Improvements in Holders for Pencil Leads, Crayons, and other Articles.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 4th July, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 29th Mar., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 4th May, 1889
PROVISIONAL TECIFICATION.
Improvements in Holders for Pencil Leads, Crayons, and other
Articles.
I JAMES YATE JOHNSON of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention which has been communi-
cated to me from abroad by Henry Berolzheimer of New York City in the County
and State of New York United States of America to be as follows :-
This holder is one in which the lead or lead carrier, is loose within the sheath or
handle and free to move by gravity within limits which will permit the lead to be
protruded from or withdrawn within the sheath. When the sheath or handle is held
point downwards the lead will thereby be automatically projected the required distance
for writing purposes and will be locked in that position so long as the point of the
pencil is lower than the other end and when on the other hand the sheath is held
point upwards the lead thereby will be automatically released and allowed to drop
within the handle.
The pencil is thus truly automatic in its action that action being brought about and
determined by the position in which the pencil is held. The main elements which
enter into the combination are the sheath or handle; a gravity carrier freely movable
longitudinally in the sheath within limits which will permit the lead to protrude
from or withdraw within the handle: and a detent or follower which by gravity is
moved into or out of a position in which it will retain the carrier in its advanced
or retracted position according as the sheath is held point downwards or point upwards.-
Manifestly the invention can be carried out in many ways for example as follows. In
the tubular sheath or handle is a tubular sheet metal stem secured within the sheath—
preferably adjustably as hereinafter explained. In this stem are the carrier for the lead
and the follower or detent by which the carrier in its forward position is held in
engagement with the stem so long as the pencil is point downwards. The carrier
and the follower are capable of sliding freely and independently of each other in the
stem and each is guided in its movements by a pin or stud respectively on the carrier
and follower which project into a longitudinal slot formed in the stem of such length
as to permit the free lengthwise movement of the follower and carrier within the limits

page_text: requisite to secure the protrusion and the withdrawal of the lead. At the front of slot
is a lateral recess or notch lending off from the slot and having an inclinod or sloping
roar edge. The contiguous ends of the follower and carrier have cam inclined or
slanting surfaces, so shaped that each device (riz. the follower and the carrier when
they meet will tend to impart a movement of rotation to the other. The pin or stud
on the carrier and the recess or notch in the stem are so related that when the carrier
has moved forward as far as permitted by the slot the stud on the carrier will be
opposite to the notch in the stem.
Under these conditions the mode of operation is as follows.
When the pencil is held point downwards both carrier and follower drop until the
carrier brings up against the front end of the slot in the stem at which time its stud
will be opposite the recess or notch in the stem. The impact of the follower or detent
upon the thus suddenly stopped carrier will owing to the inclined or cam faces give a
movement of partial rotation to the carrier and cause its stud to enter and engage the
notch The follower at the same time with its inclined or cam face fitting closely
against the fuce of the carrier will cause the stud on the carrier to be locked in the
notch in the stem against pressure on the point of the lead so long as the pencil is
held point downwards. So soon however as the pencil is turned to bring its point
uppermost the follower or detent will drop back by gravity and the carrier will follow
suit its stud travelling over the slanting rear edge of the notch until it entors again
the slot in the stem.
In this way the lead actuated by gravity alone is protruded and locked or released
and withdrawn necording as the point of the pencil is down or up.
The stem may be a feature in the sheath in which event the latter must be made of
wood or some material that can be easily cut and should not have a metal sleeve in its
front end so that it may be cut away like an ordinary pencil to compensate for tho
wear of the lead. But in order to avoid cutting away the sheath it is preferred to
connect the stem to a sleeve and to make the sleeve adjustable so that it can be
moved towards the point of the pencil as the lead wears away. For this purpose the
sheath is longitudinally slotted the stem is moveable longitudinally in the sheath and
is provided with a guide fin which projects through the slot in the sheath and is
formed on the projecting part with an inclined cam or welge face and mounted on the
exterior of the sheath is a sliding clamping sleeve engaging the fin and provided with
a bearing face to co-act with the cam or incline on the fin. When the stem is adjusted
in the desired position it can be there held by slightly moving forward the clamping
aleave so that its bearing face will jam and bind upon the cam of the fin. The stem
can readily be retracted by means of this sleeve. To advance the stem a second sleeve
is made use of which engages a lug on the stem which lug also projects through the
slot of the sheath. In lieu of this arrangement the sleeve and fin may be dispensed
with and use be made of a sleeve engaging the stem in the same way that the
aforesaid socond sleeva ongages it and fitting the sheath so tightly that it will be held
by friction in any position to which it may be moved-It is preferred however
to depend not upon friction but rather upon the positive clamping action of tho
arrangement first above described.
