Improvements in Fountain Pens.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Jan., 1892-Accepted, 2nd Apr., 1892
COMITE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fountain Pens.
I, THOMAS WARREN EVANS, residing at No. 276 Penn Street, Brooklyn, Kings
County, State of New York, one of the United States of America, Clerk, 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:-
"
My improved device is of the class which uses the main body of the pen-handle
or holder as a reservoir for ink, and has a short removable tube at the open lower
end in which is contained the pen and the required parts which lead the ink to its
point with just sufficient freedom.
The removable tube, sometimes termed the "pen-section," is adapted to receive
ordinary metallic pens. 1 prefer a form to be shown in the figures, in which the
cross-section is approximately angular, a wide inverted V, but the ordinary curved
section will serve. Either form of metallic pen is received in grooves in the
interior of the pen-section, and may be removed when required for cleaning and
exchange.
I provide in connection as with many other devices of this general class, a feeder
which extends along the central line on the upper portion or back of the pen, and
by capillary action facilitates the flow of a small quantity of ink along the joint
between this feeder and the pen, thus supplying the point with a small stream along
the back.
I provide special means for inducing and controlling a flow of ink also along the
under or front side of the pen. The head or upper end of the feeder is a partial plug
which fits in the interior of the pen-section near the upper end, and maintains the
position of the feeder, and also obstructs the flow of the ink. There is a passage
past this plug on the under side.
I provide another separate partial plug which is mounted a little below it, and
forms a second obstruction to the flow of the ink. This second plug fits tightly to
the bottom and side of the interior of the pen-section, but allows a sufficient opening
in the centre and the upper part adjacent to the pen.
The device is filled in the ordinary manner by inverting it and removing the pen-
section, and supplying the ink by a dropper, or otherwise, until the body is nearly
filled, and then screwing in the pen-section with its contents.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing forming part hereof,
wherein,
Figure 1, is a longitudinal section of a fountain pen embodying my invention;
Figure 2, is a cross section on the line 2, 2, Figure 1;
Figure 3, is a cross section on the line 3, 3, Figure 1, and
Figure 4, is a similar view showing a single aperture d on the lower side of I),
instead of one at each side.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where
they appear.
A is the body, a hollow cylinder of hard rubber or other suitable material, with
its upper end closed and its lower end interiorally screw-threaded. B is the pen-
section, of sufficiently smaller diameter than A, and screw-threaded at its upper end
and adapted to engage strongly and tightly with the lower end of the body and ink
reservoir A. A groove in the interior on each side is adapted to receive the
edge of the
pen.
C is a metallic pen, preferably of the form shown in section in
Figure 2.
It is engaged in the grooves b. D is the upper plug and D' the feeder.
firmly attached thereto or constructed in one therewith. This feeder D' extends
along on the upper face of the pen and leads to the split near the point. The partial

page_text: plug D stops the passage of ink except through a contracted aperture d on its side
or sides.
E is the second or lower partial plug. It is the form shown in Figure 2, and
applies tightly to the bottom and sides of the interior of the pen-section. The
aperture e in its centre and upper portion affords a liberal passage for the ink to
move down its interior on the lower face of the pen. But this aperture e being at
a high point in the interior, as it is usually held inclined in the hand, and the
aperture d being at a low point, the arrangement retards the admission of bubbles
of air and aids to insure the proper slowness of the delivery of the ink.
Modifications may be made without departing from the principle or sacrificing
the advantages of the invention. The upper end of the second plug E may be
beveled or chamfered. Such may be of possible advantage in leading ink upward
to the pen, but my experiments do not indicate that it is generally necessary.
The two plugs D and E may either or both be removed with ease when required
for cleaning, or for any other purpose.
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:
In a fountain pen, the body A, adapted to contain a quantity of ink, the pen-
section B, interiorally grooved at b, the pen C and upper plug D with its aperture d
and a connected feeder D', in combination with each other, and with the lower
partial plug E, with its aperture e, arranged for joint operation as herein specified.
Dated this 29th day of December 1891.
THOMAS WARREN EVANS.