Improvements in Calendars.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Aug., 1893-Accepted, 30th Sept., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Calendars.
A communication by WILLIAM KING DAVID, of Philadelphia, in the County
of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, United States of America,
Publisher.
"
1, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E. of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester both in the County of Lancaster and 323 High Holborn in the
County of Middlesex, 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:-
This invention relates to what are generally known as "Universal Calendars."
in which two revoluble discs are employed, and consists in certain improvements in
the special construction and mounting of the said discs.
Referring to the accompanying drawings-
Figure I represents a front elevation of a calendar, embodying the improvements,
with discs adjusted to show the year:
Figure 2, a detail of the same elevation, with the discs adjusted to show the
month;
Figure 3, a front view of the front or smaller disc detached;
Figure 4. a similar view of the larger or back disc ;
Figure 5, a front view of the two discs detached from the calendar frame, but
applied to each other in working position and adjusted for the indication shown in
Figure 1;
Figure 6, a detail section taken on the line 6. 6 of Figure 1;
Figure 7, a rear elevation of Figure 1 partly broken away and showing a
modification of the friction device for connecting the two discs; and
Figure 8, a detail back view of the front lise shown in Figure 3 with this
modification applied thereto.
In these drawings (in which Figures 1 to 6 inclusive are upon one and the same
scale and Figures 7 and 8 are upon another seale considerably enlarged from that
of the former) A, represents a stationary front of a calendar. It may be of stiff
cardboard or of any material adapted to the purpose. In the drawings it is shown
composed of a stiff, thick board of paper, containing the required indications
printed on the face thereof. This stiff front is shown in the drawings mounted in
a suitable frame A'; but this is only for illustration, as the calendar may be
finished in a variety of forms. A pivot aperture a is made near the centre of this
front, (see Fig. 6) and some distance below this aperture it is cut by a circular
slit a struck from the aperture a as a centre. Immediately below or outside this
circular slit there is laid off a segmental space B struck from the same centre a and
divided into radial spaces, within which are arranged the days of the month in
columns. At each end of the segment B there is also a short slit, a extending
outward radially from each end of the slit a'. Above the circular slit a' there is
a wide slot a leading upward from the said slit; the opening of this slot is
intended to correspond in width to one of the radial spaces but the border lines
or edges thereof are not carried inward or upward on said radial lines, or at least
not for the entire depth of the slot. In the drawings, the edges at are shown
carried inward or upward a slight distance on radial lines, but they then are
deflected from a radial direction and extend in directions parallel to each other,
and on lines which projected would place them outside of the pivotal centre a and
on opposite sides thereof, as seen in Figure 1. This precise form, however, is not
absolutely necessary, as the edges may be carried inward from the commencement

page_text: of the slot on parallel lines, but it would result in an opening wider than
necessary.
Two calendar discs are used in this invention, namely, a front or outer disc C
and an inner or back disc D. These two discs are of slightly different size, the
front one C being a little smaller than the back one D; and the radius of the
former is equal to the distance from the centre a to the circular slit a', while
the radius of the back disc is just sufficiently greater to provide a narrow annular
space d on the face of this disc which projects beyond the edge of the disc C when
the latter is imposed upon the former. The discs are both mounted on and
supported by a pivot pin E but preferably they are first connected together by
means of an eyelet F. This eyelet is passed through the front disc C and between
it and said disc at each end is a washer ff of paper or any other suitable
material, and the washer is gummed, cemented or in any other suitable way
secured to the back disc D as seen in Figure 4. This fastens the discs together,
but the front one C is free to turn on the eyelet as a bearing. The pivot pin E is
passed through the aperture a of the calendar, and the discs are mounted thereon
at the back of the front A, the back disc D being fastened to the pin by means of
a nut e so as to always turn with the pin, which is free to rotate in the central
aperture a as a bearing. The pivot pin may be provided with a little knob e¹
preferably at the front of the calendar, for use in adjusting the discs by turning
the pin. The disc C is provided at a certain point on its circumferential edge with
a short projection or lug e extending radially outward therefrom. In this same
disc there is also cut a slot el which commences near the outer edge of the disc and
extends inward towards the centre thereof but not on radial lines, the edges of the
said slot being parallel to each other, thus corresponding with the edges of the
slot or opening in the calendar front; but the slot in the disc is only one half
the width of the said slot in the front. At the left of this slot e¹ the first two
figures of a century are arranged in a column e parallel with the slot, and the slot
and column of figures together are intended to occupy a space of substantially the
same width as the slot, in the front. The outer part of the face of the disc C
is divided into short radial spaces ³ in which are arranged the designations of the
month and number of days in each month, including duplicate spaces for January
and February for leap years, and all arranged as seen in Figure 3. The back
disc D as already specified, has an annular space d at its outer edge, and in this
space are placed the designations for the days of the week, the space being divided
into segments, each of which is marked for one such day. Figures representing
the years of a century are also arranged on the face of this disc in coucentric
rows d, the beginning of a century commencing on the inner row, as seen in
Figure 4. The entire figures of the several years are not contained in these
rows, but only the two last figures of each year, as will be seen in the said
Figure 4 of the drawings. These year indications are also arranged so as to
group certain indications of several rows to form columns extending from the
week day annulus inward towards the centre of the disc; these columns are not
arranged exactly on radial lines, but on lines which projected will pass just a little
to one side of the centre.
