Improvements in Calculating Apparatus or Ready Reckoners.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Apr., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 7th Jan., 1895-Accepted, 30th Mar., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Calculating Apparatus or Ready Reckoners.
I, CHARLES JOHN BOSANQUET, of Ripley Lodge, Belvedere, in the County of
Kent, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
:-
:
This invention relates to instruments or apparatus, the details of which may
greatly vary without departing from the spirit of the invention, but all so arranged
that the result which it is desired to obtain, viz. the computing of the amounts in
question can be ascertained by reference to what I may term the final indicator.
To show the principle upon which I work I will describe a simple form of the
apparatus which may be used for marketing and similar purposes so as to promptly
enable the user to ascertain the amounts of certain quantities at certain prices.
In this form the instrument consists of a suitable case something like that of a tape
measure and a tape or equivalent upon which are represented the resultants or
totals which it is desired to find. The tape is connected with a suitable hollow or
solid core or centre preferably adapted to return to its closed or zero position by
means of a spring more or less in the manner of an ordinary spring measuring tape.
Upon one side of the case are inscribed the necessary figures or units and upon one
side of the movable portion of the core other figures, the two presenting a divided
circular scale one portion of which is adapted to move in relation to the other when
the tape is pulled out.
Upon the fixed scale and at suitable distances apart I engrave or place the
necessary figures say for example 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 10 and 20, the intervals varying as
required. Upon the movable scale I put the required second set of figures say for
example, 3, 6, 10, 12, and 20. Now, suppose I place these two scales in the
following relations the 3 of the movable scale opposite the 20 of the fixed scale, the
6 of the movable scale opposite the 10 of the fixed scale, the 10 of the movable
scale opposite the 6 of the fixed scale, the 12 of the movable scale opposite the 5 of
the fixed scale, and the 20 of the movable scale opposite the 3 of the fixed scale, it
will be seen that all these totals will be 60, and accordingly I so mark and adjust
the tape or device by which the movable portion of the indicator is turned that at
a suitable aperture or portion of the case the result of the multiplication of any of
these pairs of figures will be correctly indicated. The working of all these instru-
ments or modifications depending upon the reversal or arrangement of the
logarithmic scale in such manner that by a single movement the required figures
upon all three scales, the fixed, the movable and the index are obtained--the product
appearing at the aperture provided.
As I am at present dealing with an instrument to indicate the results in money,
the 60 would represent 60 pence or 5-, and accordingly upon the tape at the
appropriate point when the scale is thus set 5- appears, the scale being marked to
represent pence or shillings and pence.
I have only given the above set of figures as an illustration and it will be under-
stood that intermediate figures and fractions may be appropriately indicated by
the necessary divisions and figures upon the scales.
Another simple form of the same instrument would consist of two discs the
peripheries of which carry the before described fixed and movable scales the
indicating scale being formed upon the inner face of one of the discs, that is the

page_text: face nearest the second disc and the figures being viewed through a suitable
opening in the other discs. The two discs are pivotted so as to rotate about the
same axis and may be covered in a case if desired.
Another very simple form consists of a cylinder, formed of two triangular pieces
rolled up so as to form the cylinder with their graduated edges touching and any
suitable means such as a hollow cylindrical core for example to keep them in the
proper relations to each other; by rotating these one against the other the length
of the cylinder is necessarily altered and one of the portions carrying a suitable
index the answer can be read off according to the position of the index upon its
appropriate scale. In a modification of this last described device the index may be
dispensed with and a lead pencil adapted to fit inside the cylinder and bearing the
necessary scale of figures may be employed instead, the answer being indicated
by the increase in the length of the cylinder when it reaches the appropriate mark
upon the pencil.
Without describing the many forms that this invention may take it may be
pointed out that the instrument may be constructed in the form of a cylinder with
a rotatable sleeve upon it, the cylinder carrying two of the scales the fixed scale
and the index scale and the sleeve carrying the movable scale and au index hand
or mark. Or a couple of cylinders carried in a suitable frame with an index rod
or equivalent carrying an arm or points adapted to engage with spiral grooves in or
upon the surfaces of the cylinders, the whole being so graduated and arranged that
the three scales come together at the required points the arm upon the rod being
if desired the indicator and causing the cylinders to rotate as it is drawn along the
spiral grooves. lu doing division a desired number on the index scale is brought
to the aperture and upon the face the divisions that come together at the same time
take the eye to the various pair of numbers multiplied together to produce the one
on the index scale. Taking the same numbers and relations of the scales before
described it will be seen that 5/0 is made of 3 × 20 5 x 12 6 x 10 etc., so that a
person requiring to know the number of yards or pounds of material at a price that
can be bought for 5/0 will see that 20 yards at 3d., 12 yards at 5d, 6 yards
at 10d. etc., etc., may be obtained, or if 1- a yard is determined upon 5 yards can
be got, etc.
