An Adjustable Calendar, which can be Combined with Pocket Articles, such as Pencils, Penholders, or the like, or with other Round or Prismatic Objects.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Mar., 1896-4ccepted, 11th July, 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Adjustable Calendar, which can be Combined with Pocket
Articles, such as Pencils, Penholders, or the like, or with other
Round or Prismatic Objects.
I, JOHN BENTON THOMAS, of 25 Wieland Strasse, Friedenau, near Berlin, in
the Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire, Gentleman, 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 an adjustable calendar which can be combined with
pocket, or other round or prismatic articles, such as pencils, penholders, toothpick-
cases, napkin-rings, ink-wells and the like, and has for object to enable the user to
ascertain by merely looking at his pencil or other article to which the invention is
applied not only the date of any particular day, but the whole of the dates of the
month for any given day. My invention is thus suitable for use both as a daily
and a reference calendar, and, as the letters and dates are, moreover, arranged for
perpetual use, that is to say for any number of years desired, my said invention
offers great and lasting convenience to the users of the articles to which it is
applied, as the said users can ascertain a date or dates without reference to ordinary
wall calendars or newspapers which are not always at hand.
The essential features of my invention are an outer slotted cylindrical cap or
shell on which certain numbers and letters are engraved or otherwise affixed, and a
round or prismatic object, such as a pencil, penholder, napkin-ring or the like, or
another similar slotted cap or shell or shells, on which corresponding letters, and
numbers are affixed in such way, that, when the inner object or shell or shells last
mentioned is or are inserted in the outermost cap or shell, a row of letters, and
numbers on the former will be visible through the slot in the latter so as to be read
in conjunction with the numbers on this latter. It is merely necessary to arrange
the vertical and horizontal rows of letters, and numbers to the same depth on both
object and cap or shell or shells, for each letter, and number to appear in its exact
relative position.
I will explain my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings in
which:
Fig. 1 shows my adjustable calendar as applied to a pencil, pencil-case, or other
like round or prismatic article which can be carried in the pocket or appended to a
watch chain.
Fig. 2 shows the inserting end of the pencil or other object as it appears when
not inserted in the outer cylindrical cap or shell.
Figs. 3, 4 and 5 show how the calendar can be applied to a napkin-ring, and,
Fig. 6 shows how the same can be applied to a needle-box and other like
articles.
With reference to Fig. 1, A is the outer slotted cylindrical cap or shell, and
A' is its slot. On this outer cap or shell are printed. or pressed or otherwise
affixed the numbers from 1 to 31 in rows. B is a pencil, penholder or other
similar object, whose one end, B', is likewise, provided with rows of letters, repre-
senting a whole week, which are preferably arranged so that the days follow each
other in rows in both vertical and lateral order. These letters can be affixed to
the object B by printing, stamping, or in any other suitable way, or the inserting
end, B', may be provided with a ring or cover (nct shown) of metal or other

page_text: suitable tridterial to the required depth, and the letters may be affixed to this metal
part instead of to the object proper.
In order to prevent the inner object B from slipping out of its correct position,
the end B' of same may be provided with notches C which are made to engage
with corresponding indentations C in the outer cap or shell A, or this last may be
provided with a tongué (2 which will hold the inner object securely. Generally,
however, it will he found that the object will be quite tight enough to prevent
slipping without any notches or indentations having to be made.
The mode of operation of my invention is as follows:
Two or more parts are taken in accordance with the order of numbers and
letters which it is required to have appear together. In most cases, all that will
be required is the commencing letter of the particular day and the dates for same
for the whole month. In this case it is preferable to arrange the letters in rows
on the inserting end B' of the pencil, penholder or other inner object B and the
numbers, or dates of the month, on the outer cylindrical cap or shell. The first
letter in both vertical and lateral order is Sunday and when the month, for
instance, commences with a Sunday, the vertical column of letters beginning with
this day and ending with Saturday in proper order is brought to view in the slot A'.
If the month begins with a Monday, the second column beginning with this day is
brought to view and so on, it being only necessary to change the column of letters
once a month. The numbers on the outer cylindrical cap or shell A begin with 1
and form a vertical row in proper order up to 7; and the next vertical row begins
with 8, and the third with 15, and so on, so that when the proper vertical row of
letters appears in the slot A', each letter is exactly opposite the whole of its correct
'dates for the particular month.
In cases where it is required to have the name of the month appear as well as
the name and date, this can be done by using a second or inner shell or cap
between the inner object and outer shell, All that is necessary here, is to mak:
the slot of the outermost cap or shell wider aud have a sufficiently wide slot
in the second or inner shell to enable the letter or name on the object within it to
'be seen.
The calendar can be set once a month either by turning the inner object or the
outer shell or by taking out the object and re-inserting same in its correct position.
In the case of objects which are perfectly round, it will merely be necessary to
turn them, but, in the case of prismatic objects, it may be necessary to take them
out and re-insert them to set them for each month as their edges will prevent
turning. On the other hand, no notches or indentations will be required for
prismatic objects.
In the case of napkin-rings, ink-wells and the like, the same must be of two or
more parts in accordance with what is required to be read at a glance on the
calendar, and these parts are arranged substantially as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5.
The principle of my adjustable perpetual calendar remains the same if the
letters and numbers are differently arranged and the slots A' made lateral instead
of vertical.
Having how particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. An adjustable calendar consisting of two or more moveable cylindrical or
prismatic parts on which numbers, and letters, are engraved or otherwise affixed,
and one or more of which parts can be provided with slots substantially as and for
the purposé described and shown.
2. In an adjustable calendar of the type described, the use of pencils, pencil-
cases, penbolders, needle-boxes, or other like cylindrical or prismatic objects, on
which letters, and numbers, can be affixed, as component parts of the calendar
substantially as shown and described...
3. In an adjustable calendar of the type described, the combination of one of

page_text: more slotted shells or caps with a moveable inner object, such as a penholder,.
pencil, needle-box, or the like, provided with letters, or numbers, substantially as
and for the purpose described and shown.
4. In an adjustable calendar of the type described, the combination with an
outer slotted shell or cap or shells or caps of an object whose inserting end is
provided with a ring or cover of metal or other suitable material on which numbers,
and letters, are affixed substantially as and for the purpose described.
5. In an adjustable calendar, of the type described, the arrangement of the-
letters and numbers substantially as and for the purpose described.
Dated 16th day of March 1896.
E. EATON,
Agent for Applicant.