US1609959A

US1609959A - Translating device

Info

Publication number: US1609959A
Application number: US56556A
Authority: US
Inventors: Prescott Thomas
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1925-09-15
Filing date: 1925-09-15
Publication date: 1926-12-07
Anticipated expiration: 1943-12-07

Description

Dec. 7 v

' T. PRESCOTT TRANSLATING DEVICE Filed Sept. 1925 J12 Blunf I34 Blue I39 BlacklSZBe C 3Clean no cm l7Conf s Can Cold ch 57 Car- Gl Candie Cake BlCandy SSCap INVENTOR 4 Dirty 2| Dry '55 Day 76 Dee z 1 om mm 158 BY ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 7, 1926 r ntense THOMAS PRESCOTT, OF STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA.

TRANSLATING DEVICE.

7 Application filcd September This invention relates to a device for translating one language into another, my principal object being to provide a device for the purpose by means of which any person may quickly and easily, and without mental effort or knowledge of spelling find the translation of words in a different language from that with which he is conversant and from which he desires to trans late.

The device is of such a nature that it may be readily provided with a vocabulary of generous size for two or more languages concurrently, without taking up much space, and the ribbons on which the words are printed may be easily removed and others of different languages substituted therefor, as the user may require,

No turning of pages is necessary as must be done withthe use of a translatingdictionary, and the ribbons are so arranged that they are protected from manual handling and will last indefinitely without becoming soiled or worn out.

The method I employ in making translations by the use of my device is such that after some little practice the user will be able to find words and form sentences therefrom much more rapidly than with the use of a dictionary.

A further object of the invention is to produce. a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effec tive for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and, relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views: I

Fig. 1 is a perspective elevation of the device.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of the translation ribbon,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary View of the index or reference ribbon.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the numeral 1 denotes a casing of suitable dimensions preferably having a front verti- 15, 1925. Serial No. 56,556.

cal wall 2 and a front horizontal wall 3 below said vertical wall.

Mounted in the casing behind the wall 2 are spools 4 and5 vertically spaced.

The upper spool 4 has a pinion 6 engaged by a gear 7 whose shaft 8 projects through one side of the casing and has a crank handle 9 fixed on the outer end thereof. The rotative movement of this handle is limited in one direction by a stop pin 10.

A ribbon sheeting 11. is removably secured to the spools in any suitable. manner so as to extend betweenwthe spools adjacent the front wall2. This ribbon is normally held wound onto the spool 5 by a spiral spring 12 extending between said spool and its fixed shaft 13. The gearing between the handle 9 and spool t is so arranged that said spring also tends to hold the handle 9 against the stop pin 10, in which position the ribbon 11 is about unwound from the spool 4:.

The ribbon has impressed thereon in vertically spaced lines any number of words in English or otherbase language being used, and its translationrin another language as shown at 14, Preferably. there is one word and its translation on each line, each base word being given an arbitrary number as indicated at 15. These numbers however preferably are arranged from the numeral 1 up, the said numeral being given to the first word at the top of the ribbon 11. To enable any'line to be seen from the front of the casing, the wall 2 is provided with a horizontal slot 16, which may have a magnifying glass arranged in connection therewith if the wording on the ribbon is in very fine printing. 7

Mounted in the casing under the wall 3 are horizontally spaced

spools

17 and 18 about which a ribbon sheet19 is wound, so as to exten'dadjacjent the wall 3. A spring 20 is associated with the spool 18 so as to cause the ribbon to be normally wound thereon. The spool 17 is provided with a handle 21 preferably operable from the side of the casing opposite to the handle 9.

The ribbon 19 has a complete vocabulary printed thereon, only in English or other base language, said vocabulary referably being arranged in alphabetically grouped IUU units, as shown at 22. Each word of the vocabulary has an index number adjacent thereto which is the same as the number of the corresponding base word on the ribbon To enable a number of words of the index ribbon to be visible at one time, the wall 3 has a transverse opening 23 therein. One side wall of the casing is preferably removable so that the spools may be withdrawn to remove the ribbons and substitute others if desired.

In operation the device is placed on a desk or the like with the operator sitting in front of the same. Turning the handle 21 with one hand he locates the desired word in the vocabulary, notes the index number thereof, and with the other hand turns the handle 9 until the corresponding index number is visible through the slit 16. The word desired, together with its translation will be thus exposed to view. The operations are then re peated for as many words as may be neces sary. 7

Very little practice is suiiiclent to enable the average person to become proficient in operating the device so that translation from one language to another may be quickly made with no mental and but little physical effort.

Though only one form of language is shown, any number of languages may be included by widening the device so as to allow of a. width of line on the ribbon 11 sufficient to accommodate a number of different translations of any words from a single base language.

The gearing between the handle 9 and the spool 4 enables a rapid and great movement of the ribbon 11 to be had with but a slight movement of the handle.

If the device is to be used for translating from either language into the other, the ribbon 19 also has a vocabulary in the foreign language as indicated at The words of said foreign vocabulary would have the same index numbers as the equivalent words in English or other base language.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

l/Vhile this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claimas new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: p

l. A translating device including a ribbon, wording arranged therein in lines each consisting of a word in a base language and its translation into another language, an additional ribbon having a vocabulary of the base language arranged thereon in alphabetical order, and a common index symbol. for each vocabulary word and the corresponding word on the first ribbon.

2. A. translating device comprising a casing having spaced horizontal slits in one face, spools turnably mounted in the casing, a ribbon wound on the spools to pass adjacent one'slit, wording arranged in horizontal lines on the ribbon, each line consisting of a word in a base language followed by its translation into another language, other spools turnably mounted in the casing in spaced relation to the first spools, a ribbon wound on said other spools to pass adjacent the other slit, a vocabulary of the base language printed in alphabetical order on the last named ribbon, and a common arbitrary index symbol acen t each word of themcabulary and the corresponding base-language word on the first named ribbon.

3. A translating device including a ribbon, wording arranged in horizontal lines thereon, each line consisting of a word in a base language followed by its translation into another language, separate vocabularies of said languages. arranged in connection with the device, andan arbitrary index symbol placed adjacent the base-language word of each line of wording on the ribbon; said symbol being also placed adjacent the corresponding Word in both languages'of the vocabulary.

4. A translating device including a longitudinally movable ribbon, wording arranged in transverse lines on said ribbon, each line conisisting of a word in one language and its translation into another, an additional longitudinally movable ribbon, a vocabulary of one language arranged in lines on said. last named ribbon, each word of the vocabulary and the corresponding word on the irst ribbon having a common arbitrary index symbol placed adjacent thereto, the symbols for the different words being alldifferent.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature THOMAS PRESCOTT.

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