The Invention is not restricted to the particular construction herein before indicated
what is essential being that the load or lead carrier should be freely moveable by
gravity in the sheath within limits which will permit the protrusion or withdrawal of
the lead and that there should be combined with said Carrier a dotent which whenever
and so long as the point of the sheath is down automatically retains the carrier in its
forward position and which whonever the sheath is turned point upwards
automatically releases the carrier and permits it to drop to its rearmost position.

page_text: Improvements in Holders for Pencil Leads, Crayons, and other
Articles.
I JAMES YATE JOHNSON of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman lo hereby declare the nature of this invention (which has been
communicated to me from abroad by Ilenry Berolzheimer of New York City in the
County and State of New York U.S.A.) and in what manner the same is to be
perforined to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This holder is one in which the lead or load carrier is loose within the sheath or
handle and free to move by gravity within limits which will permit the lead to be
protruded from or withdrawn within the sheath. When the sheath or handle is held point
downwards the lead will thereby be automatically projected the required distance for
writing purposes and will be locked in that position so long as the point of the pencil
is lower than the other end; and when on the other hand the sheath is held point
upwards the lead thereby will be automatically released and a'lowed to drop within
the handle.
The pencil is thus truly automatic in its action, that action being brought about and
determined by the position in which the pencil is held. The main elements which
enter into the combination are the sheath or handle; a gravity carrier freely moveable
longitu linally in the sheath within limits which will permit the lea! to protrude from
or withdraw within the handle; and a detent or follower which by gravity is moved
into or out of a position in which it will retain the carrier in its advanced or retrac edl
position according as the sheath is held point downwards or point upwards.
Manifestly the invention can be carried out in many ways. In the accompanying
drawing is represented the preferred way of carrying it into practical effect. I do
not wish however to be understood as restricting myself to that particular construction.
Figure 1 of the drawings is a longitudinal axial section of the holder with the
parts in the position which they assume when the lead has dropped back within the
sheath.
Figure 2 is a plan of the mechanical devices containe within the sheath with
the parts in the position represented in Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a like view of the same parts in the position which they assume when
the lead has dropped forward.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the carrier.
Figure
5 is a like view of the follower.
A is the tubular sheath or handle. B is a tubular sheet metal stem securol within
the sheath-preferably adjustably as hereinafter explained. In this stem are the
carrier for the lead, and the follower or detent D, by which the carrier in its
forward position is held in engagement with the stem B so long as the pencil is point
downwaris. The carrier and the follower are capable of sliding freely and inde-
pendently of each other in the stem B, and each is guide in its movements by a

page_text: pin or stud lettered respectively a and which project into a longitudinal slot c
formed in the stem and of such length as to permit the free lengthwise movement of
the follower and carrier within the limits requisite to secure the protrusion and tho
withdrawal of the load. At the front of slot e is a lateral recess or notch c' leading
off from the slot, and having an inclined or sloping rear edge e. The contiguous
ends of the follower and carrier have cam, inclined or slanting surfaces, lettored
respectively d and e so shapod that each device-riz. the follower and the carrier when
they meet will tend to impart a movement of rotation the one to the other. The pin
or stud a on the carrier and the recess or notch in the stem are so related, that when
the carrier has moved forward as far as permitted by the slot c, the stud a on the
carrier will be opposite to the notch el in the stem.
.
