Reading, and other Subjects.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Feb., 1889
Specification Accepted, 23rd Mar., 1889
Reading, and other Subjects.
I, JOSEPH KERNER, Teacher, of 17 Pentalconswall, Cologne, in the German Empire,
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 :-
The subject of the present invention may be described as a counting ring, and
consists of two parts:
1. A strong wire, forming a ring capable of being either closed by means of two
hooks, or opened.
2. Any convenient number of small boards adapted to be held together by the said
wire, each board or plate having for this purpose a perforation through which the
wire may be passed. These plates may have any suitable length and colour; of each
kind or variety there is an equal number, for instance, five short plates of red colour,
and five long white plates. Either the long or the short plates are provided with
figures and letters and stops, or other symbols.
The ring may be used to facilitate instruction in arithmetic and reading or for
playing useful games.
In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1. is a perspective view of a ring embodying
my invention, while Fig. 2. is a side view of a plate.
I-In using the apparatus for preliminary exercises, I may proceed as
follows:-
1-The ring k. is opened, all the plates B, B, and b, b are taken off, and subsequently
again put on the ring in such a manner that a short plate always follows after a long
plate, or a white plate after a red one.
2-Or the plates may be placed on the ring, in such a manner that always two
long plates alternate with two short ones, afterwards, three long ones with three short
ones, and so on; or the same order may be observed with the red and the white.
plates.
3-Or the ring, with all the plates, is laid upon the table, after which, every second
plate is turned with its free (or lower) end into the ring; then every third plate and
so on.
4-Or the plates may be so arranged in pairs that two are situated with their free.

page_text: ends outside the ring, while the two following are situated with their free ends inside
the ring, and so on in alternation.
II Arithmetical exercise:—
5-The child places upon the ring as many plates as it can count.
6 The plates are arranged as indicated under (1) and then counted forward or back-
ward, while omitting the 1st, 3rd 5th &c.; or the 2nd, 4th, 6th &c. The plates which
have been omitted in counting may be turned into the ring.
7-The plates are arranged as described under (2) and counted forward and backward
while omitting two and then three.
8-The plates are taken off the ring, after which they are arranged alternately
by laying one flat on the table and setting the next plate on edge at the side of the
first. Then the whole row is counted forward and backward while omitting either 1,
3, 5 &c.; or 2, 4, 6 &c.
III Decomposition of numbers :—
1-6 plates, namely 5 short ones, and 1 long one are placed on the ring; then they
are decomposed into 1 + 5, 2 + 4, 3 + 3, 4 + 2, 5 + 1, and so on, by separating the
corresponding numbers of plates by the width of a finger.
2-The plates are taken off the ring and decomposed into two parts in such a
manner that they are situated sideways upon each other.
IV Addition up to 10.
For this and all other exercises, the total number of plates on the ring should not
be greater than what is necessary for the exercise in view.
1-For instance, in adding to 1, the child places 5 long and 5 short plates on the
ring, holds the first plate with the left hand, and adds to it by shifting plates from the
right to the left as follows:-1 + 2 = 3; 1+4 = 53 1 + 7 :8; and so on.
2-Or the operation may be performed as just described, with the difference,
however, that the plates to which others are to be added, are turned with their free
ends into the ring.
3-Or exercises may be made with the free plates.
V-Subtraction in a circle up to 10.
The exercises for this purpose are analagous to those described above..
VI Addition above 10.
For these exercises the plates should be arranged on the ring in such a manner, that
5 short plates alternate always with 5 long ones, and that there are ten plates of each
colour.
1-For instance, in adding to 8, the child places on the ring 20 plates, and adds
plates to the 8 from the right.
2-The same operation may be modified by turning the plates, to which others are
to be added, with their free ends into the ring.
3-Or exercises may be made with the free plates.
VII Subtraction above 10.
The exercises for this purpose are analagous to those just described.
VIII Multiplication.
1-For instance, to multiply the number 3, the child places 30 plates on the ring in
such a manner, that 3 short plates alternate with 3 long ones and that there are
always six of the same colour; after which it points out groups separately and says:—
1 x 3 = 3; 2 × 3 6; 3 x 3 9; 4 × 3 = 12, &c.
=
2-Of the plates arranged as described, every other group is turned with its free
end into the ring, and the exercise performed as before.
IX-Division.
For instance, to divide the number 10, all plates are placed on the ring and
divided successively into 2, 3, 4, 5 parts by separating the different parts from each
other.
PLAYING AND DRAWING.

page_text: READING.
For this purpose the plates are provided with letters. (See Fig. 2.) If the plates
are placed side by side in a suitable order, they represent various combinations of sounds
which may be read off and afterwards copied by the child.
One of the longitudinal edges of each plate is preferably bevelled, as shown in
Fig. 1, so that they can be separated more easily when on the ring.
Having now completely described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
An appliance for elementary instruction, consisting of a wire ring adapted to be
opened and closed, and a number of small plates arranged on the wire, but detachable
from the same and adapted to be used for reckoning, playing and reading, the said
plates being provided with bevelled edges and made of different colours and sizes, and
eventually provided on one or both sides with letters or other symbols, substantially as
described.