US2742713A - Educational question and answer toy - Google Patents

Description

A ril 24, 1956 o. VILLANUEVA EDUCATIONAL QUESTION AND ANSWER TOY 3 Sheets-Sheet Filed Sept. 27, 1954 INVENTOR. OSCAR V/L LANUEVA.

April 4, 1956 o. VILLANUEVA 2,742,713

EDUCATIONAL QUESTION AND ANSWER TOY 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 27, 1954 INVENTOR. OSCAR WLLAA/UEVA April 24, 1956 o. VILLANUEVA 2,742,713

- EDUCATIONAL QUESTION AND ANSWER TOY Filed Sept. 27, 1954 s Sheets-Sheet s v A I 0 I INVEN TOR. OgCA/f WLLAA/UBVA.

United StatesPatent O 10 Claims. (Cl. 35.-9)

My present invention relates to educational devices and more particularly to a device in the nature of a ,toy for exercising the mind of a child in answering problems in arithmetic and in other fields of study.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a mechanically operating device or toy by which problems to be solved mentally may be set up and answered by mechanical means which in the event of a correct answer will indicate and/or dispense a rewarding token.

Another object of the invention is to provide a problem presenting and answering mechanism in the form of a toy which may be operated in a simple manner by a child with a minimum of elfort and which is composed of a minimum of complicated parts that can be economically manufactured. e

A further object of the invention is to provide a manuallyoperated toy which when properly operated for the solution of a problem presented-thereby will dispense a token in reward for a correct answer and which in the event of a wrong answer will jautomatically operate to change the'problem and thus prevent a second try for a right answer to the presented problem.

- Other objects and advantages will be in part evident to those skilled in the art and in part pointed out in more detail hereinafter in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein there is shown by wayof illustration and not of limitation a preferred embodiment of the invention. v

In the accompanying drawing- V Figure l is an isometric view of a device constructed in accordance with the invention with cover removed,

Figure 2 is a similar view of a cover such as is employed with the device as shown in Figure 1 of the drawing,

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken longitudinally along the operating center line of the device,

Figure 4 is a plan view of the device as shown in Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings, 1

Figure 5 is afragmentary vertical sectional view taken along the line V-V of Figure 4 looking in the direction of arrows,

Figure 6 is a plan view similar to Figure 4 with the parts in dilferent operating positions,

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view taken along section line VII-VII of Figure 6 looking in direction of arrows and witha small central portion set back as indicated by said section line,

.Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII of Figure 3 looking in direction of arrows, and

Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view taken along line IX-IX of Figure 4 looking in direction of arrows.

While the device as indicated above has been described as relating to an educational toy, it may be also considered as a game apparatus in the sense that by a proper manipulation thereof in accordance with conditions set up therein the device is adapted to dispense a token as a reward in the event of a proper operation of the device 1 as is determined by successively changing conditions therein.

i 2,742,713 Patented Apr. 24, 1956 For a general description of the apparatus here shown to illustrate my invention, reference is now particularly made to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings wherein the numeral 10 designates a shallow rectangular housing or. base portion over which an enclosing cover 11 is mounted. The cover 11 has a raised circular portion 12 having sight openings 13 and 14, the purpose of which will become apparent as the description proceeds. In addition to the sight openings the cover 11 also carries a coin magazine 15. As shown, the housing 10 has a substantially central pedestal 16 that serves as a support for the inner end of a rotatable and axially moveable shaft 17 upon which there is mounted a problem carrying wheel 18 and an answer carrying wheel 19. The problemcarrying wheel 18 and the answer carrying wheel 19 are notched about their periphery to provide spaced lands 20 and 21 upon which there is respectively printed or otherwise formed a problem and an answer thereto. When the related problem and answer carrying lands 20 and 21 are placed in register and viewable through the sight openings 13 and 14 of the cover 11 the device can then be operated to control a coin dispensing mechanism which is associated with the magazine 15 carried by the cover 11. This coin dispensing mechanism comprises a fixed surface plate 22 having a circular dispensing opening 23 over which there I is mounted a slideable coin displacing slide 24 that is adapted to be actuated by axial movement of the shaft 17. In this arrangement the coin engaging slide 24 is biased into its inoperative position by means of a spring 25. a i

