US2149459A - Educational device - Google Patents

Description

March 7, 1939; T B MQREHQUSE 2,149,459

EDUCATIONAL DEVICE Filed March 14, 1936 3 Sheets-Shet 1 5A Q HA o E] 2:39 [@225 @511 U as i2 I 5 o w m March 7, 3939. T. B. MOREHOU SE EDUCATIONAL DEVICE Filed March 14, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 7, 1939 T. B, MOREHOUSE EDUCATIONAL DEVICE Filed March 14, 1936 '3 Sheets-She't z zuNNnm Patented Mar. 7, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFF 20- Claims.

This invention relates to electrical devices and more particularly to educational devices in which one of several suggested answers to each number of questions is selected by the operator or student and an electrically operated signal indicates the correctness of the selected answer, and also to question sheets for use upon such devices.

In the class to which this invention pertains there have been developed a number of electrical questioners of the educational type in which various question and answer cards are placed in position on the device and, either by setting dials or making contacts with flexible leads, the correctness of a chosen answer is electrically indicated.

However, in each of these devices of which the present inventor is aware, there is a fixed geometrical relationship between the question and answer, which relationship holds regardless of which of several cards is placed on the machine.

For instance in a common type the question sheet is divided into two distinct portions and, when placed on the questioner, contact pins protrude through the card. A flexible lead connected to the indicating device is contacted with one pin corresponding to a question printed on one of the portions of the card. The other of the two flexible leads provided, is contacted to a contact pin protruding through the other portion of the card. Supposedly the operator reads each of the statements on this portion of the card and selects the answer to the chosen question and then makes the contact. If the answer selected is correct the buzzer will sound or a light will light. The disadvantage of this type of questioner is that each of the contacts may be tried in turn by rapidly passing the lead across a row of contacts until the signal is given. There is a possibility that the answer will not even be read. Also after a few operations the geometrical relationship between the corresponding contact pins is memorized and thequestion itself is forgotten. This is obviously the proper psychological reaction as the relationship is the same for each card and. the process involved is much less difiicult than the process of reading and learning each answer on each card.

It is the object of this invention to provide an educational questioner which will overcome the above noted difficulties and prevent a manipulation without actually answering the questions proposed.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a questioner which shall be operable continuously and shall avoid the necessity of changing cards with great frequency.

It is an ancillary object of this invention to provide question sheets for use with the questioners comprising part of this invention.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following specifica- 5 tion when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In accomplishing the objects of this invention the questions and. answers are printed on a question sheet, which may take the form of cards or 10 rolls. Perforations are provided through the question sheet through which electrical contacts may be established. The exact location of the hole for each question, for instance, may be varied slightly and such variation controls the loca- 15 tion of the appropriate answer. However, the exact relationship between the perforations of successive questions or cards is concealed from the operator. Due to the large number of combinations possible, learning the plan is not only 20 improbable but is more difiicult than learning the appropriate answers.

This invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a plan view of an electrical ques- 25 tioner constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is an end cross-sectional view of the questioner shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a wiring diagram of the contacts of 30 the questioner shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Figures 4 and 5 represent question cards for use on the questioner shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Figures 6 and 7 are question cards for use on two alternative forms of electrical questioner con- 35 structed in accordance with the invention.

Figures 8 and 9 are wiring diagrams of electrical questioners to operate with question cards shown in Figures 6 and 7 respectively.

Figure 10 is a plan view of an electrical ques- 40 tioner adapted to operate with the question cards shown in Figures 6 and 7.

Figures 11 and 12 are front and end cross-sectional views respectively of the questioner shown in Figure 10.

Figure 13 is a selective contact strip constituting part of a selective contact device for use in the questioner illustrated in Figure 10.

Figures 14 and 15 are side and end views respectively of a pressure spring constituting part 5 of the above mentioned selective contact device;

Figure 16 is a cross-section of'the questioner shown in Figure 10 showing an alternative form of selective contact device.

