US1099315A - Sidereal sphere. - Google Patents

Description

D. R. SGHOLES. SIDEREAL SPHERB.

APPLIoATIoN FILED 111111227, 1913.

Patented June 9, 1914.

NITE STATES PATENT OFFICE DANIEL R. SCHOLES, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE AERMOTOR COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SIDEREAL SPI-1ERE.

To all 'whom 'it may concern:

Beit known that I, DANIEL R. Sorrows, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a cert-ain new andl useful Improvement in Sidereal Spheres, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

In the sidereal sphere of the United States Patent No. 1,019,405 to W. IV. Atwood, dated March 5, 1912, an observers platform was employed, necessitating complete entry of observers within the sphere in order to view the simulated heavens, this construction being expensive and, moreover, ill adapted to spheres of smaller diameters.

By means of my `invention an observer may stand within the sphere upon the same general level upon which the structure 1s supported, whereby the platform within the sphere may be dispensed with.

In the preferred Construction the sphere, which has an axis of rotation inclined with respect to the horizontal, is formed of thin material and has a band or ring engaging the sphere in its equatorial plane, there being` a mounting upon which the ring 1s rotatably supported. The sphere is preferably made of sheet galvanized steel one sixtyfourth of an inch thick. This sphere is preferably provided with sufiiciently minute perfoi-ations to enable light to shine through from the exterior to represent stars. The employment of said rotatably supported ring and the small perforations is not new with me. i

The lower polar zone is removed to permit of entry within the sphere. Where star simulating perforations are formed in the sphere, the opening that is afforded by the removal of the lower polar zone is provided with a light excluding closure. A stationary horizon ring is disposed close to and within the sphere on a horizontal plane that in` cludes the center of the sphere. Another stationary ring margins the entrance to the sphere. These two rings areV connected by a view obstructing screen to limit the observation of the spectators within the sphere to the stellar representations appearing above the horizon ring.

I will explain my invention more fully by reference to the accompanying drawing Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 27, 1913.

atented June 9, 1914i.

Serial No. 776,052.

showingthe preferred embodiment thereof and in which`- Figure l is a view in sectional elevation; Fig. 2 1s an external perspective view; Fig. 3 shows a detail of construction employed at the entrance to the sphere; and Fig. t is a sectional view illustrating the star representing perforationsin the sphere shell.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the different figures.

The inclined axis of rotation of the sphere c is represented by the line ZJ. The sphere, which is desirably of very thin sheet metal, preferably has a number of star representing perforations c formed therethrough so that light may shine into the sphere interior from the sphere exterior to simulate stars. A supporting ring (Z surrounds the sphere in its equatorial plane and there engages it. A standard e rotatably supports three pulleys f which are spaced one hundred and twenty degrees apart, these pulleys rotatably supporting the ring Z in its inclined position, whereby the sphere may be turned upon its axis indicated at Y). The opening formed at the lower end of the sphere a by the removal of the bottom zone is provided with a bordering ring g rotating with the sphere. A stationary ring It margins the entrance opening, is formed preferably of angle iron and so positioned as to obstruct the passage of light between the rings g and L, and is secured at one place directly to the horizon ring z', distance preserving pieces 7c intervening at other places between these two rings. The bottom portion of the stationary ring 7L is secured to the middle of the strutil which is attached at its ends to the horizontal stretches of the support c which, together with the strut Z, rest directly upon the floor m or other substantially horizontal level support (that is a support that lies in. the same horizontal plane) that supports the sphere.

A light excluding closure is provided for 'the entrance opening to the sphere, this closure being preferably formed of heavy cloth fabric hung before the entrance in the form of two curtains, depending from ring 7L, n between which an observer may readily pass. The entrance opening is unobstructed, except for these light excluding curtains, so that the observer, while walking upon the floor m which supports the sphere, may readily enter without ascending, the forwardly inclined entrance opening directly Y circular border to the horizon ring and at its l wer circular border to the stationary ring It. Thus there are two distinct portions of the passage entered by the observer, one tlie vestibule formed' by the kcurtains n, and the other the light interceptingr screen 0 terminating at its upper end at'the vhorizon ring 2' and at its lower end at lthe entrancer opening to the sphere.