At the inner end of the shaft 17 there is an enlarged head 26 which is also adapted to engage with an extension upon the slide 24 to insure a return thereof to its inoperative position. As illustrated in Figure l of the drawing, the enlarged head 26 carried by the shaft 17 is disposed between extending fingers 27 and 28 which are carried by a slide or problem resetting device 29 that is mounted upon a slideway 30 carried by the housing 10 in spaced parallel relation with the axis of the operating shaft 17.

As will be hereinafter pointed out in more detail, the

slide or resetting device 29 has spaced vertically extending guides 31 between which there is mounted a vertically moveable problem wheel engaging element 32 that has an extending tooth or teeth which engage with slots or notches 33 extending into the periphery between the lands 20 of the problem carrying wheel or drum 18. At its extreme end the slide or resetting device 29 also carries a notch engaging member 34 that is adapted to engage one of the notches 35 between the lands 21 of the answer carrying wheel 19. In this figure of the drawing it will be noted that the problem carrying wheel 18 and the answer carrying wheel 19 are positioned on opposite sides of a yielding ratchet mechanism 36 which is to be explained in greater detail hereinafter. The central pedestal 16 ofrthe housing 10 is also here shown as carrying an axially extending cam-like member 37 and an adjacent projecting lip 38 which operate 'upon both rotary and axial movement of the shaft 17 to control the position of a radially extending pin 39 which is loosely mounted to turn freely about the shaft 17. Under operating con ditions this radially extending pin 39 will engage the coin dispensing slide 24 and dispense a coin when a correct answer to a problem is set up with the answer wheel 19 by an axial movement of the shaft 17. To facilitate manual operation of the shaft 17 in both its rotary and axial movements there is provided a knurled operating not shown at its other end the cover 11 has a properly dimensioned notch to accommodate the shaft 17 when the device is closed. When the cover 11 is positioned upon the housing in this manner the sight openings 13 and 14 will be positioned over the problem carrying wheel 18 and the answer carrying wheel 19 so that only one of the spaced lands upon each of these wheels will be visible therethrough. When the shaft 17 is pulled out of the housing or to the right as shown in Figure l the resetting slide 29 will be moved likewise to the right and cause the problem carrying wheel 18 to be rotated in a manner explained hereinafter to bring a particular land 20 thereof into register with the problem sighting opening 13 of the cover 11, then by a rotation of the shaft 17 in a clockwise direction any desired land 21 of the answer carrying wheel 19 may be brought into register with the sight opening 14 of the housing 11. When a proper answer is brought into register with a problem in this manner under the sight openings 13 and 14 the shaft 17 can be moved axially and into the housing so as to move the pin 39 carried thereby in such a manner as to operate the coin dispensing slide 24 and cause a coin to drop from the coin magazine 15 and be finally discharged from the housing 11 through a side opening 41. This axial movement of the shaft 17 will also serve to move the extending tongue 34 of the resetting slide 29 into locking engagement with the answer carrying wheel 19 and at the same time release the problem carrying wheel 18. Then upon reverse or outward movement of the shaft 17 the resetting device 32 will operate to reset the problem carrying wheel 18 in a new position and thus present a new problem in the sight opening 13 of the cover 11. During this reverse movement of the shaft 17 the extending tongue 34 will be moved out of engagement with the answer carrying wheel 19 and the latter may then be again turned by rotation of the shaft 17 to set up a proper answer at the sight opening 14 for the new problem.

