AN IMPROVED WRITING PEN
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
WRITING PEN." A communication from abroad by Léon Fargue, of Paris,
France.
Sealed the 13th April 1877, and dated the 3rd November 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd November 1876.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent.
AN IMPROVED WRITING PEN."
This Invention relates to a new kind of self-supplying pen for writing without
having recourse to an inkstand or other source of supply by a simple immersion of
the pen in water.
In the self-supplying pen of this Invention this object is attained by coating the
pen with a paste or composition made with any coloring matter which is soluble in
water..
The coloring matter is formed into a paste by adding water and a glutinous
matter such as gum, honey, glucose, or glycerine, the latter substances serving to
retain the coloring matter in a slightly moist condition. A small quantity of the
colored paste is run or dropped into the concavity of the pen, to which it adheres.
On dipping the pen in water an ink is immediately formed. The colors I use are
those obtained from tar, which I prefer on account of their richness. The pens may
also be specially formed to adapt them to receive the solid coloring matter, which
according to this Invention is to be applied thereto. Thus metallic pens may be
manufactured with cavities, grooves, or flutes, in which a larger supply of the solid
coloring matter may be retained.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
19th April 1877.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent.
"AN IMPROVED WRITING PEN." A communication from abroad
by Léon Fargue, of Paris, France.
This Invention consists in coating writing pens of any ordinary or other kind or
construction with a paste or composition made with any coloring matter which is
soluble in water, so that they may be used for writing or marking purposes by
simply dipping the pen in water instead of in ink as usual. The pens may also be
specially formed with cavities, grooves, or flutes to adapt them to hold a larger
quantity of the solid coloring matter which according to this Invention is to be
applied thereto.
The advantage of this Invention, which is apparently very simple, are considerable
in practice. A supply of ink is not always so readily obtainable as water, which is
everywhere at hand, and is not liable to become thick, and does not corrode.the
pen, as is the case with ink.
It is obviously unnecessary to describe any method of coating the pens with the
soluble coloring matter, as such will be apparent without description.
Although any coloring matter will give satisfactory results I find by experience
that it is preferable to employ aniline colors, both on account of the depth of color
obtainable with a very small quantity of the coloring matter, and of their hygro-
metric nature, by reason of which they do not become dry, but are preserved in a
constantly moist condition, and adhere more perfectly to the pen than any other
coloring matters.
To enable the coating of coloring matter on the pen to resist more perfectly
atmospheric changes, heat and dryness, particularly when intended for exportation,
the colors may be mixed with certain substances, such as honey, gluecose, glycerine,
or other non-drying agglutinating substance having no action on the metal of the
pen, whereby the coloring matter is rendered permanently plastic or moist, and
writings made therewith are more readily copied in the press.
As one example I may mention that the following proportions of ingredients have
given good results :-
Aniline color
Honey
Glucose
Glycerine
-
30 parts
1
"
-
3
"
2
">
The mixture should be made into a homogeneous paste, and the pen coated there-
with by the aid of a brush or other means. Other coloring matters and mixtures
will furnish equally satisfactory results, and may be used in lieu of the above. By
ith
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