Improvements in Inkstands.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Feb., 1891
Complete Specification Left. 4th Nov., 1891-Accepted, 5th Dec., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Inkstands.
ANDREW HADDOW, Mechanical Engineer, 1 Easter Road Edinburgh in the
County of Edinburgh do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention is applied to pneumatic inkstands which have a dipping cup
attached to, or forming part of a flexible diaphragm, the dipping cup being
depressed by the pressure of the pen in it at the instant of taking a dip of ink.
The depressing of the dipping cup and consequently also of the flexible diaphragmn
compresses the air in the inkstand between the flexible diaphragm and the surface
of the ink and thus forces some of the ink up the tube depending from or forming
part of the dipping cup, into the dipping cup and therefore on to the pen.
When the pressure of the pen in the dipping cup is removed, the ink flows back into
the inkstand. Pneumatic inkstands of this class as hitherto made have the flexible
diaphragm stretched over the mouth of the inkstand body or have it fastened to a
neck ring which is screwed on to the body of the inkstand or held to the inkstand
body by a bayonet joint or by friction. In the first case the flexible cover becomes
so firmly attached through time to the inkstand body that it cannot be removed
without injuring it and in the other cases great trouble is caused by the screwed,
bayonetted or friction attachments becoming cemented together probably by the
drying of the ink between the threads of the screw, washer, or friction surfaces and
it is an
object of my invention to construct pneumatic inkstands which will be free
from the faults mentioned.
This object is effected by firstly; forming an annular concave surface on the
inside of the neck ring and fixing the turned in outer edge of the flexible diaphragm
to the annular concave surface by means of a spring ring which presses outwards
and secures the diaphragm firmly and permanently into its place in the neck ring;
secondly, making the under side of the neck ring and the mouth of the inkstand
body plane surfaces so that when the neck ring is laid on the mouth of the inkstand
an airtight joint is formed; thirdly, leaving a recess round the mouth of the
inkstand body, into which a coin or other instrument can be inserted sufficiently to
allow of its being used as a lever for quickly and easily separating the neck ring
from the inkstand body when they have become cemented together.
The neck ring is secured firmly but temporarily to the inkstand body by a
fastening ring having its upper edge flanged inwards and resting upon the upper
ide of the neck ring.
The fastening ring has two or more depending arms the lower ends of which are
urned inwards under a projecting collar formed on the inkstand body. This
ollar is not continuous, having two or more notches taken from it to allow the
urned in ends of the depending arms to pass when the fastening ring. is being
pplied.
After the fastening ring is lowered it is turned slightly to the right or left
ausing the turned in ends of the depending arms to pass under the collar on the
kstand body and in contact with the underside of the collar. To render the
kstand more useful I make it serve also as a perpetual calender, shewing, 1st,
he day of the month only or 2nd, shewing all the days of the week as well as the
ay of the month for each day of the week. In the first case, I form round the
kstand body the numbers from 1 to 31 and cover them by a loose, revolving ring
aving an opening or space left through which only one number can be seen at a
me, the loose ring may have its upper edge flanged inwards in whole or in part and
sting on the inkstand body or it may be attached to a baseplate thus forming it into

page_text: a tray or saucer in which the inkstand body rests or it may be a combination of these
methods. In the second case I form round the inkstand body thirty five equal
spaces and form in the spaces thirty one numbers in the order given below and leave
blank spaces in the order given below viz. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, 3, 10, 17,
24, 31, 4, 11, 18, 25, blank space, 5, 12, 19, 26, blank space 6, 13, 20, 27, blank
space, 7, 14, 21, 28, blank space. In this case the loose ring has seven openings or
spaces of equal pitch through which seven consecutive numbers can be seen at one
On the loose ring I form the names of the days of the week (or contractions
for same) close to their respective openings. The loose ring may be formed
flanged, or with a baseplate, or both as in the first case.
time.
These perpetual calendars have been described as applied to pneumatic inkstands
but they can be applied to any inkstand.
Dated this Fourth day of February 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Inkstands.
I, ANDREW HADDOW, Mechanical Engineer, 1 Easter Road, Edinburgh, in the
County of Edinburgh, do hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement in writing, reference being had to the accom-
panying sheet of drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is
to say :-
My invention has reference to pneumatic inkstands which have a dipping
cup C, C, in the centre of the bottle or stand A, attached to or forming part of a
flexible diaphragm C³, preferably made of india rubber, the dipping cup C, C,
being depressed by the pressure of the pen in it at the instant of taking a dip of
ink. The depressing of the dipping cup C, C, and consequently also of the
flexible diaphragm C, compresses the air in the inkstand A between the flexible
diaphragm C and the surface of the ink, and thus forces some of the ink up the
tube C depending from or forming part of the dipping cup C, into the dipping cup
and therefore on to the pen. When the pressure of the pen in the dipping
.
cup C is removed, the ink flows back through the tube C, into the inkstand.
Pneumatic inkstands of this class as hitherto made have the flexible diaphragm C³,
stretched over the mouth of the inkstand body A, or have it fastened to a neck
ring which is screwed on to the body of the inkstand or held to the inkstand body
by friction or by a bayonet joint forming part of the neck ring and necessitating
motion of the neck ring relatively to the inkstand body at the instant when the
neck ring is being secured to the inkstand body. In the first case the flexible
cover C³, becomes so firmly attached through time to the inkstand body that it
cannot be removed without injuring the diaphragm, and in the other cases great
trouble is caused by the screwed, bayonetted, or friction attachments becoming
cemented together, probably by the drying of the ink between the threads of the
screw, washer, or friction surfaces, and it is an object of my invention to construct
pneumatic inkstands which shall be free from the faults mentioned.
And in order that my said invention and the manner of performing or carrying
the same into effect or practice may be properly understood, I have hereunto
appended an explanatory sheet of drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a vertical section of my improved construction of pneumatic inkstand
or bottle.
Figure 2 is an external elevation of the inkstand, showing also the combination
calendar. And
Figure 3 is a plan view corresponding to Figure 2, with the top fittings and
cup C, C, removed, also the loose revolving ring a².
Referring to these drawings, the above mentioned object of my invention is

