CA1141540A - Motor-operated memorandum device - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A motor-operated memorandum device comprising a casing with a window, containing a pair of reels on which each end of a lengthy strip of paper is wound, a reversible electric motor, a power transmission changeover mechanism, a pair of reduction gear trains disposed symmetrically one on each side of the electric motor and connected to the reels, and a compact switch mechanism operated by two push buttons for selecting the direction of rotation of the reels by changing the polarity of the circuit to the electric motor. The power transmission changeover mechanism comprises a pinion fixed to the end of the electric motor shaft, and at least one floating gear, the position of which can be changed by the direction of rotation of the electric motor. When the electric motor rotates in one direction, the pinion brings a floating gear into meshing contact with the first reduction gear in one of the gear trains, and when the motor rotates in the opposite direction the pinion moves a floating gear into meshing contact with the second gear train. Thus, the driving force of the electric motor is transmitted through a floating gear to either of the reduction gear trains and further to one or the other of the reels. It is also possible to rotate the reels manually by means of a knob fixed to one end of each reel. The aforesaid casing may be provided at one end thereof with a manually operated indicator of the month, the day of the month, the day of the week, etc.

Description

.5'~
Il Il I
¦~OTOR-OPERATED ME~ORA~DUM DEVICE

BACKGROU~D OF THE I~VENTION

1. Field of the Invention IThe present invention relates to a motor-operated memorandum device comprising a casing, two reels rotatably I positioned therein, a lengthy strip of paper or similar material, ¦ the ends of the strip being wound on to the reels respectively, ~ a reversible electric motor contained in the casing, said ¦ electric motor rotating the reels in either direction to move the paper strip under a window in the casing so that telephone numbers, addresses, etc., entered on the strip can be found, or 80 that a blank space on the paper can be found and an entry made. Also the strip can be moved in either direction from one reel to another by means of a knob fixed to one end of each reel.
As a further modification, the two reels are detachably mounted in said casing 80 as to facilitate the replacement of the strip.

2. Description of the Prior Art Various kinds of motor-operated memorandum devices have been described in which a lengthy tape or strip of paper wound on two reels are moved from one reel to the other by rotating the reels to find telephone numbers, addresses or other information written on the paper strip or to find a blank space to write on. In these motor-operated memorandum devices of the prior art, a pair of reduction gear trains are dlsposed beside a pinion fixed on the output shaLt of an electric motor so that the driving force of the electric motor is transmitted through ¦ the pinion to either of the reduction gear trains to rotate the ¦ reels in either direction. However, such power transmission ¦l changeover mechanisms have been complicated and liable to get out of order. Furthermore, it has not been easy to replace the paper strip because the reels are not detachable. Prior art devices also have been too large to carry in a 2oc~et.

