WO1998026575A2

WO1998026575A2 - Speech prompter

Info

Publication number: WO1998026575A2
Application number: PCT/US1997/021510
Authority: WO
Inventors: Thomas S. Moore; Garth J. Schultz; Alan F. Evans, Jr.
Original assignee: Detroit Innovative Products Company
Priority date: 1996-12-12
Filing date: 1997-11-20
Publication date: 1998-06-18
Also published as: WO1998026575A3; AU7851998A

Abstract

A personal, low cost, portable speech prompter (10) which is light in weight and small in size. The speech prompter (10) includes a support chassis (11) in which is mounted a light box (56) and a sheet film feed tray (74) below the light box (56) which holds a stack of transparent film sheets (111) that have a speech printed thereon. A front (48) and a rear (43) film sheet deflector plate are mounted on the chassis (11). A plurality of front (124, 128) and a plurality of rear (115, 122) rollers are mounted on the chassis (11), and they coact with the front (48) and rear (43) film deflector plates to move the film sheets (111) from the film feed tray (74) and over the light box (56) and back to the film feed tray (74). An image of the speech printed on the transparent film sheets (111) is reflected upwardly to a see-through view screen (158) which reflects the speech image rearwardly along a line of sight between a speaker and the see-through view screen (158).

Description

SPEECH PROMPTER

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to prompting devices and has particular reference to a personal use, low cost, portable speech prompter which is light in weight, and adjustable to a portable size that is easy to transport.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The commercial teleprompting equipment available at the present time have many shortcomings, including the fact that _Q they are very expensive, and require an operator to run them. A shortcoming of the prior art teleprompters is that they are heavy and difficult to transport.

Patent No. 5,477,282 discloses a personal use, portable speech prompter which employs a roll of transparent film that is affixed to a film supply roller, and in which the text printed on the roll of transparent film is reflected directly upwardly to a see-through view screen, and wherein a take-up film roller is required, with a pair of control knobs for turning the rollers to advance the roll of transparent film over a light box. It is a disadvantage in the use of the speech prompter disclosed in Patent No. 5,477,282 in that it requires replacing the entire roll of film if changes are desired to be made in a text of a speech printed thereon.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The speech prompter includes a support chassis that is releasably mounted in a housing that has a top wall through which is formed a view opening. A light box is operatively mounted in the chassis in a position beneath the view opening and it is provided with a white translucent top screen. A sheet film tray is removably mounted in the lower end of the housing, in a position below the light box. The sheet film tray has an upper transparent sheet film feed portion for feeding a stacked plurality of letter size transparent film _Q sheets, and a lower transparent sheet film return portion.

The transparent film sheets are preferably transparent vellum sheets .

A powered front drive roller assembly is mounted in the housing in front of the light box, and a powered rear drive 5 roller assembly is mounted in the housing, to the rear of the light box. The speech prompter includes a front vellum sheet film deflector plate means and a rear vellum sheet film deflector plate means. The sheet film tray includes a metal spring, sheet feed plate for successively biasing the vellum sheets into engagement with the powered front drive roller assembly. The text of a speech to be given by a speaker is printed on the transparent vellum sheets, and with the vellum sheets facing upwardly with the first sheet being the uppermost sheet. The front drive roller assembly engages the upper most one of the vellum sheets in the upper feed portion of the film tray and conveys it forward into sliding engagement with the front vellum sheet film deflector plate means which guides it upwardly and rearwardly over the light box and under the view opening, and then rearwardly into sliding engagement with the rear vellum sheet film deflector plate means and downwardly into engagement with the powered rear drive roller assembly which conveys it into the lower return portion of the film tray. The transparent vellum sheets are in an upside down condition when they are moved over the light box, and the text of the speech thereon is reflected directly upward onto a see-through view screen for viewing by a speaker using the speech prompter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a perspective view of a speech prompter made in accordance with the principles of the present invention and showing the speech prompter in a closed position for transporting the same.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the speech prompter illustrated in Figure 1, with each of the front and rear cover plates in an open position, and with a see-through view screen in an operative position.

Figure 3 is a right side elevation view of the speech prompter illustrated in Figure 1, taken along the line 3-3 thereof, and looking in the direction of the arrows. Figure 4 is an elevation section view of the speech prompter illustrated in Figure 1, taken substantially along the line 4-4 thereof, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a broken, elevation section view of the speech prompter illustrated in Figure 2, taken substantially along the line 5-5 thereof, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 6 is a transverse, elevation section view of the speech prompter illustrated in Figure 5, taken substantially along the line 6-6 thereof, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 7 is a top plan view of a film tray employed in the speech prompter illustrated in Figures 1-6.

Figure 8 is a front view of the film tray shown in Figure 7, taken along the line 8-8 thereof, and looking to the right in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 9 is a bottom plan view of the film tray illustrated in Figure 8, taken along the line 9-9 thereof, and looking upwardly in the direction of the arrows. Figure 10 is a horizontal section view of the speech prompter illustrated in Figure 4, taken along substantially the line 10-10 thereof, and looking downwardly in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 11 is a horizontal section view of the speech prompter illustrated in Figure 4, with parts removed, taken substantially along the line 11-11 thereof, and looking upwardly in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 12 is a transverse, elevation section view of the speech prompter illustrated in Figure 5, taken substantially along the line 12-12 thereof, and looking to the right in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 13 is a longitudinal, vertical section view of the speech prompter illustrated in Figure 6, taken substantially along the line 13-13 thereof, and looking to the right in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 14 is a transverse, elevation section view of the speech prompter illustrated in Figure 5, taken substantially along the line 14-14 thereof, and looking to the left in the direction of the arrows. Figure 15 is a fragmentary, enlarged view of the right end of the speech prompter structure illustrated in Figure 4.

Figure 16 is an elevation section view of the speech prompter structure illustrated in the Figure 15, taken substantially along the line 16-16 thereof, and looking to the left in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 17 is a fragmentary, enlarged view of the structure illustrated in Figure 15, and showing the metal spring, sheet feed plate for holding the vellum sheets in a retracted position, and releasably retained in such position by a latch member.

Figure 18 is a fragmentary view, similar to Figure 17, and slightly enlarged to show the metal spring, sheet feed plate in a position for feeding the vellum plastic sheets to the powered front feed rollers, and further showing a spring finger restraining a second vellum plastic sheet from being fed upwardly by the powered front feed rollers while a first vellum plastic sheet is being fed upwardly.

Figure 19 comprises a power supply section circuit for a suitable controller for the speech prompter. Figures 20,20a comprises a motor drive section circuit for a suitable controller for the speech prompter.

Figure 21 comprises a fluorescent lamp drive section circuit for a suitable controller for the speech prompter.

