IMPROVEMENTS IN PENS AND PENHOLDERS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PENS AND PENHOLDERS." A communication from abroad by Joseph
Reckendorfer, of New York City, State of New York, United States of
America
Sealed the 12th April 1878, and dated the 10th January 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th January 1878.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PENS AND PENHOLDERS." A communication from
abroad by Joseph Reckendorfer, of New York City, State of New York, United
States of America.
This Invention relates to that kind of pen which is provided with a soluble solid
ink or writing material, so arranged that when the pen is dipped in water the said
material will to a certain extent dissolve in the water held by the pen, and thus
produce an ink or writing fluid, which will be given off by the pen in the
usual way.
The object of the Invention is to combine the pen and the ink holder in such
a manner as to admit of the solid ink being removed as often as required, and also
to so combine the parts specified as to permit the pen to be removed and replaced
without interference with the writing material or the means for holding the same.
According to one mode of carrying out this Invention there is formed in one
piece with the inner barrel of the penholders an extension or tongue, whose outer
end extends forwards, so as to be in close proximity to the under side of the pen;
and this end is bent into a tubular or approximately tubular form to constitute a
clasp, which receives and holds the ink solid, the pen being inserted and held
between the outer barrel and the inner barrel in the usual manner.
The ink solid is in the shape of a stick like a pencil lead or a crayon, and can
readily be inserted in or withdrawn from the clasp. When in place it is in contact
or nearly in contact with the under side of the pen, and is so located that when the

page_text: pen is dipped in liquid, as for example water, the liquid taken up will dissolve a
portion of the writing material, thus forming a writing fluid which will produce
marks like those of ink.
The ink solid used possesses copying properties, being composed in the main of
aniline combined with white clay and gum, or other suitable base or binding
medium.
The tongue may consist of a spring, or have a slight spring action, so as to have
a slight bearing at its point against the pen.
It is preferred that the jaw of the clasp or tube should be somewhat elastic, so as
to take better hold on the ink stick.
According to a modification of the preceding arrangement the device for holding
the ink solid is made of wire, bent at its front end to form a hook or ring, or
segment of a ring, sufficient to receive and hold the ink stick, which by the spring
action of the wire is held up against the under side of the pen. The inner end of
the wire is made fast to the penholder, and when, as is assumed in the present
case, the holder is arranged to slide in a case the wire can extend out into and
through the sliding ring, thus forming the bond of union between the holder and
the external ring by which the holder is moved. The outer end of the wire spring
may if preferred be formed only with a slight bend or.. concave sufficient to fit the
ink stick, which in this case will be held in place by the pressure of the spring
between the said spring and the pen.
According to another modification the holder is made from a sheet metal blank
of a suitable form, bent into shape by suitable means, so as to form a penholder
with the tubular extension or clasp for the reception of the ink solid stick. The
under side of the holder is swaged or bent in-at one part to form a socket for
receiving the pen. This penholder is by the part referred to closed against entrance
of liquid into the interior of the holder.
The clasp may be attached not only to the holder but also to the handle, or to
the pen itself. It is preferred however on most accounts to attach the clasp to the
holder.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd
July 1878.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PENS AND PENHOLDERS." A communication from
abroad by Joseph Reckendorfer, of New York City, State of New York, United
States of America.
The said Invention relates to pens of that description which are provided with
a soluble solid ink or writing material, so arranged that when the pen is dipped in
water a portion of the said material will dissolve in the water held by the pen, and
thus produce an ink or writing fluid, which will be given off by the pen in the
usual manner.
The object of the said Invention is to combine the pen and the inkholder in
such a manner as to admit of the solid ink being more readily removed as often as
required; and also to so combine the parts specified as to admit of the pen being
removed and replaced without interference with the writing material or the means
for holding the same; and further, to so construct the inkholder as to enable it to
be used with pens and penholders of the ordinary description without entailing any
alteration in the pen or its holder.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to
the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the corresponding Figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings represents a longitudinal central section
of a pen having the said Invention applied thereto, according to one mode of
carrying out the same.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the inkholder detached.
Figure 2ª is a perspective view, illustrating a modification of the ink holder shewn
in Figures 1 and 2.
Figures 3 and 4 are similar views to Figures 1 and 2, illustrating another
modification.
Figures 3 and 4, and Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8, illustrate respectively two further
modifications.
The whole of the Figures are drawn to an enlarged scale.
Referring to the arrangement shewn in Figures 1 and 2, A is the outer barrel of
the penholder, and B is the inner barrel or ink holder, the latter being shewn
detached in perspective in Figure 2. Between these two parts is inserted the
pin C, which may be of any ordinary description, and is held in the usual manner.
Formed in one piece with the ink holder B is an extension or tongue D, the outer
end of which extends forwards, so as to be in close proximity to the under side of
the pen C; and this end is bent into a tubular or approximately tubular form to
constitute a clasp, which receives and holds the ink solid a.
The ink solid is in the shape of a stick, like a pencil lead or a crayon, and can
readily be inserted in or withdrawn from the clasp. When in place it is in contact
or nearly in contact with the under side of the pen, and is so located that when the
pen is dipped in liquid, as for example, water, the liquid taken up will dissolve a
portion of the writing material, thus forming a writing fluid which will produce
imarks similar to those of ordinary fluid ink.
The ink solid used possesses copying properties, being composed chiefly of

