IMPROVEMENTS IN PENCIL ...CASES
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Lund, of Fleet Street, in the City of London,
Manufacturer, and Alexander Bain, of Paddington, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PENCIL
...CASES."
Sealed the 25th March 1856, and dated the 7th November 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Lund and
Alexander Bain at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 7th November 1855.
We, WILLIAM LUND, of Fleet Street, in the City of London, Mánufac-'
turer, and ALEXANDER BAIN, of Paddington, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PENCIL CASES" to be as follows:-'
1
And
Our Invention relates to those pencil cases in which there is a groove or
channel to contain a length of lead or other marking material, and a slot for
a slide and propeller to work in, and push forward the lead as required.
our Invention consists in forming the slide to propel the lead in such manner
that it shall clip the outside of the case and form a spring, or that it shall be
so shaped on the inside as to form a spring against the sides of the groove in
the pencil case, or that it shall be so formed as to act as a spring both inside
and outside of the pencil case.

page_text: Our Invention also consists in cutting in or fixing upon the pencil case a
rack, into which a spring clip or propeller takes, in order to propel the lead
forward each time it is moved a distance equal to the length of the division
between the teeth of the rack. Our spring clips may be formed to answer
both as slide and propeller, or the propeller may be in a separate piece and
connected to the slide. The object of the spring is to retain the slide and
propeller at whatever part of the pencil case it or they may be left until it or
they is or are moved forward to propel the lead, or backward to receive a
fresh supply into the case.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Lund and Alexander Bain in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 7th May 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
LUND, of Fleet Street, in the City of London, Manufacturer, and ALEX-
ANDER BAIN, of Paddington, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said William Lund and Alexander Bain, Her special licenco that we, the
said William Lund and Alexander Bain, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said William Lund and Alexander Bain,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PENCIL CASES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said William Lund and
Alexander Bain, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under our, or their, or one of our or their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said William Lund and Alexander Bain,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings here-
unto annexed, that is to say:-
Our Invention relates to those pencil cases in which there is a groove or
channel to contain a length of lead or other marking material, and a slot for
a slide and propeller to work in, and push forward the lead as required. And
our Invention consists in forming the slido to propel the lead in such manner
that it shall clip the outside of the case and form a spring, or that it shall be
so shaped on the inside as to form a spring against the sides of the groove in
the pencil case, or that it shall be so formed as to act as a spring both insido
and outside of the pencil case.
'
Our Invention also consists in cutting in or fixing upon the pencil case à
rack, into which a spring clip or propeller takes, in order to propel the lead
forward each time it is moved a distance equal to the length of the division
between the teeth of the rack. Our spring clips may be formed to answer
both as slide and propeller, or the propeller may be in a separate piece, and
connected to the slide. The object of the spring is to retain the slide and
propeller at whatever part of the pencil case it or they may be left, until it or
they is or are moved forward to propel the lead, or backward to receive á
fresh supply into the case.
In the Drawings hereunto annexed we shew the manner in which we carry
our Invention into effect.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a pencil case with one of our spring
slides, made to clip the outside of the case, and which forms at the same time
slide and propeller; Figure 2 is a transverse section through the line a, b, of
Figure 1; and Figure 3 is an end view of the slide and propeller detached.
The pencil case has a groove formed in it throughout its entire length for
the reception of a lead or other suitable marking material; it has also a slot
running parallel with the groove for the arm c of the propeller to travel in.
The slide propeller is formed of one piece of metal brought into the form
shewn in Figure 3, the edges of which are not united. On placing the slide
over the pencil case, and the propeller and arm into the groove and slot, the
edges are further separated from each other, and the slide is thus made to
clip the outside of the case, and form a spring sufficiently strong to resist any
pressure which may be fairly exerted upon it through the lead when writing
or marking with it. As fast as the lead wears at the point of the case, so a
fresh supply is protruded by pushing forward the slide. Figures 4, 5, and G

