GB2038067A - A bead frame - Google Patents

Abstract

A bead frame includes a base (10, 11) so arranged as to define a surface, and at least one wire, rod or the like (12a-12e) extending between parts of the surface and varying in position both relative to the plane of the surface and to any transverse normal plane passing therethrough. Moving the beads along more-or-less complex paths can aid in the organisation of motor skills, e.g. by children or the handicapped. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A bead frame This invention relates to a bead frame.

Bead frames per se are well known and in at least one form, the abacus, have been known for many centuries. Various simple bead frames have also been used for many years for children both as an educational device and as a toy.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved bead frame.

In accordance with the invention we provide a bead frame including a base so arranged as to define a surface, at least one wire, rod or the like extending between parts of the surface and varying in position both relative to the plane of the surface and to any transverse normal plane passing therethrough.

Preferably the base comprises two spaced members which define the surface with one end of the or each wire being interconnected with each member.

Preferably each wire has a second end at a position spaced from a position normal to its initial position and preferably the wires have their ends so arranged that when more than one wire is used there are wire ends lying in pairs on notional lines parallel on the surfaces.

The invention also includes a frame of the type described containing at least two wires where the wires inter-relate with and overlap other wires. Also within the scope of the invention is a bead frame of the type generally referred to where the beads on different wires are of different shapes and/or colours.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood we shall describe three particular forms of bead frame with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first form of the invention, designated a suprermaze; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a second form of the invention designated a corkscrew; Figure 3 is an end elevation of a third form of the invention designated loop the loop and arch; and, Figure 4 is a plan view of the loop the loop and arch of Fig. 3.

It is to be understood that these three embodiments are exemplary only of the invention and many other forms of bead frames can be prepared which exhibit the properties of the invention.

In each case we show a base which comprises two side members 10 which are intsr- connected by rods 11 although the particular form of base can be widely varied. It is sufficient that it can rest stably on a surface such as a floor and it is desirable that itself can define a "surface" even though, as illustrated a notional surface being the plane in which the tops of three side members are located.

In the embodiment of Fig. 1, the supermaze, is connected to and between the side members 10 there are five wires 1 2a, 1 2b, 1 2c, 1 2d, 1 2e, although it is to be understood that the number of these wires is not limiting. Each wire is connected to each side member 10 and the wires are connected in pairs but preferably, although not necessarily, no wire is connected to each of the side members as an adjacent pair, that is no wire has each end connected to a side member 10 along a line normal to the two side members.

Thus, it can be seen that wire 1 2c which is the nearest on the left side which has round beads 13' in fact terminates in the third position on the other side.

Each wire is provided with beads 13', 13", 13"', 1 3"", 1 3""' Preferably the beads on each wire are of the same shape but are differently shaped from the beads on each other wire and also preferably the beads on each wire are of the same colour but differently coloured on each other wire.

The particular configuration of the wires 1 2 are not specifically part of the invention but as can be seen from the photograph they tend to inter-relate with and cross over each other so that it is possible to arrange the beads on different wires in various configurations one with the other.

The corkscrew, illustrated in Fig. 2 has a single wire which has a substantially vertical central portion with a spiral of increasing diameter formed thereabout. Again the ends 15, 1 6 of the wire are located at different positions along the side members 10 and, again, there are beads 1 7 shown to be of the same shape on the wire 14. The beads can be of different shapes and can be the same or different colours.

The loop the loop and arch, illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 has two wires with wire 1 9 being an arch extending across the surface and wire 1 8 being looped thereover.

Again each wire has beads 20, 21 which may be of the same or different shapes and/ or colours.

We have found that the frame of the invention are useful for teaching both motor skills and language skills.

As far as motor skills are concerned the frames are good for both perceptive and sensory motor skills. For example, in kindegartens the different shapes and colours of the beads can be used to help children visualise the paths of the wires and the movement of the beads permits the development of following paths. Also the different colours of the beads can be used to differentiate paths, as can the different shapes. The frame is particularly useful for the handicapped and because of the different shapes of beads can readily be used by the blind. It is also useful in hospitals and can be used by occupational therapists both for young people specifically those who are hospitalised and the mentally handicapped, and is also useful for geriatric patients.

As far as language skills are concerned, various orientations of the beads can be used to reach the concept of, say, up, down, beside, above, beneath, etc.

As illustrated the base can also be considered as functional. The rods 11, particularly and also the side members 10 can be used to hold the frame so it can be located in different orientations by a user or one of a group of users.

Also the rods can be used to partly obliterate material placed thereunder.

In this specification we have described three embodiments of the invention but to persons skilled in the art it will be clear that a family of bead frames can be designed, within the scope of the invention as claimed in the affixed claims, whereby valuable assistance can be provided for the very young and the handicapped so that gross motor skills can be assisted, through slightly more complicated forms of frames which assist with fine motor skills and which can also be used as a precursor to writing, to use of both hands and to the concept of position, colour and shape and to basic language and mathematics.

More complicated frames, again tend to aid fine manipulation skills but with these the emphasis on development of motor skills lessens and the frames are useful in developmental areas, formal curricular areas, incidentual areas and therapy areas. The use of the invention in education will readily be appreciated by educationalists.

Claims (10)

1. A bead frame including a base so arranged as to define a surface, at least one wire, rod or the like extending between parts of the surface and varying in position both relative to the plane of the surface and to any transverse normal plane passing therethrough.

2. A bead frame as claimed in claim 1 wherein the or each wire has at least one bead thereon.

3. A bead frame as claimed in claim 2 wherein there are at least two wires the wires each having at least two beads thereon, the beads on any wire distinguishable from the beads on any other wire.

4. A bead frame as claimed in claim 3 wherein the beads on any wire are of the same shape and/or colour.

5. A bead frame as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the base comprises two spaced members, the upper edges of which lie in a plane which is the surface, one end of the or each wire being connected to each of the spaced members.

6. A bead frame as claimed in claim 5 wherein there are at least two wires, the ends of the wires lying in pairs on parallel lines crossing the base, the ends of at least two wires being located at positions not being defined by one of the parallel lines.

7. A bead frame as claimed in any preceding claim wherein there are at least two wires which inter-relate with and overiap each other.

8. A bead frame as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the base has a pair of spaced side members to which are attached the wire(s) and at least one member interconnecting the side members.

9. A bead frame as claimed in claim 8 wherein there are three interconnecting members.

10. A bead frame substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 1 or Fig. 2 or Figs. 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.