US3316668A

US3316668A - Adjustable garden chart

Info

Publication number: US3316668A
Application number: US409694A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles H Rogers
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1964-11-09
Filing date: 1964-11-09
Publication date: 1967-05-02
Anticipated expiration: 1984-05-02

Description

May 2, 1967 C. H. ROGERS 3,316,668

ADJUSTABLE GARDEN CHART 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 OCTBE 5 6 7 /voVEME/e 3 (2,4 5

C. H. ROGERS ADJUSTABLE GARDEN CHART May 2, 1967 Filed Nov.

Y INVENTOR afestf. Hagen? #ffm/wy United States Patent Office 3,316,668 ADJUSTABLE GARDEN CHART Charles H. Rogers, 12 Hideaway Lane, Norwalk, Conn. 06851 Fiied Nov. 9, 1964, Ser. No. 409,694 10 Claims. (Cl. S0- 117) This invention relates to a device for correlating information recorded on a plurality of indicia bearing strips.

The object of the invention is to provide such a device which will be simple, durable and easy to adjust.

The invention is best understood if the following description is read in connection with the drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view with the cover partly broken away and with the notice LAST FROST on strip 42 aligned with the points of reference 100.

FIGURE 2 is a transverse sectional View taken on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a detail view partly in cross section of an endless band mounted on the cover and movable to adjust the calendar from year to year.

FIGURE 5 is a side view partly broken away of the front end of the device with the cover in closed position.

FIGURE `6 is a side sectional view taken on the line 6-6 yof FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged detail view of :a portion of FIGURE `6 showing the inter-relation of the outside reels with the corrugated journals of the middle reel in the front reel housing 16.

FIGURE 8 is a View similar to FIGURE 1 with the notification FIRST FROST on strip 46 aligned 'with the points of reference 100, and

FIGURE 9 shows the device inverted to display a frost map pasted on the under surface of the offset portion 12 of the base.

For the purpose of exempliiication the invention is disclosed hereinernbodied as yan `adjustable garden chart. It will be understood however that the structure disclosed may be used for correlating various kinds of information, such, for example, as the position of the constellations which may be correlated `with various times of the year t0 show which are visible and in what particular part of the sky.

Broadly the invention comprises two or more indicia bearing strips each extending between a pair of reels spaced apart land referred to herein as second or front and first or rear reels respectively, with the front reels and the rear reels respectively mounted in axial alignment, the front end of the device being the end nearer the user. Means are provided by which at least one set of aligned reels may be engaged or disengaged lfor rotation together or separately.

As shown herein the device comprises a base and a cover with three indicia bearing strips each mounted on and extending between a pair of rolls rotatably supported by the base so that the strip may be moved forwardly or rearwardly depending upon the direction of rotation of the reels. The strips may be endless but preferably the ends of each strip are secured to its supporting reels, as for example by adhesive tape. A strip and its two reels are sometimes referred to herein as a scroll and a device with three scrolls is shown and described.

The reel mounting means or base has a raised flat central portion or inverted well 12, and

end portions

14 and 16 defining reel h-ousings comprising

side walls

18, 29 and 22. and 22, 24 respectively, and

end walls

26 and 28 respectively. j A cover 30 is provided which extends over the base and `1%,.316668 Patented May 2, 1967 is pivoted to the

sidewalls

18 and 20 of the rear reel housing 14 adjacent the rear wall 26, by the grommets g which extend through the sides of the coveras well as through the said side walls of reel housing 14, as shown in FIGURES 3 and 5.

The cover is slightly crowned, curving down at its ends to extend over the

end walls

26 and 28 of the

reel housings

14 and 16, and providing clearance over the raised center portion 12 of the base sufficient for indicia bearing strips to move freely over the center portion 12` of the base when the cover extends down on the outside of the

side walls

18, 20 and 22, 24 of the base. The part of the cover Awhich overlies the elevated central portion 12 of base defines transparent portions or

windows

36, 38 and 40 through which can be seen portions of the

strips

42, 44 and 46, extending over the said elevated central portion 12 of the base between their supporting reels.

For convenience one reel of each pair, the ones located in the rear housing of the base, is referred to later herein, .as a first reel, and the other reel of each pair, the ones located in the front housing, is referred to as second reel.

Strip 42 is mounted on reels 48 and 5t); strip 44 is mounted on

reels

52 and 54; and strip 46 is mounted on

reels

56 and 58.

Reels

48, 52 and 56 are mounted in axial alignment in the rear reel housing 14 and are referred to in the claims as first reels.

Reels

50, 54, and 58 are mounted in axial alignment in the front reel housing 16 and are referred to in the claims as second reels.

