THE APPARATUS FOR STORING, CONCEALING AND DISPLAYING INFORMATION

The present invention relates to apparatus for storing, concealing and displaying information. More particularly, it relates to apparatus of the type that may readily be carried on one's person, as for example in a pocket.

Broadly stated, the invention makes provision for apparatus for storing, concealing and displaying information comprising a plurality of superimposed discs having a common connecting centre about which the discs may be rotated either in unison or with respect to each other; the discs decreasing in diameter from the lower- most disc to the uppermost, thereby defining a plurality of annular visible zones; a base below the lowermost disc about which the discs may be rotated, the base being of substantially larger dimensions than the lowermost disc, thereby presenting a further visible zone; the discs bearing first indicia evenly spaced about i) the annular zones in the case of all but the uppermost disc and ii) the periphery of the uppermost disc; the further visible zone of the base having a marker; the arrangement being such that, for use of the wheel, the user a) selects a particular sequence of the first indicia, b) aligns the sequence with the marker, c) enters specific items of information on the further visible zone at spaced locations about the zone, d) furth¬ er enters second indicia on or in relation to the first indicia bearing discs in proximity to the first indicia so that for any one item of information there is a gener- ally aligned sequence of second indicia which to the user has relevance with respect to the one item of informa¬ tion, and e) scrambles this set position of the discs so as to conceal the particular sequence of the first indie-

ia and the generally aligned sequences of second indicia. For the most part, the apparatus will be number orientated, that is to say, the first indicia will be numbers. In this way, such items of information as key telephone numbers, access numbers to bank deposits and computers may be stored with relative safety. It is, however, to be understood that the invention lends itself to use with letters - for instance, to form codes - instead of numbers, or other forms of indicia (e.g. coloured dots, etc.) for that matter.

Where numbers are employed as the first indicia, these numbers are preferably from 0 to 9, on each disc.

It is also preferred that each visible zone have a number of separate segments which bear the first indicia.

Furthermore, the further visible zone - on the base, that is - may have a number of separate segments in respect of each of which, or a multiple of each of which, a specific item of information is to be entered. The base may or may not be of the same general configuration as the overlying discs. If not, one suit¬ able configuration is that of a rectangle, as for instance is described hereinafter with reference to one of the illustrated embodiments. Regard may now be had to a number of preferred embodiments of the invention, which are described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which -

Figure 1 is a plan view of a first embodiment; Figure 2 is a plan view of a second embodiment; and

Figure 3 is a plan view of a third embodiment. In Figure 1, the apparatus - generally desig¬ nated as 1 - is in the form of a wheel. The wheel comprises five superimposed discs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, concent¬ rically arranged and connected at the centre for rotation one with respect to another, or the others, with the discs of progressively decreasing diameter from the lowermost,

the base 2, to the uppermost. The central connection is a metal eyelet 7.

Each disc is divided into ten segments by means of equispaced radial lines 8. With the exception of the base 2, the segments of each disc bear the numbers 0 to 9 in order about the circumference. These numbers are located near the lines 8. On the opposite side of these lines 8 are small circular holes 9 which expose circular zones on the immediately underlying discs . The base 2 has a coloured spot 10.

To use the wheel, the user selects a 'master' number, preferably one which can readily be put to memory. For example, he may choose the number 1510 as being equivalent to his birthday of 15th October. He then aligns this number with the spot 10 by suitable rotation of, first of all, disc 6 to a position where the number 1 is in radial alignment with the spot , then disc 5 to do likewise with the number 5, and so on until the master number is completed. The user subsequently writes in information on the base 2 in the segments provided.

It is desirable not to provide too many 'gaps' - that is, where no information is written in - because otherwise, and as will become hereinafter readily appar- ent, it may not be too difficult by simple manipulation of the various wheels to arrive at the 'master' number.

Having say entered the word 'Visa' in a part¬ icular segment, as a short-form version of his Visa Card number 1234 (for example), the user then introduces that number in the four holes 9 in line with that segment, the number 1 in the hole in disc 6, the number 2 in that of disc 5, and so on.

The user then moves to the next base segment , enters another word or words, and repeats the process of number introduction with a number of significance with respect to the word(s).

The exercise is complete when all segments and

numbers have been filled in. The wheel may then be scrambled to conceal the ten written-in numbers , not to mention the 'master' number. It is, of course, a simple matter to call up those ten numbers for display by recreating the 'master' number.

Figure 2 illustrates a similar arrangement. In this embodiment, however, the base is divided into more segments, 40 in all, defined by 20 radial lines 11 and a 'splitting' circle 12. The inner series of 20 segments 13 may, if desired, be used not to bear word information but the last of the numbers in the completed number corresponding to the word(s) appearing in the outer segment series 14. Also, instead of a coloured spot, an arrow 15 is employed. Moreover, instead of holes 9, the numbers are to be entered directly on to the discs in a radial direction from the A's and/or B's of the uppermost disc ,• as for instance shown at the 4 o'clock position by the number 007.

Figure 3 illustrates a yet further similar arrangement. In this arrangement, however, the base is divided into 20 segments 21, each being generally horizontally aligned. Alternating segments are linked to what may be described as the A lines 22 , with then the intervening segments linked to the B lines 23. The number 0077 is depicted at the 4 o'clock position, this again being a written-in number, and in this case the first '0' appears on the uppermost disc.

It is to be appreciated of course that variations and/or modifications may readily be made to the foregoing embodiments without in any way departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.