IMPROVEMENTS IN PENHOLDERS AND APPLIANCES CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Burch, of Adswood Grove, Stockport, in the
County of Cheshire, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PENHOLDERS AND APPLIANCES CONNECTED THEREWITH."
Sealed the 6th November 1877, and dated the 9th May 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Burch at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th May 1877.
JOSEPH BURCH, of Adswood Grove, Stockport, in the County of Cheshire,
Gentleman. " IMPROVEMENTS IN PENHOLDERS AND APPLIANCES
THEREWITH."
The objects sought by this Invention are threefold,—
CONNECTED
1st. To enable a writer to take up in his pen at each dip an unusual increased
quantity of ink.
2nd. To impart additional flexibility to the pen whilst writing.
3rd. To prevent the drying of the ink in the pen when the latter is not in use.
The first part of the Invention is effected by means of small spoon or hollow
enlargement, similar to a garden trowel, formed at the lower end of a short
stem, the upper end whereof carries a flat circular disc, through the centre of
which a small hole is perforated. A fine mortice in the lower end of the stem or
handle of the penholder is cut to receive the circular disc, which, when inserted
therein and a cross pin is passed through the sides of the mortice and the hole
in the disc, forms a joint therewith. The pen is so placed in the holder that the
front or hollow face of the spoon faces the inside or hollow of the pen, and when
the latter is in position the extreme end of the spoon will close against that part
of the pen which tapers to the nibs, and by this means a receptacle is formed
between the hollow bowl of the spoon and the pen that becomes filled with the
ink each time the pen is dipped into it. This portion of the Invention may be
combined with any of the ordinary penholders, and used with any pen.
The second part of the Invention, whereby additional flexibility is imparted to
the pen, consists in the method whereby it is received and held in the penholder;
the stem whereof may be made; as usual, of wood or of any other suitable material.

page_text: A bent piece or strip of very thin metal or other substance, or (by preference) a
piece of the quill portion of a pinion, is so fastened lengthwise on the end of the
handle or stem that a portion of the end of the latter lies in the hollow of the piece
of quill, which at its upper end is fastened to the handle by a small pin driven
through crosswise; the free end of the piece extending to the end of the holder is
conterminous therewith. A thin vulcanized india-rubber or other elastic sheath
is then placed or drawn upon the upper or small end of the holder, and gradually
worked down to its lower end, so that about one-half, more or less, of the length
of the holder, including the piece of quill, is covered by the sheath. The pen is
inserted at the end between the holder and the quill, and the necessary flexible
resistance to the pressure of the pen upon the paper whilst writing is afforded by
the elasticity of the sheath.
The third part of the Invention furnishes the means, whereby the drying of the
ink in a pen, temporarily placed out of use, is effected. It consists in forming a
projection, or in placing a small ring of india-rubber.or. of other suitable material upon
the lower end of any kind of holder or on a quill pen, so as to form around it an
annular enlargement; or when this part of the Invention is applied to such a
holder as is described in the second part, then an enlargement may be formed by
drawing or working the end of the shield slightly beyond the end of the holder and
then turning or folding it back. The object for forming this annular enlargement
round the lower end of the holder or round a quill pen is to prevent the body or
stem of the holder passing through the conical or other shaped neck or entrance
into a small bottle, vessel, or tube containing in a sponge, or otherwise a-limited
quantity of any slowly evaporating liquid that will emit sufficient, vapour when the
entrance or neck of the bottle is plugged or stoppered by the enlargement on the
penholder or pen to keep the aeriform portion of the contents of the bottle or vessel
in a humid state, and thereby prevent the evaporation of and consequent thickening
or drying of the ink contained in the pen, the nibs whereof must not come in
contact with the liquid or sponge.
3
The material chosen for making the small spoon or hollow instrument, mentioned
in the first part of this Invention, should either be some metal that the ink will
not corrode (by preference gold), or ivory, bone, horn, or other substance possessing
sufficient strength for the purpose.
·
When the first part of the Invention is applied to a quill pen the top end of the
spoon is jointed to a plug of wood or other material that is pushed up the quill;
and is held there by the lateral pressure of a spring or otherwise.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Joseph Burch in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th
November 1877.
cr
JOSEPH BURCH, of Adswood Grove, Stockport, in the County of Cheshire.
IMPROVEMENTS IN PENHOLDERS AND APPLIANCES CONNECTED THEREWITH."
