An Improved Arrangement for Pen and Fencil Cases, which is also Applicable for other Small Tools and Instruments.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Nov. 1889
Complete Specification Left, 13th Mar., 1890-Accepted, 26th Apr., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Arrangement for Pen and Fencil Cases, which is also
Applicable for other Small Tools and Instruments.
I FREDERICK CHARLES DANVERS, of Rose Lea, Castle Bar Road, Ealing in the
county of Middlesex Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object an improved arrangement for pen and pencil cases,
which is also applicable for other small tools and instruments, such as leads, tooth-
picks, knives or other small tools or appliances. The peculiar feature of this case
is that the pen, pencil, or other instrument is held firmly within the case when not in
use either by clipping jaws, or by a bolt or other projecting attachinent, in each case
actuated by a spring but by the simple pressure of the side of the case which may itself
form the spring or on a knob or button attached to, or passing through the same
and actuated by a spring, the clipping jaws are opened, or the bolt or other projecting
attachment withdrawn and the pen, pencil, or other instrument is released and allowed
to drop forward to its proper position for use; and on removal of the pressure the
same is held firmly in that position by the action of the spring bringing again the
clipping jaws bolt, or projecting attachment to its normal situation. By a similar
pressure after use, the pen pencil or other instrument is allowed to drop back within
the case where it is held firm on withdrawal of the pressure. The point or place for
this pressure may be so arranged as to fall naturally under the finger when holding
the case as for use, thus avoiding any separate movement of the hand or finger for
the purpose. With these cases two or more instruments can be fixed in each case,
either two together at the same end or at the two ends respectively.
Dated this 18th day of November 1889.
FRED. CHAS. DANVERS.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED).
An Improved Arrangement for Pen and Pencil Cases, which is also
Applicable for other Small Tools and Instruments.
I FREDERICK CHARLES DANVERS of Rose Lea, Castle Bar Road Ealing, in the
County of Middlesex, 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 My invention relates to pen and pencil cases and other analogous instruments
of the kind in which the parts are so constructed and arranged that the movement
containing the pen, pencil, lead, toothpick, knife or other small tool or appliance can be
released for projection or sheathing by the pressing inwards of a pusher or stud at the
side of the case, and the manner in which I carry out this my invention is as explained
below; but it is obvious that some special adaptation of the principle may be required
if my invention be applied to an instrument requiring a peculiar shaped case or handle.
In order to illustrate the principle-of my invention I here give adaptations suited
to instruments requiring or having round or convex, and hollow or concave carriers.

page_text: "3
A pencil may be taken as a typical instrument with a convex carrier, and to this
the "clipping jaws" and the "spring with a projecting attachment are both applic-
able. In this case the carrier A (figure 1) has two shoulders at a and b, against
which the clipping jaws or spring attachment abuts to hold it in place, acting against
the shoulder a when the instrument is within the case, and against 6 when it is pro-
jected for use. The clipping jaws are formed by two curved pieces of metal actuated
by a spring, or they may themselves form the spring (see figure 2). Here c is a
section of the instrument case with a groove d in which the clipping jaws e act. These
jaws in their normal position assume an oval form, being less in minor diameter than
the bore of the case and than the shoulders a and b of the carrier, so that the latter
cannot pass between them. In major axis the diameter is larger than the bore as
shown in figure 2. By pressing the knob f, which is attached to the jaws at one end
of the major axis, and passes through the side of the case, the jaws in their minor
axis are forced back into the groove d at the two sides, and so allow the shoulder a to
pass through as far as 6, when, on releasing the pressure from the knob f, the jaws
assume their former position behind the shoulder b, and so prevent the instrument
from slipping back into the case. On again pressing the knob f the instrument will
be released, as before, and be allowed to slip back into its former position within the
case. The extent to which the instrument can project may be regulated by a stop
against which the shoulder a strikes as shown at æ in figure 7, or by any other con-
venient method. The spring with a projecting attachment, when used with a
round, or convex, carrier is shown at figures 3 and 4.
Here g is the spring
which may be attached at its fixed end to either the inside or outside tube where
two tubes are used; but by the addition of annular projections on the carrier
(beyond the two shoulders) and m, somewhat larger than the shoulders a, b, in
diameter as shown in figures 5 and 6, an inner tube is rendered unnecessary
In this latter case the hinder projection m has a groove or cut in it to clear the
spring which also acts as a guide to keep the instrument straight. Referring again
to figures 3 and 4, is a ring of slightly larger diameter than the shoulders a, b ;
but in its normal position within the case the ring his so held up by the spring gas
to cause the lower part to abut against the shoulder a, which is thus prevented from
passing through; but by pressing the knob i, which projects through the case, the
ring his brought concentrically with the carrier, which is thus allowed to pass
through it, after which, and on removal of the pressure on i, the spring g causes the
ring to assume its former position, and it then holds the projected instrument fast
behind the shoulder b. (The same letters to similar parts here described are applied
in figures 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7). It will be observed that when an inner tube is used, a
slot is formed atj (figure 7) at the bottom of the tube k through which the ring h
enters. When required to apply either of the above systems to a case for a cedar
pencil, or other instrument not specially made for the purpose, the carrier may be
formed by attaching a metal tube, of the required length, on to the instrument so as
to form the necessary shoulders. The application of the spring attachment to a
convex form is shown in figure 8. Here is the spring, n the knob, and o the catch
attachment. In this case the knob passes through a slit in the carrier p, which slit
is widened out at either end (as shown at 9 and r, figure 9) to allow the catch o to
enter. The carrier with catch and knob is shown in section in figure 10. By
pressing the knob n the catch o is removed from the widened party, as shown in the
section, and the carrier is then allowed to slide forward, the distance to which it
can project being regulated by the length of the slot. After sliding forward, on
removal of the pressure on the knob n, the catch o enters the widened end at r and so
holds the instrument firm when in use. When two instruments are placed in the
same case both the convex and concave systems may be adopted together, but not
necessarily. By slight alteration in shape and detail either of these systems may be
made applicable where the carrier is flat, as would be the case with a knife, in which
case the carrier would be a prolongation of the blade within the handle.
Both the separate spring and the knob may be, in some cases, dispensed with by
slitting the outside case, as shown in figure 11, where the part so slit forms the spring.

page_text: By fixing the attachments to the loose end of this part of the case the necessary action
may be given by the simple pressure of the fingure on the point S, beneath which the
attachment would be fixed.
"
To distinguish this invention I call it the "
"presto system. Thus, when applied
to a pencil I call it the "
presto pencil," when to a knife the " presto knife,"
and so on.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I do not
claim broadly and generally the constructing and arranging the parts of pen and pencil
cases and other like instruments in suchwise that the movement containing the pen pencil
lead toothpick knife or other small tool or appliance can be released for projection or
sheathing by the pressing inwards of a pusher or stud at the side of the case, but
what I do claim is An The arrangement by as shewn in the annexed drawings of the
means of described and illustrated by which by a simple pressure of the finger
at or on the side of a case the pen, pencil, or other instrument within it is liberated
and allowed to project or return, and that on the removal of the pressure the said
instrument remains firmly fixed in either direction, generally upon the principle
as explained above with reference to the said drawings.
Dated this Twelfth day of March 1890.
FRED. CHAS. DANVERS,
Applicant.