Figures 1'7 and 18 are side and end views re- 55 spectively of the selective contact springs for use in the device illustrated in Figures 16, 19 and 20.

Figure 19 is a plan view of an electrical questioner for continuous operation and employing the form of question sheet of either of the cards shown in Figures 6 and 7, and

Figure 20 is an end view of the questioning device shown in Figure 19.

Attention is now invited to Figures 1 and 2 in which corresponding parts are designated by the same reference characters. In these figures the electrical questioner is embodied in a box 20 having a hinged cover 22 in the latter of which are I adapted to be held a series of question cards 24. A dividing strip 26 divides the box into two parts in one of which, designated as 28, are' contained the electrical elements comprising two flexible contact leads 30 and 32, binding posts 34 and 36, battery 38, held between spring contact clips 40, and buzzer 42, all connected in series as indicated by the broken lines. s

In the other part 44 of the box 20, spaced from the bottom 26 thereof by spacing blocks 48 is the contact platform 55 upon which are mounted flush with the top thereof, a series of rectangular contacts 52, at the left end and a, series of circular contacts 54 at the right end. Also mounted on the contact platform are shown four alignment pins 55. The contacts are electrically connected through the contact platform in the space 58 between the contact platform and the bottom 56 of the box. These connections may be of any appropriate arrangement as shown, for example, in Figure 3 to which attention is now invited.

The contact plates 52 are so disposed that a corner of each of four plates will project within each of the contact areas generally indicated by reference characters l-IG inclusive. Although,for the purpose of ease in drawing, these plates have been indicated as quite widely separated, they are in actual practice very close together.

It will be observed that the contact plates 52 are of three sizes. The large square plates project into four contact areas, the small square plates project into but a single contact area, and the oblong plates project into two contact areas. Each of the large square plates is directly connected to one of the circular contacts 54 and each circular contact is connected to a plate extending into four contact areas. The remaining contact plates 52 are so connected to each other and to circular contacts 54 that each circular contact 5 5 will be connected to contacts 52 projecting into four. contact areas. The wiring diagram of Figure 3 illustrates only one of an infinite number of ways that these desirable connections may be made.

Each of the contact areas I-l6 corresponds to a contact area in which is printed one of the questions Ql-Ql5 inclusive, as'indicated on the question cards MA and 24B shown in Figures 4 and 5 to which attention is now invited. Each of the question cards is divided into a question portion Q and an answer portion A and is provided with alignment holes 56A to fit over the pins 55 fitted to the contact platform 50 of the questioner. Each end of each question card is divided into sixteen oddly shaped boxes in each of which is a hole fill. Theposition of each hole in the portion Q is within the corresponding contact area but may be chosen to fall on any one of four contact plates 52 and thus a connection may be arranged to be made to any of four contacts 5 5 by properly positioning the hole 60. 'The shape of the boxes on the Q end of the card is chosen to conceal from ready notice which of the contact plates may be connected through the hole 65 in any particular box and thus the contact 54 under which of the boxes in the A end of the card is live and will give the correct answer signal in operation. It is obvious that a nearly infinite number of combinations of arrangements of the perforations 60 on the A end of the card may be made. Furthermore, the questions may be' printed on either the Q end or the A end, adding further combinations, and questions and answers both may appear in either end. This makes learning the system more difficult than learning the answers.

A further complication may be added by-having contact plates 52 on both ends of the device in place of the contacts 5G on one end thereof. Thus the holes 60 on the A end of the card may be in any of four positions and an answer may be in any of the sixteen boxes of the A end. However, for ordinary purposes the arrangement shown causes learning the system to be suflicientlydiflicult to accomplish the objects of the invention.

