Improvements in the Manufacture of Pens.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 13th May, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 13th Mar., 1890-Accepted, 19th Apr., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Pens.
I, CHARLES FROST FOSTER, of 60 Bonham Road, Brixton Hill, in the County of
Surrey, Barrister at Law, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
My invention relates to the manufacture of pens and is chiefly designed to provide
an advantageous substitute for the quills heretofore used. For this purpose I utilize
celluloid in the manufacture of my improved pens.
In making pens according to my said invention I proceed as hereinafter spécified,
that is to say, I take a sheet of celluloid of suitable thickness and of any desired
length and width, and, with or without subjecting the same to any preliminary treat-
ment for the purpose of improving its qualities, I soften the said sheet of celluloid by
boiling in water or other liquid or by heating it or otherwise. I then place it in a
machine provided with suitable means for cutting or stamping the pen-blanks from
the said sheet and for imparting to them the required curvature and also if desired for
forming the slits in the said blanks. As soon as these operations are terminated,
I immerse the pens thus formed, which usually are too soft for use, in cold water
or other liquid for the purpose of imparting to them the desired stiffness or
hardness.
Although I prefer the method of manufacture hereinbefore described, I can, if
desired, make my improved celluloid pens in any other convenient manner. Moreover
other means of hardening may be adopted.
By the utilization of celluloid as above described I provide for making pens which
resemble quills in their general properties, being much softer than ordinary steel pens
and not liable to be injuriously affected by the corrosive bodies and acids in the inks
usually employed. Moreover my improved pens can be manufactured in the manner
above set forth much more cheaply than the ordinary steel pens.
Dated this 8th day of M... 1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Pens.
I, CHARLES FROST FOSTER, of 60 Bonham Road, Brixton Hill, in the County of
Surrey, Barrister at Law, 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 :-
My invention relates to the manufacture of pens and is chiefly designed to provide
an advantageous substitute for the quills and steel pens heretofore used. For this,
purpose, I utilize celluloid in the manufacture of pens as hereinafter described.
In making pens according to my said invention, I proceed as follows, that is to say,
I take a sheet or strip of celluloid of suitable thickness and of any desired length and
width, and, with or without subjecting the same to any preliminary treatment for the
purpose of improving its qualities, I place it in a machine provided with suitable
dies for cutting or stamping the pen-blanks from the said sheet or strip. and imparting
to them the required curvature, and also, if desired, for forming the slits in the said
blanks. The parts of this machine which come in contact with the celluloid are kept
at a uniform temperature of about 212 degrees Fahrenheit more or less, to soften the
celluloid and enable it to be worked as required. If the pens thus produced, when
allowed to cool, are found to be too soft for use, it may be advantageous to cool the

page_text: said pens by immersing them in cold water or other liquid for the purpose of
imparting to the celluloid of which they are composed, the desired stiffness or hard-
ness. Or other suitable means of hardening or stiffening the celluloid when formed
into pens, may be adopted..
I prefer to employ, in the manufacture of my improved pens, dies which will
simultaneously produce a considerable number of pens from a strip of celluloid; and
I find it advantageous to use a strip of celluloid the width of which is equal to the
length of the pens to be produced therefrom. Before the said strip is subjected to
the action of the dies, the upper part of one edge thereof is bevelled at a greater or
less angle according to the desired hardness or softness of the pens to be made there-
from. By treating the said strip in this manner, I effect considerable economy,
as I
am enabled to save the time and labour ordinarily expended, in the case of quill-pens,
in bevelling the point of each pen.
Although I prefer the method of manufacture hereinbefore described, I can if
desired make my improved celluloid pens in any other convenient manner.
My improved pens can be advantageously coloured to correspond with different
coloured inks, with which they are to be used, so that a red pen can be used with red
ink and a green pen with green ink, and so on, I thus provide for readily dis-
tinguishing the pen to be used with ink of one colour from that to be used with ink
of another colour.
In some instances, I make my improved pens with hollow cylinders or barrels to
fit suitable sticks or holders. In other instances, I make a combined pen and holder
from a single piece of celluloid; and I prefer to make this combined pen and
holder in such a manner that, when the pen becomes worn, it can be repeatedly cut
like a quill, and can, therefore, be used for a very long time.
By the utilization of celluloid as above described, I provide for making pens which
resemble quills in their general properties, being much softer than ordinary steel pens
and not being liable to be injuriously affected by corrosive bodies and acids such as
are contained in the inks usually employed. My improved pens have, amongst others,
the following advantages over quill-pens, viz. they can be used for making very
fine lines if desired, and considerable pressure can be exerted upon them to form very
thick lines without liability to splitting or other injury. Moreover my improved pens
can be manufactured in the manner above set forth, much more cheaply than the
ordinary steel pens.
My improved pens can be made of various sizes for correspondence, or for addressing
parcels, or for other purposes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I wish it understood
that I claim :—
First The manufacture of celluloid pens substantially as hereinbefore described.
Second-The improved method of manufacturing pens from a strip of celluloid,
consisting in bevelling one edge of the said strip and then cutting and shaping it by
means of dies, substantially as herein before described.
Third A combined pen and holder formed of a single piece of celluloid substan-
tially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this 13th day of March 1800
CHARLES F. FOSTER.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.