IMPROVEMENTS IN DATE INDICATORS OR CALENDARS
Year: 1884

page_text: ATION,
I JOHN JAMES RAGGETT of 127 Queens Road, Aston, Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Architect and Surveyor, do hereby declare the nature of my said
invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN DATE INDICATORS OR CALENDARS to be as
follows:-
This Invention comprises improvements in Date Indicators or Calendars and is
a means for ascertaining the date of the month, day of the week, also the date of
the year.
Its advantages over the ordinary calendars are that it is more easily read, and
adjusted, and is more compact, and being very simple is not likely to get out of
order.
In appearance it somewhat resembles the face of a clock, having a dial &
2 pointers or hands.
The dial has marked round it preferably in three concentric circles the names of
the months, the days of the month viz 1 to 31 and the days of the week or the
initial letters thereof, the two former being fixed, and the latter made adjustable,
so that it will turn round for the purpose of bringing the proper day of the week
opposite the first day of the month and the other days will follow in order.
As all of the months except February have some of the week days repeat five
times it is necessary to have at least five weeks on the week day plate which
Decessitates that it should be divided into 35, now as no month has more than
31 days, of course there will be four spaces to spare in the day of months plate
which space I preferably place at the top as it just nicely divides the last from
the first day of the month, besides which it leaves 4 spaces for me to place the date
of the year if I feel so disposed.
There are two hands or pointers one short and the other long, both working
round a common centre, the short one points to the months and the long one to
the date of the month and as the day of the week is opposite to the day of the
month the long hand serves for this also.
The hands work in the same proportion as clock hands (ie the long one working
twelve times as fast as the short one) and are worked by similar toothed wheels.
For the purpose of moving the long hand one notch each day, I employ a ratchet
wheel or equivalent device fixed on the same piping as the long hand, having
35 teeth worked by a pawl attached to a suitable lever or equivalent device having
a suitable attachment for the hand to work it also having a stop pawl or click.
Pin G27

page_text: As the number of days in the months vary from 28 to 31. I place the three
last dates viz 29. 30. & 31 on an underplate, the top plate being perforated opposite
these numbers, leaving a space between the top plate for a shield carried by the
piping of the short hand, which shield is notched so that it hides from view the
dates 29. 30. & 31. in February, the 31 in April and other months having 30 days
only.
At the end of each month the long hand will require moving 4 or more spaces
to bring it opposite the first of the next month, and the week day plate (except
after the month of February,) will also require to be adjusted to bring the proper
day of the week opposite the first day of the month, the latter is done simply by
turning the plate round, for which purpose there is a suitable projection, stud, or
thumbpiece.
The date of the year I propose to indicate by having the 1 & 8 permanent, and
the other two figures placed on a separate revolving disc each having the ten units
inscribed thereon, & seen through perforations in the face plate the units disc being
turned by a tooth operated by the small hand wheel and the tens being turned by
the units wheel.
I propose in some instances to place a sun rise and sun set indicator also an
indicator giving the number of days passed and the number of days to come in
the year, in conjunction with the calendar.
This I propose to do by having a separate hand or pointer (working on the same
centre as the other hands, but independently of them), and 4 separate concentric
circles each circle being divided into at least 366 divisions for containing the whole
of the days in the year, one circle containing the times at which the sun rises,
another the times at which it sets in.another the number of days passed and in the
other the number of days to come in the year, as the divisions for each day in the
4 circles are exactly opposite each other one pointer will serve for the whole, the
pointer is worked by a lever carrying a pawl which works a ratchet wheel having
366 teeth which works the hands.
I propose in some instances to produce a cheap calendar in which case I should
omit the wheels, which are for the proportional movement of the hands, and have
a ratchet, triangular, or rose shaped tooth, wheel, on the piping of each band, the
short hand wheel having 12 teeth and the long one 35 (or as many teeth as the
face plate is divided into) a suitable spring pawl or equivalent device pressing
between these teeth, in order that it may prevent the hands slipping by their own
weight, in this arrangement the short hand would not move gradually each day
in proportion to the long hand, but would be moved only once a month and placed
exactly opposite the centre of the month. The hands in this case may be moved
by a lever & pawl or by touching the hands themselves.
In some instances I omit all mechanism except the hands, and fix them sufficiently
tight on their spindle to prevent them from slipping of their own accord.
The calendar may be made out of metal, pottery, cardboard, or other suitable
material, and may be combined with my calculating card, an Inkstand, Desk, clock,
watch, mathematical instruments or other suitable article.
Dated this 26th day of Juno 1001.

page_text: pointers or hands.
Figs. 1. 3. & 4 are drawings of the face.
Fig. 2 is a section.
Fig 5 is an Elevation showing it in combination with an eight day clock. The dial
has marked round it preferably in three concentric circles the names of the months
the days of the months viz 1 to 31 and the days of the week or the initial letters
thereof the two former being. fixed and the latter made adjustable, so that it will
turn round for the purpose of bringing the proper day of the week opposite the
first day of the month and the other days will follow in order.
As all of the months except February have some of the week days repeat five
times it is necessary to have at least five weeks on the week day plate which
necessitates that it should be divided into 35, now as no month has more than the
31 days of course there will be four spaces to spare in the day of the month plate,
which space I preferably place at the top as it just nicely divides the last from the
first day of the month, besides which it leaves 4 spaces for me to place the date of
the year if I feel so disposed.
There are two hands or pointers one short and the other long both working
round a common centre the short one points to the months and the long one to the
date of the month and as the day of the week is opposite to the day of the month
the long hand serves for this also.
The hands work in the same proportion as clock hands (i.e. the long one
working twelve times as fast as the short one) and are worked by similar toothed
wheels.
For the purpose of moving the long hand one notch each day I employ a ratchet
wheel A or equivalent device fixed on the saine piping B as the long hand having
35 teeth worked by a pawl c attached to a suitable lever D or equivalent device
having a suitable knob or attachment E for the finger or hand to work also having
a stop pawl or click.
As the number of days in the month vary from 28 to 31 I place the 3 last dates
viz 29. 30, & 31 on an underplate as shewn at F Fig 3. the top plate being
perforated opposite these numbers leaving a space between the top plate for a
shield carried by the piping of the short hand which shield is notched as at

