A READING MACHINE, TEACHERS' BLACK BOARD, AND COMBINED." MOVEABLE TABLE
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Adolf Sonnenschein, of Number 8, Beverley Road, South
Penge Park, in the County of Surrey, Teacher, for the Invention of "A
READING MACHINE, TEACHERS' BLACK BOARD, AND
COMBINED."
MOVEABLE TABLE,
Sealel the 29th November 1878, and dated the 28th June 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Adolf Sonnenschein at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th June 1878.
ADOLF SONNENSCHEIN, of Number 8, Beverley Road, South Penge Park, in the
County of Surrey, Teacher. "A READING MACHINE, TEACHERS' BLACK BOARD, AND
MOVEABLE TABLE, COMBINED."
My said Invention serves three purposes, and for convenience I shortly describe
them in detail.
1st. As to the reading machine, my said Invention consists of a number of wooden
or metal slides running in grooves on the face of a board mounted on supports, so
constructed as to afford to the said board entire horizontal and vertical mobility.
The board and slides can be constructed of any size which may be desirable. The
said grooves are hidden along the entire face of the said board, exposing only
certain apertures in which are apparent letters written or printed on the above-
mentioned slides. By the shifting of the slides children are easily taught the
functions of the letters of the English alphabet and the transformation of syllables,
for example, by shifting the requisite slides the word "bat" is turned ad libitum
into the words "bet," "bit," "bat," "but," or into the words "cat," "fat," "hat,"
'rat," or again, into "bad," "ban," "bar," &c., and thus by means of two of the
slides children can learn easily all the English words of two letters, and by means
of three slides all the English words of three letters, and so on, thus materially
reducing the time spent in teaching them to read.
募
I do not limit my board to any particular substance, colour, or size, and the size
of the slides are in accordance with the size of the board. I do not limit myself
|to any particular number of slides.

page_text: 2. As to the teachers' black board and moveable table combined, my said In-
vention consists of a moveable black board mounted on supports so constructed
as aforesaid to afford to the said black board entire horizontal and vertical
mobility, as well as inclinations at any desired angle.
Moreover, the board can be lifted by means of a ledge moving in grooves inserted
in the supports, so as to give it the height and upright position of a common black
board. This black board is the same board as the board described in section 1
hereof, and servos,―

page_text: black board and traine.
K, K, are two covering slides, parts of the black board moving in grooves in the
black board; these if closed up give to the board a perfectly level surface, but they
can be partially or wholly withdrawn, so as to disclose or hide at pleasure the
apertures within which the letters (e.g., n, o, t, as in the diagram are intended to
appear; and y are two notches, whereby to grip the slides K & K.
L, M, N, O, is the black board itself.
S, S, is the vowel slide, here placed horizontally.
U, U, is the initial consonantal
T, T, is the terminal consonantal slide} both placed vertically in this diagram.
In Figure II. fragment A is intended to shew the ball that revolves within the
socket at I in Figure I., but I do not restrict myself to this particular mode of
obtaining the revolution of the black board.
Fragmont B of Figure 11. shews on an enlarged scale;―
1st. At S the vowel slide S, S, of Figure I.
2nd. At..... notch of Figure 1.
In fragment C are shown the two oblong apertures A, P, and a, p, of the slits
which pass through the whole length of the black board, and are intended for 'the
reception of the vertical consonantal slides U, U, and T, T, of Figure 1.
Within the black board itself are placed springs to retain the vertical consonantal
slides in any required position.
Figures 3 and 4 shew the consonantal slides, whose letters are arranged according
to a certain pedagogic principle, but I do not confine myself to this sequence.
Figure 5 exhibits the vowel slide, the sequence and number of whose letters may
also be altered according to desire.
The threefold movement of the black board, videlicit, vertically by the rod R,
R1, R2, horizontally by the revolving frame H, G, G, H, and rotary by the ball-and-
socket contrivance, confers on the teacher the notable advantage that it enables
him to teach from his black board as from a common table, and he can incline the
surface towards the class at any angle he likes.
I claim the right to manufacture the black board with or without the reading
machine.
I do not confine myself to any particular form of the stand, for example, it may
instead of the one box 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, of Fig. I., have a series of boxes or drawers,
according to desire.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which the
same is to be used, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the
precise details herein described, and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, as
the same may be varied without departing from the nature of my Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said Adolf Sonnenschein, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
'
Witness,
HENRY W. RYLAND,
Solicitor,
14, Lincoln's Inn Fields,
London.
A. SONNENSCHEIN. (L.S.)