Improvements in Fountain Ink Wells.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Apr., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 14th Jan., 1895-Accepted, 16th Feb.,
1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fountain Ink Wells.
I, WINFIELD SCOTT RUSSELL, of No. 126 Elm Street in the City of New
York, County and State of New York, United States of America, Merchant, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to fountain ink-wells and has for its object to provide a
simple, cheap and easily constructed device of this character by means whereof,
the ink will not only be securely protected from the air and prevented from spilling,
even should the ink-well be overturned, but which may also be refilled without
removing the cover, or other of the parts thereof.
A further and particular object of the invention is to obviate one of the main
disadvantages of the present form of fountain inkstand, wherein when the funnel is
hastily depressed by the pen, it is not infrequently pushed inward, so far or so
forcibly, as to cause the ink to overflow the funnel and run down the sides of the
ink-well.
It has been attempted to avoid this by making the tube of the funnel of such a
length as to abut against the bottom of the well when sufficiently depressed, but
this is only possible when each funnel is specifically made for some one, inkstand,
instead of, as preferably, being adapted to any form or size, and moreover since it
has as yet been found practically impossible to manufacture any two glass ink-wells
absolutely alike interiorly, considerable difficulty is encountered in making these
tubes and wells correspond and fit together.
The invention which is primarily designed to overcome these manifold faults
and difficulties, consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts
hereinafter more fully described and particularly set forth.
Upon the ink-well, which is preferably square in shape and made of glass,
1 form a collar or rim, externally screw-threaded and having thereon a ledge.
Resting on this ledge is a rubber disk having the usual openings in the centre for
the funnel, surrounding which is a lip. Over the disk is placed the cover internally
screw-threaded, and engaging with the rim. This cover also has at its centre an
opening considerably larger than the opening in the disk. Within the opening is
fitted a funnel having a peripheral groove therein, in which groove the lip of the
disk extends, space being left between the said lip and the roof of the groove at the
top and the bead at the bottom.
The funnel has depending therefrom a tube integral therewith, and projecting
downward to within a short distance of the bottom of the well. At equidistant
points in the funnel are formed air-holes extending through the neck thereof and
opening into the groove in the form of slots.
Upon the funnel at the exterior of its top or mouth I provide an annular flange
tapering outward and appreciably wider than the opening in the cover.
The pen depressing the funnel, the ink flows through the tube into the same,
the flange abuting against the cover and preventing the funnel from being forced
too far inward. The disk bears against the roof of the groove in the funnel and
prevents any air from entering the well. The disk also serves to restore the funnel
to the raised position.
When it is desired to fill the ink-well the funnel is slightly raised and the groove
being wider than the disk and the slots extending from top to bottom thereof the
said disk bearing upon the head leaves a space above the same thus connecting the

page_text: air with the air-holes whereby the air within the well may escape and permit
the ink to be poured therein through the funnel.
Dated this 14th day of April 1894.
HUGHES, SON & Co.,
38, Chancery Lane, W.C., Agents.
I, WINFIELD SCOTT RUSSELL, of 126 Elm Street, in the City of New York,
in the County and State of New York, United States of America, Merchant,
do hereby declare 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 fountain ink-wells and has for its object to provide a
simple, cheap and easily constructed device of 'this character by means whereof,
the ink will not only be securely protected from the air and prevented from spilling,
even should the ink-well be overturned, but which may also be refilled without
removing the cover, or other of the parts thereof.
A further and particular object of the invention is to obviate one of the main
disadvantages of the present form of fountain inkstand, wherein when the funnel is
hastily depressed by the pen, it is not infrequently pushed inward, so far or so
forcibly, as to cause the ink to overflow the funnel and run down the sides of the
ink-well.
It has been attempted to avoid this by making the tube of the funnel of such
length as to abut against the bottom of the well when sufficiently depressed, but
this is only possible when each funnel is specifically made for some one inkstand,
instead of, as preferably, being adapted to any form or size, and moreover since it
has as yet been found practically impossible to manufacture any two glass ink-wells
absolutely alike interiorly, considerable difficulty is encountered in making these
tubes and wells correspond and fit together:
The invention, which is primarily designed to overcome these manifold faults
and difficulties, consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts
hereinafter more fully described and particularly set forth.
In 'the accompanying drawings, forming part of this Specification, in which
like letters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout all the views.
Figure 1 is á perspective view of an ink-well embodying my invention.
Figure 2 is a transverse vertical section through the centre of the ink-well,
illustrating the various elements and features constituting my device.
Figure 3 is a similar view of the central funnel and tube when removed, and
Figure 4 is a section of the said funnel on the line - Figure 3.
Upon the ink-well A, which is preferably square in shape and made of glass,
I form a collar or rim, a externally screw-threaded and having thereon a ledge a¹.
Resting on this ledge is a rubber disk having the usual opening in the centre for
the funnel, surrounding which is a lip 6. Over the disk is placed the cover B
internally screw-threaded, and engaging with the rim u. This cover also has at its
centre an opening B considerably larger than the opening 6' in the disk. Within
the opening b¹ is fitted the funnel having peripheral grooved therein, in which
groove the lip of the disk b'extends, space being left between the said lip and the
roof of the groove at the top and the bead c' at the bottom.
The funnel has depending therefrom a tube e integral therewith, and projecting
downward to 'within a short distance of the bottom of the well. At equidistant
points in the funnel are found air-holes fextending through the neck thereof and
opening into the groove in the form of slots f¹.

page_text: Upon the funnel at the exterior of its top or month I provide an annular flange
tapering outward and appreciably wider than the opening B¹ in the cover.
The pen depressing the funnel, the ink flows through the tube e into the same,
the flange g abuting against the cover and preventing the funnel from being forcer
too far inward. The disk bears against the roof of the groove d in the funnel
and prevents any air from entering the well. The disk also serves to restore the
funnel to the raised position.
When it is desired to fill the ink-well the funnel is slightly raised and the
grooved being wider than the disk and the slots "extending from top to bottom
thereof the said disk bearing upon the bead c' leaves a space above the same thus
connecting the air with the air-holes f whereby the air within the well may escape
and permit the ink to be poured therein through the funnel.
I do not claim broadly the use of a rubber disk, nor the bare principle of
providing the funnel with air-holes, as I am aware that inkstands have been made
heretofore embodying the general outlines of each of these features.
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 !
claim is:
1. In a fountain ink-well, a funnel having a flange upon the top thereof, a
peripheral groove therein and air holes in the base thereof opening into the groove,
substantially as shown and described.
2. In a fountain ink-well, the combination with a well, a cover therefor, and a
funnel having a peripheral groove therein and air holes in the base thereof opening
into slots in the groove, of a rubber disk surrounding the funnel at the groove,
and of less thickness than the depth thereof, substantially as shown and described.
3. In a fountain ink-well, the combination with a well a cover therefor, and a
funnel having an annular flange at the top thereof, a peripheral groove therein and
air-holes in the base thereof opening into slots in the groove, of a rubber-disk
surrounding the funnel at the groove and of less thickness than the depth thereof,
substantially as shown and described.
h
4. In a fountain ink-well, the combination with a well, a cover having an opening
therein and a funnel within with said opening an annular flange thereon projecting
beyond the said opening to act as a stop, a peripheral groove in the said funnel,
and air-holes in the base thereof opening into slots extending from top to bottom
of the groove, of a rubber disk intervening the well and the cover and surrounding
the funnel at the mouth, a lip upon the said funnel of less thickness than the depth
of the said funnel, whereby the air-boles may be connected with the air,
substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 14th day of January 1895.