IMPROVEMENTS IN FOUNTAIN PEN HOLDERS
Year: 1881

page_text: "
LETTERS PATENT to Martin Benson, of No. 52, Chancery Lane, London, for an
Invention of 'IMPROVEMENTS IN FOUNTAIN PEN HOLDERS." A communi-
cation from abroad by William Washington Stewart, of Brooklyn, in the
T
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Martin Benson at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th February 1881.
MARTIN BENSON, of No. 52, Chancery Lane, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
FOUNTAIN PEN HOLDERS." A communication from abroad by William Washington
Stewart, of Brooklyn, State of New York, United States of North America.
The improvements of my new pen may be briefly summed up as follows:-
1. A supplemental ink chamber in the lower end of the holder, from which the
immediate supply of ink is discharged upon the pen.
2. A capillary wire to conduct the little bubbles of air quickly to the froth
chamber.
3. A froth chamber or receptacle for the inky bubbles of air.
4. An agitator to prevent accumulation of air bubbles or the deposition of
sediment.
5. A capillary thread or strand of fibrous material, which will prevent interruption
of liquid continuity by an over accumulation of air bubbles.
6. A flexible air chamber in the head of the pen holder, whereby a sudden
pressure may be exerted upon the enclosed ink to force away obstructing matter
from the air passages.
7. A jacket to partly enclose the pen to prevent ink from running therefrom
upon the holder or upon the fingers.
8. A shield to cover the belly of the pen and the ink tube for a similar
purpose.
9. A fluid bolder on the back of the pen to prevent the slit from becoming
apidly dry.

page_text: It is not necsesary however to employ all of these improvements in each pen
holder, because special reasons may render it possible or desirable to sometimes omit
one or another of them.
The following is a full description of the several improvements relating to
my pen holder, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, of which Fig. 1
is an elevation of my pen complete; Fig. 2 represents in section the air tube
detached; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the agitator detached; Fig. 4 is a
longitudinal section of my pen; Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9, represent modifications in
section and elevation.
A is the barrel or reservoir of my pen holder. It may be composed of any
suitable material, as metal, hard rubber, celluloid, &c.
Hard rubber is very
excellent material, and is very generally preferred. The lower end of the barrel A
is provided with a section B, whieh is hollowed out in the centre to constitute a
chamber C, from the lower end whereof a tube a extends down close to the pen D,
so as to discharge ink thereon as required in the process of writing. The upper
end of the section B is partly closed by a hollow or tubular plug E, and thereby
constitutes a supplemental chamber or reservoir for the immediate supply of ink,
but in a measure separated from the larger store or supply in the principle
reservoir A. Ink may pass from the larger reservoir A into the smaller reservoir
or chamber C by means of the central opening b in the plug E, and by the lateral
openings d in the side of the same. The small supply of ink in the chamber C is,
by reason of its small quantity, less liable to disturbance as to regularity of supply
by movements of the pen than a larger quantity would be, and the flow to the pen
is therefore more regular than would otherwise be the case. The discharge of ink
from the ink reservoir can only take place volume for volume with the admission
of air to the interior of the reservoir, and such admission of air is automatically
regulated by the discharge of ink from the pen to the paper. The air will enter
in the form of little bubbles; and these, if permitted, will by their coalescence
form large bubbles or collections of bubbles in the shape of froth, and the air
enclosed will be saturated with moisture, derived mainly from the ink in the pen
or discharge tube, so that its presence in contact with the fluid will not cause any
increase of evaporation. If these bubbles coalesce near the bottom of the chamber C
they may impede or prevent the flow of the ink to the discharge tube, and to prevent
that I place the capillary wire F through said chamber lengthwise, and the bubbles of
air will range themselves like beads along the wire, and gradually pass along it in
consecular order until they reach the upper end of the chamber, where they will
collect in the form of froth, and obstruct the flow of ink from the reservoir A. to
the chamber C. This collection of froth will constitute also an elastic cushion
between the ink in the chamber C and that in the reservoir A, so that oscillations,
which might greatly effect the latter, would less effect the former, because of the
elastic cushion of froth, through which the movements of the one would be
communicated from one to the other.
It is desirable that the fluid contents of the chamber C and the discharge tube
shall be kept in a state of slight disturbance to prevent the sediment or air bubbles
from coming to a state of rest, and I therefore extend the capillary wire down
through the discharge tube a, and attach it to the pen D, so that each movement of
the nibs of the pen in writing will impart a slight end wise movement to said wire.
The upper end of said wire may be extended up through the tubular cover E, and
be secured there by a little coil of said wire, which will also aid in keeping up the
movement of the wire, as described. Notwithstanding the agitation of the capillary
wire F it may sometimes happen that the collection of froth in the lower part of
the chamber C will impede the flow of ink, because the walls of the chamber and
the surface of the wire being impervious the fluid is easily displaced and expelled
from contact. To counteract or provide against this contingency I insert a thread
or strand G of some pervious fibrous substance or material, such as thread or the
woody fibre of a broom, straw, &c. This thread being pervious to the fluid becomes
saturated, and the presence of air bubbles cannot detach the fluid. It is, in fact, a

