US3854230A - Perpetual calendar - Google Patents

Abstract

A perpetual calendar having a first group of indicia bearing discs displaying the days of the week, a second group of indicia bearing discs displaying the months of the year, a third group of indicia bearing discs displaying the tens digit of the days of the month, and a fourth group of indicia bearing discs displaying the units digit of the days of the month with each group pivotally connected to a corresponding pivot assembly which is located between two opposing vertically extending panels. The indicia bearing discs are selectively rotated between a masked position between the opposing panels where they rest upon supporting projections and a display position where they rest upon stops.

Description

United States Patent Knaus et a1.

[451 Dec. 17, 1974 1 PERPETUAL CALENDAR [75] Inventors: Dennis A. Knaus, Germantown; Richard E. Wysocky, Grafton, both of Wis.

[73] Assignee: Jos Schlitz Brewing Company,

Milwaukee, Wis.

[22] Filed: Sept. 4, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 393,788

[52] US. Cl. 40/107, 40/67 [51] Int. Cl. G09d 3/00 [58] Field of Search 40/107, 111, 113-115, 40/67, 70; 35/74, 28.3, 31 A [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,527,704 2/1925 Ray 40/67 1,552,920 9/1925 Glover 40/67 2,188,744 l/1940 Turner 1 40/67 X 3,418,737 12/1968 Lambert 40/67 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 935,671 2/1948 France 40/107 1 57 'llrliavlllllmrl 32 H /a as 84,660 2/1957 Netherlands 35/283 Primary Examiner lohn H. Wolff Attorney, Agent, orFirm-Andrus, Sceales, Starke & Sawall 5 7] ABSTRACT A perpetual calendar having a first group of indicia bearing discs displaying the days of the week, a second group of indicia bearing discs displaying the months of the year, a third group of indicia bearing discs displaying the tens digit of the days of the month, and a fourth group of' indicia bearing discs displaying the units digit of the days of the month with each group pivotally connected to a corresponding pivot assembly which is located between two opposing vertically extending panels. The indicia bearing discs are selectively rotated between a masked position between the opposing panels where they rest upon supporting projections and a display position where they rest upon stops.

5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENIEL SE81 7 m4 1 PERPETUAL CALENDAR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a perpetual calendar and more particularly to a calendar having a series of groups of discs mounted upon a plurality of pivot assemblies for selectively displaying a calendar date.

Known perpetual calendars have frequently utilized relatively complex apparatus some of which have been operated be power sources which are generally expensive to manufacture. Many manually operable perpetual calendars, on the other hand, have utilized removable discs which are completely removed from a display panel when not in use while other manually operable perpetual calendars have mounted a number of rotatable indicia bearing discs about a single pivot assembly, thereby making it difficult to display several discs at the same time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a perpetual calendar and particularly to a calendar having a series of groups of cards or discs mounted upon a plurality of pivot assemblies for selectively displaying a calendar date.

Specifically, a plurality of pivot assemblies are connected to a support member of the calendar and a number of groups of indicia bearing discs are connected to the pivot assemblies for selectiverotation between a first position wherein the discs are masked by a vertically extending panel and a second position wherein the discs are displayed. The displayed discs in the second position are preselected to provide a correlation with selected discs of adjacent groups to provide the preselected calendar date.

The invention is economically fabricated and provides a back panel having a upper vertically extending portion and a lower. portion whichincludes a lower supporting projection. A front panel includes a lower portion which is connected to the supporting projection of the back panel while an upper vertically extending portiOn is positioned in spaced, substantially parallel relationship with the. upper portion of the back panel.

The pivot'assemblies' include spaced projections connected to one of the panels and associated pins which hold the seriesof discs. The pins include outer flanges which entrap the series of discs while permitting their selective rotation about the pin.

The discs are egg-shaped and include an outer display portion andan inner neck-shaped portion, the latter containing an opening which receives the pins. Locating tabs are connectedto the discs which may be grasped to permit rotation between a lower, masked position between the front and back panels and an upper display position.

The supporting projection which connects the front and back panels includes a surface for supporting the discs in a masked position to prevent further rotation thereof. In addition, the supporting projection includes a stop portion while additional stops are connected to one of the panels for limiting rotation and supporting the discs when in the display position.

The subject invention thus provides a manually operable perpetual calendar which is economical to fabricate and capable of varied used including at offices, within homes, at inns and at many other locations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The drawings furnished herewith illustrate the best mode presently contemplated by the inventors and clearly discloses the above advantages and features, as well as others which will be readily understood from the detailed description thereof.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a perpetual calendar;

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, the perpetual calendar 1 includes a front facing panel 2 having an upper vertically extending portion 3 and a lower portion 4. A back panel 5 also includes an upper vertically extending portion 6 and a lower portion 7 including a laterally extending supporting projection 8. The front panel 2 is I joined to the back panel 5 by the supporting projection 8 so that the upper vertically extending portion 3 is positioned substantially parallel to the upper vertically extending portion 6. The front and back panels 2 and 5, respectively, may consist of plastic, .stiff cardboard or other suitable material and are joined or connected together by appropriate spot welds 9 or may other wise be secured by an appropriate adhesive, interlocking or connecting tabs, or the like.

