IMPROVEMENTS IN FOUNTAIN PENHOLDERS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ralph Spear, of South Place, Finsbury, in the County of
Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FOUNTAIN PENHOLDERS."
Sealed the 25th November 1879, and dated the 7th June 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ralph Spear at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th June 1879.
RALPH SPEAR, of South Place, Finsbury, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN FOUNTAIN PENHOLDERS."
This Invention relates to the construction of a simple, cheap, and efficient
fountain penholder which requires no special kind of pen, and which when once
supplied with writing fluid may be used until the ink is exhausted, without it
being necessary to operate any valve or otherwise, the supply of the ink to the pen
being automatic and regular.
In carrying out my Invention I employ a tube which serves as the holder and
ink reservoir; the underside of the front end of this tube is pointed and curved
upwards, and serves as the feeder and regulator of ink to the pen; the upper side
of this end of the tubular holder is constructed to receive the pen, and when the
pen is placed in position, the point of the regulator or feeder extends nearly to the
point of the pen, and nearly touches the underside thereof.
In the other end of the tubular holder is fitted a piston which may be operated
in any suitable manner, such as by means of a pin passing through a slot in the
holder.
To charge the reservoir with ink, the piston is pushed down to the end of the
holder, and the pen is placed in a vessel containing ink; then by drawing back the
piston the ink will be drawn into the reservoir. To use the pen a slight shake will
cause the ink to pass along the herein before described feeder, and thence to the
pen, the space between the feeder and the underside of the pen being arranged to
allow of only the required quantity of ink to pass to the pen.
I may apply a spiral spring to the piston to bring it back to its normal position
when charging the reservoir with ink, and a cover is provided to place over the
pen when not in use.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Ralph Spear in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 6th December
1879.
RALPH SPEAR, of South Place, Finsbury, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN FOUNTAIN PENHOLDERS."
This Invention relates to the construction of a simple, cheap, and efficient
fountain penholder which requires no special kind of pen, and which when once
supplied with writing fluid may be used until the ink is exhausted, without it
being necessary to operate any valve, or otherwise; the supply of the ink to the
pen being automatic and regular.
In carrying out my Invention I employ a tube which serves as the holder and
ink reservoir; the underside of the front end of this tube is pointed and curved
upwards, and serves as the feeder and regulator of ink to the pen; the upper side
of this end of the tubular holder is constructed to receive an ordinary pen, and when
the pen is placed in position the point of the regulator or feeder extends nearly to
the point of the pen, and nearly touches the underside thereof.
In the other end of the tubular holder is fitted a piston which may be operated
in any suitable manner, such as by means of a pin passing through a slot in the
holder.
But to make my Invention better understood I will proceed to describe the same
by reference to the accompanying Drawing, in which Figures 1 and 2 are sectional
elevations of my improved fountain penholder; Figure 3 is a similar view shewing
the cap or cover applied thereto; Figure 4 is a plan of the apparatus; and Figure 5,
a similar view with the pen removed; Figure 6 is a plan of the underside of
Figure 5; and Figure 7 is a view of the apparatus with cap applied thereto when
not required for use.
a is the tube which serves as the holder and ink reservoir; b is the feeder and
regulator of ink to the pen c, which feeder is pointed and curved as shewn, and
joined to the tube a in any suitable manner; d is a stop or guard for preventing
the too rapid flow of ink to the pen; the front end e of the tube a is constructed
to receive and clip the pen c similarly to an ordinary penholder, and when the pen
is placed in position in the holder e the point of the regulator or feeder b extends
nearly to the point of the pen, and nearly touches the underside thereof as shown;
fis the piston on the piston rod g fitted in the other end of the tube a, and
working in the air tight packing ring f¹; the piston fis operated by the push
piece passing through the slot i in the tube a; j is a cap or cover for screwing
over the pen when not in use, as shewn in Figures 3 and 7, the cap or cover being
screwed on to the opposite end of the tube, as shewn in the other Figures of the
Drawing, when it is required to use the same, thus lengthening the holder; the
end of the cap or cover; is perforated as shewn at k to avoid drawing the ink out
of the apparatus when unscrewing the cap.
By this construction it will be understood that in order to charge the reservoir
a with ink, the piston f is moved by means of the push piece to the end of the
holder into the position shown in Figure 1, and the pen is introduced into a vessel
containing ink; then by drawing back the piston finto the position shown in
Figure 2 the ink will be drawn into the reservoir a.
To use the pen, a slight shake will cause the ink to pass along the feeder b, and
thence to the pen, the space between the feeder and the underside of the pen
being arranged to allow of only the required quantity of ink to pass to the pen, the
stop or guard d also assisting this object. The pen may thus be used until the ink
is exhausted, the supply of ink to the pen being automatic and regular.
I may apply a spiral spring to the piston to bring it back to its normal
position when charging the reservoir with ink.

page_text: Having thus described my said Invention and the manner of performing the
same, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details
herein laid down and shewn in the Drawing, as the same may be varied without
departing from the peculiar character of the Invention, but what I do claim is,-
Firstly. The construction and employment of the improved fountain penholder,
arranged and operated substantially as hereinbefore described and represented in
the accompanying Drawing, or any mere modification thereof.
Secondly. In a fountain penholder I claim the combination of the ink reservoir
and piston with the feeder or regulator, as and for the purpose herein before
described and represented in the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ralph Spear, have hereto set my hand and
seal, this Sixth day of December, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy nine.
RALPH SPEAR. (L.S.)