US734821A - Educational puzzle. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED JfiLY-za. 190's.

- E. s. COBB.

EDUCATIONAL PUZZLE. APPLIOATION ITILBD HA3. 8, 1901.

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. PATENTED JULY 28; 1903.

vE. s. COBB. EDUCATIONAL PUZZLE. APPLICATION FILED MAR B 1901 1T0 MODEL.

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No. 734,821 PATENTED JULY 28, 1903. Y

B. S. COBB.

EDUCATIONAL PUZZLE.

APPLICATION TILED nun. 8. 1901.

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1 UNITED STATES A-TENT Patented .l'uly 28, 1963;.

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EDUCAl'IONAL PUZZLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 734,821, dated July 28, 1903. Application filed March 8 1901. filerial No. 50,393. (No model.)

T at whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, EDWARD S. COBB, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in thecounty of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a'new and useful Educational Puzzle, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a novel appliance adapted for the instruction of pupils in addition and which willexercise the mental faculties and hold the inter est and attention and will afford means for training in theexercise of patience and accuracy in the addition and subtraction of figures.

This puzzle can be made up in several different arrangements, in some of which the solution is very simple and within the range of pupils of tender years, while others have increased difficulties of arrangement and become suitable and interesting for older persons.

This puzzle com prises a series of coaxial rings furnished, respectively,with a plurality of numbers spaced apart on their. respective q rings in the divisions of a circle, the number of said divisions corresponding to the number of rings, thus to form rows of numbers when the rings are turned in appropriate position, the numbers running from unity to the square of the numberofrings, inclusive, and said numbers being positioned on their rings, respectively, to-form, when the rings interest and encourages the operator to solve are appropriately positioned,columns whose respective sums shall be equal to each other.

Preferably the several sums of the numbers on the rings, respectively, of any one puzzle will be equal to each other and alsoequal,

respectively, to the sum of the numbers in their respective columns. This arrangement is preferred, for the reason that it adds to the the puzzle. Y

The accompanying drawings illustrate my newly-invented puzzle in various forms.

Figure 1 shows asimple form of the puzzle furnished with four rings, each having four numbers, and the total numbers running from 1 to 16, inclusive. Fig. 2shows five rings, each of which is furnished with five numbers,the numbers of this puzzle'runjningfrom unity'to 25, inclusive. In Figs. 1 and 2 the'parts are shown in the position ;with the puzzles solved, wherein the columns respectively add to the same sum. Figs. 3 ,and 4 show the said puzzles, respectively, as they may appear when dis-arranged. Fig. 5 is a cross section showing the preferred method of construction. Fig. 6 shows a very simple form of the puzzle. Figs. 7, 8, 9, and -10 show the puzzle with seven, eight, nine, and ten rings, respectively. Fig. 11 shows the puzzle with six rings. In Figs. 6 to 11, inclusive, the solutions of the respective puzzles is given.

In. the several views, a indicates coaxial .ringsyb, the numbers thereon. 0 indicates the columns of said numbers when the rings are brought into position for the solution of the puzzle. The spaces between the different numbers on each ring are each such an aliquot part of the periphery of its ring as the ring is a fractional part of the Whole number of rings, and the numbers on all the rings are so related to each other that the sum of each column is equal to the sum of every other column and also to the sum of the numbers on each of the rings. The rings are held coaxially of each other by any suitable pivot. InFig. 5 a desirable mode of construction is shown, in which cl indicates a pivot formed of a hollow rivet which is passed through the several rings a of the puzzle and through rigid washers (2, upon which the rivet is riveted. f indicates rubber washers interposed between the rigid washers, respectively, and the rings and which I prefer to use for giv ing an elastic pressure to the superposed :rings upon each other, so that the rings may be easily moved with a uniform resistance.

Preferably each puzzle is also provided with a character showing the sum of the numbers in the columns when the puzzle is solved. gin the several views indicates these characters.

When the puzzle is made as shown in Fig. 6, the chances of solution at the first trial are as one to nine; when made as shown, in Fig. 1 the chances are as one to sixty-four; when made as shown in Fig. 2 the chances are as one to six hundred and twenty-five; when made as shown in Fig. 11 the chances are as one to seven thousand seven hundred and seventy-six; when made as shown in Fig. 7

the chances are as one to one hundred and seventeen thousand six hundred and fortynine; when made as shown in Fig. 8 the chances are as one to two million ninetyseven thousand one hundred and fifty-two; when made as shown in Fig. 9 the chances are as one to forty-three million forty-six thousand seven hundred and twenty-one; when made as shown in Fig. 10 the chances are as one to one billion. For this reason in case of each puzzle having the higher numbers of rings a 'key should be obtainable by the individual proposing its solution. It will be understood that the key for each puzzle can be easily determined from the accompanying drawings by arranging in consecutive order the numbers found in any column of the puzzle concerned.

It is not essential that the numbers in any puzzle run from unity; but they must be such and so arranged on the rings that all the columns can be made to add to the same sum at the same time.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-- An educational puzzle comprising a series of perforated rings of difierent sizes arranged one on top of the other, the smaller rings being on top and each ring being provided with numbers arranged in a circle near its'periphery, said numbers being so spaced apart that when the rings are properly positioned, the numbers on the difierent rings will form columns, an eyelet through the perforations, a washer at each end of the eyelet, and a rubber disk between each washer and its adjacent ring, one of which disks is provided with a number to indicate the sum of the numbers in the columns when the problem has been solved.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, at Los Angeles, California, this 2d day of March, 1901.

EDWARD S. COBB.

Witnesses:

J AMES R. TOWNSEND, JULIA TOWNSEND.

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