An Improved Apparatus for Teaching Simple Arithmetic and for Scoring or Marking at Games.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 24th July, 1889-Accepted, 24th Aug., 1889
AL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for Teaching Simple Arithmetic and for
Scoring or Marking at Games.
I, JAMES MASON of 47, Bratt Street, West Bromwich, Staffordshire; Schoolmaster,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows
1
In making one form of the said apparatus I take a disc of cardboard sheet-metal
or other suitable substance and perforate it by one or more concentric circles of holes.
The face of the disc is by preference painted or colored black. This disc is supported
by a back part which is also by preference painted black and which can be seen
through the outer circle of the said perforations. Behind the said disc and the said
back part I provide a second disc which is by preference white and which is divided
in a radial line from the centre to the periphery; there is also a corresponding radial
slit in the said back part. This second disc can be turned upon a central pin so
that when the edge of its radial division is inserted through the radial slit in the
back part and turned it will gradually pass in front of the back part and cause the
holes forming the outer ring to appear white one after the other until when the disc
has made a revolution all the holes in that circle will appear white. When the
second disc is turned in the opposite direction the holes forming the outer circle
will gradually appear black one after the other. Behind the next smaller circle of
holes are two other black and white discs arranged similarly to the back part and
white disc above described by means of which the holes forming the second circle
can be made to appear either white or black one after the other. Each of the white
discs is furnished with a laterally projecting part and a knob by which it can be
turned.
In using the apparatus above described for teaching for instance in infants' schools
how to add together 6 and 3 one of the white discs is turned through a certain
distance until six of the perforations in one of the circles appear white; the other
disc is then turned far enough to cause three of the perforations in the other circle
to appear white when the 6 and 3 white perforations are counted and make 9.
The apparatus can be similarly used for teaching simple subtraction and multipli-
cation, or for scoring or marking at games.
Instead of employing two or more circles of holes in the front of the apparatus
and corresponding discs as above described the perforations may be arranged in a
single circle or an arc or arcs of circles or in any other figure in combination with
corresponding white or other colored discs or parts at the back which can be moved
to shew through any of the said perforations.
In a modification of my invention the perforations in the front part are arranged
in lines and the moveable part or parts which shew through the perforations are
arranged to slide to and fro instead of being arranged to revolve.
hm 1000
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for Teaching Simple Arithmetic and for
Scoring or Marking at Games.
I, JAMES Mason, of 47, Bratt Street, West Bromwich, Staffordshire, 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
In making one form of the said apparatus I take a disc of cardboard sheet-metal

page_text: or other suitable substance and perforate it by one or more concentric circles of holes.
The face of the disc is by preference painted or colored black. This disc is supported
by a back part which is also by preference painted black and which can be seen
through the outer circle of the said perforations. Behind the said disc and the said
back part I provide a second disc which is by preference white and which is divided
in a radial line from the centre to the periphery; there is also a corresponding radial
slit in the said back part. This second disc can be turned upon a central pin so that
when the edge of its radial division is inserted through the radial slit in the back
part and turned it will gradually pass in front of the back part and cause the holes
forming the outer ring to appear white one after the other until when the disc has
made à revolution all the holes in that circle will appear white. When the second
disc is turned in the opposite direction the holes forming the outer circle will
gradually appear black or after the other. Behind the next smaller circle of holes
are two other black and white discs arranged similarly to the back part and white
disc above described by means of which the holes forming the second circle can be
made to appear either white or black one after the other. Each of the white discs
is furnished with a laterally projecting part and a knob by which it can be turned.
In using the apparatus above described for teaching for instance in infants' schools'
how to add together 6 and 3 one of the white discs is turned through a certain
distance until six of the perforations in one of the circles, appear white; the other
disc is then turned far enough to cause three of the perforations in the other circle
appear white when the 6 and 3 white perforations are counted and make 9.
to
The apparatus can be similarly used for teaching simple subtraction and multipli-
cation or for scoring or marking at games.