In the operation of the form of electrical questioner just described, card 24a for instance is placed on the questioner. The contact lead 30 is connected through the hole 60 in any of the boxes in the Q end. Connection with this card may be made to the contact plates 52 as indicated by the circle marked X in'each of the contact areas of the diagram of Figure 3. With this connection made through the hole 60 in the box labeled Ql connection is made to contact 54 in the right hand end of the second row, and the appropriate answer will be found at box labelled Al in the A end of the card 24A. When the lead 32 is connected through the hole 6!! of this box the circuit through the battery and buzzer will be completed and a signalwill be given indicating the correct answer. If card 24B as illustrated in Figure 5 is placed on the device instead,.it will be necessary to contact the left hand contact in the second row to answer the question in box Ql of this card. The contacts which may be made in each contact area with card 24B on the device are indicated by the black dots in each area in the diagram shown in Figure 3.

An alternative form of the electric questioner constituting this invention is shown in Figures 8, 10, 11, 12,13, 14, and 15 and the question card for operation with this device is shown in Figure 6. Attention is now invited to these figures.

The question card shown in Figure 6 is divided into three portions, C, Q and A. The Q portion contains a list of questions, the A portion contains a list of answers and may contain a perforation 50 corresponding to each answer, and the C portion contains a plurality of contact areas, comprising a number of columns in each of which, on a line corresponding to each question of theQ portion, is a perforation 69' for controlling the relationship between the question and the appropriate answers as will now be described.

' When placed on the questioner shown in Fig ure 10, and which will be described later, each of the holes 60 liesover or has placed therethrough a contact 54 .and the holes 59' will each lie over one of a series of contacts 52 which may take the form of the contact bars shown in Figure 8. In operation, the circuit is made by connecting the battery 38 and "buzzer 42 in series through the selective contact 62 which will contact to one of the contact plates 52 through whichever hole 60 appears in the contact area corresponding to the selected question. The circuit is completed through theconnection to the corresponding contact 54 and through the perforation 60 in the A portion of the question. card when connection is established by connecting the lead 32 to the appropriate contact 54. It will be noted, that, for each question, contact may be made byv the selective contact with either of five contacts 54 depending upon in which column the perforation 60' appears. As shown, the answer for any of the questions may appear either on the line opposite the question or on either of the two lines above or below the question. Any other arrangement may be made if desired. When in operation the C portion of the card is conceal-ed from the view of the operator.

The questioner for operation with the question card 240 comprises a box 20 divided into the portions 28 and 44 by the strip 26. The portion 28 contains the binding posts 34 and 36, battery 38, and buzzer 42.

In the portion 44 of the questioner is the contact platform 50 on the right hand end of which are mounted the contacts 54 which may take the form of pins as shown and thereby render the use of other alignment pins unnecessary. The contacts 52 are mounted on the left hand end 56 of the contact platform 50 and the connections between the contacts 52 and contacts 54 are made in the space between the contact platform. and the bottom of the box.

A selector platform 64 is secured over the contacts 52 and a fence 66 is provided at the edge thereof to hold in place over the contacts a selective contact strip 68 as the question card is shoved under the selector platform when ill. is being placed on the machine or when it is being removed therefrom. This contact strip is electrically connected to the binding post 34. The strip is made of light springy'sheet metal and comprises a series of hemispheric-a1 depressions 10 arranged in rows and columns to correspond with those on the portion C of the question card. In the space between each adjacent laterally spaced depression 10 is a cut 12 for permitting relative motion of the adjacent depressions. as the selector switch is operated. Between the selective contact strip 68 and the selector platform 64 are contact springs 14 which are shown more particularly in Figures 14 and 15. These springs are of light spring material and have a semi-circular cross-section. For selectively operating the various selective contact springs are provided buttons l6 which may be se-. cured to the tops of the springs 14 in any appropriate manner. These buttons are keyed to prevent rotation and insure alignment of the contact springs 14.

