Improvements relating to Guards or Attachments for Pencils, Pens, Brushes, and the like.
Year: 1890

page_text: Improvements relating to Guards or Attachments for Pencils, Pens,
Brushes, and the like.
I, JAMES SMITHIES, of 283 Oldham Road, Tonge, Middleton, in the county of
Lancaster, Decorative Artist, 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 object of my Invention is to provide a pencil or ink eraser applicable to the
handles of penholders, pencils, pencil cases, pencil point protectors, crayon-holders,
artists' brushes and the like, which can be fixed upon any part of any ordinary size of
handle at will, without any groove or other preparation or mutilation of the said
handle, and which may also serve as an elevator to raise the nib or head of pens or
brushes above any surface on which thay may be laid, thus preventing smearing of
the said surface if the pen or brush be wet, and which shall also have the effect of
retaining the article to which it is applied where laid, thus preventing rolling out
of reach; also serving as a finger guard to prevent the ink or paint travelling up the
handle and so smearing the fingers; and also where several wet brushes are held or
laid together will prevent them from smearing each other or contaminating one with
another the repective colours held therein; and which, though combining all the
advantages and properties above enumerated, shall be simple, inexpensive, easy to
attach or remove and renew at pleasure.
I attain this object by means of a piece of india rubber of a suitable thickness,
which, if required as an eraser only may be of any shape, but if to combine the other
advantages above enumerated will have one or more concave sides.
This piece of india rubber has a hole right through it, into which is inserted the
handle of the pen, brush &c. &c.
I make this hole rather smaller than any handle to which it is likely to be applied,
in order that from the contractile nature of the india rubber the appliance may grip
the said handle firmly. It will be readly seen that from the elastic nature of the
appliance it will stretch to fit any ordinary thickness of handle or holder.
This india rubber if required as an eraser only I apply to any part of the handle
which may be found most convenient; if required for an elevator and finger guard
for pens & brushes I apply it upon the handle (near the nib or head, when,
from the projection caused by its being applied upon the outer circumference
of the said handle, it will elevate the nib or head when the pen or brush is laid down,
and so prevent smearing of the surface upon which it is laid.
When a brush is used in certain positions, such for example, as painting on a
ceiling or on the upper portions of pictures; or if a pen is laid on a sloping desk
when full of ink; there is a tendency for the coloring matter to run down the handle
and consequently to smear the fingers of the user. This is obviated by means of my
appliance, as it forms a stop or finger guard which may be readily slipped out of the way
whilst the said handle is being cleaned. As before mentioned, when required for the
various purposes set forth, I make one or more sides of a concave form. This is for
the purpose of forming projections or feet at some distance from each other and on
opposite sides of the article to which it is applied, thus making as it were a small
trestle which keeps the article stationary where laid and prevents it from rolling out
of reach.
I consider that the best general form is to make the appliance of a triangular shape,
having three concave sides and three blunt angles, as by this means a broader base
is obtained in proportion to the lightness of the appliance than by any other number
of sides, but it may contain a greater or less number of sides if thought fit; for
instance, if required chiefly as an eraser a form containing only one concave side
may be used, thus giving more rubbing surface to the remainder.

page_text: An additional reason for making the side or sides concave is that when the
appliance is fixed on the handle which is thicker than the central hole, a slight
protuberance is caused on the outer side by the expansion of the india-rubber, which
would produce a roundness if the side where straight to commence with; but is
counteracted by making the sides concave, and the projecting angles, formed between
the contiguous concave sides will be found useful for the purpose of erasing, especially
in the case of fine drawings, where only a very small portion is required to be erased.
When the erasing points are worn away, the appliance may be removed instantly and
a fresh one replaced, the small cost of them rendering this quite feasible.
The whole appliance being of an extremely light nature will be found to be little or
no encumbrance to the rapid use of the article to which it is applied, and being of so
simple a form can be produced at a trifling cost.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings Fig. 1 represents the appliance having three
concave sides, and before it is attached to any bandle.
Fig. 2 shews the form that Fig. 1 assumes when distended by having a thick handle
inserted into it.
Fig. 3 shews the form that a straight sided piece would assume when upon a thick
handle, thus by comparing Figs. 2 and 3, the advantage of having the sides concave
will be seen.
Fig. 4 shews an artists' brush having the appliance attached but the position may
be varied at will to suit special requirements as the appliance may be fixed in any
part and requires no groove or preparation whatever of the handle.
Fig. 5 illustrates how a group of brushes held or laid together will not touch or
smear each other.
Fig. 6 shews a variety of the form having only one concave side, and Fig. 7 shews.
one having four sides..
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 what I
claim is
1. The application on the handles of pencils, pencil cases, pencil point protectors,
penholders, crayon holders, artists brushes, and the like; of a piece of india rubber
to slide upon any convenient part and to project beyond the circumference of the
handle and hold itself in any required position by reason of the contractile nature of
the india-rubber causing it to grip firmly the said handle which passes through a hole
in the india rubber made smaller than the handle; for the purpose of a pencil or
ink eraser.
2. The combination of a pencil or ink eraser and an elavator and finger guard of
india rubber having a concave side or sides, for purposes as herein before described
and set forth in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 16th day of May 1890.