GB2229968A

GB2229968A - Guide device for completing a football pool coupon

Info

Publication number: GB2229968A
Application number: GB9006043A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Pauline May Shippey
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1989-03-17
Filing date: 1990-03-16
Publication date: 1990-10-10
Anticipated expiration: 2010-03-16
Also published as: GB2229968B; GB8906197D0; GB9006043D0

Abstract

A guide device (11) for use in completing a form having a plurality of columns, such as a football pool coupon, comprising a support (12) for elongate rectilinear guide members (18, 19, 20, 21), the support having openings (15, 18, 17) through which a part of the form is exposed when the support is positioned over it, the guide members being movable, transversely of their length, to obstruct selected parts of the exposed area of the form whereby to prevent inadvertent entries thereon. <IMAGE>

Description

A GUIDE DEVICE The present invention relates to a guide device, and particularly to a guide device suitable for use in completing a form, especially a form having a plurality of columns such as a football pool coupon.

One of the problems encountered when making numerous entries in forms, especially forms having columns such as football pool coupons, in which corresponding columns in several sets have to receive entries, is the risk of making an incorrect entry inadvertently because of an error in identifying the correct column. This can lead to some difficulty since the quality of paper used does not lend itself easily to erasure of incorrect marks, especially if an ink pen is used for making them.

The present invention seeks to provide means for ensuring correspondence of entries over several sets of columns in order to ensure that entries can be made without error.

According to one aspect of the present invention, therefore, a guide device for use in completing a form having a plurality of columns, such as a football pool coupon or the like, comprises a support for a plurality cf elongate substantially rectilinear guide members, the sawd support having one or a plurality of openings through wh~c}- a part or parts of the form is or are exposed when t"- support is positioned over it the said elongate substantially rectilinear guide members being movable, transversely of their length, to obstruct select parts of the exposed area of the form whereby to prevent inadvertent entries thereon.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the support is a planar panel with laterally extending carriers for the said guide members. This panel preferably includes transparent windows or is entirely transparent and the windows, or parts of the transparent panel, may be shaped to provide a magnification of the underlying form. This is especially convenient in the areas corresponding to the parts of a football pools coupon overlying the teams as it facilitates reading the small print.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the support is formed as the front cover of a cassette or cartridge receiver for the form. Such a cassette preferably has a slot to receive the form under the apertures in the said panel.

Alternatively, however, the support may be formed as a hinged panel attached to a base, in which case the panel itself preferably supports the carriers for the guide members. In embodiments formed as a cassette the guide member carriers may be formed on the base or on the panel as convenient.

The elongate rectilinear guides preferably have enlarged ends in the form of transverse projections engageable in slots or grooves guiding their movements. The number of guides provided is preferably one less than the number of columns to be filled so that only one column is accessible at any one time. It is possible, of course, to provide fewer guides usable simply to obstruct a previously filled column and consequently allow the user to protect this filled column from inadvertent additional entries. The rectilinear guides are also preferably provided with an additional lateral projection, formed integrally or -as an additional component adhered or otherwise secured to the guide to allow easy manoeuvrability. Each projection is offset from the next so that they do not interfere with one another.

One embodiment of the present invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing the single figure of which is a perspective view of a guide device adapted for use in completing a football coupon form.

Referring now to the drawing a form entry guide device generally indicated 11 comprises a rectangular body constituted by a cover panel 12 of rectangular outline held spaced over a base panel 13 by an intervening rectangular frame 26. Along one longitudinal edge of the body is a horizontal slot 14 by means of which a form can be introduced into the laminar space between the cover panel 12 and the base 13.

The cover panel 12 is formed with a plurality of rectangular cover panel openings 15, 16, 17 through which selected areas of a form introduced through the slot 14 can be reached to make entries. Positioned within the rectangular cover panel opening 15 are four rectilinear guide members 18, 19, 20, 21 the width of which matches the width of one column of a matrix drawn on the form in a manner conventional for football pool coupons. At each end of each rectilinear guide member there is provided a transverse projection. The transverse projections at one end of the rectilinear guide members 18, 19, 20; 21 are identified with the reference numerals 22, 23, 24, 25 respectively.These transverse projections extend into a transverse groove 27 formed in the base panel member 13 so that the rectilinear guide members 18, 19, 20, 21 can be displaced laterally of their length within the aperture 15.

Stops 28, 29 prevent the rectilinear guide members 18, 19, 20, 21 from being displaced beyond the confines of the aperture 15 and the number of guide members is chosen to be one less than the number of columns to be entered in the form introduced into the space between the cover panel 12 and the base panel 13 through the opening 14.

A similar configuration of elongate rectilinear guide members is provided underneath the apertures 16 and 17, and in Figure 1 only two such guide members have been shown although it will be appreciated that any number may be provided in accordance with the requirements of the form to be filled. Indeed, in another embodiment (not shown) the cover panel 12 is hingedly connected over the base panel 13 so that the number of rectilinear guide members can be changed when different forms are used.

In use of the apparatus of the invention a form to be filled is introduced through the slot 14 and positioned with the columns of interest underlying the apertures 15, 16, 17. The rectilinear guide members are all moved to one side of the aperture exposing a single column in which appropriate entries can be marked at will, there being ne risk of inadvertently marking an entry in the wrong column.

The first of the rectilinear guide members is then transferred from its position to a new position at the opposite edge of the aperture exposing a new column which can then be entered, again with no risk that entries may be made in the wrong column inadvertently since only one column at a time is accessible. This process continues, with each rectilinear guide member being moved in turn across the opening to expose a different column in which selected entries can be warped. When complete the form is then withdrawn through the slot 14 and despatched.

Claims

CLAII > :S

1. A guide device for use in completing a form having a plurality of columns, such as a football pool coupon or the like, comprising a support for a plurality of elongate substantially rectilinear guide members, the said support having one or a plurality of openings through which a part or parts of the form are exposed when the support is positioned over it, the said elongate substantially rectilinear guide members being movable, transversely of their length, to obstruct selected parts of the exposed area of the form whereby to prevent inadvertent entries thereon.

2. A guide device as claimed in Claim 1, in which the support is a planar panel with laterally extending carriers for the said guide members.

3. A guide device as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which the panel includes transparent windows or is entirely transparent.

4. A guide device as claimed in Claim 3, in which the said windows, or parts of the transparent panel, are shaped to provide a magnification of the underlying form.

5. A guide device as claimed in any precedincj Claim, in which the support is formed as the front cover of a cassette or cartridge receiver for a form.

6. A guide device as claimed in Claim 5, in which the cassette or cartridge has a slot to receive the form under the apertures in the said panel.

7. A guide device as claimed in any preceding Claim, in which the support is formed as a hinged panel attached to a base, the panel itself supporting the carriers for the guide members.

8. A guide device as claimed in any preceding Claim, in which the said elongate rectilinear guides have enlarged ends in the form of transverse projections engageable in slots or grooves for guiding their movements.

9. A guide device as claimed in Claim 8, in which the said rectilinear guides are also provided with an additional lateral projection, formed integrally or as an additional component adhered or otherwise secured to the guide, to allow the guide device to be gripped by the user.

10. A guide device as claimed in Claim 9, in which each said additional lateral projection on adjacent rectilinear guides is offset from its neighbour longitdinally of the guide so as to be exposed for gripping.

11. A guide device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.