IMAGE POSITIONING MEANS FOR AUDIOVISUAL EDUCATIONAL APPARATUS

• US 3,654,707 A
• Filed: 04/07/1970
• Issued: 04/11/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Prescription Learning Corporation
• Original Assignee: Richard W. Roberts
• Inventors: Roberts, Richard W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Forman, Leonard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stephan, Steven L.
• Application Number:
  US05/026,382
• Time in Patent Office: 735 Days
• Field of Search: 35/8A,9R,9A 353/27,95
• US Class Current: 434/315
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/067 Combinations of audio and projected visual presentation, e.g. film, slides

Abstract

A device for releasably clamping an image support in an audiovisual educational apparatus to hold images carried by the support in a single common plane for visual presentation despite intermittent movement of the image support relative to the apparatus, thereby avoiding the necessity for frequent adjustment of the visual presentation for sharpness. The device is operable to release the image support to permit the intermittent relative movement to be effected freely and rapidly.

Claims

1. In an audiovisual educational apparatus comprising:

means defining a visual display station, means for receiving a card-like image support having code means and carrying a plurality of visual images, means for effecting relative movement between said image support and said visual display station to present said images individually at said station for visual display, an audio reproduction system for audibly presenting a plurality of messages recorded on an audio record means, each of said messages corresponding to one of said images, synchronization means for positively correlating the audible presentation of each of said messages with the visual presentation of the corresponding image, means for responding to audio and visual information presented, and means actuated by said responding means and adapted to coact with said code means for controlling the relative movement between said image support and said visual display station;

the improvement comprising clamp means for engaging said image support to position and maintain an image presented at said visual display station in a predetermined spatial relationship with respect to said station, means for releasing said clamp means from positioning engagement with said image support to permit said relative movement between said image support and said visual display station, and actuator means adapted to be energized by said responding means to actuate said means for effecting relative movement, said means for releasing said clamp means being operatively associated with said actuator means for actuation thereby simultaneously with actuation of said means for effecting relative movement.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for receiving said image support includes a guide member having a planar surface positioned to be engaged by one side of said image support, said means defining said visual display station being provided in said planar surface, said clamp means being positioned to engage the side of said image support opposite said one side thereof, thereby holding said image support against said planar surface in firm abutting relation therewith.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, including a frame member, said means for receiving said image support including a guide member fixedly mounted on said frame member and having a planar surface positioned to be engaged by one side of said image support, said means defining said visual display station being provided in said planar surface, a first shaft mounted on said frame member, said clamp means comprising at least one elongated clamp member carried intermediate its ends by said first shaft for pivotal movement relative to said guide member, said clamp member having finger means at one end thereof for engaging the side of said image support opposite said one side thereof, thereby to hold said image support against said planar surface in firm abutting relation therewith, a second shaft pivotally mounted on said frame member and parallel to said first shaft, means biasing said second shaft toward a rest position, said means for releasing said clamp means comprising a linkage adapted to be actuated by pivotal movement of said second shaft away from said rest position, said linkage including an arm member fixedly carried by said second shaft for pivotal movement therewith and having at least one arm extending radially outwardly from said second shaft, said linkage also including a lever member carried intermediate its ends by said first shaft for pivotal movement relative to said frame member, said arm being pivotally connected to said lever member proximate to one end thereof, spring means interconnecting said one end of said lever member and the end of said clamp member opposite said finger means to bias said one end of said clamp member toward said guide member for engagement of said image support by said finger means, the other end of said lever member having stop means thereon adapted to engage said clamp member to limit movement of said one end of said clamp member toward said guide member and to pivot said clamp member in a direction to move said finger means away from said guide member upon actuation of said linkage by pivotal movement of said second shaft away from said rest position, actuator means mounted on said frame member, and means operatively connecting said actuator means and said second shaft, said actuator means being adapted to be energized by said responding means to pivot said shaft away from said rest position.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said clamp means comprises a pair of said elongated clamp members carried by said first shaft for pivotal movement independently of each other, said finger means comprising a finger at one end of each of said clamp members, said fingers being spaced from each other and being spaced outwardly from opposite ends of said means defining said visual display station, said lever member comprising a first U-shaped member, said one end of said lever member comprising the base of the first U-shaped member, said stop means comprising a stop at the end of each of the legs of the first U-shaped member, said arm member comprising a second U-shaped member, the base of the second U-shaped member being fixed to said second shaft, the legs of the second U-shaped member comprising a pair of said arms, a pin being carried by said arms proximate to the ends thereof, the legs of said first U-shaped member being provided with slots proximate to said one end of said lever member, said pin being slidably positioned in said slots, said spring means comprising a pair of springs, each of said springs interconnecting said one end of said lever member and the end of a respective one of said clamp members opposite said finger.

5. The apparatus according to clamp 3, wherein said means for effecting relative movement between said image support and said visual display station comprises a third shaft mounted for rotational movement on said frame member, sprocket wheel means carried by said third shaft for rotational movement therewith and adapted to engage said image support in driving relation therewith, drive spring means interconnecting said frame member and said sprocket wheel means to urge said sprocket wheel means and said third shaft to rotate in one direction, ratchet means carried by said third shaft for rotational movement therewith, and pawl means mounted on said second shaft for pivotal movement therewith, said pawl means being engageable with said ratchet means to prevent rotation of said sprocket wheel means when said second shaft is in said rest position whereby movement of said pawl means out of engagement with said ratchet means and movement of said finger means away from said guide member are effected simultaneously by energization of said actuator means.

6. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said finger means is provided with at least one cam surface for engagement by said image support to move said finger means away from said guide member against the bias of said spring means when said image support is received in said receiving means.