US1765336A

US1765336A - Astronomical apparatus

Info

Publication number: US1765336A
Application number: US250654A
Authority: US
Inventors: Alexander E Johnson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1928-01-30
Filing date: 1928-01-30
Publication date: 1930-06-17
Anticipated expiration: 1947-06-17

Description

June 17, 1930. A. E. JOHNSON ASTRONOMICAL APPARATUS Filed Jan 50, 1928 4 Shuts-Sheet I ll 1 m AT n June 17, 1930. A.'E. JOHNSON ASTRQNOMICAL APPARATUS Filed Jan. 30, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet I I no [Imam m.

N V ZEZ- T June 17, 1930. A. E. JOHNSON ASTRONOMI CAL- APPARATUS Filed Jan. 30', 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet.

a v I I 'III/IIIIIII/II/l/ {III/I111] 7/3? 'ml'vll/llllllllllllllllllllll lm Jzzrem .fllpramde r E Jail/T05077 June 17, 1930. A. E. JOHNSON ASTRONOMICAL AFPARATUS Filed Jan. 50, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 1310011161": fll/exa/nder E. J5hmwow, '1 0% Patented June 17,1930

means PATIENT service ALEXANDER E. JOHNSON, or CHICAGO, ILLINoIs" 'ASTBONOMICAL APPARATUS My invention relates to astronomical apparatus.

One of the objectsof the invention is to provide an apparatus by which the relative movements of astral bodies, particularly the earth, sun and moonmay be indicated.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus by which the eclipses of the sun and moon may be ascertained and in dicated. r

Another object of the invention is to secure the foregoing-and other desirable results in a simple and expeditious manner. I In the accompanying drawings:

, Fig. ,1 is an elevation of an astronomical apparatus embodying my present invention;

Fig. 2 is a

cross sectionon line

2, 2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the apparatus; Fig. 4 is a view in plan at the line 44 of Fig. 1; and

Figs. 5, 6, 7 8, 9 and 10 are views of details of construction.

Referring to the drawings, I show an ,ap-

" paratus having a base 1 on which is mounted the operating'mechanism. This involves

rotary supports

2 and 3, which arein different vertical planes, as by placing the support 2 below the support 3, whereby said supports.

may rotate independently of one another.

The support 2 is mounted on a rotary memher 4 and the support 3 on a rotary member 5, each of which members 4 and5 are independently driven so as to turn atdifl'erent rates of speed. The support 2 carries an upwardly extending member 7 which is provided with a device 8 intended to represent the sun. This device 8 is adapted for adjustment .on the support 7 in a vertical manner. The support 3 is provided with an upwardly extending member 9 on which is a device 10 to indicate the moon, said device 10 being alsovertically adjustable. Thus these two rotary supports with their vertically extending carrying members will'indicate the sun and moon and their rotation will indicate.

the movements of the sun and moon.

A central member 11 is also provided and on the top of this is a device 12 which indicates the eart Th s entral membe 1 re:

Application filed January 30, 1928. Serial No. 250,654.

mains stationary and occupies a central position so that the sun and moon revolve around it. Thus it will be seen that the sun and

moon devices

8 and 10, respectively, may be rotated about the earth device 12, and may come into various, positions with reference to said device. 12 and with reference to one another.

Driving mechanism is provided by which these

devices

8 and 10 may be revolved about the earth device 12 in accordance with the actual movements or orbits of the sun and moon relatively to the earth. Thus, since the sun apparently travels around the earth once in twenty-four (24) hours, the device 8 will travel around the device 12 in a given period of time which will be considered twenty-four (24) hours; Also, since the moon travels around the earth in from twenty-four (24) hours and fortyfive (45) to twenty-five (25) hours and two (2) minutes, the device 10 will be arranged to travel around the device 12 in they are substantially opposite one another and then they will come closer, just as the sun and moon act in the heavens.

lWhi-le the driving mechanism to accon plish this result could be varied, I show, particularly in Fig. 4, a driving mechanism comprising a hand lever 14 pivoted on a shaft 15 and having a spring controlled tooth 16 controlled by a pivoted arm or catch 17, the shaft 15 having teeth 18 cooperating with tooth 16, so that by pulling on lever 14 against ac tion of springs 20, wheel 18 will be turned in an anti-clockwise direction (Fig. 4), after which lever 14 may be released so that it Will be drawn back to original or normal position and tooth lfi'will pass over teeth 18 in the manner of a ratchet, leaving wheel 18 in turned or adjusted position. Shaft 15 also carries a gear 21 meshing with pinion 22, which latter is connected with trains of gears 70 for driving the

