Abstract: A favored position globe includes a stand assembly and a frame coupled thereto having an arcuate configuration. First and second axles are mounted along the frame that define an imaginary axis therebetween. A sphere is coupled to the axles so that the sphere is rotatable about the axis, the sphere defining a hollow interior area. A container is positioned in an interior area of the sphere. A processor and memory are positioned in the interior area. A motion sensor is in communication with the processor and positioned to detect rotation of the sphere. A speaker is in communication with the processor and configured to emit sound data stored in the memory. Programming causes the processor to actuate the speaker to emit sound data when the motion sensor detects the sphere is moving. The container defines a weight that causes the sphere to always rest in a predictable position.

Abstract: A calendar system comprising multiple (i.e., twelve) magnetic “month” sheets for each calendar month of the year, a magnetic “To Do List” sheet and a magnetic “Six Weeks at a Glance” sheet. Each sheet includes a header section that can variably depict the current month, year and/or day. The system further includes a plurality of magnetic “week” strips for securing to one of the sheets. Each “week” strip includes seven columns each having a day of the week imprinted adjacent thereto. Adjacent each day of the week indicia is a date space to which one of the numbered tabs is secured to appropriately label each day with the corresponding date for the particular week. A plurality of color-coded event tabs are also included for magnetically securing to one of the “week” strips positioned on a “Month” sheet or the “Six Weeks at a Glance” sheet, or directly to the “To Do List” sheet. Each time a week elapses, a “week” strip is moved from the current “Month” sheet to the “Six Weeks at a Glance Sheet.

Abstract: A cartographic device which can be converted from a globe to a map and vice versa. The marked surface layer of a globe is made removable and usable as a corresponding map. Conversion between the globe and map configurations is reversible and can be repeated indefinitely.

Abstract: A display globe is disclosed. The display globe would have flags overlaying the surface area of all the countries rather than displaying mountains, land features, cities, states, or other geographical indications that are typically present with a normal globe. The actual borders of these countries, and all other countries, would be observed, which would cause some cropping of each country's respective flag to occur. However, the display globe would provide an invaluable teaching tool for use with individuals, and especially children, in learning flags of existing countries.

Abstract: A set of coins is arranged relative to a display having discrete regions associated with discrete coins within the set. In a preferred embodiment, the display is a map, and an opening is provided within the borders of or proximate to each state on the map in order to receive a respective coin.

Abstract: A set of coins is arranged relative to a display having discrete regions associated with discrete coins within the set. In a preferred embodiment, the display is a map, and an opening is provided within the borders of or proximate to each state on the map in order to receive a respective coin.

Abstract: The touch controlled light emitted two balls instrument comprises the following elements. A seat with a two loops touch controlled sensing switch circuit system, one side of the seat is formed with a pivotal hole, and the opposite side of the seat is installed with a through hole used to mounted with a first light source. A supporting frame is a cambered rod having an approximate C shape and is assembled on the pivotal hole of the seat. A screw rod is mounted on the top of the rod and an engaging rod is projected from the lower end thereof and may be pivotally connected with a second light source. A globe is a hollow and transparent round ball and a world map is depicted on the surface thereof, and holes are formed on the upper and lower ends thereof for being inserted by the screw rod and convex shaft of the supporting frame and a first light source. A heaven body ball is a transparent round ball with a hollow inner space, a heaven body map is depicted thereon.

Abstract: An apparatus for collecting and cataloging data, the apparatus comprising a base, an accordion-pleated folded strip mounted with the base and defining sections each having a major surface for the recordation of information thereon, each section hingedly foldable into an overlying position relative an adjoining section to allow a selective upward exposure of a pair of adjoining major surfaces of selected adjacent sections, and an indexing element having a first major surface and a second major surface and mounted with the base for hinged movement between first and second positions, the first position of the indexing element to align with a one of the pair of adjoining major surfaces of selected adjacent sections and the second position of the indexing element to align with another one of the pair adjoining major surfaces of selected adjacent sections.

