IMPROVEMENTS IN WRITING INSTRUMENTS."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Andrew Philip Hansen, of 29, Weidenallee, Hamburg,
Germany, Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WRITING
INSTRUMENTS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Andrew Philip Hansen at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st November 1880.
ANDREW PHILIP HANSEN, of 29, Weidenallee, Hamburg, Germany, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WRITING INSTRUMENTS."
This Invention relates to peculiar combinations and arrangements of instruments
commonly known as fountain pens, ink pencils, or stylographic pens, whereby great
facilities are afforded in the self-filling and self-cleansing of such instruments, and
also in regulating the flow of the writing fluid, and consists essentially of a tube
made of any suitable material, preferably of any metal which is not likely to
corrode. One end of such tube is tapered to a fine point, which point may either
be formed in one piece with the tube, or fitted thereto, so as to be capable of
removal if required. The other end of the tube has a cap or cover fitting thereon
either internally or externally. Inside the tube is placed a piston made of any
suitable material that will render its surface most suitable for fitting the tube or
holder. This piston which may be either solid or hollow, tends to divide the tube
or holder into two compartments, the proportions of which are immaterial, the
the
compartment carrying the extreme point is intended to hold the writing fluid;
other compartment is intended to receive any particles of ink which may happen
to escape from the ink compartment or reservoir through the action of the piston
itself, and appliances in connection with such piston. To the cap or cover closing
the holder is fitted a tube of smaller diameter than the holder; this tube may
either run through the cap, in which case the cap would have an opening, or it may
be closed by a separate action. This tube extends from the top or cover, passing
through the piston, down the tapered point of the holder, and to a certain distance
from the extreme point, so as to form a comparatively small chamber or reservoir

page_text: between the extreme point of the holder and the extreme end of the internal tube.
The extreme edge of the internal tube is slightly bevelled, and fits the inside of the
tapered point of the external holder concentrically, so as to serve as a valve which
can he opened or closed in accordance with the action of the cap or cover, and to
connect or disconnect the ink compartment with the small compartment at the
extreme point. Inside the internal tube is placed and fixed a piece of wire of any
suitable material, such wire entering the minute hole formed in the extreme point
of the external tube or holder. At its lower end the internal tube has a screw
formed on the outside, and corresponding with the screw in the piston.
Having thus described the principal parts constituting a self-filling, self-cleansing,
and self-regulating writing instrument, I will now proceed to illustrate its action.
To use the instrument it is only necessary to unscrow the cap or cover, whereby
the internal tube attached to the cover is freed, and by withdrawing it and slightly
turning it, the lower end of the internal tube will screw into the piston, and thus
form a piston holder. This being accomplished, the extreme point of the holder is
inserted into the ink stand, then by drawing the piston upwards to any suitable,
but preferably to a given distance, the lower end of the holder is filled; and for
this purpose a small plate may be permanently placed in the holder to act as a
stop to the piston, which plate allows the internal tube to pass through its centre.
This action also cleans the inside of the tube from any deposit on the inside
of the tube. By slightly turning the cap the reverse way the tube will unscrew
the piston, and being brought into its proper position, will tend to close the
extreme point as well as the end of the holder. The wire placed in the internal
tube will also fill the hole in the extreme point, and thus the instrument
may be brought into any position without the slightest particle of ink escaping.
When commencing to write it is only necessary slightly to turn the cap or
by which motion the valve in the tapered point formed by the internal
tube is opened, and the air passing from the top of the cap through the
internal tube will be admitted to the surface of the fluid entering the small
reservoir formed in the extreme point, and the ink will flow easily through the
small hole placed in the extreme point of the external tube or holder. It is partly
due to this peculiar arrangement that the flow of the writing fluid will be equalised,
as any slight inequality may be easily regulated by turning the cap one way or the
other, which will tend to open or close the valve, and thus a larger or smaller
reservoir being formed in the extreme point, together with the air entering the
internal tube through the cap or cover, will result in making the writing bold and
plain or faint. In order to facilitate the escape of the fluid from the fluid com-
partment into the small reservoir in the extreme point, the internal tubo may have
an opening at a suitable place, so that the air may have access simultaneously to
the fluid in the ink compartment, and the small reservoir at the extreme point.
