Year: 1886

page_text: I, FRANCIS CASHEL BROWN, residing at, 62, Cliff Street, in the City, County and
State of New York, in the United States of America, gentleman, 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:-
My invention has for its object certain improvements in that class of fountain
pens in which the ink is fed to the top of the pen and consists essentially in a novel
arrangement of feed bar in combination with the ink reservoir or fount, and the
nozzle or pen point section, substantially as hereinafter fully described. The inven-
tion further consists in a novel arrangement of air vent and construction of vent
tube, substantially as hereinafter fully described. The invention further consists in
the combination with the ink fount or reservoir of a cut off valve, substantially as
hereinafter fully described.
Referring to the accompanying drawings,
Figure, 1, is a side elevation of a pen embodying a portion of my improvements.
Figure, 2, is a longitudinal vertical central section of figure, 1.
Figure, 3, is a like view showing an improved arrangement of feed bar when the
valve is not used.
Figure, 4, is an outer end view of the pen.
Figures, 5, and, 6, are transverse sections of the pen taken on lines, w, w, and,
x, x, of figure, 2, the valve being shown open in figure, 6.
Figures, 7, and, 8, are transverse sections of the nozzle, showing a different
arrangement of air vents.
Figures, 9, and, 10, show by a top and underside plan view, respectively, one
form of feed bar.
Figure, 11, shows by an isometric view another form of feed bar. In the above
drawings, and referring more particularly to figures, 1, 2, and, 6,-A, indicates the
pen section or nozzle; B, the ink reservoir or fount screwed to the nozzle as usual,
and, S, the shield or guard for the pen point when not in use. The nozzle, A, has
a front wall or plug, a, that forms the seat for the pen point, D, and, F, is the feed
bar arranged above the pen point. The plug, a, may be constructed of a rigid or a
flexible material such as hard rubber, or soft rubber or cork, and forms a sufficiently
tight joint to prevent ink from the fount passing between the pen and the plug.

page_text: The feed bar, F, is constructed with an enlargement, f, that lies over the pen point,
the rear of said feed bar extending into the nozzle in rear of the plug, a. The
necessary air to be supplied to the nozzle or fount to cause a proper flow of ink
may be admitted through a small hole formed in the periphery of the nozzle
as in figure, 7, or a vent tube, E, may be inserted in the hole which should pre-
ferably be located at a point in the periphery of the nozzle opposite to the line of
flow and exit of the ink, and preferably as close to the plug, a, as possible. The
air vent may also be formed in the plug, a, or a vent tube inserted in said plug.
When the vent or vent tube is located in the periphery of the nozzle there may be
a liability of the ink oozing out of the vent, and soil the hands and when the vent
or vent tube is located in the plug or front wall, a, of the nozzle, this will fill with
ink and prevent the air from entering the fount, thereby suspending the flow of ink
to the fount. It is well known that in this class of pens it is necessary to shake
the pen more or less violently to cause the ink to flow along the feed bar when the
pen has been out of use for some time. When an air vent is employed that is
located in a plane parallel with that of the flow of the ink to the pen, the ink on
shaking the pen for the purposes described, is projected through the vent tube, fills
the same up, and stops the supply of air to the fount or reservoir, when it becomes
necessary to invert the pen and clean the vent. These difficulties I overcome by
the use of a vent tube, E, that projects into the nozzle, and has its end, e, within
said nozzle bent, and preferably bent in the direction of the flow of ink to the pen,
whether the vent tube is applied to the plug or the periphery of the nozzle as
shown. The vent tube may also be located in the periphery of the fount, and bent
so as to extend forward into the nozzle, as shown in dotted lines in figure, 3. One
of the great inconveniences found in this class of pens is that the flow of ink while
writing is often so great as to cause the ink to drop from the pen points. To over-
come this difficulty I use a feed bar, F, of such a length that when introduced into
the nozzle or pen section it will lie with its rear end in an inclined plane, extending
from a point above the shank or rear end of the pen, rearwardly and downwardly
in contact with the periphery of the nozzle or the fount as shown in figure, 3.