spur wheels

2 and 3 connected to the

rotary supports

2 and 8, as shown the device 12. At this time the mechanism is stopped and the device 8 adjusted on its support 7 according to the position the fingers l0, 11 and t2 indicate to be the time of year at which the apparatus has been stopped. The moon device 10 is also adjusted vertically on its support 9 according to the position of the moon, as indicated by the

dials

46 and 18. lVhen this adjustment is made sight will be taken through the apparatus looking through the slots in members 7 and 9 and if the

devices

8, 10 and 12 are in ali nment, it will be inclicated that there will be an eclipse of the moon, because the earth device 12 will be in position between the sun device 8 and moon device 10. It these three devices are not in alignment there will be no eclipse of the moon and the operation of the apparatus will be resumed. W hen during such operation, the

members

8 and 10 come into position close to one another the apparatus is again stopped and the

devices

8 and 10 adjusted vertically in accordance with the indications on the sun and

moon dials

33 and 45, respectively. If after this

adjustment devices

8, 10 and 12 are in alignment with device 1.0 between

devices

8 and 12, there will be an eclipse of the sun because device 10 will be between earth 12 an d sun 8. It there is no such alignment there will be no eclipse. The operation of the apparatus will again be resumed until

members

8 and 10 are substantially opposite one another when the apparatus Will be stopped again, and

devices

8 and 10 adjusted in accordance with the readings on their dials. If the three devices are in alignment there will be an eclipse. It not in alignment there will be no eclipse. If there is an eclipse the date of the same will be indicated by the position of the hands or pointers on the sun dial 33. If there is no eclipse the operation of the apparatus will be again resumed until the

devices

8 and 10 are close to one another and then they will be adjusted according to their dials, and it there is an alignment of the three there will be a sun eclipse, the date of? which will be indicated by the position of the sun dial hands. In this way it will be seen that eclipses of both the sun and moon can be ascertained and the dates of the same found. The curved members 80 and 81 are for supporting certain star representations.

Some small adjustment of the moon dial necessary and to this end a gear 51 is provided and four arms 52, each of which has a finger 53 capable of fitting into the teeth of gear 51. This will permit adjustment of the moon dial for fractions of days.

It will be understood that changes and modifications may be made Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

lVhat I claim is:

1. An astronomical apparatus comprising sun, moon and earth devices, and means for causing the rotation of the sun and moon devices around the earth and means for adjustlng sald sun and moon devices transversely with reference totheir orbits.

2. An astronomical apparatus comprising sun, moon and earth devices, means for causc .ing the sun and moon devices to travel around the earth devices, said means being adapted to move said sun and moon devices toward and from the earth device during their rotation around the same, and means for adcausing the rotation of the sun and moon devices around the earth and also means for obtaining the adjustment of said sun and moon devices transversely with reference to their orbits, and means for indicating the time of year, said means being inter-connected for operation as the sun and moon devices travel around the earth device.

4. An astronomical apparatus comprising sun, moon and earth devices, and means for causing the rotation of the sun and moon devices around the earth and also for obtaining the adjustment of said sun and moon devices transversely with reference to their orbits, and means for indicating the position of the moon, said means being inter-connecte-d for operation as the moon device re volves around the earth device.

5. An astronomical apparatus comprising a central earth device and two rotary supports, one carrying a standard for a sun device and the other carrying a standard for a moon device, means for rotating said supports in accordance with the apparent orbits of the sun and moon around the earth, said sun and moon devices being adjustable on their supporting standards transversely of the direction of rotation, a day indicating device comprising rotary fingers for indicating the days of the year, and mechanism for actuating said fingers as the sun support rotates, and a day indicating device for the moon comprising rotary fingers connected to rotate as the moon device rotates.

6. An apparatus of the class specified having a centrally arranged device for indicating the earth and a pair of rotary members carrying supports on which are mounted 'devices representing the sun and moon, the sun device being adjustable on its support and its support being provided with marks or graduations to indicate dates of the year and the moon device being adjustable on its support and its support being provided with marks or graduations to indicate the position of the moon in declination, means for rotating said supports at speeds proportionate to the apparent rotation of the sun and moon around the earth, dial devices for indicating the time of year, said devices being connected withthe sun rotary support to oper- I at}; with the gaging iiid-tb ihdiatf; th 'tiiffi'o f year for any pos'itioii of the Still and nidpn dial devices connetd with thei ota i-y siippoi't for the m'o'oh ai ld arra e to ifidicate the position of thg moon in delinatidn. In Witness wherdf, I lirfiiito su b'sjc iibe my name this 29th (my bf Dcerhb'ei'; A. D.

v i I. V. C; ALEXANDER E; JOHNSON.