US2118354A - Catamenial calendar - Google Patents

Description

May 24, 1938. E. E. MANsuR CATAMENIAL CALENDAR Filed laren ze, 193e 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 24, 1938. E. E. MANsuR 2,118,354

CATAMENIL CALENDAR Filed arch 26, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 24, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE Claims.

My invention relates to an improved catamenial calendar or'calculator for women whereby they can readily keep track of their menstrual cycle and fertility periods.

Heretofore, some calendars for this purpose have been proposed. However, they have been open to many objections with the result that they have not gone into general use. For instance, calendars of this kind heretofore proposed have been relatively expensive to manufacture, difficult to read, and have failed to take into account that the menstrual cycle varies widely with different women, ranging from as few as twenty-one days in some cases to as many as thirty-five days in others.

It is therefore the primary object of my invention to provide a novel and improved and highly simplified calendar for the purpose specified which will overcome the objections hereinbefore noted, and which especially will be susceptible of use regardless of the length of the menstrual cycle in a particular case, and which will indicate at all times the date upon which the present cycle began, the number of days that have passed since the present cycle began, and the date upon which the next cycle may be expected to start.

Furthermore, the invention contemplates a calendar of the character specified wherein the 30 information hereinabove referred to will be readily available at a glance, the nature of the construction and relative arrangement of parts being such that the period of fertility within a particular menstrual cycle may be readily indicated by the vcalendar for an individual case.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from a reading of the detailed description appearing hereinafter in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate what appears to be a preferred example of the invention.

It will be understood that the drawings illustrate only one example of the inventive concept. 45 However, it will be obvious that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the subject matter claimed hereinafter.

In the drawings,

Figure l is a plan view of a calendar embodying my invention.

Figure 2'is a sectional view taken on the line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the calendar with the top disk removed.

Figure 4 is a plan view or" the calendar with the two upper disks removed.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the base disk.

Referring particularly to the drawings, wherein the same reference characters have been used 6 to designate the same parts in all views, numeral E denotes a disk which may be of Celluloid, cardboard or other material, having a central hole through which extends the shank portion 'l ci a stud member or pivot having the heads 8. As 10 illustrated in Figure 5, the disk 6 is provided with an arcual series of legends 9 indicating the months of the year in consecutive order.

Concentrically disposed upon the disk 6 is the disk I 0 whose diameter preferably is about the 15 same as the diameter of the disk 6, and is provided with a central hole through which extends the shank portion I or" the stud. Disk I0 is provided with the window II which is adapted to selectively display one of the month legends 9, as 20 shown in Figs. l, 3, and 4.

As shown in Figures l, 3, and 4, the disk I0 is provided adjacent the window II with an appropriate legend I2 designating the particular month displayed in the window II as the month 25 during which a particular menstrual cycle began. Beyond the window II the disk I0 is provided with another legend i4 indicating the month immediately following the particular month 9 which is displayed at the window II, this being desirable as will be presently apparent. Additionally, the disk I Il is provided inwardly of the legends I2, I4, with the arcual series of numbers I3 indicating days of the month, which numbers are designated as at I3 in Figs. l, 3, and 4. lThese 85 numerals or series of numerals referred to as i3 indicate the days of the particular month legend which is displayed at the window II.

Referring now to Figs. land 2 and especially to Fig. 2, it will be noted that there is superposed upon the disk I0 the disk I5 which is cut away, as indicated at |52), for the purpose of selectively displaying a certain portion of the series of numbers I3 at the margin of the disk I0. This cut away portion |52)` may approximate in length 45 a hundred and eighty degrees. The uncut away portion I5a of the margin of the disk I5 has the series of numerals I6, as shown, and which are adapted toV indicate the days of the month succeeding that in which the particular menstrual cycle started. The disk i5 has also a central hole for receiving the shank 'I oi' the stud or pivot fastener.

