US3733720A - Orrery - Google Patents

Orrery Download PDF

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Publication number
US3733720A
US3733720A US00108813A US3733720DA US3733720A US 3733720 A US3733720 A US 3733720A US 00108813 A US00108813 A US 00108813A US 3733720D A US3733720D A US 3733720DA US 3733720 A US3733720 A US 3733720A
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Prior art keywords
wheels
annular
orrery
annular members
sets
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Expired - Lifetime
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US00108813A
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English (en)
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E Byers
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Individual
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Individual
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
    • G09B—EDUCATIONAL OR DEMONSTRATION APPLIANCES; APPLIANCES FOR TEACHING, OR COMMUNICATING WITH, THE BLIND, DEAF OR MUTE; MODELS; PLANETARIA; GLOBES; MAPS; DIAGRAMS
    • G09B27/00—Planetaria; Globes
    • G09B27/02—Tellurions; Orreries

Definitions

  • ABSTRACT An orrery being a mechanical model demonstrating movements of planets in their orbits around the sun, comprises a central sun-carrying member, a plurality of annular planet-carrying members nested one within another and individually rotatable about the central member, and a driving mechanism for driving the annular members at different rotational speeds, which mechanism comprises three sets of friction wheels rotatable respectively about three axes which are radial to and spaced apart about the rotational axis of the annular members, wherein each set consists of a wheel for each annular member, each said wheel engages and supports a circular track on the associated annular member, a plurality of wheels in each set have differing diameters and the tracks for them are concentric and have differing diameters and are disposed at appropriately different levels, andat least one of the sets is driven.
  • the present invention provides an orrery comprising a central sun-carrying member, a plurality of annular planet-carrying members nested one within another and individually rotatable about the central member, and a driving mechanism for driving the annular members at different rotational speeds, which mechanism comprises three sets of friction wheels rotatable respectively about three axes which are radial to and spaced apart about the rotational axis of the annular members, wherein each set consists of a wheel for each annular member, each said wheel engages and supports a circular track on the associated annular member, a plurality of wheels in each set have differing diameters and the tracks for them are concentric and have differing diameters and are disposed at appropriately different levels, and at least one of the sets is driven.
  • annular members driven by one or more of these sets of friction wheels but they are each supported at three circumferentially spaced points by the wheels which engage the tracks. Moreover, since a plurality of wheels (e.g. some or all) in each set have differing diameters and the tracks which they engage have differing diameters, a plurality of the annular members are driven at differing rotational speeds. It will beunderstood that some or all of the wheels in each set may have differing diameters.
  • the annular members may be centred by engagement of side faces of flanges of the wheels (or of separate flanges or discs) with circumferential faces on the annular members.
  • the three sets of wheels may be geared together so that they all take part in the drive to the annular members.
  • one set may be connected to a gear wheel disposed between and meshing with two gear wheels connected to the other two sets respectively.
  • one annular member carries a moon revolvable about its planet as the latter revolves about the sun, and this moon is driven through a friction wheel, carried by said member and connected to the moon, which friction wheel rolls around a stationary circumferential track coaxial with said member.
  • One of the annular members may be marked on a visible surface to denote asteriods or minor planets.
  • Each set of wheels may include at least one wheel driven at a reduced speed through reduction gearing.
  • FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the orrery
  • FIG. 2 is a similar perspective view but with the dome removed;
  • FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the driving mechanism for the annular members
  • FIG. 4 is a cross-section through the annular members and showing a representative set of the friction wheels
  • FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing mechanism for driving a moon.
  • This orrery has a bowl-like base 10 within which there is a central upstanding pedestal 11 carrying a pillar 12 which, at its upper end, is provided a socket 13 for an electric lamp bulb to simulate the sun. Electrical leads to the bulb pass up through the pedestal.
  • An annular orifice in the upper surface of the bowl surrounding the pedestal 11 is occupied by a nested set of annular members, the upper surfaces of said members lying substantially in a common horizontal plane. Eight such members, numbered 14 to 21 are shown in FIGS. 1,2 and 4. Said members have a common vertical axis of rotation on which the centre of the sun is disposed. As shown in FIG.
  • each annular member is rebated from its under-side to provide an upper portion of reduced thickness, and in a corresponding manner the inner margin of each outer annular member is rebated from its upper surface to provide a shallow well in which the reduced portion of the next inner member sits.
  • Each of a plurality of the annular members 14-21 is provided with an upstanding vertical pin which, at its top end, carries a ball representing a planet; the various balls may be differently coloured. They are all located at substantially the same height.
  • members 14-17 carry balls l4'-l7' representing Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars; there is then a member 18 carrying on its upper surface markings denoting asteroids, and then two members 19,20 carrying balls 19', 20 representing Jupiter and Saturn respectively, and finally an outer annular member 21, carrying a time scale, frictionally driven by the Saturn member 20.
  • FIG. 2 For convenience, only the ball 16 representing Earth is shown in FIG. 2.
  • This Fig. also illustrates the fact that the pins by which the other balls are carried are detachably fixed on spigots 14a, 15a, 17a 19a and 20a, protruding from the upper surfaces of the respective annular members.