1,, .i 1. ,~,' Il ~14~540 BRIEF SUMNARY OF I~VENTI~N
It is therefore a general object of this invention to provide a motor-operated memorandum device which has obviated all the above-mentioned disadvantages of the devices of the prior art.
It is a specific ob~ect of this invention to provide a motor-operated memorandum device having a power transmission changeover mechanism which has simple construction and operates accurately.
It is another object of this invention to provide, in one embodiment, a portable motor-operated memorandum device which is reduced in size without impairment of performance.
In order to achieve these objectives this invention provides for a novel power transmission changeover mechanism between a reversible electric motor and the two reduction gear trains which rotate the two reels. Also in combination with the changeover mechanism, a very thin, spring leaf, double-pole, double-throw switch is employed between the reversible electric motor and the cells. The motor can be operated in either direction by means of push buttons.
The power transmission changeover mechanism comprises a pinion mounted on the output shaft of the electric motor and one or more floating or movable-position gears in meshing contact with the pinion. ;rhen the electric motor rotates in one direction the pinion causes a floating gear ta move into contact with the first gear of one of the reduction gear trains, and wben the motor is reversed the pinion brings a floating gear into meshing contact with the other gear train. In my preferred embodiment of the invention an arm supporting a planetary gear is swingingly attached to said output shaft so that the arm turns in the direction of rotation of the pinion until rotation of the pinion is transmitted through the planetary gear to the first gear of one of the two reduction gear trains to thereby rotate one of the reels in a given direction. In another il ~
I, ~14~540 embodiment of the present invention two floating gears (in this example, swing gears) are mounted in meshing contact with the pinion, one on each side. Depending upon the direction of rotation of the output shaft, the pinion brings one or the other of the floating gears into meshing contact with its respective reduction gear train. The shaft of each of these swing gears moves in slot guides.
The power transmission chaDgeover mechanism ~urther includes a double-pole, double-throw, leaf spring switch mechanism. As is described in detail later, the swi~ch mechanism is of very thin construction to permit the memorandum device to be very compact. Two push buttons are provided; when one is pushed the circuit is closed causing the motor to rotate in one direction and when the other is pushéd the polarity of the circuit is reversed causing the electric motor to rotate in the opposite direction.
It is another speclfic object of this invention to provide a motor-operated memorandum device, the reels of which can be rotated not only by the electric motor but also by- hand, and can be taken out of the casing so as to facilitate the replacement of the paper strip. This object has been attained by a device, in which the shaft of a final reduction gear in each reduction gear train is connected with an engagement shaft for each reel by means of a frictional wrapping connector, and each reel ls provided at one end thereof with a knob for turning the reel by hand, and at the other end thereof with a recess into which said engagement piece is inserted.
Th2se and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more fully from the following description.

~RIEF DES CRIPTION OF T:~IE DRAWINGS
In the drawings the preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown ln Figs. 1 through 8, in which:

3.

54(~

Fig. 1 is a side view of a motor-operated memorandum device;
Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof;
Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof;
Fig. 4 is a plan view taken on line IV - IV in Fig. 3;
Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line V - V in Fig. 3;
Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line VI - VI in Fig. 3;
Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on line VII - VII in Fig. 3; and Fig. 8 is an electric circuit diagram.
Another embodiment of my invention is shown in Fig. 9 through Fig. 16 of the drawings, in which:
Fig. 9 is a partial cutaway plan view of a pocket-size device;
Fig. 10 is a partially cutaway side view thereof;
Fig. 11 is an end view thereof;
Fig. 12 is a transverse sectional view thereof;
Fig. 13 is an enlarged side view illustrating some of the gears;
Fig. 14 is a circuit diagram;
Fig. 15 is a diagram illustrating one embodiment of the switch mechanism; and Fig. 16 is an enlarged side view of another embodiment of the switch mechanism.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the preferred embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 through 8 of the drawings. In Fig. 1, numeral 1 represents a casing com-prising an upper body la and lower body lb. The upper body la is provided with a window 3 through which a lengthy tape or strip 2 of paper or other suitable material enclosed in the casing 1 is visible, and with push buttons 4a and 4b which actuate a reversible electric motor in either direction thereby rotating reels on which the paper strip 2 is wound. The window 3 may be covered with a 1~4~ 540 transparent plastic plate so that the paper strip 2 is visible through it, or may have no covering to make it possible to make an entry in the paper strip 2. The lower body lb is provided at its bottom with an electric cell box 5, with a cover, containing cells 6. A pair of reels 8a and 8b are disposed inside the casing 1 so that the window 3 is between them. One end of each reel is pro-vided with a knob 7a or 7b protruding from one side of the casing 1, by means of which knob the reels can be manually rotated. The other end of each reel has a recess 31 into which an engagement shaft 26 (described below) is fitted so that each reel is detach-able therefrom.
The paper strip 2, the ends of which are wound on the 114~L5~0 reels 8a and 8b, may or may not have ground design, coloring, ruled lines or the like.
The casing 1 contains means for driving the paper strip 2. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the means comprise the reels 8a and 8b; an electric motor 9; a power transmission changeover mechanism 10, a pair of reduction gear trains 18a and 18b with wrapping connectors or beltq 28, respectively disposed between the reels and the electric motor; and a switch mechanism 11.
These members or circuit elements are disposed most compactly in the casing 1 as described below. As shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, a rectangular plate 12 is disposed in the lower body lb under the window 3 so that the paper strip 2 travels through the space between the upper surface of a guide plate 35 fixed to the plate 12 and the lower surface of the window cover 3. The plate 12 has pro~ections 12a on its edges, by means of which it is fixed to the lower body lb of the casing 1 with setscrews 12b. On one slde of the plate 12, two bearing plates 13 and 14 are vertically disposed so as to form a gear casing with rectangular section.
The output shaft 9a of the small electric motor 9~fixed to the base plate 12,extends through the bearing plate 14 and is provided at its end with the power transmission changeover mechanism 10 comprising a pinion 15 fixed to the end of the shaft 9a, an arm 16 swingingly attached to the end of the shaft 9a, and a planetary gear 17 supported on one end of the arm 16 so as to be always in meshing contact with the pinion 15. In effect gear 17 functions as a floating gear, capable of more than one position. ~hen the electric motor 9 rotates, the arm 16 turns in the direction of rotation of the pinion 15 until it brings the planetary gear 17 into meshing contact with the first reduction gear 19 in the reduction gear train 18a or 18b. Thus, the driving force of the electric motor 9 is transmitted through the planetary gear 17 to either of the reduction gear trains 18a and 18b, disposed one on one side and one on the other side of the 5.

