An Apparatus for Teaching Numbers.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 8th June, 1899-Accepted, 29th July, 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Apparatus for Teaching Numbers.
I, ARCHIBALD HUGHES BARLOW, of 55, Godwin Road, Forest Gate, London, E.,
Teacher, 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:-
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This invention is designed to provide an easy means of teaching numbers and
the simpler rules of arithmetic, particularly addition and substraction and is
capable of many variations which should prove attractive and interesting to
the pupils.
The invention consists of a suitable frame or backboard and sliding pieces
(hereinafter called slides) fitting into grooves on the same.
of wood or other suitable material or materials. The frame may be of any suit-
Both may be made
able size or shape and may be made to carry any desired number of slides. For.
young children, the frame employed by a teacher would be about ten inches by
fourteen inches in size and divided horizontally by small parallel guides or
grooves so as to carry ten sets of slides on each side. One or both sides of the
frame is divided on the space between the guides into squares or divisions of any
suitable size or shape, say one inch squares. The slides may also be divided on
one or both sides into squares of the same size, and slides of various lengths may
be used. The slides are preferably of distinctly different colour to the frame.
When in use, one or more slides are fitted into one of the spaces between the
guides, and by adding up the number of squares on the slide or slides, the pupil
can ascertain what figure that number deducted from ten would leave. For
instance, if one slide of four squares, and one of two are placed together into the
frame, the pupil will count six on the slides and four vacant spaces in the frame,
and thus learn that six from ten leaves four. To train the eye, plain or unnumbered
slides may be used, and the pupil, judging from the length of the slide or slides
in the frame, can ascertain the number of inches it or they are in length, and
can check the correctness by adding up the uncovered squares on the frame and
deducting them from ten.
Many other exercises can be arranged and used with the frame and slides, and
both may be divided into any number of squares or may be plain.
For teaching the blind, the squares on both the frame and the slides may be
so made as to be capable of being counted by the touch. A simple way of doing
this would be to separate the squares on the frame by small ridges or recesses,
and those on the slides could be made separately and mounted on a linen or other
suitable back, For the pupils' own use, a smaller frame may be used and made
to carry a smaller number of slides and provided with a suitable handle.
I will now describe my invention with reference to the accompanying draw-
ings in which,
Fig. 1 shews a front elevation of one form of the apparatus.
Fig. 2 shews an end elevation of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 shews a view of four of the alida
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page_text: Fig. 4 shews a perspective view of a smaller form of the invention for use by
the pupil.
Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3:
a is the frame or backboard on one or both sides of which a number of grooves b
The space
are formed, preferably by fastening narrow strips onto the frame a.
between the strips is, as shewn, divided say, into one inch squares, and the
slides are also divided to correspond. The latter are free to slide easily between
the strips b
Referring to Fig. 4:
This smaller form of the invention is similar to that above described but is
shewn with only one groove. It may however, be made with more grooves if
required, and slides are used in the same manner as in the larger frame.
A handle is also added for convenient handling.
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 —
(1) An apparatus for teaching numbers, and particularly addition and sub-
traction, consisting of a frame or backboard divided into any suitable number of
grooves or guides so as to carry slides, the space between the guides being divided
or marked into squares or other divisions of suitable size or shape, and the slides
also being correspondingly divided, as herein described and set forth.
(2) An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 in which the frame and the slides inay
be plain, or one or both sides may be divided or marked into squares or other
divisions, as herein described and set forth.
(3) An apparatus as claimed in Claims 1 and 2 in which the squares or other
divisions are separated by a recess or ridge so as to be capable of being counted
by touch, for use by the blind, as herein described and set forth.
1 1
L
14
1900
S. S. BROMHEAD,
Agent for Applicant, 171, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C.