Improvements in Appliances for Teaching Botany.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Apr., 1893-Accepted, 27th May, 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Appliances for Teaching Botany.
I, WILLIAM HAMILTON GIBSON of 132, Lincoln Place, Brooklyn, in the
County of Kings, and State of New York, United States of America, Artist, 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 :-
My invention relates to educational appliances for use in schools, colleges, and
on the lecturing platform, and the object of the invention is to provide a new and
improved mechanical appliance for conveniently and readily demonstrating the
construction of plants and the means employed for fertilization or fecundation and
cross-fertilization and dissemination or dispersion of seed and fruit.
The invention consists principally of a mechanical plant and means for actuating
the floral parts and the seed receptacle and seed.
The invention also consists in certain parts and details and combinations of the
same, as will be described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this
Specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in
all the figures.
Figure 1 is a front view of the improvement arranged for cross-fertilization and
in a closed position.
Figure 2 is a transverse section of the same, on the line 2—2 of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a front view of the same, with one of the covers open.
Figures 4 and 5 are like views with other parts open.
Figure 6 is a plan view of the representation of an insect used in connection with
the device shewn in Figures 1 to 5.
Figure 7 is a side elevation of the representation of a different insect.
Figure 8 is a face view of a movable part of the insect.
Figures 9 to 13 inclusive are front views of various modified forms, illustrating
cross-fertilization or fecundation of different plants.
and
Figure 14 is a front view of the improvement, as arranged for direct fertilization,
Figure 15 is a similar view of the improvement as arranged for dissemination or
dispersion of seeds.
In the drawings the improvement is illustrated on a few typical plants, but it is
understood that for demonstrating the different plants different mechanical
mechanisms are necessary and hence I do not limit myself to any especial con-
struction shewn in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described, it being
understood that the invention consists mainly of a mechanical plant and means
for actuating parts of the said plant so as to demonstrate fertilization, cross-
fertilization, and the dissemination or dispersion of the seed.
As shewn in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive the device is arranged to illustrate cross-
fertilization of the plant known as Andromeda. The mechanical plant is represented
by its flower only, mounted on a suitable board A. on the front of which is hinged
at B¹ the cover B which conforms to the outline of the flower and is painted or
otherwise marked to represent as nearly as possible the outer surface or shell of
the flower.
As illustrated in Figures 1, 2, and 3, this cover B can be swung open to one side
so as to disclose a sectional view of the plant this sectional view being partly
represented by the shell C of the flower and by a cover D hinged at its upper end
at D¹ to the board A and adapted to be swung upward, as illustrated in Figure 5

page_text: so as to disclose the stamens E grouped around the style F, the upper end of which
is represented by the ovary G adapted to be covered by a cover Gi hinged at G² to
the board A. close to the hinge D' of the cover D.
As illustrated in Figure 4 the stamens are drawn on the board A with the
exception of one stamen E¹ which is made as a separate part and hinged at E² to
the board A, as is plainly indicated in the said view. A rubber band E³ or other
spring is connected with this pivoted stamen E' so as to hold the anther E* of this
stamen in contact with the style F, as indicated in Figure 4, a suitable stop being
arranged to prevent this anther E from passing over the said style, as indicated in
Figures 3 and 4.
The anther E of the pivoted stamen is adapted to close the mouth of a pocket H
formed in the board A and containing a substance I representing the pollen. It is
understood that in nature the pollen is contained in the anther. Now, it is evident that
when a mechanical device representing an insect J having an extended tongue, as
shewn in Figure 6, is used and the rigid tongue of the insect is pressed against the
anther E, then the stamen E' moves outwards and thereby uncovers the mouth of
the pocket H and discloses and releases the pollen I as shewn in Figure 5.
Now, it is understood that when in nature an insect enters the flower to reach,
with its tongue inserted among the stamens, the honey contained near the ovary,
then the stamen is actuated and the pollen falls from the anther on the front end
or other part of the insect's body and is carried by the insect to the stigma of
other flowers for cross-fertilization. In Figure 9 is illustrated the flower of the
plant known as "Pogonia" and this construction is for demonstrating the deposit of
the pullen on any part of the insect's body.
The insect J on its return movement out of the flower actuates with its back a
hinged cover K to expose a substance representing pollen contained in a pocket
similar to the one above described and shewn in Figure 5.
In Figure 10 is shewn a representation of the flower of the plant known as
"Aristolochia." In this device two flaps L and L' representing the interior of the
neck of the flower are pivoted in the board A at L2 and their free ends are
connected with cords N passing through apertures to the back of the board to be
manipulated by the demonstrator. On the inner adjacent curved edges of the
flaps are arranged angularly-extending flexible pins L³ representing hairs. The
insect J is pivoted on arm pivoted on the board A, to permit the demonstrator.
to pass the insect inward through the pins to reach the ovary. The insect is laden
with pollen from another plant and is imprisoned at the ovary as the angular pins
prevent exit. The insect sheds its pollen and receives the pollen of the flower and
at the same time the demonstrator pulls the strings or cords N to swing the flaps
outward to permit the exit of the insect. In nature, the hairs, represented by the
pins, wither as soon as the pollen is shed, to permit the escape of the insect.
In Figure 11 the insect manipulated by the demonstrator, actuates the front end
of a lever P to move the rear end of the said lever into contact with the body of
the insect, to deposit the pollen-like substance I contained in a pocket at the rear
end of the lever on to the body of the insect.
As illustrated in Figures 7, 8, 9, and 11, the insect is provided with a lug J¹ for
striking the cover K or lever P to actuate the same as described. I also provide
the mechanical insect J with a pivoted wing J2 having on its front face two
surfaces J³ and J* (see Figure 8) of which one is painted to conform to the body of
the animal, while the other J* contains the representation of the pollen as the latter
is deposited on the wings or body of the insect. This movable part J² is mounted
to swing on the back of the representation of the insect J, over an aperture J³, so
that either of the two surfaces J3 and J* appears through the opening. As illus-
trated in Figure 7, the part J³ appears through the opening J5 to shew the natural
state, but in demonstrating the pollen on the insect, the operator moves the wing J'
downward so that the other surface J* appears in the opening J' whereby the insect
appears with pollen deposited on its body.

page_text: As illustrated in Figure 12, the flower is provided with a filament made in the
form of a flexible rod or tube Q attached at one end to the board A. and carrying
at its free end a receptacle Q¹ containing the pollen. A stop Q2 engaging the
receptacle holds the rod or tube in a bent position until the receptacle is disengaged
from the stop. The flexible tube on releasing, swings to its natural position, as
indicated in dotted lines in said figure, and in doing so, the contents of the
receptacle are thrown outward out of the flower. In nature, the insect on entering
the flower, loosens the filament, to permit the tube to swing to discharge the pollen
as above described.
In Figure 13 an aquatic plant is represented in which the flower R is held on a
coiled spring R' representing the stem of the flower and attached at its lower end
on the board A. The upper end of the spring is connected with a string or cord R²,
extending through an aperture in the board A to the back of the latter, to be
operated by the demonstrator.
The normal position of the spring R' and the flower are shown in dotted lines.
A plug R held on a string R₁ also under the control of the operator is held loosely
in a socket R³ arranged in the board A and when the operator pulls on the string R
the plug R³ containing the pollen is moved upward and supported to scatter the
pollen on the surface of the water represented in the board by lines, as shown.
When the operator releases the string R² the spring R' returns the flower R to its
normal position.
As
In nature the pollen is scattered on the surface of the water by the loosened male
Hower and is taken up by the female flower floating on the surface of the water.
soon as this is accomplished the stem of the plant coils up and draws the female
flower under the water to ripen the seed. From the foregoing it will be readily
understood that the mechanical plant and the mechanical means for demonstrating
cross fertilization vary according to the particular plant to be imitated.
In Figure 14 is illustrated direct or self-fertilization of a plant known as
"Gentian." The pistil S containing the young seed is drawn on the board A and
on the upper end are formed the split flexible parts S1, S2, representing the stigma
and held in a closed position by cords or strings S³ passing through apertures in
the board A to the rear of the same to be under the control of the demonstrator.
The flexible parts are so constructed that on releasing the strings the parts coil in
opposite directions as shown in dotted lines in the said Figure 14. The coiled
parts pass onto the anthers S* so as to come in contact with the pollen carried by
the anthers. It will be seen that in this case direct fertilization is easily
demonstrated.
Dissemination or dispersion of seeds is illustrated in Figure 15 in which a plant
known as "Crane's Bill" is represented. The pistil T with a series of seed
pouches T' at the base is drawn on the board A; but one pouch T is hung on a
flexible part T adapted to coil up as shown in dotted lines when released from a
pin T secured in the board A. The seed Ts in this pouch is thrown out. on the
coiling up of the pistil part, as illustrated in the said Figure 15.
On the board A may be drawn or painted special parts of the respective plant
to enable the demonstrator to fully explain the construction of the plant. As
illustrated in Figure 1, the board A, besides containing the mechanical plant, as
described, also contains a representation on an enlarged scale of the filament and
anthers in cross section, as well as a representation on an enlarged scale, of the
style and the anthers.
It is readily understood that the several parts of each plant are arranged to
disclose the structure of the plant as well as to permit of moving the respective
parts so as to demonstrate the fertilization, and cross-fertilization of flowers, and
dissemination of seeds, including hygroscopism and hygrometric movement of fruits
and seeds as aids in their dissemination and dispersion.
It is understood that the mechanism for the above purpose is varied for the
different plants and I do not limit myself to any particular construction.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. An appliance for teaching botany comprising a mechanical representation of
a plant having movable mechanical and pictorial floral parts, fruits, seeds, seed
receptacles and seed held normally in a loclicd position, and releasing devices for
unlocking the movable parts, substantially as shown and described.
2. An appliance for teaching botany comprising a mechanical representation of
a plant having movable mechanical and pictorial floral parts, fruits, seed, seed
receptacles and seed held normally in a locked position, and actuating devices for
imparting movement to the movable parts, substantially as shown and described.
3. An appliance for teaching botany comprising a mechanical representation of
a blossom having mechanical and movable pictorial parts, in combination with the
mechanical representation of an insect adapted to adjust the movable parts of the
blossom, substantially as shown and described.
4. An appliance for teaching botany comprising a mechanical representation of
a blossom having mechanical and movable pictorial parts in combination with the
mechanical representation of an insect having movable parts to indicate the
reception of pollen upon said insects body, substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 25th day of April 1893.
W. H. GIBSON,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.