IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS ADDARATIR FOR THE SUPPLY OF INK OR WRITING FLUID TO PENS. OR
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Gibbard Richard Hughes of No. 2 Elm Row Hampstead
in the County of Middlesex and Thomas Carwardine of No. 6 Rudall Crescent
Hampstead aforesaid for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS
ADDARATIR FOR THE SUPPLY OF INK OR WRITING FLUID TO PENS.
OR
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Gibbard Richard Hughes
and Thomas Carwardine at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
31st August 1882.
GIBBARD RICHARD HUGHES of No 2 Elm Row Hampstead in the County of
Middlesex and THOMAS CARWARDINE of N° 6 Rudall Crescent Hampstead aforesaid
IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR THE SUPPLY OF INK OR WRITING
FLUID TO PENS
"
The improvements apply particularly to arrangements by which the holder for
the pen is the reservoir for the ink or writing fluid to be used, but they apply also
to other arrangements.
The bolder for the pen is formed at one end of it for receiving the pen so as to
receive and hold the particular form of pen desired to be used and this end of the
holder is provided with a bag of thin india rubber or other suitable material. The
open end of this bag opens into the body or barrel of the holder, and it may be
attached to, or form part of the holder, or in the case of the upper end of the pen
or that part fitting to a holder, being cylindrical the bag may at its open end be
turned over the upper end of this cylindrical portion of the pen and thus be the
means of aiding to hold the pen to a holder.
In any case the bag in part occupies a position interior of the pen except at the
point of the pen, and the point of the pen passed into and again out from the
interior of the bag in order that the bag may thereby supply ink or writing fluid to
the point or nib of the pen.
In the use of the pen, the separation of the two points of the nib of it admits of
the flow or supply of ink from the body or barrel or source of supply through the

page_text: bag as required to the point or nib. In some cases the pen with its bag may be
used with a quill or other ink holder.
The retention of the ink within the points or outflow of the pen except when the
pen is in use, is further secured by immersing these parts of the pen and bag in a
solution of india rubber or such like elastic solution so as to obtain a slight coating
thereon of such elastic solution. In most cases the opposite or upper end of the
body or barrel of the holder is closed by a plug which is perforated by a small
air-hole and is, according to one of our arrangements provided with a short fine
tube. The inner end of this tube opens into a funnel or cone or other suitably
shaped chamber communicating with another fine tube which extends down the
body or barrel to near the upper end of the pen.
By another of our arrangements the small inner tube extends from the hole in
the outer end or plug of the body or barrel to near the upper part of the pen and
at this end as well as at a short distance therefrom it is contracted a little.
By another of our arrangements the small tube is enclosed in another small tube
somewhat larger than the first, each tube at the inner end has a small hole drilled
through it for the admission of air.
By another of our arrangements the holder is formed of two tubes the inner one
serving as a reservoir for the ink or writing fluid whilst the small annular space
between the outside of this inner tube, and the inside of the outer one, serves to
prevent the escape of fluid from the interior chamber, there is a small opening
from the central tube to the above mentioned surrounding annular space and
another from this annular space to the exterior.
The length of this space as well as its position may be varied.
By each of these means whilst air is admitted in sufficient quantity to admit of 2
the ink flowing when the pen is in use, the ink is prevented from escaping into the
pocket, or otherwise, when not in use.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Gibbard Richard Hughes and Thomas Carwardine in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 28th February 1883.
GIBBARD RICHARD HUGHES of N° 2 Elm Row Hampstead in the County of
Middlesex and THOMAS CARWARDINE of N° 6 Rudall Crescent Hampstead
aforesaid "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR THE SUPPLY OF INK OR
WRITING FLUID TO PENS
"
The Improvements apply particularly to arrangements by which the holder for
the pen is the reservoir for the ink or writing fluid to be used but they apply also
to other arrangements.
The holder for the pen is formed at one end of it for receiving the pen so as to
receive and hold the particular form of pen desired to be used and this end of the
holder is provided with a bag of thin india-rubber or other suitable material The
open end of this bag opens into the body or barrel of the holder and it may be
attached to or form part of the holder or in the case of the upper end of the pen or
that part fitting to a holder being cylindrical commonly known as a barrel pen the
bag may at its open end be turned over the upper end of this cylindrical or
barrel portion of the pen and thus be the means of aiding to hold the pen to a
holder.