Reel 54 which is the center one of the three reels in the front reel housing 16 has elongated journals 60, 62 which extend through the bearing ports b in the

side walls

22 and 24 respectively. The

cover side walls

32 and 34 are slotted upwardly from their lower edges with slots c lwhich register with the portions of journals 60, 62 projecting outwardly beyond the

sidewalls

22 and 24, thus permitting the cover to be raised and lowered without interference with the journals. On the outer ends of the journals 60, 62

knobs

64 and 66 respectively are provided.

The reels 50 and ASti on either side of reel 54 are hollow tubular members or sleeves, floatingly mounted on the journals 60 and 62 which extend through them. The peripheries of the journals are corrugated with longitudinal grooves 68 and the tubular reels 50 and 5S are provided on their inner surface with a longitudinal ridge 70, the grooves and the ridges being shaped as illustrated in FIGURE 6 so that the three reels rotate front to rear, i.e. clockwise, freely and independently, but rotated counter-clockwise the ridges 70 on the inner surfaces of

reels

50 and 58 will frictionally engage the grooves on the surface of the journals 60 and all three reels will turn together.

The three reels in the `rear reel housing 14 differ from the Ireels in the front reel housing 16 in that the middle reel 52 is supported by the inner ends of

outer reels

48 and 56, `and the three reels may be positively interlocked for rotation together.

The middle reel 52 has

journals

72 and 74 which, when the rear reels are assembled in housing 14, are inserted into

Ibores

76 and 78 extending from the inner ends of the outer reels 48 and S6. Coil springs f are provided within the bores, between the ends of the journals and the inner ends of the bores respectively. At the mouth of the `bores the inner surfaces of the reels are further indented with bayonet type slots l1, and pins p are provided on the

journals

72, 74 of the middle reel 52, adapted to enter the slots h respectively, and interlock the three reels when the end reels are pushed axially inward and rotated slightly to cause the pins to become engaged in the olfset portions of the slots lz respectively.

62 respectively and The

outside reels

48 and 56 have at their

outer ends journals

80 and 82 respectively, which extend through slots o in the

side walls

18 and 20 respectively of the rear reel housing, and

knobs

82 and 86 are provided at the outer ends of journals 80, S2 respectively. The

side walls

32 and 34 of the cover are slotted upwardly from their lower edges with slots t which register with the portions of the

journals

80, 82 projecting beyond the

side walls

18 and 20 of the rear reel housing 14, and so the projecting journals do not obstruct the cover 30 when it is moved between open and closed position.

It will be understood that when

reels

48, 50 and 56 are not interlocked

reels

48 and 56 may be turned separately by means of

knobs

80 and 82, and that by pushing either

outer reel

48 or 56 inwardly against the force of its spring f and rotating the reel to engage its slot h with the pin p on the opposed journal of middle rcel 52

reels

48 and 56 may be separately interlocked with reel 52 to turn strip 42 or strip 46 with the middle strip 44, or all three reels may be interlocked so all three strips may be advanced together, by turning knob 86 clockwise or by turning knob 84 counter-clockwise. When one or more of

reels

48, 52 and 56 are turned to advance the strips from front to rear the corresponding front reels will turn freely to unwind the strips wound thereon respectively.

From the foregoing it will be understood that a plurality of scrolls, three scrolls in the embodiment of the invention illustrated herein, are provided which may be operated separately or together, separately to relate information carried by the indicia bearing portion of one scroll to the indicia bearing portion of another scroll, and together to relate information carried by both, or all of them, to some condition or circumstance such for example as the season of the year.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated herein the indicia on the strips comprises information for gardeners and tells in sequence what to do and when to act to grow and care for certain annuals, perennials, shrubs, etc. The middle indicia bearing strip 44 is a calendar, with the weeks shown transversely of the strip, and as it is advanced from its front reel 54 to its rear reel 52, over the vraised flat center portion of the base, the months of the year from January through December are successively exposed to view through the middle window 38. The

outer strips

42 and 46 have thereon information as to what gardeners should do at certain times of the year, the information on strip 42 being related to the last frost and telling what to Vdo before and after it. The information on strip 46 is related to the rst frost, and tells what to do in preparation for it, and things to do after it. The time of the rst and last frosts are important dates for gardeners in most regions, but since these times vary greatly in different regi-ons, and in different sections of each region, depending on altitude, location with respect to a large body of water, prevailing winds and ocean currents, etc., the approximate dates of both the first and the last frost varies widely. In order to properly use the chart disclosed herein the user will have to inform himself as to the approximate dates for first and last killing frosts in his neighborhood. Frost maps of the kind illustrated in FIGURE 8 are readily available, being published by Governments, and Agricultural Authorities. Frost maps have lines on them indicating when first o1' last frosts may be expected on stated dates. For example, the line identified in FIGURE 8 by the numeral 90 indicates that all places on that line will probably have the first killing frost on September 20th, while all places on line 92 will probably have the first killing frost on October 25. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention FIGURE 8 shows a last frost map of the United States of America, and for convenience a chart user should have both a first and a last frost map. Such maps may ybe made a part of the subject device and fastened on the under surface of the raised portion 12 of the base where they may be consulted simply by inverting the device.