page_text: aniline combined with white clay and gum, or other suitable base or binding
medium. The proper proportion for these ingredients, and the mode of combining
them, will be perfectly understood by manufacturers conversant with this par-
ticular class of ink, and require no further explanation.
The tongue D may be expanded at its extremity, as shewn at a' in Figure 2ª,
50 as to be capable of retaining a larger quantity of liquid.
It may also be desirable that the tongue D should consist of a spring, or have a
slight spring action, so as to take a slight bearing at its point against the pen.
It is preferred that the jaw of the clasp or tube should be somewhat elastic, so as
to take better hold of the ink stick.
In the modification Figures 3 and 4 the device for holding the ink solid is made
of wire, as shewn at E, bent at its front end to form a hook or ring; or segment of
a ring, sufficient to receive and hold the ink stick a, which by the spring action of
the wire is held up against the under side of the pen, as shewn. The inner end of
the wire is made fast to the penholder, and when, as in the present case, the holder
is arranged to slide in a case F, the wire can extend out into and through the
sliding ring G, thus forming the bond of union between the holder and the external
ring by which the holder is moved. The outer end of the wire spring may if
preferred be formed only with a slight bend or concave sufficient to fit the ink stick,
which in this case will be held in place by the pressure of the spring. between the
said spring and the pen.
It will be understood that when what are known as magnum bonum pens are
used in lieu of nibs the outer holder A is dispensed with.
When also ordinary clasp penholders are used, as shewn in Figure 3a, the barrel
portion B of the ink holder is dispensed with; the ink holder then consists of the
clasp D and two protections b, b, (see Figure 4a), which enter or engage with the
bent portions c, c, of the penholder F.
Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8 illustrate another form of ink holder, which is made from
a sheet metal blank, such as shown in Figure 8, bent by suitable means into the
form shewn in Figures 5, 6, 7, so as to form a penholder with the tubular extension
or clasp D for the reception of the ink solid stick. Figure 5 is a view of the under
Bide of the holder; and Figure 7 is a view from above. Figure 6 is a longitudinal
central section. The under side of the holder is swaged or bent in, as shewn at x,
to form a socket for the reception of the pen. This penholder is by the part x
closed against entrance of liquid into the interior of the holder.
The ink solid may be made movable by means such as are used for adjustable
pencil points, or otherwise arranged so as to admit of the pen being used with
ordinary ink.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The combination of the pen, the clasp, and the detachable and removable
ink solid or stick, received and held by the said clasp, substantially in the manner
herein-before described.
Second. A penholder whose inner barrel, or its equivalent, is formed with a
tongue or extension, constituting a clasp to receive and hold an ink solid or stick,
substantially as herein-before described, and illustrated by the accompanying
Drawings.
Third. The combination, as herein set forth, of the penholder, the pen proper,
and the ink solid spring clasp, arranged to bear against or towards the under sido
of the pen with a yielding pressure, substantially as and for the purposes herein-
before described.

page_text: Fourth. The penholder, substantially as herein-before described, and illustrated
in Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8, of the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this my Specifi-
cation set my hand and seal, the Third day of July, One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-eight.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)