With the above in mind, reference is now made to Figures 3, 4 and 5 of the drawings where the shaft 17 is shown as extended into the housing 10 to a position intermediate its limits of movement. As particularly well shown in Figure 3 the shaft 17 carries a fixed key 42 that is adapted to move axially within a keyway 43 in such a manner that the shaft 17 may move relative thereto without releasing the wheel 19. When the answer carrying wheel 19 is positioned in proper problem solving relation with the problem carrying wheel 18 the keyway 43 thereof will be located in register with a keyway 44 formed in the problem carrying wheel 18 in such a manner that the shaft 17 may then be moved into its extreme left hand position where the coin dispenser operating pin 39 will operate to move the coin displacing slide 24 a distance suflicient to discharge a coin from the magazine 15. At the end of this movement the pin 39 will drop through the cut away portion 45 of the fixed surface plate 22 and around the end of the cam 37. As is also well illustrated in these figures of the drawings, the yielding ratchet mechanism designated generally by the numeral 36, comprises a slideable collar or sleeve 46 that is splined to the hub of the problem carrying wheel 19, as is more clearly shown in Figure 8 of the drawings, by means of a plurality of keyways 47 formed in the hub of the answering wheel 19 and projecting tongues or keys 48 carried by the sleeve 46 and operating to bias the sleeve 46 outwardly from the answer carrying wheel 19 there is a helical spring 49. At its outer face the sleeve or collar 46 is provided with an annular sawtooth or ratchet-like surface 50 which engages with a similar matching surface 51 formed upon the engaged face of the problem carrying wheel 18. With this arrangement it will be evident that the problem carrying wheel when not oherwise held may be rotated relative to and independently of the answer carrying wheel 19 and in like manner it will be seen that this ratchet-like connection will also permit the answer carrying wheel 19 to rotate in a reverse direction when it is not held against rotation by the extending tongue 34 carried by the resetting slide member 29. At the same time this ratchet mechanism will prevent a reverse rotation of the wheels 18 and 19 when one or the other is locked in position as indicated above. With the lands 20 and 21 upon the wheels-18 and 19 held in alignment in this manner and irrespective of the relative locations of the keyways 43 and 44 or the questions and answers carried thereby it will be only when the keyways 43 and 44 are in register that the shaft 17 may be moved a distance sufficient to operate the coin dispensing slide 24. In the event that an attempt is made to operate the shaft 17 with an incorrect answer in register with a problem set up at the sight opening 13 the keyways 43 and 44 will not be in register and as a result it will be found that the shaft can be moved a distance only sufficient to bring the key 43 into engagement with the inner face of the problem carrying wheel 18. When this occurs the pin 39 carried by the shaft 17 will fail to operate the coin dispensing device. As a further consequence the pin 39 will not move far enough to drop through the notch and from the surface of the fixed surface plate 22, but will be carried back under the projecting lip 38 upon the next operation of the device and in this position it will be held inoperative with respect to the coin dispensing mechanism upon the next correct answer operation of the device. That is until the shaft 17 has completed a full length operating stroke which will permit the pin 39 to drop from the surface plate 22 and into cooperating relation with respect to the cam 37 for a return to its operative position above the projecting lip 38. In other words, the pin 39 will not become again operative with respect to the coin dispensing mechanism until after at least one operation with a correct answer to a problem has been accomplished. In this situation when the correct solution is set up, the pin 39 will be moved sufiiciently far to again assume its resetting relationship with respect to the cam 37. Then upon a subsequent operation of the device the pin 39 will be carried around by the cam 37 and reset in an operative position with respect to the coin dispensing mechanism as above described. This feature in a sense provides a penalty for a wrong answer as the operator must now present two correct answers in succession before receiving a rewarding token in the form of a coin or other object. However, where a correct answer is initially set up and the shaft 17 is moved inwardly as above indicated, the pin 39 will be moved a distance sufiicient to clear the end of the cam 37 and then as the shaft 17 is moved outwardly or to the right as here viewed the pin 39 will be caused to turn about the shaft 17 as it rides over the camming surface of the cam 37 when this operation is completed, the pin 39 will assume a position above the lip 38, as shown in Figure 6, from which it will drop to the surface of plate 22 and into operative relation with the coin dispensing device and dispense a coin upon each successive correct answer to a problem.