~4~s40 ~ I
pinion 15. ~s shown in Flg. 3, the bearing plate 13 is provided with a pair of stoppers 24 which limit the swinging angle of the arm 16.
The reduction gear trains 18a and 18b each comprise the first reduction gear 19 with which the planetary gear 17 on arm;
16 meshes when the arm 16 has turned in the direction of rotation of the pinion 15, a transmission gear 20 mounted coaxially with the gear 19, and the second reduction gear 21 in meshing contact with the transmission gear 20. ~ne end of the shaft 22 of each second reduction gear 21 is supported on the bearing plate 13, and the other end thereof is supported on a bearing portion 23 provided on the side opposite to the bearing plate 13. Each shaft 22 ls provided with a pulley 25, which is connected with a pulley 27 mounted on the engagement shaft 26 fitted into the recess 31 of one of the reels, by means of the wrapping connector 28 of an elastic material such as a plastic belt, rubber belt or the llke.
The drivin~ force of the electric motor 9 is transmitted, through the planetary gear 17 in the power transmission changeover mechanism 10, to either of the reduction gear trains 18a znd 18b. ¦
Then, the driving force is further transmitted through the belt 2~ to one of the engagement shafts 26, which drives one of the reels 8a and 8b to move the paper strip 2 wound thereon. Each of the reels 8a and 8b, supported inside the casing 1 as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 6, ls provided in its main body with slits 29 into which one end of the paper strip 2 is inserted. One end of each reel is supported on a bearing portion 30 of the lower casing body lb, and the other end thereof has the recess 31 wlth poly-gonal section into which the engagement shaft 26 is fitted as mentioned above. I
Reference will now be made to means for rotating the above-mentionid reels 8a and 8b in a desired direction, that is, a switch mechanism and an electric eircuit for the operation of , I
6.
~ l 114~.540 the reduction gearing. In an embodiment of the present invention, a double-pole, double-throw switch SW is connected between the electric motor 9 and tbe batteries 6 as shown in Fig. ~. The switch is made very thin, and is adapted so that there is positive movement of the paper strip 2 ln a desired direction when the push button 4a or 4b is pushed.
Fig. 8 shows a~ example of the suitch mechanism 11, in which contact members 32 of a leaf spring type are disposed ¦ correspondingly to the push buttons 4a and 4b, and contacts 33 I and 34 are fixed above and under the ends of the contact members ¦¦ 32. The ends of the contact members 32 are beDt, and are kept in contact with the upper contact 33 by spring force. The upper contact 33 is connected with the positive side of the batteries 6, and the lower contact 34 is connected with the negative side of the batteries 6. The contact members 32 are connected with both poles of the electric motor 9. When the push button 4a is pushed, the bent portion of the right contact member 32 leaves the upper contact 33, and comes into contact with the lower contact 34 as shown by a dot-dash liue in Fig. 8. Therefore, the left pole of the electric motor 9 becomes negative through the upper contact 33 and left contact member 32, and the right pole of the electric motor 9 becomes positive through the lower contact 34 and right contact member 32. Ihus, the electric motor 9 rotates in the normal direction. When the push button 4a is released, the right contact member 32 returns to the original position as shown by a solid line in Fig. ô, and the electric motor 9 stops rotating. When another push button 4b i~ pushed, the left contact member 32 comes into contact with the lower ¦contact 34, and the electric motor 9 rotates iD the Teversed directio~. Thus, when either the push button 4a or 4b is pushed, !
either pole of the double-pole, double-throw switch is closed.

