An Apparatus for Teaching Word-building and Arithmetic for use in Schools.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Feb., 1898
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PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Apparatus for Teaching Word-building and Arithmetic
for use in Schools.
JOHN TRAVIS HOLMES, Alnut's Foundation School, Goring Heath, Reading,
Schoolmaster, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Printed endless tapes moved by being pulled over or through a hanger or face-
board, and round a stretcher, for use in teaching reading and arithmetic.
The endless tapes are separated by projections or divisions, and are moved by the
hand upwards or downwards without the aid of machinery.
When complete the whole forms a word-builder and practical blackboard
combined.
Tal
1741 1...
1000
An Apparatus for Teaching Word-building and Arithmetic
for use in Schools.
I, JOHN TRAVIS HOLMES, Alnut's Foundation School, Goring Heath, Reading,
Schoolmaster, 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:-
Printed endless tapes moved by being pulled over or through a hanger or part
of the face board and round a stretcher for use in teaching reading and arithmetic.
The endless tapes are separated by projections or divisions and are moved by
the hand upwards or downwards without the aid of machinery. When complete
the whole forms a word-builder and practical blackboard combined.
Referring to the annexed drawings,
Figure 1, is a front elevation of a blackboard constructed according to my
invention.
Figure 2, rear elevation of same.
Figure 3, cross section through line ay in Fig. 2.
The essential feature of my invention consists in the movable bars or supports a
and a¹ which are provided with separating pieces b or other suitable arrangement
for maintaining the continuous bands in their relative positions to each other.
These continuous bands may be made of any suitable material such as linen, and
carry letters or numbers or other desired information which may be marked upon

page_text: same in any suitable colour. The bars or supports a are secured in position by
any suitable means such as a button d, the object of this arrangement being to
facilitate the removal of the bars or supports for the purpose of changing or
altering the continuous bands carrying the desired information or letters.
In Figure 1 it will be seen that the bar or supports are of such a width as to expose
when required one letter or indication carried upon the continuous bands c, through
the opening c. The surface e is prepared in any convenient manner for the purpose
of enabling it to be used as a blackboard or slate.
The device may be placed in any suitable position to be viewed by the class or
individual being taught, or it may be hung upon an easel or other suitable support
by means of the eyelet holes f and a cord.
By this construction of board the operator can readily change the characters or
marks exposed, by operating the continuous bands c from the rear.
An important factor is the employment of a blank space upon each band by means
of which one or more words may be spelt and separated from one another by a blank
space as shewn in Figure 1.
Of course it will be readily seen that according to the number of bands employed
so the scope of the invention may be varied, but I find that from 9 to 13 bands is
a convenient number.
1
i
It will be understood that the letters or representations are marked upon the
continuous band at such a distance from one another, as to ensure only one letter
at a time being exposed upon the bar or support a. If desired I may also provide
apertures at various parts of the blackboard in addition to the opening c¹ for the
purpose of exhibiting letters or characters.
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. The apparatus for teaching wordbuilding and arithmetic substantially as
described and illustrated herein.
2. In blackboards or teaching apparatus: bars or supports carrying continuous
bands upon which letters or characters are marked; a board or surface having an
opening or openings through which said characters may be viewed; pins or
separating pieces for maintaining the bands in their proper position upon the bars
or supports substantially as described and illustrated herein.
Dated this 10th day of November 1808