Upon now referring particularly to Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings it will be seen that when the shaft 17 is moved inwardly to actuate the coin dispensing apparatus the enlarged head 26 thereupon in conjunction with the extended fingers 27 and 28 will cause the resetting slide member 29 to move along the slideway 30 and thus bring the answer wheel locking member 34 into locking engagement therewith. When the answer carrying wheel is thus locked against rotation the key 42 carried by the shaft 17 will be extended into the problem carrying wheel 18 and thus this latter Wheel will be also locked against rotation. During this movement of the shaft 17 the resetting device 32 will be moved out of engagement with the problem carrying wheel 18. At the same time the keyways 43 and 44 of the problem and answer carrying wheels 18 and 19 will be held in register by the key 42 so that the shaft 17 may be moved outwardly to again release the answer carrying wheel 19 so that it may be turned by a rotation of the shaft 17. During this axial movement of the shaft 17 the resetting slide member 29 will carry the resetting device 32 into engagement with the problem carrying wheel and after becoming engaged with a notch of the problem carrying wheel 18 will move upwardly between the vertical guides 31 and thus cause the problem carrying wheel 18 to be moved a fraction of a revolution with respect to the answer carrying wheel 19. This vertical movement of the resetting device 32, as will appear more clearly hereinafter, is accomplished by a camming web 50 which has a notch 51 that is straddled by a portion of the resetting device 32 as is more clearly shown in Figure 9 of the drawings. At its end this notch 51 in the camming web 50 has an inclined portion 52 which when engaged by the straddling portion of the resetting device 32 will cause the latter member after becoming engaged with the problem carrying wheel 18 to move the problem carrying wheel 18 a distance of two lands with respect to the sight opening'13 of the cover 11 and thus present a new problem for answer by a turning of the answer carrying wheel 19 into proper relationship therewith.

As shown in Figures 6 and 7 of the drawings, the shaft 17 is in its extreme outward or righthand position and as a result the problem wheel resetting device 32 is here shown as in full engagement with the problem carrying wheel 18 and in its elevated'position. Under these conditions, as previously indicated, the problem carrying wheel 18 will have been advanced a distance of two lands so as to present a new problem beneath the sighting aperture 13 of the cover 11. At the same time the extending tongue 34 carried by the resetting slide 29 will be in disengagement with the answer wheel 19 and thekey 42 carried by the shaft 17 will have been withdrawn from the problem carrying wheel 18. Thus a turning of the answer carrying wheel 19 will be possible by rotation of. the shaft 17. During this rotation of the answer carrying wheel 19 the problemcarrying wheel 18 will be held against rotation and the ratchet-like connection 36 between the problem carrying wheel 18 and the answer carrying wheel 19 will become operative to insure a stopping of the answer carrying whee119at any point through a complete revolution thereof with a land 21 thereuponin register with one of the lands 20 of the problem carrying wheel 13. If by this turning of the shaft 17 the operator should bring a land 21 of the answercarrying wheel which has the correct answer to a problem carried by a particular land 20 of the problem carrying wheel into alignment the keyways 43 and 44 carried respectively by these wheels will be in register and ifitis assumed that the pin 39 carried by the shaft 17 is in the position shown in Figure 6, this pin 39 will engage with the slide 24 of the coin dispensing mechanism and cause the coin to be discharged from the magazine 15 as the reward for a correct answer. On the other hand, if an incorrect answer is set up with the answer carrying wheel 19 the inward movement of the shaft 17 as suggested above will be limited by an engagement of the key 42 carried thereby with the face of the problem carrying wheel 18.

