US3209477A

US3209477A - Information storing device

Info

Publication number: US3209477A
Application number: US168962A
Authority: US
Inventors: Mcgaffey Donald
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1962-01-26
Filing date: 1962-01-26
Publication date: 1965-10-05
Anticipated expiration: 1982-10-05

Description

Oct. 5, 1965 D, MCGAF'FEY 3,209,477

INFORMATION STORING DEVICE Filed Jan. 26, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

FIG. 7 Domaw Ms GAFFEY ATTORNEYS 1965 D. MCGAFFEY 3,209,477

INFORMATION STORING DEVICE Filed Jan. 26, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 25 28 N a2 xxxxx xxx xxxx x x xx xxxx xx xxx. 5 xx xxx xxy xx xx 7 kn WV m wii l FIG. 8.

INVENTOR. DONA LO Ms GAFFEY ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,209,477 INFORMATION STORING DEVICE Donald McGaifey, 233 Daines St, Birmingham, Mich. Filed Jan. 26, 1962, Ser. No. 168,962 Claims. (Cl. 4086) This invention relates to information storing devices and particularly such a device that can be carried readily in the pocket or purse.

It is an object of this invention to provide an information storing device wherein a substantial quantity of information can be incorporated in a small space; which can be readily carried in the pocket or purse; which is relatively inexpensive; and which incorporates a minimum number of parts.

Basically, the invention comprises a hollow tubular casing which has at least a portion thereof made of transparent material and a pair of rods positioned in the casing with the ends of a flexible sheet or web of paper or the like containing information wound around the rods in such a manner that two contiguous rolls are provided with the portion of the web connecting the rolls visible through the side of the casing. By rotating one rod in one direction, the web is unwound from the other rod onto the one rod. Similarly, by rotating the other rod in the opposite direction, the sheet is unwound from the first rod and Wound on the other rod. Friction of the web material on the interior of the casing retains the rolls in any adjusted wound position. The sum of the diameters of the rolls when the web is wound equally on the rods is preferably substantially equal to the greatest internal dimension of the casing.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of an information storing device embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is an end view thereof.

FIG. 3 is an end view of an element of the device.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing the flexible Web material bearing the information wound substantially entirely on one of the rods.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary part sectional view on an enlarged scale of the device shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is an end view of another element of the device shown in FIGS. 1 to 6.

FIG. 8 is a side elevation of a modified form of information storing device.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary part sectional view on an enlarged scale of the device shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is an end view of a portion of the device shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.

FIG. 11 is an end view of the device shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 showing substantially all of the web material wound on one of the rods.

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the manner of attachment of the web material to the rods.

FIG. 13 is an end view of a further modified form of the invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the information storing device embodying the invention designated 10 comprises a tubular casing 11 of flexible transparent plastic material, such as cellulose acetate butyrate, which is substantially elliptical in cross section. A pair of rigid plastic substantially

elliptical end members

12, 13 are positioned in the ends of the casing 11 and secured thereto as by a suitable adhesive. Member 13 includes slots 14 and member 12 includes an opening 15. Slots 14 and opening 15 extend along the major axis of the elliptical cross section of the casing 11 and have a generally uniform width 3,209,477 Patented Oct. 5, 1965 X (FIG. 7). A pair of cylindrical

plastic rods

16, 17 extend through opening 15 into the casing and into slots 14. The diameter of the

rods

16, 17 is substantially equal to the width X of the slots 14.

Rods

16, 17 may be solid or tubular.

