APPARATUS FOR ILLUSTRATING AND EXPLAINING THE PHASES OF THE MOON OR OTHER ASTRONOMICAL OR GEOGRAPHICAL PHENOMENA
Year: 1884

page_text: I WILLIAM RICE of 86 Fleet Street in the City of London Publisher do hereby
declare the nature of my invention for APPARATUS FOR ILLUSTRATING AND
EXPLAINING THE PHASES OF THE MOON OR OTHER ASTRONOMICAL OR GEOGRAPHICAL
PHENOMENA to be as follows:-
The primary object of my invention is an apparatus intended chiefly for use in
schools to illustrate and explain the phases of the moon. The apparatus is com-
posed essentially of a sphere to represent the moon, this sphere being fitted in a
circular aperture in a vertical board or plate in such manner as to be capable of
being rotated on its axis therein. Connected with this sphere by a bent rod or
otherwise is a ball or device to represent the sun, which ball revolves around the
board synchronously with the rotation of the sphere. One half of the sphere is
colored black or dark and the other white or some light color, and the white
portion always faces the ball which represents the sun. The apparatus is used as
follows: Supposing the black portion of the sphere to be at the front of the
board, the white portion and the ball will be at the back and the apparatus will
indicate what is generally called a "new moon." Then the sphere and ball being
rotated the white portion of the sphere will gradually appear in front of the board
showing first a crescent which increases until the whole of the white portion is
shown, thus indicating a full moon. The rotation being continued the white
portion gradually disappears behind the board until a new moon is again indicated.
Thus by one revolution all the phases of the moon are successively shown.
Although specially intended for illustrating the phases of the moon my apparatus
slightly modified will serve to illustrate other astronomical or geographical
phenonena such for example as the alternation of day and night, the sphere in
this case will represent the earth and the ball which represents the sun will be
stationary.
J. C. MEWBURN,
169, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: I WILLIAM RICE of 86 Fleet Street, in the City of London, Publisher, do hereby
declare the nature of my invention for "APPARATUS FOR ILLUSTRATING AND
EXPLAINING THE PHASES OF THE MOON OR OTHER ASTRONOMICAL OR GEOGRAPHICAL
PHENOMENA," and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The primary object of my invention is an apparatus intended chiefly for use in
schools to illustrate and explain the phases of the moon. The apparatus is com-
posed essentially of a sphere to represent the moon, this sphere being fitted in a
circular aperture in a vertical board or plate in such manner as to be capable of
being rotated on its axis therein. Connected with this sphere by a bent rod or
otherwise is a ball or device to represent the sun, which ball revolves around the
board synchronously with the rotation of the sphere. One half of the sphere is
colored black or dark and the other white or some light color, and the white
portion always faces the ball which represents the sun. The apparatus is used as
follows-Supposing the black portion of the sphere to be at the front of the
board, the white portion of the ball will be at the back and the apparatus will
indicate what is generally called a "new moon." Then the sphere and ball boing
rotated, the white portion of the sphere will gradually appear in front of the board
showing first a crescent which increases until the whole of the white portion is
shown thus indicating a full moon. The rotation being continued the white
portion gradually disappears behind the board until a new moon is again indicated.
Thus by one revolution all the phases of the moon are successively shown.
Figure 1 of the annexed drawings is an elevation of an apparatus constructed
according to my invention, the sphere being in the position which indicates a
"full-moon." Figure 2 shews the apparatus with the sphere in the position it
occupies when it corresponds to the moon in her third quarter. a is the sphere
which represents the moon, one half being black and the other half white. b is
the vertical board or plate, preferably black as shown and formed with a circular
aperture c in which the sphere a is fitted. The sphere can be rotated in the
aperture c on its axis d. In the apparatus as shewn this axis consists of a vertical
rod to which the sphere is fixed and which extends to the top of the board b
where it is connected to a rod e. This rod is bent so as to be able to travel round
the board and to its other end is fixed a ball f to represent the sun. The rod e
and ball fare however not essential as the sphere a can be turned round on its
axis by hand, the position of the sun being always evident, as it is of course
always directly opposite the white half of the sphere. The diagrams on the board
marked respectively 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 6, and, 7 represent the moon as seen from the earth
in various successive parts of her orbit; the use of these diagrams on the board is
optional. g is a stand on which the board is mounted. h is a ring on the stand to
guide the rod e during its travel round the board.
Although specially intended for illustrating the phases of the moon my appa
ratus slightly modified will serve to illustrate other astronomical or geographical

page_text: phenomena, such for example as the alternation of day and night; the sphere in
this case will represent the earth and will not be parti-colored and the ball which
represents the sun will be stationary.
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
The apparatus constructed substantially as hereinbefore described for illustrating
and explaining the phases of the moon or other astronomical or geographical
phenomena.