Toy for Teaching Children Spelling by Means of Pictures Worked on Slides or Levers, and which Appear when the Word Represented by any such Picture is Spelt.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Aug., 1887
Compete Specification Left, 7th May, 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 28th Sept., 1888
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Toy for Teaching Children Spelling by Means of Pictures Worked on
Slides or Levers, and which Appear when the Word Represented
by any such Picture is Spelt.
I AUGUSTUS FREDERICK LIDDELL of Topsham Barracks Exeter in the County of
Devon do hereby declare the nature of my invention for TEACHING SPELLING BY
MEANS OF PICTURES WORKED ON SLIDES OR LEVERS, & WHICH APPEAR WHEN THE
WORD REPRESENTED BY ANY SUCH PICTURE IS SPELT to be as follows:-
A box containing various wire rods, representing each letter of the alphabet and
fitting into rings upon a certain number of wooden or metal slides, having upon them
pictures of certain objects. The slides are so contrived, that, if the wood, represented
by the picture on any slide in the box, be spelt, by pulling out the rods corresponding
to the letters composing it, such slide is released, and the picture appears, owing to a
spring bearing upon it being released & at the same time a small bell is rung. These
slides are removable, and others can be substituted in their place in the box.
Dated this 2nd day of Angust 1887

page_text: Toy for Teaching Children Spelling by Means of Pictures Worked on
Slides or Levers, and which Appear when the Word Represented
by any such Picture is Spelt.
AUGUSTUS FREDERICK LIDDELL late Royal Artillery of Topsham Barracks Exeter
Devon now retired and of South Lawn Eton College Bucks 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 invention consists of a box made of wood or metal, or both combined
containing wire or metal rods representing each letter of the alphabet wh fit into
rings or holes upon or in slides having upon them pictures of certain objects; the said
slides, wh are composed either wholly of wood or metal or both combined are so
contrived that upon the word represented by the picture on the slide in the box being
correctly spelt by the the withdrawal of certain rods representing letters; the picture
so spelt forthwith appears to view through an aperture in the face top or side of the
box at the same time ringing a small bell owing to a lever or metal spring being
released. The slides are movable & others can be substituted in their place.
The invention consists of a wooden box a, b, c, d, e. (In the left hand portion of
the plate the front of the box is supposed to be removed to show the interior
mechanism).
The lower portion of the box is pierced by a number of thin metal rods (n n) and
also a somewhat thicker rod 1, wh serves as a fulcrum for the levers (g h).
The rods (nn) correspond with the various letters of the alphabet and are
furnished with small knobs to enable them to be easily pushed in or pulled out.
The corresponding letter to each rod is marked above or below it on the front
of the box as exemplified by the letters (u try) (v x 2) in the right hand portion of
the plate.
The lid (a e) is made to open backwards on hinges for the introduction of the
levers (g h) w carry the pictures (m).
In the lid ae is cut a small trapdoor f, k opening on a hinge (k) in the direction (ke)
and capable of being fastened down by a button (f).
To the under surface of this trapdoor are fixed pieces of steel spring which bear,
when the trapdoor is closed upon the extremities (9) of the levers; tending to tilt
them up about the fulcrum (l) and thus cause the picture (m) to appear through an
opening cut in (ed), the top of the box.
Small wire loops (n n) are affixed to the lower edge of the lever corresponding in
position to the letters composing the word which forms the subject of the picture, and
through these loops the rods are pushed home after the lever has been placed upon the
fulcrum rod ().
The operation of using the toy can be briefly described as follows.
(1). Pull out all the stops, open the lid a e and also the trap door (ƒ k).
T31

page_text: (3). Shut down and fasten the lid (a e) and also the trapdoor (f k.) having
previously pushed home all the rods or stops.
In the plate the word represented by the picture is "Ape" and the lever is held
down by the rods (n nn) corresponding to the letters a, p, e.
On these rods being withdrawn the spring acts upon the point g and tilts up the
lever bringing the picture of an Ape into view at the top of the box.
The box can be loaded with several levers at a time according to its width each lever
being acted on by a separate spring in the trapdoor (fk).
By first opening the trapdoor and then pushing in the rods the lever returns to the
position shown in the plate.
The levers are kept apart by small uprights in the box but these and other details
(such as the arrangement for ringing a bell on the appearance of the picture) are not
shown being not essential to the principle of the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what I claim
as new is,
The causing to appear; (by any means whatsoever) in answer to the correct
mechanical spelling out, (by any means whatsoever), of the letters composing a word,
or words; a picture model or representation of the object (or objects) or idea (or
ideas) which the aforesaid word (or words) describes (or describe), and pray that
letters patent may be granted to me.