In operation a card24C is inserted into the machine by inserting its edge portion C under the fence 66 and, when in position, permitting the portion A to drop into place with the pins 54 through the holes 60. A question is selected and the adjacent button 16 is depressed. The lead 32 which is connected to binding post 28 is then placedin contact'with the pin 54 corresponding to the answer believed to be most suitable to the selected questions If the answer is correct the buzzer will operate and indicate the fact. For example using the card shown in Figure 6, if question Qi is selected, the answer is the third from the top. If on the other hand the contact area for this question had been perforated in another column the answer would have been found in another place, five places being possible in the example chosen. As it is impossible to see which column has the perforation after inserting the card in the questioner, it is easier to learn the answers to the questions than to try to dope the machine. Thus the object of the invention is accomplished.

An alternative form of electrical selective contacts for use on the questioner just described is shown .in Figures 16, 1'7 and 18. In this form, the selector platform is removably secured in position by means of small movable detents l8. Secured to the platform by rivets which form contacts 80 on the outside thereof are a series of selector springs 14 which are shown more clearly in Figures 1'7 and 18. These contacts are of arcuate cross-section and provide a terminal portion 82 for each column of the-portion C of the question card 240. On each terminal portion is a hemispherical contact point adapted to pass through the perforations in the portion C of the card 240 whenever such perforation is aligned therewith. With this arrangement in use the question is selected by connecting the lead 30 tothe binding post 34 and. touching it to the appropriate contact 8|] instead of pressing the button 16 as in using the device just previously described. The answer is selected as before and its correctness is indicated by operation of the buzzer.

A further obvious modification is to terminate the card 240 at the dotted line at the right thereof as shown in Figure 10. Alignment is secured by fitting the card snugly within the questioner. The contacts 54 may be flat circular plates or push buttons may be used for each contact and the correct answer will be indicated upon pressing the appropriate button.

Attention is now invited to Figure 7 which shows an alternative form of question sheet in the question card 24D, for use on a similar questioning device. This card comprises three sections. The left hand and central portions designated as C and Q respectively are precisely similar to the similarly designated portions of the card shown in Figure 6. The right hand portion designated A comprises a plurality of columns each having a perforation 60 opposite toeach question of the portion Q. One of a number of confusingly similar answers is printed in the spaces of this portion opposite to each question. One answer is correct as indicated by T and the remainder are false as indicated by J. A similar card may contain any desirable number of columns and the A and the perforations in portions C may be so made that a buzz will result from an incorrect answer if desired.

The wiring diagram for contacts 52 and 54 for use with this type of question sheet is shown in Figure 9. These contacts may be arranged on the machine, shown in Figures l0, l1 and 12. Preferably, however, the contacts 54 shown as pins are replaced by flat stripcontacts set flush with the top of contact platform 50 and alignment pins similar to those shown in Figures 1 and 2 are provided. With this arrangement the selective contact devices shown in and described in connection with either Figures 10-15 inclusive or Figures 16-18 inclusive may be used. Furthermore a single contact 54 may be provided on the questioner for each column of the portion A, such contacts being either above or below the card.

Either the form of question sheet 240, shown in Figure 6, or 24D shown in Figure 7 may be in the form of a roll. A questioning device for use with rolls having either of these forms is shown in Figures l9 and 20 to which attention is now directed.

A roll 24E is wound upon a roller 82 and is passed over the contact platform 56 to the roller 84. Each of these rollers is mounted for rotation by having one reduced end inserted through a hole in the right hand end of the box 26 and the left hand end rotatably disposed in a slot 86 in the dividing strip 26. A crank 8'! having a squared end is removably fitted into the end of roller 84 by which the question sheet is moved across the contact platform. When on the questioner the end of end question roll is removably secured to the roller 84, and the roller 82, upon which each question roll is kept While not in use, is provided with a square hole in the right hand end to receive the crank 81 to permit rewinding the question roll.