A number of pivot assemblies 10, 11, 12 and 13 are connected in spaced relationship to the upper vertically extending portion 6 of the back panel 5 and each pivot assembly supports a series or group of indicia bearing cards or discs. Specifically, a first group of discs 14 is rotatably connected to the pivot assembly 10 and selectively display the days of the week. A second group of discs 15 is rotatably connected to the pivot as sembly 11 and selectively display the months of the year. A third group of discs 16 is rotatably connected to the pivot assembly 12 and selectively display the tens digit of the days of the month. A fourth group of discs 17 is rotatably connected to the pivot assembly 13 and selectively display and units digit of the days of the month. Although only four groups of indicia bearing discs are shown and described in the preferred illustrated embodiment, it is contemplated that two or any larger number of groups could be utilized with a plurality of two or more corresponding pivot assemblies to selectively display various aspects of the calendar date.

The pivot assemblies 10 through 13 include corresponding support projections 18 through 21, respectively, which are connected to the upper portion 6 of the back panel 5.

The support projections, 18 through 21 are specially designed to retain corresponding pins 22. Specifically, each pin 22 as shown in FIG. 6 is cylindrically shaped having a bore 23 and an outer circumferential surface 24. The pin 22 further includes an abutting portion 25 at one end and an outer flange 25 at the opposite end.

The locating projections 18, 19, and 20 each contain cylindrically shaped recess 27 having a central axis which is substantially perpendicular to the panel portion 6. The recess 27 receives the pins 22 so that protion 25 of each pin 22 abutts the end'28 of the recess 27. The projection 21 is a circumferentially shaped, tapered peg which receives the central bore 23 of pin 22. The ends 28 of recesses 27 within the projections 18 through 20 are spaced at different intervals with respect to the panel portion 6 so that the outer flanges 26 of pins 22 are spaced forwardly at different distances with respect to the panel portion 6 and the outer flange 26 of pin 22 mounted upon projection 21. The spacing of the outer flanges 26 permits freedom of rotation for the discs within adjacent groups.

The groups 14 through 17 each contain a preselected number of egg-shaped discs 29 as shown in FIG. 5. Each disc 29 includes an inner necked-shaped portion 30 and an outer display portion 31. The inner neckedshaped portion 30 includes an opening or a bore 32 and a locating tab 33 positioned between the bore 32 and the outer display portion 31.

A preselected number of disc 29 are thus mounted at each of the pivot assemblies 18. through 21 about the pins 22. Specifically, the pivot assembly 10 contains seven discs mounted about the pin 22 for displaying the different days of the week, i.e., Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, etc. while the pivot assembly 11 contains twelve discs connected about the pin 22 for displaying the different months of the year, i.e., January, February, etc.. In like manner, the pivot assembly 12 contains three discs connected about the pin 22 for displaying the tens digit of the days of the month, i.e., 1, 2, and 3, while the pivot assembly 13 contains ten discs connected about pin 22 for displaying the unit digits of the days of the month, i.e., -9. As previously discussed, the distance between the various flanges 26 of pins 22 and the panel portion 6 varies so that the discs within each group can rotate without interference with discs in adjacent groups.

The pivot assemblies 11, 12 and 13 have corresponding spaced stops 34, 35 and 36, respectively, which consist of projections connected to the upper portion 6 of back panel 5. Each of the stops 34, 35 and 36 are effective for limiting the extent of rotation of the discs located on the corresponding adjacent pivot assemblies and further provides a support for the preselected discs located in a display position. The supporting projection 8 of the back panel further includes a stop portion 37 which is located in spaced relationship to pivot assembly for limiting the rotation of the discs within group 14 and further provides a support for the preselected discs in a display position. An upper portion 38 of supporting projection 8 further includes a support for the discs within groups 14 through 17 when in a lower, masked position thereby limiting rotation thereof.

In operation, the majority of discs within groups 14 through 17 are located in a lower, masked position between the upper panel portions 3 and 6 thereby resting upon the upper surface 38 of the supporting projection 8. A selected disc within each group 14 through 17 is pivotally rotated counterclockwise as shown in FIG. 3 about the corresponding pivot assemblies [3, respectively, from the lower, masked position to an upper, display position. The displayed discs are maintained in a viewing position by their contact with the stops 34, 35 and 36 together with the stop portion 37 of the supporting projection 8. The stops 34, 35, 36 and 37 thus limit further rotation of the preselected discs and their particular offset spaced relationship with respect to the corresponding pivot assemblies 10 through 13 maintains the preselected discs in a display position.

The displayed discs can be manually rotated, clockwise as shown in FIG. 3, to the lower, masked or storage position between the spaced upper panel portions Various modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims, particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as the invention.

