IMPROVEMENTS IN FOUNTAIN PENS.
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS
PATENT to Pierre Victrice Lefebvre, of 29, Boulevart St.
Martin, Paris, Chemist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FOUNTAIN
PENS.'
Sealed the 17th October 1862, and dated the 3rd May 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Pierre Victrice Lefebvre at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with bis Petition, on the
3rd May 1862.
I, PIERRE VICTRICE LEFEBVRE, of 29, Boulevart St. Martin, Paris, Chemist,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
FOUNTAIN PENS," to be as follows:-
My improvements in fountain pens relate to arrangements of the parts herein-
after mentioned as described, and, first, having reference to the upper part of
the holder which forms the reservoir for the ink, which upper part is closed by
a cap having a small hole for access of air, the hole being in the position of
the axis which opens into the reservoir while the opening to the atmosphere
is through a hole in the side just below the flange of the cap so that when it
is screwed down close ingress of air is suspended. This passage does not open
at once to the reservoir but to a small chamber above it separated therefrom by
a diaphragm or partition having a small hole in the centre; by this arrangement
the ingress of air can be suspended altogether by the pressure of the screw
flange while at same time it is not liable to spill the ink in any position at
any time although not closed by the cap. The lower end of the holder is
furnished with a screw on which I fix a short cylinder of vulcanized and hard-
ened india-rubber, having an orifice in the centre receiving a small tube
which projects downwards and is bent at the lower end, and which abuts on
the inside of a part termed a presser which is mounted on a flat spring fixed in

page_text: a slit made in the caoutchou cylinder; connected with this is a longitudinal
section of a cylinder, applied to the extremity of the spring and a small
inoxidizable tube of platina or aluminium, flat on one side and rounded on the
other, these parts are fastened together with small screws. Between the back
of the case and the section of the cylinder the pen is inserted. The presser
is lined with india-rubber to ensure the closing of the ink duct, the spring
exerting an influence to press on and close it. There is besides a tongue
of fibrous material which descends beyond the commencement of the split of
the pen, there being a hole in it which allows the orifice of the tube to pass
The ink
through these parts are enclosed within an external tube or case.
descends by reason of the action of the pen on the presser in writing. There is
further a regulating screw to limit and regulate the action of the presser and
cousequently the flow of the ink.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Pierre Victrice Lefebvre in the Great Seal Patent Office on
3rd November 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PIERRE
VICTRICE LEFEBVRE, of 29, Boulevart St. Martin, Paris, Chemist, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Pierre Victrice Lefebvre, Her special licence that I, the said Pierre
Victrice Lefebvre, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Pierre Victrico Lefebvre, my executors, administrators, and
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 FOUNTAIN PENS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I the said Pierre Victrice Lefebvre, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
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

page_text: be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
inmediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Pierre Victrice Lefebvre, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
This Invention relates to an improved fountain pen and is represented
in the annexed Drawings. The Figures represent the parts of the full size.
Fig. 1 shows an elevation of the instrument; Fig. 2 a longitudinal section
of the same. The instrument is composed of three parts; 1st, the cap
a, 9, 9', a', Figs. 1, 2 and 3; 2nd, the reservoir g, m, m², g', Figs. 1 & 2; and
3rdly, the lower part of the instrument m, o, o', m³.
1st, the top of the instrument consists of a small tube d, g, g', d', Figs. 1,
2, 3. This tube screws on the reservoir, the upper part bears against a
diaphragm ff, in the interior of the plug cap, so as to prevent communica-
tion between the interior and exterior air, otherwise than by a small hole
made in the diaphragm. The part of the top g, f, f, d, which is above the
diaphragm is hollow as also that below; it has a hole above for receiving the
screw a, e, a', Fig. 2, 3, 4. This screw is hollow and pointed, and has at the
upper part e, a small lateral hole which communicates with the interior.
When the screw is turned so that its head bears exactly on the cap, the
communication between the exterior and interior air is interupted when
the screw head is raised the air circulates freely in the instrument. The effect
of the diaphragm pierced with a small hole is to prevent all escape of liquid
even when the screw is not closed, that is to say, that the instrument can be
used or laid down without any precaution or fear of the liquid being spilled.
2ndly, reservoir. The reservoir for containing the ink extends from f. f',
Fig. 2, to h, k, its two extremities being connected in such way as to unite
to the two other parts; they are represented separately at Figs. 5 & 6.
3rdly, the lower part of the instrument. The part in which the lower part
of the reservoir is introduced is a solid cylinder j, n, n', j, Figs, 2, 7, and 8,
of light construction; for instance, of vulcanized india-rubber; the upper part
of this cylinder has a hollow and is formed in such way as to receive the lower
part of the reservoir; this cylinder is also pierced at its centre with a hole
which receives a small narrow tube 7, 1, Figs. 2 and 8; this tube is bent at
the lower end as shown at u, u¹; the cylinder m, n, n³, m³, is split vertically;
a flat spring u, u, r, gl, Figs. 2 & 8, is introduced into this split and fixed by
micans of pins which penetrato transversely the cylinder and spring; this

