AN APPARATUS POR GUIDING OR DIRECTING THE PEN OR PENCIL IN WRITING OR DRAWING
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Plunkett Smith, of Stanmore, in the County
of Middlesex, Schoolmaster, for the Invention of "AN APPARATUS POR
GUIDING OR DIRECTING THE PEN OR PENCIL IN WRITING OR DRAWING."
4 i
Sealed the 26th July 1859, and dated the 31st January 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Plunkett Smith
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
31st January 1859..
I, THOMAS PLUNKETT SMITH, of Stanmore, in the County of Middlesex,
Schoolmaster, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
APPARATUS FOR GUIDING OR DIRECTING THE PEN OR PENCIL IN WRITING OR
DRAWING," to be as follows:-
In teaching writing or drawing, I have found it very difficult to get the
pupil to hold the pen or pencil in a proper position. In youth, the usual
contraction of fingers and thumb (in the act of writing) under or towards the
palm of the hand causes the pen to assume an almost vertical position, and
while it is in such position, good writing cannot be attained. To assist the
master, I propose to use a small apparatus to be placed on the forefinger of
the pupil, between the second and third joint, which shall serve to keep the
pen in a proper position for writing, and compel (as it were) the fingers to
elongate to the best position for guiding the pen, so that the usual characters
or letters shall be well formed with comparatively little practice.
My apparatus will be constructed as a ring and rest or hook, the latter
being formed with or attached or fixed to the side of the former, and of such

page_text: The
shape as to allow the pen shaft to rest therein and be supported thereby.
ring and rest may be made of steel or of any suitable material, or a com-
bination of materials, such as steel and gutta percha, or it may be made
wholly elastic, so as to pass over and up the finger, and retain its position by
compression. The rest may be made of a solid and rigid substance, or it may
be made to act as a spring, so as not only to support the pen shaft, but to close
around it and secure it in position. "Aged and nervous persons will find great
advantage attending the use of my apparatus.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Plunkett Smith in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 28th July 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
PLUNKETT SMITH, of Stanmore, in the County of Middlesex, Schoolmaster,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Thomas Plunkett Smith, Her special licence that I,
the said Thomas Plunkett Smith, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Thomas Plunkett Smith, 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 of "AN APPARATUS FOR GUIDING OR DIRECTING THE PEN OR PENCIL IN
WRITING OR DRAWING," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Thomas Plunkett Smith, 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 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 Thomas Plunkett Smith, 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

page_text: following statement, reference being had to the annexed Sheet of Drawings,
and to the figures and letters of reference placed thereon, similar letters
denoting similar parts where such parts appear or can be seen on either of the
Diagrams respectively.
The object of my Invention is to facilitate the attainment of a good and
regular handwriting or regularity in drawing, and is secured by the use of the
simple apparatus herein-after described.
In teaching writing or drawing, I have found it very difficult to get thè
pupil to hold continuously the pen or pencil in a proper position; he generally
allows the shaft of the pen or the pencil to drop into the hollow formed by the
thumb and part of the hand while he is writing or drawing, or he causes the
pen or pencil to assume an almost vertical position by the pressure of the
points of the fingers and thumb on the pen or pencil near the nib or point.
With the pen or pencil in the positions just mentioned a fine regular hand
cannot be written, or a regular style of pencil drawing attained. To.obviate
these difficulties, and attain the object first stated, I place on the forefinger of
the right hand of the pupil, and between the second and third joint from the
point of the finger upwards, a small apparatus (see Figure 1), which shall serve
to keep the pen in a proper position for writing (or the pencil for drawing),
and compel the fingers to elongate and contract to the best positions for
guiding the pen so that the usual characters or letters shall be well formed
with comparatively little practice.
The apparatus is composed of a ring and rest or hook, the rest or hook
being formed with or attached or fixed to the side of the former, and of such
shape as to allow the pen shaft or pencil to rest therein. I prefer the shape
shewn, as serving fully to attain the object sought, namely, a rest or guide.
Instead of a hook rest an entire ring may be made, but as this would
necessitate the passing of the shaft of the pen (penholder) through the ring,
and might cramp its movements, I do not use my apparatus in that form.
The ring and rest may be made of gold, silver, brass, or other metal, or of any
suitable material, or of a combination of materials, such as steel and gutta
percha, or the ring may be made wholly elastic, so as to pass over and up the
finger to its position, and be retained by the compression of the material.
The rest may be made of a solid and rigid substance or to act as a spring, not
only supporting the pen shaft, but closing around it and securing it in position.
All persons who desire to write with regularity and in such wise that the
writing should always bear the same character, will do well to use my
apparatus, and for aged and nervous persons it will be found of great
advantage.

page_text: b
In the Drawing, Figure shews a hand a in position, for writing, having
my apparatus on the forefinger thereof, and the penholder in the rest;
Figure 2 shews a side elevation of the apparatus, 6 being the ring, c the rest,
and d a tail piece, serving to fend off, and in part as a rest for the second
finger; Figure 3 is a front view of the rest and ring; and Figure 4, 'front
view of tail piece d.
Having now described the nature of my Invention and the means by which
it is carried into effect, I would observe that I do not confine myself to the
precise details or modifications mentioned, and I claim the exclusive use of the
device herein described. and, shewn, forming "An Apparatus for Guiding or
Directing the Pen or Pencil in Writing or.Drawing."
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Plunkett Smith, have hereunto
set: my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
THOS. PLUNKETT SMITH. (L.S.)
Witness,
JAMES MASON;
Sydney Street, Brompton, Solicitor.