Figs. l and 2 illustrate the complete calendar assembly. wherein the top disk Il is superirn- 55 posed upon the disk I5 and has a central hole receiving the shank portion of the fastener 'l whose heads 8 are adapted to connect the various disks for relative rotation with respect to one another, but which heads are adapted to hold the disks in frictional contact so that accidental relative movement oi any of the disks Will be prevented.

In carrying out the invention I provide the top disk Il with the marginal arcuate series of numbers Ila running from one to thirty-ve. These numbers Ila are provided for the purpose of indicating the days of the menstrual period which, as heretofore stated, varies from twentyone' to thirty-five days with different individuals. The spacing of the numerals of the series I'Ia of the top disk I'I is the same as the spacing of the numerals of the series I3, I6 of the subjacent disks I0, I5, respectively. Therefore, the numerals of the disk I'I can be brought into registry with the numerals of the disk I0, I5. Radial indicating lines such as designated at I8 may extend from the axis or pivot 8 to the various numbers of the. series I'Ia., as indicated in Fig. l.'

A fact generally accepted by the medical proiession is that there is a period of fertility in the menstrual cycle of every woman who at other times in her menstrual cycle Will be sterile, in that conception will not be possible. This interval of fertility can be calculated in each individual case by a physician who may mark same on the number series ila of disk Il. However, in order that such period of fertility can be readily and permanently indicated upon the calendar, preferably provide the disk I5 upwardly of the series of numerals i5 with a colored circle 20, preferably red. The physician having determined the series of days of fertility in the menstrual cycle of a particular individual can indicate same by cutting an arcual window I9, shown in dotted line, in the disk il over the colored circle Eil of disk I5 opposite the numerals of series ila indicating such days. Since such window exposes a part of the colored circle 20 of disk i5, the period of fertility is sharply indicated. The operation of the calendar may be briefly summarized as follows:

Assuming as indicated in Fig. 1, that the particular menstrual cycle Was started on the 16th of January, the disk lil will be turned to display the legend Jan in the window lI, whereupon the disk I5 would be rotated so that the numeral 1 of the series of numbers iii would immediately follow the numeral 3l of series I3, indicating the last day of th-e month in January. Next, the

top disk I'I would be turned to dispose the numeral l of series Il opposite the numeral 16 ci series I3 (January 16th) which is the day the cycle started. Then, since the user knows that her menstrual cycle is, say twenty-eight days, she can tell lat a glance that her next cycle will begin on the 13th day of February, and can readily ascertain at any time just where she is in her particular menstrual cycle. If her cycle is only twenty-one days in length, then she would know from a glance at the calendar, as shown in Fig. l, that her next cycle would begin on the 6th oi February. In the present instance, the calendar indicates the interval of fertility as extending from the 8th day of the cycle to and including the 15th day, or, in other words, from the 24th of January until the 31st.

Having thus described my invention what .l claim is:

1. A calendar of the class described comprising a plurality of relatively movable indicator members, month-designating legends associated `with one of said indicator members, said indicator member having means arranged in a manner to selectively display said legends, a series of day of the month-indicating numerals carried by said indicator member and adapted to indicate the days of the particular month Whose legend is displayed by said display means, a second indicator member disposed upon said first- Imentioned indicator member and having a cut out-portion arranged to expose at one time substantially all the day of the month-indicating numerals of the first-mentioned indicator, another series of day of the month-indicating numerals but disposed on said second mentioned indicator member adjacent the cut out portion thereof and arranged in prolongation of the similar series of numerals of said rst-mentioned indicator, said second-mentioned indicator being movable relatively ofsaid first-mentioned indicator in a manner so that a part of the numeralcarrying portion thereof will overlie sufficient numerals of the series of the first-mentioned indicator member so that the last number of such series will designate the last day of the particular month whose legend is displayed, an exposed succeeding month-designating legend on.

said first-mentioned indicator opposite the day of the month-indicating numeral series of the second-mentioned indicator member, a third indicator member disposed upon said second-mentioned indicator and formed to expose the numeral series of said first and second-mentioned indicator members, a series of indicia items on said third member adjacent to and substantially parallel with said numeral series of said other indicator members, said items of indicia of said third indicator member being spaced in the direction of the length of said series a distance substantially equal to the spacing of said numerals, means holding said indicator members assembled, and said third indicator member having a cut out disposed opposite certain indicia items of said series and extending lengthwise thereof.