In any case the bag in part occupies a position interior of the pen except at the
point of the pen and the bag is so formed as that the point of the pen is passed
into and again out from the interior of the bag in order that the bag may thereby
supply ink or writing fluid to the point or nib of the pen.
In the use of the pen the separation of the two points of the nib of it admits of
the flow or supply of ink from the body or barrel or source of supply through the
bag as required to the point or nib
The retention of the ink within the points or outflow of the pen except when
the pen is in use is further secured by immersing these parts of the pen and bag in
a solution of india-rubber or such like elastic material so as to obtain a slight
coating thereon of such elastic solution which solution when of the nature of india-
rubber is then properly "cured"
The reservoir holder to be used with the above pen and ink bag may be of
various constructions.
By one construction (Figure 1) the bolder is formed of two tubes the inner one
serving as a reservoir for the ink or writing fluid whilst the small annular space
between the outside of this inner tube and the inside of the outer one serves to
prevent the escape of fluid from the interior chamber there is a communication or a
small opening from the central tube to the above mentioned surrounding annular
space and another from this annular space to the exterior
By another construction (Figure 11) the small inner tube extends from the hole
in the outer end or plug of the body or barrel to near the upper part of the pen and
at this end as well as at a short distance therefrom it is contracted a little.
The length of this space as well as its position may be varied
By another construction (Figure 10) the holder may be provided with a short
fine tube the inner end of which tube opens into a funnel or cone or other suitably
shaped chamber communicating with another fine tube which extends down the
body or barrel or near the upper end of the pen or (Figure 12) the small tube may

page_text: be enclosed in another tube somewhat larger than the first and each tube at the
inner end may have a small hole drilled through it for the admission of air.
By each of above arrangements whilst air is admitted in sufficient quantity to
admit of the ink flowing when the pen is in use the ink is prevented from escaping
into the pocket or otherwise when not in use.
The pen with its bag to contain the ink may also be used with a quill or any
hollow holder which can act as a reservoir for ink or if a larger supply of ink than
what may be contained in the bag is not needed the pen with its bag may be used
with a solid pen holder
Having thus stated the nature of our said Invention we will proceed by the aid
of the accompanying drawings to more particularly describe our Invention and the
mode of performing the same or carrying the same into effect in which similar
letters of reference refer to similar parts in each of the figures Figure 1 shows a
vertical section of the entire pen and holder. Figure 2 shows a sectional view
Figure 3 a side view. Figure 4 an upper side and Figure 5 an underside view.
respectively of the pen and its ink conductor attachment separated from the holder
and reservoir parts Figure 6 shows the bag or conductor hereafter more
particularly referred to separately.
Figure 5* shews an underside view of our improved pen or writing instrument
in which an ordinary barrel pen is used
Figures 78 and 9 shew our improved pen or writing instrument in which an
ordinary steel or other nib is used. Figures 10. 11 and 12 shew modifications in
the construction of the reservoir holder
b
a is the pen proper or nib having its barrel portion a¹ enveloped by one portion b¹
of the india-rubber bag 6 being turned over it the other end 62 of this bag being
passed through by the points of the nib a².
Figure 7 shows an upper side view of a modification of our improved pen or writing
instrument. Figure 8 shews a view of the under side of the pen shewn in Figure 7
together with a portion of a slit barrel or tube holder (into which such nib is fitted)
shewn in section and Figure 9 shews the like pen with a portion of a grooved or
slotted holder therefor.
The pen a shewn in Figures 7 and 8 is inserted in the split barrel z and the
point of the nib a² is passed through the end 62 of the bag band the other end b₁
of the bag b is turned over so as to envelope the split barrel z
The pen a shewn in Figure 9 is inserted in a slot or groove c³ in a holder c¹ the
point a² of this pen being (as mentioned with respect to the figures just described)
passed through the end 62 of the bag 6 the other end b¹ of the bag being passed
over and so as to envelope a rim portion of the socket piece or carrier c and be held
in a groove c' formed between that part cs and the part e of the holder.
In Figure this bag enveloped pen a is then socketted or held in the conically
shaped opening c¹ of the pen holder c of the main holder and this part c is screwed
to the part d¹ of the reservoir d whilst the part d' thereof again is screwed to
the part of the holder e which part e is screwed at el to the part f₁ of a connecting
plug upon the part 2 of which plug the pen cover or perforated end piece g is
slidden
The reservoir d is filled with ink by unscrewing the part c
Figure 10 shews in section a modification of the pen and holder and in this the
air passage through the plug f opens into a small chamber from which extends a
small tube the lower end of which opens to the lower or feed end of the barrel
and near the upper end of the pen when the pen is applied.
