Improvements in Devices for Teaching Arithmetical Calculations.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 25th July, 1893-Accepted, 2nd Sept., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Devices for Teaching Arithmetical Calculations.
I, JOSÉ GALLEGOS of Port of Ocó's Guatemala, Central America, Telegraph
Operator, 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 improvements in that sort of educational appliances
which are adapted for use in the kindergarten method of instruction, and the object
of my invention is to produce an attractive and interesting article which may be
cheaply made, which will to a certain extent serve to amuse the pupil, and which is
adapted to give object lessons in a way to teach the pupil to perform simple.
arithmetical calculations such as to add, subtract, multiply, and divide.
To this end my invention consists in certain features of construction and
combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
Specification, in which similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in
all the views.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of the device embodying my invention;
Figure 2 is a central cross section of the same; and
Figure 3 is an inside elevation of the revoluble pocket carried in the body of
the apparatus.
The device is provided with a short cylindrical body 10 having a transparent
glass front 11 which is entirely closed, and extending radially inward from the
side walls of the cylinder are ribs 12 which divide the cylinder into numerous
compartments, these compartments being open at their inner ends, and the ribs do.
not extend to the centre of the cylinder, so that a recess is formed within the
inner ends of the ribs, which recess is adapted to receive the pocket which will be
described below. The inner ends of the ribs are cut away slightly at their back
corners, as shown at 13, so as to receive a flange 14 on the cylinder pocket 15,.
which is of the same depth as the cylinder 10 and which fits nicely in the recess.
formed within the inner ends of the ribs 12. The flange 14, by engaging the back
of the cylinder 10, prevents the accidental displacement of the pocket.
The front end of the pocket 15 is open, as shown best in Figure 2, and it has a
closed back 16, the edges of which overlap the back of the cylinder 10, as shown.
also in Figure 2, and this back is provided with a suitable knob or handle 17 by
means of which the pocket may be turned or revolved. In one side of the pocket
is a slot 18 which extends the full depth of the pocket and which is adapted to.
permit the balls 19 to pass one by one through it. These balls are adapted to be
contained in the pocket and in the several compartments between the ribs 12, and
any necessary or desired number may be used.
By placing the balls in the pocket 15, the pocket may be turned so as to permit.
one or more balls to run through the slot 18 and into the several compartments
between the ribs 12. In this way the pupil may learn to add, as the balls may
be distributed at discretion and then added up. Multiplication may be taught in
the same way.
Subtraction being the inverse of addition may also be taught in
substantially the same manner, and to teach the pupil division, equal numbers of
the balls are caused to be distributed in the several compartments. To teach
counting it is only necessary to let the balls drop one by one through the slot.
It will be understood that the front side of the device is presented to the pupil
nd he may look through the glass front and see the balls in the pocket and in the.
everal compartments.

page_text: Having now 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. A device of the character described, comprising a case having a transparent
front, and a plurality of radially arranged compartments open at their inner ends,
a revoluble pocket held to turn opposite the inner ends of the compartments and
provided with an opening adapted to register with the compartments, and balls in
the pocket and compartments, substantially as described.
2. A device of the character described, comprising a case having a transparent
front, and a plurality of radially arranged compartments with open inner ends, a
removable revoluble pocket held to turn in the centre of the case and provided
with a slot to register with the several compartments, and balls in the pocket and
compartments, substantially as described.
3. A device of the character described, comprising a cylinder having a transparent
front, and a plurality of compartments arranged radially within the cylinder and
provided with open inner ends, a revoluble cylindrical pocket held to turn in the
centre of the main cylinder and provided on its back side with a handle and on
one side with a slot to register with the several compartments, and a plurality of
balls held within the pocket and compartments, substantially as described.
Dated this 25th day of July 1893.
JOSÉ GALLEGOS,
By A. M. and Wm. Clark.