A flexible web W of paper, or the like, bearing the information that is to be stored is fastened at its ends to the

rods

16, 17 as by tape 18 (FIG. 5). The web W is wound around one rod in one rod in one direction and the other rod in the opposite direction. For example, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the Web is wound around rod 16 in a counterclockwise direction to form a roll R and around rod 17 in a clockwise direction to form a roll R Rolls R and R are contiguous and the portion P of the web between the rolls R1 and R is taut and generally flat and can be viewed through the side of the transparent casing 11. By rotating the rod 16 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 4, the web is unwound from the rod 17 and wound on the rod 16. Similarly, by rotating the rod 17 in a counterclockwise direction the web is unwound from the rod 16 and wound on the rod 17. The slots 14 guide the

rods

16, 17 along the major axis of the cross section of the casing as the rolls are wound and unwound. r The transverse dimension D of the interior of the casing 10 is substantially equal to the sum of the diameters of the rolls when one half the web is Wound on each rod. Thus, in FIG. 4, the dimension D is substantially equal to the sum of the diameters of the rolls R R In FIG. 5 wherein substantially all of the web material is wound on the rod 17,

rods

16, 17 have moved along the axis of casing 11.

The radius of the portions 20 of the casing, that is, the portions that contact with the rolls of web material, is preferably equal to the radius of the web material when the rolls R R are of equal radius. Thus, the radius of the portions 20 is preferably equal to the radius of the rolls R R However, the use of a flexible material, such as cellulose acetate butyrate, to form the casing 11 permits the casing 11 to accommodate itself somewhat to the increasing radius of the web material as it is wound entirely on one rod so that the radius of the portions 20 can be less than the radius of the rolls R R formed when all the web material is wound on one rod. The friction between the Web W on the rods and the interior of the casing 11 insures that the material will not unwind inadvertently.

In the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 7, an end closure 19 is provided over the ring 13 either integrally or adhered thereto by a suitable adhesive. In

7 addition, since this form is particularly adapted for very small devices on the order of five inches in length and /2 inch in the dimension D and the rods 16, 17'are of very small diameter, enlarged

cylinders

21, 22 are provided on the ends of the rods in order to facilitate the gripping of the rods.

The entire device can be readily operated when desired and takes up a minimum amount of room. For example, in a device having the dimensions designated, a strip or web of material of a length of 3.5 feet can be incorporated containing approximately 2,400 words in a single-spaced pica type.

In the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 8 to 11,

the tubular casing 25 is made of a similar transparent flexible plastic material as the casing 11 in the previous form of the invention. Casing 25 has a more rectangular than elliptical configuration including straight sides 25a forming the long sides thereof and curved sides 25b forming the short sides thereof. Sides 25b have a substantially uniform radius of curvature.

One end of the casing 25 is closed by an imperforate end cap 26 having a peripheral flange 27 that engages the interior of the casing and the other end of the casing is provided with an end cap 28 having a flange that is telescoped over the outside of the casing. Cap 29 is formed with an elongated opening 30 therein that extends along the major axis of the oval or non-circular cross section of the casing and has a substantially uniform width X. A pair of tubular rods-31, 32 having a diameter substantially equal to the width of the opening extends through the slot and a web W is wound on the rods in the manner of the previous form of the invention. As shown in FIG. 12, the end of the Web W can be fastened to the rods 31 by means of a tape 33 or adhesive or in any other suitable manner. Either end cap may be integral, or one or both may engage the interior of the casing or telescope over the outside of the casing.

In this form of the invention, the web W is wound from one rod onto the other in the manner of the previous form of invention, the rods being guided by the opening 30 as they move transversely because of the unwinding and winding action.

As in the previous form of the invention, if a thin, flexible material is used to form the casing 25, the easing may flex laterally outwardly slightly to accommodate the condition where substantially all the web material is wound on one rod, as shown in FIG. 11.

In the form of the invention shown in FIG. 13, the casing 25' may be made of a rigid material, such as glass, and includes an integral portion 36 extending longitudinally thereof and forming an integral magnifier for viewing the Web. The magnifier can be a separate piece made of a suitable material and conforming to the external shape of the side of the casing against which it is placed.

It can thus be seen that there has been described an information storing device which can be readily operated, when desired, and takes up a minimum amount of room. For example, in a device having a casing, which is 5 /2 inches long with cross sectional dimensions of 0.785 inch and 0.470 inch and a thickness of 0.031 inch, and rods having a diameter of /1 inch, a length of onion skin paper of 43 inches can be readily contained in the device. Substantially the entire length of the web of onion skin paper can be provided with printed or typed information which is readily available by rotating the rods. The information bearing web may be made of plastic or other material and its capacity for printed or typed information will vary generally in inverse proportion to the thickness of the web.

