Tactile braille or graphic display

Abstract

A tactile braille or graphic display with a laminar display carrier with pattern points which are raised in their tangible positions and are formed by the hemispherical surfaces of feeler balls projecting through openings in the top of the display carrier which feeler balls are selectively brought into their tangible position by adjustment of associated locking balls. A locking armature which can be slid into the underside of the display carrier is provided to adjust each locking ball. This armature can firstly be slid into the locking position by means of a setting armature of a moving setting device and secondly can be released from the locking position by the setting armature after the latter is magnetized. The locking ball is spring-loaded and in the locking position is moved under the feeler ball against the pressure of the spring by the locking armature in order to hold the feeler ball in its tangible position, and preferably a further filling ball serving as a spacer is disposed between the feeler ball and the locking ball. The locking armature is provided with a shoulder which partially grips around the locking ball in the locking position, producing an easily releasable clamping connection, and holds the locking armature in the locking position. The setting armatures for a plurality of pattern points, in particular for the pattern points of a line of shapes, are disposed together with their magnetizing windings on a common setting device which is disposed so as to be displaceable at right angles to the direction of the line of shapes on rails provided at both sides of the display carrier and is adjustable in relation to the display carrier with the aid of eccentrics for the purpose of adjusting the tangible positions of the pattern points of this line of shapes.