New or Improved Apparatus for Teaching Arithmetic.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 17th July, 1899 -Accepted, 26th Aug., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
New or Improved Apparatus for Teaching Arithmetic.
I, HEINRICH WICHTERICH, of 182, Westwall, Lehrer in Krefeld, Germany, 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:-
The accompanying drawings show an apparatus in which after a sum in
arithmetic of several numerals has been adjusted to the correct answer, a piece
of money which has been introduced can fall into a money-box, the opening of
which is closed as long as the answer has not been correctly marked.
In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 shows an exterior view of the apparatus,
Figure 2 a view from above, Figure 3 a vertical section, Figure 4 a horizontal
section to A B, Figures 5 and 6 horizontal sections through the delivery slot and
Figure 7 the key for opening the money-box.
The arrangement is as follows:-
On a cylinder a bearing numbers on the circumference of its lower part b,
there revolve two rings c and d which are similar on the outside to the lower
part 6 of the cylinder a.
In the cylinder a revolves the top-piece e whose exterior circumference bears in
its upper part, in the same manner as the rings c and d, the answer of the sum
in addition.
On each of the rings c and d there are two rows of numerals placed in such a
manner that the sum of the figures opposite to each other on one ring is always the
same. On the fixed ring b, on the other hand, the sums of the numbers opposite
to each other are unequal, but they correspond with the numbers on the upper
part of the top-piece e in such a manner that if the sum of the rings c and d be
added to the sum of the rings of the bottom-piece b, the amount is marked
on the top-piece e, if the latter is in a certain position. In this position which is
shown in the drawing, the sums of all the numbers placed above each other are
equal to the uppermost number. No matter how the rings c d may be adjusted
on the cylinder a, the sums will always be equal, as soon as the top e has the same
position with regard to the bottom b.
In the inner part of the top e the zig-zag channel f is firmly attached. It j
made zig-zag in order to render it impossible to see through the apparatus, and i
has a cross-section as shown by Figures 2 and 4. A coin which is introduced into
the slot of the channel f runs through the latter if the answer to the sum is
not correct. At g the bottom of the zig-zag channel f is removed, so that the
coin strikes the top h of the money-box if the answer has not been correctly
adjusted. The top g of the money-box i has a slot k which slot is in such a
position that the opening g of zig-zag channel f and the slot k coincide when the
answer to the sum has been correctly adjusted.
The money-box i which is formed by the cylinder a, has in its interior a tube /
ending below in the screw-thread m, on which is screwed a second tube n with
recesses o with which the projections p of the key (Figure 7) engage, when
the tube n on the thread m of the tube 1 may be screwed up and the tube n

page_text: thereby raised from the bottom of the apparatus, and the contents of the money-
box can then be removed through the ring-shaped opening thus made.
In order to prevent the inside of the apparatus from being seen, a disc g which
almost fills up the inner space of the tube n or 1, is placed over the lower end of the
channel f.
As long as the sum has not been correctly solved and the outer row of figures
of the top-piece e does not coincide with that of the lower part of the apparatus,
the slot of the zig-zag channel f will not coincide with the opening of the
cover of the money-box i. The coins which are introduced therefore strike on
the cover hand, owing to its inclined position, are thrown aside and come out
again at the bottom of the apparatus through the lower part of the zig-zag
channel f. If, on the other hand the sum has been correctly solved and the
answer correctly adjusted on the apparatus, the openings 9 and k will coincide and
the coin reach the money-box i.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
Apparatus for teaching arithmetic in which, as a reward for the correct solution
of a sum of several figures given by the apparatus, a coin drops into a money-
box, which apparatus consists of a cylinder a on the outer circumference b of
which the first figures of the sum are arranged, and on the upper part of which
there are two rings c d each with two further figures of the sum always
giving the same totals, a rotatably arranged part e projecting from the cylinder a
and bearing on its circumference the solution of the sum, its lower part being
formed as a guide for the coin introduced through a slot in its upper part, and
allowing the said coin to fall through the apparatus when the answer has
not been correctly adjusted, or into a money box when the answer has been
correctly adjusted, the whole combined, arranged, and operating, substantially
as described with reference to the drawings.
TRIPITIS
LAWN
H. WICHTERICH.
Per W. H. Beck, Agent,
115, Cannon Street, London, E.C.