US2815596A - Continuous calendar - Google Patents

Description

I V EN TOR.

ATTORNEYS.

CONTINUQUS CALENDAR Emory S. Russell, Kenmore, N. Y.

Application January 26, 1956, Serial No. 561,492

2 Claims. (Cl. 40-115) This invention relates to a continuous calendar capable of being set to expose a group of figures corresponding to the conventional calendar sheet for a selected month of a selected year, the subject of the invention being capable of embracing a large number of years from dozens to thousands of years so that the calendar can be produced to determine the weekday of the numerically designated day of any month, past, present or future.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide such a continuous calendar capable of being so set to expose the conventional calendar representation of selected months over a range of many years which can be readily set by one having little skill and by following simple directions accompanying the calendar.

Another object is to provide such a calendar which is in the form of a simple disk member rotatably mounted on a support in which the setting and reading of the calendar can be effected through a pair of windows through which successive portions of the disk can be seen.

Another object is to provide such a calendar in which the disk and support can be made of paper board so as to be produced very inexpensively.

Another object is to produce the representation of a large number of conventional monthly calendar sheets from a single band of numerals by exposing successive portions of said band, a different calendar sheet representation being obtained each time an exposure is made and such exposures providing representations of all possible monthly calendar sheets.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and drawings in which:

Fig. l is a front elevational view of a continuous calendar embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical central section taken on line 2-2, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the rotary member or disk forming a movable part of the calendar.

Fig. 4 is part of a chart, particularly convenient for a very large number of years are embraced by the calendar, showing the manner in which successive years can be represented by repeating successions of twenty-eight symbols, such as alphabetical letters, so that by providing a chart of any number of years, the continuous calendar can be used for any month of any of such years by the simple expedient of using the alphabetical symbol for that year.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 1 and showing the manner in which the disk member can be, calibrated directly in years by their several numbers instead of by alphabetical symbols as shown in Fig. 1 and which symbols require thechart of Fig. 4 or equivalent calculating device.

The continuous calendar is shown as having a back part it which is made of paper board or of any other suitable material and which'is shown as being or generallyVcircular form. The calendar also has a face part 11" also of nited tates Patent paper board or the like which is shown as conforming to the back part 10 and arranged in register with this back part. A member in the form of a rotatable disk, belt or drum 12 is shown as sandwiched between the face part 11 and back part 10, andthis disk can be of any sheet material such as paper board. The disk member can be rotatably mounted in any suitable manner such as shown in my prior Patent No. 2,595,299, dated May 6, 1952, for Disk Slide Rule, but for simplicity is shown as rotating on the periphery of a small hub disk 13 which is clamped between the face and back parts 11, 10 by a grommet or eyelet 14. The mating edges of the face and back parts 11, 10 are shown as being ofiset toward each other and adhesively seamed together, indicated at 15, to form a pocket 16 for the disk part 12.? The face part 11 can'bear any suitable ornamentation or advertising 18 and the back part 10 can bear a chart 19 a fragment of which is indicated in Fig. 4. r

A feature of the invention resides in the form of an endless circular band 20 composed of a multiplicity of numerals 21. This band of numerals is concentric with the axis of rotation of the disk 12, that is, concentric with the eyelet 14. These numerals 21 are arranged in thirty-five regularly spaced radialrows 22, or multiple of thirty-five. In other words, the radial rows 22 are in a number divisible by thirty-five to produce a whole number. The numerals 21 are also arranged in regularly spaced, overlapping, generally spiral rows 23, these spiral rows being generated about the axis of rotation of the disk 12. To use the disk 12 for more than one rotation, there must be five-or amultiple of five ofthese generally spiral rows 23. In other words, the spiral rows 23 are in a number divisible by five to produce a whole number. Each spiral row 23 is composed of successive numerals 21 numbering from one to thirty-one in, ascending order from left to right at that area where the numerals 21 are uprightto the observer. In thecontinuous' calendar,-as illustrated, this area where the numerals 21 are upright-to :the observer is at the bottom of the calendar as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The initial numeral one of each of the spiral rows 23 is the top numeral, in this area, of every seventh radial row 22.

The bottom of the face part 11 is notched or cut away to form a window 25 exposing a block of seven consecutive radial rows 22 of the band 20 of numerals on the disk 12. This block of seven consecutive radial rows 22 of the numerals 21 is composed, of course, of segments of the spiral rows 23 and it will particularly be noted that regardless of which block of seven consecutive radial rows of the numerals 21 is exposed through the window 25, the successive numerals of the exposed segments of the spiral rows 23 read consecutively from one to thirty-one in the manner of a conventional calendar sheet.

At the top rim of the window 25, the face part 11 has the conventional Sun., Mon., Tues, etc. printed to be above and aline with the seven exposed radial rows 22 of numerals. Accordingly, these day of the week designationsserve all of the successive segmental blocks of the band 20 of numerals and it will be seen that as the band of numerals is progressed one radial row 22 at a time, the first day of the month is progressively shifted one weekday at a time.

The continuous calendar also includes means for severally identifying the succession of blocks of the seven radial rows 22 progressively around the band 20 of numerals 21. These means are shown as comprising a second window 28 through whicha second band 29 of indicia is visible. The .indicia of this second hand designates successive years. 'This designation can be directly in the numbers of the years as 1954, 1955, etc. designated by 554, 55, etci'as in Fig. 5, or it can be in letters, such as the alphabet showntin Figs.- 1, 3'wandv4 and. which, it will benoted, includes the additional letters Zi and Z0 so as to have 'a sequence of twenty-eight letters. The reason for this is that the same sequence of variations in the calendar repeats itself every twenty-eight year. Accordingly, by having the band 29 calibrated in letters or other symbols, it can be used for an endless number of years by the simple expedient of providing, as on the back of the calendar, 21 chart, as shown in'Fig. 4, with as many years as are desired and with each sequence of twentyeight yea-rs severally designated by the symbols, such as A, -B, C, etc. to Z, Zi and Z0. It will also be understood that instead of the chart shown in Fig. 4, the disk 12 could include another rotary indicator to determine the particular symbols associated with particular years over a wide range of years since the pattern repeats itself every twenty-eight years. As this is merely a simple calculating problem, and hence forms no part of the present invention, it is not illustrated.

