Abstract:
The template for ruling index cards is a guide for marking a number of parallel lines on an un-ruled writing surface, such as a 3″×5″ index card. The template has a number of parallel slits spaced at pre-designated distances from each other. The template may have slits disposed either vertically or horizontally. Preferably a template with horizontal slits is used in combination with a template having vertical slits to form a grid with horizontal and vertical rules for blocking letters, i.e., for creating blocks, which ensure uniform size and spacing of letters drawn on the index card. The slits guide a writing instrument as a user draws straight lines on the surface of the card, one card at a time.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/530,257, filed Dec. 18, 2003. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to a drawing tool, and more particularly to a template for marking lines at set or ruled distances on a 3″×5″ index card.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     Those who have ever tried to write down information on an unlined surface know the problems of trying to keep written information neat. For example, when writing one&#39;s name and address on an un-ruled postcard, the text can start off being written in straight lines and then suddenly become slanted or crooked. Information written in crooked lines, or which is just messy, can cause a reader trouble when reading the postcard, and will probably cause delay in mailing items if the post office is unable to decipher the mailing address. A number of items have been developed that guide a writing instrument and a cutting instrument in making marks, letters and/or cuts, respectively, on a surface.  
         [0006]     Although some manufacturers make index cards with pre-printed, ruled lines, the lines are standardized. A template or templates for creating a customized ruled index card, including a ruled grid, in order to aid in preparing a neatly printed 3″×5″ index card would be desirable.  
         [0007]     U.S. Pat. No. 3,939,588, issued to Hockaday on Feb. 24, 1976, describes a lettering guide apparatus having a number of releasable adhesive-mounted parallel strips that can be peeled off to expose a writing surface. The strips that remain intact provide guides for writing information in straight lines. U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,118, issued to Beitler on Oct. 1, 1991, describes a template for laying out cut lines in mats used for framing pictures, prints, stamps, etc. The template has a number of holes to insert a pen or pencil to make hole marks on a drawing surface. The holes are then connected to form straight lines.  
         [0008]     U.S. Pat. No. 4,928,399, issued to Kragt on May 29, 1990, describes a marking template. The template is made from cardboard and has slots and holes for positioning a pen or pencil to make holes and compound angle marks for cutting and drilling into material. U.S. Pat. No. 6,324,767, issued to Houston on Dec. 4, 2001, describes a leveling card that can also be used as a template for tracing or drawing straight lines.  
         [0009]     Templates that assist the user in drawing letters are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,721,011, issued to Anderka on Mar. 20, 1973 (a transparent template having a number of openings shaped into letters for drawing letters), and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,185,392, issued to Berkman on Jan. 29, 1980 (a drawing template for drawing large letters having a plurality of linear and non-linear slots).  
         [0010]     Drawing templates are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,688,330, issued to Konrad on Aug. 25, 1987 (a template for drawing ellipses that uses holders to permit the user to move the template around without having to use pins to hold the template in place); U.S. Pat. No. 6,237,240 issued to Nelson et al. on May 29, 2001 (a template for stenciling borders and corners having four edges each having its own design pattern to trace or cut a design); and U.S. Pat. No. 6,351,893, issued to St. Pierre on Mar. 5, 2002 (a plastic drawing template having openings that relate to traffic symbols for diagramming traffic intersections and accident scenes).  
         [0011]     Templates used to draw figures, lines or circles are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,633,286, issued to Maurer on Jan. 11, 1972 (transparent flat stencil having openings or imprints or molded outlines of toy figures on its surface to outline the figure); U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,285, issued to Morita et al. on Oct. 22, 1991 (a template for drawing a number of concentric figures in exact alignment with each other); U.S. Pat. No. 4,275,502, issued to Jones on Jun. 30, 1981 (a drafting device for drawing concentric lines); U.S. Pat. No. 5,384,964, issued to McKay on Jan. 31, 1995 (a rotating circle template used to draw various sizes of circles); German Patent Number 3,106,176 published on Sep. 9, 1982 (ruler for drawing lines and/or measuring, cutting and laying templates); and German Patent Number 19,833,999 published on Jul. 3, 2000 (drawing and measuring template).  
