AN ABACUS OR APPARATUS FOR IMPARTING INSTRUCTION IN ARITHMETIC, AND WHICH APPARATUS MAY BE ADVANTAGEOUSLY EMPLOYED IN TEACHING READING
Year: 1867

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by James Williams at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 18th December
1867.
I, JAMES WILLIAMS, of Great Saughall, in the County of Chester, School-
master, do bereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN ABACUS
OR APPARATUS FOR IMPARTING INSTRUCTION IN ARITHMETIC, AND WHICH APPARATUS
MAY BE ADVANTAGEOUSLY EMPLOYED IN TEACHING READING," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists of a frame, the material of which may be metal, wood,
metal and wood combined, or other convertible material. One side of the
frame in front forms a black board to be used when the illustration of any
particular rule is required; on the other side of the frame in front is a
number of slide rests or guides with slides of wood, metal, or other material
corresponding with the rests or guides; these slides may be withdrawn or
propelled so as to expose or cover the figures, letters, and other printed or
written matter contained in a case, also made of wood, metal, or other suitable
materials, and which case slides in a groove or grooves at the back of the
frame. Between each set of slide rests or guides (except at the top and
bottom) a small slide is placed in addition to the larger one; this small slide
is used to separate the multiplier from the multiplicand, the divisor from the
dividend, and for varying the amounts and numbers on the printed or written
sheets contained in the case before mentioned. In front of the slide rests, or
guides and slides before spoken of, but on either side of them, are two other
slide guides placed perpendicularly, the slide fitting in them being capable of

page_text: adjustment under any desired sum is used to write the answers upon. Instead
of the perpendicular slide rests or guides I sometimes employ studs, stays, or
pulleys connected by endless bands for sustaining in any required position a
small board or plate to be used in the same manner and for a similar purpose
as the slide last mentioned. Ou each slide, or on the frame opposito to it, I
write, paint, print, stamp, or otherwise attach certain letters, marks, or
characters to distinguish from each other the various lines of figures and other
printed or written matter contained in the case at the back of the frame.
The caso before mentioned at the back of the framo is made to contain a
number of printed or written cards or sheets. The lines of figures and other
printed or written matter on such cards or sheets are arranged at such
intervals as to fall immediately at the back of the slides upon the caso being
moved to the back of the slido rests or guides. When the case containing
the cards or sheets is moved to the back of the slides, if one or more of the
latter be withdrawn, a figure or group of figures will be visible. By altering
the position of the case alone, or by the alteration of the position of the case
and slides together, the value and number of the figures will bo varied, and
tbus different sums may be expeditiously set.
When it is desired to use the apparatus for teaching reading the arith-
metical cards or sheets are removed from the case at the back and reading
sheets are substituted. The lines of letters on the latter corresponding with
the openings between the slide guides upon the case being moved to n
proper position, and a slide being withdrawn, a line of print will be exhibited.
One or more lines may, if required, be displayed at the same time.