US3333356A - Perpetual calendar - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 1, 1967 Y J. M. BOSLAND PERPETUAL CALENDAR Filed Aug. 10, 1965 IIHIHI' INV ENTQR JAMES M. BOSLAN D BY w-v ATTORN YS United States Patent 3,333,356 PERPETUAL CALENDAR James M. Bosland, Wayne, N.J., assignor to Ketcham & lvlcDougall, Inc., Roseland, N.J., a corporation of New ersey Filed Aug. 10, 1965, Ser. No. 478,541 4 Claims. (Cl. 40-114) cessible source for determining the correct date. The

most common type of desk calendar shows only a single date with the day of the week often added. The feature of displaying only a single day is much more desirable than having a full month shown, since the correct date can be ascertained at a glance. In mechanical desk calendars as contrasted with the appointment-type desk calendar, the date is changed through some mechanical operation, such as knobs, handles, weights, or rotation.

While there are a variety of mechanical type calendars on the market today, a disadvantage in most is that a separate manual operation is required to change each bit of information displayed utilizing a separate means of moving the indicator. The separate manual operations must be performed every day to keep the calendar up to date. Often due to neglect, press of work, or forgetfulness, all of the changing operations are not performed daily and the calendar becomes inaccurate, thus losing much of its desirability as a convenience, as well as becoming a source of possible serious errors due to relying on wrong dates.

Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to provide means for changing the days of the Week, and each part of the date in a simple manner with a minimum of parts requiring only two knobs at the opposite ends of the calendar.

A further object is to provide a mechanism for changing the dates on a calendar unit that accomplishes all of the above, but yet is durable, fool-proof in operation, inexpensive to produce and esthetically pleasing in appearance.

Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent when the following description is considered in connection with the annexed drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a desk calendar unit constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional, front elevational view, slightly enlarged;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 33 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 44 of FIGURE 2.

Referring now to the drawing, a desk calendar unit has a substantially rectangular base 12 preferably provided with flocking or other soft material on its underside, so as not to mar or scratch the desk surface upon which it rests. Attached to the upper surface of the base 12 is a generally U-shaped bracket 14 as shown in FIG. 2. Bracket 14 is shown attached to base 12 by a pair of machine screws 16, but it could be spot-welded or fastened in any other convenient manner. Disposed generally equidistant between the upstanding arms of bracket 14 is a wall or support 18, which as shown, is generally L-shaped and which is attached to the top surface of the base portion of U-shaped bracket 14. One of the upstanding arms of bracket 14 and support 18, rotatably and slidably support a shaft 20. Similarly, the other upstanding arm of bracket 14 and support 18 rotatably and slidably support a shaft 22. Shafts 20 and 22 are journalled within the bracket 14 and support 18 in any convenient manner 3,333,356 Patented Aug. 1, 1967 for rotating and sliding, a preferred manner being disclosed hereafter. Mounted on base 12 to the exterior of bracket 14 and support 18 is a tubular casing or outer housing 24, which is attached to base 12 by lugs 26 as seen best in FIGURE 3.

Calendar unit 10 has four information or indicia wheels 28, 30, 32 and 34, having legends or characters engraved or printed around their peripheries. Wheels 28 and 30 are rotatably and slidably mounted on shaft 20 and wheels 32 and 34 are rotatably and slidably mounted on. shaft 22. In my preferred embodiment, wheel 28 displays the day of the week and wheel 30 has two successive sequences of a blank space followed by the numerals 1, 2, 3. Wheel 32 has the characters 0 through 9 and wheel 34 shows the months of the year. Outer cover 24 has a series of openings, 25, 27 and 29 in its front face registering with the characters on wheels 28, 30, 32 and 34, respectively, so that when viewed, the wheels disclose the day of the Week, the date and the month, as illustratively shown in FIGURE 1, Monday, 12 November. Of course, this sequence could be modifiedto provide information in any desired sequence.-

Advantageously, Wheel 34 has a bearing 36 about whichis slightly greater than the thickness ofthe upstandingarm of bracket 14, which abuts wheel 34. As best seen in FIGURE 3, upstanding bracket 14 has a downwardly extending slot 40, which has a width sufficient to receive bearing 36 therein. When in its operative position, as seen in FIGURE 2, wheel 34 is urged against the inner surface of the upstanding arm of bracket 14, so as to frictionally engage therewith for holding drum 34 in any position of selected adjustment. Projecting from the outer surface of upstanding wall of bracket 14 are a pair of locks 42 as shown in FIGURE 3. A spring wire 44 is mounted above shaft 22 and forced into position under locks 42, so as to hold shaft 22 fixedly .in position. In a similar manner, wheel 28 is mounted on bearing 46, which has one end engaging the outer edge of inner drum 48 and the other end engaging the outer surface of the upstanding wall of bracket 14. Similarly, .a wire 50 holds shaft 20 in position under locks 52. Advantageously, wheels 30 and 32 are rotatably mounted about single bearing 54, which allows sufficient separation of wheels 30 and 32 to receive wall 18. Bearing 54 allows rotation and slidable movement of shafts 20 and 22 as best seen in FIGURE 2. Shaft 20 extends outwardly beyond the upstanding arm of bracket 14 and has a knurled or roughened end surface 56. Frictionally engaging roughened end 56 is a hand wheel 58, which allows rotation of shaft 20. Similarly, shaft 22 has a roughened or knurled end portion 60 about which frictionally engages a hand wheel 62.

