IMPROVEMENTS IN' INKSTANDS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Johann Maximilian Plessner, of Golden Square,
in the County of Middlesex, late Captain in the Prussian Army,
for the Invention of ""IMPROVEMENTS IN' INKSTANDS "

page_text: hinged or sliding lid fitted with a central dipping hole. In this case is
mounted a sliding carriage, in which are two vessels for containing ink.
These vessels rest upon coiled springs which hold them in contact with
the lid of the case. A reciprocating motion is given to the carriage by
means of a knob projecting therefrom, or an elastic index lever (standing
up in front of the case) may be used, for the purpose of bringing either
ink vessel (as desired) under the central dipping hole.
Stops are provided for retaining the index lever in one of three
positions. Thus the bringing of either ink vessel into coincidenco with
the central dipping hole is ensured, and by setting the lever in an
intermediate position both vessels will be covered, and their contents
protected from the air and dust.
The necks of the ink vessels may conveniently be fitted with inverted
funnels which will prevent the ink from being jerked out by a sudden
movement of the carriage.
A modification of my improved inkstand is to use a segment shaped
or circular frame to carry the ink vessels. To bring these vessels into
coincidence with the dipping hole, the spindle of the frame may be
furnished with a wheel or a lever for turning the frame, and a spring
stop should be provided for locking the frame in position. This modi-
fication admits of three, four, or more kinds of inks being brought in
succession into position for use, and of all the ink vessels being covered
(when not required for use) by a slight movement of the wheel or lever
or the equivalent therefor.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, 2
filed by the said Johann Maximilian Plessner in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 24th December 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHANN
MAXIMILIAN PLESSNER, of Golden Square, in the County of Middlesex,
late Captain in the Prussian Army, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of June; in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-

page_text: seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Johann Maximilian Plessner, Her special
licence that I, the said Johann Maximilian Plessner, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Johann
Maximilian Plessner, 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 INKSTANDS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Johann Maximilian Plessner, my executors or adminis-
trators, 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 Johann Maximilian Plessner, do
hereby declare the nature of my 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):
The object of this Invention is to provide facilities for the use of inks
of various kinds, and for the protection of such inks when not in use
from dust and evaporation through exposure to the air.
The improved inkstand admits of various modifications, but in its
simplest form it may be described as consisting of a box or case, fitted
with a hinged or sliding lid provided with a central dipping hole, and
) containing within it a sliding or traversing carriage for presenting one
of a set of vessels to the dipping hole, according to the kind of ink
-required to be used.
In the accompanying Drawing I have shewn in several views a simple
form of my improved inkstand suitable for holding three kinds of ink,
say, ordinary black writing ink, red ink, and copying ink.
Fig. 1.is.a front view of the inkstand; Fig. 2 is an end view, and
Fig. 3,is a plan view of the same; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical

page_text: section taken in the line 1, 2, of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a transverse section
taken in the line 3, 4, of Fig. 4; and Fig. 6 is a plan-view with the-lid;
removed.
'
A is the base or stand, suitably hollowed in front to receive pens, and
upon this is fixed a box B, which is fitted with a sliding lid B', carrying
at its centre a cup or nozzle C. Within the box is a sliding piece
or carriage D, which is provided with recesses for the reception of
the ink vessels E; F is a knob, the stem of which passes through a slot
cut horizontally in the front of the box B, and is secured to the side of
the carriage D. By means of this knob a reciprocating motion is given
to the carriage for the purpose of bringing either of the ink vessels
under the central dipping hole; and to allow of this movement the
length of the box is proportioned to the length of the carriage, as
illustrated in the Drawing.
i
To ensure the coincidence of the dipping hole with the ink vessels
as they are severally required to be brought into use, the front of the
box may be marked with initial letters or other device, at such parts as
to form an index for the distance the knob is to be moved. If initial
letters are used corresponding to the characters of ink contained in the
ink vessels, as B for black ink, R for red ink, and C for copying ink,
then the person using the inkstand will see at a glance not merely
whether an ink vessel is in coincidence with the dipping nozzle, but also
what kind of ink is in position for use.
When the inkstand is not in use the knob should be pushed aside or
from under or out of coincidence with the indicators, and the cover B¹
of the box will then serve to protect all the ink vessels from dust.
The necks of the ink vessels may conveniently be fitted with inverted
funnels (as shewn in the Drawing) which will prevent the ink from
being jerked out by a sudden movement of the carriage.
}
As a modification of my improved inkstand I may use a segment
shaped or circular frame or carriage to carry the fink vessels, a cor-
responding shape being given to the containing box. To bring these
vessels into coincidence with the dipping hole, the spindle of the frame
may be furnished with a wheel or a lever for turning the frame, and a
spring stop should be provided for locking the frame in position. This
modification admits of three, four, or more kinds of ink's being brought
in succession into position for use, and of all the vessels being covered

page_text: (when not required for use) by a slight movement of the wheel or lever,
or the equivalent therefor.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improvements
in Inkstands," and explained the manner of carrying the same into
effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited
Letters Patent I claim, the application to inkstands of a traversing
carriage for receiving two or more ink vessels and presenting the various
inks contained therein to a stationary dipping hole formed in or fitted
to the lid of the inkstand.
In witness whereof, I, the said Johann Maximilian Plessner, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Twelfth day of December,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-three.