A New or Improved Apparatus for Instruction in Arithmetic.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Nov., 1893-Accepted, 16th Dec., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Apparatus for Instruction in Arithmetic.
I ZACHARIE DUFRESNE, of 10 Rue Ancienne des Hautes Granges, Blois in the
Republic of France Tutor, 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 purpose of this apparatus is principally to simplify and facilitate the study
of mental calculation by children and to render less troublesome to parents and
teachers this part of the school curriculum.
In the annexed drawings,
Fig. represents a front elevational view of the apparatus the cylinders being
supposed to be maintained in the position represented.
Fig. 2 is a cross section through a cylinder showing in section the metallic band
or bar which forms the counterweight.
Fig. 3 shows a lateral view of the cylinder with its button C' and resting at its
dead centre.
It comprises ten or more cylinders a of light wood or even of strong cardboard
or pasteboard enclosed in a wooden framing or housing B which may be painted
black and varnisbed. The inside of this housing is divided into two parts by a
vertical central partition corresponding in height to that of the main frame B.
The cylinders are arranged in two sets and turn on suitable pivots supported at
their inner ends by the abovementioned vertical partition. Each can be revolved
by means of a button C of wood or metal projecting over the outer edges of the
main framing.
Around the cylinders series of indications and products of multiplication or
other arithmetical operation are engraved, or attached in any other way.
A metallic band or bar C2 (Fig. 2) may be inserted into the cylinder to form a
counterweight so as to always carry the cylinder to its initial position so that, for
instance, an entirely unoccupied portion of the surface of the cylinder appears in
the orifices, hereinafter mentioned, of the framing opposite thereto while all
figures on the cylinders remain hidden within the framing.
The apparatus thus constructed inside is covered over with cardboard D sliding
in a groove and made to cover the whole of the main framing.
This cover is cut out to form orifices opposite each of the cylinders so as to leave
a free space in which the sum and result appears when the cylinders are moved by
the instructor.
Before each of these cut out orifices the numerals from 0 to 9 or higher are
written in large characters as shown in the annexed drawing.
The apparatus is manipulated in the following manner
If for instance it is wanted to find the product of 6 × 7, the button C¹ of the
cylinder next to the orifice 6 is turned to the right or left until the figure 7
appears in the orifice followed by the desired result 42, thus any product may be
shown. The apparatus should either be placed perpendicularly on an appropriate
stand or table or fixed on a wall.
=
The same apparatus when constructed on a suitably smaller or even miniature
form will represent an extremely useful and instructive toy.
Its uses for industrial purposes are also numerous, since the apparatus according
to the indications it bears may serve as a handy calculator obviating mental
effort

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is-
The instructional instrument or apparatus consisting of a main framing B
having in its front surface any desired number of orifices respectively marked by a
figure of a series, engraved or attached near the respective orifice, and a series of
rotary cylinders corresponding in number to the above mentioned orifices turning
on a pivot or pivots behind the said orifices and having their respective surfaces
provided with the corresponding numbers and results for appearing in the orifices,
these cylinders being actuated by buttons projecting over the lateral edges of the
main framing and automatically returned to their zero point by means of a
counterweight provided thereon.
Dated this 13th day of November 1802
R. HADDAN,
Of the Firm of Herbert Haddan & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.