Improvements in Inkstands or Ink Holders.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Aug., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 20th May, 1891-Accepted, 20th June, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Inkstands or Ink Holders.
I, WILLIAM MILLER, of 212 St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows, that is to say :-
My said invention has for its object to improve the construction or conformation
of inkstands or ink holders of the bird-fountain type.
In carrying out my invention I make the ink-holding part of the vessel of an
egg-like or other suitable form, and externally plain or ornamented in any desired
manner. From the lower part of the vessel at one side a small tubular part
projects horizontally or nearly so and is made with a hole on its upper side into
which the pen is to be dipped. The dipping part is made and proportioned so that
the depth of ink in it is just sufficient to supply the pen when the pen point is made
to touch the bottom of the part. The bottom of the interior of the vessel is made a
little lower than the dipping part for the purpose of receiving any sediment
deposited from the ink. The bottom of the vessel may be made flat externally or
it may be otherwise suitably shaped so that the vessel may rest directly on a table;
or the bottom may be shaped to fit a socket in a sole or stand. According to one
modification the bottom of the vessel may be in the form of a rounded plug of a
size suitable for being inserted into the neck of an ordinary ink bottle or into a
socket of similar shape in any convenient support or stand; and a band of rubber
or cork may be applied to the plug-like bottom if desired. A funnel with a curved
spout may be provided for filling the vessel with ink.
Dated this Twentieth day of August 1890.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Inkstands or Ink Holders.
I, WILLIAM MILLER, of 212 St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Merchant, 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, that is to say :-
My said invention has for its object to improve the construction or conformation
of inkstands or ink holders of the bird-fountain type.
In carrying out my invention I may make the improved inkstands of various
forms, of which some examples are shown on an accompanying sheet of explanatory
drawings, but in all cases there is a "bird-fountain" part, a pen-dipping part, and
a sediment receiving part.
In one modification shown in vertical section in Figure, 1, of the drawings, I
make the ink-holding part, A, of the vessel of an egg-like or other suitable form,
and externally plain or ornamented in any desired manner. From the lower part
of the vessel at one side a tubular part, B, projects horizontally or nearly so, and is
made with a hole, C, on its upper side into which the pen is to be dipped. The
dipping part, B, is made and proportioned so that the depth of ink in it is just
sufficient to supply the pen when the pen point is made to touch the bottom of the
part. The bottom, D, of the interior of the vessel is made lower than the dipping
part, B, for the purpose of receiving any sediment deposited from the ink; and the
ink at the dipping part is in consequence kept free from sediment and in a purified
[Price 6dl

page_text: condition. The bottom, D, may be made flat externally or it may be otherwise
suitably shaped (as in examples hereinafter referred to) so that the vessel may rest
directly on a table; or the bottom, D, may be shaped to fit a socket in a sole or
stand. As shown in Figure, 1, the bottom, D, is in the form of a rounded plug of
a size suitable for being inserted into the neck of an ordinary ink bottle as, E, or
into a socket of similar shape in any convenient support or stand; and a band of
rubber or cork may be applied to the plug-like bottom if desired. A funnel, F,
with a curved spout such as is shown in Figure, 2, may be provided for filling the
vessel, which when being filled should be held in a position such as that in which
it is shown in Figure, 2, to allow the air to escape from the bird fountain part, A.
Figures, 3, and 4, show in vertical section and in perspective a modification the
interior of which is of a shape which may be regarded as described by turning
the vessel, A B D,, of Figure, 1, about a vertical axis. The shell of the bird-
fountain part A, is made in a separate piece from the base, G, into which it is
cemented. The projecting space, B, is of an annular form, a dipping hole, C,
being shown at one side; two or more dipping holes may however be provided.
Instead of the space, B, being annular or continued entirely, round, the glass or
material of the base, G, may be shaped so as to be close up to the bottom of the
upper part, A, excepting at the dipping hole or holes, C. A shallow channel, H,
is formed on the upper side of the part in which the dipping hole, C, is formed, and
if through expansion caused by heat the ink overflows it will occupy this channel
without getting over the outer edge. A couple of glass or earthenware balls, J,
are enclosed in the interior of the ink holder in order to facilitate cleaning, as
on being shaken they will loosen the sediment collected in the bottom, D.
Figures, 5, and 6, show in vertical section and in perspective a modification,
which, excepting its ornamental configuration, differs from that shown in Figures, 3,
and 4, in having the shell of the upper or bird-fountain part, A, made to fit and be
cemented on the outside instead of the inside of the top of the base, G.
Figure, 7, is a perspective view of a modification of an oblong form and provided
with hooks or rests, K, for penholders.
Figure, 8, is a vertical section of a modification in which space for expansion is
provided in the interior of the vessel. An inverted channel, 1, is formed on the
underside of the flange in which the dipping hole, C, is made. This inverted
channel, L, is ordinarily occupied by air, the level of the ink (when not overfilled
in) being at the bottom edge at the inner side of the channel, but when expansion
takes place from heat, the air is more or less expelled out of the channel.
In Figure, 8, there is also shown a screw stopper, M, fitted to the top of the
holder for convenience in filling. Whilst filling and until the stopper, M, is
replaced the dipping hole, C, must be closed.
Instead of making ink holders such as are shown in Figures 3 to 8, in two pieces
they may
be made in a single piece, and having at first an opening in the bottom
such as is indicated by dotted lines in Figure, 8, such opening which may be larger
or smaller, as may be convenient, being afterwards closed. The inkstand cr ink
holder may be made of glass, earthenware, vulcanite, or other suitable material.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
The improved inkstand or ink holder in which are combined an upper bird-
fountain part, a pen-dipping part at an intermediate height with one or more
dipping holes, and a bottom sediment-receiving part, the parts being constructed,
arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this Nineteenth day of May 1891.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.