder, and has under it a screw nut and washer.
lever c, l, is shewn in Figure 4 and 5, also in Figure 6, with its boss o. The
marks 5, X, 3, represent one piece of brass forming an axle X with a thumb piece 5,
and screwed at 3 into the boss of the connecting lever c, l, at o. The boss in the
large wheel-W is marked O'; in this boss the axle at c, b, is free to turn.
When the long lever L-(Figure 4) pulls the connecting lever c,, round the ten-
inch wheel W, the one-inch pinion wheel connected with c, l, naturally revolves as
it cogs with the wheel W, and when the one-inch pinion wheel wil revolves, it sets
in motion the half-inch-pinion wheel w 2. To accomodate the small wheel w 2 an
axle tube about 34 inches long is fixed into the connecting lever c,, projecting about
inch through it, as shewn (see T; Figure 6). An axle R, Figure 6, about four inches
long, is fixed to the small wheel w 2, and works in the tube T, which is so fixed to
the lever c, l, as to allow the small wheel w2 to cog with the inch wheel w1.
The 34 inch tube T, Figure 6, is seen passing through a 24-inch column C, in
which it must be free to revolve, which colunin C is fixed to the long lever L. The
axle R has the half-inch pinion wheel fixed to its lower end, as before described, and,
after passing through the tube T has a small bevil wheel fixed to the upper end;
which revolves when the small pinion wheel is set in motion by the one-inch-pinion
wheel.
When the small bevil wheel V 2, Figure 6, is set in motion as described, it gives

page_text: motion to another similar bevil wheel V 1 which gears with it. The bevil wheel V 1
is fixed to the pipe P, which revolves on a steel axis r, and thus causes the globe G-
which is fixed to the pipe P to revolve. The brass column C has the top sloping...
as shewn (see Figure 6), to allow the axis to be inclined 23 degrees from the
perpendicular. The two wheels V1 and V2 must be bevil wheels, so as to allow
the axis r the inclination of 23 degrees.
The globe G is made of light wood and hollow, 'and only thinly coated with cement
to secure lightness. The column C is fixed in the long lever L, which lever is made
of brass about inch thick, except at the end to which the column C is fixed, which
is thicker. Round the globe G is a brass meridian e of Greenwich, of sufficient
thickness to allow of being drilled through at the point of the globe marked
Greenwich, at which point a metal pin is inserted towards the centre of the globe.
The outer point of this pin points to the zenith of Greenwich. The meridian e is
fixed to the pipe P by a boss at top and bottom, and thus representing the meridian
of Greenwich it revolves with the globe.
over.
*Above the meridian of Greenwich is fixed the moon bracket k to the axis r, on
which it is screwed and kept tight by a screw nut under and a pointed screw nut
At the end of the bracket k is the moon axle x 2, on which revolves the
moon arm, to which the moon m is firmly fixed. The moon arm is tightened at the
top by a screw nut. The moon axle is so inclined as to allow the moon's orbit an
inclination of 5 degrees, or thereabouts, to the ecliptic.
By the arrangements producing the inclined orbits of the moon and a planet, the
ever varying position of those bodies may be illustrated; and by the arrangement
producing the annual and diurnal motions of the earth, the position of any part of
the heavens may be illustrated.
In Figure 6D p, v, represents a prime vertical, attached to which is a small
meridian m, and these are connected with the horizon h, which aro intended to
represent a prime vertical, meridian and horizon of a ship in 60° west longitude,
and 50° north latitude, at which point on the globe they are fixed. This arrange-
ment will illustrate, in conjunction with the hour angle before described, the method
of finding longitude, and also when the planet Jupiter is placed close to the colure U;
and under the hour angle it will illustrate a meridian observation for latitude, the
globe being placed near the opposite side of the colure U for both observations, and
with the ship's meridian facing the planet Jupiter. The small pin in the centre of
the horizon represents the observer, with his head pointing to the zenith, his
zenith in the heavens being the point in the hour angle at U, while the globe
remains in the position just described. The horizon h is screwed to the globe by the
pin. By looking closely over the horizon h, while the globe is revolving slowly in
the position just described, the rising of the planet Jupiter will be illustrated.
The arrangement of parts shewn in Figure 6 D, just described, consisting of a
prime vertical, meridian, and horizon, is also furnished without the under screw, so
as to be placed flat on any part of the globe, to represent there the east and west
points, the horizon, and the meridian. In order to do this the meridian m must be
held on a due north and south line; we can then observe the position of any part
of the heaven above the horizon at that spot.
Having now described the." Improvements in Astronomical Apparatus for Illus-
trating the Position of every Part of the Heavens with regard to every Part of the
Earth, at every Period of the Year," and having explained the manner of carrying
the same into effect, I claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters Patent as
aforesaid,―
First. The combination and arrangement of parts herein set forth, whereby a
globe representing the earth is presented to the eye as moving in an orbit round a
model sun, and at the same time revolving on its axis.
Second. I claim the combination and arrangement of a spur wheel lever and
connecting lever, so arranged that the lever shall be used from the outside of the
model sphere through a slot in the facia, the spur wheel being of the diameter of
the orbit of the model globe.

page_text: Third. I claim the combination and arrangement of a prime vertical, horizon, and
meridian, to illustrate the east and west points of the horizon, and the position of
the horizon and meridian at any period at the point where fixed.
Fourth. I claim the same arrangement of parts as specified in my third claim,
but to be applied at any convenient part of the globe.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Holmes Haigh, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Nineteenth day of December, in the year our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
WILLIAM HOLMES HAIGH. (L.S.)