Improvements in or relating to Files for Pointing Lead Pencils and the like.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Dec., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 12th Aug., 1893-Accepted, 23rd Sept., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Files for Pointing Lead Pencils and
the like.
I, ERNST JOSEPH KOESTER of Harkorten in the Empire of Germany,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The employment of files for pointing lead pencils, slate-pencils, and the like, is
more and more coming into favour and into general use in schools, offices, and
other establishments where such articles are frequently used, the only inconvenience
being, that in filing the fingers are liable to be soiled by the graphite, or the like,
scraped off; and from the hands stains are generally transferred to papers, books,
clothes, etc., so that it becomes absolutely necessary whenever a pencil is pointed
to wash ones hands immediately and also to wipe or dust the table or desk which
may have received some of the filings, while it is well-known that finger-marks of
this description on papers, drawings, etc., can scarcely ever be removed entirely, so
that very often a drawing or a document becomes quite unfit for the purpose it
was intended for through being soiled with graphite. Thus it. will be seen that
although a file certainly is a most convenient means of pointing pencils, yet its
employment has hitherto involved considerable loss of time. For outdoor use, or
for use on a journey files of this class have hitherto proved unsuitable, as after use
the file, if placed in a pocket, would inevitably soil the clothes and any other
articles there may be, so that in those cases an ordinary pocket-knife had to be
resorted to.
All these inconveniences are removed by the pencil-file as constructed according
to the present invention. The improved file may either be provided with a
protective casing which enables it to be carried about in the pocket without any
danger of its soiling the objects or material with which it comes in contact, or with
a cup or receptacle arranged to receive the graphite or other filings and to prevent
their dropping upon the desk or table and soiling papers, books, drawings, etc.
I provide a "block" of paper slips or leaves intended to receive short notes and
to be torn off in succession. It rests preferably upon an inclined support while
a straight edge may be reserved for the pencil, a tube or case being provided
to receive it. The file may be so located within the block-support as to be capable
of being pulled out laterally when required for use; or it may be stationary on
one side of the block.
The file may be fitted to a pocket-book, also arranged on the block-note system,
the successive sheets, after receiving notes or sketches, being torn off and either
thrown away or preserved in the side pocket opposite. A case or sheath is
provided either at one edge or along the folding line of the pocket-book and into
this the pencil-file is inserted when out of use, so that such a file can at all times
be carried about, ready for immediate employment.
Where the file is connected with an ordinary pencil-case it may either be rigidly
attached thereto, a cap being placed over it to prevent its soiling the objects it
touches, the said cap being unscrewed when the file is wanted for use, or the file
may be rigidly connected with the cap or head so that it can be inserted or screwed
into the case or sheath together with the said cap. In offices or studios flat files
will probably be used in preference and will be provided with a handle for con-
venience. Over such a file according to the present invention a case is passed
which either receives a yielding support from the neck of the handle or which
may be screwed to the handle. The file may if desired be of triangular shape,
one side of which is provided with coarser teeth for pointing blue and red pencils,

page_text: another side being fine-grained for black or lead pencils, while the third side may
be cut like an ordinary wood-file or rasp.
The files may be in connection with an open or closed receptacle adapted to
absorb and collect the graphite-filings. A file of this arrangement may with safety
be used even in drawing-rooms and may be arranged in a box sliding in a case
somewhat after the style of the usual match box; or the box may be provided
with a hinged or folding cover; or again the box may be provided with a removable
lid or simply left open. Where the file is thus arranged in a box it may, or may
uot, be provided at the ends with lugs or feet to stand upon. To the side walls
of the box are preferably secured small guide-blocks for keeping in position the
lugs of the file which may thus be removably fitted in the box and taken out for
cleaning or other purposes when required; or if preferred, the file may be rigidly
and permanently secured to the box.
In the case of an open box it is preferable to provide two upwardly extending
projections or flanges on the sides of the box which, by means of suitable grooves
or slots, are adapted to support the file in a horizontal position; or the file may be
provided with rectangular or other projections, the projecting edges of the box
being by means of notches divided into a number of lugs or teeth, which, after the
file has been inserted into the box may be bent over so as to grip the file and
retain it in position.
The graphite receptacle may be made of paper, lead, porcelain, or any other
suitable material, and provided with ornaments, painted or in relief on the outside,
so as to suit various tastes and be fit to appear in any apartment.
It will be seen that through this invention pencil-files may in future be classed
among household-articles of daily use, and also be comprised among those portable
objects which are now considered as almost indispensable.
Dated this 1st day of December 1892.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Files for Pointing Lead Pencils and
the like.
I, ERNST JOSEPH KOESTER of Harkorten in the Empire of Germany,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
The employment of files for pointing lead pencils, slate-pencils, and the like, is
more and more coming into favour and into general use in schools, offices, and other
establishments where such articles are frequently used, the only inconvenience
being, that in filing the fingers are liable to be soiled by the graphite, or the like,
scraped off; and from the hands stains are generally transferred to papers, books,
clothes, etc., so that it becomes absolutely necessary whenever a pencil is pointed to
wash ones hands immediately and also to wipe or dust the table or desk which may
have received some of the filings, while it is well-known that finger-marks of this
description on papers, drawings, etc., can scarcely ever be removed entirely so that
very often a drawing or a document becomes quite unfit for the purpose it was
intended for through being soiled with graphite. Thus it will be seen that although
a file certainly is a most convenient means of pointing pencils, yet its employment
has hitherto involved considerable loss of time. For outdoor use, or for use on a
journey, files of this class have hitherto proved unsuitable as after use the file, if
placed in a pocket, would inevitably soil the clothes and any other articles there
may be, so that in those cases an ordinary pocket-knife had to be resorted to.
All these inconveniences are removed by the pencil-file as constructed according
to the present invention. The improved file may either be provided with a

