GB1595948A

GB1595948A - Cleanable writing plate

Info

Publication number: GB1595948A
Application number: GB4981477A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Broadhurst C J
Current assignee: Broadhurst C J
Priority date: 1977-11-30
Filing date: 1977-11-30
Publication date: 1981-08-19

Description

(54j CLEANABLE WRITING PLATE (71) I, CHARLES JOHN BROADHURST, of Botley Road, Oxford, a British Citizen, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement The invention relates to a cleanable writing plate.

In some parts of the world, for example in what are called "the developing countries", it is still customary to use slates and slate pencils in classrooms, more particularly where pupils are being taught to write.

Although the use of paper and pencils or pens is preferable to the use of slates and slate pencils there are many parts of the world where paper for classroom purposes is either not readily available or is too expensive for use by the pupils.

Whether slates or pens and paper are the writing tools that are used, in these same developing countries, as in the world generally, pupils are first taught to form letters. It is an object of the present invention to provide a writing plate which is not only cleanable but which provides a new and effective way of creating within the pupil the ability not only to form intelligible letters, but letters in a reasonably sophisticated style, the plate being of such a nature that pencil writing can be readily removed with a pencil eraser and pencil or ink writing can be readily removed by the use of a damp cloth or sponge.

The invention consists in a cleanable writing plate comprising a sheet of synthetic plastics material having a finely grained surface adapting the sheet to retain pencil and/or ink writing. the sheet being backed by support means giving increased rigidity to the sheet. the support means and the sheet defining between themselves a pocket with an opening for receiving sheet-like stiffening material or other sheet-like inserted material so that said material lies between said sheet and said support means.

The plastics material may be a polyester material.

The support means may comprise a further sheet of plastics material welded to the first said sheet around three marginal edges thereof.

The plate may comprise said inserted material which is ruled, printed or otherwise provided with guide lines, specimen writing or other graphic representations visible through the first said sheet.

The inserted material, housed in the pocket, may be specially prepared guide material which is ruled, printed, painted or otherwise provided with guide lines, specimen writing, drawings or other graphic representations. A pupil may attempt to copy such guide material, initially, in the manner of tracing by writing or drawing on the grained surface of the first said sheet dirctiy in register with the graphic representations of the guide material, and at a later stage, by copying rather than tracing, at a region of the first said sheet which is not in register with the said graphic representations, said region overlying a blank part of the said guide material.

Alternatively, the plate may comprise said inserted material. the first said sheet being transparent and the said inserted material presenting a white surface at the rear face of the first said sheet, whereby to provide a white visible backing to any writing written on the first said sheet, Advantageously, the further sheet is backed by an additional sheet of plastics material welded to the further sheet at three marginal edges, the further sheet and the additional sheet defining between them a further pocket serving for receiving sheetlike inserted material.

When the further pocket is provided, then the plate may comprise said sheet-like inserted material in said further pocket, said inserted material being ruled, printed or otherwise provided with guide lines, specimen writing or other graphic representations so as to constitute guide material which a person writing on the first said sheet can use as a guide.

In such a case the plate may also comprise a blanking insert disposed in the first said pocket, said blanking insert preventing the guide material from being seen through the first said sheet unless the blanking insert is removed by a user.

It will be appreciated that the blanking insert normally prevents the guide material from being seen through the first said sheet when the pupil wishes to attempt to write or draw without any guide, the blanking insert being readily withdrawable when it is desired to see the guide representations on the guide material.

In order to make the invention clearly understood, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which are given by way of example and in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a cleanable writing plate of the invention; and Fig. 2 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention.

The cleanable writing plate of Fig. 1 comprises a sheet of polyester synthetic plastics material having a finely grained surface 2. The surface 2 is of such a nature as to adapt the sheet to retain pencil and/or ink writing, the writing being readily removable by erasing with a pencil eraser, or by washing off with a damp cloth or sponge.

The sheet 1 is backed by a further sheet of plastics material 3, which is welded to the sheet I at three marginal edges 4, 5 and 6.