Now, when the discs are mounted upon the front A. by means of the pivot pin, as
described above, obviously the edge of the smaller or front disc registers with
the circular slit a' in said front, while the back disc D extends out beyond this
line the depth of the annulus d. In the working of the calendar it is necessary
that this annulus should be exposed along this slitted portion of the front so that
the week day indications may be brought into register with the month day columns
of the segment B. The short side slots are made for this purpose, so that
the edge of the segment B along the circular slit a' may be bent backward to
form a kind of offset or ledge which permits the projecting edge of the disc D
to be brought in front thereof and so exposed in connection with the month day
columns, as seen in Figures 1 and 4. This construction not only provides for the
exposure of the week day annulus on disc D at this portion of the front, but also

page_text: serves to hold the edges of the discs together and in place, for, the stiff edge of
the board being bent back with sufficient force to permit of the adjustment of
the discs, will, of course, react, when released, sufficiently to bring some pressure
upon the back of the disc D as will be seen from an inspection of Figure 6.
With
The discs being mounted at the back of the front by means of the pivot pin, as
described above, they will always be rotated together by the turning of the pin,
unless a stop of some kind is interposed to arrest the movement of the front disc,
which, as already described, is loose on its bearing. The frictional contact by
which the discs are held together should be so slight that, while sufficient to make.
them move together normally, only a slight obstruction will be necessary to arrest
the loose disc, while the other may be carried along by the continuous turning
of the pin. The stoppage of the loose disc at a certain fixed point is effected by
the little projecting luge, which, as the discs are turned to the left, will come in
contact with the edge of the front A, produced by the side slit a² at the left hand
of the calendar segment B, as seen in Figure 1, while the rotation of the discs in
the other direction will not be stopped anywhere, because the back edge et of this
lug is curved, while the front edge is straight, as seen in Figures 3 and 5.
this construction, when turned to the left the front disc C will always be stopped
when the lug comes in contact with the edge of the front at the left, as seen in
Figure 1, but there will be no stoppage when turned in the other direction, the
curved back of the lug permitting the latter to pass in back of the front at the
right hand of the slit, and so be carried around constantly in this direction with
the back disc D. The lug on the dise C is located so that, when turned to the left,
the disc will be arrested just at the point when the column of half century figures
thereon is exposed at the left part of the slot, a³, in the front, as seen in Figure 1.
The rotation of the back disc D is then continued in the same direction until a
figure column thereon, containing the remaining two figures of the year desired, is
brought into agreement with the slot so as to be exposed at said slot, as scen
in Figure 1, in which it will he found that the present year, 1893, is exposed,
taking the two columns together. The pivot pin is then turned to the right or in
the direction of the arrow, Figure 2, when, as already explained, the discs will
move together and this movement is continued until the month indication required
is brought into view at the same slot in the front, as seen in Figure 2, in which the
indication for February is exposed, and it will then be found that the days of
the month and the days of the week on which they fall for the month exposed are
properly indicated on the segment B, as shown in the drawings, Figure 2, this
indication is for the month of February 1893. In this figure, the backward move-
ment of the dise C, in connection with the back disc D, is indicated by the new
position of the lug thereon. Of course this lug will not always appear exposed at
some point along the segment B, for, under the greater number of month adjustments,
it will be concealed back of the front.
The construction of the calendar, as herein shown and described, also provides
for an extension of its application so that it may be used for more than one
century. In order to provide for this, it is only necessary to duplicate the slot c
and column of figures c, the first two figures of another century being used for this
column. Of course this duplication of the slot and column must be located in
another place on the disc, and the latter must be provided with the duplicate of
the lug to correspond with the second slot and figure column. Obviously this
duplication may be extended as far as the size of the disc C will permit. The
same result may also be obtained by enlarging the two discs and correspondingly
extending the slot and figure column on the dise C, and the figure columns on the
disc D so as to carry them forward into other centuries.