Figure 22 comprises a slide advance section circuit for a suitable controller for the speech prompter. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to Figures 1 and 2, the numeral 10 generally designates a speech prompter made in accordance with the principles of the present invention. The numeral 11, in Figures 3-6, generally designates a rectangularly shaped chassis employed in the speech prompter 10. The chassis 11 is detachably mounted in a rectangular housing, generally designated by the numeral 12 in Figures 1-6. As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 6, the top portion of the housing 12 is generally designated by the numeral 13 and the bottom portion thereof is generally designated by the numeral 14. As shown in Figures 1-6, and 16, the numeral 15 designates the joining line along which the top housing portion 13 seats on the bottom housing portion 14. As shown in Figures 3-6,10,12-14, and 16, the numeral 18 designates the horizontal bottom wall of the bottom housing portion 14. The numeral 19 in Figures 3-5, 11 and 13 designates the vertical front wall of the bottom housing portion 14. The numeral 20 in Figures 1 and 2, designates the two spaced apart rear wall portions of the bottom housing portion 14. The numeral 21, in Figures 6,11,12 and 14, designates the vertical left side wall of the bottom housing portion 14. The vertical right side wall of the bottom housing portion 14 is designated in Figures 1-3,6,11,12 and 14, by the numeral 22. As shown in Figures 1-3,6,10,12 and 14, the numeral 24 designates the vertical right side wall of the top housing portion 13. The numeral 25 designates the vertical left side wall of the top housing portion 13 in Figures 6,10,12 and 14. The vertical front wall of the top housing portion 13 is designated by the numeral 26 in Figures 3-5,10,13,15,17 and 18. The rear side wall of the top housing portion 13 is designated by the numeral 27 in Figures 1-5,10 and 13. The numeral 28 designates the front top wall portion of the top housing portion 13, as shown in Figures 2,4,5,13,15 and 16. In Figures 1,2,4,5,12 and 14, the rear top wall stepped portion of the top housing portion 13 is designated by the numeral 29. A vertical top wall portion 30 (Figures 4,5 and 15) is transversely disposed and integral with the front end of the rear top wall portion 29. As shown in Figures 4-6,12- 14 and 16, the chassis 11 includes a vertical left side wall 33. As shown in Figures 6,12,14 and 16, the chassis 11 also includes a vertical right side wall 34. As shown in Figure 6, the chassis left side wall 33 is provided on the bottom end thereof with an integral right angled flange 35 which sits on the inside surface of the bottom wall 18, of the bottom housing portion 14, and it is secured thereto by any suitable means, as by a plurality of suitable bolts 36 and nuts 37. The chassis right side wall 34 is also provided with an integral right angled flange 38 on the lower end thereof which is seated on the inside surface of the bottom wall 18, of the bottom housing portion 14, and it is secured thereto by any suitable means, as by a plurality of suitable bolts 39 and nuts 40. The nuts 37 and 40 may be of the type available on the market under the trademark "REM" fasteners.

As shown in Figures 6 and 10, the chassis 11 is provided with a transverse rear end vellum sheet deflector plate means, generally designated by the numeral 43, which is provided with an integral vertical flange 63 (Figures 6 and 10) along each side thereof. The flanges 63 are seated on the outer sides of the chassis walls 33 and 34 and are attached thereto by suitable bolts and nuts designated by the numerals 64. The rear end vellum sheet deflector plate means 43 is also seen in Figures 4 and 5, in a vertical cross section view. As best seen in Figures 4 and 5, the rear end vellum sheet deflector plate means 43 includes a front horizontal portion 44 and an integral downwardly curved rear end cap portion 45. The numeral 46, in Figures 4-6, and 12, designates the lower terminal end of the downwardly curved rear end cap portion 45 of the rear end vellum sheet deflector plate means 43.

The chassis 11 is also provided with a transverse front end vellum sheet deflector plate means which is generally designated by the numeral 48 in Figures 4,5,10 and 14-16. The front end vellum sheet deflector plate means 48 is attached to the upper ends of the chassis side walls 33 and 34 in the same manner as shown in Figures 6 and 10, for the rear end vellum sheet deflector plate means 43. As shown in Figures 4,5 and 10, the front end vellum sheet deflector plate means 48 includes a rear transverse horizontal portion 49 and an integral transverse, downwardly curved front end cap portion 50. The lower terminal end of the front vellum sheet deflector plate means downwardly curved front end cap portion 50 is designated by the numeral 51 in Figures 14,16,17 and 18. As shown in Figures 4, 5, and 14-18, the chassis 11 includes a front, transverse, vertical plate 52 which is provided at each end thereof with a right-angled flange 32. The front, transverse, vertical plate 52 is fixedly secured between the chassis walls 33 and 34, by any suitable means, as by welding the flanges 32 to the inner sides of the chassis walls 33 and 34. As best seen in Figures 17 and 18, the upper portion 53 of the front, transverse, vertical plate 52 is bent forwardly, and it has a terminal upper end 54 which extends upwardly and overlaps the lower terminal end 51 of the front vellum sheet deflector plate means downwardly curved front end cap portion 50, on the inner side of the lower terminal end 51 of the front end cap portion 50. Both of the vellum sheet deflector plate means 43 and 48 are provided with a plurality of laterally spaced apart, integrally formed, longitudinal ribs 47 which have a substantially U-shape cross section that extends downwardly from the upper surface of the vellum sheet film deflector plate means 43 and 48 (Figures 6 and 16). As shown in Figures 17 and 18, the terminal upper end 54 of the transverse vertical plate portion 53 is aligned with and abuts the lower front ends of the longitudinal ribs 47 on the front vellum sheet film deflector plate means front end cap portion 50.

As shown in Figures 3-5,10,11 and 13, a light box, generally indicated by the numeral 56, is mounted in the chassis 11, in the upper end thereof, and it is secured in place by any suitable means, as by welding. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the light box 56 is disposed beneath and adjacent to a view opening 57 which is formed through the housing front top wall 28. The light box 56 extends from the left side chassis wall 33 to the right side chassis wall 34.

As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the light box 56 includes a front vertical transverse wall 58 which has integrally formed on the upper end thereof a front horizontal mounting plate 59. The light box 56 includes a horizontal transverse bottom wall 60 which is integrally attached to the bottom end of the vertical front transverse wall 58 and to the bottom end of a vertical rear transverse wall 61. The upper end of the vertical rear transverse wall 61 is integrally attached to the front end of a horizontal rear mounting plate 62. The light box 56 is enclosed on the outer sides thereof by the chassis side walls 33 and 34. As illustrated in Figures 5 and 10, the light box vertical and horizontal walls 58,59,61 and 62 each have integral, vertical flanges 65 formed on the outer ends thereof which are operatively attached to the adjacent chassis side walls 33 and 34 by any suitable means, as by welding. As shown in Figures 4,5 and 11, the light box horizontal plate 62 has an integral rearward extension portion, designated by the numeral 16, which is downwardly curved and has a lower terminal end 17. The downwardly curved extension of the light box plate 62 is spaced apart inwardly from the rear end vellum sheet film deflector plate means 43, and functions as a guide means, with the downwardly curved rear end cap portion 45 of the rear end vellum sheet film deflector plate means 43, for guiding the vellum sheets 111 downwardly into the return area 186 of the film tray 74.

Operatively mounted in the light box 56 are a plurality of suitable fluorescent lamps 67 which are transversely disposed and spaced apart from each other, as shown in Figures 3 and 4. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the light box 56 is enclosed on the upper end thereof by a suitable translucent top plate or light screen 68 which is disposed under the view opening 57 in the housing front top wall 28. As shown in Figures 2, 4, and 5, a transverse red line 69 is formed on the top of the light screen 68 to assist the speaker using the speech prompter 10 to mark his place where he is speaking from in the text on the vellum sheets 111.

As illustrated in Figure 6, the light screen 68 is slidably mounted between the lower side of a pair of longitudinal, inwardly extended integral flanges 70, formed on the upper ends of the chassis walls 33 and 34, and the upper surfaces of the light box mounting plates 59 and 62. The light screen 68 is releasably secured in place by strips 71 of double sided tape, along the outer edges of the lower side of the light screen 68 which adhere to the light box plates 59 and 62. As shown in Figures 4,5,11,13 and 15, the front transverse end portion 148 of the light screen 68 is bent downwardly to facilitate receiving the vellum sheets 111 as they are fed rearwardly by the front feed rollers 124.