  • each shaft 23-25 carries a set of friction wheels, one for each annular member except the outer one, some or all of these friction wheels being of differing diameters.
  • the set of friction wheels 26-32 shown in FIG. 4 on the shaft 23 is representative of the identical sets of wheels on shafts 24 and 25.
  • Each annular member, except the outer member 21, is provided at its under-surface with a downwardly-protruding circular rib the undersurface of which forms a circular track resting on one wheel of each of the three sets.
  • trackforrning ribs are numbered 33-39 in FIG. 4. Since at least some of the wheels in each set are of differing diameters, the ribs of at least some of the annular members are of differing depths so that their tracks are disposed in appropriate horizontal planes to admit engagement with said wheels.
  • each annular planet member is supported at three equidistant points, and since at least one of the shafts is driven, each said member is driven at least at one of these points.
  • all three shafts are driven so that each annular member is driven at three points.
  • the drive is taken from a small reversible electric motor 40 housed within the bowl and is applied through reduction gearing 41 to shaft 23 which is coupled to the other two.
  • said shaft 23 is extended through the central pedestal 11 and is there provided with a gear 43 which is disposed between and meshes with corresponding gears 44,45 on the inner ends of the other two shafts 24,25.
  • the three meshing gears 4345 may be bevel gears or may be crown wheels each having teeth which protrude from its inner end face. These gears may be moulded form a suitable plastics material, the teeth resembling protruding pegs.
  • the reduction gearing 41 may be of any suitable form, but preferably the first-mentioned gear 43 has a circular series of teeth protruding from its outer face (as in a crown wheel) and these teeth are engaged by a driving rib of archimedean spiral form on a disc driven by the electric motor. Thus one revolution of this disc moves the gear which it drives through one tooth space.
  • the two outermost wheels 31,32 in each set, which drive the Jupiter and Saturn members 19,20 are not fastened directly to their shaft (as are the other wheels) but are driven from the shaft through 12 to l a reduction gearing 47 so that the annular members 19,20 with which they are associated are driven ultra slowly.
  • These two wheels 31,32 are carried by a sleeve 48 rotatably surrounding the shaft and driven by the reduction gearing.
  • This reduction gearing 47 may be of any suitable form, but is preferably hypocycloid gearing, and comprises an eccentric on the shaft which eccentric carries a gear prevented from rotation by a torque arm but capable of being moved bodily by the eccentric in a circular path. In this path the gear travels in mesh with an internal gear, having a greater number of teeth (e.g. one more), on the sleeve, the gear ratio being preferably 12 to 1.
  • One annular member (and specifically member 16) carries a coloured ball 49, representing a moon, which revolves around its planet 16' as the latter travels in a circular path.
  • the vertical pin 16b (FIG. 5) carrying the planet 16 at its top end is surrounded by a rotatable sleeve 50, the top end of which has an arm 51 carrying the moon 49 and the lower end of which extends down through a hole in the annular member 16 and is there provided with a friction wheel 52 which rolls on the outer periphery of a stationary member 53.
  • the lower end of the pin 16b is supported by a bracket 54, below the wheel 52, attached to the underside of the annular member 16.
  • the stationary member 53 may be a ring, below the annular members, having three depending forks 55 through which the three shafts 23-25 aforesaid extend,
  • a transparent dome 57 occupying somewhat more than a hemisphere and having its centre substantially coincident with the central sun.
  • This dome is marked at its interior surface with the celestial equator and a pole (e.g. the north pole), the ecliptic, lines of latitude and longitude, and with the stellar constellations and their names.
  • a pole e.g. the north pole
  • the celestial north pole is offset 23.5 from the vertical axis of rotation of the annular members.
  • a circumferential surface 58 on the top of bowl 10 outside the base of the dome 57 is graduated in degrees and months, and is also marked with the signs of the Zodiac.
  • sockets 59 for electric lamp bulbs which latter illuminate the interior of the dome, through suitable apertures in the top of the base within the dome, to give a night sky effect.
  • Suitable manual control knobs 61, 62, 63 are provided at the exterior of the bowl for controlling the direction of rotation of the electric motor, and its speed, and for switching on, alternatively, the sun bulb and the night sky bulbs.
  • An orrery comprising a central sun-carrying member, a plurality of annular planet-carrying members concentrically nested one within another and individually rotatable about the central member, each of which has a circular track at its underside said track being concentric and having different diameters, and driving mechanism for driving the annular members about the central member at different rotational speeds
  • driving mechanism comprises three sets of friction wheels disposed below the annular members and rotatable respectively about three axes which are radial to and spaced apart in intervals of about about the rotational axis of the annular members, wherein each set of friction wheels comprises a wheel for the sole support of each respective annular member which wheel is in frictional driving and supporting contact with the track of the respective member and wherein the wheels in each set have differing diameters, and means driving at least one of the three sets of wheels.
  • An orrery according to claim 2 having two gears connected one to each of two sets and a gear, connected to the other set, disposed between and meshing with said two gears.
  • An orrery according to claim 1 having means for centering the annular members which means comprises circumferential faces on the annular members and flanges, associated with each set of wheels, having side faces engaging said circumferential faces.
  • An orrery according to claim 1 having, in combination with a planet carried by an annular member, a moon carried by that member and revolvable about the planet as the latter revolves about the sun-carrying member, and means for driving said moon to revolve about said planet which means comprises a stationary wheels being fastened to the shaft and at least one other of the wheels being rotatable in relation to the shaft,

