An Improvement relating to Means for Attaching Pencils to Compasses, Dividers, or other Instruments.
Year: 1892

page_text: COME LIM DIATRAL
[Communicated from abroad by WILLIAM HENRY HONISS, of Hartford,
Connecticut, U.S.A., Mechanical Engineer.]
..
An Improvement relating to Means for Attaching Pencils to
Compasses, Dividers, or other Instruments.
I, ERNEST FÉVRIER, of 28 Turnpike Lane, Hornsey N. Commission Agent, 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:
The object of this invention is to provide a simple, efficient, and inexpensive
means of attaching a pencil, a pen, or a marking or cutting tool to a pair of
compasses or trammels, or to any other instrument for which such an attachment is
desirable and applicable, and it consists preferably of a piece of sheet metal having
two or more slits which allow the alternate strips of metal at their sides to be bent
in opposite directions. The slits do not extend to the edges, and thereby allow
the strips to remain connected at their ends in an integral piece.
The alternate strips or members are bent in opposite directions, in substantially
the form of an Arabic figure of 8, in such a way that each lobe of the 8 is adapted
to clasp one of the objects to be attached together, and so that the clasp is tightened
upon both of those objects when one of them is made slightly tapering or wedge
shaped, and is forced into its seat in the clasp.
Figures 1, 2, and 3 of the drawings are, an end, a side, and an edge view
respectively of my invention as used in attaching a lead pencil to an ordinary pair
of compasses.
Figures 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 are side views and end views representing one of these
clasps in the different stages of its manufacture.
Figure 9 is a side view of a modification of this invention, showing a blank
having a larger number of slits and members, which may be desirable under some
circumstances.
Figures 10, 11, and 12 are, an end, a side, and an edge view respectively of
another modification of this invention, formed of wire, and interlaced in such a
manner as to accomplish substantially the same result as is accomplished by the
sheet metal forms.
The numeral 1 in the several views indicates the piece of metal of which the clasp
is made, and which is provided with the slits 2 and 3. Those slits may be made
by simply shearing the metal along the lines 2 and 3, as in Figure 4; or by punching
out portions of the metal and forming the slots shown in Figures 2, 5, and 7, the latter
method being preferred.
The alternate members formed by the cutting of the slits are then bent in
opposite directions, approximating the form of an Arabic figure of 8 when viewed
from the edge as in Figure 8. The dotted lines in Figures 7 and 8 represent the
original length of the blank and show the amount of shortening caused by bending
the members of the clasp into the form shown in those figures.
Referring to Figures 2 and 3 it will be observed that the member of the clasp
which passes over the pencil also passes under the compass leg, and vice versa; thus
interlacing them in such a way as that when the compass leg is forced into its
seat in the clasp it operates to tighten firmly the grip of the clasp upon both the
leg and the pencil. The same tightening effect will be secured by making the
pencil tapering, and forcing it into its place 4 in the clasp.
It is obvious that the clasp may be adapted to the holding of other than
cylindrical objects; such as those which are angular or irregular in cross section ;
and also that it may be made in any desired size or length, or may have any desired

page_text: number of clasping strips or members, without departing in any way from the spirit
and substance of this invention.
In order that I may manufacture this clasp from thin metal for lightness and
economy, and yet have it stiff and strong, 1 propose to form corrugations trans-
versely across the clasp at the ends of the slots thereof, as shown at 6 and 7 in
Figures 7 and 8. It will then more readily resist the bending stress due to the
wedging action of the compass leg, which action would otherwise tend to bend the
clasp on lines produced from the ends of the slots to the ends of the clasps.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :
1. A clasp, consisting of three or more members bent into substantially the form
of a figure of 8, the alternate members crossing each other at the point corre-
sponding to the crossing in that figure, whereby one of the principal openings is
caused to contract when the other principal opening is expanded; substantially as
described.
2. A pencil clasp, having substantially the form of an Arabic figure of 8, adapted
to encircle and interlace a pencil and a compass leg in its respective openings,
corresponding to those in that figure, whereby the clasp is tightened upon both the
pencil and the compass leg when one of them is tapering and is forced into its seat
in the clasp; substantially as described.
Dated this Fourteenth day of September 1892.