Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Mar.. 1897-Accepted, 29th May. 1897
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 322, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, 6, Lord Street,
Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, and
Lower Temple Street, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Civil Engineer,
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:-
My invention relates to the collation and the graphic arrangement of the data of
events in history, science, art, or other topics of interest in chronological and
tabular order.
It is my object to furnish some base or form for the student or investigator that
will guide him in the arrangement of the memoranda which he desires to record, so
as to homogeneously group the same before him in a continuous, comparative, and
perspective record. The continuity of my chart will enable the student to arrange
The comparative
his history or statistics in uninterrupted consecutive order.
arrangement enables the student to throw into juxtaposition events which are
contemporary as having occurred in some arbitrary epoch or period of time, and
the perspective arrangement impresses on the mind the remoteness or proximity of
the event as compared with the present time. To this end, I have invented a circular
skeleton chart or blank diagram, developed on the line of a conical spiral, on which
the student may write or otherwise insert in proper order the data of important events
relating to the subject which he has under investigation, collated in comparative form;
that is to say, the subject may be carried through a period of several centuries,
continuously represented, while at the same time the respective century periods are
orderly grouped, one under the other, so that the student by following any radial line
drawn from the pole or centre of my chart, will be afforded an opportunity of studying
the evolution of the subject-matter generally or during a particular interval in
consecutive centuries.
The accompanying drawing is a plan of my invention, illustrating the construction
thereof.
More particularly describing the same, my chart or diagram is laid out within a
circle, the periphery a of which is decimally graduated. From the centre or pole of
this circle extends a spiral line b and a series of radial lines c, thus dividing the surface
of the area inclosed within the circle, into the gradually enlarging spaces d, following
the contour of the spiral line. The object of this arrangement is two-fold. In studying
the progressive history of any subject, the early periods contain the least data, while
as we approach the present the individual year may be a mile stone in the flight of
time, marking the occurrence of some event of great moment; but underlying this
object is the more important and fundamental idea of representing the infinity of time
by the aid of the perspective. The remoter the event recorded, the smaller it will
appear, and the more recent the occurrence, the more conspicuously will it be shown.

page_text: "By this arrangement the present stands prominently before us, while the bygone time
gradually recedes from view until lost into a mere point in the spiral time-line of my
chart. The spiral lines b are decimally graduated the same as the peripheral lines a.
The radial lines e e', dividing the centuries and half-centuries, extend horizontally and
may be doubled to be more readily observed as a base of calculation. The vertical
quarter-century line may be likewise drawn with some distinguishing feature, as, e.g.,
a heavy line, and the area of the respective centuries may be tinted to more easily
distinguish the same.
In the construction of my skeleton chart, I begin at the centre or polar point, and
draw a continuous spiral line, and thereby develop a conical spiral, the area of which
I subdivide by a series of radial lines, radiating from such polar or central point, the
distance of such radial lines from each other being governed by some arbitrary
measurement. Clors may further be used to designate arbitrary epochs or periods.
In addition to the spiral line 6, further parallel spiral lines may be employed to provide
smaller spaces in which to insert the data of matter considered comparatively and
contemporaneously with the main topic under investigation, and additional radial lines
may be employed to designate collateral matter, as, for example, the different methods
of calculating time in use when the recorded events transpired.
A student interested in the examination of any topic, being supplied with a
chart-blank such as I have described, can note in the time areas or spaces thereof, the
important events which he desires to keep especially in mind, recording the more
important events in more conspicuous style or character than the ordinary, if he sees
fit, so that when he has reached the end of his researches, he will have a graphic
record in chronological order and comparative form before him.
These charts or diagrams may be used for recording the statistics or other data of
any topic.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is :-
A chronological skeleton chart, comprising a sheet of paper or like material, having
thereon a circular area traversed by the spiral line b and the radial lines c, subdividing
such area into the spaces d beginning at the centre, and gradually increasing in size,
the peripheral lines being decimally graduated throughout, substantially as described."
Dated this 15th day of March 1897.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
322, High Holborn, London, W.C., Patent Agents for the Applicant.