Apparatus and method for presentation of reading materials

Claim 1

An apparatus for presenting reading material in the form of a plurality of pages to be read by direct viewing under ambient light, comprising: a. a single sheet having all the pages of said material to be read printed thereon in a predetermined order; b. index marks disposed on said sheet for indicating the position of each of said pages; c. enclosure means for enclosing said single sheet, said enclosure means defining an aperture large enough for a portion of said sheet corresponding to at least one page of said reading material to be displayed for reading; d. feed spool means for supporting said single sheet in roll form within said enclosure; e. means for guiding said sheet along a path extending from said feed spool means, said path lying subadjacent said aperture; f. take-up spool means for taking up said sheet from the guide means and unwinding said sheet from said support means by advancing said sheet along said path past said aperture whereby successive pages of said reading material are displayed through said aperture in said predetermined order; g. motor means having a source of power; h. transmission means having first and second modes for coupling said motor alternately to either said feed spool means or said take-up spool means, respectively, said transmission means comprising: I. a first gear mounted for rotation with said feed spool; II. a second gear mounted for rotation with said take-up spool; III. plate means pivotally mounted in said enclosure; IV. gear means mounted on said plate means for coupling power from said motor to either said first gear in said first mode when said plate is in a first position or said second gear in said second mode when said plate is in a second position; V. a spring for urging said plate into one of said positions; and VI. a solenoid for urging the plate into the other position in response to said control means; i. remote switch means adapted to be actuated into a plurality of switch configurations by a handicapped person from a location which is remote from said enclosure means; j. means for detecting said index marks; and k. control means responsive to said remote switch means and said means for detecting said index marks on each of said pages for controlling said motor means and said transmission means in response to said remote switch means to cause the selective unwinding and winding of said sheet and the successive display of each of said pages.

Claim 2

An apparatus for presenting reading material in the form of a plurality of pages to be read by direct viewing under ambient light, comprising: a. a single sheet having all the pages of said material to be read printed thereon in a predetermined order; b. index marks disposed on said sheet for indicating the position of each of said pages; c. enclosure means for enclosing said single sheet, said enclosure means defining an aperture large enough for a portion of said sheet corresponding to at least one page of said reading material to be displayed for reading; d. feed spool means for supporting said single sheet in roll form within said enclosure; e. means for guiding said sheet along a path extending from said feed spool means, said path lying subadjacent said aperture; f. take-up spool means for taking up said sheet from the guide means and unwinding said sheet from said support means by advancing said sheet along said path past said aperture whereby successive pages of said reading material are displayed through said aperture in said predetermined order; g. motor means having a source of power; h. transmission means having first and second modes for coupling said motor alternately to either said feed spool means or said take-up spool means, respectively, said transmission means comprising: I. a first gear mounted for rotation with said feed spool; II. a second gear mounted for rotation with said take-up spool; III. plate means pivotally mounted in said enclosure; IV. gear means mounted on said plate means for coupling power from said motor to either said first gear in said first mode when said plate is in a first position or said second gear in said second mode when said plate is in a second position; V. a spring for urging said plate into one of said positions; and VI. a solenoid for urging the plate into the other position in response to said control means; i. remote switch means adapted to be actuated into a plurality of switch configurations by a handicapped person from a location which is remote from said enclosure means; j. means for detecting said index marks; and k. control means responsive to said remote switch means and said means for detecting said index marks on each of said pages for controlling said motor means and said transmission means in response to said remote switch means to cause the selective unwinding and winding of said sheet and the successive display of each of said pages.