Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Mar., 1897-Accepted, 15th May, 1897
We, LINCOLN NINDE THOMAS, Inventor, and WALLACE LAWRENCE MASON,
Banker, citizens of the United States of America, residing respectively at
Madisonville, in the County of Hamilton and State of Ohio, and No. 3 Central
Square, in the Town of Keene, County of Cheshire and State of New Hampshire,
United States of America, 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 :—
This inkstand is of the class in which a dip cup extends above the ink well, and
is depressed to cause the ink to rise in the dip cup, the ink being sustained in the
dip cup above the level of the ink in the well by pneumatic pressure.
There are many inkstands of this general class. This particular inkstand is
simpler in construction, cheaper, and less liable to get out of order than most
others.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of an inkstand embodying this invention.
Figure 2 is a vertical central section of same.
Figure 3 is an elevation of dip cup and diaphragm detached.
A, indicates the ink well. This is preferably of glass, but may be of other
The ink well has two chambers, B,
material, and of any external form or size.
and C, preferably cylindrical or approximately so, with a shoulder, K, between
them. The lower chamber B is smaller in diameter than chamber C. The ink
well is preferably in one piece.
The dip cup D, is preferably cylindrical outside, to loosely fit the chamber C of
the ink well. The interior of the cup is a conical or other suitably formed
chamber, and from the central part of the cup a hollow stem, E, extends down far
enough to reach nearly to the bottom of the chamber B. At the bottom of this
stem a button or float G is attached, by screw thread or otherwise. This button
or float G approximates the diameter of the lower chamber B of the ink-well.
The stem E passes through the central part of a bell-shaped elastic diaphragm H.
This diaphragm is preferably of soft rubber, which will fit tightly around the
stem E, and the edge of the diaphragm rests on the shoulder K and makes a tight
valve, closing the air passage between the ink-well and stem.
The crown or bell-shaped diaphragm H, by its elasticity, sustains the dip cup
and stem. The ink-well can be filled with ink nearly to shoulder K before the
diaphragm and dip cup are applied. The ink can then be caused to rise in the dip
cup by depressing said cup, either by pressure of the pen or the finger at the
moment of dipping the pen.
The float button G is immersed in the ink, and by its buoyancy serves to assist
the elastic diaphragm H in sustaining the weight of the dip cup.
The outer surface of the dip cup D may be covered by a ring L, of hard rubber
or other material, to prevent splitting. The dip cup, stem, and button are
preferably made of wood. The elastic diaphragm is strong enough to lift or
support the dip cup, but must not be so rigid as to prevent the easy depression of
the cup, thus causing the ink to rise in said cup through the hollow stem.
The dip cup thus fits easily in the upper chamber of the ink-well, and the float
fits easily in the lower chamber of said well, so that the dip cup is guided in its
vertical movement without much strain on the diaphragm. The dip cup and

page_text: diaphragm can be easily lifted from the well for the purpose of filling or
cleaning.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim, is :-
1. The ink-well having chambers as described, the dip cup with the stem and
diaphragm arranged as described, and the float or button on the stem serving as a
guide in the ink well.
2. The integral ink well having chambers and a shoulder between, and the dip
cup with stem and elastic diaphragm fitting said well and stem, substantially as
described.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents..