IMPROVEMENTS IN ORRERIES OR PLANETARY MACHINES, OR APPLIANCE FOR ILLUSTRATING THE MOTION OF THE EARTH AND OF THE HEAVENLY BODIES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Isaac Horace Morley, Schoolmaster, of the City and
County of Nottingham, and Robert Charles Hopper, Educational Specialist,
of 259, Broad Street, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ORRERIES OR PLANETARY MACHINES, OR
APPLIANCE FOR ILLUSTRATING THE MOTION OF THE EARTH AND OF THE
HEAVENLY BODIES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Isaac Horace Morley &
Robert Charles Hopper at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
31st March 1880.
ISAAC HORACE MORLEY, Schoolmaster, of the City and County of Nottingham,
and ROBERT CHARLES HOPPER, Educational Specialist, of 259, Broad Street,
Birmingham, in the County of Warwick. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ORRERIES OR
PLANETARY MACHINES, OR APPLIANCE FOR ILLUSTRATING THE MOTION OF THE
EARTH AND OF THE HEAVENLY BODIES."
This Invention relates to certain improvements in or applicable to orreries or
planetary machines, or appliances employed for educational or illustrative purpose
for showing the motion of the earth and of the heavenly bodies around the sun.
For showing the variation of distanco of the earth and sun at the solstices an
eccentric is fitted upon or to the main axis of the apparatus, said eccentric being
fixed to an upright rod upon the main standard, which said upright rod is capable
of being rotated by the ordinary worm and worm wheel. The eccentric strap
attached to and forms part of the radial arm that carries around the "world" and
moon or other planetary body, and its moon or moons, as the case may be, and
according to the distance from the centro of the main axis to the centre of the
main wheel, so will the eccentricity in the orbit be increased or diminished. To
accomodate the different positions of the radial arm in relation to the main wheel
the pinion which travels upon the main wheel teeth to drive the rotating shaft and
gear mechanism for rotating the "earth axis" is made as a toothed drum or barrel
of a corresponding length to the throw of the eccentric, and the outer end of the
lover of the main axis for carrying round the radial arm is arranged to work and
slide in a slot upon the radial arm.

page_text: For the purpose of showing the sun's revolution on its own axis once in every
26 days there is secured upon the main axis a crown wheel having 84 cogs, said
wheel being attached by collars to an upright hollow spindle, around and upon
which it revolves whilst the main arm makes one revolution. The hollow spindle
is screwed by a left handed thread to the main axis; said crown wheel drives a
12 toothed pinion in one extremity of a hollow spindle working upon an arm
standing at right angles to the main axis, and the other extremity of the said
hollow spindle carries a 24 toothed bevil wheel, which gears with a bevil of
12 teeth fixed on underside of a plate, which also serves as the lamp stand
representing the sun, which will thus receive 14 revolutions to one complete 1
revolution of the radial or "earth” arm around the main axis.
The crown wheel will receive its-motion-from.a_link_piece on the radial arm, or
through a spindle passed through the main axis and turning therewith.
"
The "earth globe is made hollow and as light as possible in sections, and inside
thereof will be provided magnets for the purpose of attracting and holding at any
required point of the earth's surface a model, image, or object to illustrate more
thoroughly the change of position of bodies upon the earth's surface and the law of
gravitation.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Isaac Horace Morley & Robert Charles Hopper in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 30th September 1880.
ISAAC HORACE MORLEY, Schoolmaster, of the City and County of Nottingham,
and ROBERT CHARLES HOPPER, Educational Specialist, of 259, Broad Street,
Birmingham, in the County of Warwick. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ORRERIES OR
PLANETARY MACHINES, OR APPLIANCE FOR ILLUSTRATING THE MOTION OF the
EARTH AND OF TILE HEAVENLY BODIES."
This Invention relates to certain improvements in or applicable to orreries or
planetary machines, or appliances employed for educational or illustrative purposo
for showing the motion of the earth and of heavenly bodies around the 'suu.
In the accompanying Drawings are represonted constructions of apparatus
according to this Invention, Figs. 1 to 3 being side views of the apparatus.
For showing the variation of distance of the earth and sun at the solstices the
radial arm of the machine is carried upon a strap encircling an eccentric disc, which
disc is either attached solidly to the main axis, or may be carried upon a pillar or
support arranged eccentrically to the main axis.
Referring to Fig. 1, A is the main axis of the apparatus; B is a support bolted.
at b upon the main standard A, and carrying a disc which is bolted at a thereon,
which said disc is consequently eccentric to the main axis A; C is the radial arm,
which terminates at its inner end in a strap E encircling the eccentric disc; F is
the main wheel, and G is a pinion travelling upon wheel F and rotating the shaft,
running longitudinally through the radial arm C, and actuating the toothed gearing
at outer extremity of the said radial arm C, carrying and actuating the earth H
and moon I or other planetary body, and its moon or moons as the case may be, and
according to the distance from the centre of the main axis A to the centre of the
main wheel and eccentric disc, so will the eccentricity in the orbit be increased or
diminished. The main axis A is capable of being rotated by the ordinary worm
and worm wheel K.
For the purpose of showing the revolution of the sun L on its own axis once in
every 26 days there is secured upon the main axis a crown wheel M having eighty
four cogs, said wheel being attached to an upright hollow spindle N, around and upon
which it revolves whilst the radial arm C makes one revolution. The hollow
spindle is secured by a left handed thread to the main axis A, and said crown
wheel M drives a 12 toothed pinion O on one extremity of a hollow spindle working
upon an arm standing at right angles to the main axis, and the other extremity of
the said hollow spindle carries a toothed wheel P, which gears with a toothed wheel
fixed on underside of a plate Q, which also serves as the lamp stand representing
the sun L, which will thus receive 14 revolutions to one complete revolution of the
radial or earth arm C around the main axis. The link piece R which works in the
slot C¹ will have the like motion around the main axis A. as does the crown
wheel M, and serves to actuate the radial arm C. At T is represented in dotted
lines a cap for the mechanism of the main wheel and eccentric, and at U a pointer
which travels over the zodiac disc upon said cap R.
In the construction shown in Fig. 2, A' is a loose sleeve carrying the link
piece R¹, the outer end whereof works in the slot C'; the continuation C² of the
rearward end of the radial arm C actuates the crown wheel M and its loose
sleeve N, and the pinion G is lengthened to allow of the excentricity of the main
wheel F in relation to the excentric disc, which is bolted upon the main shaft
eccentrically thereto, and the rest parts correspond to and operate as described for
the parts of Fig 1.
In the construction shown in Fig. 3 the radial arm carries an extra supporting
roll G¹, and R' is the connecting link for actuating the arm C by connection direct

page_text: with the strap E of the eccentric, which eccentric is encircled by said strap E and
acts as the bearing around which the arm C revolves, the other parts being
substantially the same and for like purpose as before described.
The earth globe is made hollow and as light as possible in sections, and insido
thereof will be provided magnets for the purpose of attracting and holding at any
required point of the earth's surface a model imago or object to illustrate more
thoroughly the change of position of bodies upon the earth's surface and the law
of gravitation.
Having now described the nature and particulars of the said Invention I
claim,―
Firstly. The improvements in orreries or planetary machines or appliance for
illustrating the motion of the earth-and-heavenly-bodies,_as_herein described
in reference to Figures 1, 2, and 3 of the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
Secondly. Tho use in earth globes of the machines herein before described of
magnet pieces, as and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Charles Hopper, for myself and on
behalf of the said Isaac Horace Morloy, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Thirtieth day of September, One thousand eight hundred and
eighty.