IMPROVEMENTS IN PENCIL CASES OR HOLDERS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Maclenahan, of Belfast, in the County of Antrim,
Ireland, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PENCIL CASES OR HOLDERS."
Sealed the 31st October 1879, and dated the 5th August 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Maclenahan at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th August 1879.
#
JAMES MACLENAHAN, of Belfast, in the County of Antrim, Ireland. IMPROVE
MENTS IN PENCIL CASES OR HOLDERS."
"
The improvements in pencil cases or holders are more particularly applicable to
holders for slate pencils used in schools, although they may be used in other cases,
and the object of the improvement is to enable the pencil to be held. with greater
firmness and yet to be readily adjusted as it is worn away, at the same time to
furnish an excellent and convenient means of teaching children and others the
proper way of holding a pen or pencil. The pencil case or holder is a tube of
triangular form, preferably equilateral, in cross section, and provided with a
binding screw, spring clip, or wedge at one of its sides near the lower end by which
the pencil when introduced in the tube is pressed into the opposite angle formed
by the two other sides. The binding screw screws through the side of the tube
and its point bears against the pencil, but the spring clip and the wedge are
inserted in the end of the tube between the pencil and the side of said tube. The
spring is shaped and provided with a nib at one extremity that enters a notch
cut in the pencil, so as to hold it firmly and prevent its being pushed into the tube
or holder. The wedge is a double one, the projecting edges of which also enter
notches cut in the pencil for the same purpose. The pencil is adjusted for wear by
loosening the screw, spring, or wedge, drawing the pencil a little way out of its
sheath and tightening the screw, spring, or wedge up again.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said James Maclenahan in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th
February 1880.
JAMES MACLENAHAN, of Belfast, in the County of Antrim, Ireland. " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PENCIL CASES OR HOLDERS."
My Invention relates to cases or holders for pencils, particularly slate pencils,
and the improvements have for their object to enable the pencil to be firmly and
yet adjustably secured in the holder and at same time to furnish a guide to the proper
way to hold a pen or pencil. The pencil case or holder is a tube of triangular form in
cross section (preferably equilateral), and the pencil is secured therein by being
pressed into or towards the angle formed by two of its sides by means of a binding
screw, or a spring, or a wedge applied at the third side opposite said angle. The
binding screw screws through the side of the holder and bears with its point against
the pencil, but the spring and the wedge are inserted between the pencil and the side
of the tube. The spring is V shaped, and provided with an outwardly turned nib that
bears against the end of the tube and with an inwardly turned nib that enters a notch
cut in the pencil to hold it firmly in place and prevent it being pushed back into
the holder by pressure in the point of the pencil when in use. The wedge is
preferably a double one, resembling two saw teeth in form, and its two projecting
edges similarly enter notches in the pencil for the same purpose. The holder, owing
to its triangular form, has 3 flat outer surfaces or sides at the proper inclinations to
one another upon which the thumb and two fingers naturally fall, thus affording
a means of teaching children and others the proper way to hold a pen or pencil.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal, and Figure 2 an end view of the triangular tube
only; Figure 3 is a longitudinal section, and Figure 4 a cross section of the case
or holder when provided with a binding screw to hold the pencil, which is also
shown in position; Figure 5 is a longitudinal section, and Figure 6 an end view
of the holder provided with a spring clip or catch to hold the pencil (which is
shown in cross section), the spring being also represented separately in side view
and underside plan in Figure 7; Figure 8 is a longitudinal section, and Figure 9
an end view of the holder provided with a double wedge, which is represented
separately in Figure 10.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the Figures. A is
the tubular case or holder, of equilateral triangular section both externally and
internally. It may be open at both ends or it may be closed at top a, and it may
be of sheet steel or other metal bent or drawn to the form shown; B is the slate
or other pencil of the usual cylindrical form, and C is a binding screw screwing
through a corresponding hole tapped in one side of the tube A near the lower end,
and its point bearing against the pencil and forcing it towards the opposite angle
of the tube. D is a spring clip for the same purpose. It consists of a flat strip of
steel, brass, or other suitable metal, wider at one end than the other, bent to an
acute angle at d. The broad end, which is nearly equal in width to the side of the
tube A, is bent outwards at right angles to form a nib d' by which to catch hold
of the spring clip when inserting and withdrawing it, and which may abut against
the end of the tube A to prevent the clip entering too far. The narrow end or
limb d², shown in dotted lines in Figure 7, is bent up at the extremity to form a
nib d³, adapted to take into a small notch cut in the side of the pencil when the
clip is inserted in place, as shown in Figure 5. E is a double wedge, having one

page_text: face e flat and almost as wide as the side of the tube A, and two parallel inclines
on the other face terminating in acute edges e¹ that enter corresponding notches
cut in the pencil, the wedge being narrowed towards this side to correspond to the
triangular form of the tube A, as seen in Figure. The flat side e may also have an
outwardly projecting nib to abut against the end of tube A and to enable the
wedge to be more readily withdrawn.
It will be evident that a single V shaped wedge would also answer the purpose
but less efficiently.
The pencil is adjusted for wear by loosening the screw or withdrawing the spring
or wedge, drawing the pencil a little way out of the holder and afterwards
tightening the screw, spring, or wedge up again.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of performing the
same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
1st. A pencil case or holder consisting of a tube of triangular form in cross
section, substantially as shown and described.
2nd. A pencil case or holder consisting of a tube of triangular form in cross
section, provided with a binding screw in one of its sides pressing the pencil into
the opposite angle, substantially as shown and described.
3rd. The combination with a pencil case or holder of triangular tubular form,
as described, of a spring catch constructed and applied between the side of the
holder and the pencil, as and for the purpose shown and described.
4th. The combination with a pencil case or holder of triangular tubular form,
as described, of a wedge inserted between the side of the holder and the pencil,
substantially as shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Maclenahan, have to this my Specifi-
cation set my hand and seal, this Second day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty.