IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF MARKING INSTRUMENTS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Richards, of John Street, Adelphi, in the
City of Westminster, Mechanical Engineer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF MARKING INSTRUMENTS."—A
communication from abroad by Sheppard Holman, of Philadelphia
Clite in the United States of America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Richards at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th November 1872.
I, JOHN RICHARDS, of John Street, Adelphi, in the City of West-
minster, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF MARKING INSTRUMENTS,"
to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to produce an instrument, by the use
of which the marking of parcels, the drawing of Diagrams, and the
delineation of any subject in broad outline may be greatly facilitated.
The marking instrument consists mainly of two strips of thin sheet
metal (by preference rolled brass) placed face to face and forming nibs,

page_text: which are intended to deliver ink or coloring matter in broad lines on to
paper or other like surfaces. The breadth of the strips forming the nibs
is determined by the coarseness or fineness of the work intended to be
produced. These strips are so shaped at one end by stamping or cutting
as to form tangs, which are inserted into a tube or case and secured
therein by solder or otherwise. Their outer ends are cut square and a
set is given to the elastic strips, so that they shall stand apart from each
other and touch only at their outer extremities.
It is intended to use with this marking instrument any of the ordinary
inks, but specially prepared inks may also be used; and as there must
necessarily be a large delivery of inks special provision is made for
retaining a sufficient supply. This is effected by applying either
externally of the strips, or it may be between the strips forming the
nibs leaves of thin metal, which are secured in the same tube. These
leaves lying in close proximity to each other and also to one or both of
the nibs will serve to retain by capillary attraction the ink or colour,
which may be taken up by the instrument when it is dipped into the
fluid..
To enable the ink to flow freely to the nibs of the instrument the ink
retaining leaves may be pierced with holes, and when these leaves are
applied externally of the nibs the strip of metal forming the adjacent
nib is similarly pierced.
The instrument is provided with a handle which is inserted in the
upper end of the tube or case before mentioned.
I may remark that instead of using leaves for holding the ink or colour
and supplying it to the nibs many other contrivances may be adopted;
thus a flat coil of wire may be inserted between the nibs, or the nibs
may be surrounded by a coil.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Richards in the Great Seal Patent Office 30
on the 6th May 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
RICHARDS, of John Street, Adelphi, in the City of Westminster,
Mechanical Engineer, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said John Richards, Her special licence that
I, the said John Richards, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said John Richards, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter 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 THE CON-
STRUCTION OF MARKING INSTRUMENTS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said John Richards, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, 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 John Richards, 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 Drawing hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to
say):
The object of this Invention is to produce an instrument, by the use
of which the marking of parcels, the drawing of Diagrams, and the
delineation of any subject in broad outline may be greatly facilitated.
The marking instrument or pen consists mainly of two elastic strips
or leaves, by preference of thin sheet metal, placed face to face and
forming elastic nibs, which are intended to deliver ink or coloring
matter in broad lines (uniform in width or otherwise) on to paper or
other like surfaces. The breadth of the strips forming the nibs is
determined by the extreme of coarseness of the work intended to be
produced. These strips may be shaped at one end by stamping or
cutting, so as to form tangs for connecting them with a handle or

page_text: securing them in a case. The outer ends of the strips are cut so as to
form parallel nibs, and a set is given to one of the elastic strips so that
they shall stand apart from each other and touch only at their outer
extremities.
It is intended to use with this marking instrument. any of the ordinary
inks, specially prepared inks may also be used. As there must necessarily
be a large delivery of ink it will in general be desirable to make a special
provision for retaining a sufficient supply. This may be effected in
various ways, thus I propose to apply either externally of the strips, or
it may be between the strips forming the nibs, leaves of thin metal,
which are to be secured in the handle. These leaves bearing one upon
'the other, and also on one or both of the nibs, will serve to retain by
capillary attraction the ink or colour which may be taken up by the
instrument when it is dipped into the fluid.
In the accompanying Drawing my improved pen is shewn in several
views. Fig. 1 is a back view of the pen; Fig. 2 is a side view of the
same; and Fig. 3 is a front view.
a, b, are the strips of elastic metal forming the nibs of the pen, and
c, c, c, are three strips of similar metal overlying the strip a and forming
an ink reservoir. The strips c, c, c, and a are each cranked at their
opposite ends (see Fig. 2) to form parallel spaces for the reception of the
ink. These strips are graduated in length, the uppermost strip being
the shortest, and the end of the strip a (which is the longest) extending
slightly beyond the end of the strip b. The inner strips c, c, and also
the strip a are slotted near their extremities, as shewn in the partial
section Fig. 4, to allow of the ink flowing freely down to the nibs of
the pen.
The mode of using this pen is illustrated at Fig. 5, which represents
the pen slightly inclined so as to bring the nibs in contact with the
paper. By drawing the pen over the paper with the nibs at right angles
to the course of the pen a line of the full breadth of the pen will be
produced, and by changing this angle the breadth of the line may be
reduced either gradually or suddenly as desired. An illustration of this
work is shewn by the words "new pen on the accompanying Drawing.
When the nibs are brought in line with the pen's course comparatively
fine lines may be drawn as with an ordinary drawing pen, but with
much greater freedom to produce thin up strokes; and to produce the
"

page_text: thick down stroke it is only necessary to shift the position of the nibs
with respect to the pen's course towards a right angle.
I may remark that instead of using leaves for holding the ink or colour
and supplying it to the nibs various other contrivances may be adopted;
thus a flat coil of wire may be inserted between the nibs, or the nibs may
be surrounded by a coil of wire.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improvements
in the Construction of Marking Instruments," and explained the manner
of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under
the above in part recited Letters Patent I do not limit myself to the
form or proportions of pen shewn in the Drawing, but I claim con-
structing marking instruments in the manner and for the purpose above
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Richards, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Sixth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
JOHN RICHARDS. (L.S.)