Improvements in Appliances for Sharpening Pencils and the like.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Apr., 1896-Accepted, 30th May, 1896
Improvements in Appliances for Sharpening Pencils and the like.
I, WILLIAM PARR, 20, Cavendish Road, Birkdale, Southport, Hydropathic
Bath Manager, do hereby declaro 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 appliances for the more convenient and ready sharpening
of wood pencils of all kinds, and the object is attained by a peculiarly bent piece
of steel, brass, or other wire, or sheet metal cut and bent to shape, or cast with
springs or the like attached, which is intended to be used with the blade of an
ordinary penknife. My improved appliance is a great improvement over other
pencil sharpeners. The latter soon become dull and useless, whereas, mine is
always ready for use, and will sharpen a pencil to any desired length of point, it
being possible with this appliance to cut away the wood of a pencil for a couple of
inches without breaking the lead or the like.
In order to more clearly describe my invention I make reference to the
accompanying sheet of drawings, in which,
Fig. 1 shews a front view, Fig. 2 a side view, and Fig. 3 an end view of the
appliance.
Fig. 4 is a view of the appliance attached to the blade of n penknife, as seen
from one side, and Fig. 5 as seen from the other side.
Fig. 6 shews the appliance in position for sharpening a pencil.
In each figure similar letters refer to the same parts.
'
The two loops a a are made to admit the blade of a penknife the intention
being to convert the knife blade into a plane or spokesbave. The curved bar or
nose o regulates the depth of the cut so that the wood and lead are cut away in
even shavings, and provided the knife be sharp, very little pressure or force is
required in using the appliance. The curved nose c also keeps the appliance in
place and the heel d gives the necessary tilt or slope to cause the plane to out the
tapering point to the pencil. The heel d also regulates the depth of the cut as by
opening the space between d, the heel is made to lie in a flatter position and
cousequently lowers the edge of the knife and ensures a deeper cut. To make the
appliance cut finer, the two points of d are squeezed together, thus making the
space between them narrower. The longer ends are springs which "give"
sufficiently to admit various sizes of knife blades aud when the blade is put through
the loops a a the ends of the springs e e rest on the back of the blade as shewn in
Figs. 4 and 5, and so keep it firm and fast, but at the same time allow the blade to
be easily inserted or withdrawn. It will be observed in Figs. 4 and 5 that the
edge of the knife does not and cannot touch the bottom of the loops a a owing to
the blade being slid through them sideways, therefore the sharpness of the
blade is preserved as well as its proper position ensured.
"
In using the appliance after it is affixed to the penknife, it must be slid along
the part of the pencil to be sharpened. This must be done with a very gentle
pressure which must be uniform, and this pressure must be equally on the nose o
and heel d. It is also necessary to begin to and continue to cut well away from
the point and not at the point itself which will be naturally formed as the wood is
shaved away.
The appliance can be considerably varied in shape without departing from the

page_text: spirit of the invention, and I do not therefore restrict myself to the precise shape,
configuration or relative proportions or disposition of parts shewn in the drawings.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed,. I declare that what I
claim is.-
1. An appliance for sharpening pencils and consisting essentially of a piece of
wire sheet or cast metal cut bont and formed in a particular manner in order that
it can be placed on the blade of a knife and convert the said knife into a species of
plane or spokeshave, the whole substantially as described in the above Specification
and exemplified in the accompanying drawings.
2. An appliance for sharpening pencils formed and operating substantially as
described in the above Specification aud exemplified in the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 16th day of April 1896.
HUGHES & YOUNG,
23, Coleman Street, London, E.C., Agents for the Applicant.