¦AS a result, the polarity of the circuit with respect to the ¦electric motor 9 changes according as the push button 4a or 4b is j pushed.

7.

.5'~V

Because the switch mechanism 11 used in the mo~or-operated memorandu~ device of the present invention is of leaf spring construction a~ mentioned above, it can be made thin and very small. Therefore, the,switch mechanism 11 can be disposed just under the push button 4a or 4b in the thin casing 1.
The motor-operated memorandum device of the present invention is used as follows: The casing 1 is opened, and the desired paper strip 2 is wound on the reels 8a and 8b. Then, the casing 1 is closed, and the paper strip 2 is moved by pushing¦
the push button 4a or 4b. Fig. 3 shows a state where the electric¦
motor 9 is rotated in the normal direction by pushing the push button 4a. The counterclockwise rotation of the output shaft 9a of the electric motor 9 turns the arm 16 in the power transmission changeover mechaniam 10 until it contacts the right stopper 24 and the planetary or floating gear 17 comes into meshing contact wlth the right first reduction gear 19. Thus, the drlving force of the electric motor 9 i5 transmitted, through the reduction gear train 18a and wrapping connector 28, to the right reel 8a, which rolls the paper strip 2 around it. In this atate, the left reduction gear train 18b i8 not driven because it i9 disengaged from the floating gear 17. The left reel 8b is rotated by the movement of the paper strip 2 in the direction of unwinding the paper strip 2. Therefore, the paper strip 2 moves from the left reel 8b to the right reel 8a over the guide plate 35. When a desired portion of the paper strip 2 has appeared in the window 3, the push button 4a is released to open the s~itch circuit and stop the paper strip 2.
When the push button 4b is pushed, the polarity of the circuit to the electric motor 9 is reversed by the action of the switch mechanism 11, as described above with reference to Fig. 8, and the electric motor 9 rotates in the reversed direccion. The ~¦pinion 15 rotates clockwise, and turns the arm 16 in the same direction until the floating gear 17 comes into meshing contact with the first reduction gear 19 in the left reduction gear ,~

li41 510 train 18b. Thus, the left reel 8b receives the driving-force of the electric motor 9, and moves the paper strip 2 in the opposite direction.
A desired telephone number or other information on the paper strip 2, can be found simply by pushing the push button 4a or 4b. If it is necessary to make an entry in the paper strip 2, a blank space therein can be easily found by pushing the push button 4a or 4b.
The paper strip 2 can be replacéd as follows: First, the casing 1 is opened, the recesses 31 of the reels 8a and 8b are detached from the engagement shafts 26, and the reels 8a and 8b are taken out of the casing 1. Then, another paper strip is attached to these or other reels, and the reels are set in the casing 1.
In a further modification of the present e~bodiMent, the ca~ing 1 i8 provided at it~ one end with a large date lndicator 36 which has a window 37 at the top thereof. As shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 7, the date indicator 36 comprises a common shaft disposed between the right and left walls 38 of the casing 1, and drums 41, 42, 43 and 44 for indicating the month, the day of the month and the day of the week being mounted on the common shaft. The drum 43 for the l~t order of the day of the month is fixed to an inner ~haft 39, and the drum 42 for the 2nd order of the day of the month is fixed to an outer shaft 40. Each of the drums 43 and 42 is provided on its one side with projections 45, and there is a progressing member 46 adapted to progress the figure on the drum 42 each time the drum 43 turns 360 . Therefore, any desired day of the month from 1st to 31st can be indicated through the window 37 by turning the drums 43 and 42 by means of a knob 47 fixed to one end of the inner shaft 39. A knob 48 for changing the month is provided outside the knob 47. The drum 41 for indicating the month is mounted on an outer shaft 50 adjacent to the outer shaft 40 of the drum 42. The drum 41 is provided on its one side with a ratchet wheel 51 which engages with a pawl 52 extending upward .i 114~54~

