Improvements in or relating to apparatus for teaching cosmography

摘要

425,108. Orreries. ELLIS, R. E., 70, Chancery Lane, London.-(Soc. Anon. Cosmos; Ariano Ferrarese, Italy) Aug. 4, 1933, No. 22026. [Class 146 (ii)] Apparatus for teaching cosmography comprises a terrestrial globe which in its revolution slides, together with means for rotating the globe on its axis, on an oval table bearing the calendar and signs of the zodiac, the movement being produced by a band sliding in a rigid channel arranged round the rim of the table, which represents the ecliptic, together with a number of dials corresponding to different longitudes, a hand on each dial indicating corresponding times at these longitudes, and all the hands being controlled by cranks coupled to a common movable plate. The driving crank 16 is geared to a sprocket 41 which engages holes in the metal band 4, moving in the channel 3, fixed to the rim of the table 1, and travelling round the table is a carriage 31 which supports the earth sphere 11, the moon sphere 15, a circle 13 dividing the earth into two parts, one of which is always illuminated by the sun while the other is in darkness, and a semi-circle 14 fixed at right angles to the circle 13. The carriage 31 runs on rollers 311, the lower one of which is engaged by a projection on the band 4, and the rotation of the earth and lunar spheres is obtained from a sprocket 5 which as the carriage moves engages in openings 51 in the channel wall and drives the spheres through suitable gearing 12. The sun is represented by a light source and reflector 9 carried by a rod 10 rotatable in the table under the control of a rod 101 attached at its outer end to the sleeve 151 supporting the spheres; the rod 10 also carries a pointer 101111. Mounted on the table top are thirtysix dials 17, Fig. 2, each having a pointer 23 to which motion is imparted by the handle 16 through a common movable plate 18 which receives a circular motion from a crank G, the pin H of which engages an arm 41111 on the plate. Mounted in holes 19 in the plate 18 are crank arms 22 which carry the spindles of the pointers 23 so that as the handle 16 is rotated, the pointers 23 move simultaneously over the dials 17 and indicate corresponding times at different longitudes.