IMPROVEMENTS IN PENCIL CASES
Year: 1882

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Robert Lake at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th November 1882. A communi-
cation to him from abroad by Charles W. Livermore of Providence, Rhode
Island, United States of America.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, "IMPROVEMENTS IN PENCIL CASES." A com-
munication to him from abroad by Charles W. Livermore of Providence, Rhode
Island, United States of America.
This invention relates to the construction of pencil cases, and its object is to
throw the point of the lead beyond the lower or forward end of the case for use
and to retract said point within the case for protection when not in use, by means
of grasping jaws, and also to free the end from the jaws to advance it to compensate
for wear.
In carrying the said invention into practice I employ an outer tube or case and
an inner lead containing tube having a longitudinal movement within the outer
tube, and provided at its forward end with spring jaws to grasp and free the load.
The grasping jaws are so formed as to stand sufficiently open to permit the lead or
crayon to slide freely through them when not subject to external pressure.
The jaws move with the inner tube which has a limited play, and their sides
are provided with a swell or cam-shaped exterior which arrests the action.
These jaws always remain within the outer case.
The chamber of the outer case is contracted at its lower or forward end
sufficiently to compress the jaws upon the lead as soon as they enter such
contracted portion of the chamber, the jaws carrying the lead with them as they
are pushed farther forward by sliding the inner tube. When the inner tube is
retracted the jaws draw the lead back until they reach a wider portion of the
chamber, when they spring open and thereby release the lead.
The forward conical end of the outer case through which the lead projects is also
preferably furnished with spring jaws which are weaker than the sliding jaws, and
are normally closed sufficiently to prevent the lead or crayon from falling out of
the case when not under control of the sliding jaws. These lower and stationary
jaws are pushed open by the lead as it is carried forward by the sliding jaws and
they likewise allow the lead to be drawn back as the sliding jaws are retracted,
their principal purpose being to prevent the lead from dropping from the case as
before stated.
The object in freeing the lead from the sliding jaws when they are drawn back,
s to allow the lead to fall forward to compensate for wear. Thus, with the pencil
na vertical position, point downwards, and the sliding jaws drawn back so that

page_text: they spring open, the lead will fall forward until it is arrested by the lower or
stationary jaws, or if these latter jaws are not employed, the end of the pencil may
be placed on any plane surface to arrest the lead. Now, if the inner tube be
pushed forward, the jaws enter the narrow part of the surrounding case, close upon
the lead, and carry it out pushing open the stationary jaws, until the lead has a
sufficient projection, when the further movement of the inner tube is arrested
by a stop.
If it is not desired to advance the lead within the sliding jaws, to compensate as
aforesaid for wear, the lead may be pushed back within the outer tube by a
longitudinal pressure on the end of the lead, carrying the lead tube with it, without
displacing the lead in the sliding jaws.
It is not necessary that the sliding jaws should open the instant the point of the
lead is drawn or pushed back even with the forward end of the outer case. The
binding portion of the outer case which holds the sliding jaws upon the lead, may
be continued somewhat farther up, or from the end, so that they will still continue
closed upon the lead when the latter is pushed within the case as above described.
With this arrangement the jaws will continue to maintain their original hold upon
the lead which will be slid out and back as occasion may require until the point of
the lead is worn so as not to project sufficiently when the lead tube and jaws are
pushed forward to the stop.
It will then become necessary to free the lead from the sliding jaws by drawing
the lead tube back till the jaws open and allow the lead to fall forward to the
end of the case as before described.
The lead tube has a screw-thread cut on its upper end for the application of a
screw cap which serves to close its upper end and also serves for a handle by which
to slide the lead tube within its outer case, said cap being intended to project above
the upper end of such case. A hexagonal collar is rigidly fixed to the tube. '
The outer case is hexagonal in form and in it the hexagonal collar of the lead
tube plays. The purpose of this hexagon enclosing the hexagonal collar is to
prevent the lead tube from turning in the outer case while the cap is being screwed
on or off the lead tube.
This hexagonal piece is driven into the lower end of the principal tube which.
forms the outer case and constitutes a prolongation of the same. The upper cod
of this outer hexagon is turned inward, diminishing the diameter at this end, to
form a stop limiting the upward or rearward play of the lead tube. This is
accomplished by contact of the hexagonal collar on the lead tube with this
contracted end.
The cylindrical portion of the outer case has thercon an ornamental thimble and
an ornamental tubular piece is applied to the top of the outer case.
A cap is screwed upon the upper end of the lead tube. This cap may be removed
to introduce the lead, and it also serves as a handle to slide the tube back
and forth.
The conical end of the outer case has an annular portion which is driven into
the lower end of the hexagonal portion of the outer case, and having a smaller
internal diameter than the hexagon, it constitutes the narrow or clamping portion
of the outer case which clamps the sliding jaws upon the lead. The conical portion
below the hexagon is split to form the stationary jaws.
The forward movement of the lead tube may be arrested by a knurl or bead on
the exterior of the cap, which bead comes in contact with the upper end of the
outer case. Various other devices may be used however limiting the play of the lead
tube at the proper point.