The. outer strip 42 has on it a notation LAST FROST, and information as to what to do before and after the last frost, which marks the beginning of a new gardening year. Similarly the outer strip 46 has on it a notation FIRST FROST, and information as to what to do in preparation for the first frost, which marks the end of a gardening year, and what to do after the first frost to protect plants, shrubs, etc. over the winter. In order to meaningfully relate the information on

strips

42 and 46 with the calendar strip 44 points of

reference

100, 100 are provided, which are shown herein in FIGURE 1 on the narrow portions of the cover 30 between

windows

36 and 38, and

windows

38 and 40 respectively. Upon acquiring a chart of the kind disclosed herein the user first determines the probable dates for last and first frost in his neighborhood and then adjusts the position of the strips so that thereafter he can advance them all together and the outside strips will show through their

windows

36 and 40 information which will be pertinent to the month shown in middle window 38, and to the particular week which is aligned with the points of reference 100.

He does this for strip 42 by aligning the notation LAST FROST on strip 42 with the points of reference 100, and also aligning with the points of reference the week of the month on strip 44 in which the last frost is likely to occur in the users neighborhood.

The user similarly adjusts

strips

44 and 46 by aligning the notation FIRST FROST on strip 46 with the points of reference 100, and moving strip 44 until the week of the month in which the rst frost is likely to occur in his neighborhood is also aligned with the points of reference 100.

Having made these adjustments for his location the chart is now ready for use all year long and as the days go by all three strips are moved forward together.

By way of example information on the outside strips 42 and 46 may read as follows:

Strip 42 Calendar Strip Strip 64 Start cold frame, hot Feb. 21-27 Prune roses, fruits, grape bed, seed dat. vine, flowering shrub (mulch). Reset heaved Feb. 28-Mar. 6 Peat on early bulb tips. perennial. Prepare new bed and borders. Top-dress pot and tub Mar. 7-13 Ready new lawn and plants. bare spots.

Start fruit spray schedule. LAST Fnos'r Fertilize perennials. Mar. 14-20 Seed lawn and spots. Set out biennials, Mar. 21-27 Remove winter protechardy annual tion gradually. seedlings,

Mums, carnations, tie Oct. 3-9 Xmas cherry. pepper, and disbud. annuals for indoor, Fertilize roses, plant lift and pot.

new. Plant spring bulbs. Sow annuals for sprint,7 Oct. 10-l6 Mulch overwinter veg- Sow new lawn. etables, strawand raspberry.

rms'r Fnosr Oct. 17-23 Clear dead stems and trash from flower and veg. gardens.

Oct. 24-30 Litt and store dahla,

canna, tub. begonia, glads, ete.

Cut frost-killed mums. Oct. 31-Nov. 6 Winter protect tender Hill soil at rose base. plants, shrubs. Plant dormant trees, shrubs, tulips.

The information on

strips

42 and 46 will of course vary according to the section of the country in which the chart is to be used and different strips may be supplied for different localities.

From the foregoing description it will be understood that the middle or calendar strip 44 is advanced when all three

reels

38, 52 and 56 are interlocked, or when reel 52 is interlocked with either reel 48 or 56. The calendar month in which the users locality is likely to have its last frost may be placed under window 44 by interlocking

reels

48 and 52 and moving the

strips

44 and 46 forward together until the desired month appears in window 38 with the desired week aligned with the points of

reference

100, 100.

Reels

48 and 52 are then unlocked. The notation LAST FROST on strip 42 maybe then aligned with the points of

reference

100, 100 by turning reel 48 counterclockwise to advance strip 42 alone.

Strips

42 and 44 are now adjusted to ane another and they may 'be advanced together by interlocking

reels

48 and 52 and turning knob 84.

Strip 46 may now be aligned with

strips

40 and 42. These two strips are now advanced together until the calendar month in which the users locality is likely to have its first frost appears in window 44 with the desired week aligned with the points of reference lili), 100. Finally, the reel 56 alone is turned to advance strip 46 until the notation FIRST FROST thereon is aligned with the points of reference, after which reel 56 is interlocked with middle reel 52, and, with all three

rear reels

48, 52 and 56 now interlocked the now interrelated three strips are rewound simultaneously on their

front reels

50, 54 and 58, by turning knob 64 clockwise, or turning knob 66 counterclockwise until the first week in January is aligned with the points of

reference

100, 100. Thereafter, for the remainder of the year, with the rear reels interlocked, the three

strips

42, 44 and 46 are advanced together by turning either or both

knobs

84 and 86.