page_text: spring receives at its lower part a clip p, p, q, q', for holding the pen, which I
will now describe.
It is represented in side view at Figs. 28 and 19; p. 7, is the profile of the
front part; 9, 9', that of the opposite part. This clip is composed of several
parts; there is first the lower part of spring u, p, q, Fig. 13, to which it is
attached; the second part of this clip is a longitudinal section p, p, q, q³,
Fig. 14. of a metal cylinder, which is applied to the extremity of spring; the
third part is a sheath p, p, q, q', Fig. 16, which consists of an oxidizable tubo
of platina or alumina; it is flat on one side p, q, and round on the other p³, 9';
this sheath may terminate in a point as at Fig. 16. These three parts are fixed
with their flat parts together by means of small screws, the spring being in
the middle and the sheath enveloping the two other parts; between the back
of the sheath and the section of the cylinder is found a convenient space for
introducing the pen nibs, the upper small screw serving to unite the three
parts together; it advances itself about 5th of an inch into the space, and
remains equally projecting in front as seen at p, Fig. 19; the clip is furnished
outside with a sheet of india-rubber or other compressible matter, to render more
complete the closing of the small tube against which it bears; the bending of
the spring should be sufficient, so that by its own elasticity it will close the
orifice of the small tube. Another important part for regulating the instru-
ment which should be here mentioned is a tongue a, y, z, Fig. 20, of fibrous
material, the capillary action of which absorbs the liquid as soon as it leaves
the small tube, and conducts it regularly to the extremity of the pen.
This tongue can be attached to the small tube or clip from whence it hangs in
the interior of the pen and terminates near its extremity, and in every case
lower than the commencement of the split of the pen. In Fig. 19 it is
attached at the top of the clip to the small point which projects there for
greater perfection in its action; this tongue has a hole y pierced in it where
the supply tube bears on the compressable or impermeable blade or strip
adhering to the clip. When not writing the instrument is closed, but when
writing the movement of the pen on the paper raises the clip, the ink imme-
diately escapes at the supply tube and is absorbed by the tongue which
conducts it to the pen nib, but as the supply might be in excess the instrument
is furnished with a screw which has for object to regulate it so that it supplies
the ink only in required quantity; this regulating screw is fixed to the holder.
All the parts above described, the supply tube, the spring, the clip, and the
bottom of cylinder j, n, n', '; are in effect covered with a metal tube m, o, o¹, m³,
which serves as a sheath or holder. A screw v traverses this tube, which
serew abuts on and approaches the clip or that part of the spring which is

page_text: directly above the clip; it is by the approach of this screw that the flow of
the ink is regulated. To render the movement of screw more easy, it
should be graduated as represented at Fig. 12, and a small needle t, placed in
the back of the tube near the periphery of the head of screw to facilitate the
adjustment to the smallest graduation. Instead of the needle or pointer
indicating on the head of the screw, I can refer to a small pin marked on the
back of the tube and which will serve for showing with exactitude and precision
the movement of the screw. As the regularity of the flow depends on this
screw it is preferable to make it so that it will not move of itself in its nut, to
ensure which the following means can be adopted. A small copper rods, s¹,
Fig. 9 & 10, is fixed by its upper extremity s either to the inside or outside
of the sheath tube; this rod is split of a sufficient length (to the other
extremity) and these two parts are slightly separated; a nut is fixed to it
which will pin the nut of the screw; these two parts tend by their elasticity to
approach each other. It will thus be understood that the screw will always
tightly hold by this clasticity & will never have sufficient play to move of itself,
at same time it will move with sufficient freedom and yet retain firmly the
position desired. The rod s, s', is represented in front view at Fig. 11; the
lines b, d, b, d, represent the arms, at the extremity of which is the nut c.
THE INSTRUMENT SIMPLIFIED.
The cap. It consists simply of a small tube a, b, b, a', Fig. 23, closed at
the two extremities by thin diaphragms, each pierced with a small hole; the
upper hole can also be in a direction lateral to the tube; this tube is a little
narrower at bottom than at top, and is slid and held by friction in the reservoir,
as shown at Fig. 21.
Reservoir. The top of the reservoir b, b, Fig. 21, is smooth and may be
bevilled to facilitate the introduction of the fluid; the bottom is even, and
level, as well as the top, but always cut horizontally; it is fitted to slide tight
into the hollow part j, I, of the cylinder j, n, n', j, so that the closing may be
more perfect, the bottom of the hollow part can be contracted and lined with
a washer of india-rubber, pierced in the centre with a hole for maintaining the
communication between the reservoir and the tube for supplying the ink.
The lower part of the reservoir bears on this washer.
Modifications. The different parts of the instrument may be variously
modified. Of the parts already described in the two descriptions above mentioned,
the first is the clip, which may be itself a screw, as represented at Figs. 26
& 27; the different parts of this clip are shown at Figs. 33 & 36. To form
this I take, 1st, a longitudinal section of a cylinder, applied on its flat side

