Guide device for making entries in trucker's log book

• US 4,916,827 A
• Filed: 05/23/1989
• Issued: 04/17/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Premium Technology
• Original Assignee: Premium Technology
• Inventors: Rayburn, William H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wirthlin, Alvin
• Application Number:
  US07/356,009
• Time in Patent Office: 329 Days
• Field of Search: 33/562, 33/563, 33/564, 33/565, 33/566, 33/1 B, 33/1 G, 33/1 K, 33/1 AA, 33/430, 33/443, 33/474, 116/235
• US Class Current: 33/563
• CPC Class Codes: B43L 7/005 combined with other drawing aids
• CPC Class Codes: G06C 1/00 Computing aids in which the computing members form at least part of the displayed result and are manipulated directly by hand, e.g. abacuses or pocket adding devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06G 1/0005 characterised by a specific application

Abstract

A flat, ruler-like guide is shaped to be laid over the tables and scales set forth in a trucker'"'"'s log book. The guide has cut-out portions which outline only those entries in the log book which the trucker needs for making certain calculations. Printed on the face of the guide are equations which the trucker follows in making these calculations.

Claims

1. For use in connection with a trucker'"'"'s log book, said log book having a monthly summary sheet with daily entries indicating the total number of on-duty hours which a trucker has worked during a given regulated operating period consisting of a certain number of days, such total not to exceed a regulated number of hours during such operating period, and each daily entry also indicating the available on-duty hours the trucker may work on the day following each entry, so that said trucker will not work more than said regulated number of hours during said given operating period, wherein the daily entries are determined by using a calculation period which is one day less than the length of said operating period, and with said monthly summary sheet being further characterized in that it includes

at least one table of five side-by-side columns organized into rows for listing the daily entries for each day of the particular month to be summarized, and wherein

the first column lists each day of said particular month to be summarized;

and

the second column lists the trucker'"'"'s daily entries of the number of on-duty hours for each day of said particular month, said second column also listing the daily on-duty hours for each day of the last calculation period of the preceding month, the last day of such period being the last day of the preceding month; and

the third column lists the trucker'"'"'s daily entry of the total on-duty hours during any given calculation period preceding and including the day of entry, the day of entry being the last day of the calculation period, said third column also listing the total on-duty hours during the last calculation period of the preceding month as set forth in the second column; and

the fourth column lists the trucker'"'"'s daily entry of the total available hours which e trucker may work on the day following each daily entry, said fourth column also listing the total hours available for the first day of said month; and

the fifth column lists the trucker'"'"'s daily entries of the total hours on-duty during the operating period immediately preceding and including the day of entry, the day of entry being the last day of the operating period;

a device for assisting the trucker in calculating and entering the daily entries on said table, comprising;

a guide member shaped to be laid flatly across the columns of said table, said guide member having at least one window set including a first and second cut-out portion,

said cut-out portions being shaped in a manner so that when said guide member is positioned across said columns in a certain manner, said first cut-out portion displays one day of said particular month to be summarized as listed in the first column, and the corresponding entry locations for such day on the remaining columns, and said first cut-out portion further displays the daily entry for the day preceding said one day as listed in said table'"'"'s third column, and said second cut-out portion displays a certain prior daily entry listed in said table'"'"'s second column, said prior entry corresponding to the first day of the calculation period for said trucker'"'"'s regulated operating period, and

a communication displayed on the guide member which instructs the trucker as to how to calculate the daily entries in the third, fourth and fifth columns for said one day.

2. The invention as set forth in claim 1, wherein said summary sheet includes two tables parallelly arranged with respect to each other, one table summarizing a regulated trucker operating period of 8 days and 70 regulated on-duty hours to be worked in such period, and the other table summarizing a regulated trucker operating period of 7 days and 60 regulated on-duty hours to be worked in such period, and wherein

said guide member is shaped to be laid flatly across both tables at the same time, and when in such position, said window set is arranged for use with one of said tables to permit a trucker to calculate the daily entries for said one table in accordance with the regulated operating period of such table, and said guide member has a second window set, spaced from said first window set, and arranged for permitting the trucker to calculate the daily entries for said other table in accordance with the regulated operating period of said other table.

3. The invention as set forth in claim 1, wherein said guide member includes a straight top edge, a straight bottom edge, and a straight angled edge interconnecting said top and bottom edges.

4. The invention as set forth in claim 1, wherein said trucker'"'"'s log book has a multiplicity of daily log sheets for recordation of the trucker'"'"'s on-duty and off-duty hours during a given 24-hour time period, said on-duty hours to be entered into the second column of said monthly summary sheet'"'"'s table, each daily log sheet including five equally gauged 24-hour scales, the first scale for recording the trucker'"'"'s off-duty hours during said 24-hour period, the second scale for recording the trucker'"'"'s sleep berth hours during said 24-hour period, the third scale for recording the trucker'"'"'s driving hours during said 24-hour period, the fourth scale for recording the trucker'"'"'s on-duty but not driving hours during said 24-hour period, and the fifth scale for assisting the trucker in recording remarks during said 24-hour period corresponding to certain events which may occur during such period, and wherein

said guide member has a lower edge with a scale displayed adjacent said edge, said scale having the same gauge as said five 24-hour scales, to facilitate the trucker'"'"'s use of said 24-hour scales.

5. The invention as set forth in claim 2, wherein at least a portion of said communication which is displayed on the guide member is positioned between said first and second window sets.

6. The invention as set forth in claim 2, wherein said guide member includes a straight top edge, a straight bottom edge and a straight angled edge interconnecting said top and bottom edges.

7. The invention as set forth in claim 6, wherein said trucker'"'"'s log book has a multiplicity of daily log sheets for recordation of the trucker'"'"'s on-duty and off-duty hours during a given 24-hour time period, said on-duty hours to be entered into the second column of one of said monthly summary sheet tables, each daily log sheet including five equally-gauged 24-hour scales, the first scale for recording the trucker'"'"'s off-duty hours during said 24-hour period, the second scale for recording the trucker'"'"'s sleep berth hours during said 24-hour period, the third scale for recording the trucker'"'"'s driving hours during said 24-hour period, the fourth scale for recording the trucker'"'"'s on-duty but not driving hours during said 24-hour period, and the fifth scale for assisting the trucker in recording remarks during said 24-hour period corresponding to certain events which may occur during such period, and wherein

said guide member has a scale displayed adjacent said guide member'"'"'s bottom edge, said scale having the same gauge as said five 24-hour scales, to facilitate the trucker'"'"'s use of said 24-hour scales.

8. The invention as set forth in claim 1, wherein

said first cut-out portion comprises a rectangular cut-out area through said guide member having a length substantially equal to the width of said five side-by-side columns of said table, the height of said rectangular cut-out area being substantially equal to the height of each row across said table except in the central portion of said cut-out area, and wherein in said central portion the height of said cut-out area is substantially equal to the height of two adjacent rows of said table, and said second cut-out portion comprises a second rectangular cut-out area through said guide member.