cover,
Having thus described the various parts constituting my Invention of a self-
filling, self-cleansing, and self-regulating writing instrument, and having further
substantially described its action, I desire to state that the construction thereof
may be varied, and the same result obtained by the following modified arrange-
ments: The wire which is attached to the internal tube, and which passes freely
into the hole formed in the extreme point may be so placed that its end may pass
through the hole or not, or it may even be entirely omitted, as it is only intended
to serve as a lubricator, as substantially illustrated by all previous writing
instruments which possess wires or needles as substitutes for nibs.
Again, it may be arranged that the air entering the internal tube is admitted
either simultaneously to the fluid contained in the ink compartment, and to the
fluid contained in the small reservoir formed in the extreme point, or exclusively
to either. It may further be arranged that the air instead of entering the internal
tube through the cap or cover, may be admitted to the compartment above the
piston, and from such either brought to the space in the internal tube, and the
piston in that place, where it passes through the piston direct to the fluid contained

page_text: in the ink holder or indirectly. It may also be arranged that instead of the cap or
cover screwing on to the outside of the tube or holder, the internal tube attached
to the cap screws on to the tapered point, the action being analogous, and it would
only be necessary in such case to form the screw placed on the lower end of the
internal tube, so that the ink contained in the ink compartment may escape into
the small reservoir formed in the extreme point.
The object of this arrangement is to enable the screw to remain moist, and
thereby prevent any trouble in unscrewing the top or cover.
Finally, it may be arranged that the internal tube may be permanently attached
to the piston, in which case it would be necessary to have a self-acting valve in
the piston, to allow the air to escape when the piston is drawn inwards, the
automatic opening and closing of such valve being similar to that of an ordinary
pump valve.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Andrew Philip Hansen in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
30th April 1881.
ANDREW PHILIP HANSEN, of No. 29, Weidenallee, Hamburg, Germany, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WRITING INSTRUMENTS."
5
My said Invention relates to improvements in the construction of instruments
commonly known as fountain pens, ink pencils, or stylographic pens, whereby great
facilities are afforded for the self filling and self cleansing of such instruments, and
also for regulating the flow of the writing fluid. Instruments constructed in
accordance with this Invention consist essentially of the following parts, namely, a 1
hollow tube or holder, a writing point or piston, a piston stop, a rod, and a cap or
cover.
The nature of my said Invention will be clearly understood from the following
description, in which reference is made to the accompanying Drawing.
The Drawing is an elevation of one arrangement of instrument constructed in 1
accordance with my said Invention; it is drawn to the scale of double the ordinary
size and is partly in section. A is a cylindrical hollow tube or holder made of any
suitable material, but preferably of any metal not likely to corrode; one end of this
holder A carries the point B which screws into or on to, or is otherwise arranged
to fit tightly into or on to the holder A, or the said point is formed in one piece 2
with the said holder; a cap or cover C is arranged in connection with the other
end of the holder. Inside the holder A is placed a piston F consisting of a socket fl
with the collar f* and moveable collar f³, screwing on to the socket f¹ for the
purpose of adjusting the packing f* (leather, india rubber, or other suitable material)
to be placed between the collars f² and f³; a female screw is formed in the centre 2
piston F. E is a washer permanently placed in the holder A at a suitable distance
from the top of the holder. This washer E forms a stop to the piston F and
separately or together with the said piston forms a division in the holder A. between
the ink chamber X and air chamber Z. Through the centre of the piston F and
piston stop E runs the rod D, which may either be hollow or solid. One end of
the rod D is permanently secured to the cap or cover C; the other end is bevelled
or tapered, and forms a valve d² corresponding with the valve sent 62 in the writing
point B. A male screw d is placed upon or formed in the rod D at a suitable
distance from the tapered valve d; this male screw d' corresponds with the female
screw b' in the writing point B, and also with the female screw in the piston F. The 3
screw d or its bedding b' is provided with a channel to enable the ink to flow from
the chamber X to the point of the instrument. The rod D when solid is provided
with a channel which extends from a point above the piston to below the latter;
this channel is for the purpose of admitting air to the ink chamber. When the
rod D is a hollow tube it is provided with two openings one above and the other s
below the piston for the purpose of admitting the air, but as the admittance of air is so
universally known, and similar means of admitting it more or less used in previous
Inventions, I do not wish to confine this Invention to the employment of any
particular method.
