IMPROVEMENTS IN RESERVOIR PEN- HOLDERS, AND IN THE MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING INK THERETO
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Darling, of Stane, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN RESERVOIR PEN-
HOLDERS, AND IN THE MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING INK THERETO."
Sealed the 2nd July 1867, and dated the 2nd February 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Darling at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 2nd February
. 1867.
I, JOHN DARLING, of Stane, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, do
hereby declare the nature. of the said Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN RESERVOIR
PENHOLDERS, AND IN THE MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING INK THERETO,"
to be as follows, that is to say :-.
"
- This Invention has for its object the supplying of ink to pens used for
writing without the necessity of practising the ordinary act of dipping the pen
into the writing fluid, as the body of the penholder is constituted so as to
contain and supply the ink to the writing-points or nibs. This part of the
Invention is based upon another Invention, for which Letters Patent were
granted to the said John Darling, dated the Sixth day of December 1866, and
numbered 3215.
The second part of this Invention relates to the means or apparatus to be
employed for filling or charging the reservoir penholder.
In carrying out the first part of this Invention the arrangement and con-
struction of the penholder is in some respects similar to that comprised under
the previous Invention herein-before referred to; it differs from it in having
a sliding case over the body of the holder to protect the diaphragm, by means

page_text: of which the thumb or finger being pressed thereon the ink is caused to flow
out of the reservoir to the pen; a tube is also provided extending from the
reservoir to the under side of the nibs, so that the ink is conducted immediately
to that part of the pen from which it is applied in writing. The holder is
provided with a removable top or cap, or instead of this with a plug or plate
to close a small hole, through which the air escapes as the reservoir is being
charged with ink.
The apparatus for filling or charging the reservoir consists of a vessel
provided with a flexible diaphragm, and the vessel is charged with the ink or
writing fluid; a hole is formed in some convenient part of the vessel or in the
diaphragm itself, into which the penholder is placed so as to fit air-tightly,
the small tube above referred to dipping below the surface of the ink.
Pressure is applied to the diaphragm of the charging vessel, and as the capacity
of the vessel is diminished by the compression of the diaphragm in a corre-
sponding ratio is the ink forced into the reservoir in the penholder; the cap or
plate or plug on or in the holder is removed or opened whilst the reservoir is
being charged to permit the air contained therein being easily displaced by the
passing in of the ink. When charged the cap, plate, or plug is replaced and
the pen and holder are then ready for use.
In addition to the foregoing method of supplying the reservoir penholder
with ink it may be effected by pressure and suction combined, for instance,
into the top, at one side, or at any convenient part on a position with the body
of the holder may be screwed or otherwise attached an elastic chamber which
on being compressed displaces an amount of air from its interior, whilst so
compressed the lower part of the holder is dipped into ink, and on the
pressure being withdrawn the elastic chamber returns to its original shape
and dimensions, whereby a partial vacuum is produced, and the ink thereby
becomes drawn up into the reservoir. The elastic chamber is made of such
dimensions that it may be carried in the pocket.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters. Patent, filed. s
by the said John Darling in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st
August 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
DARLING, of Stane, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters 3
Patent, bearing date the Second day of February, in the year of our Lord'

page_text: One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Darling, Her special license that I, the said John Darling,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
John Darling, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN RESERVOIR PENHOLDERS, AND IN THE MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING INK
THERETO," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Darling,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Darling, do heroby declare tho
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My said Invention has for its object the supplying of ink to pens used for
writing without the necessity of practising the ordinary act of dipping the pen
into the writing fluid, as the body of the penholder is constituted so as to
contain and supply the ink to the writing points or nibs. The reservoir pen-
holder may be filled with iuk, by pressure and suction combined, for instance,.
into the top, at one side, or at any convenient part or position with the body
of the holder may be screwed or otherwise attached an elastic chamber whichi
on being compressed displaces an amount of air from its interior, whilst so
compressed the lower part of the holder is dipped into ink, and on the pressure
being withdrawn the elastic chamber returns to its original shape and
dimensions, whereby a partial vacuum is produced, and the ink thereby
becomes drawn up into the reservoir, passing in through the distributing tube..
"And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood I now.
proceed more particularly to describe the system, mode, or manner in or under
which the same is or may be used or practically carried into effect, reference,
for the sake of more complete elucidation, being had to the several Figures.
upon the explanatory Sheet of Drawings, which I have hereunto appended
that is to say -