In order to render the device more interesting and also somewhat more difiicult in its operation and particularly to make more difficult the memorizing of the various problems by a child, I prefer to form the problem carrying wheel 18 and the answer carrying wheel 19 with an odd number of lands and with this arrangement the problem carrying wheel 18 is advanced a distance of twolands upon each operation thereof. As a result it will require two complete revolutions of the problem carrying wheel 18 before the same problem will again appear under the sight opening 13 of the cover 11. As a'further variation of the invention, I may also provide the problem carrying wheel with more than one keyway with a corresponding number of similar answers upon the answer car'rynig wheel 19 so that when any one of the problems corresponding to a particular keyway of the problem. carrying wheel 18 is correctly answered by a turning of the answer carrying wheel 19 the device may be operated as above indicated.

drums, I desire to have it understood that the invention is not necessarily limited to this particular construction. It is conceivable that the problem carrying element 18 and the answer carrying element 19 may take other forms. I desire to have it also understood that insead of the coin dispensing mechanism as controlled by the slide 24 I may associate my invention with a conventional article dispensing device that will dispense some article otherthan a coin as a rewarding token. For example, it is contemplated that the coin dispensing device here illustrated and described may be modified so as to dispense a reward in the form of gum or candy and possibly a quantity of peanuts or the like. With these possibilities in view it can be readily seen that while the device is here illus trated and described as an educational toy the mechanism here disclosed may be embodied in a public vending machine in such a manner that upon the insertion of a coin the shaft 17 will become exposed or otherwise rendered operative for the actuation of the device as above described and when properly operated a reward in the form of merchandise will be dispensed by the vending machine. With the above in view and for the sake of clearnes's and in order to disclose the invention so that the same can be readily understood, I have described and illustrated a specific form and arrangement and I desire to have it understood that the invention is not limited to the specific form disclosed, but may. be embodied in other ways that will sugegst themselves to persons skilled in the art. It is believed that this invention is new and all such changes as come within the scope of the appended claims are to be considered as part of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In an educational toy of the character described,

' the combination of a housing with a sight opening through which a problem carrying element is exposed and a sight opening through which an answer carrying element is exposed, a manually controlled rotatable and axially moveable shaft extending into said housing, said shaft having a fixed key thereupon, a problem carrying element rotatably mounted upon said shaft having a free keyway for the key upon said shaft, an answer carrying element mounted upon said shaft having a keyway for the key upon said shaft, means operating between said problem carrying element and said answer carrying element for maintaining problemsand answers carried by said elements in proper relationship with each other when the keyways thereupon are in register, and means operable upon axial movement of said shaft in one direction for securing said shaft and answer carrying element against rotation and changing the position of said problem carrying element with respect to said answer carrying element, whereby upon each successive operation of said shaft a different problem to be answered will be presented at said problem exposing sight opening.

2. In an educational toy of the character described, the combination of a housing with a sight opening through which a problem carrying element is exposed and a sight opening through which an answer carrying element is exposed, a manually controlled rotatable and axially moveable shaft extending into said housing, said shaft having a fixed key thereupon, a problem carrying ele ment rotatably mounted upon said shaft having a free keyway for the key upon said shaft, an answer carrying element mounted upon said shaft having a keyway for the key upon said shaft, means operating between said problem carrying element and said answer carrying ele- While I have for the purpose of illustrating my inven-v tion illustrated and described the problem carrying andment for maintaining problems and answers carried by said elements in proper relationship with each other when the keyways thereupon are in register, said last means being adapted and arranged to permit relative rotation between said problem carrying element and said answer carrying element independently of each other and only in opposite directions, means operable upon axial movement of said shaft for securing said shaft and answer j carrying element against rotation and changing the position of said problem carrying element with respect to said answer carrying element, whereby upon each successive operation of said shaft :1 difierent problem will be presented for answer.

3. In an educational toy of the character described, the combination of a housing with sight openings through which a problem carrying element and an answer carrying element are exposed, a manually controlled rotatable and axially moveable shaft extending into said housing, said shaft having a fixed key thereupon, a problem carrying element rotatably mounted upon said shaft and having a free keyway for the key upon said shaft, an answer carrying element mounted upon said shaft having an elongated keyway for axial movement of the key upon said shaft, means operating between said problem carrying element and said answer carrying element for maintaining problems and answers carried by said elements in register with each other when the keyways thereupon are in register, said last means including a ratchet type connection which will permit relative rotation between said problem carrying element and said answer carrying element independently of each other but only in opposite directions, and means operable upon axial movement of said shaft for changing the position of said problem carrying element with respect to said answer carrying element, whereby upon each successive operation of said shaft a different problem will be presented for answer.

