IMPROVEMENTS IN SLATE PENCIL SHARPENERS
Year: 1885

page_text: I JOHN PUTNAM of Philadelphia in the County of Philadelphia, and State of
Pennsylvania, United States of America Mould maker do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SLATE PENCIL SHARPENERS
" to be as
follows:-
This invention consists in a slate pencil sharpener made of pressed glass with
its abrading surface or surfaces formed by impression in the mold, the same
constituting a virtually indestructible slate pencil sharpener, so far as wear is
concerned, and a most efficient one with special advantages over or as compared
with slate pencil sharpeners made of metal or other material than pressed glass,
substantially as hereinafter described.
My improved sharpener is not restricted to any particular size or shape, may be
made with one, two or more abrading surfaces and may either be used separately
or be inserted for convenience of use in a slate frame, school companion, desk, or
other fixed or movable holder.
When made for separate use, it may if desired be set in a handle of metal, wood
or any other suitable material, or it may be made with attached handle entirely of
glass and all in one piece, or it may be made without a handle. It is formed by
pressing glass in a mold, as other pressed glass articles are made, but with one or
more surfaces of the mold so roughened as to leave a closely or finely indented
corresponding surface or surfaces on the glass, and so that the indentations are
bounded by sharp cutting edges or points in close proximity to each other,
resembling what may be termed a sand paper finish. In this way, I avail myself
of the sharpening property which is found only in the outside surface of the glass,
as produced by contact with the mold. The result is that the pencil sharpener
does not absorb moisture, grease or any other substance, and will not clog or fill
with dirt or dust to impair its usefulness, but will be found always clean and
remain as first made, if used for slate pencils only, and consequently be what may
be termed indestructible, with a sharp abrading surface always at command.
When made with an attached handle which forms an integral portion of it, said
handle is also formed by pressure in the mold, when made without a handle and
set in a slate or other frame piece, the sharpener may be secured in its place by

page_text: cement or any other suitable means, and when set in a separate holder, constructed
to also form a handle it may be secured in place by clamping lips or otherwise.
To use the sharpener the slate pencil is rubbed backward and forward
transversely to its length over the roughened or granular abrading surface of the
sharpener and turned or rolled over from time to time so as to present different
portions or sides of it to the abrading surface in order to give the necessary point
to the pencil.
The advantages of my sharpener over those formed of metal are as follows :—
1st It is indestructible on account of its hard outer abrading surface formed by
pressing the glass in the mold when used for the purpose claimed, while a metal or
file sharpener will soon be worn out by contact with slate as I have proved by
experiment.
2nd It does not clog or fill up as would an ordinary file from the grease and
moisture on the fingers of the child using it.
3rd It will not rust, hence can be exposed to the air, washed or carried in the
pocket without being damaged.
4th By "pressing" the sharpener an outer hard surface is formed which is
similar to "case" hardening in metal working.
5th It is much lighter than the files commonly used and will not cut through the
childs pockets as would said files.

page_text: Improvements in Slate Pencil Sharpeners.
I JOHN PUTNAM of Philadelphia, in the County of Philadelphia and State of
Pennsylvania, United States of America, Mouldmaker do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SLATE PENCIL SHARPENERS" and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
This invention consists in a slate pencil sharpener made of pressed glass with
its abraiding surface or surfaces formed by impression in the mold, the same
constituting a virtually indestructible slate pencil sharpener, so far as wear is
concerned, and a most efficient one, with special advantages over or as compared
with slate pencil sharpeners made of metal or other material than pressed glass,
substantially as hereinafter described.
My improved sharpener is not restricted to any particular size or shape, may be
made with one, two or more abrading surfaces, and may either be used separately,
or be inserted for convenience of use in a slate frame, "school companion" desk or
other fixed or movable holder. When made for separate use, it may, if desired, be
set in a handle of metal, wood, or any other suitable material, or it may be made
with attached handle entirely of glass and all in one piece, or it may be made
without a handle.
It is formed by pressing glass in a mold as other pressed glass articles are made,
but with one or more surfaces of the mold so roughened as to leave a closely or
finely indented corresponding surface or surfaces on the glass and so that the
indentations are bounded by sharp cutting edges or points in close proximity to
each other, resembling what may be termed a sand-paper finish.
In this way
I avail myself of the sharpening property, which is found only in the outside
surface of the glass, as produced by contact with the mold.
The result is that the pencil sharpener does not absorb moisture, grease or any
other substance, and will not clog or fill with dirt or dust to impair its usefulness,
but will be found always clean and remain as first made, if used for slate pencils
only, and consequently be what may be termed indestructible, with a sharp
abraiding surface always at command.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
specification in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all
the figures.
Figure 1, represents the one face view of a slate with my improved sharpener
set in its frame.
Figure 2, a similar view of a stick or other article or frame-piece having the
sharpener similarly set in it.
Figure 3, a face view of the sharpener set in a metal or other holder constructed
to also form a handle.
Figure 4, a longitudinal section of the same on the line x, x, in Figure 3, and
Figure 5, a transverse section thereof on the line y, y of Fig. 3.
Figure 6, is a face view of the improved sharpener having either one or both of
its opposite faces made to present an abraiding surface, and constructed to form
also a handle integral or of one piece with the body of the article,

page_text: Figure 7, is a further face view of the sharpener having opposite abrading
surfaces, but formed without a handle and Figure 8, is a transverse section thereof
on the line z, z, in Figure 7.
In each of these figures, A indicates the pressed glass slate pencil sharpener
and b its abrading surface or surfaces made as herein before described. When made
with an attached handle c which forms an integral portion of it as in Figure 6,
said handle is also formed by pressure in the mold.
When made without a handle
and set in a slate or other frame piece B as in Figures 1 and 2, the sharpener may
be secured in its place by cement or any other suitable means; and when set in a
separate holder d constructed to also form a handle, as in Figs. 3, 4 & 5, it may be
secured in place by clamping lips or otherwise.
To use the sharpener, the slate pencil is rubbed backward and forward trans-
versely to its length over the roughened or granular abrading surface of the
sharpener and turned or rolled over from time to time so as to present different
portions or sides of it to the abrading surface in order to give the necessary point
to the pencil.
The advantages of my sharpener over those formed of metal are as follows:-
1st It is indestructible on account of its hard outer abrading surface formed by
pressing the glass in the mold when used for the purpose claimed; while a metal
or file sharpener will soon be worn out by contact with slate, as I have proved by
experiment.
2nd It does not clog or fill up as would an ordinary file from the grease and
moisture on the fingers of the child using it.
3rd It will not rust, hence it can be exposed to the air, washed, or carried in the
pocket without being damaged.
4th By "pressing" the sharpener, an outer hard surface is formed which is
similar to " case hardening" in metal working.
5th It is much lighter than the files commonly used and will not cut through
the childs pockets as would said files.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declaro that what
I claim is
1. As a new article of manufacture, a pressed glass slate pencil sharpener having
one or more pressed abrading surfaces, substantially as specified.
2. A pressed glass slate pencil sharpener, having one or more pressed abrading
surfaces and provided with a handle, essentially as described.
Dated this 21st day of Sentember 1805