GB1095936A - Improvements in or relating to apparatus for teaching knowledge - Google Patents

Abstract

1,095,936. Educational appliances. G. B. STILLIT. Aug. 18, 1964 [Aug. 22, 1963], No. 33333/63. Heading G5G. A question and answer appliance comprises a sheet 1 having thereon a plurality of questions each associated with a plurality of answers one of which only is the correct one, said sheet overlying a platen 2 formed with a pattern 3 of electrically conductive paths 4 and 5. The platen may be constructed from an insulating material, e.g. cardboard, wood, plastics, and the pattern formed from a metal foil adhesively secured to the platen or the pattern may take the form of a printed circuit. The sheet is located on the platen by registering pegs so as to place a marked area 13 corresponding to the correct answer over an associated path 5, whereby the marked areas 12, 14 and 15 corresponding to the wrong answers overlie an insulating part of the platen 2. The correct answer is selected by piercing the marked area 13 by a contact element 6 having a sharp metal point 7 connected to is battery, a light bulb 9 and a flexible lead 10, the latter being connected to the common conducting path 4, whereby a visible signal is obtained by illumination of the bulb. The visible signal may be replaced by an audio signal and the signals may correspond to the incorrect answers. In another embodiment (not shown) the marked areas may be replaced by apertures and the apertures corresponding to the incorrect answers masked by dummy strips of non-conductive material. In a further embodiment (not shown) the marked areas corresponding to the correct answers may be of an electrically conductive material. In a still further embodiment (not shown) the contact element 6 may be replaced by a slider mounted to slide along the main path 4 a further contact establishing a circuit for the visible or audible signal when a correct answer has been selected. In a final embodiment (not shown) an apertured conductive plate is superposed over the platen 2 and separated therefrom by an insulative layer of paper or plastics material to form a composite integral sandwich board. The insulative layer is apertured to permit access of the contact element 6 in the case of correct answers and presenting a non-conductive area over the marked areas corresponding to the incorrect answers. The platen 2 and the conducting plate is connected in parallel in the case of correct answers to provide a contrasting signalling means with the signalling in the conductive plate only. The sheets 1 may be bound in a book form.