from the lower body lb of the casing l to prevent the drum 41 from turning back. The drum 44 for indicating the day of the week is mounted on the other end of said inner shaft 39, and is provided on its right side with a large number of (for instance 14~ projec-tions 53. A knob 49 for changing the day of the week is provided inside with a drum turning member 54 which engages with said pro-~jections 53 and turns the drum 44 pitch by pitch. With the afore-said date indicator 36 providing the month, day of the month and day of the week, the motor-operated memorandum device also serves as a desk calendar.
Referring now to the second embodiment of the invention as shown in Figures 9-16 of the drawings, numeral 101 represents a casing, which is dividable into an upper body lOla and a lower body lOlb. The upper body lOla is provided with a window 103 through which a portion of a lengthy strip of paper 102 is visible, and with push buttons 104a and 104b for rotating the reels of the paper in either direction. The window 103 may be covered with a transparent plastic plate so that the strip 102 is visible through it, or may have no covering to make it possible to enter informa-tion on the strip. The lower body lOlb of the casing 101 is provided at its bottom with a cell box 105 10 .

with a cover, and cells 106 are contained therein. The casing 101 is provided on its one side with two knobs 107a and 107b, which are respectively fixed to the shafts of two reels 108a and 108b disposed near opposite ends of the casing 101.
The ends of the paper 102 are wound on to the reels 108a and 108b respectively.
The casing 101 contains means for driving the paper 102.
As shown in Fig. 9 and 10, the means comprise the reels 108a and 108b f~r the paper, an electric motor 109, reduction gearing 110 dispo~ed between the reels and the electric motor, and a switch mechanism 111. These members or circuit elements are disposed most compactly in the casing 101 as described below. As shown in Fig. 12, a rectangular plate 112 is disposed under the window 103 so that the paper 102 travels through the space between the upper surface of the plate 112 and the lower surface of the window 103.
The plate 112 has a projection 112a on its one edge, by means of which it i8 fixed to the lower body lOlb of the casing 101 with a setscrew 112b. Under one side of the plate 112, two bearing plates 113 and 113' are vertically disposed so as to form a gear casing of rectangular section. The reduction gearing 110 is mounted between the bearing plates 113 and 113'as shown in Fig. 9 and 10. The output shaft lO9a of the small electric motor 109 fixed to the lower surface of the plate 112 extends through bearing plate 113', and a gear 114 i8 fixed to that end of the output shaft lO9a. The gear 114 is in meshing contact with a floating gear, in this case swing gear 115. The swing gear 115 is disengageably engaged with a gear 116 which i8 in meshing contact with a gear 117 which, in turn, is in meshing contact with a gear 118. The gears 116, 117 and 118 are fixed in their respective positions. The gears 115, 116, 117 and 118 are arranged in a straight line on both sides of the gear 114 fixed to the output shaft 109a of the electric motor 109. The gears arranged on the right side in Fig. 10 are given the nume~als of l il.
I

