An Improved Perpetual Calendar.
Year: 1898

page_text: An Improved Perpetual Calendar.
I, EDWIN BAXTER, of 81, Great Queen Street, High Holborn, in the County
of Middlesex, Printer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to an improved perpetual calendar, and in accordance
therewith I provide a card-board case or box, the surface of which is provided
with three slots of varying sizes. Within the case or box slides in grooves a
vertically disposed strip having displayed upon its surface the names of the
days of the week, preferably representing a period of thirteen days. This said
strip has a projection for convenience in moving same, and is provided upon one
of its vertical edges with a flexible projection or tooth adapted to engage with
one of the teeth of a ratchet wheel pivoted within the case or box.
This ratchet-wheel has, preferably, thirteen teeth, and has displayed upon its
surface thirteen radiating columns, one to each tooth aforesaid, which columns
contain numerals representing the last two, and in some cases three, days of
the months, one of such columns being left blank. Between these columns, at
the outer ends thereof are displayed the names of the months of the year, that
of February being duplicated.
The calendar is so arranged, that when the vertical strip is pushed upward
the flexible projection upon same engages with one of the teeth of the ratchet-
wheel and moves the latter round sufficiently to display another name represent-
ing the current month in one slot in the case or box while at the same time
another set of numerals appears in the slot wherein are displayed the last three, or
less, days of the month. The flexible projection upon the sliding strip does not
engage with the ratchet-wheel when such sliding strip is pushed downward.
The surface of the case or box has displayed thereon a set of numerals, pre-
ferably starting from one and ending with twenty-eight.
The case or box has a false back to act as a bearing for the pivot upon which
works the ratchet-wheel aforesaid.

page_text: what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:
-
This invention relates to an improved perpetual calendar, and is designed
with the object of providing a calendar of this description wherein the simple
operation of a sliding slip automatically alters the calendar in order to bring
same up to date, a prominent feature of my invention being that the calendar
only requires altering monthly.
In order that this my said invention may be the more readily understood and
carried into practical effect, reference is hereby made to the accompanying sheet
of illustrative drawings, wherein :
Fig. 1 is a plan view of a detail of the invention,
Fig. 2 being an elevational view of another detail.
Fig. 3 is a face view of the calendar, and Fig. 4'a rear view of same with the
back removed.
Referring to the drawings, wherein like letters of reference indicate corre-
sponding parts throughout the several figures, a represents the face of a shallow
card-board or other case, in which slots b c and d are provided.
Within the case a vertically disposed, rectangular stripe is provided, such
strip being capable of a sliding movement within a groove f formed in the rear
side of the face a. The said sliding strip e has displayed upon its surface the
names of the days e¹ of the week, preferably representing a period of thirteen
days.
Upon the surface of the strip e a projection e² is provided for convenience in
sliding such strip up and down, while upon one of its vertical edges a spring
pawl is provided for the purpose of engaging with the teeth of a ratchet-wheel g
pivoted preferably to the rear side of the face a of the case, though it may, if
desirable, be pivoted to a false back (not shewn).
This ratchet-wheel g, which preferably works in a recess in the rear side of
the face a, is provided with thirteen teeth g', and has displayed upon its surface
thirteen radiating columns, one to each tooth aforesaid, which columns contain
numerals h representing the last two, and in some cases three, days in the months,
one of such columns, h¹, being left blank. Between these columns of numerals,
at the outer ends thereof, are displayed the names of the months of the year, as
at 2, that of February being duplicated to provide for leap year. The parts
of the calendar are so arranged, that when the vertical strip e is pushed upward,
the spring pawl i upon the edge of same, engages with one of the teeth g¹ of the
ratchet-wheel and moves the latter round sufficiently to display another name,
representing the current month, in the slot 6 of the face a of the case, while at
the same time another set of numerals appears in the slot c wherein are dis-
played the last three (or less) days of the month.
The spring-pawl i is forced into a recess in the edge of the strip e when the
latter is slid downward, and does not engage with the ratchet-wheel g until such
strip is pushed upward again.
The face a of the case has displayed thereon, a permanent set of numerals j,
preferably starting from one and ending with twenty-eight, and in operation the
sliding strip e is slid upward and downward until the names of the days of the
week displayed upon its surface and appearing in the slot d, coincide correctly
with the said numerals j.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is;-
1st. The improved perpetual calendar, consisting in a shallow case in the face
of which are provided three slots in which are caused to appear, respectively, the
names of the week, the last few days of the month and the name of the current
month, a ratchet-wheel having numerals and names of the months displayed
thereon, being pivoted within said case, a spring-pawl upon one of the vertical

page_text: edges of a sliding strip engaging with the teeth (consecutively) of the said
ratchet-wheel, to turn same, said strip having displayed upon its surface the
names of the days of the week, substantially as described and illustrated.
2nd. In perpetual calendars, the shallow case having displayed upon its face
a permanent set of numerals, and provided with three slots; in combination with
a pivoted ratchet-wheel having thirteen teeth and twelve radiating columns of
numerals and one blank column upon its surface, between which columns are
displayed the names of the months of the year, that of February being duplicated;
and a rectangular strip sliding in a groove in the said case and having displayed
upon its surface names representing a period of thirteen days of the month, said
strip having a spring-pawl upon one of its vertical edges, adapted to engage with
the teeth of the ratchet-wheel, singly, when pushed upward, and to be forced
into a recess in the edge of said strip when the latter is pushed downward, all
arranged, combined and operating, substantially as described and as illustrated
by the drawings.
Dated this 16th day of May. 1899.
HUGHES, SON & Co.,
38, Chancery, Lane, London, W.C., for the Applicant.