4. in an educational toy of the character described, the combination of a housing having sight apertures through which problem and answer carrying elements are exposed, a rotatable and axially moveable shaft extending into said housing having one end exposed for manual operation, a problem carrying element rotatably mounted upon said shaft and having a keyway therein, an answer carrying element keyed upon said shaft with an elongated keyway permitting axial movement of said shaft relative thereto, a key carried by said shaft forming the keyed connection between said answer carrying element and said shaft, said key being adapted and arranged toenter the keyway of said problem carrying element upon axial movement of said shaft when the keyway of said element is in register with the keyway of said answer carrying element, means mounted between said problem carrying and answer carrying elements for holding the keyways thereof in register when a problem and an answer thereto are in proper relationship to each other in said sight openings, said means permitting relative movement of said answer carrying element in one direction only with respect to said problem carrying element, and means responsive to axial movement of said shaft for changing the position of said problem carrying element with respect to the problem exposing sight aperture of said housing.

5. In an educational toy of the character described, the combination of a housing having sight apertures through which independently moveable problem and answer carrying elements are exposed, a rotatable and axially moveable shaft extending into said housing having one end exposed for manual operation, a problem carrying element rotatably mounted upon said shaft and having a keyway therein, an answer carrying element keyed upon said shaft with an elongated keyway permitting axial movement of said shaft relative thereto, a key carried by said shaft and extending into the elongated keyway of said answer carrying element, said key being adapted and arranged to enter the keyway of said problem carrying element upon axial movement of said shaft when the keyways of said problem carrying element and said answer carrying element are in alignment, means carried by said problem carrying element and said answer carrying element for holding the keyways thereof in register when a problem and an answer carried respectively thereby are in correct relationship with each other in said sight openings, said means comprising a ratchet-like mechanism permitting relative movement in one direction only between said answer carrying element and said problem carrying element independently of or upon rotation of said shaft, and means operative upon axial movement of said shaft for changing the position of said problem carrying element with respect to the problem exposing sight aperture of said housing.

6. In an educational toyof the character described, the combination of an enclosed housing having sight apertures through which a problem and an answer carrying element are exposed, a rotatable and axially moveable shaft extending into said housing having one end exposed for manual operation, a problem carrying element rotatably mounted upon said shaft and having a keyway therein, an answer carrying element keyed upon said shaft with an elongated keyway permitting axial movement of said shaft relative thereto, a key carried by said shaft forming the keyed connection between said answer carrying element and said shaft, said key being adapted and arranged to move axially in the elongated keyway of said problem carrying element and thus permit axial movement of said shaft in one direction when the keyway of said problem carrying element is in register with the elongated keyway of said answer carrying element, and means responsive to a reverse axial movement of said shaft for changing the position of said problem carrying element with respect to the problem exposing sight aperture of said housing.

7. In an educational toy of the character described, the combination of an enclosed housing having sight apertures through which a problem and an answer carrying element are exposed, a rotatable and axially moveable shaft extending into said housing having one end exposed for manual operation, a problem carrying element rotatably mounted upon said shaft and having a keyway therein, an answer carrying element keyed upon said shaft with an elongated keyway permitting axial movement of said shaft relative thereto, a key carried by said shaft forming the keyed connection between said answer carrying element and said shaft, said key being adapted and arranged to move axially in the elongated keyway of said answer carrying element when the keyway of said problem carrying element is in register with the elongated keyway of said answer carrying element, means responsive to a reverse axial movement of said shaft for changing the position of said problem carrying element with respect to the problem exposing sight aperture of said housing, and a correct answer indicating mechanism operable upon movement of the key carried by said shaft into full engagement with the keyway of said problem carrying element.