         [0012]     Several templates have been developed for drawing perspective lines and figures that are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,505,041, issued to Keeney on Mar. 19, 1985 (a drafting template having non-concentric elliptical patterns permits perspective drawing to show scale and proportions in designing rooms, buildings, etc.); U.S. Pat. No. 6,357,130 issued to Rank on Mar. 19, 2002 (a drafting template for drawing axonometric drawings); British Patent Number 2,088,288 published on Jun. 9, 1982 (a perspective drawing template having parts that slide along circular guide surfaces and reference lines to draw lines); and U.S. Pat. No. 5,347,724, issued to Hankins on Sep. 20, 1994 (a transparent and inscribed cropping template having apertures that align with each other to easily crop material).  
         [0013]     Templates used for making or cutting articles are described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2002/01655076, published on Nov. 7, 2002 (a thin transparent template for making an envelope blank that can be sized specifically to enclose an item); U.S. Pat. No. 5,626,551, issued to Kearns et al. on May 6, 1997 (a greeting card manufacturing kit having templates to assist one in making cards or envelopes); and U.S. Patent Publication number 2001/0032394, published on Oct. 25, 2001 to Cross et al. (an estimating device used to measure the amount of material needed from a roll of floor covering to cover an area of a room).  
         [0014]     Still other templates used in making garments or quilts are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,798,781, issued to Wolfe on Mar. 26, 1974 (a template for making back trouser pockets); U.S. Pat. No. 5,570,533 issued to Vouyouka on Nov. 5, 1996 (a pattern-grading template for grading of every part of a garment used in the mass production of garments); U.S. Pat. No. 6,539,636, issued to Jennings on Apr. 1, 2003 (a circular and transparent garment pattern-sizing template having a center point and a number of grids for marking a pattern piece underneath); U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,062, issued to Walker on Aug. 11, 1998 (a flat transparent quilting template having straight and arcuate edge portions for guiding a cutting tool and being marked with straight guide lines to assist in aligning the template with fabric).  
         [0015]      Technical Drawing , Giesecke et al., published in 1974 by Macmillan Publishing Co, Inc., at pp. 70-77, describes the process of drawing guide lines for ensuring uniform vertical and horizontal spacing of letters, as well as uniform letter size. Giesecke et al. describe the use of a Braddock-Rowe Lettering Triangle (a triangle having columns of grouped holes at predetermined distances from the hypotenuse for desired letter size) and an Ames Lettering Guide (device with a rotatable circle mounted on a frame having an orthogonal edge and a slanted edge, the circle having indexed columns of holes for drawing guide lines of predetermined spacing) for drawing grid lines which provide uniform blocks defining letter size and spacing. Both of these devices must be moved along a T-square or other straight edge when drawing the guide lines.  
         [0016]     None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a template for ruling index cards solving the aforementioned problems is desired.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0017]     The template for ruling index cards is a guide for marking a number of parallel lines on an un-ruled writing surface, such as a 3″×5″ index card. The template has a number of parallel slits spaced at pre-designated distances from each other. The template may have slits disposed either vertically or horizontally. Preferably a template with horizontal slits is used in combination with a template having vertical slits to form a grid with horizontal and vertical rules for blocking letters, i.e., for creating blocks, which ensure uniform size and spacing of letters drawn on the index card. The slits guide a writing instrument as a user draws straight lines on the surface of the card, one card at a time.  
         [0018]     The templates can be used with an optional frame that is designed to hold several cards under the topmost card that is being marked. The frame may be box-shaped, being adapted for fitting over or receiving a stack of index cards, and the template may be adapted for forming a tight fit in the open top of the frame in order to prevent movement or shifting of the template while drawing lines on the topmost index card.  
         [0019]     Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a template specifically designed for ruling a blank 3″×5″ index card.  
         [0020]     It is another object of the invention to provide a template for ruling index cards that assists the user in drawing uniform parallel lines at specific distances from each other.  
         [0021]     It is a further object of the invention to provide a pair of templates having horizontal and vertical slots for drawing a ruled grid on index cards for blocking letters.  
         [0022]     Still another object of the invention is to provide a template for ruling index cards that permits drawing guide lines for lettering on the index cards without moving the template.  
         [0023]     It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.  
         [0024]     These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0025]      FIG. 1  is an environmental, perspective view of a template for ruling index cards according to the present invention.  
         [0026]      FIG. 2A  is a perspective view of a template of the present invention for drawing vertical guide lines on an index card.  
         [0027]      FIG. 2B  is a sectional view along lines  2 B- 2 B of  FIG. 2A .  
         [0028]      FIG. 2C  is a top plan view of the template of  FIG. 2A .  
         [0029]      FIG. 2D  is a sectional view along lines  2 D- 2 D of  FIG. 2C .  
         [0030]      FIG. 2E  is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a template of the present invention for drawing vertical guide lines on an index card.  
         [0031]      FIG. 3A  is a perspective view of a template of the present invention for drawing horizontal guide lines on an index card.  
         [0032]      FIG. 3B  is a top plan view of the template of  FIG. 3A .  
         [0033]      FIG. 3C  is sectional view along the lines  3 C- 3 C of  FIG. 3B .  
         [0034]      FIG. 3D  is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a template of the present invention for drawing horizontal guide lines on an index card.  
         [0035]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a frame used with the template of the present invention. 
     
    
       [0036]     Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0037]     The present invention is a template for ruling index cards. Preferably two templates, shown generally as  10  and  20  in  FIG. 1 , are used in combination for drawing a grid  70  of vertical and horizontal guide lines that are used for blocking letters on the conventional 3″×5″ index cards. The grid  70  enables a user to draw uniformly sized and spaced letters in the grid blocks in order to produce a neatly printed index card  50 , postcard, or the like.  
         [0038]     Template  10  is rectangular, and has a series of parallel slits defined normal to the longer sides of the template  10  and extending across the face of the template  10 . The slits are dimensioned so that the point of a pencil can be inserted to lightly draw a plurality of parallel, vertically oriented equally spaced guide lines on the index card. Template  20  is also rectangular, and has a series of parallel slits defined parallel to the longer sides of the template  20  and extending across the face of the template  20 . The slits are dimensioned so that the point of a pencil can be inserted to lightly draw a plurality of parallel, horizontally-oriented, equally spaced guide lines on the index card. The user can then draw letters in the blocks defined by the grid  70  and erase the guide lines to produce a neatly printed index card.  
         [0039]     Referring to  FIG. 2A , template  10  is a relatively thin, flat, rectangular plate having opposing short sides  10   a  and  10   c , each being slightly greater than 3″ long, and opposing long sides  10   b  and  10   d , each being slightly greater than 5″ long. Measuring ⅞″ inward from each the short sides  10   a  and  10   c  are non-slitted portions  12 . The remaining 3¼″ center portion  11  of template  10  is slitted. As shown in  FIG. 2B , the non-slitted portions  12  have a beveled edge  14  adjoining slitted portion  11 .  
         [0040]     The slitted portion  11  is formed with alternating ridged slats  16  and vertical slits  18 . In a preferred embodiment, there are a total of twenty-seven vertical slits  18  and twenty-six vertical ridged slats  16 . The slits  18  and slats  16  are parallel to each other and to the short sides  10   a  and  10   c  of the template  10 . Each ridged slat  16  is about ⅛″ apart from the next ridged slat  16  from peak to peak, and consequently each slit  18  is ⅛″ away from the next adjoining slit  18 . Preferably the height of each ridged slat  16  from its highest point to its lowest point is about {fraction (1/16)}″. However, the thickness of the template  10  is not critical to the invention.  
         [0041]     The distance between each ridged slat  16  permits the tapered end  64  of a writing instrument  60  to glide along the walls of each ridged slat  16 . Vertical slit  18  is wide enough to permit the passage of a tip  62  of the writing instrument  60 . Writing instrument  60  is preferably a Papermate Sharpwriter® Mechanical Pencil #2 (Sharpwriter is a trademark of The Gillette Company of Boston, Mass.) or the like, which is suited for use with templates  10 ,  20 , and templates  100  and  200  discussed below. Other writing instruments, however, may also be used, such as pens, conventional pencils, and fine point markers. Each line marked through slit  18  is ⅛″ distance apart from the next vertical line mark.  