page_text: protective casing which enables it to be carried about in the pocket without any
danger of its soiling the objects or material with which it comes in contact, or with
a cup or receptacle arranged to receive the graphite or other filings and to prevent
their dropping upon the desk or table and soiling papers, books, drawings, etc.
The arrangements to which this invention relates are illustrated by the accom-
panying drawings in which:-
Figure 1 is a side view of what is known as a "block" of paper-slips to which a
pencil-file is attached, it being either inserted into a recess provided for the purpose,
after use, or permanently secured to the side of the block.
Figure 2 is a plan of the same.
Figure 3 represents a pocket-book provided with a file.
Figure 4 illustrates the position of a file in a pocket.
Figure 5 shows the manner in which the file may be fitted in a pencil-case.
Figure 6 is a modification of the arrangement shown in Figure 5.
Figure 7 is a file with its own casing, more especially adapted for use in offices,
and
Figure 8 is a modification of this description of file.
1
Figures 9 to 14 represent the arrangement of the files in connection with
receptacles for the graphite filings, Figure 9 being a view of a receptacle
somewhat in the shape of a match-box provided with a pencil-file.
Figure 10 shows the file to be used in preference in connection with the arrange-
ment shown in Figure 9.
Figure 11 shows a box with a hinged cover.
In Figure 12 the file is arranged above the receptacle in an exposed position,
and
Figure 13 shows a file arranged within an open graphite receptacle.
Figure 14 is a cross-section of Figure 13.
As stated Figures 1 and 2 represent a "block" of paper slips or leaves
intended to receive short notes and to be torn off in succession. It rests preferably
upon an inclined support a, while a straight edge may be reserved for the pencil a
tube or case c being provided to receive it. The file 6 may be so located within
the block-support as to be capable of being pulled out laterally when required for
use, as indicated in Figure 2; or it may be stationary on one side of the block.
Figure 3 shows the file fitted to a pocket-book, also arranged on the block-note
system, the successive sheets, after receiving notes or sketches being torn off and
either thrown away or preserved in the side-pocket opposite. A case or sheath a
is provided either at one edge or along the folding line of the pocket-book, and into
this the pencil-file bis inserted when out of use, so that such à file can at all times
be carried about, ready for immediate employment.
The same purpose, viz., portability is attained by the arrangements illustrated in
Figures 5 to 8, all of which enable the file to be carried about by the user wherever
he goes. Figures 5 and 6 show the file in combination with a pencil-case, while
Figures 7 and 8 represent forms of files such as are more likely to be used in
drawing-offices, each provided with a suitable protecting sheath.
Where the file is connected with an ordinary pencil-case a it may either be
rigidly attached thereto, a cap c being placed over it to prevent its soiling the
objects it touches, the said cap being unscrewed when the file is wanted for use
(Figure 5) or the file b may be rigidly connected with the cap or head c so that it
can be inserted or screwed into the case or sheath a together with the said cap.
In offices or studios flat files will probably be used in preference such as shown at b
in Figures 7 and 8 the file being provided with a handle a for convenience. Over
such a file according to the present invention a case c is passed which either
receives a yielding support from the neck of the handle (Figure 7) or which may
be screwed to the handle. Figure 8 represents a file of triangular shape, one
side of which is provided with coarser teeth for pointing blue and red pencils,
another side being fine-grained for black or lead pencils, while the third side may
be cut like an ordinary wood-file or rasp.

page_text: Figures 9 to 14 show the files in connection with an open or closed receptacle
adapted to absorb and collect the graphite filings. Files of this arrangement may
with safety be used even in drawing rooms. The file is here arranged in a box a
which may slide into a case c somewhat after the style of the usual match-box
(Figure 9) or the box a may be provided with a hinged or folding cover d
(Figure 11); or again the box may be provided with a removable lid or simply
left open (Figures 12 and 13). Where the file b is thus arranged in a box a it may
or may not, be provided at the ends with lugs or feet to stand upon. To the
side walls of the box a are preferably secured small guide-blocks a' for keeping in
position the lugs b₁ of the file which may thus be removably fitted in the box and
taken out for cleaning or other purposes when required; or if preferred, the file
may be rigidly and permanently secured to the box.
In the case of an open box a it is preferable to provide two upwardly extending
projections or flanges a' on the sides of the box, which, by means of suitable
grooves or slots, are adapted to support the file in a horizontal position; or the
file may be provided with rectangular or other projections (which may, to
increase their stability be made to diverge) the projecting edges a¹ of the box a
being by means of notches divided into a number of lugs or teeth, which, after
the file has been inserted into the box a may be bent over so as to grip the file
and retain it in position (Figures 13 and 14).
The graphite receptacle may be made of paper, lead, porcelain, or any other
suitable material, and provided with ornaments, painted or in relief, on the outside,
so as to suit various tastes and be fit to appear in any apartment.
It will be seen that through this invention pencil-files may in future be classed
among household articles of daily use, and also be comprised among those portable
objects which are now considered as almost indispensable.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. Pocket or office files for pointing pencils provided with a suitably secured
protective casing or with an open or box-like cup or receptacle for receiving the
graphite filings for the purpose of preventing the hands table writing materials
drawings or the like from becoming soiled substantially as described and illustrated
with reference to Figures 1-8, and 9-14 of the accompanying drawings.
2. The arrangement whereby files provided with receptacles for the graphite
filings are enabled after they have been taken out of the receptacles to stand
freely by means of the downwardly hent feet or projections substantially as
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 11th day of August. 1893.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.