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Astronomy & Astrophysics (AREA)
  • Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
  • Educational Administration (AREA)
  • Educational Technology (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Friction Gearing (AREA)
  • Handcart (AREA)
US00108813A 1970-01-29 1971-01-22 Orrery Expired - Lifetime US3733720A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB4262/70A GB1255893A (en) 1970-01-29 1970-01-29 An improved orrery

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US3733720A true US3733720A (en) 1973-05-22

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US00108813A Expired - Lifetime US3733720A (en) 1970-01-29 1971-01-22 Orrery

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US (1) US3733720A (ja)
JP (1) JPS5147092B1 (ja)
CA (1) CA933349A (ja)
FR (1) FR2083136A5 (ja)
GB (1) GB1255893A (ja)

Cited By (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4034488A (en) * 1975-09-08 1977-07-12 Trujillo Samuel E Apparatus for demonstrating the travel of heavenly bodies
US4400162A (en) * 1982-04-05 1983-08-23 Rustemis Constantine F Planetarium
US5695344A (en) * 1996-09-23 1997-12-09 Tomasello; James Device for demonstrating dynamics of orbiting bodies
US5967791A (en) * 1998-05-05 1999-10-19 Abrahamian; Jaques Astronomical display apparatus
USD431844S (en) * 1999-03-03 2000-10-10 Natural Science Industries, Ltd. Toy orrery/planetarium
US6176705B1 (en) * 1999-09-24 2001-01-23 Shawn Garvey Solar system teaching aid
US6238216B1 (en) * 1999-05-07 2001-05-29 Daniel J. Menelly Planetary teaching age
US6565360B1 (en) 2001-05-25 2003-05-20 George Kavvouras Orrery
EP1428197A1 (en) * 2001-08-31 2004-06-16 Mamstar.com Globe apparatus for showing rotation and revolution
US20040224290A1 (en) * 2003-05-08 2004-11-11 Moehrke Ronelle J. Apparatus and method for displaying a horoscope
RU2730227C1 (ru) * 2019-07-01 2020-08-19 Семён Франкович Адлай Вращающаяся небесная сфера
US11263926B2 (en) * 2018-05-16 2022-03-01 Boe Technology Group Co., Ltd. Suspended galaxy device