         [0042]     Referring now to  FIGS. 1, 2C  and  2 D, template  10  has a lip  15  depending from and extending around the periphery of the plate. In one embodiment, shown in  FIGS. 2C and 2D , when template  10  placed over a deck of 3×5 index cards  55 , the lip  15  holds the cards  55  in place and prevents the template  10  or the cards  55  from sliding around as a user  40  marks lines on the top-most card, as the inner dimension defined by lip  15  measures about 3″×5″. In another embodiment, shown in  FIG. 1 , the outer dimension of the lip  15  measures about 3″×5″, so that when template  10  is placed on frame  30 , the lip  15  snaps into the 3″×5″ opening defined by frame  30  with a portion of the template  10  overhanging the top edges of frame  30  in order to prevent the template  10  from sliding off the frame  30 .  
         [0043]     Flat, planar template  100 , shown in  FIG. 2E , is an alternative embodiment to template  10 . Template  100  is rectangular, having short sides  100   a  and  100   c , each being 3″ 1  long, and long sides  100   b  and  100   d , each being 5″ long.  
         [0044]     Template  100  has two non-slitted portions  112 , twenty-six vertical slats  116 , each being about ⅛″ wide, and twenty-seven vertical slits  118 . Slats  116  and slits  118  are parallel to each other and to the short sides  100   a  and  100   c  of the template  100 . The series of slats  116  and slits  118  together form a slitted region  111  that occupies about 3¼″ of the center portion of template  100 . The two non-slitted portions  112  flank slitted region  111  on opposing sides. Each non-slitted portion  112  is ⅞″ wide as measured inwards from the short sides  100   a  and  100   c . Template  100 , like template  10 , allows the user to mark vertical lines on a card  50  that are ⅛″ apart from the next line. The template  100  can be used with or without frame  30 . Template  100  differs from template  10  in that template  100  does not have lip  15  depending from its periphery, and the slats  116  are not ridged.  
         [0045]     The second type of template for marking guide lines is template  20 , shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B . Template  20  is a flat, relatively thin rectangular plate having opposing short sides  20   a  and  20   c , each being slightly greater than 3″ long, and opposing long sides  20   b  and  20   d , each being slightly greater than 5″ long. Template  20  has seventeen slits  23  extending parallel to the long sides  20   b  and  20   d , and is therefore adapted for drawing horizontal guide lines on a 3″×5″ index card. The slits  23  may have beveled edges.  
         [0046]     A lip  25  depends from and extends around the periphery of template  20 , as shown in  FIGS. 3B and 3C . Lip  25  serves the same function as lip  15  of template  10 , i.e., lip  25  holds the template  20  stationary above either the cards  55  or frame  30  as the user  40  marks horizontal guide lines on the card&#39;s  50  surface.  
         [0047]     The template  20  has a number of slats  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28  having widths ranging between {fraction (1/16)}″ and ¼″. Slat  22  is ⅛″ wide; slat  24  is ¼″ wide; slat  26  is {fraction (3/16)}″ wide; slat  28  is {fraction (1/16)}″ wide. A slit  23  is defined between each slat  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28 . Starting from long side  20   d  of template  20 , the pattern of slats  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28  and slits  23  is disposed on the template  20  in the following arrangement: slat  22  followed by slit  23 , slat  26  followed by slit  23 , slat  28  followed by slit  23 , slat  28  followed by slit  23 , slat  26  followed by slit  23 , slat  22  followed by slit  23 , slat  24  followed by slit  23 . The remaining slats continue to alternate between the ⅛″ slat  22  width and the ¼″ slat  24  width until it reaches the opposite 5″ long side  20   b.    