The numeral 74, in Figures 1,2,4-9 and 12, generally designates a vellum sheet film tray which is constructed and arranged to be slidably mounted in the lower end of the chassis 11, from the rear end thereof. As best seen in Figures 4-9, the vellum sheet film tray 74 includes a horizontal bottom wall or plate 75. As illustrated in Figures ⁴ and 6, the vellum sheet film tray 74 is provided with a left side wall 76 and a right side wall 77, which are integrally secured to the left and right ends of the vellum sheet film tray bottom wall 75. As shown in Figures 4, 7 and 9, the vellum sheet film tray bottom wall 75 has integrally formed on the front end thereof, a vertical front wall 78. As shown in Figure 4, the vellum sheet film tray bottom wall 75 has an upwardly curved rear end portion designated by the numeral 80 which terminates in a rear downward extension 81.

As shown in Figures 1,3 and 5, the rear end of the vellum sheet film tray 74 is enclosed by an angled housing cover portion designated by the numeral 82, which is secured to the downward and rearward extension 81 of the film tray bottom wall 75 by a plurality of suitable screws and nuts designated by the numeral 83 in Figures 4 and 5. The space under the angled housing cover portion 82 and the vellum sheet film tray bottom wall portions 80 and 81 forms a handle opening 84 for gripping the vellum sheet film tray 74 to move it inwardly and outwardly of the chassis 11 through the opening 85 (Figs. 1 and 2) in the housing rear upper end portion 27.

As shown in Figures 7 and 9, the vellum sheet film tray 74 has operatively secured, on each of the left and right side vertical walls 76 and 77, adjacent the rear ends thereof, a guide pin 106, by any suitable means, as by welding. As illustrated in Figures 7 and 9, a transverse guide shaft 88 is mounted between the vellum sheet film tray side walls 76 and 77, adjacent the front ends thereof. The ends of the transverse guide shaft 88 extend through the film tray walls 76 and 77 and function as guide pins which are also designated with the numeral 88. As illustrated in Figure 4, one set of the guide pins 88 and 106 extend sideward outwardly from the left side wall 76 of the vellum sheet film tray 74, and they are adapted to be slidably mounted in a longitudinally extended track or slot 91 formed in a longitudinally extended plastic rail 89 on the inner surface thereof. The plastic rail 89 is secured to the inside surface of the lower end of the chassis left side wall 33 by a plurality of suitable machine screws 90 (Figure 6). As shown in Figure 6, the chassis 11 is provided with a guide pin plastic rail 92 which is mounted on the inner surface of the right side chassis wall 34 and it is secured thereto by a plurality of machine screws 93. A second set of guide pins 88 and 106 extend sideward outwardly from the vellum sheet tray right side wall 77, and they are adapted to be slidably mounted in a longi udinally extended guide pin track or slot 94 formed in the inner surface of the right side guide rail 92.

As illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, the guide pin track or slot 91 in the left side rail 89 has an upwardly extended ramp 95 at its front end which causes the front end guide pin 88 to ride upwardly into the parallel front end of the guide pin track or slot 91 and lock the vellum sheet film tray 74 in an operative position in the chassis 11. The guide pin track or slot 94 in the right side guide rail 92 also is provided with a ramp 95 to carry out the same function as provided by ramp 95 in the the left side guide pin slot 91. Each of the guide pin tracks or slots 91 and 94 is provided with an enlarged entrance opening that has outwardly tapered track wall surfaces 96 to facilitate easy entrance for the vellum sheet film tray guide pins 88 and 106. As shown in Figure 4, the vellum sheet film tray 74 includes a rear transverse flat vellum sheet feed plate 99 which is provided with an integral rear end transverse plate 100 that extends perpendicularly upward therefrom. A front transverse flat vellum sheet feed plate 101 is disposed, in a position in front of the rear flat vellum sheet feed plate 99, at an upwardly extended angle. The front end of the flat vellum sheet feed plate 101 has integrally attached thereto a downwardly extended perpendicular transverse support plate 102. The rear vellum sheet feed plate 99 angles upwardly and rearwardly from the front vellum sheet feed plate 101. The rear vellum sheet feed plate 99 has a pair of integral side walls or flanges 103 (Figures 7 and 9) secured to the outer sides thereof, which are secured, as by welding, to the film tray side walls 76 and 77. The front vellum sheet feed plate 1°1 has integrally attached at the outer ends thereof a pair of side walls or flanges 104 (Figures 7 and 9) which are fixedly secured to the film tray side walls 76 and 77 by any suitable means, as by welding. The forwardly and downwardly sloping rear vellum sheet feed plate 99, and the rearwardly and downwardly sloping front vellum sheet feed plate 101 are integrally connected, at the front and rear ends, respectively, at an angled meeting point 105 (Figures 4 and 5).

As shown in Figures 4,5 and 7, a metal spring, sheet feed plate 108, which comprises a sheet of suitable material, such as spring steel, has its rear end secured by suitable machine screws 109 to the top surface of the transverse front vellum sheet feed plate 101. As shown in Figure 7, the metal spring, sheet feed plate 108 extends forwardly, with its front end positioned under a pair of inwardly extended retention pins 110, which are fixedly mounted by any suitable means, as by welding on the inner sides of the front ends of the side walls 76 and 77 of the vellum sheet film tray 74. The supporting of the metal spring, sheet feed plate 108 at its rear end on the transverse vellum sheet feed plate 101 provides a cantilever action so as to normally move the front end of the metal spring, sheet feed plate 108 upwardly into engagement with the retention pins 110.

As shown in Figure 7, a of strip suitable tape 114 is mounted on the front upper end of the metal spring, sheet feed plate 108, to provide a non-metal surface against which the retention pins 110 may rest, and to function as a means to lower the sound of the metal spring, sheet feed plate 108 striking the metal retention pins 110 when the metal spring, sheet feed plate 108 moves upwardly from the retracted position (Figure 17) to the advanced upward position (Figure 18) .

As illustrated in Figure 7, the metal spring, sheet feed plate 108 has a swingably mounted, flat dust cover, designated generally by the numeral 79. The dust cover 79 may be made from any suitable material, such as a rigid, transparent plastic material. The dust cover 79 is rectangular in plan configuration. The dust cover 79 is provided at each rear end corner with an integral mounting arm or lever 66 that is pivotally mounted on a metal pivot pin 107. The metal pivot pins 107 are each fixedly mounted on the adjacent inner side of the film tray walls 76 and 77, by any suitable means, as by welding. Two openings 87 are provided along the front end of the dust cover 79 for access to the vellum sheets 111 by the front feed rollers 124. Two openings 98 are also provided on the front, side corners of the dust cover 79 for passage therethrough of the retention pins 110 when the dust cover 79 is lifted to place the vellum sheets 111 on the metal spring, sheet feed plate 108. ^As illustrated in Figures 4,5 and 7, a metal brush, generally designated by the numeral 127, is mounted on the rear side of the film tray transverse plate 100. The flexible metal fingers of the metal brush 127 extend downward so as to contact the vellum sheets 111 as they are returned to the vellum sheets return area 186 (Figure 5) . The metal brush 127 functions to remove any static electricity that may have developed on the vellum sheets 111 as they are fed through the speech prompter 10.

