IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS ADAPTED FOR FACILITATING THE TEACHING OF ARITHMETIC IN SCHOOLS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Brennan, of Sheffield, in the County of
York, Manager, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
ADAPTED FOR FACILITATING THE TEACHING OF ARITHMETIC IN SCHOOLS."
Sealed the 20th March 1874, and dated the 10th January 1874.

page_text: with vertical partitions making separate spaces for units, tens, and
hundreds. In these shelves respectively are fitted indicators, which can
be worked by hand so as to display any required figure from 0 to 9, both
inclusive. At the back part of each shelf and each space of a shelf is
fixed one end of a double jointed rod, which serves as a carrier for discs
or counters. These rods are so jointed as to admit of the rod being
moved vertically in order to facilitate the sliding of the discs or counters
upon or along it, and also to admit of a portion of the rod being bent hori-
zontally by means of an elbow joint at the front of the shelf to which it
is applied in order to display discs or counters on the rod in such
numerical arrangement as may be required.
In order to facilitate the reading of numbers by the display of the
discs or counters they are placed in boxes containing ten discs in each,
or special discs are used to indicate the number ten, and these boxes or
discs are placed on tubes capable of sliding on the rods.
By means of the foregoing apparatus (which I intend to denominate
"the school frame,") discs or counters may be displayed on the said
rods in such orders as to represent to the eye the required calculations.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Brennan in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 10th July 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
BRENNAN, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Manager, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said John Brennan, Her special
licence that I, the said John Brennan, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Brennan, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term

page_text: therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS ADAPTED FOR FACILITATING THE TEACHING OF ARITHMETIC IN SCHOOLS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Brennan, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Brennan, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to
say) :-
My Invention of "Improvements in Apparatus adapted for Facili-
tating the Teaching of Arithmetic in Schools" has for its object the
construction and arrangement of apparatus, by means of which the
figures of simple calculations may be displayed to the eye with readiness,
and consists in the use of a frame composed of a set of horizontal shelves
or partitions one over another, with vertical partitions making separate
spaces for units, tens, and hundreds. In these shelves respectively are
fitted indicators, which can be worked by hand, so as to display any
required figure from 0 to 9, both inclusive. At the back part of each
shelf and each space of a shelf is fixed one end of a double jointed rod,
which serves as a carrier for discs or counters. These rods are so jointed
as to admit of the rod being moved vertically in order to facilitate the
sliding of the discs or counters upon or along it, and also to admit of a
portion of the rod being bent horizontally by means of an elbow joint at
the front of the shelf to which it is applied in order to display discs
or counters on the rod in such numerical arrangement as may be
required.
In order to facilitate the reading of numbers by the display of the
discs or counters they are placed in boxes containing ten discs in each,

page_text: and are used to indicate the number ten, and ten of these boxes or discs
are placed on tubes capable of sliding on the rods, or imitation boxes
are used to indicate the number 100.
By means of the foregoing apparatus (which I intend to denominate
"the school frame,") discs or counters may be displayed on the said
rods in such orders as to represent to the eye the required calculations.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention I will proceed
to describe more particularly in what manner the same is to be performed
by the aid of the accompanying Drawings, in which are represented
a "school frame," and the articles to be used therewith above
referred to.
elevation; and Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section of the same.
Figures 4 to 12 represent detached, full size, one of the rods, also the
indicators and other articles used with the frame. In these several
Figures the same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
A, A, are the standards of the frame; B, B, are the horizontal shelves
or partitions; C, C, are the vertical partitions making separate spaces
D, E, and F for units, tens, and hundreds respectively, such partitions
being grooved as required to receive the horizontal shelves or partitions.
G, G, are double-jointed iron rods, one of which is fitted to each space
or compartment to serve as carriers for discs or counters. The rod has one
joint G¹ at its extremity, which is fitted into the back partition H, and
there secured by means of a nut. The rod is then passed close by the
vertical partition C to the front, and it has another joint G³, by means
. of which the rod can be folded across the space or compartment in order
to facilitate the placing of the discs or counters on the rods, and their
removal therefrom as required. The other end of the rod is supported
in a slot or socket fitted to a vertical partition C. One of these rods is
shewn at Fig. 4.
Fig. 5 represents a tin disc K, which is intended to be placed on the