page_text: '
dotted lines G Fig. 3. so that it hides from view the dates 29, 30 & 31 in February
the 31 in April and other months having 30 days only.
At the end of each month the long hand will require moving 4 or more space
to bring it opposite the first of the next month and the week day plate (except
after the month of February) will also require to be adjusted to bring the proper
day of the week opposite the first day of the month the latter is done simply
by turning the plate round for which purpose there is a suitable projection, stud or
thumbplate H.
The date of the year I propose to indicate by having the 1 & 8 permanent and
the other two figures placed on a separate revolving disc each having the ten &
units inscribed thereon, & seen through perforations in the face plate as shewn at I
Fig I the units disc being turned by a tooth J operated on by the small hand
wheel K and the two tens being turned by the units wheel.
I propose in some instances to place a sun rise & sun set indicator also an
indicator giving the number of days passed and the number of days to come in the
year in conjunction with the calendar.
This I propose to do by having a separate hand or pointer (working on the same
centre as the other hands but independently of them) and 4 separate concentric
circles preferably at the very extreme edge of the Calendar in order to have them
as large as possible each circle being divided into at least 366 divisions for
containing the whole of the days in the year one circle containing the times at
which the sun rises another the times at which it sets in another the number of
days passed and in the other the number of days to come in the year; as the
divisions for each day in the 4 circles are exactly opposite each other one pointer
will serve for the whole the pointer is worked by a lever carrying a pawl which
works a ratchet wheel having 366 teeth which works the hands.
:
I propose in some instances to produce a cheap calendar in which case I should
omit the wheels which are for the proportional movement of the hands, & have a
ratchet triangular or rose shaped tooth wheel on the piping of each hand the short
.hand wheel having twelve teeth and the long one 35 or as many teeth as the face
.plate is divided into a suitable spring pawl or equivalent device pressing between
these teeth in order that it may prevent the hands slipping by their own weight
in this arrangement the short hand would not move gradually each day in
proportion to the long hand but would be moved only once a month and placed
.exactly opposite the centre of the month. The hands in this case may be moved
by a lever and pawl or by touching the hands themselves. The spring stop pawl
would keep the pointers exactly opposite the day of the month.
'
:
In some instances I omit all mechanism except the hands and fix them sufficiently
tight on their spindle to prevent them from slipping of their own accord.
In some cases I omit the hands altogether in which case it is necessary to notice
the day of the week also how many weeks have passed during the month and
the proper date will be found opposite the day of the week in the proper week of
the month.
Also in some cases I make a hole opposite each day & opposite each month into
which a peg or pin is placed & moved every day for the day of weeks. & every
month for the months.
:
Also the day of week & day of month plate or circle may both move, in
which case at the beginning of each month they will be moved independently of
each other & placed with the proper day of month opposite the proper day of
the week through the whole of the month they will both be moved together the
proper day being denoted by a suitable point, mark or index on the fixed part thus
doing away, with the necessity of hands or pegs, this form is very convenient in
combination with an Ink bottle the date calendar acting as a stand.
Although I have shewn the day of month on the outside circle or plate yet I am
aware that the day of week plate may be on the outside Also that instead of the
day of week being a movable plate the day or month may be made to move and
other similar modifications may be made without altering.the principle

page_text: The Calendar, may be made out of metal, wood, pottery, cardboard or other
suitable material, and may be combined with my Calculating card, an Inkstand,
Desk, clock, watch mathematical Instrument or other suitable article.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. A calendar dial having a week day plate divided into at least 35 divisions as
substantially set forth.
2. A Calendar dial having a week day plate & day of month plate arranged in
two concentric circles each of which is divided into 35 divisions as substantially set
forth.
3. A Calendar dial having a week day plate divided into a least 35 divisions &
made adjustable in combination with a day of month plate as substantially set
forth.
4. A Calendar dial having a week day plate & day of month plate arranged in
two concentric circles in combination with 2 hands or pointers & mechanism for
the proportional working of the same.
5. A Calendar dial having a week day plate & day of month plate, arranged in
two concentric circles in combination with the two hands or pointers & ratchet,
rose, triangular or other suitable tooth wheels & stop pawl for keeping the said
hands in position, the day of month wheel having 35 teeth & the months wheel 12
teeth as substantially set forth.
6. A series of holes into which a peg or pin fits for denoting the days also other
holes & a pin or peg for denoting the months.
7. The day of month & day of week plate being made so that they will both
move together in order to bring the proper day opposite the fixed line or index.
8. A dial containing a day of month plate day of week plate & months plate
arranged in 3 concentric circles the former being divided into 35 divisions in
combination with hands or pointers as substantially set forth.
9. A Calendar dial having 2 hands in combination with a lever carrying a pawl
for operating the same.
.
10. A day of week plate having a stud pin or a sinking or bole acting as a thumb
piece for turning it round.
11. A Date indicator or calendar attached to a clock or watch & operated on by
means of a tooth wheel carrying a side tooth or camm in combination with the
short hand wheel.
12. A Date indicator or calendar consisting of the parts arranged & combined
as substantially set forth in this specification & illustrated by the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 31st day of March 1885.
JOHN JAMES KAGGETT