lVhile I have herein shown and particularly described Vthe preferred embodiment of my invention I do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction shown as changes may readily be made without departing from the spirit 'of my invention, but

Having thus described my invention I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent the following l. A hollow sidereal sphere having a mounting upon which it is rotatably supported and deiining an axis of rotation for the sphere which is inclined with respect to the horizontal, the sphere presenting stellar representations to view within its interior and having a bott-om zone removedY to form a forwardly inclined entrance opening thereto; and a support for the sphere which underlies the same and the inclined entrance opening thereto, the portions of this support that underlie the sphere and the inclined entrance opening to the sphere being disposed substantially in one horizontal plane whereby the observer may view the stellar representationsV while upon a level within `the sphere that is in the same general plane as the support for the sphere therein.

2. A hollow sidereal sphere having a mounting uponwhich it isrotatably supported and deiining an axis of rotation for the sphere which is inclined with respect to the horizontal, the sphere presenting stellar representations to view within its interior and having a bottom zone removed to form a forwardly inclined entrance opening thereto; a screeny for obliterating stellar representations below a horizontal line; and a support for the sphere which underlies the same and the inclined entranceopening G0 thereto, the portions of this support that underlie the spherefand the` inclined entrance opening to the sphere being disposed sub-Y stantially in one horizontal plane whereby the observer may view the stellar representations while upon a level withinthe sphere that isili the same general plane as the support for the sphere therein, said screen permitting such .entry. y Y

3. A .hollow sidereal lsphere having ja lmounting upon which it is rotatably sup-V ported and defining an axis of rotationfor the sphere whichV is inclined with respect "to the horizontal,A the sphere presenting.

stellar representations-to view within its interior and having a bottom zone removed to form a forwardlyinclinedientrance opening thereto, a horizon ring within the sphere;

means for supporting'the horizon ring, a view obstructing screen terminating at its upper end atthe horizon ringy and at its lower end at the sphere entrance thereby to surround the observer, this .screen being open at its bottom and top ends to permit the observer to enter and view the stellar representations and a support for the sphere which underlies the same and the inclined entrance openingV thereto, the portions of.

within the sphere that is in the same general plane as the support for the sphere.

4. A hollow sidereal sphere having a mounting Vupon which it is rotatably supported Vand definingan axis `of rotation for the sphere which'is inclined with respect tOi the horizontal, the sphere having perforations therein to permit of the passage of light between the exterior and interiorgof the sphere, these perforations being su'flifciently minute to represent stars, and having a bottom zone removed to form a vforwardly inclined entrance opening thereto; a

stationary ring margining the entrance opening; a horizon ring within the sphere; aview obstructing screen terminating at its y upper end at the horizon ring and 'at Vits lower end at the sphere entrance thereby to surround the observer, this screen beingk open at its bottom and top ends to vpermit the observer to enter and view the stellar representations; andY a light excluding clofrom the ring that marginsy the entrance opening.

5. A hollow sidereal the sphere which is Vinclined with respect to the horizontal, the sphere presenting stellar representations to view within its interior and having a bottom zone removed to forniV at its lower end at the sphere entrance thereHV .sphere having a Y mounting upon which it is rotatably sup ported and defining an axis of rotation for vsure lin the form of a curtain depending .1715' disposed substantially in one horizontal plane whereby the observer may view the stellar representations While upon :t levelV Within the sphere that :is in the same gen- 15 eral plane as the support for the sphere.

In witness whereof7 I hereunto subscribe my naine this 25th day of June, A. D. 1913 DANIEL R. SCHOLES. Witnesses:

G. L. CRAGG, E'r'rA L. WHITE.

by to surround the observer, this screen being open at its bottom und top ends to permit the observer to enter and View the stellar representations; :t light excluding clos sure in the form of a curtain depending from the ring that margins the entrance opening; and a support for the sphere which underlies the same and the inclined entrance opening thereto, the portions of this support that underlie the sphere and the inclined entrance opening to the sphere being ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for Washington, D. C.

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