IMPROVED PENSTAFF AND HAND SUPPORT
Year: 1884

page_text: I ALFRED JULIUS BOUIT of 323 High Holborn in the county of Middlesex
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of the invention for "IMPROVED PENSTAFF
AND HAND SUPPORT," and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
This invention has for its object to provide means whereby persons in learning
to write, shall be taught to hold the penstaff at a proper angle also to keep the
fingers holding the staff in proper position relatively to the staff, also to keep the
hand holding the staff in proper position relatively to the paper; it also has a
further object to give support to the hand and wrist to prevent the same from
becoming tired out by long and continued use, as well as to steady the hand of
nervous or inexperienced writers.
To this end the invention consists in a staff composed of metal wire or other
suitable material adapted to be attached to and moved about with the hand, and
adapted to bear upon the paper at oue side of the hand and maintain the same in
proper position relatively to the paper and also adapted to connect with the
pen-staff at the other side of the hand, and support the same at a proper angle of
inclination, all of which is hereinafter more fully described and specifically pointed
out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved pen-staff and hand support.
Figure 2 is a similar view of a hand with the support attached thereto and
illustrates the manner of using the invention.
Figure 3 is the reverse of Figure 2.
My invention is represented as composed of metallic wire, but may be composed
of gutta percha, or other suitable substances.
It consists of the body portion A loop B and hook Call preferably composed of a
simple piece of material and may be given the desired form by moulding in dies or
otherwise. The body or staff portion A has its end curved or otherwise fashioned
to prevent catching into the paper, while being moved over the same. The curve
or loop B should be made with due regard to the size of the hand with which it is
intended for use, the loop being intended to fit approximately to the finger of the
band, while the hook C should be sufficiently large to permit the pen-holder to
slide quite loosely therein, and it had also better be twisted and bent slightly

page_text: forward as shown, to allow the bottom end of the pen-holder to come more readily
into position relatively to the fingers, by which it is to be held. In use the device
may be attached to the hand as represented in Figure 2 and 3 of the accompanying
drawings by reference to which it will be observed that the loop B passes over the
fore finger of the hand, this prevents lifting that anger out of position or cramping
the same.
The body or staff portion A passing along under the remaining finger
of the hand bears upon the paper at the side of the hand and thus prevents
the hand from being rolled over to that side, and out of proper position for
writing while the hook C supports the pen-staff, the bottom end of which is
grasped by the fingers in the usual and customary way the position of the hook
relatively to the fingers being such as to maintain the staff at a proper angle
of inclination. Instead of forming the hook C the end of the device might be
projected straight forward and the pen-staff be allowed to rest or bear upon the
top thereof, though I prefer to make it with the hook C. For economical
reasons I prefer to make the device of one single piece of material as stated above,
though it may obviously be formed in separate parts and connected together in any
suitable way, so also the staff portion A instead of being extended outward in a
straight line as represented in the drawings, could be turned downward at the
side of the hand, in an obvious way, till it came in proper contact with the paper,
and the position of the hand would be maintained the same.
It will be understood that with the loop B over the finger of the hand, as shown,
and the end of the staff A bearing upon the paper or, supporting, table a
considerable portion of the weight of the hand may be thrown upon the staff A
through those fingers that remain above the same, and in this way, great steadiness
may be imparted to the hand as also it may be relieved in this manner from the
fatigue of long continuous use.
Having now described the said invention and the manner of performing the
same, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent I wish it to be
understood that I claim.
First In a pen-staff and hand support the body A provided on one end with
the finger loop B and reverse staff loop C substantially as described and for the
purposes stated.
Second: In a pen-staff and hand support the body A provided on one end with
the finger loop B and staff loop C as specified, the opposite end of said body being
provided with the curved end D substantially as set forth.
Third In a pen-staff and hand support the body A provided on one end with
staff loop C and finger loop B said staff loop C having its point bent forward as set
forth whereby the pen-holder is held in close relation with the finger, substantially
as set forth.
Fourth In a pen-staff and band support the combination of the body A bent
end D finger loop B staff loop C the point of said staff loop being bent slightly
forward substantially as described.