Abstract:
An information storage and display apparatus is described. The apparatus comprises a hand-held container having a bottom member and a cover for storing a plurality of information-bearing discs. Within the container, a pedestal means is provided for supporting the discs individually in a position adjacent to a viewing aperture in the cover. The cover is manually rotatable relative to the bottom member and a disc supported on the pedestal for viewing selected portions of the disc.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to information storage and retrieval apparatus in general, but, more specifically, to a hand-held, manually-operable apparatus suitable for the storage and retrieval of information on discs, such as numerical tables, formulas, conversion tables and the like. 
     Students, engineers, pilots, housewives and many other categories of persons frequently have need of information which may be presented conveniently in graphic or tabular form. An example of one such need is a conversion table for the Englishmetric system. Another example might well be a table of numerical constants. 
     Heretofore, data conversion, for example, as employed by students, engineers, pilots, housewives and the like has required the use of books, tables and a variety of devices employing sliders or discs arranged in a slide rule like fashion. 
     So far as is known, however, no device is now available or has been proposed in which a plurality of data discs, sliding members, or the like are conveniently stored in a single device for selective individual use in solving different information source and conversion problems. If a student has had a need for different types of information, he has been required to use a variety of books and tables. Because these things are generally bulky, they are frequently inconvenient to carry around and, consequently, not always readily available when needed. Also, when a particular table or type of information is required, it is frequently necessary to purchase or use a source which contains a great deal of other information which is not required or is required only once in a while. This leads to needless expense and inconvenience. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing, a principal object of the present invention is a small, hand-held, manually-operable, light-weight and relatively inexpensive information storage and retrieval apparatus which eliminates or at least significantly reduces the inconvenience and needless expense associated with equivalent prior known information sources. 
     A principal feature of the invention is a hand-held container in which may be stored a plurality of discs. The container includes a rotatable cover. Each disc bears information of the type frequently required to be used. The information on a disc is typically in tabular form, such as a conversion table. Other forms, such as graphic representations, may also be used. Inside the container, there is provided a pedestal. The pedestal is supported on one end and has one end free. When a particular type of information is required, the disc bearing that information is removed from among other discs retained about the pedestal and placed on the free end of the pedestal in a position adjacent to  a viewing window in the cover of the container. The cover may then be rotated for viewing selected portions of the disc. Means are also provided on each of the discs and pedestal for immobilizing the disc while it is being viewed. 
     Since the number and selection of discs will be tailored to individual needs, discs may be fabricated, packaged and sold separately, as in the fashion of photographic slides at historical parks and other places of interest. Thus, students may purchase and use one set of discs tailored to their individual needs while an engineer, pilot and housewife will generally employ sets of discs bearing other types of information as is unique to and frequently required in their activities. Discs used only infrequently may be stored separately or, if room permits, they may also be stored in the container. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention should become more apparent in the following detailed description of the accompanying drawings in which 
     FIG. 1 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an elevation view of the apparatus of FIG. 1. 
     FIG. 3 is a plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 2 with the cover removed. 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-section view in the direction of the lines 4--4 of FIG. 3. 
     FIG. 5 is an exploded view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the bottom member of FIG. 5. 
     FIGS. 7 and 8 are alternative embodiments of cover members in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIGS. 9 and 10 are alternative embodiments of data disc members in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is provided in accordance with the present invention a relatively shallow, handsized tubular container 1 having a top cover member 2 and a bottom member 3. Both top and bottom members 2 and 3 are generally cylindrical and are removably fitted together in a fashion permitting rotation of the top member 2 relative to the bottom member 3. To facilitate rotation of the top member 2, the top member 2 is typically provided with an overhanging, downwardly-depending side edge portion 4 which is knurled or otherwise roughened. In addition, there is provided in the top member 2, a viewing aperture or window 8. As shown in FIG. 1, there is also provided in cover member 2 an axial bore 5. In the interior of bore 5 there is provided an annular recess 6 which is employed for rotatably coupling the cover 2 to the bottom member 3, as will be described below. 
     Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, there is provided for storage in container 1 a plurality of data discs 10, 11, 12 and 13. The discs 10-13, as more fully described with respect to FIGS. 9 and 10, are each provided with an equilateral, triangularly-shaped axial bore or aperture 20. Extending axially from the base or bottom interior surface of bottom member 3 and having a free end is an identically shaped shaft or pedestal 21 having somewhat shorter sides for freely receiving the discs 10-13. The shape of the pedestal 21 is chosen such that all of the discs may be slidably fitted over the pedestal when the edges of the disc apertures and pedestal sides are coincident. 
