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US 5,181,324 AGranted
Sundial
AssigneePiet Hein A/S
InventorPiet Hein
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sundial including a strip-shaped body with surfaces substantially in the form of helicoids. The body is made of a rather thin material. At least one of the helicoids is provided with time markings. As a result, the sundial is very simple to manufacture, and it is very easy to set up. Moreover, it is very easy to read the time, even at a relatively long distance.
Claims9
A sundial, comprising:
- a strip-shaped body having two opposite faces, two opposite ends, two opposite edges and a longitudinal axis, said body being longer than it is wide, and wider than it is thick;
- both of said faces being provided as respective helicoidal surfaces extending helicoidally about said longitudinal axis, and between said ends and said edges;
- means providing a longitudinally extending series of time markings on at least one of said helicoidal surfaces;
- and
- a base;
- said body being arranged to be supported on said base with said longitudinal axis parallel to the earth's axis of rotation, and so that as the earth rotates, said body casts a shadow at least partly defined by a said edge thereof generally crosswise of said strip on at least one of said surfaces having said series of time markings thereon, as a sole shadow-based visual indication of time of day provided by said sundial.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.