115a, 116a, 117a and 118a respectively, and the gears arranged on the left side in Fig. 10 are given the numerals of ll5b, 116b, 117b and 118b. The shafts of the swing gears 115a and 115b are supported in respective arc-shaped slots ll9a and 119b made through the bearing plates 113 and 113', as shown in the enlarged view of Fig. 13. When the gear 114 fixed to the output shaft lO9a of the electric motor 109 rotates in the dixection of the arrow of solid line in Fig. 13, the floating gear 115a in meshing¦
contact therewith is moved down along the arc-shaped slots 119a, and is brought into meshing contact with the gear 116a. There-fore, the rotation of the gear 115a is transmitted to the gear 116a. At the same time, the floating gear 115b on the left side is moved up along the arc-shaped slots ll9b, and is disengaged from the gear 116b positioned next thereto. Therefore, the rotation of the gear 115b is not transmitted to the gear 116b.
Thus, the rotation of the electric motor 109 is trans-mitted either to gear 118a or 118b. As shown in Fig. 9, the gears 118a and 118b each is provided with a pulley 120, and the corresponding end of each reel shaft is provided with a pulley 121. Belts 122 are attached between the pulleys 120 and 121 respectively so that the rotation of the above-mentioned gears is tran~mitted to the reel 108a or 108b.
r~eference will now be made to means for rotating the above-mentioned reels 108a and 108b Ln a desired direction, that is, the switch mechanism and electric circult for the operation of the reduction gearing 110. As in other embodiments of this invention, the electric circuit contains a double-pole, double-throw, leaf spring switch, shown as SW between the electric motor¦
109 and the cells 106 as shown in Fig. 14. This switch is made very thin, and is adapted so that the paper 102 travels in either direction when the push button 104a or 104b is pushed.

Fig. 15 lllustrates a switch mechanism comprising four thin metal plates 124a, 124b, 124c and 124d (made of phosphor bronze, for instance) put one over another with insulating plates .

L4~.5~
.
123 interposed between them. A set of these thin metal plates is disposed just under the push 6utton 104a, and another set just under the push button 104b. The t~o internaL metal plates 124b and 124c are electrically isolated from each other by the insulating plates 123, and do not contact each other even when pressure is applied from above. Between the two upper metal plates 124a and 124b and between the two lower metal plates 124c and 124d, there is a space on one side in which the insulating plate 123 does not exist. Only when the push button 104a or 104b disposed over the metal plates is pushed, the spaces are closed, that is, the metal plate 124a contacts the metal plate 124b and the metal plate 124c contacts the metal plate 124d. Because these metal plates are electrically connected with the electric motor 109 and the cells 106 as shown in Fig. 15, when the push button 104a 18 pushed, the metal plates on the left side in Fig. 15 contact each other as mentioned above and the electric circuit is closed. Therefore, the electric motor 109 i9 electri-fied by the cells 106, and rotates in a certain direction. Nhen the push button 104a is released and the push button 104b is pushed, the electric motor 109 is electrified in the same manner but now the polarity of the circuit is changed, and the motor 109 rotates in the opposite direction. Thus, when the button 104a or 104b is pushed, the electric motor 109 rotates in one direction or the other. As a result, the reel 108a or 108b i8 driven thereby through the reduction gearing on the right or on the left side, and the paper 102 travels in one direction or the other on the plate 112.
Fig. 16 shows another switch mechanism of the leaf spring ¦
type which is more compact than the switch mechanism shown in Fig. 15. Thin metal plates 125a, 125b and 125c are the contact members of this switch mechanism. When the push button is not pushed, the internal metal plate 125b is in contact with the upper metal plate 125a and is not in contact with the lower metal plate 125c. When the end of the internal metal plate 125b is 5~0 pressed by the push button 104a or lb4b, the internal metal plate 125b separates from the upper metal plate 125a and contacts the lower metal plate 125c. Thus, the polarity of the circuit changes according to whether push button 104a or 104b is pushed.
Because the switch mechanism used in this portable motor-¦
operated memorandum device is structured as described, it can be i made thin and very small. Therefore, it is possible to put it just under the push button 104a or 104b i~ the thin casing 101.
In order to change the paper strip 102, the reels 108a and 108b are taken out of the casing, the new strip is attached, one end on each reel, and the reels are set in the casing again.
The present invention has the following advantages; the number of necessary parts is small and the changeover of power transmission is accurately performed, because the reel driving means in the casing comprises a power transmission changeover mechanism having a floating gear which is brought into meshing contact wlth one or the other o the reduction gear trains disposed symmetrically one on each side of the pinion, depending upon the direction of rotation of the electric motor. Also, it i9 easy to replace the paper strip bscause the reels can be taken out of the casing. In this memorandum device the paper in the casing is moved automatically and as desired. Furthermore, because the means for driv~ng the paper and the switch mechanism are both compact, the whole device can be made s~all; in one embodiment its thickness can be reduced to less than 20mm, so that it can be carried in a pocket.
While the invention has been described in its preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that modifications will occur to those skilled in the art without de2arting from the spirit of the invention. The scope of the invention is therefore to be determined solely by the appended claims.