In Figures 7 and 8 are shown a modification in the means for temporarily
connecting the discs together. The discs C and D themselves are constructed
precisely the same as described above, except that the short lug e on the front
dise C is dispensed with. The disc D is fastened to the pivot piu while the disc C
is loose thereon, as in the other figures, but the discs are temporarily connected

page_text: together by a kind of clutch G, so that they turn together in one direction, but the
front disc may be stopped in the other direction. As shown in these two Figures 7
and 8, this clutch G is an elastic wire which is bent nearly at right angles, and is
secured to the back of the front disc at its bend by means of a loop H of any
light fabric which is fastened to the disc by an eyelet h, the wire passing through
the closed end of the loop, as seen in Figure 8. One army of this spring extends
outward on a secant line at the back of the disc and terminates in a hook which
is adapted to hook over the outer edge of the back disc. The length of this arm is
about equal to the shortest distance from the point of attachment of the spring to
the outer edge of the back disc D. Normally this arm of the spring lies a little
out of the said straight line of shortest distance to the edge of the disc D, as seen
in full lines in Figure 8, but when depressed or forced outward to said line, it will
finally hook over the edge of the back disc, as seen in dotted lines in said Figure 8.
The other arm g2 of the spring is also carried outward on a secaut line to the edge
of the disc C, and near this edge is secured in place by means of a loop I, similar
to the loop H and fastened to the disc by an eyelet i. The arm g² passes through
the closed end of this loop, as seen in Figure 8, and thence is extended outward
beyond the edge of the disc where its projecting end g³ is bent outward or away
from the angle of the wire to form a stop arm extending beyond the circumference
of the larger disc D, as seen in Figure 8. A small block K, is fastened upon the
back of the front A of the calendar just below and about in line with the slot a³ in
this front.
With this construction, when the pivot pin is turned to the left, the discs will be
connected by the spring clutch and must rotate together when moving in the
direction of the arrow 1 in Figure 7, but if the pin be turned to the right, the
projecting end g of the spring clutch will come in contact with the block K and
arrest the movement of the front disc C, stopping the latter in the same position
already described in connection with the operation of the lug e, as seen in Figure 1.
The remaining adjustments required are effected the same as already described, the
only modification being in the device for connecting the two discs so that they will
revolve together and disconnecting them at a certain fixed point when turned in
one direction; the inclined end g³ fields to pass over the block in one direction.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the 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-
1. In a calendar, a front disc provided with a straight slot extending inward from
the outer edge towards the centre and with the two first century figures arranged
in a column at one side of said slot, in combination with a back disc having the
remaining two figures of the said years arranged in columns on lines corresponding
to the century slot in the front disc, and a stationary front provided with a slot of
a width corresponding to the combined width of the slot and figure column of the
first disc, whereby the adjustment of one of said discs with reference to the other
will bring any one of said columns on the back disc to exposure at the slot in the
front disc and so complete the year indications at the slot in the stationary front,
substantially as described.
2. In a calendar, the stationary front A provided with the slot a³ having sub-
stantially parallel edges in combination with the dise C provided with slot and
column of half year figures at one side thereof, a back disc D having, upon its
face, columns 2 of the two remaining year figures, and mechanism whereby said
dises may be adjusted to bring the half year columns together side by side at the
opening to form complete year indications, substantially as described.
3. In a calendar, the stationary front A, provided with a circular slit a', a slot a³
running inward therefrom and a segment B containing the days of the month, in
combination with a front disc C provided with slots c and columns c² of half year
figures, a back disc D provided with annular space d, containing the days of the
week and columns d³ containing the last two figures of the year and mechanism

page_text: whereby the said discs may be rotated together, or one independently of the other,
substantially as described.
4. In a calendar, a back disc D, secured to a pivot pin E, in combination with
a front disc C mounted loosely on said pivot pin, a device connecting the two discs
to rotate together positively in one direction and permitting the back disc to be
rotated in the opposite direction independent of the former disc, and a stop device
to arrest the movement of the front disc at a fixed point when rotated in one
direction, substantially as described.
5. In a calendar, a back disc secured to a turning pin, in combination with a
front disc mounted loosely on said pin but held to the back disc by frictional
contact so as normally to revolve therewith, and a stop device arranged to arrest
the front disc at a certain fixed point when the discs are moved in one direction,
substantially as described.
6. In a calendar, a revoluble pin E, in combination with a back disc D secured
thereto, a front disc C mounted loosely on the pin, clamped to the back disc with
sufficient force to normally revolve therewith and provided with a projecting stop
lug c and a stop or abutment on the calendar front arranged in the path of said lug
and adapted to arrest the movement of the front disc at a fixed point in one
direction, substantially as described.
7. In a calendar, a revoluble pivot pin E, in combination with a back disc D
secured thereto, a front disc C, loose on said pin but clamped to the back disc
and provided with a projecting stop lug c, and the front A, provided with circular
slit a', and short radial slits a at the respective ends of the latter, substantially as
described.
8. In a calendar, the front A, provided with circular slits a¹ and radial slits a² at
the respective ends of the former, whereby the edge of the front outside of the
circular slit may be offset or bent backwards, as at 6', in combination with a
revoluble pivot pin E, a front disc C loose on said pin, and a back disc D of
larger diameter than the front disc, fast on said pin and having its projecting
edge arranged within the said offset on the calendar front, substantially as
described.
Dated this 31st day of July 1893.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.