IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TEACHING READING AND THE SIMPLE AND COMPOUND RULES OF ARITHMETIC AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL MATTER
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ezra Sykes and Otho Giles Abbott, of Huddersfield, in
the County of York, Educational Apparatus Manufacturers, for an Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TEACHING
READING AND THE SIMPLE AND COMPOUND RULES OF ARITHMETIC AND
OTHER EDUCATIONAL MATTER."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ezra Sykes and Otho Giles
Abbott at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th January
1882.
EZRA SYKES and OTHO GILES ABBOTT of Huddersfield in the County of York,
Educational Apparatus Manufacturers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF
AND APPARATUS FOR TEACHING READING, AND THE SIMPLE AND COMPOUND
RULES OF ARITHMETIC AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL MATTER."
The object of our Invention is the construction of apparatus whereby children
may expeditiously be taught the alphabet and the simple and compound rules
of arithmetic, such as addition, substraction, multiplication, division and the like..
For the purpose of teaching the alphabet, or small words, a square or other form
of frame is employed and divided by vertical wires.
Upon these wires and capable of being slided up and down thereon are placed
square, hexagon or other form of blocks upon which are impressed marked or
printed, letters of the alphabet or other suitable symbols according to the subject
intended to be taught.
Each face of the block may be impressed with a letter or other mark and as
these blocks not only slide up and down the wires but are capable of revolving
thereon, it will be seen that one block can be used to represent as many letters or
symbols as it has sides.
When the blocks are arranged so as to represent a word they rest upon a bearer
placed horizontally. This bearer is provided with springs or moveable parts but
so arranged that the blocks can slide up and down the wires without coming in

page_text: contact with the bearer or moveable part, but when the blocks are required to be
arranged in a line in order to shew a word the moveable parts are brought into
position to hold the blocks up.
For the purpose of teaching arithmetic we employ rectangular or other right
angular frame divided by vertical cross bars into any suitable number of divisions
so as to represent units, tens, hundreds, thousands, and tens of thousands or pounds,
shillings and pence, or other marks of notation which may be required in the
teaching of arithmetic.
A number of wires are fixed on the frame, running horizontally with the vertical
cross bars, and on the horizontal wires are placed coloured balls, rollers or blocks
capable of being easily slided backward and forward thereon.
These bars are angle shaped so that the balls can be put entirely out of view of
the children.
When children are being taught they stand in front of the apparatus and the
teacher draws out from behind the cross bars, such balls or blocks as he requires
to illustrate the particular matter in hand in such manner that the children in
front may see the teacher work out an arithmetical sum whereby they are much
better enabled to understand and gather in the principle than by means of figures
on a black board.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Ezra Sykes and Otho Giles Abbott in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
7th July 1882.
EZRA SYKES and ОTHO GILES ABBOTT, of Huddersfield in the County of York
Educational Apparatus Manufacturers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF
AND APPARATUS FOR TEACHING READING AND THE SIMPLE AND COMPOUND
RULES OF ARITHMETIC AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL MATTER."
The object of our Invention is the construction of apparatus whereby children
may be expeditiously taught the alphabet and the simple and compound rules of
arithmetic, such as addition, substraction, multiplication and the like.
For the purpose of teaching the alphabet, or small words, a square or other form
of frame is employed and divided by vertical wires. Upon these wires and capable
of being slided up and down thereon are placed square, hexagon or other form of
blocks, upon which are impressed, marked or printed letters of the alphabet or
other suitable symbols according to the subject intended to be taught. Each face
of the block may be impressed with a letter or other mark and as these blocks not
only slide up and down the wires but are capable of revolving thereon, it will be
seen that one block can be used to represent as many letters or symbols as it has
sides. When the blocks are arranged so as to represent a word they are kept in
position by springs.
In order that this part of our Invention may be better understood we herein
give reference to the accompanying Sheets of Drawings wherein Fig. 1 is elevation
and Fig. 2 cross section of a frame A provided with blocks B according to our
Invention.
