GB1166441A - Aid to Communication for Handicapped Persons - Google Patents

Abstract

1166441 Communicating with the deaf or blind F LEWIN and F T THOMPSON 9 Jan 1967 [19 Jan 1966] 2451/66 Headings G4H 1A 1B 3A 5D 6A 6B 6E 9A 9B2 9B4 9E 9X and 12X A device to aid communication for handicapped persons comprises a number of keys, a head for recording elements of a code symbol on a tape, means for advancing the tape past the head, and means actuated by the keys for controlling the head and the advancing means, the arrangement being such that with a tape present in the device a recordal can be effected by depression of a key which will cause advancement of the tape and actuation of the head and further recordal is prevented until the advancement has been completed and the key released. The illustrated device, for recording morse code comprises keys 10 and 12 representing a dot and dash, which actuate electronic timer units T1-T4. The units actuate a tape drive 24 and pen relay 20 and prevent a further code element being printed until the tape has been advanced and an actuated key released. The pen relay causes a solenoid actuated pinch roller 72 to press the tape against a pen 64 for a timed period controlled by units T1, T3. After de-energization of the pen relay, the tape drive operates for another unit of time thus to give a spacing between symbols. The device may be conditioned so that a code symbol is printed in each of a plurality of equal lengths of the tape. A tape so printed can be read by a logical decoding system Fig.2 (not shown) for print out on a typewriter. Alternatively the symbols may be read directly from a tape or may be sensed by a photocell and transformed into a sound or pulse output Fig.3 (not shown).