For the purposes of addition I may add, preferably to the first two forms, other
scales on an additional disc to be read upon the other face also a radius arm with
pawl to engage in teeth upon one of the moving circular scales, suitably mounted,
capable of a to and fro movement about the axis of instrument actuated by the
tape, or by hand direct, when by the tape I supply an equally divided scale on the
tape numbered 1, 2, 3, 4 etc., up to 12 or 20 or other required number or an equally
divided scale on the outside of the instrument when worked by hand, and the
to and fro motion adds the figure to which the radial arm is brought by hand or tape
and the arm is then allowed to go back to zere, and the operation repeated till the
whole of desired numbers are communicated to the moving circular scale. To read
the total one or more index apertures are provided in one of the dises or the side
of the cover and the result will be read, preferably in shillings and pence or pounds
shillings and pence. These openings may slide and be automatic in their action.
Oue revolution of the addition scale closes one index aperture and opens another
situate near the centre of the cover or disc to object being to read a second ring of
answers on the moving scale or dise, and so on to other rings of answers if required.
My invention in the simple forms would be suitable for attaching to articles such
as satchels purses hand-bags rulers penwipers etc., so as to be ready to hand when
required for use.
For the purposes of addition a special scale may be placed upon the tape to
indicate the distance to which it is to be drawn out. Any suitable form of casing
or covering may be employed with any of these apparatus and these may in some
cases with advantage be made of transparent material bearing one set of figures as
for example pounds and ounces upon one face or part the whole numbers and
fractions on another.

page_text: Any suitable material may be employed for the construction of any portion of
this apparatus.
Dated this 5th day of April 1894
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Calculating Apparatus or Ready Reckoners.
I, CHARLES JOHN BOSANQUET, of Ripley Lodge, Belvedere, in the County of
Kent, Electrical 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 instruments or apparatus, the details of which may
greatly vary without departing from the spirit of the invention, but all so arranged
that the result which it is desired to obtain riz.-the computing of the amounts in
question can be ascertained by reference to what I may term a final indicator.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood I will now proceed to
describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein are
illustrated several forms of calculating apparatus constructed according to my
invention. In these drawings,—
Figures 1 and 2 are plans of two of the simpler constructions of my calculating
apparatus.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of an alternative construction embodying the
principles hereinafter set forth with reference to Figures 1 and 2.
Figures 4, 5 and 6 illustrate another alternative construction, and
Figures 7, 8 9 and 10 show further alternative constructions hereinafter referred
to in detail.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
To demonstrate the principle upon which I work I will first describe the device
illustrated by Figure 1 which is adapted for use in marketing and in similar
operations to enable the user to ascertain promptly the amounts of certain quantities
at certain prices. The device comprises a disc A and an adjustable annulus B
which is rotatable upon the disc A and provided with a perforated lug B' consti-
tuting an index. Upon the disc are two stationary circular scales, an inner one C
and an outer one D the latter or its equivalent being hereinafter termed the
indicating" scale. Upon t
Upon the annulus B is a scale E employed with reference
to the scale C, the index being employed with reference to the indicating scale D.
I prefer when such a device is to be used for computing a money amount to make
the scales C and D represent money and the scale E numbers or quantities to which
end all the scales would be appropriately subdivided in accordance with the
character of the units adopted.
The several scales are divided logarithmically and the indicating scale is divided
reversely all in a manner well understood and their subdivisions are so marked or
numbered that by moving the annulus B to bring a chosen number-reading on the
scale E into juxtaposition with a price reading for instance on the scale C the
proper amount-reading on the scale D presents itself at the index. The employment
of an index and of an indicating-scale in the manner indicated herein is important
inasmuch as it entirely removes from the mind of the user all doubt as to the final
amount by pointing out the situation of the reading which gives the result or
solution and not necessitating a choice from among a number of readings such as is
presented in most slide rules for instance.

page_text: The annulus B may be divided on its under side and reversed for calculations
beyond or other than those which can be effected with the face at present shown.