2. A calendar of the class described comprising a plurality of relatively movable indicator members, month-designating legends associated with one of said indicator members, said indicator member having means arranged in a manner to selectively display said legends, a series of day of the month-indicating numerals carried by said indicator member and adapted to indicate the days of the particular month Whose legend is displayed by said display means, a second indicator member disposed upon said mst-mentioned indicator member and having a cut out portion arranged to expose at one time substantially all the day of the. month-indicating numerals of the first-mentioned indicator, another series of day of the month-indicating numerals but disposed on said second mentioned indicator member adjacent the cut out portion thereof and arranged in prolongation or" the similar series of numerals of the first-mentioned indicator, said second-mentioned indicator being movable relatively of said first-mentioned indicator in a manner so that a part of the numeral-carrying portion thereof will overlie sufficient numerals of the series of the first-mentioned indicator member so that the last number of Such series will designate the iastday of the particular month whose legend is displayed, an exposed succeeding month-designating legend on said iirst-mentioned indicator opposite the day of the monthindicating numeral series of the second-mentioned indicator member, a third indicator member disposed upon said second-mentioned indicator and formed to expose the numeral series of said rst and second-mentioned indicator members, a series of indicia items on said third member adjacent to and substantially parallel with said numerals series of said other indicator members, said items of indicia of said third indicator member being spaced in the directionpf the length of said series a distance substantially equal to the spacing of said numerals, means holding said indicator members assembled, said third indicator member having a cut out disdays of one month andthe numerals of the other disk indicating days of a succeeding month, said second-mentioned disk having a cut out whereby to disclose the numerals of the other disk, a month indicator means associated with one of said disks for selectively displaying a month legend opposite the numeral series of the ilrstmentioned disk, a counter disk disposed upon said` second disk and having counter indicia arranged to register with selected groups of the day of the month indicating numerals of said series, said second mentioned disk having a colored band, and said counter disk concealing said band and having means whereby a portion of the colored band may be disclosed for drawing attention to a series of days of fertility.

4. 'I'he combination in a calendar for the purpose speciiled of a plurality of rotatably connected disks, two of said disks having a marginal series of day-of-the-month indicating numerals,

said series arranged in prolongation of one another, the numerals of one diskindicatingdays of one month and the numerals of the other disk indicating days of a succeeding month, said second-mentioned disk having a cutout whereby to disclose the numerals of the other disk, a month indicator meansassociated with one of said disks for selectively displaying a month legend opposite the numerals series of the firstmentioned disk, a counter disk disposed upon said second disk and having counter indicia arranged to register with selected groups of the day of the month indicating numerals of said series, said third disk having an opening opposite certain of the counter indicia, and said second disk having a circular indicating portion below said opening of a color contrasting to the color of said third disk whereby to draw attention to the opposite legends and numerals.

5. 'I'he combination in a calendar for the purpose specied of a plurality of rotatably connected disks, two of said disks having a marginal series of day of the month indicating numerals,

said series arranged in prolongation of one another, the numerals of one disk indicating days of one month and the numerals of the other disk indicating days of a succeeding month, said second-mentioned disk having a cut-out whereby to disclose the numerals of the other disk, a month indicator means associated with one of said disks for selectively displaying a month legend opposite the numerals series of the firstmentioned disk, a counter disk disposed upon said second disk and having counter indicia arranged to register with selected groups of the day of the month indicating numerals of said series, said third disk having cut-out means opposite cer'- tain of the counter indicia for indicating aseries of days of fertility in the menstrual cycle of a particular individual, and said second disk having a circular indicating portion below said cut-out means of a color contrasting to the color of said third disk whereby to draw attention to the opposite legends and numerals.

l EDWARD E. M ANSUR.

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