A cover 88 having an approximately shaped cut-out portion 90 is provided to cover the ques tion sheet and more particularly the portion thereof. The cover is secured in position by turnbuttons 92. A single selective contact 74 connected as indicated to the battery 38 is riveted or otherwise secured to the cover 88 in a position over the portion C of the question sheet. The wiring of the contacts for either form of question sheet is shown in dotted lines although the question sheet shown on the device as illustrated is of the form shown in Figure 6. The cover 88 may be modified if desired when using the form of roll shown in Figure '7 to reveal only a single line of the roll although this is not necessary. As the questions are rolled into place one of the hemispherical contacts of contact spring 14 will pass through a perforation in the portion C of the roll in each contact area thereof and establish contact with one of the contacts 52 and thus the corresponding contacts 54. A flexible lead 32, (not shown), connected to binding post 36 is contacted through a ho1e60 and the correctness of the answer selected is indicated by the action of the buzzer 42 when the circuit therethrough is completed. The contacts 54 for either type of roll may be so arranged as to be contacted without the use of the perforations 6B in the question sheet. 7

A roll of the type shown in Figure '7 may be used with only two columns in portions C and A by simply confining the perforations and printing to the selected portions of the question sheet and Without variation of the contacts or wiring of the questioner.

It is to be understood that this invention is not to be construed as limited to the forms shown and described for the purposes of illustration but rather by the scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims,

I claimi 1. A question sheet for use on an electrical questioner, comprising a first portion and a second portion, a plurality of pairs of statements printed on said sheet with one statement of each pair printed in each of said portions, a contact area associated with each statement of the first portion and a perforation through said sheet in each contact area, the position of the perforation in the contact areas indicating the location, within the second portion, of the statement corresponding to that printed in the first position of said sheet adjacent each contact area.

2. A question sheet for use on an electrical questioner, having a first portion and a second portion, a plurality of pairs of statements printed on said sheet with one statement of each pair printed in each of said portions, a contact area associated with each statement of each of said portions, and .a perforation through said sheet within each contact area, said perforations in the contact area associated with at least one of each pair of 'statements being located in a position within said area indicating in which of several possible positions within the other portion is located the corresponding statement of said pair.

3. A question sheet for use on an electrical questioner, having a first portion and a second portion, a plurality of boxes printed upon said sheet within each of said portions, a plurality of pairs of related statements printed upon said sheet with one statement of each pair printed in a box of each portion of said sheet, a perforation through said sheet within each box of one portion of said sheet, said perforations being arranged in regular rows and columns, a contact area within each box of the other portion of said sheet, said contact areas being arranged in rows and columns corresponding to those of the perforations on the first mentioned portion of said sheet, and a perforation through said sheet within each of said contact areas, the position of said perforation Within said contact areas indicating in which 'of several boxes within the other portion of said sheet is located the statement corresponding to that printed in the box containing each contact area.

4. A question sheet for use on an electrical questioner, said sheet comprising three columns,

the'first columns including a series of vertically disposed contact areas, the second column including one of two related statements disposed adjacent each contact area, and the third column including a series of statements corresponding to those of the second column but not necessarily on the same line therewith, and the perforation through each contact area indicating the position in the third column of the statement corresponding to that printed in the second column adjacent said contact area.

5. A question sheet for use on an electrical questioner, said sheet comprising three columnar portions, one portion including a series of vertically disposed contact areas, the second portion including one of two related statements printed adjacent each contact area, and the third portion including two or more vertical columns, each column containing a statement which is truly or falsely related to that in the second portion on the same line therewith, and a perforation through said sheet in each contact area, the position of the perforation in each contact area indicating in which column of the third portion is to be found the statement which is truly related to that printed in the second column adjacent said contact areas.

6. A question sheet for use on an electrical questioning device, said sheet being in the form of a roll and comprising three columns, the first column including a series of contact areas, the second column including one of two related statements disposed adjacent each contact area of the first column, and the third column including a series of statements corresponding to those included in the second column of said sheet but iii not necessarily'on the same line therewith, and a perforation through said sheet in each contact area, the lateral location of said perforation within 'said'area indicating the position in thethird column of the statementcorresponding to that printed in the second column adjacentsaid contact area.