page_text: Figure 1 is a plan of the under side of the pen and penholder constructed
in accordance with my Invention; Figure 2 being a longitudinal section
Chereof.
In this modification the tubular part of the holder is completely filled with
an elastic tube c, more particularly seen in Figure 2, the distributing tube C
extending from it to the nibs or near to the writing points of the pens, as
shown, a longitudinal opening is made throughout nearly the whole length of
one side of the tube, being narrow in the middle and at the extreme ends,
but broader at two intermediate points a and b, the object of this longitudinal
opening being for the purpose of admitting a wire e with two thumb or finger
plates fand g respectively; the ends of the wire e pass underneath the ends
of the slot in the tube, and a ring h surrounding the tube keeps the wire and
thumb plates in place. In using this penholder for writing the reservoir is
filled in the manner herein-after described, and the ink is forced up on the
pen through the distributing tube C by the pressure of the thumb upon the
lower thumb plate g. In filling the reservoir the pressure of the thumb or
finger is applied to both thumb plates f and g, by means of which the elastic
tube c is compressed and the capacity of the chamber for the time being reduced,
the air being thereby expelled, when so- compressed the distributing tube C
is dipped into a vessel containing ink, and on the pressure being withdrawn
from the thumb plates the elastic tube at once expands into its natural shape
and capacity, being accompanied by a corresponding inflow of ink.
Figure 3 is an under side plan, and Figure 4 a longitudinal section of
another modification of my Invention, the only difference in this from the
preceding modification being that in place of forming a continuous longitudinal
opening for the admission of the wire of the thumb plates the wire is in this
case dispensed with, and openings c and d are formed towards each end of
the tube; the thumb plates e and f being constructed in one piece with a strip
uniting the same together, and which is passed underneath the solid metallic
part of the tube as shown.
In the foregoing modifications cases may be provided for protecting the
points of the pen when the same is laid aside or carried in the pocket. In
place of forming the opening in the side of the case for the thumb to act upon
the elastic tube the opening may be cut on the upper side of the tube, so that
the finger in place of the thumb may act thereon.
At Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8 are shown another modification of my Invention,
constructed so that the reservoir and thumb and finger plates may be drawn
within the case when out of use, forming a penholder of a length convenient
to be carried in the pocket.

page_text: Figure 5 is an inverted elevation of the pen and penholdor in position for
being used for writing with, the thumb or finger plate a being beyond the
outer sheath b, so that it can be acted upon when held by the band of the
writer. Figure 6 is a longitudinal section corresponding to Figure 5; Figure 7,
a plan of the under side corresponding to the two preceding Figures; and
Figure 8 a view of the same with the pen and reservoir drawn up to the
sheath. The construction and mode of using this modification being so nearly
similar to the preceding, except with respect to the sheath or case herein-
before referred to, requires no further explanation.
The details of this and the preceding modification may be altered, for
instance, I sometimes dispense with one of the thumb or finger plates and
employ one only in lieu of two of them, as shown in the Drawings hereunto
appended, in which case I sometimes attach the upper end of the wire or
metallic bar to which the plate is attached to the outer case, and I sometimes
add an ordinary wooden or other holder or stem to the upper part of the case
or reservoir, so as to imitate in length and appearance as much as possible an
ordinary holder.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in
which, the same is or may be used or practically carried into effect, I would
observe in conclusion that what I consider novel and original and therefore
claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is,-
First, the general arrangement and construction of reservoir penholders, as
herein-before described and shown in the accompanying Sheet of Drawings,
or any mere modification thereof.
. Second, the use and application of a tube for distributing the ink to the
pen as herein-before described, or any mere modification thereof.
Third, the providing the holder with an elastic chamber, by means of which
the ink is drawn into the reservoir in either of the modes herein-before described,
or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Darling, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of July, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-seven.
JOHN DARLING. (L.S.)