As illustrated in Figure 1, the vellum sheet film tray 74 is adapted to be pulled rearwardly from the position shown in Figure 5, as illustrated by broken lines in Figure 2, so as to remove the film tray 74 from the chassis 11 to permit the loading in the film tray 74 of a plurality of stacked 8 1/2 by 11 inch transparent vellum sheets 111, which have the text of a speech material for a speaker printed thereon. The dust cover 79 is raised and the transparent vellum sheets 111 are positioned with the speech material in a right-side-up position on the feed plates 99, 101 and the metal spring, sheet feed plate 108 in the feed portion 185 of the film tray 74. When positioning the transparent vellum sheets 111 in an operative position in the vellum sheet film tray 74, the front end of the metal spring, sheet feed plate 108 is pressed downwardly so as to first position the front ends of the transparent vellum sheets 111 under the retention pins 110, and then permit the front ends of the transparent vellum sheets 111 to be moved upwardly against the retention pins 110 when the downward pressure on the metal spring, sheet feed plate 108 is released.

The metal spring, sheet feed plate 108 functions as a vellum sheet feed means, which is movable between an advanced upward position (Figures 5,15,18) for feeding the vellum sheets 111, and a retracted position, as shown in Figure 17, to permit loading of a plurality of vellum sheets on the metal spring, sheet feed plate 108. Figure 17 shows the metal spring, sheet feed plate 108 in a retracted position to permit a plurality of vellum sheets 111 to be mounted thereon.

As shown in Figures 17 and 18, a square retainer block 41, made from a suitable material, such as a suitable plastic material, is fixedly secured, by a pair of self-threading retainer screws 42, to the underside of the metal spring, sheet feed plate 108. The retainer block 41 is positioned in the middle of the underside of the metal spring, sheet feed plate 108, in a position adjacent the front edge thereof. The retainer block 41 has a longitudinal slot 55 formed therethrough. The upper end of a latch member, generally designated by the numeral 72, is positioned in the slot 55 in the retainer block 41. The upper end of the latch 72 is swingably mounted in the block opening 55 by means of a stationary transverse pivot shaft 86 which extends through a circular bore 73 formed through the upper end of the latch 72. The ends of the pivot shaft 86 are retained, as by a press fit, in a mating hole (not shown) that passes transversely through the retainer block 41. The latch 72 is swingably mounted, and it is free to move by gravity to a normal released position shown in Figure 18 during operation of the speech prompter 10. With the vellum sheet film tray 74 removed from the speech prompter 10 a supply of the vellum sheets 111 may be loaded on the metal spring, sheet feed plate 108, by first raising the dust cover 79 and depressing the metal spring, sheet feed plate the spring feed plate 108 downwardly to the retracted broken line position 72a shown in Figure 17, so that the lower end of the latch 72 will move by gravity under the transverse guide shaft 88 which is fixedly secured on the front end of the vellum sheet film tray 74. The latch 72 is provided with a concave surface 87 on one side thereof which engages the lower rounded surface of the transverse guide shaft 88, as shown by the broken line position 72a in Figure 17, to hold the metal spring, sheet feed plate 108 in the retracted position. When the film tray 74 is loaded with a stack of vellum sheets 111, it is inserted into the chassis 11, and the metal spring, sheet feed plate 108 is automatically released from the broken line position 72a, and permitted to spring upwardly to the solid line position shown by the numeral 72 in Figure 17, by the action of the free end of a fixedly mounted, horizontal release pin

97 hitting the sloping front lower face of the latch 72 on the inwardly moving film tray 74. The release pin 97 is fixedly mounted, by any suitable means, through the lower end of the vertical transverse plate 52, as shown in Figures 5,14-18. As shown in Figures 4,5,11 and 14-16, the numeral 31 designates an integral, transverse flange formed on the lower end of the vertical transverse plate 52.

As shown in Figures 6, and 10-12, two powered rear feed rollers 115 are fixedly mounted, as by a press fit, in spaced apart positions on a transverse guide rear drive shaft 116. The rear drive shaft 116 is supported on the ends thereof by plastic bushings 117 that are press fit into suitable holes in the chassis side walls 33 and 34. As shown in Figures 6,10 and 12 a rear drive pulley 118 is operatively mounted on the right end of the rear drive shaft 116, and it is press fit on the shaft 116. A pair of rear pinch rollers 122 (Figures 6, and 10-12) are rotatably mounted by suitable bushings on a transverse shaft 123, and in positions adjacent the two rear feed rollers 115, so as to be driven by the two rear feed rollers 115. As shown in Figures 10 and 12, the rear pinch roller shaft 123 is supported on the ends thereof by plastic bushings 139 that are press fit into suitable holes in the chassis side walls 33 and 34. As best seen in Figures 11 and 12, the guide plate means 16 has a pair of longitudinal openings 195 to permit rolling contact by the rear feed rollers 115 with the pair of rear pinch rollers 122. As best seen in Figure 12, the downwardly curved rear end cap portion 45 of the rear deflector plate means 43 has a pair of longitudinal openings 199 to permit rolling contact by the pair of rear feed rollers 115 with the pair of rear pinch rol lers 122.

As shown in Figures 10 and 11, the chassis 11 carries a pair of front feed rollers 124 that are in longitudinal alignment with the two rear feed rollers 115, and they are operatively mounted on a drive shaft 125, and secured thereto by a press fit. The chassis 11 supports a pair of front pinch rollers 128 which are mounted in alignment with the two front feed rollers 124, in the same manner as the rear pinch rollers

122 are aligned with the rear feed rollers 115, as illustrated in Figure 11. The front feed roller shaft 125 and the front pinch roller shaft 129 are supported on the ends thereof by plastic bushings 117 and 139, respectively, which are press fit into suitable holes in the chassis side walls 33 and 34.

The front pinch rollers 128 are rotatably mounted on the front pinch roller shaft 129 (Figure 10) by suitable bushings. The front pinch rollers 128 are driven by the front drive feed rollers 124. The front and rear feed roller assemblies are of the same construction. The front and rear pinch roller assemblies are of the same construction. The front and rear feed rollers, and the front and rear pinch rollers are each provided on the periphery or contact surfaces thereof with a bonded coating of a suitable synthetic rubber composition to provide a good gripping engagement with the vellum sheets 111. As best seen in Figures 16-18, the downwardly curved front end cap section 50 of the front deflector plate means 48 has a pair of longitudinal openings 113 to permit rolling contact by the pair of front feed rollers 124 with the pair of front pinch rollers 128. The upper portion 53 of the front vertical transverse plate 52 has a pair of openings 112 to permit rolling contact by the pair of front feed rollers 124 with the pair of front pinch rollers 128.

As illustrated in Figures 3 and 10, a front drive pulley 130 is operatively mounted on the right end of the front feed roller drive shaft 125, in alignment with the rear drive pulley 118, on the outer side of the chassis right side wall 34. The rear drive pulley 118 is operatively mounted on the right end of the rear feed roller shaft 116. As illustrated in Figure 3, the front drive pulley 130 drives the rear drive pulley 118 by a round polypropylene drive belt 131 (Figure 6) . The front drive pulley 130 is of a slightly larger diameter than the rear drive pulley 115 so that the rear drive shaft 116 is driven at a speed that is 1.11 times faster than the front drive shaft 125. The difference in the drive shaft speeds is provided because there is an approximately 0.25 inch overlap in the vellum sheets 111 when they are initially picked from the vellum sheet film tray 74 by the front feed rollers 124, and said overlap is eliminated by the time the vellum sheets 111 reach the rear drive rollers 115 to be returned to the return area 186 in the vellum sheet film tray 74. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the speech prompter 10 is provided with a plurality of urethane rubber grip pads 133 which are integrally formed on a flat urethane rubber sheet 132 that is releasably adhered to the outer surface of the horizontal bottom wall 18 of the bottom housing portion 14.

