IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBINED PENCIL SHARPENERS AND PENCIL POINT PROTECTORS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Marvin Chester Stone, of the City of Baltimore, in the
State of Maryland, one of the United States of America, for an Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBINED PENCIL SHARPENERS AND PENCIL POINT
PROTECTORS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Marvin Chester Stone at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th April 1880.
MARVIN CHESTER STONE, of the City of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland,
one of the United States of America "IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBINED PENCIL
SHARPENERS AND PENCIL POINT PROTECTORS."
This Invention relates to a combined lead pencil sharpener and pencil point
protector constructed in such manner as to admit of the device being retained on
the lead pencil when the same is in use, and not to interfere with the proper
handling of the pencil in writing. With this view I make the device wholly of
steel either by boring and turning a solid piece of metal, and afterwards cutting
the necessary slots therein, or by bending a piece of sheet steel to, the required form
in a die.
The device consists essentially of a hollow cylinder of steel having a conical end
slotted longitudinally to allow the device to close tightly around the pencil, and to
admit of the formation of a cutting edge in the conical portion of the device, which
cutting edge as the poncil and the device are turned independently of each other
shaves off the wooden casing and a portion of the lead of the pencil, and thereby
the
forms a point conforming to the shape of the interior of the conical end of
device.
The device is slit transversely at the junction of the cylindrical and conical parts
thereof, the slits commencing at the longitudinal slot, and extending some distance
around the base of the conc. Theso slits give greator flexibility to the cutting
edge than could be obtained if the device had the longitudinal slot only, and
prevent the cutter entering too deeply into the pencil. The said slits also admit
of the setting of the cutting edge to make it effective.
The prevent the spiral grooving of the lead as it is forced through the aperture
in the apex of the cone in the sharpening operation, the said aperture is bored so
as to present to the lead a cylindrical surface. The exterior surface of the cylindrical
portion of the device is roughened in any suitable manner to improve the appearance
of the device, and make it more convenient to hold in writing.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Marvin Chester Stone in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th
October 1880.
MARVIN CHESTER STONE, of the City of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland,
one of the United States of America. "IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBINED PENCIL
SHARPENERS AND PENCIL POINT PROTECTORS."
This Invention relates to a combined lead pencil sharpener and pencil point
protector, constructed in such manner as to admit of the device being retained on
the lead pencil when the samo is in use, and to not interfere with the proper
handling of the pencil in writing. With this view I make the sharpener wholly
of steel, either by boring and turning a solid piece of metal, and afterwards cutting
the necessary slots theroin, or by bending a piece of sheet steel to the required
form in a die. The said Invention consists essentially of a hollow cylinder of steel
having a hollow conical end slotted longitudinally to allow the device to close
tightly around the pencil, and to admit of the formation of a cutting edge in the
conical portion of the device, which cutting edge, as the pencil and the sharpener
are turned independently of each other, shaves off the wooden casing and a portion
of the lead of the pencil, and thereby forms a point conforming to the shape of the
interior of the said conical end. In the further description of my said Invention
which follows reference is made to the accompanying Drawing, in which Figure I.
is an exterior view of the Invention showing the same as applied to a lead pencil,
and in the position which it occupies when the pencil is in use; Figure II. is an
exterior view of the Invention and the lead pencil illustrating the use of the former
as a point protector; Figure III. is a longitudinal section of the device; Figures
1V. and V. are cross sections of the same respectively on the dotted lines v - - - 20,
and - - -
3. Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts in all the views.
In the said Drawing A and B are respectively the cylindrical and the conical parts
of the Invention, which is slotted its entire length, as shown. One of the edges
formed in the conical end B by the said longitudinal slot is sharpened, and thereby
formed into a cutter, and the said cutter has a certain elasticity imparted to it
independently of that effected by the longitudinal slot by slitting the device
transversely at the junction of the cylindrical and conical parts thereof, beginning
at the longitudinal slot. The cutter by this means can be set or adjusted to cut
a shaving of the proper thickness, and it is rendered more effective when the pencil
to be sharpened is not exactly round, as it does not enter too deeply into the wood.
The inoperative edge of the conical end may also be provided with a slit if desired.
The lead pencil to which the device is applied is represented by D, and in Figure I.
it is shown as arranged for use, that is to say, with the lead projecting through the
aperture in the apex of the conical end of the sharpener, while in Figure II. the
pencil is represented as withdrawn from the conical end sufficiently to protect
the lead. In this condition the pencil may be carried in the pocket without
danger of the lead being broken. To prevent the spiral grooving of the lead as
it is forced through the aperture in the apex of the cone in the sharpening
operation, the said aperture is bored so as to present to the lead a cylindrical
surface, as is fully shown in Figure 3 of the Drawing. The exterior surface of the
. cylindrical portion of the device is roughened by holding it against a rapidly
revolving sand or emery coated wheel. This method of roughening the surface
produces a very pleasing effect, and may be accomplished after the device is
tempered. In case the device is expanded or distorted in tempering it may be
brought again to its original shape and size by holding it to the roughening wheel
until the outer portion is softened by heat. This may be done without injuring
the inner surface of the material, or the part thereof which forms the cutter:
I claim as my Invention,-
I. A combined pencil sharpener and pencil point protector constructed wholly of

page_text: one piece of metal, consisting of a hollow cylinder having a hollow conical end, the
whole being slotted longitudinally, and the conical end provided with a cutting
edgo which has a flexibility independent of that consequent upon the slotting of the
device longitudinally, substantially as herein specified.
II. A combined pencil sharpener and pencil point protector provided with a
cutting edge, which is rendered flexible by means of a transverse slit at the base of
the said cutting edge, substantially as herein specified.
III. In a combined pencil sharpener and pencil point protector the aperture in
the apex of the conical end thereof having a cylindrical inner surface, substantially
as and for the purpose herein specified.
IV. A combined pencil sharpener and pencil point protector having the outer
surface of the cylindrical portion thereof roughened, substantially as herein
specified.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed my
seal, this 27th day of July, in the year of our Lord. 1880.
Witnesses,
WM. T. HOWARD,
Second & Holliday Sts.,
Baltimore, Md.
HARRY V. ALBAUGH,
355, Pennsylvania Avenue,
Baltimore, Md.
MARVIN CHESTER STONE. (LS.)