Improvements in and relating to Ready Reckoners and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Ready Reckoners and the like.
ALBERT EDWARD HORLICK PAYNE, 127, White Hart Lane, Barnes, Surrey,
Builder's Manager, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
Shaped discs of cardboard or other suitable material are made to contain
figures and other matter in such a manner that when two such discs placed face
to face are made to revolve one against the other the figures and other matter
contained on the inner face of the one disc may be seen through holes or slots
in the other to indicate while revolving the price of given quantities at such
a rate as that inner face shall represent. A number of these discs each represent-
ing a certain rate are held together face to face upon an axis attached to or con-
tained between the outer discs or covers in a manner which will permit the holes
or slots in each of the several discs being brought opposite one another in which
position they may be retained either by the fingers of the operator holding
them by means of little tabs allowed to project from the several discs for that
purpose, or by means of small clips or clasps attached to the edges of the discs,
at the same time allowing the face of any one disc to revolve against the face of
the disc next it at the will of the operator thereby permitting the operator to
see the figures and other matter contained on that face of the disc that is revolving
beneath the holes or slots of the discs that are being held in position.
Dated this 17th do 1 ……………………………… 1000
Improvements in and relating to Ready Reckoners and the like.
I, ALBERT EDWARD HORLICK PAYNE, of 127, White Hart Lane, Barnes, Surrey,
Builder's Manager, 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 novel and convenient construction and arrangement
of ready reckoning and kindred tables, such as insurance tables, cab fare tables
and the like, whereby the same are presented in a form which whilst neat, com-
pact and easy of reference is more durable and lasting and less liable to become
damaged than the ordinary leaflet or book form tables.
Whilst susceptible of many slight modifications in construction and arrange-
ment, my invention in every case (as will hereinafter appear) comprises a disc
or tablet having tabulated matter arranged in a circle around its face, and a
[Price 8d.]

page_text: sighting shield provided with a view. aperture revolvable upon the face of said
disc or tablet about a centre coincident with that of the tabulated matter afore-
said, so that by relatively rotating the disc or tablet and the sighting shield any
desired portion of the tabulated matter may be brought opposite to and sighted
or read off through the view aperture in the said shield, which by isolating the
portion of matter to be read off from the remainder gives greater prominence to
such portion and makes reference easier and less trying to the eyes.
In one of its simplest arrangements the device may assume the form of two
superposed discs connected together by a central pivot and each disc having
tabulated matter arranged, as described above around its inner face and a view
aperture through which the tabulated matter of the other disc may be sighted
or read off. In this arangement each tabulated disc forms a sighting shield to
the other. Or a series of discs tabulated as described and each having a view
aperture may be superposed and connected by a central pivot, and the view
apertures of all the discs being adapted to coincide the tabulated matter of any
disc of the series may be sighted or read off through the coincident view apertures
of the discs above, which latter would then collectively constitute the sighting
shield. Or the sighting shield may cover only a portion of the tabulated disc
or tablet and may then be in the form of an arm having a view aperture and
pivotally connected with the centre of the said disc or tablet.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood I will now describe the
same with reference to the annexed explanatory drawings forming a part of this
specification, wherein :-
Figures 1 and 2 are face views of a ready reckoning device constructed in
accordance with my invention and comprising two superposed tabulated discs.
Figure 3 is a face view of a slight modification of the device represented in
Figures 1 and 2.
:
Figures 4 and 5 represent in face view and part sectional edge view respectively
a ready reckoner constructed and arranged according to my invention and com-
prising a series of table bearing discs."
Figure 6 represents in face view a slight modification of the device illustrated
in Figures 4 and 5 the table bearing discs being furnished with interlocking
catches.
Figures 7, 8 and 9 are details of these catches on an exaggerated scale.
Figure 10 is a face view of a similar device to Figure 6 the construction of
the interlocking catches being slightly modified.
Figures 11 and 12 are details on an exaggerated scale.
Figure 13 is a face view of a ready reckoning or like device constructed accord-
ing to my invention wherein the table bearing discs are provided with catches
adapted to engage with the outer disc or cover in lieu of interlocking with
each other.
Figures 14 and 15 are details of the catches on an exaggerated scale.
