WRITING AID

• US 3,778,910 A
• Filed: 06/22/1972
• Issued: 12/18/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lenore R. Smalligan
• Original Assignee: Lenore R. Smalligan
• Inventors: Smalligan, Lenore R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Grieb, Wm. H.
• Application Number:
  US05/265,290
• Time in Patent Office: 544 Days
• Field of Search: 35/37,36,38,35H,71,22R 33/174B
• US Class Current: 434/164
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 11/04 Guide sheets or plates; Tracing charts templets for drawing purposes B43L13/20

Abstract

A writing aid includes a plurality of stencil modules, each including a template board having a guide track in the pattern of a cursive or script letter or number. The modules are positioned over a writing sheet and further include unidirectional motion limiting devices extending into the guide track at locations which permit motion of a writing instrument in only the proper direction.

Claims

1. A stencil module for a writing aid comprising:

a template board having a guide track formed therethrough in the pattern of a predetermined character and adapted to be positioned over a writing surface such that a writing instrument can be extended through said guide track and contact the writing surface; and

unidirectional motion limiting means positioned between said template board and the writing surface and including a member extending into said area defining said guide track to contact a writing instrument and limit the motion of said writing instrument within said guide track to one direction as it passes said unidirectional motion limiting means.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said unidirectional motion limiTing means comprises at least one arm extending laterally into said guide track and movable substantially in only one direction.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said unidirectional motion limiting means comprises:

a ratchet wheel having a central shaft rigidly attached to said template board adjacent said guide track, a pin wheel comprising an annular ring including tabs extending radially inward, said ring being positioned over said central shaft of said ratchet wheel, said pin wheel further including arms extending outwardly therefrom and projecting into said guide track, and bias means for holding said pin wheel in contact with said ratchet wheel.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said ratchet wheel includes a plurality of alternate beveled surfaces and shoulders to permit the tabs of said pin wheel to move on said surfaces in one direction only.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 4 and further including a plurality of spacers positioned between said template board and the surface upon which said board is positioned.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said unidirectional motion limiting means comprises a strip of springable material having at least one arm integrally formed therewith and extending outwardly therefrom, said strip being positioned on said template board adjacent said guide track such that said arm extends laterally into said guide track and can move inwardly toward the strip when contacted by a writing instrument moving by said arm in one direction to permit a writing instrument to pass thereby, but restricts motion of said writing instrument in an opposite direction.

7. A writing aid for selectively guiding a writing instrument to provide copies of characters comprising:

a template board with a guide track formed therethrough in the pattern of a character and circumscribing a central portion of at least one character pattern;

base means supporting said template;

at least one support member extending from said base and positioned thereon to be within the central portion of said character when said template board is positioned on said base; and

cap means removably positioned on said support means for completing a continuous guide track forming said at least one character.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 7 and further including a sheet of writing material including at least one aperture therein for receiving said support member when said writing material is positioned on said base member for providing a hard copy of said character as said writing instrument travels along said guide track.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 8 and further including unidirectional motion limiting means positioned between said base means and said template board and including an arm extending into said guide track to limit the movement of a writing instrument in said guide track to a single direction as said instrument passes said unidirectional motion limiting means.

10. A writing aid comprising:

a base member adapted to receive thereon a sheet of writing material;

a template board positioned over said base member in spaced relationship thereto and including a guide track extending through said template board in a predetermined pattern; and

at least one unidirectional motion device positioned on said template board and including an arm extending into the path of a writing instrument following said guide track and in contact with a writing surface positioned on said base member to contact said writing instrument and permit motion of the writing instrument past said unidirectional motion limiting device in only one direction.

11. The apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said template board includes color coded areas on a top surface thereof for providing directional motion information to a subject using the writing aid.

12. The apparatus as defined in claim 10 and further including a sensor for detecting the presence of a writing instrument in said guIde track and for providing a signal representative thereof;

a playback mechanism including prerecorded instructional information therewith;

means coupled to said playback mechanism for reproducing said instructional information therefrom when said playback mechanism is actuated; and

control means coupled to said sensor and to said playback mechanism to actuate said playback mechanism when said sensor detects the presence of a writing instrument.

13. The apparatus as defined in claim 12 including a plurality of template boards each with a unique character forming guide track, a plurality of sensors each associated with one of said characters, a plurality of unique instructions recorded at preselected locations on a recording medium associated with said play back mechanism and corresponsing to ones of said characters, and means coupled to said sensors and to said playback mechanism for selectively actuating said playback mechanism for reproducing an instruction for a corresponding character as a sensor for that character is actuated by a writing instrument.

14. The apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein said recording medium is magnetic tape and said playback mechanism includes tape transport.

15. A writing aid for aiding a subject in forming a hard copy of predetermined characters by following predetermined characters from a guide track formed in a board with a writing instrument, said writing aid comprising:

a template board positionable over a sheet of writing material and including a guide track formed therethrough for tracing a predetermined character on said writing material; and

an arm positioned to extend laterally into said guide track and movable in at least one direction with relative ease while being resistive to motion in an opposite direction thereby allowing a writing instrument in said guide track to pass said arm in only said one direction.

16. The apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein said guide track includes a pair of side walls which are selectively beveled to maintain the writing instrument positioned in said guide track at a predetermined writing angle with respect to the hand of the subject using said writing aid.