Under these conditions the mode of operation is as follows:-
When the pencil is hold point downwards both carrier and follower drop until the
carrier comes against the front end of the slot eat which time its stud a will be
opposite the recess or notch in the stem. The impact of the follower or detent upon
the thus suddenly stopped carrier will, owing to the inclined or cam faces d
ande, give a movement of partial rotation to the carrier and cause its stud to
enter and engage the notch. The follower at the same time, with its inclined face e
fitting closely against the face d of the carrier, will cause the stud a on the carrier to
bo locked in the notch in the stem against pressure on the point of the lead, so long
as the pencil is held point downwards. So soon however as the pencil is turned to
bring its point upperinost, the follower or detent will drop back by gravity and the
carrier will follow suit, its stud a travelling over the slanting rear edge of the
notch e' until it enters again the slot e in the stem.
In this way the lead, actuated by gravity alone, is protruded and locked, or released
and withdrawn, according as the point of the pencil is down or up.
The stem B may be a fixture in the sheath, in which case the latter must be made
of wood or some material that can be easily cut, and should not have the metal sleeve
in its front oud as shown in Figure 1, so that it may be cut away like an ordinary
pencil to compensate for the wear of the lead. But in order to avoid cutting away
the sheath, it is preferred to connect the stem to the sleeve E and to make the sleeve
adjustable so that it can be moved towards the point of the pencil as the lead wears
away. For this purpose the sheath is longitudinally slotted as at ; the stem is
movable longitudinally in the sheath and is provided with a guide fin which projects
through the slot in the shenth and is formed on the projecting part with an inclined
cam, or wedge face. The sliding clamping sleeve E engages the fin g' and is
provided with a bearing face to co-act with the cam or incline on the fin. When
the stem is adjusted in the desired position it can be there held by slightly moving
forward the clamping sleeve so that its bearing face will jam and bind upon the
cam g' of the fin. The stem can readily he retracted by means of this sleeve. To
advance tho slom a second sleevo F is made use of which engages a lng i on the stem,
which lug also projects through the slot of the sheath. In lieu of this arrangement
the sleeve E and fin g may be dispensed with and a sleeve he made to engage the stem
in the same way that the aforesaid sleovo E engages it, but fitting the sheath so tightly,
that it will bo hold by friction in any position to which it may be moved. It is
preferred however to depond not upon friction, but rather upon the positive clamping
action of the arrangement first above described.
The invention is not restricted to the particular construction represented in the
accompanying drawings in illustration of the invention, as the said invention, as
hereinbefore indicated can be carried into effect in various ways-what is essential
being that the lead or lead carrier should be freely movable by gravity in the sheath
within limits which will permit the protrusion or withdrawal of the lead, and that
there should be combined with said carrier a detent which whenever, and so long as,
the point of the sheath is down automatically retains the carrier in its forward position,
and which whenever the sheath is turned point upwards automatically releases the
carrior and permits it to drop to its rearmost position.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. In an automatic holder for lead, crayons and other articles tho combination of
a sheath, a carrier freely moveable within limits which will permit the protrusion or
withdrawal of the lead, and a detent movable by gravity according as the sheath is
held point downwards or upwards into and out of a position in which it will lock or
retain the carrier in its advanced position, substantially as and for the purposes herein
before described.
2nd. The combination of the sheath or handle; the longitudinally slotted stom
provided at the front end of its slot with a lateral locking recess or notch having a
rearwardly sloping or inclined edge, the slope being towards the slot in the stem; and
the independently movable carrier and follower or detent free to slide within the limits
of the slot in the stem, and provided at their abutting ends, with inclined or can like
faces whereby the carrier when it has moved forward is caused to make a movement
of partial rotation sufficient to carry its locking stud into the lateral rocking recess of
the stem, substantially as heroinbefore described.
3rd. The combination of the longitudinal slotted sheath the clamping sleeve E and
sleeve F; the longitudinally movable stem engaging said sleeves by means of fins g,i,
and provided with slot c and lateral locking recess c²; and the carrier and the follower
or detent freely movable in the sloeve independently of each other, within limits of
the slot c, and formed at their abutting ends with cam like or inclined faces substantially
as and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
4th. The combination of the sheath, the slotted stem, longitudinally adjustable in
said sheath, and the carrier and locking follower contained and freely movable
independently of each other, in the adjustable stem within the limits of the longitudinal
slot in said stem-all constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purposes
hereinbefore described.