This inclination of the feed bar across the passage of the nozzle or fount or both,
may be obtained in various ways, either by bending the feed bar at a point in rear
of the pen or its shank, or by forming within the passage of the nozzle an abut-
ment or shoulder, a¹, under which the feed bar is passed, and that holds the same
in the inclined position as shown in figure, 3, to hold the body of ink from exerting
its full pressure in the exit passage of the pen. The feed bar may be made of even
width throughout, except that portion which lies over the pen, or of such width
that its lateral edges will lie in contact with the walls of the nozzle or fount or
both, or said feed bar may be made narrower than the passage in the nozzle or
fount. A somewhat similar result may be obtained by the use of a cut off valve
as hereinafter explained. In this class of pens as usually constructed, I find that
the ink will not readily flow back from the pen into the fount and to cause said
ink to flow back into said fount readily, I form in the upper face of the feed bar a
groove or ink duct, f2, which I find promotes the flow of ink towards the fount or
reservoir without feeding ink to the top of the feed bar, said groove extending
preferably from a point in rear of the enlarged portion of said bar to its inner end.
In its underside, the bar may be provided with grooves or fissures, f, to form ink
ducts to convey the ink from the fount to the top of the pen though that is not
essentially necessary, yet I prefer it especially when the feed bar lies in close
proximity to or in absolute contact with the pen, D. To still further regulate the
flow of ink to the pen, D, and thereby to prevent too large a volume of ink being
fed to the pen, I form in the underside of the feed bar, transverse grooves f³, which
I call retarding ducts, as they practically retard the flow of ink while they hold at
all times the necessary volume of ink to supply the pen, D, while writing. I have
stated above that the feed bar, F, has an enlarged portion, f, that lies immediately
above the pen, D; this enlargement I make of such width as to fit closely the walls
of the nozzle above the plug to form a tight joint between the space above and

page_text: below the feed bar or between said space above the feed bar and the pen, D, so as
to prevent ink from passing along the edges of the feed bar and pen or between
said edges to the upper face of said feed which would tend to produce too free a
flow of ink. This may also be obtained by giving to the enlarged portion, f, of the
feed bar, F, substantially the form of a pen as shown in figure, 11, its upper face
being flat to leave a passage between it and the wall of the nozzle, a. Inasmuch
as the enlarged portion, f, of the feed bar fits tightly into the nozzle above the pen
its inclination to bisect the interior passage of said nozzle may be obtained by
forming an enlargement, f6, at a point about midway of its shank or portion in
rear of the enlargement, f, of about the same diameter as the bore of the nozzle,
such enlargement forming a fulcrum point. Instead of the projection or shoulder.
to give the feed bar the necessary inclination, a pin may be passed through the
nozzle as will be readily understood. In the class of pens to which this invention
relates there is usually no provision made to entirely cut off the supply of ink to
the pen. When these pens are to be carried on the person it is necessary to carry
them with the pen points upward to prevent the usual cap that protects the pen
points against injury from filling with ink. To avoid this difficulty and also to
enable me to use a tubular open ended shield or guard for the pen points which
materially reduces the construction of the pen, I employ in the nozzle or reservoir
if no nozzle is employed a disc valve, V, pivoted therein as close as possible
to the front wall or plug, a, of the pen. One of the pivots of the valve
has a squared or flattened end, v, figures, 1, and, 6, to afford a hold for a
suitable key by means of which the valve is rotated, or said pivot may be
provided with a button or other suitable device for rotating the same. I prefer
however, to flatten the pivot and slot the end of the tubular shield or guard, S,
as shown at, s, figures, 1, 2, and, 4, thus adapting the shield for use as a key,
said shield, S, consisting of an open ended tube, which to fit the pivot may
be contracted at one end as shown in figures, 1, and, 4, or if desired, a suitable key
may be fitted to the end of the shield, as shown in figure, 2. The flattened or key
end, v, of the valve pivot may be so positioned relatively to the valve, V, as to
indicate the position of the latter within the fount. For instance, if the flattened