The objects sought by this Invention of "Improvements in Penholders and
Appliances connected therewith" are threefold, viz. :--
First. To enable a writer to take up and retain at each dip an unusual increased
quantity of ink.
Second. To impart additional flexibility to the pen whilst writing.
Third. To prevent the drying of the ink in pens when the latter are temporarily
unemployed.
The different parts of the Invention may either be combined in one penholder
or they may be employed separately with penholders, and one or more of them may
be used with any description of pen.
In all the Figures on the, Drawing the same letters and numerals mark all
44.
..

page_text: identical parts of the Invention; but it must be understood that the pens shown
form no part thereof..
The first part of the Invention is effected by means of A, which marks a small
ink-retaining spoon, scoop, or hollow instrument, somewhat similar to a miniature
garden trowel, and formed at the lower or free end of A'; a short stem, the upper
end
whereof carries crosswise A² a flat, circular disc, through the center of which a small
hole is perforated. A fine mortise in the lower end of the stalk or handle of the pen-
holder, when the latter is made of wood or other suitable substance, is cut to
receive the circular disc, which, when inserted therein and a joint pin A³ is passed
crosswise through the sides of the mortise and the hole in the disc, forms a joint
therewith. The pen when inserted in the holder is so placed that the front or
hollow of the spoon faces the inside or hollow of the pen, and when the latter is
in position the extreme end of the spoon will close against that part of the pen
which tapers to the ribs, and by this means a receptacle is formed between the
hollow bowl of the spoon and the inside of the pen that becomes filled with ink
each time the pen is dipped into it. This part of the Invention may be combined
with any of the ordinary penholders, and used with any pen. I am aware that
spoons or similar instruments have heretofore been used for retaining ink in pens,
but such retainers have always been connected, fitted, or adapted to the pens
themselves, which generally have been of special make, whereas my retainer or
spoon is connected by a joint to the penholder, and is quite independent of any
kind of pen with which it may be employed, and if made of incorrodible metal will
last for many years.
The manner of adapting it to the metallic portion of an
ordinary penholder or to a quill pen will be shewn when the Figures on the
Drawing are more particularly referred to, and what is of very great advantage,
it may when out of use be pushed back from the pen and wiped, cleaned, or washed
with the greatest facility, an operation generally very difficult of accomplishment
in this class of inventions.
The second part of the Invention, whereby additional flexibility is imparted to
the pen, consists in the special appliances and method whereby it is received and
held in the penholder; the stem or stalk whereof may be made, as usual, of wood
or of any other suitable material; B marks an antifriction piece or strip of very
thin metal or other pliant substance bent to the curve of the holder, or (by
preference) it may be a strip of the quill portion of a pinion. This piece is so
fastened lengthwise on the end of the stalk or handle of the holder, that a portion
of the end of the latter lies in the hollow of the piece of metal or quill, which at
its upper end is fastened to the stalk of the holder by B¹, a small pin driven through
it and crosswise into the stalk of the holder, the free end of the piece extending to
the end of the holder or slightly beyond. A thin elastic sheath, by preference of
vulcanized india-rubber or of cork, or a tube or sheath of other suitable pliant
substance, and (marked B²) is then placed or drawn upon the upper or small end
of the stalk of the holder, and gradually worked down to its lower end, so that
about one-half, more or less, of the length of the holder, including the antifriction piece
of metal or quill, is covered by the sheath; the upper end of which will diminish in
thickness, if of india-rubber, in proportion to the length to which it is drawn out.
The pen is to be inserted at the end between the holder and the piece of metal or
quill, and the necessary flexible resistance to the pressure of the pen upon the paper
whilst writing is afforded by the elasticity of the sheath. The pen is easily inserted
between the antifriction piece and the holder, but without the piece it. is very
difficult.
The third part of the Invention furnishes the means whereby the drying of the ink.
in a pen, temporarily placed out of use, is prevented. It consists in forming a projec-
tion, or in placing (C), which marks a small elastic stoppering ring of india-rubber or
of other suitable material, upon the lower end of any kind of penholder or on a
quill pen (as shown), so as to form around it an annular enlargement; or, when
this part of the Invention is applied to such a penholder as is described in the
second part, then, if the end of the sheath is not sufficiently thick an enlargement

page_text: may be formed, as shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, 6, and 14, by drawing or working down
the end of the sheath slightly beyond the end of the holder and then turning it up
and folding it back, so that a small portion of its end laps upon itself. The object
for forming this annular enlargement near the end of a penholder or of a quill pen
is to prevent the body or stalk of the penholder or the pinion of the pen passing
through the conical or other suitably shaped neck or entrance into D, a small bottle
or vessel containing (in a sponge or otherwise) a limited quantity of any slowly
evaporative liquid, that will emit only sufficient vapour when the entrance or neck
of the bottle or vessel is plugged or stoppered by the enlargement or stoppering
ring on the penholder or the quill, to keep the aeriform portion of the contents of
the bottle or vessel in a humid state, and thereby prevent the evaporation of and.