         [0048]     Flat, planar template  200 , shown in  FIG. 3D , is an alternative embodiment to template  20 . Template  200  is similar to template  20  in that slats  222  and  224  alternate between ⅛″ and ¼″ apart from each other, except for slats  226  and  228  that are {fraction (3/16)}″ and {fraction (1/16)}″ apart from each other, respectively. Slats  222  are ⅛″ wide, slats  224  are ¼″ wide, slats  226  are {fraction (3/16)}″ wide and slats  228  are {fraction (1/16)}″ wide. Between each horizontal slat  222 ,  224 ,  226 ,  228  is a horizontal slit  223  that is wide enough for the tip  62  of a writing instrument  60  to mark the surface of a card  50 . Template  200  differs from template  20  in that template  200  lacks lip  25 .  
         [0049]     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , box-shaped frame  30  is shown having four walls defining a rectangular shape, without a top wall or a bottom wall. End walls  32  are slightly greater than 3″ in length and side walls  36  are slightly greater than 5″ in length, so that the interior dimension defined by frame  30  is about 3″ by 5″, and adapted for receiving a deck  55  of 3″×5″ index cards. The height of the frame&#39;s end walls  32  and side walls  36  is about ⅝″ high.  
         [0050]     The top edge  31  of the frame  30  may have notches  34  on its 5″ walls  36 . Notches  34  correspond to the ridges  16  and vertical slits  18  disposed on template  10 . Lips  15  and  25  permit the templates  10  and  20 , respectively, to fit over the exterior perimeter of frame  30  to ensure that the templates  10 ,  20  do not slide or move as the user  40  marks the surface of cards  55 .  
         [0051]     The frame  30  is used to contain and surround the writing surface, such as 3×5 index cards  55 , and serve as a place for the templates  10 ,  20  to rest as the user  40  marks lines on the writing surface. The writing surface, as mentioned above, is preferably one 3×5 index card  50 , a deck of 3×5 index cards  55  or other writing surfaces being 3″ long and 5″ wide such a post-its, photographs, etc. The templates  10 ,  100 ,  20  and  200  may, however, also be used for marking lines on surfaces that are larger or smaller than 3″ by 5″. As previously mentioned, frame  30  is an optional feature of the present invention that may be used with templates  10 ,  100 ,  20  and  200 .  
         [0052]     In use, with the frame  30 , the user  40  sets a deck of 3×5 cards  55  in frame  30  and places template  10  above the cards  55  and frame  30 . The user  40  slides the writing instrument  60  along each ridged slat  16 . The tip  62  of the writing instrument  60  marks vertical guide lines on the surface of the top most card as it passes through each vertical slit  18 . The user  40  then removes template  10  from frame  30  and replaces it with template  20 . The user  40  then slides the writing instrument  60  along each slat  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28 . The tip  62  of the writing instrument  60  now marks horizontal lines on the surface on the same topmost card as it passes through each horizontal slit  23 . As shown on exemplary card  50 , the end result of marking vertical and horizontal lines on the same index card  50  is the formation of a grid  70 . The grid  70  provides defined blocks or spaces for the user to write information in neat rows and columns, one letter or number at a time. Once the grid  70  is formed on the card  50 , the card  50  is either removed entirely from the deck of cards  55  or placed under the deck of cards  55  so a new index card may be exposed beneath the template. The grid  70  may be drawn very lightly with the pencil, so that the grid  70  may be erased after the letters have been drawn, if desired.  
         [0053]     Optionally, the user  40  can just use either template  10  or  20  alone without the other, for use without frame  30 . The steps mentioned above may be done in reverse, with template  20  being used first to mark the card&#39;s surface and template  10  being used last. Templates  100  and  200  are designed for use with or without frame  30 .  
         [0054]     The templates  10 ,  100 ,  20 ,  200  are made from steel, plastic or rubber. Preferably the templates  10 ,  100 ,  20 ,  200  are made from stainless steel. Alternatively, templates  10 ,  100 ,  20 ,  200  may be made from plastic. The plastic should be rigid or semi-rigid, having slits  18 ,  118 ,  23 ,  223  cut into the templates  10 ,  100 ,  20 ,  200 , respectively, or the templates could be injection molded with the slits defined by the mold. The plastic material used could be either opaque or transparent.  
         [0055]     It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.