Radially extending from shaft 22 are a pair of rods 64 and 66. Rod 64 is contiguous to the inner surface of drum 68 on wheel 32 and rod 66 is contiguous to the inner surface of drum 38 on wheel 34. As best seen in FIGURE 4, the inner surface of drum 68 has a circumferentially spaced series of tongue or teeth 70. The space between consecutive tongues 70 is sufiicient to receive rod 64, as best seen in FIGURE 4. Similarly, drum 38 on wheel 34 has a series of tongues 72, which are spaced apart to receive rod 66.

Similarly, shaft 20 has a pair of radially extending rods 74 and 76. Rod 74 is contiguous to inner drum 48 of wheel 28. Drum 48 has a series of spaced apart tongues 75 in a manner similar to that of wheel 34 and similarly, wheel 30 has a series of spaced apart circumferentially disposed tongues 78. Tongues 75 engage with rod 74 and similarly, tongues 78 of wheel 30, engage rod 76.

The dimensions of bearings 36, 46 and 54 are such that when they are in their operative position, as shown in FIGURE 2, the corresponding wheel is urged frictionally against the inner surface of its corresponding arm to prevent accidental displacement.

To operate the device, wheel 58 is urged outwardly in the direction of arrow 80, forcing rod 74 into operative engagement with the tongues 75 of the drum on wheel 28. Thus, if wheel 58 is then rotated in either a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction, indicia wheel 28 is rotated so that the days are moved past the opening 25 in outer covering 24. Similarly, if wheel 58 is urged in a direction or arrow 82, rod 74 disengages from operative position with tongues 75 and rod 76 engages into operative position with tongues 78 of the drum on wheel 30. Rotating wheel 58 rotates shaft 20, which in turn moves wheel 30, so that the wheel 30 is rotated to bring the selected number into view under its corresponding window 27 in housing 24. In a similar manner, shaft 22 is reciprocated by movement of wheel 62. Advantageously, wheels 58 and 62 have an undercut portion 84 and 86, respectively, which allows them to be received within the outer covering housing 24.

Although the present invention has been described with respect to a specific embodiment thereof, it is understood that this is not to be considered as limiting the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An information display device comprising in combination a base, an outer housing mounted on said base, said outer housing having therein a series of apertures,

a pair of display wheels mounted Within said housing and 3 having information upon their peripheral surfaces, said information selectively readable through said apertures, a shaft rotatably and slidably mounted on said base and aligned with the perpendicular axis of said wheels, means on said shaft for selectively engaging one of said wheels 5 for rotational movement while said second wheel remains in a stationary position, said means for selectively engaging said wheels being capable of engaging said wheels in a plurality of angular dispositions and means for rotating said shaft.

10 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said information comprises the day of the Week, the day of the month and the month.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said wheels have a side wall with tongues projecting therefrom.

15 4. The combination of claim 3 wherein the means on said shaft for selectively engaging said wheels comprises one or more lugs projecting from said shaft to engage said tongues.

FOREIGN PATENTS 965,141 2/1950 France.

0 EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner. W. I. CONTRERAS, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. AN INFORMATION DISPLAY DEVICE COMPRISING IN COMBINATION A BASE, AN OUTER HOUSING MOUNTED ON SAID BASE, SAID OUTER HOUSING HAVING THEREIN A SERIES OF APERTURES, A PAIR OF DISPLAY WHEELS MOUNTED WITHIN SAID HOUSING AND HAVING INFORMATION UPON THEIR PERIPHERAL SURFACES, SAID INFORMATION SELECTIVELY READABLE THROUGH SAID APERTURES, A SHAFT ROTATABLY AND SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON SAID BASE AND ALIGNED WITH THE PERPENDICULAR AXIS OF SAID WHEELS, MEANS ON SAID SHAFT FOR SELECTIVELY ENGAGING ONE OF SAID WHEELS FOR ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT WHILE SAID SECOND WHEEL REMAINS IN A STATIONARY POSITION, SAID MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY ENGAGING SAID WHEELS BEING CAPABLE OF ENGAGING SAID WHEELS IN A PLURALITY OF ANGULAR DISPOSITIONS AND MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID SHAFT.

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