Instead of employing two or more circles of holes in the front of the apparatus
and corresponding discs as above described the perforations may be arranged in a
single circle or an arc or arcs of circles or in any other figure in combination with
corresponding white or other colored discs or parts at the back which can be moved
to shew through any of the said perforations.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying drawings the
manner in which my said invention is to be performed. Fig. 1 is a front view of
the said apparatus in which the holes are arranged in two circles; Fig. 2 shews the
same with the first disc or face of the apparatus removed, and Fig. 3 is a view of the
..said front disc or face separately; Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 illustrate parts of the said
apparatus separately; and Fig. 8 represents part of the apparatus in front elevation
and sectional plan when the front disc or face and the discs for the inner circle of
holes have been removed; Fig. 9 illustrates another form of the apparatus provided
with a single circle of holes, and Fig. 10 is a view of the same with the front disc or
face removed, the inner discs or parts being partly turned up so as to shew their
arrangement; Fig. 11 is a sectional plan of the same with the moving discs removed
and Figs. 12, 13, 14 and 15 shew parts of the same separately.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures of the
drawing.
Referring firstly more particularly to Figs. 1 to 8 both inclusive, a is the black or
other colored front disc or face of the apparatus which is perforated by two con-
centric circles of holes marked respectively c and d. This disc a is by preference
formed as shewn by Fig. 3 from a sheet of cardboard or other suitable substance
by cutting a circular groove e which extends almost round the disc and leaves a
part marked a¹ by which the disc part a is attached to the other part of the sheet.
Behind the disc a is fixed the back part which is also by preference painted black
and can be seen through the outer circle of perforations c. This back part fis
provided with a radial slit f1 and is fixed centrally to the frame of the apparatus,
a washer being placed between the parts f and y so as to keep them a short
distance apart. is the white disc which is divided radially at it and has a central
hole of a size to fit round the washer which latter serves as the pivot on which
the disc i can turn;, the disc i is provided with a laterally projecting part; and a
knobby which it can be turned. In front of the back part is fixed the second

page_text: smaller black disck the washer h¹ being placed between them so as to keep them a
short distance apart. is the second white disc of a size to shew through the smaller
circle of perforations d and which is of similar form to the disc i and provided with
a laterally projecting part m and a knob m¹ passing through the slot e for turning it
by. The laterally projecting part m is painted black so that it will not shew through
the outer circle of perforations. The white disc i is placed on the central pin or
washer h¹ and the edge of its slit i inserted through the slit f¹; the disc i is then
turned round so that it will gradually pass behind the back part f The second white
disc is similarly twisted behind the back of the black disc k. The front a of the
apparatus is then fixed to the frame g, a washer similar to h being placed between
the front part a and the disc k so as to keep them a proper distance apart and allow
room for the disc to turn.
When the knobs and m¹ are at the bottom of the slot e next to the part a¹ all
the perforations of the part a will appear black, the back part being seen through
the larger circle and the disck through the smaller circle. On turning the disc i by
its knob one or more of the holes in the outer circle c will appear white and
similarly by turning the disc by its knob m¹ one or more of the holes in the inner
circle d can be made to appear white as may be required in using the apparatus in
teaching simple arithmetic or in marking or scoring at games.
In the modification illustrated by Figs. 9 to 15 both inclusive in which the inner
circle of holes d is dispensed with, the discs k and are not required but in order to
enable one or more of the outer circle of holes at either side of the vertical centre
line to be uncovered at the same time the back part or black disc f (corresponding
with the back part fin the example above described) is provided with a knob f' and
made to turn round the central washer similarly to the white disc i. In the frame g
are fixed three friction discs marked n¹ n² n³ (see Fig. 11) with washers between
them and between the front a and the back of the frame. One of these friction
discs is shewn separately by Fig. 14. The discs n¹ n³ n³ are each provided with a
radial slit n and in putting the apparatus together the black disc f is threaded
partly behind and partly in front of the friction disc n¹ and the white disc i is
threaded partly behind and partly in front of the friction disc n³. The object of these
friction discs is to prevent one of the movable discs moving when the other one is
turned.
In conclusion I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise
details herein described and illustrated as the same may be varied without departing
from the nature of this invention, but,
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 1
claim is :-
1. In apparatus for teaching simple arithmetic or for scoring or marking at games,
a black or other front or disc having one or more series of perforations in combination
with a moving disc part or parts or moving and fixed discs or parts, constructed and
arranged to operate substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
2. The construction combination and arrangement of parts forming the improved
apparatus for teaching simple arithmetic or for scoring or marking at games,
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by Figs. 1 to 8 both inclusive
of the accompanying drawings.
3. The construction combination and arrangement of parts forming the improved
apparatus for teaching simple arithmetic or for scoring or marking at games,
substantially as herein before described and illustrated by Figs. 9 to 15 both inclusive
of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 23rd day of July 1889
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicant.