Improvements in or appertaining to Ever-pointed Pencils.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 6th July, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 6th Apr. 1892-Accepted, 7th May, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or appertaining to Ever-pointed Pencils.
1, JAMES SAMUEL FOLEY, of 4 Featherstone Buildings, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to the common class of screw pencils.in which a stick of
lead is projected to the point section as it is used up by a screw device inside the
case, and the particular feature of the present invention relates to the fact that the
lead is pointed as it is projected forward. Various modifications in structural
details may be made but the invention will be understood from the following
description
The lead is carried in the usual sheath or holder provided with a projecting
portion which is screw threaded and the whole is adapted to slide in a small slotted
tube beyond which the threaded portion projects. This tube is inserted inside a
larger tube which is internally screw-threaded the screwed portion of the sheath
engaging with the screw thread of the larger tube. By this arrangement when
the smaller tube is turned the screw thread has the effect of forcing forward the
sheath and its lead in the well-known manner. The automatic sharpening device
may be arranged as follows:-
Upon the inner end of the smaller tube I place a grooved head or pinion with
any required number of leaves and in conjunction with this and preferably secured
upon the cap or end of the case is a spring pawl or pivotted cam or equivalent
adapted to engage consecutively with the spaces between the leaves of the
teeth.
Upon the outer tube previously described is a preferably helical spring which
controls a slide adapted to. reciprocate upon the outside of the outer tube and the
forward end of this slide is tapered or pointed so as to slide under a small pivotted
arm the upper face of which is bevelled to form a cam surface which engages with
the inner end of the knife or equivalent which is arranged to cut the lead. The
knife itself may be carried in the pointed end of the pencil case which may in its
turn be connected with the slide by means of side wires or the like working in
slots in the slide so that they only partake to a limited extent of the backward
and forward movement of the slide. The pirotted arm may be carried in or
upon a collar which may be carried upon the side wires above described for
the passage of which grooves holes or openings may be provided in the collar.
The operation is as follows;-
The person using the pencil and desiring to bring forward a fresh supply of lead
and to point it, presses the cap or back end of the case; this has the effect of
forcing the previously described pawl or pivotted cam between the leaves of the
pinion and as the pawl or pivotted cam normally lies out of the axial line of the
pencil case it will be understood that as it is forced in between the leaves of
the pinion the latter is necessarily turned, the pivot of the pawl or pivotted cam
enabling it when sufficient movement has been obtained to adapt itself to the axial
line so as to freely move for the rest of its travel between the leaves.
The rotary
movement which turns to the knife a fresh portion of the lead having been thus
accomplished a further movement of the cap or case causes the slide to engage
with the pivotted arm and thus lift up the inner end of the knife and by this means
depress the outer end so as to cause it to engage with the thickest portion of the
point of the lead, and as it travels farther forward, the cam surface of the pivotted
arm raising still further the inner end of the knife further depresses the outer or
cutting end and thus produces a point upon the pencil.
After the slide has

page_text: travelled sufficiently far the side wires engage with the ends of their slots and the
further travel of the slide then carries with it the point section of the pencil in
which the knife is pivotted and by this means the completion of the cutting is
effected. Under the influence of the spring, the parts then return to their normal
position and succeeding pushes of the cap or case turn the lead further round and
effect the complete pointing of the pencil. It will be understood that the screw
thread by which the lead is projected forward may be a very fine one so that the
knife may operate upon the whole round of the lead without the lead having been
projected too far forward.
When required to project or retract the lead as for example when a new lead has
to be fitted this can be effected in consequence of a portion of the case being
removed which permits of the pinion being turned by the finger and thumb of the
operator.
Dated this 6th day of July 1891
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or appertaining to Ever-pointed Pencils.
I, JAMES SAMUEL FOLEY of 4 Featherstone Buildings in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :―
This invention relates to the common class of screw pencils in which a stick of
lead is projected through the point section as it is used up by a screw device inside
the case, and the particular feature of the present invention relates to the fact that
the lead is pointed as well as projected forward. Various modifications in
structural details may be made but the invention will be understood from the
following description and drawings in which
Figure 1 is an outside view of the complete pencil case.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same showing the parts in their
normal position with the lead not sharpened. The second tube in this view is
shown in full.
Figure 3 is a similar view to Figure 2 but shows the position of the parts while
the sharpening operation is in progress.
Figure 4 is a longitudinal section right through into the first or inner tube in the
same position as Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a similar view to Figure 3 and with the parts in the same position
but is taken upon a plane in cross section at right angles to that of Figure 3.
Fig. 5 is an outside view with parts shown broken away and in section.
Fig. 6 is a view of the first or innermost tube, Figs. 7 and 8 being views of the
two ends thereof.
Fig. 9 is a back view of the point section and Fig. 10 is a back face view of the
plug and of the lead tube.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
A is the lead carried in the lead propeller A' which latter is provided with the
projection A screwed upon its edge and adapted to traveise longitudinally the
slot B of the first or innermost tube B. C is the lead-tube which supports the
outer end of the lead and from which the latter projects for purposes of writing;
the tube C is securely fixed in the outer end of the external tube or casing D
which may be ornamented in any desired manner. The tube B is shown detached
in Figure 6 and is provided with a longitudinal slot B' and carries at its back end
the head or pinion B2 shown in cross section in Figure 8 with the teeth or
leaves B³ of which engages the can or pawl E pivotted at E' to an internal
projection F' of the
cap F. Around the projection F' is the spring F rivetted at

page_text: F to F the part F³ operating as a stop to the T-head E² of the cam E and the
end F2 acting as a spring to keep the cam E in its normal position, shown in
Figure 54. The ends of the leaves B³ are hevelled or pointed so as to facilitate
the entry of the cam or pawl E between them.
Fitting upon the tube B is an internally screwed tube G the screw thread of
which engages with the projection A³ of the lead propeller A so that when the
tube B is revolved within the tube G longitudinal movement in either direction,
according to the direction in which the tube is turned, is imparted to the lead
propeller A as will be well understood. Rotary movement may be imparted to
the tube B by the operator placing his fingers upon the pinion B which as shown
in Figs. 1 and 2 can be got at through openings in the sliding tube H upon which
the cap F is fixed, either by soldering, rivetting or the like or it can be merely
forced on.
This sliding tube H has its inner end partly plugged by an internal
collar H', Fig. 4, which engaging with the external collar G prevents the sliding
tube H from being drawn entirely off the tube G, while the spring G2 which
surrounds a portion of the tube G and bears at one end upon the collar G³ secured
upon the tube G tends to force the sliding tube H off the tube G.
Upon the inner end of the sliding tube H are secured two longitudinal plates I
slightly curved to agree with the general circular form of the apparatus and having
slots I at their free ends; with these slots engage the turned-out ends J¹ Fig. 5,
of the wires J whose other ends are secured in the point section K. The point
section K is slotted longitudinally to accommodate the knife L which is pivotted
at L' in the said point section and whose back end L is curved as shown and
adapted to work upon the inclined face of the cam M which is pivotted at M' to
the casing D or to the plug C which forms the inner end of the lead tube C and
closes the case D. The free end of the cam M when the pencil is in its normal
condition as in Fig. 2 rests upon the outside of the tube G in which position the
point section is retracted as in Fig. 2; when the cutting has to be effected however
the block N which is secured to and connects the side plates I is pushed forward
under the end L³ of the knife which being curved or bevelled freely rises, and also
under the cam M the free end of which is also bevelled to facilitate the passage
of the block N, whose leading end is likewise bevelled, as shown in Fig. 4.
The operation of this apparatus is as follows;-
The lead is placed through the lead tube into the lead-carrier and by revolving
the tube B by means of the operator's fingers placed upon the pinion B in the
right direction the lead-carrier, taking the lead with it, is drawn up the tube as far
as necessary. In the drawing the tube G is only shown threaded part of the way
but it will be understood that it may be threaded the whole or any portion of its
length. The pencil having been thus charged with lead and it being desired to
point the lead the cap F and sliding tube H are pushed forward by the operator;
this has the effect of forcing the plates I forward so that they engage with the
ends J' of the wires J and consequently carry forward the point section K and
knife L while the block N is pushed under the cam M as above explained. It will
thus be seen that the knife which cuts the lead with its pointed end L is carried
forward while the lead remains stationary with a portion projecting from the lead-
tube C. As the knife is carried forward its back end L rises up the inclined face
of the cam M so that as the knife goes forward the back is raised up and the
point L³ depressed thus producing the tapered point required as indicated in
Fig. 4 of the drawings. Releasing the pressure upon the cap F allows the spring G³
to return the sliding tube H to the position indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the
drawings, while pressing in the cap F places the parts in the positions indicated in
Figs. 3, 4 and 5 of the drawings.
An important feature of the mechanism is to be observed in connection with the
cutting operation just described. As the block N moves forward its bevelled
leading edge engages with the bevelled end of the cam M so that the block N
easily pushes underneath M and thus raises the cam, then as the knife is carried
forward by the point section its tail runs up the inclined face of M as above

page_text: described. The object of the slots 1' in the side plates I is to allow of the block N
being withdrawn from underneath the cam. M before the point section (and conse-
quently the knife) begins its return movement; the length of the slots is therefore
such that when the ends J of the wires J engage with the ends of the slots in the
return movement the end of the block N has been so far withdrawn from M as to
allow it and the tail L² of the knife to drop so that the point L³ is clear of the lead.
This in practice is found to be essential as otherwise the spring G2 has not power
to withdraw the sliding tube H, the knife taking such a hold upon the lead that
unless its point be clear of the lead the point section will not go back without a
more powerful pull than the spring G² can excrt. The operation above described
will have made a single line upon the point of the lead parallel with the.axis; it is
therefore necessary that before the next cutting stroke is made the. lead. should be
partially rotated.
This is accomplished in the following manner:-
The normal position of the cam E is that shown in Figure 5A but as the cap is,
except when in use, forced out by the spring G² the pawl goes with it and is
consequently not in engagement with the pinion B2 as shown in Figure 2; upon
pressing forward the cap F the point of the cam E enters between two of the
leaves B³ which space the body of the pawl just comfortably fills; therefore as the
cam (the sides of which are parallel) is forced further in between the leaves it
will be manifest that as indicated in Figure 5 the axial line of the cam and the
axial lines of the leaves must become parallel, and since the pawl is pivotted on an
axial line corresponding with that of the pencil and its point at the commencement
of the movement is out of that line (see Figure 5) and the cap cannot turn (being
held by the operator), the pinion must turn to obtain the necessary parallelism and
this imparts the necessary amount of rotation to it.
The relative positions between the turning mechanism and the cutting mechanism
are such that the rotation of the pinion B and consequently of the tube B-and the
lead itself will have just ceased before the knife commences its cut, the slots I' in
the plates I allowing of sufficient movement to the cap and consequently the
cam E before the forward movement is imparted to the knife.. Upon the return of
the cap F the cam E is withdrawn from between the leaves B³ the spring F
returning it to its normal position: of Figure 5. This cutting operation.is repeated
till! the lead has been turned completely round when the required pointing will.have
been effected.
As the point would be spoiled. and lead wasted if the lead A were: carried!forward
to any great extent while it was being revolved and cut,.it is found desirable to
make the threads upon the inside of tube G and upon the lead carrier: A of a. fine
pitch so that the longitudinal movement of the lead, during one revolution may be
so slight as to be of no practical importance. The important thing is to observe a
proper proportion between the screw-thread and the pitch of the teeth of the pinion,
a coarse thread requiring a fine pitch. to the teeth of the pinion and, vice versa..
convenient proportion is one that will move the lead forward about..inch at one
revolution.