It can thus be seen that there has been provided an information storing device that utilizes very little space; which can be readily carried in the pocket; which is relatively inexpensive; and which incorporates a minimum number of parts.

The term elliptical as used herein is intended to cover oval, elliptical and generally rectangular configurations having curved or straight sides.

I claim:

1. An information storing device comprising a tubular casing having a generally elliptical cross sectional configuration and a viewing portion through which the interior can be viewed, a first end cap adjacent one end of said casing and defining at least one substantially straight groove extending along the major axis of said casing, a second end cap adjacent the other end of said casing and having a substantially straight opening therethrough parallel to said groove in said first-mentioned end cap, and a pair of rods extending through said opening and into said groove, the width of said opening and said groove being substantially equal to the diameter of said rods, a flexible information-bearing sheet wound in one direction on one of said rods and the other direction on the other of said r-ods within said casing to form two contiguous rolls so that the portion of said web between said rods is visible through said viewing portion of said casing, the maximum cross sectional dimension of said casing being substantially equal to the sum of the diameters of the portions of the web wound on said rods when the portions are substantially equal so that rotation of one rod in one direction causes the web to be wound from the other rod onto said one rod and rotation of the other rod in the opposite direction causes the web to be unwound from said one rod onto said other rod, said rods being movable along the major axis of the cross-section of said casing as the web is wound and unwound and guided by said straight groove and straight opening during said movement.

2. An information storing device comprising a tubular casing having a generally elliptical configuration and a viewing portion through which the interior can be viewed, an end cap closing one end of said casing, 21 second end cap adjacent the other end of said casing and having a substantially straight opening therethrough parallel to the major axis of the cross section of said casing, and a pair of rods extending through said opening, the width of said opening being substantially equal to the diameter of said rods, a flexible information-bearing web wound in one direction on one of said rods and the other direction on the other of said rods so that the portion of said Web between said rods is visible through said viewing portion of said casing, the maximum cross sectional dimension of said casing being substantially equal to the sum of the diameters of the port-ions of the web wound on said rods when the portions are substantially equal so that rotation of one rod in one direction causes the web to be wound from the other rod onto said one rod and rotation of the other rod in the opposite direction causes the web to be unwound from said one rod onto said other rod, said rods being movable along the major axis of the cross-section of said casing as the web is wound and unwound and guided by said straight opening during said movement.

3. An information storing device comprising a tubular casing made of flexible transparent plastic material and having a generally elliptical cross section, an end cap closing one end of said casing, a second end cap adjacent the other end of said casing and having a substantially straight opening therethrough along the major axis of the cross section of the casing, and a pair of tubular rods extending through said opening, the width of said opening being substantially equal to the diameter of said rods, a flexible information-bearing web wound in one direction of one of said rods and the other direction on the other of said rods to form two contiguous rolls so that the portion of said web between said rods is visible through said viewing portion of said casing, the casing having the cross sectional dimension of said casing along said major axis substantially equal to the sum of the diameters of the portions of the web wound on said rods when the portions are substantially equal so that rotation of one rod in one direction causes the web to be wound from the other rod onto said one rod and rotation of the other rod in the opposite direction causes the Web to be unwound from said one rod onto said other rod, means adjacent said one end of said casing and cooperating with said straight opening for guiding the bodily movement of said rods toward and away from one another as the web is Wound and unwound.

4. An information storing device comprising a tubular casing made of transparent plastic material and having a generally elliptical cross section, an end cap closing one end of said casing, a second end cap adjacent the other end of said casing and having a substantially straight opening therethrough along the major axis of the cross section of the casing, and a pair of tubular rods extending through said opening, the width of said opening being substantially equal to the diameter of said rods, a flexible information-bearing web wound in one direction on one of said rods and the other direction on the other of said rods to form two contiguous rolls so that the portion of said web between said rods is visible through said viewing portion of said casing, the maximum cross sectional dimension of said casing along said major axis being substantially equal to the sum of the diameters of the portions of the web wound on said rods when the portions are substantially equal, the radius of curvature of the ends of said casing being such that the casing accommodates the Web when substantially one-half of the web is wound on each of the rods so that rotation of one rod in one direction causes the web to be wound from the other rod onto said one rod and rotation of the other rod in the opposite direction causes the web to be unwound from said one rod onto said other rod, said rods being movable bodily toward and away from one another as the Web is wound and unwound and guided by said straight opening during said movement.