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2353891A (en) * 1999-09-03 2001-03-07 Atiyah Julian Patrick An orrery or display device for showing relative positions of objects orbiting a centre point e.g. planets

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US575735A (en) * 1897-01-26 Planetarium
US1028355A (en) * 1911-10-26 1912-06-04 George T Huff Tellurian.
US1952024A (en) * 1931-06-01 1934-03-20 Lawrence K Sager Educational apparatus
US3010224A (en) * 1959-01-23 1961-11-28 Roberts Francis Marion Educational amusement device
US3387393A (en) * 1966-01-21 1968-06-11 Clair O. Musser Toy planetarium
US3520073A (en) * 1964-07-08 1970-07-14 Klaus Baader Multifunction astronomical display planetarium

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US575735A (en) * 1897-01-26 Planetarium
US1028355A (en) * 1911-10-26 1912-06-04 George T Huff Tellurian.
US1952024A (en) * 1931-06-01 1934-03-20 Lawrence K Sager Educational apparatus
US3010224A (en) * 1959-01-23 1961-11-28 Roberts Francis Marion Educational amusement device
US3520073A (en) * 1964-07-08 1970-07-14 Klaus Baader Multifunction astronomical display planetarium
US3387393A (en) * 1966-01-21 1968-06-11 Clair O. Musser Toy planetarium

Cited By (14)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4034488A (en) * 1975-09-08 1977-07-12 Trujillo Samuel E Apparatus for demonstrating the travel of heavenly bodies
US4400162A (en) * 1982-04-05 1983-08-23 Rustemis Constantine F Planetarium
US5695344A (en) * 1996-09-23 1997-12-09 Tomasello; James Device for demonstrating dynamics of orbiting bodies
US5967791A (en) * 1998-05-05 1999-10-19 Abrahamian; Jaques Astronomical display apparatus
USD431844S (en) * 1999-03-03 2000-10-10 Natural Science Industries, Ltd. Toy orrery/planetarium
US6238216B1 (en) * 1999-05-07 2001-05-29 Daniel J. Menelly Planetary teaching age
US6176705B1 (en) * 1999-09-24 2001-01-23 Shawn Garvey Solar system teaching aid
US6565360B1 (en) 2001-05-25 2003-05-20 George Kavvouras Orrery
EP1428197A1 (en) * 2001-08-31 2004-06-16 Mamstar.com Globe apparatus for showing rotation and revolution
EP1428197A4 (en) * 2001-08-31 2006-01-04 Mamstar Com GLOBE DEVICE FOR SHOWING THE ROTATION AND TURNING
US20040224290A1 (en) * 2003-05-08 2004-11-11 Moehrke Ronelle J. Apparatus and method for displaying a horoscope
US11263926B2 (en) * 2018-05-16 2022-03-01 Boe Technology Group Co., Ltd. Suspended galaxy device
RU2730227C1 (ru) * 2019-07-01 2020-08-19 Семён Франкович Адлай Вращающаяся небесная сфера
RU2730227C9 (ru) * 2019-07-01 2020-08-26 Семён Франкович Адлай Вращающаяся небесная сфера

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Publication number Publication date
JPS5147092B1 (ja) 1976-12-13
GB1255893A (en) 1971-12-01
CA933349A (en) 1973-09-11
FR2083136A5 (ja) 1971-12-10

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