page_text: Fig. 6 shews a metal box L, capable of containing ten discs K, which
box is put on the rod in the ten's place as one.
Fig. 7 represents ten metal boxes L placed on the rod G, being first
fitted on to a tube M (Fig. 8), which tube with the boxes L is placed
on the rod G. The ten boxes N appear as one in the hundred's place.
It is obvious that ten of these boxes onthe rod will stand for a
hundred discs or units, and it is immaterial whether the boxes actually
contain each a hundred discs or not so long as they are capable of con-
veying the impression of that number to the minds of children looking
at them.
Fig. 9 shows a metal socket N* with two ears, by means of which it
is fixed to the shelf in order to receive an indicator. The sockets N*
have each an oval aperture in front so as to allow the figures of the
indicator to be seen.
Fig. 10 represents an indicator 0 (with figures in relief on it, as
.shewn), which is a short tube fitting into the socket N*, but of greater
depth, so as when inserted to project a short distance below the socket,
in order to admit of its being readily turned by the fingers so as to bring
any required figure behind the aperture of the socket, and cause such
figure to be displayed.
Fig. 11 shows a single indicator and socket, and Fig. 12 a double one.
Each shelf except the lowest one in each vertical division or space is
furnished with a single indicator, as at Fig. 11, and each lowest shelf of
the space is furnished with a double indicator, as at Fig. 12.
P, Fig. 1, are drawers placed a little below the double indicator shelf,
and containing discs, metal boxes, and tubes. Q is a piece of board
hinged at the top of the frame, which can be used as a black board, and
is capable of being turned down in front as a shutter. R is a panelled
board hinged below the drawers P, so as to admit of its being turned up
on its hinges to meet the board Q, and with it to form a complete
shutter in front when the two boards are locked together.
-
The front face of the right-hand end of the frame has a black tin
plate nailed on it, with the figures, as shewn, painted in white, in order
to show the nine digits and the cipher which are employed in all the
operations.

page_text: The back face of the frame (see Fig. 2) has six horizontal shelves
about three inches each apart and three and a quarter inches in depth,
in each of which, except the top shelf and the bottom one, are fixed eight
indicators; the top shelf has five and the bottom one nine indicators
respectively. These indicators are used to teach multiplication, addition,
and subtraction in a more extended way than when using them on the
front.
Below the lowest shelf is a space of eight inches in depth divided into
nine vertical divisions by eight small wooden uprights, and this space of
eight inches is crossed by two iron rods, which extend the whole width of
the frame. Their ends are supported by slots fixed in the inner face of
the ends. The rods are used for the purpose of teaching children mul-
tiplication tables by means of discs.
The above described apparatus is capable of being employed in
working simple calculations by shewing a correspondence between
compound numbers represented on the black board at the top and single
figures in the indicators, and also actual discs or counters on the rods.
By this means the several operations in the process of simple calculation
can be displayed before the eyes of children by manipulating the discs
and boxes so as to enable them to understand the meanings of those
changes of numbers which are ordinarily represented by figures on slates
in the teaching of arithmetic.
The arrangement at the back part of the frame shown and described
may be employed to exercise the children in working simple calculations
by causing them to show any required figures and numbers by turning
the indicators in their sockets.
By means of the discs or counters on the rods below notation and
multiplication tables may be taught.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I hereby declare what I claim as
of my Invention is,―
First. The parts constituting the " school frame," combined with the
rods, discs, and indicators adapted for use in the manner herein-before
described.
11
P

page_text: Thirdly. The rods with double joints adapted for being fitted to the
frame as described.
And, lastly. The indicators fitted to the shelves of the frame, and the
discs and boxes adapted for use on the rods in the manner described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Brennan, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Sixth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
Witness,
WILLIAM SPENCE,
8, Quality Court,
Chancery Lane.
JOHN BRENNAN. (L.S.)