GB2140949A

GB2140949A - Indexing system

Info

Publication number: GB2140949A
Application number: GB08413784A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Derek John Wakefield
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1983-05-31
Filing date: 1984-05-30
Publication date: 1984-12-05
Also published as: GB8413784D0

Abstract

In order to select, from a plurality of entries, an entry satisfying certain defined criteria, a set of sheets 1 of the same size each of which is representative of a predetermined criterion for selection is used. Each sheet 1 includes one or more windows 7 located on the sheet in predetermined positions chosen from among a plurality of possible positions 6, each of which corresponds to a respective one of the entries, a window 7 in one of these positions 6 indicating that the corresponding entry satisfies the criterion represented by that sheet 1. The sheets 1 are placed one on top of another and aligned so that corresponding possible positions 6 are in register on successive sheets. The entries, if any, which satisfy the relevant criteria may then be determined by noting the positions 6 in which the windows 7 in successive sheets 1 are in register, and finding the corresponding entries in a reference list. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Indexing system The invention relates to an indexing system, and more particularly to such a system for selecting, from a plurality of entries, an entry satisfying certain defined criteria.

Specialist books list species and varieties of plants and animals together with their distinctive features, habits and the like. However, it is often required to select a particular species or variety from amongst such a list solely according to required or observed criteria. For example, it may be required to select from a list of shrubs a shrub which has a required size, colour and flowering time, or alternatively it may be required to select from a list of birds a species which possesses the characteristics of a particular bird observed, in either case selection of the appropriate shrub or species can be a timeconsuming and laborious process requiring a search through a large number of entries in the list until an entry satisfying the necessary criteria is found.

According to the invention, there is provided an indexing system for selecting, from a plurality of entries, an entry satisfying certain defined criteria, the system comprising a set of sheets the same size each of which is representative of a predetermined criterion for selection and each of which includes one or more windows located on the sheet in predetermined positions chosen from among a plurality of possible positions, each possible position corresponding to a respective one of the entries and a window in one of these positions indicating that the corresponding entry satisfies the criterion represented by that sheet, corresponding possible positions being located in register on successive sheets, and a reference list giving the entries from which selection is to be made and assigning a respective possible position on each sheet to each of the entries by means of indentifying references for the possible positions, whereby selection of an entry satisfying the defined criteria may be achieved by placing the sheets representative of these criteria one on top of another and determining what entry or entries, if any, satisfy all these criteria by noting the position or positions in which the windows in successive sheets are in register and finding the corresponding entry or entries in the reference list.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the possible positions on the sheet are indicated by references marked on the sheet assigning a respective entry on the reference list to each possible position on a sheet. Preferably the possible positions on each sheet are arranged in a regular matrix comprising columns and rows.

In order that the invention may be more fully understood, a preferred form of the indexing system of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing in which Figures 1 and 2 show two sheets of the indexing system.

The following description will be given with reference to an indexing system for selecting, from a list of shrubs, a particular shrub which satisfies certain required criteria. However, it should be appreciated that such a system could equally as well be used for selecting a particular entry satisfying certain criteria from amongst a list of trees, herbaceous plants, perennial plants or bedding plants, for example. Furthermore the system could also be used as an aid to identifying animals, plants or other objects according to their observed characteristids. It is specifically envisaged that the indexing system could be used for identifying birds, insects, mammals or aeroplanes.

Referring to Figues 1 and 2, the indexing system comprises a number of rigid PVC sheets 1,each of which is associated with a particular criterion for selection. Thus the sheet shown in Figure 1 is associated with the criterion of a shrub possessing a dwarf habit, and the sheet of Figure 2 is associated with the criterion of a shrub being a lime-hater, as indicated by the headings 2 on these sheets 1. Each sheet is basically transparent but has an opaque backing. The sheet is screen-printed with a grid 3 comprising columns and rows, column references 4, row references 5 and other wording such as the heading 2. The grid 3 defines a plurality of possible positions 6 constituted by squares and individually identifiable by the column and row references 4 and 5.A number of circular transparent windows 7 are located on each sheet 1 in a predetermined position chosen from among the possible positions 6, these windows being formed in the backing of the sheet.

The indexing system further comprises a reference list (not shown) giving the list of shrubs from which the selection is made and assigning a respective possible position 6 on each sheet to each shrub by means of the column and row references 4 and 5.

Brief descriptions of the appearance, habit, etc. of each shrub are also given alongside each entry in this list.

In use of the indexing system to select a shrub, those sheets corresponding to the criteria which are to be used for selection are placed on top of another so that the grids on the various sheets are aligned and those positions are noted where windows 7 in all the sheets are in register. Since each window7 indicates that the shrub corresponding to the position of that window satisfies the criterion of the relevant sheet, those positions where windows 7 in all the sheets are in register indicate those shrubs which satisfy the criteria of all the sheets. Thus, for example, if the sheets of Figures 1 and 2 are placed on top of another, it is found that the shrubs corresponding to the references El 1, E12, E13, FG8 and Sal 0 satisfy both criteria, and the identify of these shrubs can be determined by referring to the reference list.

The sheets are produced using a two stage screen-printing process in which the grid and references are applied to the back of a transparent blank in a first printing step using black ink, and the backing defining the windows is then applied to the back of each sheet in a second printing process using white ink. In order to produce the screen for printing the grid, a photographic mask is first produced from the initial art work, and a screen having photosensitive material applied thereto is then exposed through the mask so produced so as to form ink permeable and ink impermeable areas on the screen. The photographic process by which these areas are formed on the screen is well known in the art of screen-printing and will not therefore be described in detail.