The sheet 1 and the sheet 3 define between them a pocket 7 in which stiffening material 8 is disposed. This stiffening material 8 may be ruled, printed, painted or otherwise provided with guide lines, specimen writing or other graphic representations which can be copied by a pupil either by the pupil directly tracing on the surface 2 of the sheet 1, in register with the graphic representations, or by the pupil attempting to copy the graphic representations by writing or drawing on a part of the surface 2 which does not overlie the said graphic representations. Preferably, the stiffening material 8 presents a white surface to the rear of the sheet 1, the sheet 1 being transparent, apart from the slight translucency imparted by the graining, so that the white surface of the inserted material 8 improves the visible contract of the writing on the surface 2 of the sheet 1.

In use of the cleanable writing plate of Figs. I and 2, writing is performed on the face surface 2 of the sheet 1, using an ordinary pencil or using ink, the writing being readily removable in the manner described above.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 2. a sheet 21 of polyester plastics material is provided, the sheet having a finely grained surface 22 with the same characteristics as the surface 2 of the embodiment of Fig. 1. The sheet 21 is backed by a fun her sheet of plastics material 23, which is transparent and which is welded to the sheet 21 at three marginal edges 24, 25 and 26. The sheet 21 and the sheet 23 define between them a pocket 27 in which a blanking insert 28 can be disposed. This blanking insert 28 preferably presents a white surface to the rear of the sheet 21, the sheet 21 being transparent, apart from the slight translucency imparted by the graining, so that the white surf,- of the blanking insert 28 improves the visible constrast of the writing on the surface 22 of the sheet 21.

The further sheet 23 is backed by an additional sheet 29 of plastics material, welded to the composite sheet structure at the three edges 24, 25 and 26, the further sheet 23 and the additional sheet 29 defining between them a pocket 30 for receiving guide material 32 similar to the stiffening and guide material 8 described above in respect of the embodiment of Fig. 1.

When the blanking insert 28 is present in the pocket 27, the guide material in the pocket 30 can not be seen by a user of the device, so that any writing or drawing performed on the surface 22 is unguided.

When guidance is required, the blanking insert 28 can be withdrawn, allowing the guide material in the pocket 30 to be seen.

Thus, by means of the invention, a cleanable writing plate is provided which can be manufactured at low cost and which represents a great improvement over known slate and slate pencil arrangements, the cleanable writing plate being pleasant to use and easy to restore to its original clean condition.

WHAT I CLAIM IS:- 1. A cleanable writing plate comprising a sheet of synthetic plastics material having a finely grained surface adapting the sheet to retain pencil and/or ink writing, the sheet being backed by support means giving increased rigidity to the sheet, the support means and the sheet defining between themselves a pocket with an opening for receiving sheet-like stiffening material or other sheetlike inserted material so that said material lies between said sheet and said support means.

2. A cleanable writing plate as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plastics material is a polyester material.

3. A cleanable writing plate as claimed in claim I or 2, wherein the support means comprise a further sheet of plastics material welded to the first said sheet around three marginal edges thereof.

4. A cleanable writing plate as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, and comprising said inserted material which is ruled, printed or otherwise provided with guide lines, specimen writing or other graphic representations visible through the first said sheet.

5. A cleanable writing plate as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, and comprising said inserted material, the first said sheet being transpar

