Wordprinter educational aid

Claim 2

As an educational aid, printer apparatus comprising: support structure, the support structure having a print position and an observation position, the print position being in spaced relationship from the observation position, a plurality of parallel annular belt members rotatably supported by the support structure, each belt member having a portion adjacent the print posItion and a portion adjacent the observation position of the support structure, each belt member having a first surface provided with a series of character print elements and an opposite surface provided with a corresponding series of character observation elements, the character print elements and the character observation elements being in spaced-apart relationship along the belt member and so arranged with respect to the belt member that when a given character print element is positioned adjacent the print position of the support structure a corresponding character observation element is positioned adjacent the observation position of the support structure, ink means adjacent the print position at opposite sides thereof and engageable by the character print elements of each belt member for inking thereof as the belt member is rotatably moved and as the character print elements move to the print position, carriage means adjacent the print position of the support structure, print receiver material supported by the carriage means and movable thereby into engagement with a character print element which is adjacent the print position of the support structure for printing the character upon the print receiver material, the character which is printed upon the print receiver material at the print position of the support structure thus being the same character which appears upon the belt member adjacent the observation position of the support structure.

Claim 3

The means, of claim 1 in which the print receiver material is in the form of an elongate strip, there being a coil of the material supported by the support structure with a portion of the strip extending from the coil to the carriage means, the print receiver material extending across the carriage means in a direction substantially normal to the belt members.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1 in which each belt has an inner surface provided with a plurality of spaced-apart lugs, there being one character print element carried by each of the lugs, the apparatus including a drive wheel and a driven wheel rotatably carried by the support structure for each belt member and in supporting relationship thereto, the drive wheel and the driven wheel being in spaced-apart relationship and rotatable about substantially parallel axes, the belt member engagingly encompassing the drive wheel and the driven wheel, the drive wheel and the driven wheel having a plurality of spaced-apart recesses which receive the lugs of the belt member, rotative movement of the drive wheel thus causing rotative movement of the belt member and rotative movement of the driven wheel.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1 in which the support structure includes a bottom member, an arm member having a rocker portion which rests upon the bottom member, the arm member having an end portion engageable with the carriage means for movement thereof, the arm member having a protuberant portion adjacent an opposite end portion thereof, the protuberant portion being manually engageable for rocking pivotal movement of the arm member as the arm member rocks upon the bottom portion and urges movement of the carriage means.

Claim 6

Word printer educational aid apparatus comprising: support structure including a bottom portion and side portions, a plurality of axially aligned first wheels rotatably disposed between opposed side portions, each first wheel being rotatable with respect to each other first wheel, a plurality of axially aligned second wheels rotatably disposed between the side portions, each second wheel being rotatable with respect to each other second wheel, the axis of rotation of the first wheels and the axis of rotation of the second wheels being spaced apart and substantially parallel, a plurality of annular belt members, there being one belt member for each first wheel and each second wheel and in encompassing engaging relationship therewith so that the belt member and its respective wheels are rotatable together, each belt mEmber having an outer surface provided with a series of character elements, each belt member having an inner surface provided with a similar series of character elements, carriage means adjacent the inner surface of the belt members and disposed between the first wheels and the second wheels, print receiver means supported by the carriage means adjacent the inner surface of the belt members and extending substantially normal to the belt members, the series of characters on the inner surface of each belt member being arranged with respect to the series of characters on the outer surface thereof so that a character on the inner surface of a belt member which is adjacent the carriage means also appears on the outer surface of the belt member at a location spaced from the carriage means, operator means for relative movement between the carriage means and a portion of the belt members, for engagement between the print receiver means and a character element on the inner surface of at least one belt member, ink means within the confines of the annular belt members, the ink means being adjacent the carriage means and disposed at opposed portions thereof, the ink means being engageable by the character elements on the inner surface of the belt members as the belt members are rotatively moved and move the character elements toward the carriage means.

Claim 7

Word printer educational aid apparatus comprising: support structure including a bottom portion and side portions, a plurality of axially aligned first wheels rotatably disposed between opposed side portions, each first wheel being rotatable with respect to each other first wheel, a plurality of axially aligned second wheels rotatably disposed between the side portions, each second wheel being rotatable with respect to each other second wheel, the axis of rotation of the first wheels and the axis of rotation of the second wheels being spaced apart and substantially parallel, a plurality of annular belt members, there being one belt member for each first wheel and each second wheel and in encompassing engaging relationship therewith so that the belt member and its respective wheels are rotatable together, each belt mEmber having an outer surface provided with a series of character elements, each belt member having an inner surface provided with a similar series of character elements, carriage means adjacent the inner surface of the belt members and disposed between the first wheels and the second wheels, print receiver means supported by the carriage means adjacent the inner surface of the belt members and extending substantially normal to the belt members, the series of characters on the inner surface of each belt member being arranged with respect to the series of characters on the outer surface thereof so that a character on the inner surface of a belt member which is adjacent the carriage means also appears on the outer surface of the belt member at a location spaced from the carriage means, operator means for relative movement between the carriage means and a portion of the belt members, for engagement between the print receiver means and a character element on the inner surface of at least one belt member, ink means within the confines of the annular belt members, the ink means being adjacent the carriage means and disposed at opposed portions thereof, the ink means being engageable by the character elements on the inner surface of the belt members as the belt members are rotatively moved and move the character elements toward the carriage means.