end is arranged so as to lie in the plane of the valve, it would indicate the position
of the latter within the nozzle, as it is obvious that when said flattened pivot, v,
lies in the plane of the longitudinal axis of the pen, the valve will lie in a corre-
sponding or open position, and when said flattened end lies in a plane at right
angles to the valve, the valve will lie in a like position and close the passage of the
nozzle. Yet in manipulating the valve to close the passage of the nozzle, there is
a liability of its being carried too far or not far enough in either of which cases
the passage of the nozzle will not be effectually closed thereby. To avoid this
I provide the fount in rear of the valve with a semi-cylindrical shoulder, f7, that
forms a seat against which the valve abuts when rotated to close the passage in the
fount, thus forming a stop that will effectually prevent the valve from being carried
too far from the position which it should occupy to close the said passage. If
desired longitudinal ribs, f¹, may be provided on opposite sides and in front of the
pivots of the valve and on a line sufficiently below the line of the pivots to permit
the valve, V, when in a horizontal position to lie on said ribs, f¹, which thus are
made to form shoulders or abutments that prevent the valve from being turned too
far down in the act of opening the passage for the ink to flow to the pen. It is
obvious that by properly positioning the valve say for instance at an angle of
about, 45 degrees to the horizontal the said valve will serve like the shank or rear
end of the feed bar, F, to support the body of ink in the fount and thereby prevent
its exerting its entire pressure in the exit orifice, as hereinabove described. Gold
pens made especially for use with the various constructions of fountain pens have
heretofore been used, but with my improved construction of fountain pen any one
of the gold or steel pens now to be found in the market and adapted to be inserted
between the feed bar and plug, a, may be employed, which is a material advantage
in this class of pens.
•

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,
1st. In a fountain pen, a feed bar projecting into the nozzle or fount in rear of
the pen to diagonally bisect the interior passage or bore of said nozzle or fount, for
the purpose specified.
2nd. In a fountain pen, a feed bar arranged to feed the ink to the top of the
pen, having the enlargement, f, fitting tightly in the nozzle or fount above the
front wall or plug, a, thereof, and an attenuated shank extending into the said
nozzle or fount to diagonally bisect the interior passage or bore thereof for the
purposes specified.
3rd. In a fountain pen, a feed bar adapted to feed the ink from the fount to
the top of the pen provided with a groove in its upper face for the purpose
specified.
4th. In a fountain pen, a feed bar, F, having one or more grooves formed in
the underside of its enlargement, f, that extend from the tapering portion thereof
towards or to its attenuated shank, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
5th. In a fountain pen, a feed bar for feeding ink from the fount to the pen,
having a longitudinal groove or duct formed in its upper and lower faces and a
groove or duct running at an angle to and intersecting the groove or duct in the
under face of the bar, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
6th. A feed bar for fountain pens having the lateral edges of that portion which
lies over the pen turned down and provided with an attenuated extension or
sbank projecting rearwardly from said portion, substantially as and for the purpose
'specified.
7th. A feed bar for fountain pens, having substantially the form of a pen, provided
with a duct or groove in its upper face, and with an attenuated shank extending
therefrom, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
8th. In a fountain pen, the combination with the nozzle or ink fount, of a vent
tube in one of the walls thereof projecting into said nozzle or fount and having its
end therein bent as described for the purpose specified.
9th. In a fountain pen, the combination with the nozzle or fount of a pivoted
dise adapted to be set at an angle to bisect the bore of said nozzle or fount
diagonally and support the body of ink therein and form passages for the ink from
the fount to the pen, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
10th. In a fountain pen, the combination with the fount and nozzle or holder
and a plug in the end thereof, forming the seat for the pen, of a feed bar fitted in
said nozzle above the plug, an air vent or duct between the back of the pen and
the walls of the nozzle and an ink duct between the pen and feed bar, substantially
as and for the purpose specified.
Dated thi. 19th
TI
1000