If a mistake is made and one of the strips is wound forwardly too far relative to the other two strips it may be rewound separately on its front reel by holding the other front reels stationary in any suitable way, the simplest and preferred way being manual. While there is friction between the journals 60, 62 and the

reels

50 and 58, tending to make all three rear reels rewind together, this frictional engagement can readily be overcome by holding the reels for the strips other than the strip to be rewound, in which case the grooves or ridge of the moving reel will slip overthe opposing ridge or grooves of the stationary reel or reels.

At the end of a year it is not necessary to obtain and insert a new calendar strip. Instead it is only necessary to move endless band 94 forward one letter. Band 94 extends through the two

slots

102, 102 which are directly above, and longitudinally aligned with the lateral edges of window 38. On band 94, spaced to head the seven longitudinal columns of numbers comprising each month on strip 44, are the letters S M T W T F S, repeated around the band, and standing of course for the seven days in a week. By turning band 94 the distance between two of these letters, bringing the letter M for example over a column of numbers next adjoining the column above which the M was disposed for the previous year, in place of W for example, the chart is made ready for the next year.

There has thus been provided a device in which the above mentioned object is attained in a simple, practical and dependable manner.

What I claim is:

1. A device for correlating information contained on three indicia bearing strips which comprises, three pairs of reels on which the strips are respectively supported, each pair of reels comprising a first reel and a second reel, means for mounting the three first reels in axial alignment, for rotation separately, means for interlocking either or both end reels of said three first reels for rotation with the middle one of said three first reels, and means for rotatably mounting the three second reels in axial alignment, in spaced relation longitudinally of the strips from the three first reels.

2. The device claimed in claim 1 in which said second reels are rotatable separately in one direction, and means are provided for interlocking all three of the second reels for rotation together when any one of them is rotated in the opposite direction.

3. The device claimed in claim 1 in which the middle reel of the three first reels is provided with axially extend ing spindles, and the end reels of said three first reels are tubular and adapted to respectively receive the spindles of the middle reel and to be fioatingly mounted on said spindles, the spindles and the opposed inner ends of the tubular end reels having means adapted to coact for interlocking all three reels for rotation together.

4. The device claimed in claim 2 in which the middle of the three second reels is provided with axially extending spindles and the end reels are tubular and adapted to be slid endwise onto the spindles respectively, the spindles and the interiors of said end reels being provide-d with opposed contact surfaces such that the end reels will freely rotate in one direction on said spindles and relative thereto but will become interengaged with said spindles, causing all three second reels to rotate together, when any one of said second reels is rotated in the opposite direction.

5. The device claimed in claim 1 including a support comprising a base defining two reel housings spaced apart by an intermediate portion the said three first reels being mounted in axial alignment in one of said housings and the said three second reels being mounted in the other of said housings, and the said three in-dicia bearing strips extending over the said intermediate portion and each strip moving across it in travelling between the pair of reels on which it is mounted.

6. The device claimed in claim 1 including a support comprising a base defining two reels housings spaced apart by an intermediate portion the said three first reels being mounted in axial alignment in one of said housings and the said three second reels being mounted in the other of said housings, and the said three indicia bearing strips extending over the said intermediate portion and each strip moving across it in travelling between the pair of reels on which it is mounted, and a cover adapted to fit over the base and defining one or more windows disposed to be located over the said intermediate portion of the base when the cover is in place over the base.

7. The device claimed in claim 1 including a support comprising a base defining two reel housings spaced apart by an intermediate portion, the said three first reels being mounted in axial alignment in one of said housings and the said three second reels being mounted in the other of said housings, and the said three indicia bearing strips extending over the said intermediate portion and each strip moving across it in travelling between the pair of reels on which it is mounted, and a cover adapted to fit over the base and defining one or more windows disposed to be located over the said intermediate portion of the base when the cover is in place over the base, and a point of reference on the portion of the cover adjacent said windows with which selected indicia on the strips respectively may be aligned to adjust the relative position of the strips and thereby correlate information carried by the strips respectively.

8. The device claimed in claim 5 including an endless indicia bearing band an-d means for mounting it at right angles to said indicia bearing strips, for rotation transversely of said strips.

9. The device claimed in claim 6 in which the end reels of a set of axially aligned reels have at their outer ends journals carrying knobs by which the reels may be rotated and the side walls of the housing in which said reels are mounted have ports through which the respective journals extend.

7 8 10. The device claimed in claim 6 in which the end References Cited by the Examiner reels of a set of axially aligned reels have at their outer UNITED STATES PATENTS ends journals carrying knobs by which the reels may be which register with portions of the journals projecting 1,258,360 3/1961 France.

beyond the side walls of the said housing, whereby the n projecting journals do not obstruct movement of the 10 EUGENE R CAPOZIOPHHm'y E'Wmmel' cover between the open and closed portions. W. J. CONTRERAS, Assistant Examiner.