Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Jan., 1896-Accepted, 23rd May, 1896
A communication by ALBERT KOECHLIN, of 8 Spiegelvorstadt, Mülhausen,.
Alsace, in the Empire of Germany, Manufacturer.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool and 6 Bank Street,.
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, 118 New Street, Birmingham,
in the County of Warwick, and 31 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,.
Civil Engineer, 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 :-
This invention relates to a device whereby an easy, rapid, and certain.
comparison of time in different places of the world may be made. For large
commercial operations a ready comparison of time is absolutely necessary. This
device will also be found as interesting as it is instructive, both in schools as well
as in business offices.
If the principal places on the earth, for instance, those at which telegraph.
stations exist, be arranged in suitable positions on a straight scale, and the
24 hours of the day with the necessary sub-divisions be arranged on a second
scale, it is sufficient in order to ascertain the time of two places, to adjust the
device with a given time on the one place (which may be easily effected by sliding
the scales) and the time shown on the time scale opposite the other place will then.
be the required time at the place in question.
A time-comparing device working. in the above manner and arranged in.
a straight line is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which :-
Figure 1 is a plan view; and
Figure 2 a cross section.
The device is similar to a slide rule and may be easily arranged on the back of
one of such articles. The towns are arranged in succession on the part B and the
times on the sliding part A, the times from 6 in the morning to 6 in the evening
being marked in black lines, whilst those from 6 in the evening to 6 in the
morning are in red.
If, for instance, it be desired to ascertain the local time in Sydney when
a clock in Berlin indicates 12 o'clock noon, the time slide is adjusted until the
black number 12 of the slide is opposite to "Berlin" and it is then seen that it is.
exactly 12 o'clock at night at Sydney.
The remaining places have a local time which is indicated by the figures.
standing on the slide A in front of the respective places on the time-comparing
device.
Instead of having the towns and times arranged in a straight line one above
the other, a circular arrangement and movement may be employed. This is
shown in Figures 3 and 4, the former being a plan view, and the latter a cross.
section. In this case the 24 hours of the day with the necessary subdivisions are
arranged on a ring or disc C, and the respective towns, the times of which are to
be compared, are arranged on a disc D. It is then assumed that a plane is taken
through the earth at the equator, and all the necessary towns are projected on
this plane. The places situated in the southern hemisphere are indicated by
small circles, whilst those in the northern hemisphere are indicated by black dots."

page_text: The disc D may be adjustable and the hour ring or disc C fixed, or vice versa, or
both may be adjustable one to the other.
If it be desired to compare the difference of time between Rome and Sydney it
is sufficient to bring opposite to Rome a suitable hour for comparison, for
instance 2.40, and then to read the figures of the time slide which in front of
Sydney will indicate a local time of 11.50; in New York 9 o'clock; in Paris 1.55;
and so forth.
In order to allow of the town disc and hour disc being easily adjusted, the
former is provided with a stud or handle E, Figures 3 and 4. The hour disc
consists preferably of a transparent disc which may be adjusted over the fixed
disc containing the names of places.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
An improved device for comparing the times of different towns, characterized
by an arrangement of two scales with the names of towns arranged on the one
scale and time indications on the other; said scales being either straight and
adapted to be adjusted in a straight line, relatively to each other, or circular with
the names of the towns on a disc and the time indications on a ring or disc, or
vice versa and adapted to be revolubly adjusted relatively to each other, substan-
tially as described and illustrated.
Dated this 11th day of January 1896.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.