page_text: carried into effect by firstly forming an annular concave surface at 6', on the inside
of the neck ring, preferably made of brass or other metal, and fixing the turned
in outer edge of the flexible diaphragm C to the annular concave surface, by
means of a spring ring e, which presses outwards and secures the diaphragin C,
firmly and permanently into its place in the neck ring b, the inner edge of the
diaphragin C, being secured by a spring ring C", or by being tied on with string
or thread to a groove in the outer edge of the top of the dipping cup C.
:
Secondly, making the inner or under side of the neck ring b, and the mouth of
the inkstand body A, plane surfaces at a so that when the neck ring b is laid on
the mouth a of the inkstand an airtight joint is forined.
Thirdly, leaving a recess a round the mouth of the inkstand body A, under the
neck ring b, into which a coin or other instrument can be inserted sufficiently to
allow of its being used as a lever for quickly and easily separating the neck ring b
from the inkstand body A. when they have become cemented together, and require
no turning or rotating action.
The neck ring b is secured firmly but temporarily to the inkstand body A, by a
separate turning and fastening ring, preferably made of metal having its upper
edge flanged inwards at 6", and resting upon the upper side of the neck ring b.
The fastening ring, has three depending arms 3, but it might have more or less,
the lower ends of which are turned inwards at under the projecting collar a³,
formed on the inkstand body A. This collar a³ is not continuous but segmental,
having two or more notches a', three being shown in Figure 3, taken from it to
allow the turned in ends b, of the depending arms 63 to pass when the fastening
ring 6, is being applied. After the fastening ring is lowered it is turned slightly
to the right or left, causing the turned in ends 13 of the depending arms to pass
under the collar a³, on the inkstand body A, and in contact with the underside of
the collar and so hold the neck ring b, firmly on the top a of the bottle.
To render the inkstand more useful I make it to serve also as a perpetual
calendar shewing 1st the day of the month only, or 2nd shewing all the days of the
week as well as the day of the month for cach day of the week. In the first case I
form round the inkstand body or bottle A the numbers from 1 to 31, and cover them
by a loose revolving ring a² having an opening or space a" left, through which only
one number can be seen at a time. The loose ring may have its upper edge
flanged inwards in whole or in part and resting on the angled base of the inkstand
body A, or it may be attached to a base plate, thus forming it into a tray or saucer
in which the inkstand body A rests, or it may be a combination of these methods.
In the second case 1 form round the inkstand body thirty five equal spaces and
form in the spaces thirty one numbers in the order given below riz. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29,
2, 9, 16, 23, 30, 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, 4, 11, 18, 25, blank space, 5, 12, 19, 26, blank
space 6, 13, 20, 27, blank space, 7, 14, 21, 28 blank space. In this case the loose
ring a has seven openings or spaces a" of equal pitch through which seven con-
secutive numbers can be seen at one time, three being seen in the view Figure 2. On
the loose ring a², I form the names of the days of the week (or contractions for
same) close to their respective openings, the contractions for Monday, Tuesday,
and Wednesday, being shown in Figure 2. The loose ring a² may be formed
langed or with a baseplate or both as in the first case stated."
These perpetual calendars have been described as applied to pneumatic inkstands
or bottles, but they can be applied to any ink bottle or vessel in which the ink is
contained.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
ion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
laim is :-
First. The construction, or arrangement and combination of the parts of
neumatic inkstands or vessels with neck ring, flexible diaphragm and their securing
ttings, substantially as and for the purposes herein described in reference to and
hown in the accompanying drawings.

page_text: Second. In pneumatic inkstands or vessels, the fitting and use of a detachable
and projecting neck ring to the body part with its securing ring and fittings, and
lever fulcrumed recess below, substantially as and for the purposes herein described
in reference to and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Third. In pneumatic inkstands or vessels, the fitting and use of a spring ring for
securing the flexible diaphragm to or against the inner surface of the neck ring,
substantially as and for the purposes herein described in reference to and shown, in
the accompanying drawings.
Fourth. In pneumatic inkstands or vessels, the securing of the flexible diaphragm
by the combination of a groove or recess in the neck ring, and a spring ring,
substantially as herein described.
Fifth. In ink bottles or vessels the combination and use of a perpetual calendar,
substantially as herein described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Dated the 3rd November 1891
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.