These blocks are capable of being slided up and down the vertical rods C
according to selection and when a word is intended to be formed the blocks with
the letter required, are placed in front of openings, formed in the horizontal bar D
as shewn on the Drawings. Small springs a are employed so as to hold up the
blocks and keep them in position opposite the said openings. The blocks may be
formed with four sides or any other convenient number, each side having a letter
thereon by which means a large quantity of letters may be at command for a few
blocks. Provision is made so that these blocks may be turned around on the
rods C which is effected by having a contracted part in the rod as shewn as F in
Fig. 3 which is a detail of one of the rods. It will be seen that these rods are
nade of flat material upon which the rods slide and when it is necessary to turn
the blocks around, they are taken to the contracted part of the rod and turned.
It will also be seen that the frame A may be made any size, containing any
convenient number of rods C and blocks B and that the letters or symbols may be
varied to suit the matter intended to be taught.
For the purpose of teaching arithmetic we employ a rectangular or other right
angular frame divided by vertical cross bars into any suitable number of divisions
so as to represent units, tens, hundreds, thousands and tens of thousands or pounds,
sbillings and pence, or other marks of notation which may be required in the teaching
of arithmetic. A number of wires are fixed in the frame running horizontally with
the vertical cross bars, and on the horizontal wires are placed coloured balls, rollers
or blocks capable of being easily slided backward and forward thereon. These
bars are angular so that the balls can be put entirely out of view of the children.
When children are being taught they stand in front of the apparatus and the
teacher draws out from behind the cross bars, such balls or blocks as he requires
to illustrate the particular matter in hand in such manner that the children in

page_text: front may see the teacher work out an arithmetical sun whereby they are much
better enabled to understand and gather in the principle than by means of figures
on a blackboard.
This part of our Invention is illustrated in Sheet 2 where Fig. 4 is an elevation
and Fig. 5 is cross section of the apparatus we employ for this purpose.
A is the
rectangular frame divided by vertical angular bars B, and C are wires running
horizontally on which are placed balls D. The bars C are made angular so that
when the balls are pushed behind them they cannot go too far and get into the
next division as would be the case if the bars were flat. Collars or bosses on the
wires would however answer the same purpose, as shewn in Fig. 6. The number
of divisions in the frame will vary according to circumstances, but our Invention
will be understood by one or two illustrations. Fig. 4 is an illustration of apparatus
intended to teach the value of numbers and simple sums such as addition and
substraction. The letters on the top part of the frame represent units, tens, hundreds,
thousands and tens of thousands, and the balls which are exposed to view is a
simple illustration of addition, the balls to be added or substracted are placed
above the cross bar E and the answers are placed underneath it as shewn. Fig. 7
is another form of frame intended to shew the relative value of money, and the
divisions represent pounds, shillings, pence, halfpence and farthings and in this
case we employ imitation coins instead of balls so as to render the teaching easier,
the coins exposed to view representing a simple illustration of substraction.
Having now shewn by Drawings and described by this Specification the nature
of our Invention and the manner in which it is performed or carried into practice
we would have it understood that we do not confine ourselves to the exact details
herein shewn and described as they may be somewhat varied without departing
from the main features thereof, but what we believe to be new and therefore claim
as our Invention is--
Firstly. The combination of the vertical rods C and horizontal bar D for the
purposes substantially as herein described and shewn in Figs. 1 and 3.
Secondly. The use and employment of the springs a or their equivalent for
holding the blocks in position substantially as described and shewn in Fig. 2.
Thirdly. The use and employment of blocks B having marks or symbols on two
or more sides substantially as described and shewn in Figs. 1 and 2.
Fourthly. The combination of horizontal wires C and vertical bars B for the
purpose substantially as described and shewn in Figs. 4, 5, and 7.
Fifthly. The use and employment of the angular bar B for the purpose
substantially as described and shewn in Fig. 4, 5. and 7.
Sixthly. The use and employment of the horizontal wires C having collars
thereon for the purpose as described.
In witness whereof we the said Ezra. Sykes and Otho Giles Abbott, have
hereunto set our hands and seals this Fourth day of July in the year of
our Lord One thousand, eight bundred and eighty two.
EZRA SYKES.
(L.S.)
OTHO GILES ABBOTT. (LS.)