8. In an educational device of the character described. the combination of an enclosing housing having sight apertures through which an enclosed problem presenting drum and an answer carrying drum are visible, a shaft mounted for rotary and axial movement within saidhousing having one end extending externally of said housing for manual operation, a drum mounted upon said shaft within said housing having equally spaced axially extend ing notches defining lands about its outer periphery, said drum having a keyway but being freely rotatable about said shaft, a second drum having similarly defined lands and an elongated keyway, the lands upon said first drum having different problem indicating indicia thereupon and the spaced lands upon said second drum having related problem answering indicia thereupon, a key carried by and secured intermediate the ends of said shaft adapted and arranged to move in the elongated slot of said second drum and engage with the keyway of said first drum when said keyways are in alignment, a slideway disposed outwardly and extending in parallel relation with said shaft, a slide member mounted upon said slideway, an operating connection between said shaft and said slide member for imparting movement to the latter upon axial movement of said shaft, means carried by said slide member engageable with a notch upon said first drum for preventing rotation when the key upon said shaft is moved out of engagement with the keyway thereof.

9. In an educational device of the character described, the combination of an enclosing housing having sight apertures through which an enclosed problem presenting drum and an answer carrying drum are visible, a horizontally disposed shaft mounted for rotary and axial movement within said housing having one end extending externally of said housing for manual operation thereof, a drum mounted upon said shaft within said housing having equally spaced axially extending notches defining lands about its outer periphery, said drum having a keyway but being freely rotatable about said shaft, a second drum having similarly defined lands and an elongated keyway, the lands upon said first drum having difierent problem indicating indicia thereupon and the spaced lands upon said second drum having problem answering indicia thereupon, a key secured intermediate the ends of said shaft adapted and arranged to engage with the keyways formed in said drums when said keyways are in alignment, means operating between said drums for limiting relative rotation thereof with respect to each other to one direction only, a slideway extending in parallel relation with said shaft, a slide member mounted upon said slideway, an operating connection between said shaft and said slide member for imparting movement to the latter upon axial movement of said shaft, means carried by said slide member engageable with a notch upon said second drum for preventing rotation thereof when the key upon said shaft is moved into engagement with the keyway of said first drum, and additional means carried by said slide member engaging a notch of said first drum for impart- I ing a'partial rotation to said first drum when the'key upon said shaft is moved out of engagement with the keyway of said first drum, whereby said first drum will be moved about said shaft to present a different problem to view at the sight opening of said housing while at the same time said second drum will be freed from; rotation by a turning of said shaft.

10; In an educational device of the character described,

thecombination of an enclosing housing having sight apertures through which a problem presenting. drum and an answer carrying drum are presented to view, a shaft mounted within said housing for rotary axial movement and having one end extending externally of said housing for manual operation thereof, a drum mounted upon said shaft having spaced axially extending notches defining lands about its outer periphery, said drum having a keyway but being freely rotatable about said shaft, a second drum having similarly defined lands and an elongated keyway, the lands upon one of said drums having problem presenting indicia thereupon and the spaced lands upon the other of said drums having problem answering indicia thereupon, a key carried by and secured intermediate the ends of said shaft adapted and arranged to engage with the keyways formed in each of said drums when said keyways are in alignment, means for limiting relative rotation between said drums to one direction only and positioning the notches thereupon in axial alignment when stationary, a slideway disposed outwardly and extending in parallel relation with said shaft, a slide member mounted upon said slideway, an operating connection between said shaft and said slide member for imparting movement to the latter upon axial movement of said shaft, a first means carried by said slide member engageable with a notch upon said second drum for preventing rotation thereof when the key upon said shaft is moved out of engagement with the keyway of said first drum, a second means carried by said slide member engaging a notch of said first drum for holding said first drum stationary when said key is moved out of engagement with the keyway of said first drum, and a means for imparting a drum rotating movement to said second means as it is moved into its holding position with respect to said first drum, whereby said first drum will be moved about said shaft and held to present a different problem carrying'land thereof to view' at the sight opening of said housing when said second drum will be free for rotation to present an answer to the different problem then appearing in the sight-opening of said housing.

References Cited in the file of this patent I UNITED STATES PATENTS Hornung Feb. 27, 1934 2,317,107 Oesch Apr. 20, 1943 2,496,767 Zuercher Feb. 7, 1950

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