The rim of the second window is calibrated in the twelve months of the year as indicated at 30 in Figs. '1 and 5. This calibration includes lines 31 leading from the designations J an., Feb, etc. to the margin of the rim of the window 28, as shown. These lines are arranged to register with lines '32 on the disk 12 and which lines 32 are severally associated with the symbols or year numbers of the band 29. It will be noted in the calibration in months on the rim of the window 28, the months of January and February are below the window and March- November, September-December and April-July are in the form of couplets, each couplet having a common line. It will also be noted that every fourth symbol 'or year number on the band 29 (corresponding to the leap years) has upwardly and downwardly extending lines which are out of radial alinement both with respect to the leap year symbol with which they are associated and also with respect to each other.

In the use of the continuous calendar shown in Figs. 1-4, assuming one wishes to know what weekday on which fifteenth day of January 1956 fell, he would first consult the chart, Fig. 4, and determine that 1956 is represented by the letter EJ 'He would then turn the disk 12 until the calibration line -32 of the letter B was in register with the calibration line 31 of J an." Since 1956 is a leap year, the calibration lines 32 are out of radial alinement both with this letter B and also with each other. So turning the letter B to register with Jan. automatically exposes the block of seven radial lines of numerals as illustrated in Fig. 1. This block of numerals is the correct calendar representation for January of 1956 and hence it can readily be determined that the 15th day of January 1956 fell "on a Sunday, since the radial line of numerals, which includes the numeral 15, is in line with Sun. The fact "that the representation of each monthly calendar sheet has'31 days is of little consequence since one would not be interested in obtaining information concerning nonexistent calendar days.

Since the same sequence of variations in the calendar repeats itself every twenty-eight years, by providing twenty-eight symbols viewable through the window 28, it is possible to extend the operation of the continuous calendar indefinitely by simply extending the chart, Fig. 4, to include as many years "as may be desired. Thus, setting of the calendar so that the letter E registers for January 1956, as shown in Fig. 1, provides the block of seven radial rows 22 in numerals which block of numerals is equally valid for 1928, 1984 and 2012. 1900 would not be included in this because this particular year is a centennial year and according to the Gregorian calendar is exeludedfrom being a leap year.

If, of course, a very limited range is desired, instead of using the alphabetical symbols, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, in combination with the chart, Fig. 4, the: 'band 29 can be calibrated directly in the numbers of the years as shown in the modification, Fig. 5. However, in this event, the extent of the calendar would be limited to the room available'for the year numbers on thisband'29 4 and hence with the calendar arrangement as shown in Figs. l-4, would be limited to twenty-eight years. Of course, this could be any twenty-eight years.

By the use of the chart, as shown in Fig. 4, the symbolyear association can be made to provide a correct designation for all yea-rs regardless of the fact that under the Gregorian system, centennial years are not leap years unless equally divisible by 400.

I From the foregoing, particularly by the arrangement of the numerals 21 in both generally spiral and also radial rows, it will be seen that a simple and easily understood continuous calendar can be provided by the expedient of progressively exposing blocks of seven such radial rows, the succession of blocks correctly representing the numerals of monthly conventional calendar sheets for any month of any year.

I claim:

l. A calendar of the character described, comprising a member having an endless circular band composed of a multiplicity of numerals, said numerals being arranged in regularly spaced radial rows, said radial rows being in a number divisible by thirty-five to produce a whole number, and said numerals also being arranged in regularly spaced, overlapping, generally spiral rows, said spiral rows being in a number divisible by five to produce a whole number, each of said generally spiral rows being composed of consecutive numerals from one to thirty-one in ascending order from left to right at that area where the numerals are upright to the observer, the numeral one of each of said generally spiral rows being the top numeral, in said area, of every seventh radial row whereby exposing any seven consecutive rows at said area will provide a segmental block of numerals composed of segments of said generally spiral rows, the successive numetals of which segments read consecutively from one to thirty-one in the manner of a conventional calendar sheet, and means arranged to expose a succession of said segmental blocks of numerals progressively around said band, and means jointly carried by said member and said means arranged to expose a succession of said segmental blocks of numerals for identifying the segmental block of numerals associated with a particular year and month.

2. A calendar of the character described, comprising a first member having a row of spaced symbols on one face severally representing particular years, a second member arranged against said face of said first member and having a window arranged to expose a plurality of said symbols and being elongated in the direction of said row, said members being movable relative to each other lengthwise of said window to progressively expose said symbols through said window, said second member having on one longitudinal side of said window a pair of calibration lines associated with symbols representing the months of January and February, respectively, and said second member having on the other longitudinal side of said Window a plurality of calibration lines associated with symbols representing the remaining ten months of the year, a pair of substantially alining calibration lines 'on said first member associated with each symbol thereon which represents a common year and extending to the opposite longitudinal sides of said window, a pair of offset calibration lines on said first member assoelated-with each symbol thereon which represents a leap year and extending to the opposite longitudinal side of said window, and means providing the representation of a monthly calendar sheet corresponding to the month and year 'to which said calibration lines are set to register.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1 ,429,096 Pethick Sept. 12, 1922 1,692,758 Nogrady Nov. 20, 1928 1,949,328 Pinkerton Feb. 27, 1934

Images