7. A question sheet questioning device, said sheet being in the form of a roll and comprising three columnar portions, the; first portion including a series ofvertically disposed contact areas, the second portion in,- cluding one of two related statements printed adjacent each contact area of the first portion, and the. third portion including two or more vertical columns, each column containing a statement which is truly or falsely related .to that in .the second portion on the same line. therewith, and a perforation through said sheet in each contact area of the first portion, the position of the perforation within the said areas indicatingv in which column of the third portion is located the statement which is truly related to that printed adjacent each contact area.

8. Inan electrical questioner, a contact platform divided into two portions, each of saidportions having at least one contact area, a plurality of contacts mounted upon said platform in each contact area, and electrical connections from each contact in each contact area of oneof said portions to a different contact in the other portion, and there being a plurality of contacts in one of said portionsarranged opposite a single contact in the other portion.

9. In an electrical questioner a contact platform divided into two portions, a plurality of contact areas in one vof said portions, a plurality of contacts mounted upon said platform in each of said contact areas, a plurality of contacts mounted upon-said platform in the other portion, and an electrical connection contacts in each contact area of the one portion of the platform to a different contact in the other portion of said platform.

10. In an electrical questioner a contact platform divided into two portions, a plurality of contact areas in one of said portions, a plurality of contacts mounted in said portion in such position as to extend into and form a contact in several of said contact areas, a plurality of contacts mounted upon said platform in the other of said portions, and an electrical connection between each of the first mentioned contacts and one of the last mentioned contacts whereby a connection may be made from each contact area of said first portion to several of the contacts in said second portion.

11. In an electrical questioner a contact platform divided into two portions, a plurality of contact areas in one of said portions, a plurality of rectangular contacts mounted in the said portion extending into several of said contact areas, four of said contacts extending into each contact area, a plurality of contacts mounted upon said platform in the other of said portions, and an electrical connection between each of the first mentioned contacts and one of the last mentioned contacts whereby a connection may be made from each contact area to four of the contacts in the second mentioned portion of said contact platform.

12. In an electrical questioner a contact platform divided into two portions, a plurality of contact areas in the first of said portions, a plurality of contact bars mounted on said platform for use on an electrical between each of the,

'within the said portion, said contact bars being arranged; to extend into .oneor more contact areas, two-.or more..of..said'.;bars extending into each of said. contactareas, a. plurality of con-' tacts; mounted upon said platform. within the second of said portions, and an electrical connection between each :ofsaid contact bars and one of .:the last mentioned contacts, whereby a :connectionmay. bemade from each contact area to twoor. moreof the contacts in the second mentioned :portion'. of said contact platform.

.; 13.;In an electrical. questioner a contactv platform divided into two portions, a plurality of contact areas a. first of said portions, a plurality of elongated contact bars mounted upon said platform withinzsaid portion toextend diagonally: acrossseveral. of said contact areas, a plurality of contacts mounted upon said plat.- form within. the second. of. said portions, said contacts being disposed nection-between. each. of said contact bars and one of the contacts in .the'second portion of said contact platform, whereby a connection may be made. from each;contact area to several of the contacts in the second mentioned portion of said contact. platform.

1 14. In an electrical questioner a contact platform divided into two portions, a plurality of contactareas in each of said portions, a pinrality. of elongated contact bars mounted upon said platformwithin eachof said portions to extend across each ofthe contact areas within said portion, and an. electrical connection between. each of the contact bars in one of the said portions .of. said'platform and a contact bar within the-other .portion of saidplatform, whereby a connection may be made from each contact area :of thetfirst: of said portions to each position in each contact area of the other of said portions of said platform:

' 15.:In an electrical: questioner a contact platform divided into. two portions,.a series of contacts mounted upon said platform within each of said sportions, an electrical, connection be-' tween each one of the contacts within one of the portions and a corresponding contact within the other of said portions, a selective switch including a contact for each of the contacts mounted within the first area, a question sheet mounted to be passed across the contact platform and means included in said sheet to connect a predetermined one of the contacts of said selective switch with a contact mounted in the first portion of said platform and thereby connect such switch contact with a contact within the second portion of the contact platform.

