IMPROVEMENTS IN PENS AND PEN AND PENCIL HOLDERS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for
Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PENS AND PEN
AND PENCIL HOLDERS."-A communication, from abroad by John
Thomas Price, of Arrow Rock, in the State of Missouri, United
States of America.
Scaled the 28th July 1868, and dated the 27th February 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 27th February 1868.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PENS AND PEN AND
PENCIL HOLDERS," to be as follows:-
The Invention consists first, of a tubular holder of such diameter
that it can fit on to any one of the fingers like a finger stall open at
top. It should be of such length that it will extend upwards beyond
the first, but not quite to the second joint of the finger, so as to allow
that joint to bend in writing. Or, instead of making these tubular

page_text: holders of different diameters, they may be split so as to yield and fit
over different sized fingers. The tubular holder has an opening at its
upper side to allow the finger joint to bend.
The Invention further consists in the use of a pen the nib of which is
at an angle to its shank, so that when inserted into a clamp in the upper
side of the tip of the holder, its nib shall project nearly in line with
the cross section of the top of the same.
As a modification a pen may be employed the shank of which fits
underneath against a convex cap on the tip of the holder, the shank
being for that purpose curved transversely in a direction the reverse
of the curvature of the nib.
In order to convert this tubular penholder into a pencil holder, a
is applied to the extremity thereof and a socket is adapted thereto
for the reception of the pencil.
-сар
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said "William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 27th August 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
*County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the
thirty-first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Edward Newton, Her special
licence that I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Edward
Newton, my executors, administrators, 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 PENS AND PEN AND PENCIL HOLDERS," being a communi-
cation to me from John Thomas Price, of Arrow Rock, Saline County,

page_text: Missouri; United States, upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said William Edward Newton, 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 William Edward Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the 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) :-
This Invention relates to pen and pencil holders which are to be
fitted over the end of the finger so that the hand will never be cramped
while writing and all the muscles of the hand and fingers will remain
free and undisturbed. The device can be used on any one finger and
will thus be of special advantage to cripples who would otherwise not
be able to hold a pen or pencil.
The Invention consists, first, in the use of a spring holder. of such
shape that it can fit over the end of a finger, and of such length that
it will reach beyond the first but not quite to the second joint of the
finger. The spring holder is a curved plate with two arms lapping
around opposite sides of the finger, and it will thus have yielding sides
and will fit over different sized fingers.
The Invention also consists in the use of an angular pen which is
with its shank fitted against the under side of the holder, while its
split end or bowl projects at a convenient angle from the direction of
the holder and finger.
The Invention also consists in the use of' a double bent pen which
has a shank hollow on top to fit against the convex under side of the
holder while the split end or bowl of the pen is convex on top like
every other ordinary pen..
The Invention finally consists in the application to a pen of a bent
piece of metal or other material which constitutes a fountain for..
retaining ink to prevent the frequent dipping of the pen.

page_text: In the accompanying Drawings Fig. 1 is: a perspective view of the
improved penholder; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the. same,
showing the holder adapted to the finger; Figures 3 and 4 are inverted
plan views of the same; Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the pen; and
Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of a pen provided with the improved
fountain.
A in the Drawing represents a bent spring made of sheet metal or
any other suitable material of suitable size. Its body consists of a
bent plate having laps or springs a, a, on cach side, which laps or
springs are either part of or attached to the body of the plate in any
suitable manner. The plate. has a concave. inner face so as to fit well
around the end of the finger.. This. holder is quite: elastic so as to fit
easily over a finger of ordinary size. The holders may, if desirable, be
perforated or slotted for ornamental or useful purposes; B represents a
pen which is, to be secured to the holder A. Its shank is inserted or
fastened in any suitable manner to the under side of the holder, and
as its splint end has to form a continuation of the top of the holder
the pen has to receive a bend, and is thus of angular form as shewn in.
Fig. 2. This pin is fitted with its shank to the convex under side of
the holder, and its shank 6 must therefore be concave on top while
the split end c has a convex top and concave under side, as usual; Fig. 5.
illustrates this kind of pen. Other kinds of pens may be used in
conjunction with the improved finger penholder, and I do not intend
to confine the use of the holder to any certain class of pens. The
holder may (to receive the pen) be either provided with transverse slots
as in Fig. 3, or with longitudinal incisions, as in Fig. 4, or be otherwise
so formed as to receive the pen conveniently. In Figures 4 and 6, C
represents the fountain attachment. The fountain is a piece of bent
sheet metal or other material fitted through a slot in the pen. Its
upper part d forms an inverted spoon above and over the bowl of the
pen, while its lower part e is a plate bent under the bowl of the pen,
all parts of the plate C being so formed as to retain a quantity of ink.
when the pen is dipped, and to gradually give off this supply as it
is needed by the writer. The holder A can be used in connection
with any suitable kind of pen or may form part of the pen. The
concavo-convex pen B may be used on any suitable kind of holder, and
the plate or fountain C may be used on any suitable kind of pen to
convert the same into a fountain pen. The holder A may be made of
elastic material, such as india-rubber, leather, or fabric.

page_text: Fig. 1 represents a modification of the holder just described.. In
this instance the shank of the pen is inserted into a socket made in
the front of the holder, which is shewn detached in several views at
Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, and 11.
Fig. 2 represents another modification of the holder in which the
shank of the pen is attached to the top of the finger; Figures 3°, 4ª, 9,
12, and 13 are various views of this form of holder.
Fig. 14 represents the holder for a pencil, which may be temporarily
attached to the finger holder A, the same as the shank of the pen, is
shewn in Figures 1 and Fig. 2ª.
Having now described the Invention which has been communicated
to me, I claim,—
First. The mode herein set forth of constructing pen or pencil holders
which may be placed on any finger.
Second. The angular pen B, made as herein set farth and described.
Third. The concavo-convex pen B, having partly concave and partly
convex upper and under side, as and for the purpose herein set forth
and described.
Fourth. The application to pens of the fountain attachment C,
arranged so as to fit at once over and under the pen, as herein set
forth and described.
In witness whereof; I, the said William Edward Newton, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Twenty-seventh day of August,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
cight.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)