Similar letters refer to like parts in all: the figures.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a a are two discs of card or other suitable material
connected together by and revolvable about the central pivot b. Around the
inner face of each disc a tabulated matter is arranged in circles concentric with
the pivot two circles of tabulated matter being here represented.
cc are two
view apertures in each disc, one for each circle of tabulated matter, through
which apertures any portion of the tabulated matter of either disc may be sighted
when the discs are relatively rotated about the pivot c. Each disc a thus
forms a sighting shield to the other. Rotation of the discs may conveniently be
effected by means of the peripheral tabs & provided or formed thereon and each
marked to indicate the nature of the table with which it corresponds. In the
drawings there is shewn on one of the discs by way of example a table giving
the price of articles or goods of different weights at a certain rate per pound
and the tab d of each disc is marked to indicate the pound rate. It is obvious
that if preferred only one of the discs a may be tabulated in which case the

page_text: other merely performs the function of a sighting shield to the table bearing
disc, in which latter no view apertures would need to be formed.
A slight modification of the foregoing is illustrated in Figure 3, Sheet 1,
wherein the sighting shield in lieu of covering the entire surface of the tablet
covers only a portion thereof, and takes the form of a sighting arm a¹ pivotted
to the disc or table at band having a view aperture c through which the tabulated
matter is sighted. This arrangement would be suitable where the disc or tablet
is made of ivory, celluloid or like material which if soiled can easily be cleansed, and
to which therefore complete protection from dirt and the like is not so essential
as where the tablet or disc is of card or similar material. In the example a
portion of an insurance table is shewn, the tabulated matter indicating the amount
of the yearly, half yearly and quarterly premium for £100 at death when a given
age next birthday. Said arm a¹ may extend over one face only of the tablet a
or it may be duplicated or forked so as to embrace both faces of the tablet a
which in this case would bear tabulated matter both back and front. A device of
this description may conveniently be arranged to indicate cab fares from certain
starting points to various places and would be a handy appendage to hall tables,
writing tables and the like.
Where the device comprises more than two table bearing discs they are con-
structed arranged and referred to in a similar manner to the two disc device
Figures 1 and 2, but in this case it is absolutely essential that the sight apertures c
of all the discs a should be adapted to coincide or lie over one another so that
the tabulated matter of any desired disc may be read off through the coincident
sight apertures of the superposed discs which collectively constitute the sighting
shield to the disc under reference. The coincidence of one set of the sight
apertures c is clearly shewn in Figure 5. When the sight apertures c coincide
the tabs d should also coincide or lie above one another. The device represented
in Figures 4 and 5 is supposed to have six tabulated discs a of which all except
the two outer discs are imagined to be tabulated on both faces. The tabulated
matter is shewn by way of example as giving in pounds shillings and pence the
total cost of articles or goods at a certain price per unit, and the tab of each disc
bears the unit price upon which its corresponding table is calculated. In Figure 4
the tabs are shewn as spread out fan fashion for selecting the table required
for reference. This done the tabs of all the discs above the table selected are
gathered between the finger and thumb so as to lie over one another when the
view apertures of these discs will coincide thereby permitting the tabulated
matter of the disc selected to be sighted and read off as the latter is rotated.
Ready reckoning devices as above described may if desired be made of considerable
size and adapted to be suspended on walls and the like for handy reference, and
the table bearing discs may be suitably counterbalanced or weighted so as to
swing back to the normal position after being moved for consultation.
By a modification of the foregoing I may substitute catches for the tabs d
as shewn in Figure 6 the catch of one disc or tablet interlocking with that of
the next. In Figures 6, 7 and 8 the catches consist of hook plates e pivotted to
attachments secured to the discs a and each adapted to engage when depressed
with a projection or catch piece on the attachment of the adjacent disc.
I will now describe in detail a convenient and economical construction and
arrangement of catch as shewn in the exaggerated details Figures 7, 8 and 9
although I do not confine or limit myself to this or any other particular con-
struction of catch.
Figure 7 is an elevation of a single catch attached to a disc a. Figure 8
is a plan of two of such catches interlocked and Figure 9 is a plan of the blank from
which the main portion or disc attachment of the catch is bent.