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. guide material from being seen through the first said sheet unless the blanking insert is removed by a user. It will be appreciated that the blanking insert normally prevents the guide material from being seen through the first said sheet when the pupil wishes to attempt to write or draw without any guide, the blanking insert being readily withdrawable when it is desired to see the guide representations on the guide material. In order to make the invention clearly understood, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which are given by way of example and in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a cleanable writing plate of the invention; and Fig. 2 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention. The cleanable writing plate of Fig. 1 comprises a sheet of polyester synthetic plastics material having a finely grained surface 2. The surface 2 is of such a nature as to adapt the sheet to retain pencil and/or ink writing, the writing being readily removable by erasing with a pencil eraser, or by washing off with a damp cloth or sponge. The sheet 1 is backed by a further sheet of plastics material 3, which is welded to the sheet I at three marginal edges 4, 5 and 6. The sheet 1 and the sheet 3 define between them a pocket 7 in which stiffening material 8 is disposed. This stiffening material 8 may be ruled, printed, painted or otherwise provided with guide lines, specimen writing or other graphic representations which can be copied by a pupil either by the pupil directly tracing on the surface 2 of the sheet 1, in register with the graphic representations, or by the pupil attempting to copy the graphic representations by writing or drawing on a part of the surface 2 which does not overlie the said graphic representations. Preferably, the stiffening material 8 presents a white surface to the rear of the sheet 1, the sheet 1 being transparent, apart from the slight translucency imparted by the graining, so that the white surface of the inserted material 8 improves the visible contract of the writing on the surface 2 of the sheet 1. In use of the cleanable writing plate of Figs. I and 2, writing is performed on the face surface 2 of the sheet 1, using an ordinary pencil or using ink, the writing being readily removable in the manner described above. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 2. a sheet 21 of polyester plastics material is provided, the sheet having a finely grained surface 22 with the same characteristics as the surface 2 of the embodiment of Fig. 1. The sheet 21 is backed by a fun her sheet of plastics material 23, which is transparent and which is welded to the sheet 21 at three marginal edges 24, 25 and 26. The sheet 21 and the sheet 23 define between them a pocket 27 in which a blanking insert 28 can be disposed. This blanking insert 28 preferably presents a white surface to the rear of the sheet 21, the sheet 21 being transparent, apart from the slight translucency imparted by the graining, so that the white surf,- of the blanking insert 28 improves the visible constrast of the writing on the surface 22 of the sheet 21. The further sheet 23 is backed by an additional sheet 29 of plastics material, welded to the composite sheet structure at the three edges 24, 25 and 26, the further sheet 23 and the additional sheet 29 defining between them a pocket 30 for receiving guide material 32 similar to the stiffening and guide material 8 described above in respect of the embodiment of Fig. 1. When the blanking insert 28 is present in the pocket 27, the guide material in the pocket 30 can not be seen by a user of the device, so that any writing or drawing performed on the surface 22 is unguided. When guidance is required, the blanking insert 28 can be withdrawn, allowing the guide material in the pocket 30 to be seen. Thus, by means of the invention, a cleanable writing plate is provided which can be manufactured at low cost and which represents a great improvement over known slate and slate pencil arrangements, the cleanable writing plate being pleasant to use and easy to restore to its original clean condition. WHAT I CLAIM IS:-

1. A cleanable writing plate comprising a sheet of synthetic plastics material having a finely grained surface adapting the sheet to retain pencil and/or ink writing, the sheet being backed by support means giving increased rigidity to the sheet, the support means and the sheet defining between themselves a pocket with an opening for receiving sheet-like stiffening material or other sheetlike inserted material so that said material lies between said sheet and said support means.

ent and the said inserted material presenting a white surface at the rear face of the first said sheet, whereby to provide a white visible backing to any writing written on the first said sheet.

6. A cleanable writing plate as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the further sheet is backed by an additional sheet of plastics material welded to the further sheet at three marginal edges, the further sheet and the additional sheet defining between them a further pocket serving for receiving sheetlike inserted material.

7. A cleanable writing plate as claimed in claim 6 and comprising said sheet-like inserted material in said further pocket, said inserted material being ruled, printed or otherwise provided with guide lines, specimen writing or other graphic representations so as to constitute guide material which a person writing on the first said sheet can use as a guide.

8. A cleanable writing plate as claimed in claim 7, and comprising a blanking insert disposed in the first said pocket, said blanking insert preventing the guide material from being seen through the first said sheet unless the blanking insert is removed by a user.

9. A cleanable writing plate constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Fig. 1 or Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings.