An Instrument for Demonstrating the Elliptical Movement of the Earth round the Sun and also the Movements of the Moon round the Earth.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Aug., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 29th Apr., 1889-Accepted, 20th July, 1839
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Instrument for Demonstrating the Elliptical Movement of the
Earth round the Sun and also the Movements of the Moon round
the Earth.
1 AUGUSTE GARASSUT professor officier d'Academic 62 Rue Montmartre Paris
France do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
An improved instrument worked by clock work machinery and demonstrating the
(elliptical) movements of the earth round the sun, & of the moon round the earth.
The central part of this apparatus consists of a gilded sphere or globe representing
the sun.
It rests on a support rising from the pedestal. This sun is traversed
vertically by a small wire rod which represents the axis of the universe, and indicates
the position of the north and south poles of the sun. The axis of the universe is
placed vertically, the celestial equator horizontally, and the ecliptic obliquely.
All the circles of the armillary sphere are marked on the surface of the sun. The
sun is traversed obliquely through and through from its centre to the two solstices, by
a straight line, or rather small wire rod, which reprosents the great axis of the ecliptic,
the prolonged extremities of which show the points where the earth is in its perihelion
and its aphelion. A circular plane surrounds the sun horizontally and represents the
celestial equator going from east to west. This plane is fixed to the sun by four
small wire nails. The position occupied in the heavens by the celestial tropics is
also indicated by four small wire rods fixed in the sun. On the polar circles and
on the colures of the solstices two small wire rods are placed-directed towards
the centre of the sun-to mark the position of the polar circles in the heavens.
Underneath the sun rests a small inclined plane at an angle of 66° 33′ from the
axis of the universe, and of 23° 27' from the celestial equator. By means of
clockwork machinery placed in the pedestal of the apparatus and two small balls
placed on this inclined plane, the arm, with the earth hanging from its extremity,
is mado to revolvo round the sun. In its revolutions round the sun the earth is
successively at the two extremities of the. great axis of the ecliptic. When it rises
above, and is on the north of the celestial equator, it draws near to the sun, thus
making Perihelion and winter; when it lowers and is at the south of the celestial
equator, it draws away from the sun, thus making Aphelion and summer.
between these two extreme points it is exactly opposite the celestial equator, thus
establishing the equinoxes. The earth in its movement describes an ellipse of
which the sun occupies, not the centre, but the septentrional point.
Twice
a
The earth is represented by an ordinary terrestial sphere smaller in size than
the Sun. While the earth makes its journey elliptically round the sun it also shows
its diurnal movement by revolving 3651 (three hundred and sixty five and
fourth) times on its own axis. This diurnal rotation is caused by clockwork machinery
fitted up in the centre of the globe and set agoing or stopped by simply pressing a
button. This mechanism is entirely distinct from that which makes the earth
revolve elliptically round the Sun." The axis of the earth is always vertical,
parallel with the axis of the universe.
The gilded sun may be removed and a globe lamp put in its place.
A special cosmographic map, on which is shown the seasons the months the
days & the signs of the zodiac etc. is placed either underneath the instrument
L

page_text: The apparatus may be mounted on precisely similar principles so as to demon-
strate the movements of the moon round the earth. The earth turns (28) twenty
eight times on its own axis while the moon only revolves round the earth once.
Dated this 29th day of July 1888
AUGUSTE
GARASSUT,
Professeur de Mathématiques,
Officier d'Académie,
62, Rue Montmartre, Paris.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Instrument for Demonstrating the Elliptical Movement of the
Earth round the Sun and also the Movements of the Moon round
the Earth.
I AUGUSTE GARASSUT, Professeur Officier d'Académie living at 62 rue Montmartre
Paris Franco 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 is an improved instrument worked by clockwork machinery and demon-
strating the elliptical movement of the earth round the Sun and of the moon
round the earth.
This instrument consists of three main paris; 1, a gilded globe which represents
the Sun, 2 an arm which is made to revolvo round the Sun and which carries
suspended from its upturned end a globe representing the earth; and 3, a pedestal
containing olockwork machinery which causes the arm with the earth attached to
revolve round the Sun in an eccentric course. The Sun is traversed vertically by
a small rod which represents the axis of the universe; the axis of the earth is
also placed vertically, and the ecliptic obliquely. The movement of the globe
round the sun is produced as follows:-
The arm which carries the globe representing the earth rests on an inclined
plane placed underneath the Sun. In form the plane is round and is inclined at
an angle of 66' 33" from the axis of the universe and of 23' 27" from the colestial
equator. The aforesaid arm is carried round by a revolving rod rising from the
clockwork machinery in the pedestal-and the movement is facilitated by small
wheels which run on the inclined plane. The inclination of the arm is therefore
the same as that of the plane on which it rests-23' 27", from the celestial equator.
At one extremity which is curved upward this arm carries the earth; at the other
extremity there is a counterbalance. Placed in this inclined position the earth in
its revolution approaches the Sun as it rises & draws away from the Sun as
it lowers. The manner in which the earth is fastened to the arm accentuates this
approach and withdrawal. It swings suspended from a small link so that when it
descends it swings away from the Sun or in other words maintains its verticality. As
the earth thus revolves round the Sun it is successively at the two extremities of the
great axis of the ecliptic. When it rises above and is on the north of the celestial
equator, it draws near to the Sun-thus making perihelion and winter.
lowers and is on the south of the celestial equator, it draws away from the Sun-thus
making Aphelion and Summer. Twice between these two points it is exactly opposite
the celestial equator-thus establishing the equinoxes. The circuit thus described by
the earth has not the vertical axis of the universe for its centre; but another axis
inclined from that at an angle of 23′ 27″. As the earth revolves it describes a
circle but as the centre of this circle, does not coincide with that of the sphere
representing the Sun the movement thus obtained represents very approximately the
elliptical movement of the earth round the Sun.
When it
The Sun is represented in Fig. 1 by the globe marked 1. This globe rests on a
support rising from the pedestal through the centre of the rod or small tube which
drives the arm supporting the earth. The Sun is traversed vertically by a small
copper rod which represents the axis of the universe and indicates the position of the

page_text: north and south poles of the Sun. Another small copper rod passes through the Sun
from its centre to the two solstices and shows the points where the earth is in its
Perihelion and Aphelion. Other small rods fixed in the Sun point out the most
important positions occupied by the earth towards the Sun, such as the great axis of
the ecliptic, the line of the equinoxes, the tropics and the polar circles. These rods are
inserted for the purpose of facilitating demonstration. The circles of the armillary
sphere are engraved on the surface of the Sun. An elliptical plane of cardboard or of
copper may be placed on the Sun to represent the ecliptic, and to show the four
divisions of the seasons, the months, and the days.
2 represents the earth. This globe hangs from the extremity of the upturned arm
which carries it round the Sun. While the earth makes one journey round the Sun it
revolves 365 (three hundred and sixty five and a fourth) times on its own axis. The
mechanism which causes this diurnal movement of the earth is placed in the centre of
the globe. It is wound up with a key, will go for half an hour, but may be stopped
at will by simply pressing a button.
3 is a circular plane which surrounds the Sun horizontally and represents the
celestial equator.
4 is the inclined plane already described & illustrated more fully in Fig. 2. The
clockwork machinery placed in the pedestal 7 causes a small tube, which passes up
through the centre of the instrument, to revolve and produce the annual movement of
the earth. This mechanism also runs for half an hour and may be stopped at will.
5 is the arm to which the earth is attached and which is made to revolve by the
mechanism placed in the pedestal. The weighted part of this arm, as seen in Fig. 1,
acts as a counterbalance to the globe representing the earth.
The dotted line 6 shows the position of the earth when it is in Aphelion.
In Fig. 2, 1 is the inclined plane. 2 part of the aforesaid arm showing the manner in
which it is attached to the axle 3. This axle as already explained is in the form of a
tube through the centre of which passes the support of the Sun. 4 is the small copper
wheels which run on the inclined plane.
The gilded Sun may be removed and a globe lamp put in its place to show the days
and nights successively on the earth as it makes its revolutions round the Sun. The
continents and main divisions of land and water are shown on the surface of the earth
as on an ordinary small globe. A special cosmographic map may be placed under the
instrument to show the different seasons, the months, the days, the signs of the
zodiac &c.
The instrument may be mounted on precisely similar principles so as to demonstrate
the movement of the moon round the earth. In this case a large globe in the
centre represents the earth, while the moon takes the place of the earth at the end of
the upturned arın. The moon revolves round the earth by means of the same
mechanism which caused the earth to revolve, but in this case the central globe
representing the earth also revolves. While the earth turns twenty eight times on its
own axis the moon only revolves once round the earth.
Having now particularly described the nature of my said invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
Firstly The construction and arrangement of parts and movements constituting
the improved apparatus for the purpose herein described and illustrated by Figs. 1
& 2.
Secondly The elliptical movement of the earth round the Sun, and of the moon
round the earth produced simply by the inclination-of-a-plane.
Thirdly-The-mechancal arrangements which facilitate the demonstration of the
purposes for which the instrument is intended both as regards the revolution of the
earth round the Sun and of the moon round the earth.
Dad thin the ofth Jon of Annil 1000
AUGUSTE GARASSUT.