The rod D when hollow has the wire d³ permanently placed therein at the point
where the tapered valve is formed, but the rod D when solid is tapered in the
ordinary way, and extends right through the minute hole in the point B, and in
this case no wire is required, but as both these forms of construction are well known
and have been frequently employed in instruments of like nature, I do not claim
either construction of tapered ink valve.
"
Division plates similar to the plate E having been previously employed, I do not
claim the employment of the said plate separately, neither do I claim the application
of a screw as the means of regulating the flow of ink, but I claim as hereinafter

page_text: stated, the arrangement of the screw on the lower end of the rod D, so as to screw
into the writing point B, thereby effecting a more definite and concentric opening
and closing of the tapered valve d³, and also facilitating the adjustment thereof.
The action of the improved instrument hereinbefore described is as follows:-
By turning the cap or cover C the rod D, which is permanently attached to the
same, is unscrewed from the writing point B, and is then partially withdrawn
through the piston F and plate or washer E, when by slightly turning the rod the
screw will be screwed into the socket f¹ of the piston; by these means the ink
chamber X can be filled, as will be well understood, by suction, in the act of the
piston being drawn upwards, the point B being placed in the ink from which
the supply is to be drawn; the same action will tend to remove any deposits on the
inside of the tube or holder A. When the piston F is drawn up to the plate E the
rod is disconnected from the piston by turning, and is then brought back to its
former position and is again screwed into the point B, to act as a valve rod which
will tend to close both ends of the tube or holder. In the act of writing it is only
necessary to turn the cap or cover C, which will partially unscrew the rod D from
the point B, and will open the valve seat 62, thereby enabling the ink to flow
to the point; the same action will also open the top of the tube or holder A at a¹,
thus admitting air to the chamber Z, the air passing from there through the channel
in the rod D, piston F, and plate or washer E into the ink chamber X.
When desired the edge of the upper end of the tube A may be turned inwards,
or a funnel shaped disc may be connected to the inside of the said edge, to prevent
the escape through the upper end of the tube A of any ink which may enter the
chamber Z from the chamber X.
In some cases I form a projection on the lower side of the cap or cover C, which
projection forms a valve upon the centre of the piston F or washer or plate E, and
when desired the lower end of such projection may be made to screw into the said
plate E, as shown in the Drawing, by which means the simultaneous closing of the
tube or holder A. at a¹, and the air channel through the washer E or rod D is
effected. When this arrangement is employed I, in some cases, dispense with the
piston F.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of the said Invention, and the
manner in which it is to be performed, I would observe in conclusion that what I
consider novel and original, and therefore claim as constituting the Invention
secured to ine by the said hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent, are,-
First. In fountain pens, ink pencils, or stylographic pens, the construction and
arrangement of the rod D, having the screw d placed or formed on the lower end
thereof at a suitable distance from the ink valve ², the said screw d' screwing into
the writing point B, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described
and set forth.
And, Secondly. The rod D, as above claimed (having a screwless valve cap or
cover C on the upper end) in combination with a piston F, plate or washer E, and
writing point B, whether the piston F and plate E together or the piston only
forms the division between the chambers X and Z, all constructed and arranged sub-
stantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Andrew Philip Hansen, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of April in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.