i 14.

Claims (10)

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A motor-operated memorandum device comprising (a) a casing holding two reels and a lengthy strip of paper extending between them, the ends of said strip being wound one on each reel, (b) a window in said casing for viewing said strip of paper, (c) a reversible electric motor mounted in said casing centrally between said reels, (d) an electric cell, (e) a pinion mounted on the output shaft of said electric motor, (f) a pair of reduction gear trains, disposed one to each side of said pinion and connected to said reels, (g) means for effecting power transmission changover from one of said gear trains to the other, comprising - a floating gear mechanism consisting of a floating gear mounted in meshing contact with said pinion and movable into meshing contact with the first gear of one of said reduction gear trains when the output shaft of said electric motor is rotated in one direction, and a floating gear mounted in meshing con-tact with said pinion and movable into mesh-ing contact with the first gear of the second gear reduction train when said output shaft is rotated in the opposite direction, and - a switch mechanism for selecting the direction of rotation of said reels by changing the polarity of said electric motor.

2. A motor-operated memorandum device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the floating gear mechanism comprises an arm swingingly attached to the output shaft of said electric motor, a pinion fixed to the end of the output shaft of said electric motor, and a planetary gear mounted on said arm in meshing contact with said pinion, said arm being rotatable in the direction of rotation of said pinion to bring said planetary gear into meshing contact with the first gear of a reduction gear train.

3. A motor-operated memorandum device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the floating gear mechanism comprises a pinion mounted on the end of the output shaft of said electric motor, two swing gears, the shaft of each being supported in arc-shaped slots posi-tioned to retain the gear in meshing contact with said pinion, the rotation of said pinion in one direction causing one of said swing gears to move into meshing contact with the first gear of one of said reduction gear trains while at the same time moving the second swing gear out of meshing contact with the second of said reduction gear trains, the rotation of said pinion in the opposite direction causing said one swing gear to move out of meshing contact with said first gear of one of said reduction gear trains while at the same time moving the second gear train into meshing contact with the second of said reduction gear trains.

4. A motor-operated memorandum device comprising:
(a) a casing 1 having a window 3 at the top thereof and containing a reversible electric motor 9 fixed to a plate 12 disposed therein, (b) a lengthy strip of paper 2 adapted to be moved under said window 3, (c) a pair of reels 8a and 8b, on which each end of said paper strip 2 is wound, each reel being supported between a bearing portion 30 on one side of said plate 12 and the end of an engagement shaft 26 on a bearing portion 23 on the other side thereof, (d) a pinion 15 fixed on the output shaft 9a of said electric motor 9, (e) a pair of reduction gear trains 18a and 18b disposed inside said casing 1 symmetrically one on each side of said pinion 15, (f) a power transmission changeover mechanism 10 com-prising an arm 16 swingingly attached to said out-put shaft 9a, a planetary gear 17 mounted on said arm 16 in meshing contact with said pinion 15, said arm 16 being rotatable in the direction of rotation of said pinion 15 thereby bringing said planetary gear 17 into meshing contact with the first gear in either of said reduction gear trains 18a and 18b depending upon the direction of rota-tion of said electric motor 9, (g) a pair of belts 28 each connecting a shaft 22 of the reduction gear in said reduction gear train 18a or 18b which is most remote from said planetary gear 17, with said engagement shaft 26 of one of said reels, and (h) a switch mechanism 11 for selecting the direction of rotation of said reels by changing the polarity of said electric motor 9.