In order to form the screen for printing the backing, the art work for each sheet is produced by applying small adhesive circles of opaque material to a transparent sheet in the required positions for the windows as determined by a print of the grid which is used as an underlay. A set of masks corresponding to the different sheets of the indexing system is then produced from this art work by a photographic process, the portions of each mask corresponding to the windows being opaque. A photosensitive screen is then exposed through each mask so as to produce areas on the screen which are ink permeable and further areas on the screen, corresponding to the opaque portions of the mask, which are ink impermeable.

Finally the sheets themselves are produced by screen-printing transparent blanks first with the grid and corresponding references by applying black ink through the grid screen, and then with the backing by applying white ink through the backing screen. In practice it is found convenient to produce the sheets in sets on a single piece of material, and then to subsequently cut the material into the separate sheets, although it will be appreciated that this does not alter the basic production process.

The above-described process is particularly advantageous since it enables accurate positioning of the windows in relation to the grids and accurate registration of windows in successive sheets, whilst also rendering the sheets particularly durable since no holes are cut in the sheets. However, the indexing system could also make use of punched cards. In this case the cards could either be produced by multiple simultaneous hole punching using a set of formes (one for each card), or by drilling each hole separately, although such methods are likely to be costly and time-consuming. Accurate reproduction at economic rates of production could be achieved, however, by using an automatic reproducing punch of a type similar to the Hollerith or Powers-Samas machines.

A disadvantage of such cards is that the holes punched in them would tend to render the card less durable unless special steps are taken. For example the cards could be made sufficiently large enough to allow adequate spaces between the holes, or alternatively the cards could be laminated with a plastics material after punching.

Claims

1. An indexing system for selecting, from a plurality of entries, an entry satisfying certain defined criteria, the system comprising a set of sheets of the same size each of which is representative of a predetermined criterion for selection and each of which includes one or more windows located on the sheet in predetermined positions chosen from among a plurality of possible positions, each possible position corresponding to a respective one of the entries and a window in one of these positions indicating that the corresponding entry satisfies the criterion represented by that sheet, corresponding possible positions being located in register on successive sheets, and a reference list giving the entries from which the selection is to be made and assigning a respective possible position on each sheet to each of the entries by means of identifying references for the possible positions, whereby selection of an entry satisfying the defined criteria may be defined by placing the sheets representative of these criteria one on top of another and determining what entry or entries, if any, satisfy all these criteria by noting the position or positions in which the windows in successive sheets are in register and finding the corresponding entry or entries in the reference list.

2. An indexing system according to claim 1, wherein the possible positions on each sheet are indicated by references marked on the sheet assigning a respective entry on the reference list to each possible position on a sheet.

3. An indexing system according to claim 1 or2, wherein the possible positions on each sheet are arranged in a regular matrix comprising columns and rows.

4. An indexing system according to claims 2 and 3, wherein each possible position is indicated by a column reference marked on the sheet identifying the column of the possible position and a row reference marked on the sheet identifying the row of the possible position.

5. An indexing system according to claims 3 and 4, wherein the possible positions are indicated by a grid marked on each sheet.

6. An indexing system according to any preceding claim, wherein each window indicating that the corresponding entry satisfies the relevant criterion is constituted by a transparent portion of the corresponding sheet, substantially the whole of there- mainder of each sheet being opaque.

7. An indexing system according to any preceding claim, wherein each window indicating that the corresponding entry satisfies the relevant criterion is circular.

8. An indexing system according to any preceding claim, wherein each window indicating that the corresponding entry satisfies the relevant criterion is of such a size that, where two such windows are located in adjacent possible positions, the two windows are not joined together.

9. An indexing system according to any preceding claim, wherein each sheet is made of plastics material.

10. An indexing system according to any preceding claim, wherein each sheet has been subjected to a screen-printing process.

11. A method of selecting, from a plurality of entries, an entry satisfying certain defined criteria, the method comprising placing one on top of another a set of sheets each of which is representative of a predetermined criterion for selection and each of which includes one or more windows located on the sheet in predetermined positions chosen from a plurality of possible positions, each possible position corresponding to a respective one of the entries and a window in one of these positions indicating that the corresponding entry satisifes the criterion represented by that sheet, aligning the sheets so that corresponding possible positions are in register on successive sheets, noting the position or positions, if any, in which the windows in successive sheets are in register, and determining what entry or entries, if any, correspond to the windows in register.

12. A process for producing sheets for an indexing system each of which includes one or more transparent windows located on the sheet in predetermined positions chosen from among a plurality of possible positions, which process comprises making a mask for each sheet in which the portions of the mask corresponding to the windows to be produced on the sheet are opaque, exposing a photosensitive screen through each mask so as to produce areas on the screen which are ink permeable and further areas on the screen, corresponding to the opaque portions of the mask, which are ink impermeable, and printing each sheet by applying a suitable ink to a transparent blank through the appropriate screen, the ink being applied to the blank only in those areas in which the screen is ink permeable so that the windows are formed in those areas in which the screen is ink impermeable.

13. A process according to claim 12, wherein each sheet has a grid printed thereon, which process further comprises making a further mask for producing the grid, exposing a photosensitive screen through the mask so as to produce ink permeable and ink impermeable areas on the screen, and printing a grid on each sheet using this screen in a separate operation to formation of the windows on the sheets.

14. An indexing system for selecting, from a plurality of entries, an entry satisfying certain defined criteria, the system being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

15. A method of selecting, from a plurality of entries, an entry satisfying certain defined criteria, the method being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

16. A process for producing sheets for an indexing system, the process being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.