The device illustrated by Figure 2 is similar to that shown in Figure 1 except
that the annulus B has two indexes B' and B2 and a cross-bar B³ by which it is
pivoted to the disc A, and also that the logarithmic scales C and D are so set out
as to constitute a pence and shillings table, that is to say the numbers on C if
considered as representing shillings have opposite them on D the corresponding
number of pence. This for certain purposes is convenient and moreover it extends
the range of the instrument, the inner index B* indicating the amount in shillings
and the outer index B₁ the amount in pence or the outer index and scale may be
employed to obtain values which are numerically a continuation of those of the
inner scale C.
Either of the forms illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 are suitable for mounting on
hand-bags, blotting pads or other articles to which they would form useful
appurtenances. The rings B may be wholly or partially countersunk in the disc A
or otherwise secured in place in any manner which may be suitable.
The construction shown in Figure 3 differs from that illustrated by Figure 1
but is similar in principle. The scales C and D in Figure 3 are at opposite
parts of the periphery of a short cylinder A instead of upon the face of a disc and
the scale E and index B¹ are upon a band B disposed centrally on that periphery
as shown.
Figures 4, 5 and 6 illustrate in elevation vertical cross section and edge view
respectively a modification of my invention wherein the scale E is marked upon
the side of a rotatable drum F arranged to turn within a casing G which has a
transparent side G' whereon the scale C is placed in convenient proximity to the
scale E on the drum. A tape H wound upon the drum F is graduated with the
indicating scale, an index such as G2 therefor being provided on the casing at
an opening G³ therein past which the tape travels as it issues from the casing.
The graduations upon the tape are so arranged that the setting of the scale E
relatively to the scale C by pulling out the tape brings simultaneously the proper
amount-reading or resultant on the tape to the index G2. Where a tape is used
in my calculating instruments I may graduate one side of it in feet and inches or
otherwise so that it will serve as an ordinary tape measure in addition to performing
its other function as part of the calculating device. The drum F turns on a pin Ho
fixed in the casing and a spring I is attached to the pin or casing and to the
interior of the drum to return the drum and rewind the tape automatically after
unwinding, in a manner which needs no special explanation.
J is a small brake carried by a finger-push J₁ and arranged to slide in the casing
and operate in any desired manner to hold the drum F in any position to which it
is adjusted by the tape H.
K is a segmental shutter adapted to turn on the pin H and to turn under
certain conditions relatively to the drum F with which however it normally moves
in company for it is intentionally formed and arranged to have frictional contact
with a considerable area of one side of the drum. The segment has such an
angular extent as to be able to conceal a part of the scale E on the drum and it
is provided in order to cover automatically such parts of the scale E as would be
misleading by coming into accidental or undesired juxtaposition with the readings
of the scale C and causing confusion of the readings. L L' are pins in the casing
projecting into the path of the shutter K. The pin L stops the shutter when it
has moved in company with the drum into the position in which it is shown in
dotted lines in Figure 4 so that the drum if turned further moves on alone bringing
out the readings higher than 8 from below one edge of the shutter K and causing
the readings from 1 to 8 for example, to pass under it if the drum be moved
sufficiently far. Immediately on the commencement of the return movement of the
druin the shutter moves with it until stopped by the pin L' after which the drum
continues its return movement until the spring I has caused it to assume its initial

page_text: position relatively to the shutter and the scale C. The angular area covered by
the shutter would be varied to suit the particular scale in use.
Some of the figures of the scale E are shown through the surface-lined shutter K
in Figure 4, to aid the proper understanding of the apparatus, although it is not
intended that they should be visible in practice.
Figures 7 and 8 illustrate a modification of my invention wherein the tape drum F
has a gear wheel F1 fixed upon its boss so as to move with it; this wheel F' is.
geared with a pinion L° carried by a disc M adapted to turn with the pin H° an
graduated with the E scale; an internally-toothed rack or friction ring N or an
equivalent is fixed in the interior of the casing so that the pinion L° may run.
upon it. By this arrangement of gearing the tape drum and disc M are SO.
connected that the former when it turns always moves through a greater angle than
that traversed by the disc M, the ratio of these movements depending upon the
proportions of gear adopted; consequently the graduations of the tape can be more
widely spaced and cleaily marked relatively to the spacing of related graduations
on the disc M.
The drum F has a brake J and shutter K arranged and operating like the
brake and shutter in Figures 4 and 5.
O is an additional or auxiliary disc, turning with the pin H° and disc M and
graduated at its circumference with any desired scale such as those herein before
referred to for use in relation to any other similar scale on a transparent back
plate G of the instrument. The additional or auxiliary disc may have a shutter
such as K and pins such as L L' operating in conjunction therewith if desired and
a part of the indicating scale may be marked with especial reference to the scale
on the additional or auxiliary disc. Or the additional disc O and the disc M may
be so connected as to come into operation successively by continuous operation of
the tape indicating-scale which would be graduated accordingly; in such a case
suitably-arranged shutters would preferably be employed to cover one face while
the other is in use.
In the construction illustrated in elevation by Figure 9 the scales C and E are
marked along opposite edges of a helical division between two parts P and Q
which together form a cylinder and are retained in line by any suitable means such
as a hollow cylindrical core for example. The scales E and C are set by moving
one part helically on the other; in such a movement the length of the cylinder is
necessarily altered. D is a suitably-graduated indicating scale marked on one of
the parts; when they are moved relatively to each other in the manner described
the resultant on the indicating scale will present itself at the edge of the index B¹
formed in the present instance as a bar fixed to one of the said parts and overlying
the other.
In the construction illustrated by Figure 10 which is a modification of that shown
in Figure 9 the parts P and Q adjustable helically on each other are hollow and
one of them, P, is provided with an index opening B' at which the indications of
an indicating scale D marked on a gauge rod R (which is also preferably a pen or
pencil) are presented, when the parts P and Q move endwise belically; the gauge
rod passes freely into the hollow interior of the device, as shown, to the bottom of
the cavity in the part Q, and it need not be helically graduated.
Another simple form of the instrument would consist of two discs the peripheries
of which carry the before described fixed and movable scales the indicating scale
being formed upon the inner face of one of the discs, that is the face nearest the
second disc and the figures being viewed through a suitable opening in the other
disc. The two discs are pivoted so as to rotate about the same axis and may be
covered in a case if desired.
In doing division a desired number on the indicating scale is brought to the index
and upon the face of the other scales the readings that come together at the same
time take the eye to the various pair of numbers multiplied together to produce the
one on the index scale. For instance it will be seen that 60 is made up of 3 x 20
5 x 12 6 x 10 etc. so that a person requiring to know the number of yards or

page_text: pounds of material at a price that can be bought for 5s. will see that 20 yards at 3d.,
12 yards at 5d., 6 yards at 10d., etc. etc. may be obtained, or if 1- a yard is
determined upon 5 yards can be got.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is ;-
1. In calculating apparatus the combination with two scales adjustable relatively
to each other of an indicating-scale or scales in operative or in rigid connection
with one of them and so arranged and graduated that the operation of setting the
first-named two scales to "oppose" certain of their readings causes the indicating
scale or scales to present at an index or opening the product or other resultant
of such opposed readings.
2. In calculating apparatus of the kind claimed in Claim 1 the use of a flexible
indicating scale such as H operatively connected with a rotatable spring-controlled
scale-bearing device such as F or M or O substantially as and for the purpose
described.
3. In calculating apparatus of the kind described the combination with helical
scales C and E and parts such as P and Q carrying them and arranged to be
movable helically of an indicating scale on one of those parts and an index on the
other substantially as and for the purpose described.
4. In calculating-apparatus of the kind described the combination with belical
scales C and E and parts such as P and Q carrying them and arranged to be movable
helically of an index on one of those parts and a separate gauge such as R with an
indicating scale D thereon substantially as and for the purpose described.
5. In calculating-apparatus of the kind described the use of shutters such as K
and means whereby their movement with and also relatively to the movable scales
thereof is effected and controlled substantially as and for the purpose described.
6. In calculating-apparatus of the kind claimed in Claim 2 gearing with a drum
such as F from which a flexible indicating-scale unwinds a scale-bearing disc such
as M or O in such manner that to impart a given angular movement to the disc
a greater angular movement must be given to the drum substantially as and for
purpose described.
7. The use in calculating-apparatus of the kind described of a flexible scale.
8. The combination and arrangement of parts whereby the drum F and disc M
are geared together substantially as and for the purpose illustrated in Figures 7
and 8 of the accompanying drawings.
9. A pen or pencil graduated to serve as an indicating scale in calculating-
apparatus.
10. The calculating device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference
to Figure 1 or to Figure 2 or to Figure 3 or to Figures 45 and 6 or to Figures 7
and 8 or to Figure 9 or to Figure 10 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 7th day of January 1895
CHAS. J. BOSANQUET.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant.
CHAS. J. BOSANQUET.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant.