US3713230A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Writing implement for persons with greatly impaired or lost eyesight
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-11-17
•
Granted: 1973-01-30
•
Expires: 1991-11-17
Abstract
Abstract The present invention concerns writing implements or devices, especially for use by persons who have lost partial vision or completely lost eyesight.
Inventors
- 👤 C Essmann
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 19:17
CPC Classifications
G; G09; G09B; G09B21/00; G09B21/001; G09B21/002
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
209 words
A writing implement for persons with partially or totally impaired eyesight comprising a carrier forming a housing provided with side walls and a top wall, said top wall having an upper surface, an underface and a longitudinal central slot through which exteNds a slidably toothed rack, movement transmission mechanism located below said top wall and including a ratchet operable to engage the teeth of said rack in predetermined succession and to move said rack, actuator means positioned for movement adjacent at least one of said side walls, a shaft supporting said actuator means and said ratchet and rotatably carried by the underface of said top wall, a paper supporting platform guided along the upper surface of said top wall, and a cover plate hinged to said top wall and provided with a writing guide slot defining a writing area, said guide slot exposing to view said writing area of said platform, which is operatively connected to said toothed rack, said guide slot including a guide edge determining across said platform an imaginary writing line along and above which writing takes place, said actuator means when moved transmits movement via said ratchet to slidably advance said platform relative to said slot of said cover plate and to its guide edge.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
209 words
A writing implement for persons with partially or totally impaired eyesight comprising a carrier forming a housing provided with side walls and a top wall, said top wall having an upper surface, an underface and a longitudinal central slot through which exteNds a slidably toothed rack, movement transmission mechanism located below said top wall and including a ratchet operable to engage the teeth of said rack in predetermined succession and to move said rack, actuator means positioned for movement adjacent at least one of said side walls, a shaft supporting said actuator means and said ratchet and rotatably carried by the underface of said top wall, a paper supporting platform guided along the upper surface of said top wall, and a cover plate hinged to said top wall and provided with a writing guide slot defining a writing area, said guide slot exposing to view said writing area of said platform, which is operatively connected to said toothed rack, said guide slot including a guide edge determining across said platform an imaginary writing line along and above which writing takes place, said actuator means when moved transmits movement via said ratchet to slidably advance said platform relative to said slot of said cover plate and to its guide edge.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
209 words
A writing implement for persons with partially or totally impaired eyesight comprising a carrier forming a housing provided with side walls and a top wall, said top wall having an upper surface, an underface and a longitudinal central slot through which exteNds a slidably toothed rack, movement transmission mechanism located below said top wall and including a ratchet operable to engage the teeth of said rack in predetermined succession and to move said rack, actuator means positioned for movement adjacent at least one of said side walls, a shaft supporting said actuator means and said ratchet and rotatably carried by the underface of said top wall, a paper supporting platform guided along the upper surface of said top wall, and a cover plate hinged to said top wall and provided with a writing guide slot defining a writing area, said guide slot exposing to view said writing area of said platform, which is operatively connected to said toothed rack, said guide slot including a guide edge determining across said platform an imaginary writing line along and above which writing takes place, said actuator means when moved transmits movement via said ratchet to slidably advance said platform relative to said slot of said cover plate and to its guide edge.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
209 words
A writing implement for persons with partially or totally impaired eyesight comprising a carrier forming a housing provided with side walls and a top wall, said top wall having an upper surface, an underface and a longitudinal central slot through which exteNds a slidably toothed rack, movement transmission mechanism located below said top wall and including a ratchet operable to engage the teeth of said rack in predetermined succession and to move said rack, actuator means positioned for movement adjacent at least one of said side walls, a shaft supporting said actuator means and said ratchet and rotatably carried by the underface of said top wall, a paper supporting platform guided along the upper surface of said top wall, and a cover plate hinged to said top wall and provided with a writing guide slot defining a writing area, said guide slot exposing to view said writing area of said platform, which is operatively connected to said toothed rack, said guide slot including a guide edge determining across said platform an imaginary writing line along and above which writing takes place, said actuator means when moved transmits movement via said ratchet to slidably advance said platform relative to said slot of said cover plate and to its guide edge.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