Abstract: A terrarium representative of a geographical area is provided including a base and an enclosed housing constructed from a transparent material. Such housing includes a planar front face, a planar rear face and a periphery formed therebetween taking the shape of a border of the geographical area. The housing has an interior space with soil, rocks, and foliage situated therein which are commonly found in the geographical area.

Abstract: A touch controlled multiple functional terrestrial globe is disclosed. A ball is a transparent round ball with a hollow inner space, a world map is depicted on the surface of the ball; a palm shape supporting frame for supporting the ball by the part between the thumb and the index finger. The under-pan of a ball driven device is firmly secured to an axial rod through a positioning piece for bearing the ball, a belt disk is installed on the lower portion thereof, while the belt disk is connected to another belt disk under the central shaft of the motor through a belt, therefore, by starting a decelerated motor, the ball is driven to rotate. A light source is mounted on the top of an axial rod and can emit light. A seat is installed on the lower portion of the palm shape supporting frame, a touch controlled sensing circuit system is installed therewithin, it can connected to the decelerated motor and the bulb base through a dual loop touch controlled switch circuit.

Abstract: An educational globe-shaped tool is provided including a rigid sphere having a plurality of bores formed therein each with a lamp and a switch associated therewith which generates an activation signal when closed. A plurality of country pieces each having an outboard portion with a periphery shaped as a unique country. Each country piece further has a post for being removably coupled with an associated one of the bores for closing the switch thereof. Control circuitry is connected between each of the switches and the lamps. Such control circuitry is adapted to illuminate one of the lamps upon the receipt of an associated activation signal.

Abstract: An Earth planet model based on the science of plate tectonics. Accordingly, the model (10) includes a plurality of curved members (12), each curved member representing one of Earth's crustal tectonic plates. Each plate member (12) is formed of a durable, lightweight plastic material and molded in raised and indented relief to illustrate such tectonic features as subduction zones, collision zones, mid-ocean ridges, island chains, island arcs, continental shelves, terrestrial and ocean floor topography, and the like. Plates (12) are attached to the exterior of a base globe (14) forming, as a whole, the surface layer of Earth, or lithosphere. The base globe itself consists of a plurality of spheroidal members, an inner core (22), an outer core (20), and a mantle (18), representing Earth's internal strata. The assembled model is positioned on a supporting pedestal (11) for display or demonstration. The pedestal includes a simple rotary mechanism which allows rotation of the model.

Abstract: The globe is rotationally molded of iron particles and a plastisol of polyvinyl chloride and has embossed therein, from the mold, lines of longitude and latitude. Two or more layers of magnetized puzzle pieces are formed by printing their indicia on flat, soft, magnetized thermo plastic sheets and then die cut. The indicia is printed such that, when necessary, successive layers of puzzle pieces have their magnets aligned so that specific pieces adhere to specific places on pieces of adjacent layers. When necessary, the pieces are heat formed to conform to the globe shape. Preferably, the first layer contains continental and longitude and latitude information; the second layer, geologic features; and the third layer, political information. The globe stand has a recess therein, the bottom of which is of the same curvature as the globe and may incorporate or have sprayed on iron containing material so that the puzzle pieces may be conveniently stored there when not applied to the globe.

Abstract: A composite toy having a plurality of interfitting toy components. The composite toy and the toy components, each has the shape of a separately identifiable structure, the exterior surfaces of the toy components forming the exterior surface of the composite toy when they are interconnected in a selected relationship. In the embodiment shown herein, the composite toy consists of a globe depicting the Earth's surface, including its land and water masses. The component toys comprise three stuffed animals comprising an elephant, an eagle and a whale. Fastening means are provided to permit interconnection of the toy components in a stable fashion, while minimizing any detrimental impact on the appearance of the completed toy structure. In the embodiment illustrated herein, the fastening devices consist of Velcro strips attached to the edges of the toy components which are adapted to interface with one another when an elephant, eagle and whale are interconnected to form the globe.