The rubber grip pads 133 are transversely disposed, in spaced apart positions, along the rear half of the speech prompter 10. A front urethane rubber sheet 134 is releasably adhered across the horizontal bottom wall 18 of the bottom housing portion 14, adjacent the front end thereof, and it carries a single transverse integral rubber grip pad 135. The rubber grip pads 133 and 135 protrude downwardly from the bottom wall 18 of the bottom housing portion 14. The front and rear rubber grip pads 133 and 135 function to permit the speech prompter 10 to be hung off of the rear end 138, of the surface 137 of a short speaker podium 136 that is constructed with a rear lip or edge 138, as illustrated in Figure 5, with the rear end of the speech prompter 10 extended outward over the rear edge 138 of the speaker podium surface 137. The rubber grip pads 133 and 135 function to hold the speech prompter 10 in a stable position on a podium surface 137 to overcome the shortness of the speaker podium surface 137.

As shown in Figure 3, the numeral 140 generally designates a speech prompter electronic controller for operating the aforedescr ibed speech prompter structure 10. A suitable electronic controller 140 for operating the afore- described speech prompter structure 10 is one available on the market from Beacon Power Systems, Inc. of 447 East Elmwood, Troy, Michigan 48083, under Model No. 96050A. The electronic controller 140 is mounted on the right front side of the chassis wall 34 and it is enclosed by the right side wall of the bottom housing portion 14 and the right side wall 24 of the top housing portion 13. As illustrated in Figures 10,11 and 14, the electronic controller 140 is supported by a plurality of mounting shafts 207. The inner ends of the mounting shafts 207 are fixed to the chassis right side wall 34, by any suitable means, as by welding. The outer ends of the mounting shafts 207 have a threaded bore for the reception of suitable mounting bolts 208 to releasably secure the electronic controller 140 to the mounting shafts 207.

The electronic controller 140 includes a power supply section, generally indicated by the numeral 142 in Figure 19, a motor drive section, generally indicated by the numeral 143 in the Figures 20 and 20a, a fluorescent lamp drive section, generally indicated by the numeral 144 in Figure 21, and a slide advance section, generally indicated by the numeral 145 in Figure 22. The motor drive section 142 includes a drive motor 141, as shown in Figure 3. The drive motor 141 drives the front drive pulley 130 through a suitable speed reducer means 146 which is operatively connected to the outer end of the front drive pulley shaft 125 by a connecting shaft 147 (Figure 14). The drive motor 141 and the speed reducer means 146 function as a variable speed stepper motor assembly with a 60 to 1 gear reduction. The drive motor 141 is releasably secured to the speed reducer means 146 by a metal attachment strap designated by the numeral 204 in Figures 3 and 10. As illustrated in Figure 10, the stepper motor assembly (141,146) is releasably secured to one end of a vertical mounting plate 205 by a plurality of suitable bolts 206. The other end of the mounting plate 207 is integrally attached to the plate and flange structure 202,203 which is secured to the chassis side wall 34 by being welded thereto.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the speech prompter 10 is enclosed on its top side by a front cover or lid, generally indicated by the numeral 149, and a rear cover or lid, generally indicated by the numeral 150. As shown in Figure 2, the front top wall portion 28, of the top housing portion 13, is provided at the left front corner with a raised mounting block 151, and at the right front corner with a raised mounting block 152. The front lid or cover 149 includes a transverse front cover plate 153 which is swingably mounted on a transverse mounting shaft 154 that fixedly secured to the lower transverse end of the front cover plate 153. The ends of the front cover plate mounting shaft 154 are rotatably mounted in the mounting blocks 151 and 152. A telescopic metal support rod, generally indicated by the numeral 155, comprises a lower portion 156 which has its lower end fixed to the transverse mounting shaft 154 by any suitable means, as by welding. The support rod lower portion 156 is secured in place on the inside of the front cover plate 153 by a C-shaped socket member 157. The support rod 155 has an upper portion telescopically mounted in the lower rod portion 156. A see- through view screen 158 is adjustably mounted by means of a bracket 161 on the upper end of the support rod upper portion 159 of the telescopic support rod 155. The front cover plate 153 is provided on each of the outer sides thereof with an integral downward extending flange member 160.

The see-through view screen 158 is made from any suitable reflecting, transparent material, such as glass or an acrylic plastic. A preferable reflecting, transparent material is a polycarbonate material which is available on the market under the trademark "LEXAN" from the Plastics Division of the General Electric Company, of Pittsfield, Massachusetts. The see-through view screen 158 is rigid, and it is preferably made to a thickness of between 30 and 60 thousandths of an inch.

As illustrated in Figure 2, the speech prompter rear lid or cover 150 includes a transverse cover plate portion 163. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the rear cover plate portion 163 is pivotally mounted on a transverse pivot shaft 164, which is operatively mounted through the top housing right and left side walls 24 and 25. As shown in Figure 2, the rear cover plate 163 is provided along the outer sides thereof with an integral downwardly extended side flange 165. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the rear cover plate 163 is provided with a forwardly extended cover flange 166 which overlaps the rear end of the front cover plate 153 (Figure 4) . As shown in Figure 2, a knob 167 is operatively attached to the rear lid pivot shaft 164 for rotating the rear lid 150 between the closed position shown in Figure 1 and the opened position shown in Figure 2. The rear lid 150 may be adjusted to various positions, as illustrated in Figure 5, so that light from the light box 56 unit is not directed back into the speaker's face. As shown in Figures 1-3, the adjustment knob 167 is located in a recess 168 formed in the housing right side wall upper portion 24. As shown in Figure 3, the adjustment knob 167 is fixedly secured, by any suitable means, to the right end of the rear lid pivot shaft 164. Formed in the vertical inner surface 169 of the recess 168 is a plurality of detent holes 171 which are disposed along an arc so as to coact with a detent member 170 carried on the knob 167 (Figure 6). The numerals 172 and 173 in Figure 5 show the rear lid 150 in selected adjusted broken-line positions.

The top housing portion 13 is releasably secured to the chassis 11 by a plurality of suitable attachment bolts. For example, two attachment bolts 187 (Figure 2) are operatively mounted through the front top wall portion 28 of the top housing portion 13 and into threadable engagement in a pair of suitable threaded holes 174 in a longitudinal flange 188 (Figure 10) that is fixed, as by welding, to the upper end of the left side wall 33 of the chassis 11. The right side of the top housing portion 13 is releasably secured to the chassis right side wall 34 by an attachment bolt 189 (Figure 2) that is operatively mounted through the front top wall portion 28 of the top housing portion 13 and into threadable engagement in a threaded hole 201 in a mounting plate 202 (Figure 10). The mounting plate 202 is integrally formed on a flange 203 which is fixed to the chassis right side wall 34 by any suitable means, as by welding. The right side of the top housing portion 13 is also releasably secured to the chassis right side wall 34 by an attachment bolt 189 (Figure 3) which is threadably mounted in a threaded hole in the outer end of a mounting shaft 209 (Figures 10,11).

As illustrated in Figures 2 and 4, the speech prompter 1° includes a set of optical sensors 176 that are operatively positioned on the top wall 28 of the top housing 13, and in a position to overlap the right side of the view opening 57, and to protrude over the right edge of a vellum sheet 111 as it passes through the view opening 57. The vellum sheets 111 are provided with black marks 175 on the margin of the speech on the vellum sheets 111, as illustrated in Figure 2. As a black mark 175 passes under the set of optical sensors 176, an electrical signal is generated that is conducted through a suitable control cable 177 to a slide projector 178, or to send a signal to a computer keyboard or a mouse to advance an on-screen graphic presentation, such as Microsoft's Power Point or Harvard Graphics. A suitable optical sensor 176 is available on the market from Motorola Lighting, Inc. of 887 Deerfield Parkway, Buffalo Grove, Illinois 6008, under Model No. 21A1.

The speed at which the speech on the vellum sheets 111 is scrolled through the speech prompter 10 is controlled by the speaker, through a hand operated speed control button 180 and a control cable 179 (Figure 2) . The speed control button 180 and the control cable 179 are adapted to be stored in a storage bin 182 (Figure 3) which is seated in the top housing 13, along the right side thereof, and in a position to the rear of the electronic controller 140. The storage bin is secured to the chassis 11 by a pair of attachment screws 210 (Figure 10) which are mounted through suitable holes in the bottom wall 212 and are threaded into a pair of threaded holes 211 in the chassis right side wall flange 38 (Figure 11) . The numeral 181 in Figure 2 designates a lamp dimmer for controlling the brightness of the lamps 67. The numeral 183 in Figure 2 designates an AC/DC transformer for connecting the speech prompter 10 to a suitable source of power, and the transformer 183 is adapted to be stored in the storage bin 182.

The power supply section 142 (Figure 19) of the speech controller 140 is a standard AC to DC converter and regulator circuit. A wall mounted 12 volt AC, 24VA transformer signal is fed into the controller 140. This signal is rectified to an unregulated 17 volts DC. The 17 volt DC signal is regulated down to 5 volts DC. The motor drive section 143 (Figures 20 and 20a) consists of six subsections or circuits. The numeral 190 in Figure 20 designates a hand speed control oscillator subsection or circuit #1. The circuit 190 converts the hand speed control displacement to a digital signal via a potentionmeter . The frequency range from resting to fully depressed is DC to around 300kHz respectively.

The numeral 191 in Figure 20 designates a program address sequencer subsection or circuit #2. The signal from subsection or circuit #1, 190 (Figure 20) clocks a CD4040 ripple counter chip and additionally strobes the data from the program memory subsection or circuit #3, 192 (Figure 20) into the stepper motor controller subsection #5, 194. The output of the counter is used to address the program memory subsection or circuit #3, 192 (Figure 20) . The numeral 192 in Figure 20 designates a program memory subsection or circuit #3 which contains a microstepper program. The microstepper program is written into the stepper motor controller subsection or circuit #5, 194 (Figure 20a) and sequences both poles of the stepper motor 141 (Figures 3 and 20a) .

The numeral 200 in Figure 20a designates a frequency controlled torque subsection or circuit #4 which limits the torque and the resonate band of the stepper motor 141 (Figure 20a) , which results in an audible noise reduction. Circuit 200 generates a reference voltage used by the stepper motor controller 193 (Figure 20a) to set the motor torque. The voltage is a function of speed signal subsection or circuit #1, 190 (Figure 20) . The net effect achieved is the motor torque signal increasing as the motor speed is increased. The numeral 193 in Figure 20a designates a controller subsection or circuit #5 for the stepper motor 141. The circuit 193 takes the requested torque and torque reference signals and converts them into two analog and two sign signals for the stepper motor 141. The numeral 194 in Figure 20a designates the stepper motor drive subsection or circuit #6 which drives the bipolar stepper motor 141 at the programmed torque, as specified in the first five subsections or circuits 190, 191, 192, 193 and 200. As shown in Figure 21, the fluorescent lamp drive section 144 consists of three subsections. The numeral 196 in Figure 16 designates subsection #1 which comprises a triangle wave generator that generates a 100kHz triangle waveform.

The numeral 197 in Figure 21 designates subsection #2 which comprises a pulse width modulator (PWM) fluorescent lamp dimmer circuit. The dimmer potentiometer 181 sets the voltage threshold of the triangle waveform of subsection #1 (196) , which defines the duty cycle of the PWM signal that sets the average run current of the oscillator of subsection #3, 198. The numeral 198 in Figure 21 designates a Royer

Oscillator circuit. A standard Royer oscillator configuration is used in cold cathoid fluorescent bulb drive circuits.

The slide advance section 145 of Figure 22 detects the presence of the slide advance marker 175 (Figure 2) . The slide advance marker 175 comprises a black dot or darkened area on the transparent vellum sheets 111 that passes under the detection window 176. The detection window 176 consists of two CdS photodetection cells in close proximity to each other. The photodetection cells (optical sensors) 176 are located over the illuminated surface of the view opening 57 in a position near a longitudinal edge thereof. The two photodetection cells 176 detect a differential light signal as a slide advance marker 175 passes under them, and this action triggers a relay contact closure which is used to advance a slide projector 178 (Figure 2) . In use, the speech prompter 10 is positioned on a podium or desk 136 (Figure 5) . The design of the urethane rubber grip pads 133 and 135 on the bottom of the speech prompter 10 allows the speech prompter 10 to be hung off the edge of a short podium that is constructed with a lip or rear edge. The rear lid 150 of the speech prompter 10 is opened by rotating the knob 167, located in the recessed area 168 at the right rear of the speech prompter 10. When the rear lid 150 has been rotated to its maximum upward position, the front lid 149 that carries the see-through view screen 158 is rotated upwardly to the position shown in Figure 2. The see-through view screen 158 is attached to the telescoping rod 155 and can be adjusted upwardly or downwardly to give the speaker a good eye contact with the audience through the see-through view screen 158.

Alternating current is supplied to the speech prompter 10 through the AC transformer 183 (Figure 2) . As shown in Figure 5, the rear lid 150 can be adjusted to several positions. The see-through view screen 158 can be adjusted to give the speaker a full view of the light screen 68 over which the speech is to be scrolled. The speed at which the speech is scrolled through the speech prompter 10 is controlled by the speaker through the hand operated speed control 180 (Figure 2) . The speed control button 180 and its control cable 179 are adapted to be stored in the storage bin 182. A user of the speech prompter 10 has the speech to be given copied or printed on a plurality of 8.5 x 11 inch transparent vellum sheets 111. The darkened areas or slide advance marks 175 are located in the right hand margin of the transparent vellum sheets 111, at a position about one quarter of an inch inward from the edge of the transparent vellum sheets 111, and they are made to a dimension of 3/8ths of an inch by 3/8th of an inch. The speaker then pulls the vellum sheet film tray 74 outwardly, as shown in Figure 2, pushes the film tray 74 downwardly to engage the latch 72 with the transverse shaft 88, in a position indicated by the numeral 72a in Figure 17, lifts the dust cover 79, and loads the plurality of transparent vellum sheets 111, in a stack, into the top or feed portion 185 (Figure 5) of the vellum sheet film tray 74, with the top sheet facing upwardly.

The plurality of transparent vellum sheets 111 are placed in the vellum sheet film tray 74, on the feed plates 99 and 101, and the metal spring, sheet feed plate 108, with sheet number one of the plurality of transparent vellum sheets HI being disposed uppermost. The trailing ends of the transparent vellum sheets 111 are placed against the stop plate 100.

