Continuous template flow charting apparatus and method

Claim 2

A drafting machine comprising: a template band formed of a closed loop of flexible material, the template band having formed therein template openings for aid in drawing drafting symbols; means for supporting one segment of the template band in a plane against the surface of a drawing board, the remaining portion of the template band encircling the drawing board; and, means for holding the template band square in alignment with such drafting board as the template band is moved horizontally and vertically over surface of the drafting board.

Claim 3

Apparatus for aid in drawing flow charts, comprising: a template band formed of a closed loop of flexible material, the template band having formed therein template openings for use in drawing flow chart symbols; a bracket adapted to support the template band to encircle a drawing surface; means carried by the bracket for holding one segment of the template band in a plane against the drawing surface; means carried by the bracket for holding the template band parallel with a base line as the template band is moved in a direction parallel to the base line; and, means carried by the bracket for holding the template band perpendicular with the base line as the bracket is moved perpendicular to the base line, whereby the template band is maintained in coordinate alignment with the drawing surface as it is moved about in drawing flow chart symbols.

Claim 4

Apparatus for aid in drawing flow charts, comprising: a template band formed of a closed loop of flexible material, the template band having formed therein template openings for use in drawing flow chart symbols; a bracket adapted to support the template band to encircle a drawing surface; means carried by the bracket for holding one segment of the template band in a plane against the drawing surface; means carried by the bracket for holding the template band parallel with a base line as the template band is moved in a direction parallel to the base line; and, means carried by the bracket for holding the template band perpendicular with the base line as the bracket is moved perpendicular to the base line, whereby the template band is maintained in coordinate alignment with the drawing surface as it is moved about in drawing flow chart symbols.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the template band includes vertical markings and a scale is carried by the bracket to permit vertical alignment of flow chart symbols in conjunction with such vertical markings.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the template band includes horizontal markings to permit horizontal alignment of flow chart symbols.

Claim 7

Apparatus for aid in drawing flow charts, comprising: a template band formed of a closed loop of flexible material, said template band having formed therein template openings for use in drawing flow chart symbols; a bracket for holding the template band in working relationship encircling a drawing board, the drawing board having two edges parallel to one another; two spaced parallel grooves formed in the bracket for holding the template band as it is moved horizontally across the drawing board; a first guide flange formed at one side of the bracket for engagement with one edge of the drafting board to align said template band square with the drawing board; and, a second guide flange at the other end of the bracket, the second flange including a spring-biased guide for engagement with the other edge of a drawing board to urge the first guide flange into engagement with the drawing board edge.

Claim 8

Apparatus for aid in drawing flow charts, comprising: a template band formed of a closed loop of flexible material, said template band having formed therein template openings for use in drawing flow chart symbols; a bracket for holding the template band in working relationship encircling a drawing board, the drawing board having two edges parallel to one another; two spaced parallel grooves formed in the bracket for holding the template band as it is moved horizontally across the drawing board; a first guide flange formed at one side of the bracket for engagement with one edge of the drafting board to align said template band square with the drawing board; and, a second guide flange at the other end of the bracket, the second flange including a spring-biased guide for engagement with the other edge of a drawing board to urge the first guide flange into engagement with the drawing board edge.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein there is a vertical scale carried on the bracket, and vertical markings on the template band to permit vertical alignment of flow chart symbols.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the template openings in the template band have centers positioned in at least one horizontal row and spaced apart at equal distances from each other.

Claim 11

Apparatus of claim 5 wherein a resilient means is located in one of the spaced parallel grooves of the bracket for urging the edge of the template band against The opposite groove of the bracket.

Claim 12

Apparatus of claim 5 wherein the resilient means comprises a flexible strip of material maintained in compression at its ends to bow slightly outward to urge the template band against the opposite groove of the bracket.

Claim 13

Apparatus of claim 5 wherein the spring-biased means on the second guide flange comprises a pair of guide springs, each of the guide springs being fixed at one end to the second guide flange and being curved outwardly to engage the edge of a drawing board.

