IMPROVEMENTS IN PENCIL CASES
Year: 1885

page_text: We, CHARLES EDWARD LITTLE, of 154 Rushmore Road, Lower Clapton, in the
County of Middlesex, Silversmith, and EDMUND GEORGE JOHNSON, JAMES PULLEY,
HORACE FREDERICK STEWART and HARRY LAMBERT SYMONDS, trading together
under the style or firm of S. Morden and Company, of 41 and 43 City Road, in the
County aforesaid, Manufacturers and Machinists, do hereby declare the nature of
said Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN PENCIL CASES, 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 accompanying drawings, and to
the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
Heretofore it has been general to construct pencil cases in such a manner that
when a lead is expended or used up, it becomes necessary to refil the case with a
lead, taken either from an independent box, or to unscrew the bottom of the pencil
case, to withdraw a lead from the receptacle containing the same, and then to
unscrew the "point" or nozzle in order to introduce such lead. This has necessi-
tated time and trouble and handling of the leads, which, being brittle and slender,
were liable to break in filling.
Now the object of our Invention is to avoid these evils, and to construct pencil
cases in such a manner (as hereinafter fully described) that the leads are contained
in a magazine or holder provided around the upper part of the pencil case, and
forming part thereof, and are fed continuously to the "point" or nozzle of the
instrument by simply turning the hinder or lower part of the said pencil case, and
without having to remove the "point" or nozzle.
Our Invention will be readily understood on reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which:
Fig. 1, is an elevation of a pencil case constructed according to our invention,
and shewn full size.
Figs. 2 is a longitudinal section of the pencil case complete in all its parts.
Fig. 3, is a cross section on line x, x, of fig. 2, of the magazine or holder.
Fig. is a separate view of the propelling mechanism and feeding tube.
Fig. 5, is a section on line y, y, of the semi-circular feeder, the arrow shewing the
direction of motion.
Fig. 6, is a detached view of the feeding and propelling tube.
The figs. from 2 to 6, both inclusive, are shewn on a greatly enlarged scale, for.

page_text: In carrying out our invention we combine with the ordinary spiral "action" Z
(or with any like suitable movement) which needs no detailed description, but
which is used for propelling and projecting the lead beyond the point or nozzle, a
tube a, which surrounds and is concentric with a central tube b, through and along
which travels the ejector or pin c, employed for projecting outwards the lead.
This tube a forms the magazine or holder for the leads which lie in the space
existing between said tubes a and b. These leads are placed in the interior of the
pencil case, and lie around the central tube b, as seen in cross section, fig. 3; they
are retained in position by resting on the annular block or ring A, and against the
interior wall of the tube a.
The central tube b, is of special construction; it is furnished with a slot or
opening d, slightly exceeding the length of the leads, and this slot is provided with
a suitably shaped lip or strip of metal e, which forms and acts as a scoop; or the
tube may be provided with arms or pins answering the same purpose. This scoop
(or these arms) on the tube b being revolved to the left, when the ejector c is com-
pletely withdrawn into the " spiral action," takes or scoops up one lead in its
revolution and deposits. it into the slot or opening d, through which it falls into
the tube and on to the top end of the ejector, where it is then ready for being
projected outwards on the ejector being operated by turning or revolving the hinder
part of the pencil case to the right.
The upper part of the central tube is screw-threaded, and receives the "nozzle"
or point of the pencil, as seen in fig. 2.
The tube or magazine a, is held in place by frictional contact with the tube or
block g, which is secured to the tube b, and around this tube the ring p is soldered.
The purpose of this ring p is to prevent the magazine or holder being drawn off
backwards. The lower or hinder portion of the pencil case is secured to the
"action" in the usual manner.
Tally or indicating marks f, f¹ but which may be of any suitable form, such for
instance as a double arrow, are engraved or stamped on the tube a, and on the
nozzle, so that in actuating the pencil, it may be at once known that when, after
the rotation of the left, these marks correspond, a fresh lead has been scooped up
and has fallen into the slot or opening in the central tube.
The method of working is as follows:-The magazine being filled with leads, and
the ejector assumed to be at its lowermost point, we revolve the hinder part of the
pencil case to the left, thereby causing the central tube, with its scoop or equivalent,
to revolve or partially revolve, as may be necessary, at the same time and to the
same extent, and to take or scoop up a lead in its revolution and to feed the same
to the interior of the central tube. We then revolve the hinder part of the pencil
case to the right, thereby bringing the ejector into action, whose office it is to
project the lead into and slightly beyond the nozzle for use in the ordinary manner.
When the lead is expended the ejector is withdrawn completely into the spiral
"action" by winding it downwards to the left, and by continuing this winding,
the central tube is revolved, or partially revolved, and in its movement the scoop
takes up another lead and deposits it into the interior of said central tube. The
winding action is then reversed, and the ejector, coming into action again, projects
the lead outwards, as above mentioned. These winding movements are renewed
as often as required until the leads in the magazine are used up, when the nozzle
or "point" is unscrewed and the magazine refilled with a fresh charge of leads.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, We declare that what
we claim is
1. The construction of pencil cases wherein the leads are contained in a receptacle
or magazine forming part of the tubular holder of the case and are fed continuously
to the nozzle or "point" by turning or revolving the pencil case, as herein described
and for the purposes set forth.

page_text: 2. The construction of the lead tube with the scoop, or its equivalent, as
described and shewn, and for the purposes set forth.
3. In combination with the propelling "action" of a pencil case, a magazine or
holder, and a slotted lead tube, provided with a scoop or equivalent device, the
whole arranged as herein described and shewn, and operating as set forth..