After the speech has been loaded into the upper feed portion 185 of the vellum sheet film tray 74, it is then ready to be installed into the speech prompter 10. The vellum sheet film tray 74 is installed in the speech prompter chassis 11 by locating the front set of guide pins 88 carried on the front end of the vellum sheet film tray 74 in the slots 91 and 94 of the vellum sheet film tray guide rails 89 and 92, respective- ly, which are attached to the speech prompter chassis 11. The vellum sheet film tray 74 is slid inwardly along the guide rail tracks 89 and 92, parallel to the bottom of the speech prompter 10. The rear set of guide pins 106 on the vellum sheet film tray 74 are also located in the slots 91 and 94 of the vellum sheet film tray guide rails 89 and 92, respectively. The operator continues to push the vellum sheet film tray 74 along the guide rails 89 and 92 until the front set of guide pins 88 move upwardly on the ramps 95 in the guide rails 89 and 92. As illustrated in Figure 17, as the front set of guide pins 88 move up the ramps 95, the release pin 97 engages the latch 72, and knocks it off of the transverse shaft 88 and pivots the latch 72 from its broken line position 72a for retaining the metal spring, sheet feed plate 108 in its retracted position, to the solid line released position to permit the metal spring, sheet feed plate 108 to spring upwardly. Continued movement of the guide pins 88 up the ramps 95, to the position shown in Figure 18, locks the vellum sheet film tray 74 in an operative position in the chassis 11, and causes the top transparent vellum sheet 111 to come into contact 184 (Figures 5 and 18) with the bottom of the front feed rollers 124. The speech is then ready to be fed through the speech prompter 10.

The vellum sheet feed mechanism of the speech prompter 10 comprises the two front feed rollers 124 that are 1.5 inches in diameter and are 0.5 inches wide. The variable speed stepper motor assembly 141,146 has a 60 to 1 gear reduction and it drives the front feed wheel drive shaft 125. As the stepper motor 140 turns, the front feed rollers 124 are in contact at a point 184 with the top transparent vellum sheet 111 of the speech, and causes the top transparent vellum sheet 111 to move forward into contact with the upwardly sloping, upper portion 53 of the vertical, transverse plate 52. As illustrated in Figures 16-18, the flow of vellum sheets 111 into engagement with the front vellum sheet deflector 48 are limited to one sheet 111 at a time. The means for controlling and limiting the flow of vellum sheets 111 to one at a time is provided by two spring fingers 119 (Figures 14 and 16) , which have each of their lower ends fixedly mounted to the lower end of the vertical transverse plate 52, by any suitable means, as by a pair of bolts 120 and nuts 121 (Figures 17 and 18). The two vellum sheet flow control spring fingers 119 are laterally spaced apart, and have their upper ends 126 extended into the front pinch roller openings 112 in the upper end 53 of the vertical transverse guide plate 52 (Figures 17 and 18). The spring fingers 119 are approximately 2.091 inches in length, 1/2 inch wide, and are positioned at an angle of 7 degrees from the vertical, as shown in Figures 17 and 18. The upper end 126 of each of the spring fingers 119 is positioned against the front face of one of the adjacent front pinch rollers 128. The spring finger upper ends 126 are spaced apart from the adjacent surfaces of the front feed rollers 124 by a distance substantially equal to the thickness of a single vellum sheet 111. If more than one of the vellum sheets 111 are held together by static electricity, when the front feed rollers 124 engage the upper most vellum sheet 111 on the metal spring, sheet feed plate 108, the upper end of the next adjacent vellum sheet 111' (Figure 18) engages the upper ends of the spring fingers 119 which move backwardly into a biting engagement with the adjacent front pinch rollers 128, to stop the rotation of said pinch rollers, which are just mounted on bushings and do not function as drive rollers, and the upward movement of the adjacent vellum sheet 111'. The front feed rollers 124 drive the front pinch rollers 128, and co-act with the front pinch rollers 128 to move the top vellum sheet 111 from the stack of sheets on the metal spring, sheet feed plate 108, after which they successively move the other vellum sheets 111 upwardly into engagement with the lower surfaces of the downwardly curved longitudinal ribs 47 on the front portion 50 of the front sheet deflector plate 48.

The transparent vellum sheets 111 are turned upside down by the curved sheet deflector plate portion 50 and they follow the horizontal contour 49 of the front sheet deflector plate 48 and are fed over the white plastic light screen 68 which defuses the light produced by the five fluorescent light bulbs 67 in the light box 56. The print of the speech on a transparent vellum sheet 111 being fed over the light box 56 is reflected upwards to the see-through view screen 158 which reflects the speech image rearward along a line of sight between the speaker and the view screen 158.

On the top side of the light screen 68 is a red line 69 (Figure 2) that aids the speaker in marking his place in the text. To the right of the red line 69 is positioned the set of optical sensors 176. As the black marks 175 on a transparent vellum sheet 111 pass under the optical sensors 176, a light signal is generated that is used to advance a slide projector 178 or signal a computer keyboard, as described hereinbefore.

As the top edge of a transparent vellum sheet 111 approaches the rear of the speech prompter 10, the rear end vellum sheet deflector plate 43 guides the transparent vellum sheet 111 downwardly, between the rear end deflector plate cap portion 45 and the guide plate means 16, into engagement with the rear feed roller assembly, which is constructed the same as the front feed roller assembly, and which includes the pair of rear feed rollers 115 and the pair of rear pinch rollers 122. The rear feed roller assembly is driven by the rear pulley 118 that is connected to the front drive pulley 130 by a pulley belt 131.

The vellum sheets 111 slide over the longitudinal, downwardly extended ends of the ribs 47 on the lower surfaces of the front and rear deflector plates 43 and 48, respectively. The ribs function to lessen the noise created by the sliding action of the vellum sheets 111 on the deflector plates 43 and 48. The rear drive pulley shaft 116 is driven at a speed that is 1.11 times faster than the front shaft 125. This difference in speeds between the front and rear drive shafts is provided so that the approximately 0.25 inch overlap, in the transparent vellum sheets 111, when they are initially picked up from the vellum sheet feed portion 185 of the film tray 74 by the front feed rollers 124, is eliminated by the time the transparent vellum sheets 111 reach the rear feed drive rollers 115 and the coacting pinch rollers 122 to be returned to the vellum sheet film tray return portion 186 in the lower level of the vellum sheet film tray 74.

After all of the transparent vellum sheets 111 of the speech are fed through the speech prompter 10, the plurality of transparent vellum sheets 111 can be removed in the same stacked condition that they were fed into the vellum sheet film tray return portion 186, (with the last page on the top of the stack) . The stack of vellum sheets 111 may then be loaded into the feed portion 185 of the vellum sheet film tray 74 and be refed through the speech prompter 10 to return the speech back in its correct order in the vellum sheet film tray return portion 186, with the first page on top and facing upwardly, for future use in the top level feed portion 185 of the vellum sheet film tray 74. It will be seen that the metal spring, sheet feed plate 108 functions as a vellum sheet feeder to successively feed the leading end of the upper most one of the vellum sheets 111 into contact with the lower surface of each of the front drive rollers 124, at a point indicated by the numeral 184 in Figure 5.

The manually operated dimmer 181 is a potentiometer (Figures 1 and 21) which functions as an adjustable light control means for dimming or brightening the plurality of fluorescent lamps 67.