consequent thickening or drying of the ink contained in the pen, the nibs whereof
must not be allowed to touch either the liquid or the sponge, otherwise the ink
will drain out. By this means the ink in a pen may be kept in a moist fluent state
for several hours, and those who only use a pen intermittently need never be
troubled by the drying of the ink.
The following description has reference to the Figures delineated on the accom-
panying Sheet of Drawings.
Fig. 1 shows the side view of a penholder in which all the parts of the Invention
are combined, viz. :-A, A1, A2, and A³, the retaining spoon or instrument jointed
to the end of the penholder; B, the antifriction piece; B¹, the pin; B², the elastic
and
or pliant sheath; and C, the stoppering ring; Fig. 2 is a section of Figure 1;
Fig. 3, a front view.
Fig. 4, flat and edge views of B, the antifriction piece.
Fig. 5, front and edge views of the ink-retaining instrument, in which A marks
the spoon, A¹ the stem, A2 the disc, and A³ the joint pin.
Fig. 6, outside view and section of B2, the elastic sheath, the end being turned
back to form C, the stoppering ring.
Fig. 7, side view of an ordinary penholder, showing that when the ink-retaining
instrument is not jointed to the end of the stalk or body of the penholder, how
it can be jointed to the metallic portion thereof; Fig. 8 is a section of Figure 7,
taken through the joint at A, B.
Fig. 9, an ordinary penholder furnished with C, a stoppering ring.
Fig. 10 shows C, the stoppering ring.
Fig. 11, front and edge views of the ink-retaining instrument, hinged to the end
of a short plug E.
Fig. 12 shows the spoon or ink retainer adapted to a quill pen by inserting the
end of the plug E in the tubular portion of the quill. The plug is to be kept in
position either by a lateral acting spring attached thereto or by the compression of
a stoppering ring, in which latter case a slit or cut must be made in the quill to
enable it to close upon the plug.
Fig. 13 shows the stoppering ring only as adapted to a quill pen.
Fig. 14 shows the bottle or vessel D having a tapering neck or entrance,
wherein a penholder fitted with all the appliances, as shewn in Figures 1, 2, and 3,
is sustained by the stoppering ring.
Fig. 15 shows a bottle or vessel furnished with D¹, which marks a moveable neck
or tapering entrance piece, wherein an ordinary quill pen is sustained by a stop-
pering ring; D2 is intended to represent the liquid.
The material chosen for making the ink-retaining instrument is by preference
gold, but other metals or amalgams that do not readily corrode may be used, also
ivory, horn, or other substance possessing sufficient strength for the purpose.
Having now described the different parts of my Invention, their use and general
adaptation, I wish it to be understood, that I do not confine myself in the con-
struction thereof to the use of any particular metal or material, nor to exact form
or size, and that what I claim as my Invention consists in,-
First. A penholder having an ink-retaining spoon or instrument jointed or
adapted thereto, an elastic sheath to act in conjunction with an antifriction piece

page_text: and a stoppering ring, all used in combination or separately with penholders, and
constructed after the manner and for the purposes herein shown and described and
adapted for use with any ordinary pen.
Second. The construction and use of a spoon or ink-retaining instrument jointed,
adapted, or otherwise adjustably connected to the end of the stalk or body of a
penholder or to the metallic portion thereof, so as to be capable of engaging with
any ordinary pen although in no wise connected therewith.
Third. Adapting, either conjointly or separately, a jointed ink retainer and a
stoppering ring to a quill pen, after the manner shown in Figures 11, 12, 13,
and 15, and for the purposes herein described.
Fourth. Employing a bottle or vessel containing liquid, and having a tapering
entrance or a movable neck piece, in conjunction with penholders, quill, or other
pens, furnished with stoppers or stoppering rings intended to stop up or choke the.
entrance into such bottles or vessels, in the manner and for the purposes herein
shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Burch, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eighth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
JOSEPH BURCH. (L.S.)