5. An information storing device comprising a tubular casing having a generally elliptical configuration and a viewing portion through which the interior can be viewed, an end cap closing one end of said casing, a second end cap adjacent the other end of said casing and having an opening therethrough, and a pair of rods extending through said opening in said second cap, means adjacent one end of said casing defining straight parallel sides which are parallel to the major axis of the cross section of said casing, said rods extending between said sides, the distance between said sides being substantially equal to the diameter of said rods, a flexible information-bearing web wound in one direction on one of said rods and the other direction on the other of said rods so that the portion of said web between said rods is visible through said viewing portion of said casing, the maximum cross sectional dimension of said casing being substantially equal to the sum of the diameters of the portions of the web wound on said rods when the portions are substantially equal so that rotation of one rod in one direction causes the web to be wound from the other rod onto said one rod and rotation of the other rod in the opposite direction causes the web to be unwound from said one rod onto said other trod, said rods being movable along the major axis of the cross section of said casing as the web is wound and unwound and guided by said straight sides during said movement.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,194,390 8/16 Jenkins 86 2,173,188 9/39 Van Dersal 4086 2,191,662 2/40 Hufiaker 24267.4 X 2,788,594 4/57 Levander 4086 2,876,559 3/59 Sloan 4086 X 3,003,271 10/61 Purling 4086 JEROME SCHNALL, Primary Examiner.

H. R. MOSELEY, J. B. STRIZAK, LEONARD W.

VARNER, Examiners.

Claims

5. AN INFORMATION STORING DEVICE A TUBULAR CASING HAVING A GENERALLY ELLIPTICAL CONFIGUTATION AND A VIEWING PORTION THROUGH WHICH THE INTERIOR CAN BE VIEWED, AN END CAP CLOSING ONE END OF SAID CASING, A SECOND END CAP ADJACENT THE OTHRE END OF SAID CASING AND HAVING AN OPENING THERETHROUGH, AND A PAIR OF RODS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID OPENING IN SAID SECOND CAP, MEANS ADJACENT ONE END OF SAID CASING DFINGING STRAIGHT PARALLEL SIDES WHICH ARE PARALLEL TO THE MAJOR AXIS OF THE CROSS SECTION OF SAID CASING, SAID RODS EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID SIDES, THE DISTANCE BETWEEN SAID SIDES BEING SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE DIAMETER OF SAID RODS, A FLEXIBLE INFORMATION-BEARING WEB WOUND IN ONE DIRECTION ON ONE OF SAID RODS AND THE OTHER DIRECTION ON THE OTHER OF SAID RODS SO THAT THE PORTION OF SAID WEB BETWEEN SAID RODS IS VISIBLE THROUGH SAID VIEWING PORTION OF SAID CASING, THE MAXIMUM CROSS SECTIONAL DIMENSION OF SAID CASING BEING SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE SUM OF THE DIAMETERS OF THE PORTIONS OF THE WEB WOUND ON SAID RODS WHEN THE PORTIONS ARE SUBSTANTIALLY EQUEAL SO THAT ROTATION OF ONE ROD IN ONE DIRECTION CAUSES THE WEB TO BE WOUND FROM THE OTHER ROD ONTO SAID ONE ROD AND ROTATION OF THE OTHER ROD IN TE OPPOSITE DIRECTION CAUSES THE WEB TO BE UNWOUND FROM SAID ONE ROD ONTO SAAID OTHER ROD, SAID RODS BEING MOVABLE ALONG THE MAJOR AXIS OF THE CROSS SECTION OF SAID CASING AS THE WEB IS WOUND AND UNWOUND AND GUIDED BY SAID STRAIGHT SIDES DURING SAID MOVEMENT.