A
It: will be: noticed that by the above arrangement the lead. is projectedt forward
and pointed by the same movement so that should the point: have got blunts not
only is a fresh sharp point provided but some lead is pushed, forward by the one
operation to supply the place of that used up. Notwithstanding: this however it
will be further noted that the lead can be pushed forward or drawn in without the
sharpening operation by simply turning the pinion B by the operatoris fingers
without pushing in the. cap. The form of the knife may be varied and it may have
more than one cutting edge or be made like a file, but the form. above described is
found to give the best results in actual work..
"2
In the following claims by the term." self-sharpening: pencil iss meant a pencil
or pencil case containing within itself: all the elements necessary to produce: the
point notwithstanding that the power may be supplied from a source: outside: the
pencil.or case, as, for example by the hand of. the person using the pencil.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
:-
1. A self-sharpening pencil.
2. A pencil having the sharpening knife or cutting edge to produce the point on
the lead thereof secured to or forming part of the pencil or case.
3. Sharpening a pencil by means of a knife or cutting edge moving in a direction
parallel upon one plane with the axis of the pencil the said knife or cutting edge
being part of or secured to the pencil.
4. In a self-sharpening pencil the combination with the lead of a knife so carried
and operated as to produce a tapered point substantially as described.
5. In a self-sharpening pencil the combination with a point section such as K
movable in the axial line of the pencil of a knife pivotted therein substantially as
described.
6. In a self-sharpening pencil the combination with the point section K movable
in the axial line of the pencil and having a knife such as 1 pivotted therein of a
cam such as M carried by the pencil case along the inclined face of which cam the
tail of the knife travels as the point section is projected forward substantially as
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
7. In a self-sharpening pencil a pivotted cam such as M substantially as described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
8. In a self-sharpening pencil the combination with a longitudinally movable
point section and cam-operated knife pivotted thereto of a lead propeller and
slotted tube pinion cam pawl and sliding tube respectively such as A'B B² E and H
substantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
9. In a self-sharpening pencil the combination of propeller A' A' rotatable
slotted tube B and fixed internally threaded tube G with the thread of which the
lead propeller engages substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
10. In a self-sharpening pencil the combination with a longitudinally-movable-
knife-carrying-point-section such as K of wires slotted plates and sliding tube
respectively such as J I I' and H substantially as and for the purpose described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
11. In a self-sharpening pencil the combination with a longitudinally-movable-
knife-carrying-point section and knife-operating cam and wires respectively such
as K M and of a cam-raising-block slotted side plates sliding tube and spring
respectively such as NI 'Hand G substantially as described and illustrated in
the accompanying drawings.
12. In a self-sharpening pencil the combination with a slotted tube and pinion
such as B B of a spring cam or pawl such as E adapted to engage the leaves of
the pinion and partially rotate the same at each cutting operation substantially as
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
13. In a self-sharpening pencil a pivoted knife L having a cutting edge or
point L and a curved tail L² substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
14. In a self-sharpening pencil a lead propeller to which is imparted both
longitudinal and rotary movement substantially as described.
15. In a self-sharpening pencil the combination with the movable-point-section K
knife L pivotted cam M and wires J of slotted plates I' I lead propeller A' A'
rotatable tube B fixed threaded tube G pinion B2 and cam or pawl E substantially
as and for the purpose described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
16. In a self-sharpening pencil the combination with pinion B' and pivotted
cam E of slotted plates 11 substantially as and for the purpose described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
17. In a self-sharpening pencil the combination with the movable point section K

page_text: of wires J slotted plates I I' block N cam M and pivotted knife L substantially as
and for the purpose described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 6th day of April 1892.
JAMES S. FOLEY.
W. P. Thompson & Boult,
Agents for the .Applicant.