IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO DEVICES OR APPARATUS FOR SHARPENING OR POINTING LEAD AND SIMILAR PROAL
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Barnet Solomon Cohen, of Great Prescot Street in the
County of Middlesex for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING
TO DEVICES OR APPARATUS FOR SHARPENING OR POINTING LEAD AND SIMILAR
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Barnet Solomon Cohen at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd March 1883.
BARNET SOLOMON COHEN of Great Prescot Street in the County of Middlesex
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO DEVICES OR APPARATUS FOR SHARPENING
OR POINTING LEAD AND SIMILAR PENCILS."
My invention relates to devices or apparatus for sharpening or pointing lead or
similar pencils
In carrying the said Invention into practice I provide a metallic tube preferably
of steel, and made of conical shape at one end and cylindrical at the other end.
The conical portion has in it a diagonal slot one of the edges of which forms the
knife or cutter and at another part of the said conical portion there is a slit
designed to cause the metal to yield slightly and prevent the breaking of the lead
when the latter happens to be somewhat larger in transverse section than is
ordinarily the case. A slot is made in the metal at the open end of the cylindrical
portion of the Apparatus at right angles to the longitudinal axis thereof. The said
slot extends almost entirely around the cylindrical portion but in such a manner
that a ring-shaped piece is left at the top of the cylindrical portion, which piece is
open at one point of its periphery and is of a slightly smaller diameter than the
said cylindrical portion. The said ring-shaped piece thus forms a clip or spring
which grasps the pencil and holds it firmly. This arrangement permits pencils of
several sizes to be readily inserted for sharpening, that is to say, the said clip will
expand if the pencil is of greater diameter than itself when in its normal condition;
I prefer to make a portion of the periphery of the said Apparatus rough to afford a
firm hold when a pencil is being sharpened or pointed. In the use of this Apparatus
the pencil is inserted in the open cylindrical end and pressed down to the conical
portion, whereupon either the pencil or the apparatus is rotated thus causing the
[Price 6d1

page_text: knife edge of the diagonal slot to cut the pencil the lead point eventually passing
through the small open end of the conical portion. The said Apparatus may remain
upon the pencil, or may be kept separate therefrom to be used when required.
In some cases I provide a stand or block and fix the said Apparatus therein
either vertically or otherwise in such a manner that the whole will stand
conveniently upon a table, desk, or otherwise so that when a pencil requires
sharpening the user thereof will be able to insert the same and by giving several
turns to the pencil obtain the desired point; A receptacle is provided at the base
of the block or stand for the shavings of wood and the lead detached in sharpening;
and thus all danger of soiling the hands with the latter is obviated. It will be
obvious that this block or stand may be used with pencil sharpeners of various
kinds

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Barnet Solomon Cohen in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
31st August 1883.
BARNET SOLOMON COHEN, of Great Prescot Street, in the County of Middlesex
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO DEVICES OR APPARATUS FOR SHARPENING
OR POINTING LEAD AND SIMILAR PENCILS."
My invention relates to devices for sharpening or pointing lead or similar
pencils.
Pencil-sharpeners have heretofore been made with a conical recess in which the
pencil can be inserted and rotated, and with a longitudinal slot in which is fitted
a blade or cutter. These devices are objectionable partly because the point of the
pencil cannot be seen during the operation of sharpening the same, and partly
because the said slot is liable to become filled with the shavings of the wood and
thus render the device inoperative until the obstruction is removed.
My invention is designed to overcome these objections and to provide an improved
pencil-sharpener which will be simple, efficient and inexpensive.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a device made in accordance with my said
invention
Figure 2 is an elevation of one side of a modification of the said device, and
Figure 3 is an elevation of the other side thereof
Like letters indicate the same parts in these Figures
a is a metal tube, preferably of steel, which tube is made with a conical
portion b, having in it a slot c one of the edges of which forms the knife or cutter.
I sometimes make a slit or slits at the end of the said conical portion, as shown,
to permit the metal to yield slightly and prevent the breaking of the lead when
the latter happens to be somewhat larger in transverse section than is ordinarily
the case.
In the device shown in Figure 1, the slot c is made diagonally and two spring
clips & are formed by first cutting a longitudinal slot e in the metal tube a and
then cutting another slot e¹ at right angles to the axis of the tube and extending
almost entirely around the same. The two parts d thus formed are slightly
compressed before the device is tempered, so that the internal diameter of this
part will be less than that of the cylindrical portion of the tube. This arrangement
permits pencils of different sizes to be readily inserted for sharpening, that is to
say, the said clips & will grasp and firmly hold a pencil smaller in diameter than
the tube and will expand if necessary to permit the insertion of a larger pencil. I
prefer to make a portion of the outer surface of the tube rough to afford a firm hold
to the fingers when a pencil is being sharpened or pointed.
In the modification of the said device shown in Figures 2 and 3, the tube a is
divided longitudinally as shown at a¹ and is made with a straight slot c in the
conical portion b, and, instead of the clips d, three springs fare formed by cutting
or stamping portions of the tube as shown in Figure 3 and bending the said
portions inward previously to tempering the device. These springs project into
the tube and serve to hold the pencil centrally within the same if the said pencil is
smaller in diameter than the tube, and they will be pressed outward flush with the
tube if the pencil is of the same diameter as the interior of the tube
In the use of this device the pencil is inserted in the open cylindrical end and
pressed down to the conical portion; either the pencil or the device, but preferably
the former, is then rotated thus causing the knife edge of the slot to cut the pencil,

page_text: the lead point eventually passing through the small open end of the conical portion b.
The said device may either remain upon the pencil or it may be kept separate
therefrom to be used when required.
In some cases I provide a stand or block and fix the said apparatus therein either
vertically or otherwise in such a manner that the whole will stand conveniently
upon a table, desk, or the like, so that when a pencil requires sharpening the user
thereof will be able to insert the same, and, by giving several turns to the pencil,
obtain the desired point; A receptacle is provided at the base of the block or stand
to receive the shavings of wood and the lead detached in sharpening, and thus all
liability to soil the hands with the latter is obviated.
Having thus fully described my said invention and the manner of performing
the same I wish it understood that I claim
The above described improved pencil-sharpener made with one or more springs
or clips for holding pencils of different sizes, substantially as described with reference
to either of the modifications shown in the accompanying drawing.
J.
In witness whereof I the said Barnet Solomon Cohen have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Twenty ninth day of August in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty three
DADNET SOLOMON CO