     Extending from each corner of the shaft 21 is a pin 22 provided with a hemispherically-shaped end surface 23 for engaging a corresponding hole along a side of the aperture 20 in the discs. Also extending from shaft 21 intermediate pins 22 is a spindle 24. Adjacent the end of spindle 24 is an annular boss or extended portion 25 for releasably engaging the recess 6 in the cover 2. 
     In use, the cover 2 is removed from container 1 as by popping the cover from the bottom member 3. This exposes the discs 10-13. The discs are then removed from the container as by inverting and shaking the container or by grasping the discs using a pair of finger recesses 30 and 31 provided in the periphery of the discs. Once the discs are removed and a single disc is selected therefrom, the remaining discs are returned to the container and the selected disc, such as disc 10, is rotated slightly and placed on the free end of the pedestal 21 with its holes aligned with the pins 22. While shafts of other shapes could be used, the equilateral shape of the shaft 21 is chosen for its simplicity and to facilitate placement of the discs on the shaft in any one of three positions with a minimum expenditure of time and trouble. As can be seen clearly in FIG. 3, the triangular shape of the pedestal 21 also provides a stable three-point support for the disc placed on its free end. 
     The fit between cover 2 and container 1 should be relatively free but with sufficient friction between the two so as to minimize free rotation of the cover relative to the container in the absence of a deliberate attempt to rotate the cover. For this purpose, the length of pins 22 may be chosen such that the pins bear against the interior surface of the cover 2 when the cover is &#34;snapped&#34; onto the container. Other suitable motion-retarding means may, of course, be employed. 
     When the discs and cover are in place, the cover 2 may be rotated relative to the container to expose selected data on the disc 10 for viewing through the window 8. 
     Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, there is provided an alternative embodiment of the present invention comprising a cover 50 and a bottom member 51. Extending downwardly from the interior of the cover 50 is a spindle 52. Spindle 52 is terminated at its free end by an annular recess 53. Extending from the exterior of the cover 50 and coaxial with the spindle 52 is a knob 54. Knob 54 is provided for facilitating rotation of the cover 50 with respect to the bottom member 51. Knurling of the knob may also be employed to facilitate this rotation. In the interior of the bottom member 51, as seen in FIG. 6, is a pedestal 55. Pedestal 55 is also provided to have, preferably, an equilateral triangular shape and is also provided with a plurality of aligning pins 56 extending from its free end. Axially disposed in the pedestal 55 is a bore 57 for receiving the spindle 52. After insertion of a plurality of discs in the bottom member 51 and the placement of at least one of the discs on the pedestal 55, as described with respect to FIGS. 3 and 4, the cover 50 is placed on the bottom member 51 and rotatably secured thereto as by a resilient O-ring 58 which engages the recess 53. For viewing a disc supported on the pedestal 55, there is also provided in the cover 50 a window or aperture of the type described and shown in FIG. 1. 
     The cover members 2 and 50 of FIGS. 1 and 5 are described as comprising a single viewing window or aperture. In practice, however, more than one aperture may be used. 
     Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, there is shown a pair of alternative cover members 40 and 41. In cover 40 there are provided three apertures 42, 43 and 44. Apertures 42 and 44 may be used for viewing identifying indicia, while aperture 43 may be used for viewing the information identified in either of the apertures 42 and 44. As shown in FIG. 9, a disc 45, having the same shape as the discs 10-13 of FIGS. 3 and 4, may have the desired information arranged in tabular form in a plurality of tables 46, 47, etc. Between the tables may be located identifying information such as that shown at 48 and 49. The utility of using a plurality of apertures arranged as shown in FIG. 7, with the disc of FIG. 9, is readily apparent in that the information displayed in aperture 43 is readily identified in either or both apertures 42 and 43. 
     In FIG. 8, there is provided still another arrangement in which the cover 41 is provided with a pair of radially disposed apertures 60 and 61. 
     In FIG. 10, there is shown a disc 62 on which the desired information is placed in opposing positions about the periphery of the disc. In use, for example, if one centers the information &#34;1 in.&#34;  in one window, the metric equivalent, &#34;2.54 cm&#34; will appear in the opposite window. 
     From the foregoing, it is obvious that still other arrangements of viewing windows may be employed with other variously arranged discs and that other types of locking means may be used for rotatably securing a cover to a bottom member in accordance with the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, understood that the above description of the present invention is intended only for purpose of illustration and that the scope of the invention should not be limited thereto but should be determined by reference to the claims hereinafter provided.