IMPROVEMENTS IN INKSTANDS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William George Reeve, of Greenwich, in tlic
County of Kent, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
INKSTANDS."
Scaled the 22nd June 1869, and dated the 23rd December. 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William George Reeve;
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 23rd December 1868:
I, WILLIAM GEORGE. REEVE, of Greenwich. in the County of Kent,.
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention. for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN. INKSTANDS," to be as follows:-
My improvements consist in. supporting in bearings or pivots on a
suitable frame a cylindrical or other shaped vessel. for containing ink,
the said cylindrical or other vessel having an opening in any convenient
part thereof for the admission of ink and tho insertion of the pen, and
being so balanced by a weight or spring that on liberating a catch
engaging in a notch or recess on the cylinder the said cylinder will by
the gravity of the weight or the action of the spring turn upwards on,
its axis, thereby causing the said opening to come in contact with a plate
above the cylinder by which means the said opening is closed, the

page_text: evaporation of the ink prevented, and the entrance of dust avoided.
The opening is formed by a hollow lip fixed to the cylinder in such a
position that on dipping the pen therein a sufficient supply of ink can at
all times be obtained without the disadvantage of any of the sediment
generally contained at the bottom of such vessels entering the pen
with the ink, but so that a limited quantity only of ink can enter the
supply opening, because inmediately the cylinder is turned on its axis,
and the opening therein lowered, the ink covers the orifice so that no
air can be admitted, thereby preventing (upon a well known hydrostatic
principle) any further flow of ink through the said opening, and even if
the inkstand is accidentally upset no ink can be spilled, by reason of
the self-righting properties of the cylinder and the limited quantity of
ink that flows therefrom as before explained. The upper part of the
stand is provided with recesses for holding pens, and a lever affixed to
the above-mentioned catch for liberating the cylinder may project
across the said recesses, so that when the pen and ink are no longer
required for use the pen is placed in the recesses, thereby depressing the
said lever, liberating the catch, and closing the aperture as before stated,
or the said lever may be depressed by hand, if required. A small
opening in the cylinder closed by a thumbscrew or otherwise is
employed for the escape of air when the cylinder is being filled through
the main opening, and a clip or other suitable device for holding a
sponge or other material to be used as a penwiper may be affixed to
any convenient part of the frame. An india-rubber or elastic band or
other device may also be employed for holding the opening in the
cylinder close against the above-mentioned plate when required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William George Reeve, in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 23rd June 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
GEORGE REEVE, of Greenwich, in the County of Kent, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the 3

page_text: thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and succes-
sors, give and grant unto me, the said William George Reeve, Her
special licence that I, the said William George Reeve, my exccutors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William George
Reeve, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN INKSTANDS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said William George Reeve, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and scals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William George Reeve, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the Figures
and letters on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings (that is to say): :-
My improvements consist in supporting in bearings or pivots a on a
suitable frame b, a cylindrical or other shaped vessel or reservoir c, for
containing ink, the said cylindrical reservoir or other vessel having an
opening d and lip d' in any convenient part thereof for the admission
of ink into the reservoir and the supply of ink to the pen, and being so
balanced by a weight e, or acted upon by a spring that on liberating a
catch engaging in a notch or recess 7 on the cylinder c the said
cylinder will by the gravity of the weight e or the action of the spring,
turn upwards on its axis, thereby causing the said opening to come in
contact with a plate above the cylinder, by which means the said open-
ing is closed, the ink returned to the reservoir, the evaporation of the ink
prevented, and the entrance of dust avoided. Over the opening in the
reservoir the hollow lip d' is fixed in such a position that on dipping the
pen therein a sufficient supply of ink can at all times be obtained without
the disadvantage of any of the sediment generally contained at the bottom
of such vessels entering the pen with the ink, but so that a limited

page_text: quantity only of ink can enter the supply opening, because immediately
the cylinder is turned on its axis and the opening therein lowered, the
ink covers the orifice so that no air can be admitted, thereby preventing
(upon a well known hydrostatic principle) any further flow of ink
through the said opening, and even if the inkstand is accidentally
upset no ink can be spilled by reason of the self-righting properties
of the cylinder, and the limited quantity of ink that flows therefrom as
before explained. The upper part of the stand 6 is provided with
recesses i for holding pens, and a lever k affixed to the above-mentioned
catch for liberating the cylinder projects across the said recesses, so that
when the pen and ink are no longer required for use the pen is placed
in the recesses, thereby depressing the said lever k, liberating the catch,
and closing the aperture d as before stated, or the said lever may be
depressed by hand, if required. A small opening in the cylinder, closed
by a thumbscrew or otherwise, may be employed for the escape of air
when the cylinder is being filled through the main opening, but this
opening may in some cases be dispensed with, and a clip or other
suitable device for holding a sponge or other material to be used as a
penwiper may be affixed to any convenient part of the frame b. An
india-rubber or elastic band or other device may also be employed for
holding the opening in the cylinder close against the above-mentioned
plate when required.
The inkstand shewn in the Drawings is made of porcelain, or other
similar material, but it may be constructed of brass or any other suitable
metal if desired.
The chief advantages resulting from this improved construction of ink-
stand are as follows:-
1st. It is self-supplying, feeding the lip d' with ink when depressed.
2nd. It is self-regulating, supplying no more ink to the said lip
than necessary.
3rd. It is self-emptying, returning the ink into the reservoir when no
longer required for use.
4th. It is self-cleansing, rinsing itself out as it returns the ink.
5th. It is self-selecting, the clear ink only being taken from the top
of the fluid.
6th. It is self-rectifying, for by turning the opening upwards it admits
of the escape of air when expanded by heat.

page_text: And 7th. It is self-closing, for by the gravity of the weight or action of
the spring the opening is closed, excluding dust and avoiding evaporation.
Having thus described the nature and particulars of my said
Invention, I claim the improvements in inkstands, as herein described
and illustrated in the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
And 7th. It is self-closing, for by the gravity of the weight or action of
the spring the opening is closed, excluding dust and avoiding evaporation.
Having thus described the nature and particulars of my said
Invention, I claim the improvements in inkstands, as herein described
and illustrated in the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William George Reeve, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of June, in
the year of our Lord 1869.
WILLIAM GEORGE REEVE. (L.S.)