Claims

CLAIMS What Is Claimed Is:

1. A speech prompter (10), comprising:

(a) a housing (12) having a top housing portion (13) and a bottom housing portion (14);

(b) a support chassis (11) mounted in the bottom housing portion (14) and being releasably secured thereto, and including a left side wall (33) and a laterally spaced apart right side wall (34); (c) the top housing portion (13) being releasably secured to the support chassis (11);

(d) a light box (56) mounted in said support chassis (11) between said left (33) and right (34) side walls and being secured thereto; (e) said light box (56) being enclosed on the sides and bottom thereof, and having an electric light means (67) mounted therein, and having an open upper end which is enclosed by a horizontal translucent light screen (68); (f) a vellum sheet film tray (74) slidably mounted in the support chassis (11), from a rear end thereof, between the chassis walls (33,34), in a position below the light box (56) for supporting a stack of successively numbered transparent vellum sheets (111) which have printed thereon the the text of a speech for a speaker using the speech prompter (10), and with the vellum sheets (111) facing upwardly with the first vellum sheet of said stack of vellum sheets being the uppermost sheet;

(g) said vellum sheet film tray (74) having an upper vellum sheet feed area (185) which includes a metal spring, sheet feed plate (108) movable between an advanced upward position for supporting said stack of vellum sheets (111) and for successively feeding said vellum sheets (111) held in the vellum sheet feed area (185) upwardly, and a retracted downward position for loading said stack of vellum sheets (111) on the metal spring, sheet feed plate (108), and said sheet film tray (74) having a vellum sheet return area (186) in the lower portion thereof, below the vellum sheet feed area (185) ;

(h) said top housing portion (13) having a front top horizontal wall portion (28) which is provided with a view opening (57) positioned over the horizontal translucent light screen (68) on the light box (56);

(i) a see-through view screen support rod (155) having an upper end (159) , and a lower end (156) which is pivotally supported over the top housing portion (13), adjacent the front end of the housing (12) for moving the see- through view screen support rod (155) between a vertical operative position, and a folded horizontal storage position to allow quick and easy transporting of the speech prompter (10) (j) a see-through view screen (158) adjustably mounted on the upper end of said see-through view screen support rod (155) , for positioning the see-through view screen (158) above the light box horizontal translucent light screen (68) in a position to permit viewing the text of the speech on the vellum sheets (111) by a speaker looking through the see- through view screen (158);

(k) a pair of front vellum sheet feed rollers (124) and a pair of coacting front pinch rollers (128) being mounted in a position over the front end of the vellum sheet film tray (74 ) ;

(1) a pair of rear vellum sheet feed rollers (115) and a pair of coacting rear pinch rollers (122) being mounted over the vellum sheet film tray (74) in a position over the rear end of the vellum sheet film tray (74);

(m) a front vellum sheet deflector plate means (48) mounted over the front pair of feed rollers (124) which drivingly engage the front pair of pinch rollers (128), and said front vellum sheet deflector plate means (48) being supported on and between the chassis side walls (33,34);

(n) a rear vellum sheet deflector plate means (43) mounted over the rear pair of feed rollers (115) which drivingly engage the rear pair of pinch rollers (122) , and said rear vellum sheet deflector plate means (43) being supported on and between the chassis side walls (33,34); (o) pulley (118,130) and drive belt means (131) operatively connecting the front and rear feed rollers (124,115); and,

(p) an electric controller (140) which includes an electric drive means (141) operatively connected to the pulley (118,130) and drive belt means (131) for simultaneously rotating the front and rear feed rollers (124,115), to have the front feed rollers (124) contact the upper most one of the vellum sheets (111) on the metal spring, sheet feed plate (108) carried in the vellum sheet film tray (74) and to coact with the front pinch rollers (128) to successively drive the vellum sheets (111) upwardly into engagement with the front vellum sheet deflector plate means (48) and thence rearwardly over the translucent light screen (68) to reflect the text of the speech printed on the vellum sheets (111) upwardly from the light box (56) and toward the see-through view screen (158) which reflects the text of the speech along the line of sight between a speaker standing at the rear of the light box (56) and the see-through view screen (158) , and to drive the vellum sheets (111) rearwardly into engagement with the rear vellum sheet deflector plate means (43) and downwardly into a driving engagement with the rear feed rollers (115) and the coacting rear pinch rollers (122) , and thence into the vellum sheet film tray return area (186).

2. A speech prompter (10) as defined in claim 1, including:

(a) a speed control means (140,180) operatively connected to the electrical drive means (141) for regulating the speed of the movement of the vellum sheets (111) across the light box (56) .

3. A speech prompter (10) as defined in claim 1, wherein:

(a) the vellum sheets (111) are provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart black dots (175) along one side edge thereof; and,

(b) a photoelectric cell sensor (176) is mounted on the upper housing portion adjacent said one side edge of a vellum sheet (111) having black dots (175) , so that when said one side edge of a vellum sheet (111) passes under the photoelectric cell sensor (176) a light control signal is generated for transmission to a slide projector (178) to operate the slide projector (178) at selected times during a speech given by a speaker using the speech prompter (10) .

4. A speech prompter (10) as defined in claim 1, wherein :

(a) said translucent light screen (68) positioned over the light box (56) is provided with a red line (69) to assist a speaker using the speech prompter (10) to maintain his position in a speech.

5. A speech prompter (10) as defined in claim 1, wherein: (a) the top housing portion (13) is provided with a front cover (149) to which is secured the see-through view screen support rod (155) .

6. A speech prompter (10) as defined in claim 1, wherein: (a) the top housing portion (13) includes a rear cover (150) that is pivotally mounted for movement between an opened and a closed position, and which includes manually operated means for holding the rear cover (150) in various adjusted positions between the opened and closed positions.

7. A speech prompter (10) is defined in claim 1, wherein:

(a) the bottom housing portion (14) is provided on the bottom thereof with front (135) and rear (133) grip pads for holding the speech prompter (10) in position on a podium (138) .

8. A speech prompter (10) as defined in claim 1, i ncl udi ng :

(a) a latch means (72) pivotally mounted on the film tray (74) for releasably holding the vellum sheet film tray metal spring, sheet feed plate (108) in a retracted position to permit the loading of a stack of vellum sheets (111) on the film tray metal spring, sheet feed plate (108); and,

(b) a latch release means (97) operatively mounted on the chassis (11) for pivoting the latch means (72) to a released position when the film tray (74) is slidably mounted in the chassis (11) to permit the metal spring, sheet feed plate (108) to move upwardly to a vellum sheet feeding position.

9. A speech prompter (10) as defined in claim 1, including:

(a) a pair of laterally spaced apart spring fingers (119) , with each of said spring fingers (119) having a lower end fixed to the chassis (11) and a free upper end (126) operatively mounted between one of the pair of front vellum sheet feed rollers (124) and one of the pair of front pinch rollers (128) for limiting the flow of vellum sheets (111), into engagement with the front vellum sheet deflector plate means (48) , to one vellum sheet (111) at a time.

10. A speech prompter (10) as defined in claim 1, wherein:

(a) said electric controller (140) includes a manually operated lamp dimmer for controlling the brightness of the fluorescent lamps (67).

11. A speech prompter (10) as defined in claim 1, wherein:

(a) said front (48) and rear (43) vellum sheet deflector plate means are each provided with a plurality of laterally spaced apart, longitudinal ribs which have a U- shaped cross section that depends inwardly and on which the vellum sheets (111) slide when passing under said front (48) and rear (43) vellum sheet deflector plate means.