GB126497A - An Improved Mechanical Translator or Educational Device for Teaching Languages. - Google Patents

Abstract

126,497. Russell, V. H. C., and Palmer, H. E. May 24, 1918. Word-building and like cards, strips, and apparatus; question-and-answer appliances.-Relates to mechanical translators and comprises independently movable sliders c having words belonging to different languages arranged in corresponding groups, all the words marked on any one slider being of the same part of speech. Fig. 1 shows the sliders mounted to slide between guidestrips b carried by a backing. A front covering provided with windows at the positions shown dotted at d is employed. The sentence to be translated is formed by moving the sliders until the required words appear through one set of windows; the translation may then be seen through the other set of windows. To enable the words indicating the negative to appear in the French sentence, the slide k has an extra limb k<1> and to alter the order of words, sliders l, m, with upper and lower limbs out of alinement are used. A modified form of translator comprises a thin sheet of cardboard h, Fig. 3, having slits g cut therein, the sliders c' being threaded through these slits. The sentence to be translated being caused to appear between the slits on one side of the device, the translation is seen below the lowest slit on the opposite side of the device. Instead of the enclosed casing shown in Fig. 1, an open framework may be employed and bars may be provided instead of apertures to indicate the lines of words. The device may be formed cylindrical, in which case the movable strips are in the form of rings mounted on the outside of a cylindrical support.