page_text: capillary conductor for air bubbles, and even though the entire passage way should be
obstructed by bubbles, the thread would still secure a fluid connection between the
fluids on each side of the obstructing bubbles. The thread G may be carried down
to the outlet of the discharge tube, and may be attached to the pen if desired, but
generally it will be secured in a little slit made in the end of the tube, and at its
other end it may be secured at the upper end of the tubular plug E.
During the movement of the penholder in the act of writing, the whole enclosed
contents moves together so that there is less interior or relative agitation than is
desirable to prevent or arrest the required flow of fluids. It is therefore necessary
to provide an independent agitator which, while it receives its impulse from the
movement of the pen holder, yet continues that movement independent thereof.
Such an agitator may be represented by the little weight H at the extremity of an
elastic wire I, which may be set or secured in the apex of the froth tube, or in
any other proper way; there may be more than one such agitator, and they may be
in the ink space as well as in the froth space.
The movement of the pen imparts to this little weight a tremulus movement
like a pendulum, and thereby the ink or froth is correspondingly agitated. When
the pen is not in use it is usually placed in the pocket or elsewhere, with the pen
end uppermost, so that the ink will all recede from the pen and discharge tube;
and when it has been in such position a considerable time, and the interior surfaces
have become dry, the fluid does not quickly cover them again when it is desired to
use the pen. I therefore provide a way of impelling the fluid toward the pen, or
to agitate it positively to stir up the sediment, &c.; and for this purpose I find a
propeller wheel or fan J, which may be mounted upon the air tube K, or upon an
independent stem L, and it may be operated by rotating the tube K with the
fingers applied to its head or knurl.
The tube K extends from the hollow head M to a point about mid way the
barrel A, and is a receptacle for air and a portion of the froth which may find its
way within. The tube A, with its internal divisions, and partly filled with a
slightly viscid liquid like ink becomes barometric in its character, so that variations
of temperature affects the enclosed fluid. This is usually manifested when the pen
is first taken in the hand to commence writing. The ink then fills the discharge
tubes, and the enclosed air is quickly heated by the warmth of the hand. If not
provided with a safe guard this expansion of the air would expel the ink in undue
quantity, and cause blots upon the paper. The air enclosed within the interior tube K
being removed from any disturbance of temperature from without is in condition to
quickly take up the heat imparted to the air in the reservoir, and thus prevent a
sudden expansion and the consequent belching of ink upon the pen, so that before
any such damage will come about, the discharge of ink in the process of writing
will dispose of a part of the ink, and restore an equilibrium of pressure under
higher temperature.
It sometimes happens, that some obstructing matter has lodged somewhere in
the discharge tube too firmly to be dislodged in the ordinary way; and when the
pen is to be used for purposes which render this obstruction likely to occur, a
flexible head N is applied to the air chamber M, so that by compressing said head
a sudden pressure may be imparted to the enclosed fluids, and the obstruction be
thereby broken away. In practice I find it satisfactory to make said head M with
an exterior wall of flexible and elastic material, such as hard rubber, and divided
longitudinally so that it may yield readily, and provided with a lining of soft
rubber.
It is found by experience that the free ink upon the pen will be mostly sucked
back into the reservoir when the position of the pen is inverted, but that some
of it would run back along the outside of the holder, and the fingers would be
soiled thereby.
To prevent this, as well as to afford additional security to the pen, I place a
jacket P upon the lower end of the holder surrounding the exposed end of the
plug B and the discharge tube a. This jacket does not not touch the pen anywhere,