16. In combination with a questioning device, a question sheet including two portions and perforations through each of said portions each of said perforations being associated with a question or an answer, said perforations in one of said portions being irregularly disposed'so that when in operation upon said questioning device, the exact location of such perforations and therefore its import is disguised from the operator.

1'7. In an electrical questioner adapted to operate with a question sheet as claimed in claim 1, a

contact platform divided into two portions; a

contact area in the first of said portions for cooperation with each contact area of said question sheet; a plurality of contacts in said contact area; a plurality of contacts mounted in the second of said portions of said contact platform; connections between each of the contacts in the first portion and one of these in the second por- .in. a line, and a con-.

sive device, a flexible lead,-and a selective switch all connected in series; said switch being adapted upon operation thereof to contact one of the con- 7 tacts in'the'first contact area of said contact platform depending upon the location of the perforation in the contact area of said question sheet, whereby when the flexible lead is contacted to the. contact in the second'portion of the contact platform adjacent the statement corresponding to that printed adjacent the contact area of said question sheet with reference to said selective switch is operated, said responsive device will operate.

I 18. In an electrical questioner adapted to be operated with a question sheet as claimed in claim 4 a contact platform divided into a first portion and a second portion; a plurality of contact areas'in' the first portionpa pluralityof elongated contact bars mounted upon said platform within said portion to extend diagonally across several of said contact areas; a plurality of contacts mounted upon'said platform within said second portion; said contacts being disposed in a line; an electrical connection between each of the contact bars and one of the contacts in the said second portion; and an electric circuit comprising a source of power, a responsive device, a flexible lead, and a selective switch, said switch being adapted upon operation thereof to contact one of said contact bars depending upon the location of the said perforation in the contact area corresponding to the selected question .of the question sheet, whereby when the flexible lead is contacted to the contact in the second portion of the contact platform adjacent the statement corresponding to that printed adjacent the contact area of said question sheet with reference to which said selective switch is being operated, the circuit will be completed and th said responsive device will operate. 19. In an electrical questioner adapted to be operated with a question sheet as claimed in claim 2,149,459 'tion of said contact platform; and an electrical 5, a contact platform divided into two portions; a plurality of contact areas in a first of said portions; a plurality of elongated contact bars crossing'each'o'fsaid contact areas; a plurality of contacts mounted in a second portion of said contact platform, at least one of'said contacts corresponding to each of the vertical columns of the third portion of the question sheet; and

an electric circuit comprising a source of power, a responsive device, a flexible lead, and a selective switch for operation with each of the contact areas of said question sheet, said switch being adapted upon operation to contact with one of the contacts of'the first portion of the said contact platform'corresponding to a selected question of the second portion of the said question sheet depending upon the location of the said perforations in the contact areas in the question sheet, whereby when the flexible lead is contacted with the contact in the second portion of the contact platform correspondingto the appropriateanswer to' the selected question the circuit will be completed and theresponsive device Will operate.

20. A question. sheet for use on an electrical questioner, said sheet comprising three portions, thefirst portion including a series of vertically disposed contact areas, the second portion including one of two related statements printed adjacent each contact area of the first portion, and the third portion including two or more vertical columns, each column containing a statement truly or falsely related to that in the second portion on the same line therewith, a perforation through said sheet adjacent each of the said last mentioned statements, and a perforation through the said sheet within each contact area of the first portion of said sheet, the position of the perforation within the said contact areas indicating in which column of the third portion is to be found the statement which is truly related to that printed adjacent each contact area. 7

TERRY B. MOREHOUSE.

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