We claim:

1. A perpetual calendar, comprising a first panel having a first upper portion and a first lower portion including a supporting projection, a second panel having a second upper portion spaced from said first upper panel portion and a second lower portion connected to said supporting projection of said first panel, a first, second and third pivot assemblies connected in spaced relationship to said first upper panel portion, a first group of indicia bearing members eachdisplaying a different units digit or the days utilized to represent the month rotatably connected to said first pivot assembly having means for selective independent rotation between a first position wherein said selected members are masked by said second upper panel portion and a second position wherein a first selected member from said first group is displayed, a second group of indicia bearing members each displaying a different tens digit utilized to represent the days of the month rotatably connected to said second pivot assembly having means for selective independent rotation between a first position wherein said selectd members are masked by said second upper panel portion and a second position wherein a second selected member from said second group is displayed, and a third group of indicia bearing members each displaying a different month of the year rotatably connected to said third pivot assembly having means for selective independent rotation between a first position wherein said selected members are masked by said second upper panel portion and a second position wherein a third selected member from said third group is displayed, said selected first, second and third displayed members being adjacently located and providing in combination a preselected calendar date.

2. The calendar of claim 1 and including a fourth pivot assembly connected to said first upper panel portion spaced from said first, second and third pivot assemblies, and a fourth group of indicia bearing members each displaying a different day of the week rotatably connected to said fourth pivot assembly having means for selective independent rotation between a first position wherein said selected members are masked by said second upper panel portion and a second position wherein a fourth selected member from said fourth group is displayed, said first, second, third and fourth selected members being adjacently located and providing in combination said preselected calendar date.

3. The calendar of claim 1 wherein said first, second and third groups of members engage said supporting projection when selectively positioned in said first position, and said first upper panel portion further including first, second and third stops spaced from said first,

second and third pivot assemblies with said first, second and third selected members engaging said first, second and third stops, respectively, when placed in said second position for display.

4. The calendar of claim 1, wherein each of said members comprises a generally egg-shaped disc having an outer display portion and an inner necked portion rotatably mounted on said corresponding pivot assembly, each member includes a locating tab connected to said necked portion and positioned to be manually grasped.

5. The calendar of claim 4, wherein said first and second pivot assemblies each includes a locating projection connected to said first upper panel portion and a pin removably secured to said projection, said pin located within aligned openings in said egg-shaped discs and having an outer flange for entrapping said discs in rotatable confinement about said pin between said outer flange and said projection.

Claims (5)

1. A perpetual calendar, comprising a first panel having a first upper portion and a first lower portion including a supporting projection, a second panel having a second upper portion spaced from said first upper panel portion and a second lower portion connected to said supporting projection of said first panel, a first, second and third pivot assemblies connected in spaced relationship to said first upper panel portion, a first group of indicia bearing members each displaying a different units digit or the days utilized to represent the month rotatably connected to said first pivot assembly having means for selective independent rotation between a first position wherein said selected members are masked by said second upper panel portion and a second position wherein a first selected member from said first group is displayed, a second group of indicia bearing members each displaying a different tens digit utilized to represent the days of the month rotatably connected to said second pivot assembly having means for selective independent rotation between a first position wherein said selectd members are masked by said second upper panel portion and a second position wherein a second selected member from said second group is displayed, and a third group of indicia bearing members each displaying a different month of the year rotatably connected to said third pivot assembly having means for selective independent rotation between a first position wherein said selected members are masked by said second upper panel portion and a second position wherein a third selected member from said third group is displayed, said selected first, second and third displayed members being adjacently located and providing in combination a preselected calendar date.

2. The calendar of claim 1 and including a fourth pivot assembly connected to said first upper panel portion spaced from said first, second and third pivot assemblies, and a fourth group of indicia bearing members each displaying a different day of the week rotatably connected to said fourth pivot assembly having means for selective independent rotation between a first position wherein said selected members are masked by said second upper panel portion and a second position wherein a fourth selected member from said fourth group is displayed, said first, second, third and fourth selected members being adjacently located and providing in combination said preselected calendar date.

3. The calendar of claim 1 wherein said first, second and third groups of members engage said supporting projection when selectively positioned in said first position, and said first upper panel portion further including first, second and third stops spaced from said first, second and third pivot assemblies with said first, second and third selected members engaging said first, second and third stops, respectively, when placed in said second position for display.

4. The calendar of claim 1, wherein each of said members comprises a generally egg-shaped disc having an outer display portion and an inner necked portion rotatably mounted on said corresponding pivot assembly, each member includes a locating tab connected to said necked portion and positioned to be manually grasped.

5. The calendar of claim 4, wherein said first and second pivot assemblies each includes a locating projection connected to said first upper panel portion and a pin removably secured to said projection, said pin located within aligned openings in said egg-shaped discs and having an outer flange for entrapping said discs in rotatable Confinement about said pin between said outer flange and said projection.

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