44 words
An implement according to claim 1, including a feeler element located adjacent said guide slot and extending across said hinged cover plate, said feeler element being equipped with a spring-actuated feeler piece which predetermines the end of the line edge defining said guide slot.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
62 words
An implement according to claim 1, including respective abutment means against which said actuator means may be moved for a stop thereby to determine the stroke of said ratchet relative to the teeth of said rack and to set the advance slide movement of said paper carrying platform along said top surface and relative to said guide slot of said cover plate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
191 words
A writing device for persons with greatly impaired eyesight; comprising in combination, an elongated, substantially flat housing having a top wall, opposite side walls depending from said top wall, said top wall being provided with an elongated, centrally located passageway and with lateral guide rails overlying said side walls at said top wall, a platform movable along said lateral guide rails, means retaining in position one or more sheets of writing papers on said platform, movement transmission means for said platform and located below said top wall and within the space between the latter and said side walls, said transmission means including a pawl, a toothed rack guided in said passageway and connected to the platform, the teeth of said rack facing said pawl for operation by the latter, a shaft extending across said side walls and provided with actuating means and supporting said pawl, said actuating means operating via said pawl the advance movement of said platform and paper thereon, and cover means arranged for swinging movement with respect to said platform and provided with a rectangular transverse slot determining the writing area when in engagement position on said platform.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
191 words
A writing device for persons with greatly impaired eyesight; comprising in combination, an elongated, substantially flat housing having a top wall, opposite side walls depending from said top wall, said top wall being provided with an elongated, centrally located passageway and with lateral guide rails overlying said side walls at said top wall, a platform movable along said lateral guide rails, means retaining in position one or more sheets of writing papers on said platform, movement transmission means for said platform and located below said top wall and within the space between the latter and said side walls, said transmission means including a pawl, a toothed rack guided in said passageway and connected to the platform, the teeth of said rack facing said pawl for operation by the latter, a shaft extending across said side walls and provided with actuating means and supporting said pawl, said actuating means operating via said pawl the advance movement of said platform and paper thereon, and cover means arranged for swinging movement with respect to said platform and provided with a rectangular transverse slot determining the writing area when in engagement position on said platform.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
82 words
A writing device according to claim 4, including two spaced apart stops on one of said side walls, said actuating means forming a lever movable between said spaced stops to control the operation of said pawl via said shaft with said teeth of said rack, one of said stops being cam-shaped to facilitate variations of movement of said actuating means and of operation of said pawl relative to said toothed rack to vary the advance movements of said platform and paper thereon.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
46 words
A writing device according to claim 4, including means displaceable on said platform and provided with an edge extending in transverse direction to said platform and cooperable with said transverse slot of the latter to vary the height of the writing area defined by said slot.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
48 words
A writing device according to claim 4, including elongated means located adjacent one of the edges defining said transverse slot and constituting a spring-supported feeler element for leading a writing person towards the lateral end of said horizontal edges to effectively limit the writing area in widthwise direction.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
61 words
A writing device according to claim 4, said actuating means being a swingable levEr connected to said shaft without said housing, at least one of said side walls being provided with an opening in which said shaft is journalled and operatively connected with said pawl in order to facilitate predetermined paper advance movement of said platform relative to said cover means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
42 words
A writing device according to claim 4, including signal means located beneath said top wall and actuatable by a portion of said rack, when the latter advances along said passageway together with said platform to a predetermined distance along said top wall.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-01-30 | 1976-07-31 | 1977-01-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-01-30 | 1980-07-31 | 1981-01-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-01-30 | 1984-07-31 | 1985-01-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |