This invention relates to a hands-free device for enabling the disabled to turn the pages of a book while reading.
Disabled persons who are unable to use their hands for turning over the pages of a book .whileradingrequire assistance, mainly, manual assistance for the purpose. This invention enables the disabled person to turn over the pages of a book with the help of some other part of the body, for example, the foot.
The device proposed herein is simple in its use, requiring only the operation of a switch, such as a press.button switch.
The device is easy to manufacture being simple in its construction and assembly.
The device proposed herein is of especial use in
libraries, schools and so on.

.The hands-free device for enabling the disabled to turn the pages of a book while reading, according to this invention, comprises a base support on which an open book is to be located, the pages on the two sides of the bok being normallylamped down respectively, by two spring-loadsd parforatod membens; a slide provi<^ fm* the two sides of the book for mabling the turning over of a page; a motor coupled to means for actuating the slide and either the one or the other of said members and raising the said member to lift the corresponding page, under suction, and turn it over on to the other side of the book, with the aid of the slide; the said other member being actuated, simultaneously, to rise and allow the turned over page to rest on the other side of the book, before clamping down on the said turned over page; two sets of linkages provided, respectively, for the two sides of the book, for actuating the said perforated members and the slide; two cams provided respectively forthe two set of linkages for the up and down movement of the perforted members, the said linkages being connected to the motor for actuatmg the linkages

Various other features of this invention will be apparentfrom the following furtherdescripticm thereof with reference to the accompanying drawing which illustrate, by way of example, and not by way of limitation one of its possible embodiments
Fig. 1 illustrating the onbodiment with a page on one side of the book being liftednd in the process of being turned over to the other side
Fig.2 illustrating the embodhment with ^ page fiilly
turned over to the other side.
And Fig. 3 illustrates a separate view of a perfc^ated
membear.
A base support JB^ is inteaided to locate an open book B the pages (m the two sides of the book being 2K>nnall>' clamped down respectively, by two spiing-loaded perforated membors Ml M2. A single slide S is provided for both sides of the book. A motor F is ccHipled to means for actuating the slides and either

the one or the other of said members M1 M2 while a l^suction force is created at the perforations PI P2. The siK^on force is created independently by electric power.
Assumingthatthemember Ml is actuated, the suction force created at the perforations P1 of the said member causes the page T1 to be attached to the said member Ml. At the same time, the actuated member Ml is raised to lift the attached pageTl,under suction, and turn it over on to the other side of the book, with the aid of the slide S which is positioned at a predetermined height to facilitate sweeping the pagp over to the other side.
While so, the said other member M2 is actuated, simultaneously, to rise and allow the turned over page Tl to rest on the other side of the book, befwe clamping down on the said turned over page,
A similar procedure follows for turning over a page in the other dkecHosi.

Two sets of cam operated linkages are provided, respectiveiy, for the two sides of the book, for actuating the said perforated members.. The cam assembJy helps in the synchronous movement of tiie two members..
The cam assembly is mechanically coupled to the motor such that the h^ng and resting of the perforated members is precisely timed with the angular position of the shaft of tl^ motor. The entire mechanism is actuated by a switch operable by remote control voice-input control among other fcams.
The device can be conveniently mounted on a table, a wheel chair or otha* types of firm supports for the convenience of the user.
The input signal is eletronically processed to regulate the duration of the system action and suction pump function. Once the slide takes charge and is hal^ay throu^i ri^it half of page, the suction force at the

perforated member ceases, until it is actuated again for the next opeation.
Once a page is turned over, the suction force at the perfOratedmcmbor which performed the turning over action ceases, until it is actuated again for the next operation.
The system comes to rest after one page is turned over and the slide comes back to its original position. The system cc»ning to rest is controller by electronic circuitry and relays.
The terms and expressions herein are of description and not ofliimtation since the device proposed herein is not confined to the anbodiii^tti herein described and illustrated but various otho* embodiments are possible without departing from the scope and ambit of this invention.

We Claim:
1. A hands-firee device for enabling the disabled to turn the pages of a book while reading, comprising a base support on which an open book is to be located, the pages on the two sides of the book being normally clamped down respectively; by two spnng-loaded perforated members; a slide provided for thetwo sides of the book for enabling the turning over of a page; a motor coupled to means for actuating the slid© and either the one or the other of said members and raising the said member to lift the corresponding page, under suction, and turn it over on to the other side of the book, with the aid of the slide; the said other member being actuated, simultaneousfy, to rise and allow the turned over page to rest on the otherside of the book, before clamping down on the said turned over page;twosets of linkages provided, respectively, for the two sides of the book, for actuating the said perforated members and the slide, two cams provided respectively for the two set of linkages for the up and down movement of the perforated members, the said

linkages being connected to the motor for actuating the linkages.
2. A hands-free device as claimed in claim1 wherein
the linkages are camoerated.
3. A hands-free device as claimed in Claim 1 or
Claim 2 wherein the means for creating a suction
force consists of at east one suctionpump.
4. A hands-free device for enabling the disabled to turn the pages of a book while reading substantially as harem described with reference to, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.