5. A motor-operated memorandum device as claimed in Claim 4, wherein said pair of reels 8a and 8b are rotatably supported in said casing 1, each end of said paper strip 2 being wound on one of said reels 8a and 8b, said window 3 being disposed at the top of said casing 1 so that said paper strip 2 moved by said reels is visible therethrough, said electric motor 9 for rotating said reels being disposed substantially in the center of said plate 12 and just under said window 3, two parallel bearing plates 13 and 14 extending at 90° from one side of said plate 12, said pinion 15 on the output shaft 9a of said electric motor 9 being disposed centrally between said bearing plates, a pair of said reduction gear trains 18a and 18b being attached to said bearing plates 13 and 14 symmetrically on both sides of said pinion 15, said arm 16 swingingly attached to the output shaft 9a of said electric motor 9 being adapted to turn in the direction of rotation of said pinion 15, upon rotation of said electric motor 9, said arm 16 being provided on one end thereof with said planetary gear 17 which is always in meshing contact with said pinion 15 and is adapted to come into meshing contact with a gear in either of said reduction gear trains 18a and 18b when said arm 16 has turned in either direction, a pair of belts 28 of an elastic material each connecting the shaft 22 of the reduction gear in said reduction gear train 18a or 18b which is most remote from said planetary gear 17, with said engagement shaft 26 of one of said reels, said casing 1 being provided at the top thereof with a pair of push buttons 4a and 4b adapted to actuate said electric motor 9 in either direction.

6. A motor-operated memorandum device as claimed in Claim 4, wherein each of said reels 8a and 8b is provided at one end thereof with a knob 7a or 7b for rotating said reels manually, and at the other end thereof with a recess 31 into which said engage-ment shaft 26 with said belt 28 is fitted so that each of said reels is detachable therefrom.

7. A motor-operated memorandum device as claimed in Claim 4, wherein said casing 1 is provided at one end thereof with an indicator 36 of the month, the day of the month, the day of the week, etc., said indicator 36 being manually operated.

8. A portable motor-operated memorandum device comprising a casing within which are disposed two reels, a lengthy strip of paper also disposed within the casing, the ends of which strip are wound on to the reels respectively, the casing being provided with a window for viewing said strip of paper, and further containing a reversible electric motor and two reduction gear trains for driving the reels, and switch mechanism adapted to rotate one reel or the other by means of said electric motor, wherein a plate is disposed just under the window of the casing, two bearing plates are disposed under one side of the plate, a pinion fixed to the output shaft of the electric motor and positioned between the bearing plates, said reduction gear trains being arranged in a straight line and symmetrically on opposite sides of said pinion, and a swing gear on opposite sides of said pinion, each swingably supported in arc-shaped slots in 18.

the bearing plates so that the rotation of the electric motor is transmitted only to the reduction gear train on one side when one button of the switch mechanism is pressed and to the other gear train when the second button is pressed.

9. A portable motor-operated memorandum device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said switch mechanism comprises two sets of four superimposed thin metal plates with insulating plates interposed between them, and two push buttons each dis-posed over the end of one set of the metal plates, so that, when a button is pushed, two upper metal plates and two lower metal plates in a set contact each other to close an electric circuit and start the electric motor, the polarity and direction of rotation being reversed when the second button is pressed.

10. A portable motor-operated memorandum device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said switch mechanism comprises two sets of three superimposed metal plates with insulating plates interposed between them, and two push buttons, one disposed over the end of each set of the metal plates, the middle metal plate in each set normally being in contact with the upper metal plate and not in contact with the lower metal plate, the middle metal plate in either set being separated from the upper metal plate and contacting the lower metal plate when pressed by a button.
19.