An Apparatus for use in Teaching Arithmetic.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 25th June, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 20th Oct., 1890-Accepted, 7th Feb., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Apparatus for use in Teaching Arithmetic.
We, EDMUND JAMES ARNOLD, of 3, Briggate, Leeds, Stationer and Publisher,
and NABOTH HALL OSBORNE, of Mirfield, Schoolmaster, both in the County of
York, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
A wooden frame holding continuous sheet of cloth on which is printed columns of
figures for teaching arithmetic. The said cloth runs on two rollers fixed at the top
and the bottom of the frame.
From the aforesaid frame a screen on the principle of a common window blind
works over a roller for the purpose of increasing and diminishing the number of
figures at view.
Title "EJ Arnold's Revolving Tats”
.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Apparatus for use in Teaching Arithmetic.
We, EDMUND JAMES ARNOLD, of 3, Briggate, Leeds, in the County of York,
Stationer and Publisher, and NABOTH HALL OSBORNE, of Mirfield, in the County
of York, Schoolmaster, 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 :-
Our invention relates to an apparatus for use in teaching arithmetic and com-
prises one or more endless bands or sheets mounted on rollers supported in bearings
in a frame which may be movable or fixed as may be desired.
The said sheet or sheets is or are provided with rows of figures some of which
are exposed at the front of the apparatus. Suitable means are provided for
revolving the said sheet or sheets and by this means the figures exposed at the front
of the apparatus may be varied.
We also provide a screen mounted so that it may be lowered in front of
the printed endless sheet or sheets any required distance for the purpose of
hiding from view a portion of the sheet or sheets and so exposing fewer rows
of figures.
When there are two or more endless sheets these may be mounted on the same or
separate pairs of rollers.
In the accompanying drawings we have shown how our said invention may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of our improved apparatus showing the screen
partially lowered.
Figure 2 is a plan of the said apparatus, and
Figure 3 is a vertical section on the line xx Figure 1.
Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.
X is a light rectangular frame of convenient size preferably constructed of wood
and is open at the front and may be open or closed at the back.
The said frame is conveniently constructed as follows, that is to say, two solid
pieces of wood a are provided to form the vertical sides of the frame and these are
connected at the top and bottom by a pair of thin cross strips a' the horizontal
sides of the frame X having thus a skeleton structure for the purpose hereinafter
described. A central shallow groove a² is cut in the inner face of each vertical side
piece a, the said groove extending the whole length of each said side piece, and a
D
07

page_text: C
short slot a³ shown clearly in Figure 1 is also formed at the upper ends of the said
side pieces a.
We provide the frame with two rollers bc of such a length as to fit
freely between the side pieces a, the said rollers having short projections c¹
respectively at each end to form axles. The axles of the roller c are shorter than
those of the roller b, and are of such a size that when the roller is inserted in the
frame the said axle pieces will pass into the grooves a² and will serve as guides
while permitting of the roller being slid up and down in the frame. The axles b¹
of the roller b, will not pass into the grooves a² but will project into and rest in the
lower ends of the slots a³ when the roller is inserted in the frame, the said slots
forming bearings for this roller. d is an endless band or sheet constructed of linen
or other strong material of suitable length, and which is passed over the rollers bc
and the said rollers and sheet are then lowered into the frame X from the top, and
between the upper strips a³, until the roller rests in the slots a³. The roller c
will then be suspended within the frame by the sheet and will be prevented from
lateral movement by the guide grooves a². The object of the roller c is to stretch
the said endless sheet d. We mount a handle on the axle of the roller b by
which the said roller may be rotated and the band thereby revolved. In order
to avoid slip we may roughen the surface of the rollers b and c or cover the same
wholly or partially with sand-paper or the like rough material which will grip the
sheet more firmly. The endless sheet dis printed with rows of figures either
simple or compound and those figures at the front of the apparatus are exposed to
view. It is obvious that by revolving the sheet d, the figures that are visible will
be changed. We provide moreover for covering a portion of the sheet d as follows
that is to say-We mount a roller e in bearings e¹ at the upper end of the frame,
and we provide a screen which is attached at one end to the roller e and which is
sufficiently long to hang down in front of the sheet d and exclude the same from
view. The roller e is provided with a handle e² by means of which it may be
rotated and the screen rolled thereon, thereby raising the screen to expose any
desired amount of the lower portion of the sheet d. Or by winding the screen up
to the top the whole of the sheet d may be exposed to view. By this means we are
enabled to exhibit one, two or more rows of figures up to as many as the frame will
contain, the said figures being printed of a size that will be distinctly visible at the
same time to the whole of a large class of scholars.
In some cases we divide the sheet d into sections by vertical lines, and we arrange
a set of figures in each said section. In other cases instead of using one sheet only
we employ two sheets arranged side by side on separate pairs of rollers, and we
provide each upper roller with a handle for rotating the same, so that each sheet
may be revolved independently of the other. The drawing shows one sheet divided
into two columns marked on the frame A and B respectively.
When our said apparatus is to be used, for example, in teaching addition, simple,
or compound, the figures printed on the sheet d are such as will be suitable for the
purpose and the number of lines that are visible may be varied by the screen f
from two lines up to say twelve lines or more. By raising or lowering the screen,
the size of the sums may be varied instantly to any desired degree, and by rotating
the screen different lines may be brought into view, so that one sheet affords a
very great variety of combinations enabling the teacher to set a large number of
sums with very little trouble. A further variety may be obtained by removing the
sheet and substituting another one having a different arrangement of figures.
For use in teaching subtraction we prefer to provide a single strip of cardboard
or the like having printed on one or both sides a single row of figures simple or
compound and we attach the said strip by pegs or otherwise to the lower end of the
screen so that when the said screen is raised or lowered the said strip is moved
with it. By this means we provide for readily suspending the strip immediately
above any desired line on the sheet d which is of less value than that on the
strip and the said line may then be subtracted from that on the strip. By having
a number of loose strips the number of sums that can be instantly set may be
very large.

page_text: Moreover in order to save the teacher the trouble of working out the sums
himself we provide a key which shall give the answers to every sum that can be set
by the apparatus. For this purpose we affix a number to each line of figures on
the sheet, and to each of the loose strips applied to the screen, and then when
performing for example, addition, all that is necessary for the teacher to do is to
note the number of lines that are being added together and the number of the top
or bottom line as the case may be of the series that are being added and then turn
up these numbers in the key and the answer will be found correctly given. For
example with the sheet and screen in the position shown in the drawing the answers
to the two sums given would be found in the list of answers to the six lines sums,
No. 15, and would be given as follows Col. A £24,099 14s. 11 d. and Col. B £32,409
4s. 2d. For subtraction it will be necessary merely to note the number of the
line on the sheet and the number on the face of the strip. It may not, however, be
necessary in all cases to supply a key for subtraction as the labour in this class
of sum is not so great as in addition and consequently the saving of time is not so
appreciable.
It is obvious that our said apparatus may be used for setting exercises in other
rules of arithmetic, and also that it may be used for exposing writing and drawing
copies, or reading and music exercises and changing the same instantly. For these
purposes the sheet d is printed with the necessary exercises or copies instead of with
figures. We may also in some instances utilize our improved apparatus for
exhibiting and changing maps, charts, and the like which may be printed on, or
attached to the endless band.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is
The apparatus consisting of a frame, an endless band or sheet mounted therein,
and a screen, with or without an attached strip, all combined, constructed, and
operating substantially as, and for the purpose, above specified.
Dated this 18th day of October 1890.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.