Figure 11 shews in section another modification of the pen and holder when the
pen holder is closed and in this the air passage through the plug f is continued
within the ink reservoir d by means of a tube h which tube h is contracted at a
point intermediate of the length thereof as well as at the end thereof h° where
the air is delivered within the penholder, so as to restrict the flow of air and
facilitate delicacy of adjustment of ink supply to the pen or writing instrument.

page_text: Figure 12 shews in section another modification of holder and in this the air
passage through the plug f is continued within the ink reservoir d by means of
the tube hand this tube h is enclosed in another tube h?.
It will be seen that in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 11 the nib or pen is of a peculiar
form the stem being tapered and the reservoir holder being also tapered in a corre-
sponding manner so as to receive the nib but in Figure 5* an ordinary barrel pen
is used and in Figures 7, 8 and 9 an ordinary steel or other nib. The mode of
fitting an ordinary steel or other nib to the holder shewn in Figure 9. is very
simple, the nib is placed in the semi-cylindrical slot c³ in the holder in the usual
way and the point of the elastic ink bag b is stretched until the point of the nib is
passed into and out of the end of the ink bag b as shewn.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:-Pressure of the nibs on the surface
to be written or inscribed on causes the separation of the nibs and this opening
of these nibs also opens the elastic end of the bag b through which they pass and
so permits ink to flow out in a thin stream whilst their removal from the written
surface permits the nibs and the enveloping end of the bag to reclose stopping the
flow of ink.
The proper action of these parts in precluding the flow of ink except in actual
use is secured by dipping or coating the pen and bag with india rubber or other
suitable elastic solution after they have been attached together completing the
sealing of the closed nibs with the perforated small end of the ink bag. In
Figure 1 Ink to the ink bag b flows therein by its open end 63 from the ink
reservoir d down the channel c² Chambers c², e², f² and g² are formed by the
spaces left between the adjoining parts c and d; d and e; d, e and f; f, and I aud
the chambers c, e², f and g² are connected for the passage of air by channels
d³, es. f which air enters by the perforations g³ whilst the chambers e² and f¹
further serve as catch chambers or intercepters to intercept ink that may escape
through these air passages in what would be an undesirable and inconvenient
direction with danger of eventual escape into the pocket or hand.
For still further security in some cases we slide over the outer end g au
unperforated cap or cover
A perforated cap or cover is slidden on over the pen end e of the holder to
protect those parts
We are aware that it has before the date of our patent been proposed to enclose
the whole pen in a bag or case of Sheet india rubber which case was opened by the
separation of the nibs by pressure on the surface to be written on and in such
arrangement the pen if of corrodible metal such as steel soon suffers from
corrosion by the action of the ink by which it is constantly surrounded and such
an arrangement of pen and ink bag has therefore proved objectionable
The essential object and feature of our arrangement of pen and ink bag is to
keep the ink out of contact with the nibs of the pen as much as possible and to
localise the corrosion to the very small part of the nibs down which the ink
actually flows in working and the parts passing through the bag end
Having thus described the nature of our invention and means adopted by us in
carrying the same into effect we would have it understood that we do not make
any claim to any of the forms of ink reservoirs or hollow holders shewn and
described for holding the pen and for retaining and supplying ink to the said bag
and pen apart from the combination thereof with our peculiar ink bag.
But what we claim is:-
1 A pen or writing instrument consisting of a nib, a hollow ink reservoir pen
holder terminating in the elastic ink bag which conveys the ink from the reservoir
to the point of the nib constructed and arranged substantially in the manner
hereinbefore described and illustrated in the drawings hereunto annexed
2 The pen or writing instrument with the elastic ink bag substantially as
herein before described and illustrated in Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the Drawings
3 The hollow reservoir holder with the elastic ink bag into which an ordinary

page_text: steel or other nib or pen may be fitted substantially as described and illustrated
in Figures 5* 7, 8 and 9 of the Drawings.
In witness whereof we the said Gibbard Richard Hughes and Thomas
Carwardine have hereunto set our hands and seals this Twenty seventh
day of February in the Year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and eighty three.
Witness
ALFRED G. BROOKES.
59 Chancery Lane
London.
(L.S.)
G. R. HUGHES.
THOMAS CARWARDINE. (L.S.)