Claim 14

Apparatus for aid in drawing flow charts, comprising: a template band formed of a closed loop of flexible material, the template band having formed therein template openings for use in drawing flow chart symbols; a bracket for holding the template band in working relationship with and encircling a drawing board, the bracket comprising a flat frame having a central opening through which symbols may be drawn, the flat frame having upper, lower, left and right sides; a lower guide flange carried by the lower side of the flat frame and defining a groove in which is held the edge of the template band; an upper guide flange carried by the upper end of the flat frame and defining a groove in which is held the upper edge of the template band, the upper guide flange including a pair of extensions along the left and right sides of the flat frame extending toward but not touching the lower guide flange; a spring mounted in the groove inside the upper guide flange to urge the template band toward the groove in the lower guide flange; a scale carried by the upper guide flange for aid in aligning the template openings in the template band, aligning markings being formed on such template band; and, a pair of curved skirts extending respectively from the left and right sides of the flat frame downwardly to provide support for the curved portion of the template band; a pair of U-shaped guide rails held at the left and right sides of the flat plate, each of the U-shaped guide rails including a lower lip which extends underneath the edge of the drawing board, one of the guide rails including a surface adapted to engage an edge of the drawing board to align the bracket square with the drawing board, the other of the guide rails including a spring biased to engage the other edge of the drawing board.

Claim 15

Apparatus for aid in drawing flow charts, comprising: a template band formed of a closed loop of flexible material, the template band having formed therein template openings for use in drawing flow chart symbols; a bracket for holding the template band in working relationship with and encircling a drawing board, the bracket comprising a flat frame having a central opening through which symbols may be drawn, the flat frame having upper, lower, left and right sides; a lower guide flange carried by the lower side of the flat frame and defining a groove in which is held the edge of the template band; an upper guide flange carried by the upper end of the flat frame and defining a groove in which is held the upper edge of the template band, the upper guide flange including a pair of extensions along the left and right sides of the flat frame extending toward but not touching the lower guide flange; a spring mounted in the groove inside the upper guide flange to urge the template band toward the groove in the lower guide flange; a scale carried by the upper guide flange for aid in aligning the template openings in the template band, aligning markings being formed on such template band; and, a pair of curved skirts extending respectively from the left and right sides of the flat frame downwardly to provide support for the curved portion of the template band; a pair of U-shaped guide rails held at the left and right sides of the flat plate, each of the U-shaped guide rails including a lower lip which extends underneath the edge of the drawing board, one of the guide rails including a surface adapted to engage an edge of the drawing board to align the bracket square with the drawing board, the other of the guide rails including a spring biased to engage the other edge of the drawing board.

Claim 18

The method of claim 12 comprising the further steps of: moving the template band vertically to a new position on the drawing board; flattening a segment of the template band against the drawing surface; and, drawing a flow chart symbol in the drawing surface using one of the template openings in such latter-named segment.

Claim 19

A drafting apparatus comprising: a rectangular frame having top, bottom, and side walls; a drawing board having upper and lower ends and left and right edges; a template band formed of a closed loop of flexible material, the template band having formed therein template openings for use in drawing flow chart symbols; a bracket supporting the template band on the drawing board, the template band encircling the drawing board; means carried by the bracket holding one sEgment of the template band in a plane against the surface of the drawing board; means carried by the bracket for holding the template band parallel with a base line as the template band is moved in a direction parallel to the base line; means carried by the bracket for holding the template band perpendicular with the base line as the bracket is moved in a direction perpendicular to the base line, whereby the template band is maintained in coordinate alignment with the drawing board; support members mounted in such frame supporting the upper and lower ends of the drawing board, the side walls of such frame being dimensioned to provide a clearance space between the left and right edges of the drawing board and such side walls, such clearance space being adequate to provide clearance for the template band and the bracket, such support members being constructed to support the drawing board so as to maintain a space for clearance of the template band and bracket beneath the drawing board.

Claim 20

A drafting apparatus comprising: a rectangular frame having top, bottom, and side walls; a drawing board having upper and lower ends and left and right edges; a template band formed of a closed loop of flexible material, the template band having formed therein template openings for use in drawing flow chart symbols; a bracket supporting the template band on the drawing board, the template band encircling the drawing board; means carried by the bracket holding one sEgment of the template band in a plane against the surface of the drawing board; means carried by the bracket for holding the template band parallel with a base line as the template band is moved in a direction parallel to the base line; means carried by the bracket for holding the template band perpendicular with the base line as the bracket is moved in a direction perpendicular to the base line, whereby the template band is maintained in coordinate alignment with the drawing board; support members mounted in such frame supporting the upper and lower ends of the drawing board, the side walls of such frame being dimensioned to provide a clearance space between the left and right edges of the drawing board and such side walls, such clearance space being adequate to provide clearance for the template band and the bracket, such support members being constructed to support the drawing board so as to maintain a space for clearance of the template band and bracket beneath the drawing board.

Claim 21

The drafting apparatus of claim 14 further comprising: means forming a chamber in such frame for containing a roll of drawing paper; means in such chamber for supporting a roll of drawing paper; and, means forming passages for feeding the roll of paper to the upper surface of the drawing board.