The body of the blank has two arms extending therefrom and inclining in
reverse directions, which latter when the blank is folded over on itself along the
dotted lines embrace the disc a on either side and are secured thereto by thrusting
their ends through the disc and bending them over so that the body f aforesaid

page_text: projects beyond the edge of the disc as clearly seen in Figure 7. The tongue h
of the blank being bent around the end of the folded body f, as seen in Figure 8,
the end of the hook plate e is pivotally mounted between said tongue and the
body on the pin i. The other tongue of the blank is bent over as also
clearly seen in Figure 8 so as to lie parallel with the body f thereof, that portion
at right angles to the body f being engaged by the slot e¹ of the hook plate c
of the adjacent disc, said hook plate entering the space between the tongue h¹
and the body f and being thus held against lateral disengagement. Normally
the catches are interlocked and the view apertures c of the discs are then coincident.
Each catch is marked, say on the head e2 of the hook plate, to indicate the
table with which it corresponds, and when any table is desired for reference its
hook plate is raised so as to disengage it from the catch of the adjacent disc
as shewn in Figure 6 when the disc required for reference together with any
that may be béhind it, may be revolved upon the pivot 6 the superposed discs
remaining interlocked with their view apertures coincident and forming a
sighting shield to the disc under reference.
Figures 10, 11 and 12 illustrate a slightly modified construction of the inter-
locking catches. As just described the hook plates e are raised for disengage-
ment, in the modification now to be described they are depressed for the same
object. In this case the blank, Figure 12 would resemble that shewn in Figure 9,
but without the tongues h h¹. It would be folded over along the dotted lines
and secured to the disc with its folded body f extending beyond the periphery
thereof as previously described and the extremity of the hook plate e would be
mounted between the opposed sides of the folded body fat one end thereof on
the pivot i. This end of the body of would however be slightly set out as shewn
clearly in Figure 11 so that the hook plate e will lie in the plane of the
adjacent disc a and thus enter between the sides of the body f on that disc and
catch into the hole therein without any strain. e3 is a convenient projection
by which the catch may be depressed for disengagement.
In the modification Figures 13, 14 and 15, the disc catches e in place of
interlocking with one another engage each with a notch 7 in the periphery of
the outer disc a of the device as clearly shewn. When any catch e is turned
up out of engagement with its notch as shewn by the dotted lines Figure 14,
that disc may be rotated independently of the others which remain relatively
locked against movement with their sight apertures coincident and forming a
sighting shield to the disc under reference.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I decuare that what
I claim is:-
1. In a ready reckoner or kindred device, the combination of two superposed
discs revolvable upon one another about a central connecting pivot, tabulated
matter arranged in a circle around the inner face of each disc, and a view aperture
in each disc whereby any portion of the tabulated matter of the other may be
sighted and read off from either side of the device on relatively rotating the discs,
substantially as set forth.
2. In a ready reckoner or kindred device, the combination of a series of
superposed discs revolvable about and connected by a central pivot, tabulated
matter arranged in a circle about the face or faces of the discs, view apertures in
the discs adapted to coincide so that any portion of the tabulated matter of
any disc may be sighted or read off through the coincident view apertures of the
discs above, and peripheral indicating and manipulating tabs or projections on
the discs, said tabs lying over one another when the view apertures coincide and
thereby facilitating the placing and maintaining in coincidence of the view
apertures through which any disc has to be sighted, substantially as set forth.
3. In a ready reckoner or kindred device the combination of the series of
superposed discs rotatable about a central pivot, the tables carried by the discs

page_text: and a catch on the periphery of each disc engaging the adjacent disc, the sight
apertures of interlocked discs being coincident, substantially as set forth.
4. In a ready reckoner or kindred device the combination of the series of
superposed discs rotatable about a central connecting pivot and provided with
view apertures, the tables carried by the discs and the catches on the peripheries
of the latter, said catches being adapted to interlock with one another and thus
hold any adjacent discs against relative movement, the view apertures of inter-
locked discs being coincident, substantially as set forth.
5. In a ready reckoner or kindred device, the combination of the table
bearing discs connected by a central pivot, the view apertures therein and a
catch carried on the periphery of each disc all of said catches engaging a
common disc whereby each disc is independently locked against relative movement,
the sight apertures of the different discs being coincident when the latter are
locked by the catches aforesaid, so that when any disc is rotated for reference the
necessary coincidence of the view apertures of the discs above is assured, sub-
stantially as set forth.
E. P. ALEXANDER & SON,
Chartered Patent Agents,
19, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.