Improvements in Apparatus for Teaching Arithmetic.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Feb., 1896
Improvements in Apparatus for Teaching Arithmetic.
WILLIAM ADAM M.A. Teacher and MATTHEW ATKINS ON ADAM, Engineer
both of 235 Bath Street Glasgow, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
The decimal frame. This instrument consists substantially of a rectangular
frame having a front plate of metal or wood, perforated, preferably in vertical
columns there being 10 holes in each column.
There may be any suitable No. of columns according to the capacity of the
instrument. If it be for adding up to 100 then there will be 10 columns. This
instrument may also be used for showing multiplication or division.
At the top and bottom there is a spindle supported in the frame on which there
are pulleys carrying endless bands. One half of each band is of white ribbon
and the other half of black. On the end of each upper pulley there is formed a
groove to receive a cord by means of which the band may be turned. The cord
may be an ordinary plaited cord, but has preferably a short piece of good round
rubber replacing it at one part so as to keep it always gripping the pulley. The
cords may be taken over another pulley on a parallel spindle behind the frame.
They will thus be taken out of the plane of the bands, and so can be pulled up
& down without interfering with the bands.
Two columns at one end may have (in addition to the black & white bands)
bands of another colour or colours with suitable arrangements for moving them
over the top of the ordinary bands & not interfering with these. Otherwise
coloured strips of wood or metal might be inserted in front of the usual bands.
The bands may be made alternatively not endless but having a cord attached to
one end and a weight to the other; (or they may be wound on a spring roller); a
spring or gravity catch being used to retain the cord at any point at which it inay
be put.
The ground is preferably black and may be made of slate or metal covered
with slate cloth or other suitable material.
Lines may also be drawn on the ground indelibly, to shew suitable groupings.
Dated this 28th day of February 1896
Improvements in Apparatus for Teaching Arithmetic.
WILLIAM ADAM M.A. Teacher 235 Bath Street Glasgow and MATTHEW
ATKINSON ADAM B.Sc. Engineer 235 Bath Street Glasgow 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 aud by the following statement:-
This instrument consists substantially of a rectangular frame (a) having a front

page_text: plate (L) of metal, wood, or other suitable material perforated preferably in
vertical columns, there being 10 holes in each column: there may be any number
of columns according to the capacity of the instrument. If it be for adding up
to 100 there will be 10 columus, & similarly for other sizes.
At the top and bottom there are spindles (d) supported by the sides of the
frame. On the spindles there are pulleys (6) each pair top and bottom carrying
an endless ribbon (KH) and a driving cord (M). One ribbon is required for
each column and is black for one half of its length, & white or yellow for the
other as shewn at (K) and (H) so that when the black is opposite a perforation
in the front plate nothing is shewn, but when the white or yellow is pulled round,
white or yellow dots appear one by one & may be made to appear from either
top or bottom of the instrument according to the direction in which the band is
moved.
Yellow ribbon may be used instead of white as it is not so tiring to the eyes
of the pupils. On the end of each pulley there is a groove or flat (c) formed to
receive a driving cord of any suitable material preferably ordinary plaited cord
having a short piece of good round rubber or rubber tube replacing it at one part
as shewn at (F) so as to keep it always in tension, and thus in condition for
driving the pulleys. The curds may be taken over a spindle (N) parallel to the
others, but placed behind the frame. This spindle may or may not carry pulleys
to guide the cords. The cords are thus brought out of the plane of the frame,
and made easily accessible to the hand for pulling up or down as the frame is
left open behind. Two columns at one end may have (in addition to the black &
white bands) bands of another colour or colours with suitable arrangements for
moving them on pulleys above and below the usual pulleys. Otherwise coloured
slips of wood or metal may be inade to slide up or down in front of the usual
bands. The bamls may be made alternatively not endless but having a cord
attached to one end, and a weight to the other, or they may be wound on a spring
roller, a spring or gravity catch being used to retain the cord at any point at
which it may be put.
This instrument may be used for illustrating, addition, subtraction, multiplication,
or division. The surface of the instrument is preferably black and may be so
treated that it can be worked on with chalk just as if it were an ordinary black-
board. Then any set of numbers may be represented in series by pulling the
cords, and marking the individual numbers off with a chalk mark. The sun at
any time is evident by observing the number of columns, and the number of units
in the incomplete column.
Thus in the process of addition, each time the sum exceeds ten, you are thrown
back on completing the ten, and observing the remainder.
Any number can be analysed into its factors by representing it by a symmetrical
arrangement of dots and grouping the factors with chalk marks.
A wide space is left in the centre of each column of teu to separate it into
groups which can be readily grasped by the eye. A duodecimal frame may be
constructed in an exactly similar manner.
The same frame may be made duodecimal or decimal at will by having 12 holes
in each column and having a cover which can be put on to cover the top two in
each column all along the frame.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner it is to be performed declare that what I
claim is
(1) A frame constructed substantially as described, either decimal or duo-
decimal, and having two or more columns-for use in illustrating the processes-in
elementary arithmetic.
(2) The use of endless bands, one half of each of which is black and the other
half white or yellow and operated behind a perforated front plate by a separate
cord substantially as described. There are no figures on the bands.

page_text: (3) The use in such instruments for teaching arithmetic of a perforated plate
front, the surface of which is so treated that it can be worked on with chalk, &
the chalk marks rubbed out, in the same manner as a blackboard.
(4) The use in such instruments for teaching arithmetic of composite driving
cords as described above.
Dated this 28th day of November 1896.
WILLIAM ADAM.
MATTHEW ATKINSON ADAM.