IMPROVEMENTS IN FOUNTAIN OB RESERVOIR PENHOLDERS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Osborn of Birmingham in the County of Warwick
Manufacturer for an Invention of tt IMPROVEMENTS IN FOUNTAIN OB
RESERVOIR PENHOLDERS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Osborn at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd November 1882.
ALFRED OSBORN of Birmingham in the County of Warwick Manufacturer
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FOUNTAIN OR RESERVOIR PENHOLDERS
"
This Invention refers to Improvements in Fountain or Reservoir penholders
adapted for use with any suitable description of nib or with ruling pen blades
for drawing and it consists in an arrangement of parts whereby the supply of
Ink is governed by a spiral or other spring working upon the outside of the
delivery tube and encased in a dry chamber so that the spring is not in contact
with the ink. The rod which passes through the delivery tube and carries the
valve for shutting off the supply to that tube is attached to the end of the feeder
by means of a knob or knobs upon the rod and a slot in the end of the feeder, or it
may be made otherwise removeable for the purpose of disengaging the front
working parts for cleaning. The clip for the pen is formed on a sliding tube which
is governed by the front spring, and it is by pressure on the point of the nib that the
ink is brought down to the nib. The rod which extends through nearly the length
of the Reservoir is by this pressure upon the pen point brought into contact with a
spring air valve placed at the top of the Ink reservoir, thereby admitting air into
the Reservoir and allowing the flow of Ink to the pen feeder; at the same time, if
the front parts with the pen clip be removed for cleaning or refilling the Ink
Reservoir, the air valve remains in position and thoroughly airtight. In adapting
this holder for ruling pens, the blades of the pen may have the upper ends furnished
with a barrel to slip over the sliding tube, or they may be formed upon that tube,
and for the purpose of regulating the strength of line required, a second sliding

page_text: tube works up and down upon the blades, compressing them or allowing them to
extend as may be necessary.
Or by another arrangement the governing spring in its dry chamber is placed
at the top of the Reservoir, and the pin is made in two lengths each being attached
to a small tube, which tubes are connected by a coiled spring, so that the divided
parts of the pin can be received into the tubes; this is for the purpose of securing
perfect adjustment of the two valves, the one regulating the air supply and the
other the ink. In this-form-of-holder_the_supply of ink to the nib is governed
by raising upwards a cap piece on the top of the reservoir instead of pressing
upon the nib point.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alfred Osborn in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd May
1883.
ALFRED OSBORN of Birmingham in the County of Warwick Manufacturer
IMPROVEMENTS IN FOUNTAIN OR RESERVOIR PENHOLDERS.
This Invention refers to improvements in Fountain or Reservoir Penholders
adapted for use with any suitable description of nib or barrel pen or with ruling
pen blades for geometrical drawing and it consists in an arrangement of parts
whereby the supply of ink or the admission of air being governed by springs-such
springs are encased in dry chambers and are not in contact with the ink Figure 1.
is a longitudinal section of the holder fitted with an ordinary nib pen (a.) is the
ink reservoir (b.) a pin or piston working from end to end of the holder (c.) is a
valve which by the action of a coil spring (d.) closes the ink tube (e.) (f.) is a
feeder into which by means of the end of the pin (b.) protruding through the ink
tube (e.) the ink is conveyed from the reservoir, pressure upon the point of the
nib (g.) raising the valve (c.) by the telescopic action of the parts (c².) (c.) and
allowing the ink to flow.
Simultaneously with this action the air valve (h.) upon the upper end of the
pin (b.) which air valve is governed by the spring (i.) is raised the pin (b.) striking
a plate (6) covered with India rubber which sits upon the cone of the diaphragm (l.)
thus the pin (b.) raises the air valve and air is admitted a small aperture being left
in the cap (.) for this purpose (l. l.) are diaphragms preventing the escape of ink
into either of the chambers containing the springs-The pen when not in use is
covered by a cap Figure 13 which cap when the pen is in use fits over the upper
end of the holder and serves to lengthen it. Figure 2, is a separate detail of the
pin with the valve (c.) Figure 3 a detail of the feeder (f.) nicked at (f¹.) at the
point to receive a small stud on the end of the pin which is for the purpose of
assisting in the cleaning of the apparatus enabling the operator by releasing the
stud at the end of the pin from the nick (f¹) to draw out the pin and thus to
separate all the parts.
Figure 4. a detail of the ink tube with its surrounding spring and the part into
which Figure 3 fits-Figure 5. a detail of the air spring chamber-Figure 6. the
reservoir Figure 7. the caps and valve of air chamber, Figure shews a form of
drawing pen blade adapted to be used in place of a writing nib (m.) are the blades
attached to a tube or barrel (n.) and governed as to their proximity to or distance
from each other by a belt (o.) tightened or relaxed by a set screw (p.) thus regu-
lating the thickness of line to be given these parts are attached to the holder Figure 9.
by sliding the barrel (n.) over the part (9.) when the feeder the ink tube and the
pin will all be contained within the blades of the drawing pen and thus supply it
with ink in the same way as an ordinary nib Figure 10 shews an arrangement
of parts slightly varying from those already described and in which the ink instead
of being supplied to the nib by pressure of the nib upon the paper is caused to
flow by slightly raising the cap at the top of the reservoir. In this form the
pin (b.) is in two lengths instead of being continuous but is connected in the middle
by a small spring concealed within an India rubber tube (r.) which spring and the
mode of connecting the pin is shewn in detail in Figure 11. The action is as follows
slightly raising the cap (8.) raises the air valve (t.) and with it the ink valve (u.) and
allows the ink to flow down the tube (v.) Figure 12. is a view of the instrument
complete and Figure 13 the covering cap.
With either of the above described forins of holder a barrel pen may if preferred

page_text: be employed instead of a nib by sliding the barrel of the pen onto the part (q.) as in
the case of drawing pens.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention and the manner in
which the same is to be carried into effect.
I claim without limiting myself to these precise details Improvements in
Fountain or Reservoir Penholders in which the spring actions are enclosed in dry
chambers so that the springs never coming into contact with the ink cannot get
clogged or coroded together with the simultaneous action of the valves produced
by the arrangement of such valves and springs as herein more fully set forth and
_specified.
In Witness whereof I the said Alfred Osborn have hereunto set my hand
and seal this Eighteenth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and eighty three.