page_text: and therefore does not modify its action, but it prevents the escape of the ink.
The outer end of the jacket P is made to correspond exactly in diameter with the
extremity of the head M, so that the tin cap Q, when removed from its place as a
cover for the pen, may be placed upon the head N, as shown, for safe keeping while
the pen is in use. It is sometimes desirable to cover the discharge tube a, and I
therefore provide a cover R in shape resembling half a hollow cone, the base edge
being inserted and held in the pen groove on the side opposite the pen. This
shield may be easily removable when it is desired. This shield also serves to catch
and hold any ink which may be expelled from the holder by expansion of the air
or otherwise, and enable the pen to be dipped and hold a quantity of ink when
for any reason that in the reservoir does not feed.
When the use of the pen is interrupted from time to time the nib will be sometimes
become dry, and the ink will not immediately begin to flow again. This amounts
to an annoyance_sometimes, and I obviate it by passing the end of the wire F
through the pen D, and forming it in a coil ƒ on the back of the pen, so that a
drop of ink will be retained there, and the nibs will not become dry so readily as
otherwise. This preservative effect may be extended by placing under said little
coil a bit of sponge, whereby a larger quantity of ink may be held. When it is
desired that the pen holder may be used with steel pens, this little capillary wire is
formed in a loop h instead of in a coil f, so that said loop may be slipped through
the opening which is made in many varieties of steel pens. It is expected that
steel pens so provided will be used with these penholders. The extremity of
the wire F is returned and hooked in the little vent g, whereby it is securely
held.
Having described my Invention, what I claim as new is,—
1st. The reservoir holder provided at one end with a tube whereby ink is
delivered to the pen, combined with an agitator located within the body of said
reservoir, exterior to said tube, substantially as and for the purpose herein set
forth.
2. The loaded vibrating tongue or reed in combination with the hollow holder
or ink reservoir A and its attached pen, substantially as and for the purpose herein
set forth.
3. In a fountain penholder the barrel A for a receptacle for ink and a hollow
head M provided with a long open tubular extension K penetrating said barrel to
a point midway its length, or thereabouts, as a receptacle for air and froth, as set
forth, combined with the ink chamber C having its inner opening in line with the
opening into the tubular extension K.
4th. An expansion air chamber M in the head of an ink reservoir in a pen
holder A and a narrow tubular connection between said ink reservoir and said
holder head, as set forth, combined with the ink chamber C having its mouth in
close proximity to the mouth of said tubular extension K, and a capillary wire F
to connect the entering air bubbles and discharge them near to the mouth of said
tubular extension.
5th. The reservoir A provided with the expansion chamber M and tubular
extension K combined with the fan shaped agitator J mounted at or near the
opening or mouth which leads into said tube K for the purpose of agitating the
froth and ficilitate its entrance into said chamber M, as set forth.
6th. The reservoir A provided with the expansion chamber M and tubular
extension K combined with an agitator J mounted upon the end of the tube K as
set forth.
7th. In combination with the ink chamber C and feeding tube a and pen D the
capillary wire F extending through said chamber and tube beneath the pen and
through the same, terminating in a little coil f at the back of the pen, for the
purpose set forth.
8th. In a fountain holder combined therewith and with the pen D the tubular
extension or jacket P which at a little distance encloses, hides, and protects the pen

page_text: and prevents evaporation of the ink which is exposed upon the same, and protects
the fingers from soil, as set forth.
9th. A reservoir or fountain penholder A provided with an ink chamber and
capillary wire F, and a pen combined with a sponge holder formed at the back of
the pen by proper convolutions of the capillary wire adapted to receive and hold a
a portion of sponge or other absorbent material upon the back of the pen, as and
for the purpose set forth.
10th. A reservoir or fountain pen holder A provided with an ink chamber C and
a discharge tube d, and a vent g combined with a capillary wire F which is passed
through said chamber and discharge tube and formed into a loop h, and the end of
said wire returned and secured, substantially as set forth.
11th. A reservoir or fountain penholder A provided at its head, and removed
from the grasp, with an air chamber M constructed with elastic walls, as shown and
described.
12th. A reservoir or fountain penholder A provided with an air chamber M in
its head, and an exterior wall for said chamber formed of rigid material similar to
hard vulcanite, and with longitudinal slits to make said head elastic, for the
purpose set forth.
13th. The combination in a reservoir penholder of an ink chamber C at the
lower end of said holder provided with a capillary wire F and a permeable thread
or strand G enclosed in said chamber, and one or more froth chambers provided
with automatic agitators within said froth spaces, as and for the purpose set
forth.
14th. The combination in a reservoir penholder of an ink discharging tube and
a reservoir for ink combined with a permeable thread or strand extending
through said ink tube and reservoir, for purpose set forth.
15th. A fountain penholder having an ink discharging tube, and provided with
a shield or apron R extending from the end of the holder under the pen near
to the nib, as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Martin Benson, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Sixteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord 1881.