US3271882A - Flash card game and stand - Google Patents

Description

Se t. 13, 1966 R. e. CHUY FLASH CARD GAME AND STAND Filed May 21, 1964 FIG. I.

INVENTOR.

FIG. 2.

Ill", "Ill IIIIIIIII llliillhiliiilliii! Ill United States Patent 3,271,882 FLASH CARD GAME AND STAND Ruth G. Chuy, 15447 Sorrento, Detroit 27, Mich. Filed May 21, 1964, Ser. No. 369,140 2 Claims. (Cl. 3531) This invention relates to flash card games used by children for learning simple arithmetic problems wherein a problem appears on the front face of a card and the answer thereto on the rear face thereof.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a means for maintaining a set of flash cards in a compact and orderly fashion while they are being used, and for being able to ascertain the answer to a problem without having to turn each card to read the answer usually printed on the rear face thereof.

Another object of this invention is to provide a structure whereby one set of cards, for example of addition problems, can be quickly interchanged with another set of multiplication or division problems, etc., or with a set of cards relating to other subjects of learning.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a novel and improved flash card game and stand device which is simple and compact in construction, economical of manufacture, and easy to use.

it is still a further object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved flash card game device comprising a set of flash cards, a stand, means for mounting said set of flash cards on said stand, and means carried by the stand and cooperative with said flash cards to show the answers to problems appearing on the front faces of said flash cards.

In general, it is the object of this invention to create more interest and excitement in learning through the use of flash cards with the novel employment of a mirror in which to read the answers.

Other objects, features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, appended claims, and the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a flash card holding device made in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 1, taken along the line 22 thereof, and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the front face of one of the flash cards employed in the invention; and,

FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view of the flash card illustrated in FIG. 3.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like or similar parts, the numeral generally designates an illustrative embodiment of the invention which comprises a stand generally indicated by the numeral 11 and a set of cards of the flash card type designated generally as 12.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the flash card holding stand 11 is of an L shaped formation having a horizontal, rectangularly shaped platform 13 and an upright plate member 14 projecting vertically upward from one end thereof for the purpose of providing a rectangularly shaped housing or recess 15. Vertically positioned in the recess 15 is a rectangular mirror 16 which is fixedly secured in place by glue or other suitable means.

3,271,882 Patented Sept. 13, 1966 "ice Mounted in the annular opening 17, provided in the midportion of said platform 13 and adjacent the front edge 18 opposite said upright member 14, is the vertical portion 19' of an integral L shaped rod generally indicated by the numeral 20. The rod 20 has its other horizontal portion 21 extended parallel to said base platform 13 with its inner terminal end 22 being slightly radiused into the upward direction for a purpose which will be disclosed in detail hereinafter.

Mounted onto the horizontally disposed portion 21 of said L shaped rod 20' by means of annular openings 23 is a set of cards which are each designated by the numeral 12. The cards are made from any suitable rigid or firm paper, or plastic material. The illustrative cards 12 have problems in arithmetic printed on the front faces 24 thereof as for example, an addition problem of 3 plus 4, as shown in FIG. 3. As seen in FIG. 4, the rear face 25 of the flashcard 12 of FIG. 3 has a numeral printed backwardly thereon, in this case the numeral 7, which is the solution to the addition problem 3 plus 4 appearing on the front face of said flash card.

It will be readily apparent that as each card 12 is rotatably raised about said rod portion 21 and held upright in front of said mirror 16, the backwardly printed numeral appearing on the rear face of said card will be reflected from said mirror to the viewer in proper position for readability.

For the purpose of more easily flipping each card from one side of the rod portion 21 to the other, each card 12 has its lower terminal 26 rounded. For the purpose of preventing each card from sliding off of said rod portion 21, the inner or free end of said rod portion is slightly radiused into the upward direction as indicated by the numeral 27 in FIG. 2.

It will also be realized that any type of flash cards incorporating the aid of a mirror can be used for problems or written questions in other fields than mathematics wherein an answer may b in the form of a word or group of words comprising a sentence also backwardly printed, and that one of the sets of cards can be slidably removed from said rod 20 and be replaced by another set.

While it will be apparent that the preferred embodiment of the invention herein disclosed is well calculated to fulfill the objects above stated, it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation and change without departing from the proper scope or fair meaning of the subjoined claims.

What I claim is:

1. A device of the class described comp-rising: a plurality of flash card type cards; each of said cards being provided with a rounded lower end and a centrally located annular opening through said lower end; a platform having a plate on one end projecting vertically upward for vertically mounting a mirror thereon; an L shaped card supporting rod; said platform being provided with an opening spaced from said plate for mounting one end of a vertical portion of said L shaped rod; the other horizontal portion of said L shaped rod extending toward said mirror and being disposed in parallel relationship to and spaced above said platform for mounting said flash cards thereon by means of said central openings for forming a rotatable axis for said flash cards, whereby each of said flash cards may be rotated selectively from a horizontal inoperative position to a vertical operative position; said flash cards having their rear faces facing said mirror;

printed means carried on the front faces of said flash cards for displaying problems; and, printed means carried on the rear faces of said flash cards for showing the answers to problems appearing on the front faces of said flash cards in cooperation with said mirror.

2. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein: said printed means for showing the answer to a problem comprises the answer to said problem being printed backwardly on the rear face of each flash card so as to be reflected from said mirror on said stand.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 335,837 2/1886 Peckharn 359 X 5 434,855 8/1890 \Vorsiey 403l2 1,736,552 11/1929 Shuiman et a1. 35-9 2,723,464- 11/1955 Zaikind 3532 EUGENE R. CAPOZ IO, Primary Examiner.

10 WI-LLIAM GRIEB, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A DEVICE OF THE CLASS DESCRIBED COMPRISING: A PLURALITY OF FLASH CARD TYPE CARDS; EACH OF SAID CARDS BEING PROVIDED WITH A ROUNDED LOWER END AND A CENTRALLY LOCATED ANNULAR OPENING THROUGH SAID LOWER END; A PLATFORM HAVING A PLATE ON ONE END PROJECTING VERTICALLY UPWARD FOR VERTICALLY MOUNTING A MIRROR THEREON; AN L SHAPED CARD SUPPORTING ROD; SAID PLATFORM BEING PROVIDED WITH AN OPENING SPACED FROM SAID PLATE FOR MOUNTING ONE END OF A VERTICAL PORTION OF SAID L SHAPED ROD; THE OTHER HORIZONTAL PORTION OF SALD L SHAPED ROD EXTENDING TOWARD SAID MIRROR AND BEING DISPOSED IN PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP TO AND SPACED ABOVE SAID PLATFORM FOR MOUNTING SAID FLASH CARDS THEREON BY MEANS OF SAID CENTRAL OPENINGS FOR FORMING A ROTATABLE AXIS FOR SAID FLASH CARDS, WHEREBY EACH OF SAID FLASH CARDS MAY BE ROTATED SELECTIVELY FROM A HORIZONTAL INOPERATIVE POSITION TO A VERTICAL OPERATIVE POSITION; SAID FLASH CARDS HAVING THEIR REAR FACES FACING SAID MIRROR; PRINTED MEANS CARRIED ON THE FRONT FACES OF SAID FLASH CARDS FOR DISPLAYING PROBLEMS; AND, PRINTED MEANS CARRIED ON THE REAR FACES OF SAID FLASH CARDS FOR SHOWING THE ANSWERS TO PROBLEMS APPEARING ON THE FRONT FACES OF SAID FLASH CARDS IN COOPERATION WITH SAID MIRROR.

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