Portable voice message generator

Claim 1

A compact, portable teaching device about the size of an attache case for the generation of audible messages from prerecorded sound components, comprising: an enclosure having a substantially flat outer surface, and a substantially constant cross-section perpendicular thereto, and a carrying handle; a pair of support members pivotably secured tO the bottom of said enclosure for enabling said device to be positioned at an incline on a desk or the like; recorded means comprising at least two substantially thin, flat, circular disks of plastic material carrying on the flat surface thereof a multiplicity of prerecorded message elements in concentric, parallel, circular arcshaped tracks; the flat surface of each disk substantially overlaps the flat surface of a second disk so as to minimize the cross sectional area of said enclosure; support means for each disk, rotatably secured within said enclosure, such that said disks are rotatable about their center axes in planes parallel to, and spaced interiorly from, the outer surface of said enclosure, and such that the flat surfaces of the disks are parallel to the outer surface and at least a portion of each track on each disk is in an unobstructed straight line to a portion of the outer surface; said enclosure having means providing access to the said recorded means; drive means, for impelling said support means into rotational motion in an uniform, angular velocity; transducer means having a pick-up needle element attached to follow undulations in the tracks, the transducer being intended to be hand-held for reading said prerecorded message elements on said tracks and the conversion of same into electrical signals of fluctuating intensity; broadcast means including amplifying means electrically connectable to said transducer for the conversion of said signals to audible sound; and selector means in the form of at least one aperture card having a plurality of rows of apertures, the card being disposed above said outer surface such that each aperture in the card is in line with an opening in the outer surface and with one of said tracks; whereby said needle of said transducer means can be inserted through an aperture and opening and thus brought into contact with one of said tracks; an indicia on said aperture card, whereby each of said pre-recorded message elements on the tracks are identified and the needle of the transducer means can be manually positioned in contact with any track such that the identified audible message can be broadcast; and cover means for shielding said aperture card when not in use.