Improvements in and relating to Devices or Means for Teaching Children the Value of Numbers.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 1st July, 1890-Accepted, 6th Sept., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Devices or Means for Teaching
Children the Value of Numbers.
I, VILLETTE ANDERSON a citizen of the United States, residing in the City of
Washington, in the District of Columbia and United States of America, Spinster, 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:-
The object of the invention is to provide simple and attractive devices whereby a
young child may learn to distinguish figures, and to understand their meaning, and
use; and the invention also involves special reference to cash values, it being designed
to interest the young intelligence through its adaptation to the representation of such
small amounts as may come into his possession, while larger amounts may be readily
set out as the knowledge of the child increases.
In the accompanying drawings, I have represented a set of cubical blocks, which
may be of any number readily contained in a box, but reducible however to two, that
is to say, the blocks A, and B, these two, blocks constituting the primary pair and
being preferably distinguished from each other, as for instance by their being of
different colors.
The block A, is designed to have upon five of its faces five of the nine dignits, these
being disposed singly, or one digit upon each face as shown. Upon the sixth face of
this block is the value mark, as for instance the decimal point, which distinguishes
cents.
This block may be colored differently from the block B, so that the two can be
distinguished at a glance.
The block B, has upon five of its faces the other four digits and the cypher, singly
disposed, and upon its sixth face the value mark, as for instance the dollar sign.
Other value marks may be employed such as "Feet" and "Inches" L. s. d. &c., but
the invention is especially applicable to the decimal system.
Usually I prefer to arrange the first five digits on the block A, and the other four
digits and the cypher on the block B. And I prefer to have the digits arranged to
follow each other around the block so that they can be readily found in their position
by turning the block in the fingers, but the digits, cypher and the value marks may
be otherwise disposed upon the twelve faces of the two blocks,, without departing
from my invention. Six or eight pairs of such blocks may be inclosed in a box, or
case, and will provide much instruction in an agreeable form for young children,
leading them to become familiar with the forms and names of the figures, and value
marks, and enabling them to perform small computations and in after years the benefit
of such early acquaintance or familiarization with figures, and their use will have no
unimportant bearing upon their more advanced mathematical education.
I am aware that it is not new to provide figures in a desultory manner upon blocks,
and I do not broadly claim such invention.
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. A pair of cubical blocks having thereon the nine digits, the cypher, and the
value marks singly disposed on the faces of said blocks, substantially as specified.
2. A pair of distinguishable cubical blocks consisting of the blocks A, having five
digits, and a value mark singly disposed upon its faces, and the block B, having the
other four digits, the cypher and the value mark likewise singly disposed upon its
faces, substantially as specified.

page_text: 3. A pair of cubical blocks, distinguishable from each other by their color, and
having the digits, and cypher singly disposed upon their faces, substantially as
specified.
4. A set or series of pairs of distinguishable cubical blocks, each pair having the
nine digits, the cypher and the value marks singly disposed upon the faces of said
pair, substantially as specified.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.