Abstract: An instructional globe facilitates the guided or self-directed study of terrestrial geography. A globe-shaped body is constructed so that major geographical features are represented on detachable appendages. Cues are provided for the proper placement of the appendages on the surfaces of the globe-shaped body, the cues consisting of niches, embossed or printed shapes, or indentations, unambiguously corresponding to the appendages. The globe-shaped body may be build up from a skeletal framework to hold a number of blocks, the blocks together forming a spherical surface. Appropriate portions of geographical features, or portions of cues, are formed on the blocks. A number of means are shown for attaching the blocks to the framework and the segments to the body. A series of embodiments apply the invention to the problems of teaching geography to students with varying or progressing learning skills.

Abstract: A computer controlled illuminated globe almanac is disclosed for rotating the globe to a selected viewing position and illuminating selected points, lines and areas on the globe. The system also displays and/or prints associated almanac-type data such as, for example, city or country name and population, river name an length, etc.

Abstract: A puzzle apparatus utilizing a curved member having a convex outer surface and a concave inner surface. A plurality of interlocking pieces are employed, each possessing a concave surface conforming to the convex outer surface of the curved member. Each of the multiplicity of pieces includes a convex surface displaying indicia. The plurality of interlocking pieces are held to the curved outer surface to form a rendition.

Abstract: An instructional globe facilitates the guided or self-directed study of terrestrial geography. A globe-shaped body is constructed so that major geographical features are represented on detachable appendages. Cues are provided for the proper placement of the appendages on the surface of the globe-shaped body, the cues consisting of niches, embossed or printed shapes, or indentations, unambiguously corresponding to the appendages. The globe-shaped body may be built up from a skeletal framework to hold a number of blocks, the blocks together forming a spherical surface. Appropriate portions of geographical features, or portions of cues, are formed on the blocks. A number of means are shown for attaching the blocks to the framework and the segments to the body. A series of embodiments apply the invention to the problems of teaching geography to students with varying or progressing learning skills.

Abstract: An educational toy for familiarizing young people or children with different geographic areas of the world. The educational toy comprises a rotatable world globe on which is mounted a carrier at least partially encircling the globe along a meridian thereof. The carrier supports a film strip containing longitudinally spaced images of selected geographic areas of the globe. In addition, a viewer is slidably mounted on the carrier, and is slidably movable thereon to a selected position of latitude on the globe in which the viewer is substantially in register with a plurality of images on the carrier of a selected geographic area. Indicia on a light transmitting spot on a geographic area of the globe that corresponds to the images of the selected geographic area is movable by manual rotation of the globe into register with the viewer. The viewer is adjusted to view the indicia and then images of the selected geographic area on the film strip are moved into register with the viewer.

Abstract: An instructional globe facilitates the guided or self-directed study of terrestrial geography. A globe-shaped body is constructed so that major geographical features are represented on detachable appendages. Cues are provided for the proper placement of the appendages on the surface of the globe-shaped body, the cues consisting of niches, embossed or printed shapes, or indentations, unambiguously corresponding to the appendages. The globe-shaped body may be built up from a skeletal framework to hold a number of blocks, the blocks together forming a spherical surface. Appropriate portions of geographical features, or portions of cues, are formed on the blocks. A number of means are shown for attaching the blocks to the framework and the segments to the body. A series of embodiments apply the invention to the problems of teaching geography to students with varying or progressing learning skills.

Abstract: A globe apparatus is provided which includes a basic globe or sphere to which are secured a series of detachable members or pieces. In one preferred embodiment, land masses (continents) are represented by flat pieces which snap into the globe surface and which support, in detachable snap-on relationship, additional pieces representing countries. The countries are shaped in relief to depict topological features (mountains, valleys, etc.) and similarly shaped pieces representing land masses are, in turn, detachable fitted thereover so that removal of the latter reveals the countries. Accessories such as auxilliary globes representing the sun and moon are also provided.