AN IMPROVED FOUNTAIN PENHOLDER
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Alexander Brice, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED FOUNTAIN
PENHOLDER."
Sealed the 27th February 1877, and dated the 14th September 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Alexander Brice
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th September 1876.
WILLIAM ALEXANDER BRICE, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex.
"AN IMPROVED FOUNTAIN PENHOLDER."
My Invention relates to an improved fountain penholder in which an ordinary
pen-nib may be used, and consists in controlling the flow of ink to the nib by
admitting the air to replace the ink in the reservoir through a bent U shaped
capillary tube leading from an orifice in the side of the reservoir or holder in a
convenient position to be covered by the thumb or finger of the writer when it is
desired to check the supply of ink to the pen.
According to my Invention this tube passes up and down the whole length of
the barrel or cylinder forming the ink holder to prevent the ink running out
through it when laid down, and terminates within the holder near its lower end.
The holder is closed at the upper end by which the ink is introduced by a screw cap,
and has a curved spout or outlet in which there is a minute orifice at the lower end
by which the ink is conveyed to the nib, this spout being bent up and terminating
just beneath the nib. A sliding collar is provided on the holder to cover the orifice
and prevent the escape of ink when the pen is not in use, a cap also fitting over the
nib for the same purpose.

page_text: My Invention relates to an improved fountain penholder in which an ordinary
pen-nib may be used.
The Invention consists in controlling the flow of ink to the nib by admitting the
air to replace the ink in the reservoir through a bent U-shaped capillary tube
leading from an orifice in the side of the reservoir or holder in a convenient position
to be covered by the thumb or finger of the writer when it is desired to check the
supply of ink to the pen. This tube passes up and down the whole length of the
ink holder or reservoir to prevent the ink running out through it when laid down
and terminates within the holder near the lower end.
In order that my Invention may be readily understood I have illustrated it in
the annexed Drawing, which represents on an enlarged scale a central longitudinal
section of the improved fountain penholder.
a is the barrel or cylinder of metal, glass, or porcelain forming the ink holder or
reservoir closed at one end at which the supply of ink is introduced by a screw
cap b, and at the other by a curved spout or outlet chaving a minute orifice by
which the ink is conveyed to the pen nib d fixed in a suitable clip or holder on
the end of the barrel a. The spout c is bent up and terminates just beneath
the inner surface of the nib; e is an air tube of minute bore leading from an inlet
orifice in the barrel a, in such a position as to be readily covered or uncovered by
the fingers which hold the pen in writing. The tube e is bent double or shaped
and passes from the orifice f nearly to the top of the barrel a and back again to
its lower end, this end of the tube being always open and terminating within the
barrel a, as shown; g is a cap for the nib, and h a collar sliding on barrel a to
cover orifice and prevent the escape of ink when the pen is not in use.
Instead
of the orifice f being closed by the finger it may be covered by a pad or valve at
the end of a small lever or key (like the key of a flute) acted on by a spring which
would keep the valve closed except when the key is pressed by the finger or vice
versa.
In using this penholder when the orifice fis uncovered the ink is allowed to flow
by its own gravity though the outlet c to the pen, the rate of flow being regulated
by the admission of air through the tube e, which as before mentioned has a very
minute bore through which the air passes but slowly. The air entering through
this tube e displaces any ink that may be therein, and when it arrives at the
extremity of the tube e it ascends in bubbles through the ink to the top end of the
reservoir.
Having described the nature of my Invention and the manner of performing the
same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention to be protected by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is, a fountain penholder closed at one end and
having an outlet c at the other for the ink provided with a U shaped air inlet tube
of minute or capillary bore passing up and down within the ink holder or reservoir
and terminating at one end within the said holder or reservoir, and at the other at an
orifice in the side of the same in a position to be readily covered and uncovered by
the finger, substantially as herein shown and described."
In witness whereof, I, the said William Alexander Brice, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of February, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
WILLIAM A. BRICE. (LS.)