page_text: against spring, Fig. 33, then a stiff metallic plate, bent so as to fit it on the
side of the cylinder; these two parts are introduced in the sheath represented
at Fig. 34, and the whole of the parts are traversed by a needle, on which the
plate Fig. 35 moves freely to and fro. The back of the sheath is traversed by
a screw, the pen is placed between the cylindrical part fixed to the spring of
the bent plate Fig. 35. To fix the pen firmly in the clip, it is only necessary
to turn the screw of the sheath, the clip being situated in the barrel m, o, o¹, m²,
Fig. 9. The screw to reach the clip should traverse the tube freely, that is
to say, by a hole sufficiently large, so that it does not touch anywhere.
2nd modification. The clip instead of being fixed to the extremity of the
spring is independant, Fig. 27; it is fixed to an axis, one extremity of which
is seen at p; it moves itself freely on this axis by the contrary pressure of the
hand and spring x, x¹.
3rd modification, Fig. 28.-The pressure screw is replaced by a bent lever
at ; this lever holds the clip at the same point as the pressure screw; it
moves on an axis, and its free extremity a passes out of the sheath obliquely
by a vertical groove made in its upper part. The upper part or extremity of
the tube or solid cylinder is screwed exteriorly, and receives a ring, which by
its ascending or descending movement on the screw nut, imparts to the lever
the required pressure, causing it to produce the same effect as the screw; this
ring may be replaced, Fig. 30, by a screw v fixed to the lever; it would be
situated under the sheath tube, and have its screw nut in the thickness of the
said tube. A small spring b, c, secured at top to the sheath tube, presses the
lever below the axes, and distends it from the clip to the position allowed by
the regulating ring at Fig. 28; the principal spring a, a, instead of descending
from the top of tube is doubled, and is fixed in the middle or bottom of the
sheath tube.
A second modification consists in replacing the pressure screw and lever,
Figs. 31 & 32, by a button c, moving in a vertical groove a, b, made in the
back of sheath tube; an interior point d fixed to this button approaches more
or less, according to the degree of elevation of the rod to which the clip is
attached. To effect this it must be understood that it should be inclined on
.the line formed by the vertical groove of the sheath tube. The instrument is
furnished with a case or sheath a, b, b, c, Fig. 25, intended to enclose the
whole of the instrument when carrying it in the pocket; this case is a hollow
,tube with a groove c, d, at its upper part for the passage of the pressure screw.
The case is sufficiently small and its sides sufficiently strong, that with the
groove c, d, it may be pushed on the lower part of the instrument, and adhere
sufficiently to maintain its position. The clip instead of being made of

page_text: different pieces, can be made of one piece; for this purpose the spring
a, d, f, h, i, a', Fig. 37, should be cut from a sheet of untempered steel at the
top of about inch, while the lower part b, d, h, i, should be of nearly half an
inch in breadth, coated by the galvanic process with a layer of oxidizable
metal, the centre of this piece should be slightly concave, and the two sides
will then fit close one on the other, so as to present an even surface in any
case at the bottom. The side which overlaps about gth of an inch would only
have such space that a needle which is detached on the side will be just in
the middle of the width of the clip; this needle is about th of an inch long,
and th of an inch wide, and is turned up at right angles on the clip, and
serve to attach the tongue. The back of the clip is lengthened in the form
of a triangle. As in the clips before described, the clip should be a little
narrower at the bottom than at the other end, as indicated by the lines
b, c, b, g, Fig. 37. For this kind of clip it would be of advantage to place
the screw for regulating the supply near the orifice of the supply tube.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of perform-
ing the same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention, and desire to
secure by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is the parts of the
instrument herein-before mentioned, viz. :-
1st, the cap consisting of a small tube, the bottom of which communicates
with the reservoir by means of a small hole, the top of which can be partially
or entirely opened, and have any other modifications applied, if necessary.
2nd, a clip moving from front to back by the friction of the pen on the
paper, and from back to front, by means of a spring, which when free closes
hermetically the orifice of the tube for the supply of the liquid.
3rd, a screw or other part serving to regulate the clip so that the flow of
liquid is proportionate to the consumption.
4th, I claim the application of a tongue of any suitable material, especially
fibrous material, having for object to conduct the liquid by capillary attraction
to the point where it runs to the point of the pen. These four parts are
especially applicable to fountain pens, and on which I rest the principal use
and advantages of the instrument.
In witness whereof, I, the said Pierre Victrice Lefebvre, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
P. V. LEFEBVRE. (L.S.)