page_text: are modifications of the spring slide propeller, Figure 3; Figure 7 is a
section, and Figure 8 an external clevation, of another of our pencil cases
ftted with a slide, made to form a spring upon the outside of the case, and
connected to a separate propeller; Figure 9 is a cross section through the
line a, b, of Figure 7; Figure 10 is a view of the propeller detached; and
Figure 11 is a detached view of the slide and propeller connected together.
The slide here is composed of one piece of metal bent into the curved form
shewn at Figure 9; the two sides of the slide are hollowed out, as shewn at
Figures 8 and 11, for the sake of lightness and neatness; an aperture is made
in the top of the slide for the reception of the stud c¹ on the arm of the
propeller; or we make a propeller of a rod bent or curved, so as to form a
spring when inserted in the groove, and we use this propeller by itself or in
conjunction with one of our spring slides. Figure 10" is a plan of one of
these propellers. Figuro 12 is an external elevation, Figure 18 a section,
of another of our pencil cases, in which the propeller is made to form a spring
against the inside of the groove for containing the lead. The propeller is in
the form of a split rod, one end of which carries an arm which forms the slide,
and rises through the slot, as in the cases before described. The particular
form of the propeller and slide is shown in the detached views, Figure 14.
The pencil case is here shewn with a cover or cap A. Figure 15 is an
external elevation, Figure 16 a plan, and Figure 17 a longitudinal section,
of another of our pencil cases, in which an external spring is fitted to the arm
of the propeller, and takes into a rack cut upon or fixed on to the pencil case.
Figure 18 is a side elevation and plan of a method of forming the spring
and propeller in one piece, and Figure 20 is an end view of Figure 18.
Figure 19 shews a method of connecting a separate spring to the propeller.
The rivet a forms a projection for the thumb or finger to press against to
propel the lead. At Figures 21 and 22 we shew, in elevation and section, an
external clip, similar to that shewn at Figures 8 and 11, applied with a rack
only. Here the back end of the slide is bent down to enter into the teeth of
the ratchet, and the arm of the propeller is placed in front thereof, and is not
fastened to it. Figure 23 is a section through a, b, of Figure 21, and
Figure 24 is a detached view of the propeller. Figure 25 is a sectional
clevation, and Figure 26 an external elevation, of a pencil case with another
form of external spring slide and rack; Figure 27 is a detached sectional
view of the slide, and Figure 28 is a section of the slide through the line
a, b, of Figure 26; Figure 29, a section through the line c, d, of Figure 26;
and Figure 30, an end view of the slide. Here the slide is slotted, as seen at
Figure 26, and receives in this slot a pin or stud e rising from the propeller.

page_text: Two cuts are made in the slide, one of which is seen at Figure 27, and the
end of the piece of metal between the two cuts is turned inwards to form a
spring, and take into the teeth of the ratchet. When the slide is in the
position indicated at Figure 26 it is held stationary, and in order to propel
the lead the slide has to be turned round to the extent of the slot, which
allows of the spring piece getting disengaged from the ratchet; when the slide
is pushed down the pencil case to the extent required, the slide is returned.
The spring engages in a tooth of the ratchet, and the slide is there retained
until released, as before explained.
In Figure 31, external elevation, and Figure 32, a section, we shew a
pencil case fitted with a slide, similar to that last described, with the exception
of the slot being inclined in lieu of at right angles to the length of the pencil
case. Figure 38 is an external elevation of one of Riddle's patent pencil
cases, with a spring slide a applied thereto. The slide is formed of a plate or
ribbon of steel with a thread pressed into it, which thread takes into the spiral
groove on the pencil case. The ends of the plate are brought together and
made to overlap, so as to form a spring on the outside of the case.
The
propeller is formed with two rising pieces or shoulders b, b, between which
the slide is inserted. Figure 34 is a view of the propeller detached, and
Figures 35, 36, and 37 are respectively front, back, and side views of the
slide detached. It is not essential for the proper working of our Invention
that the spring slide should travel in a slot parallel with the channel for the
lead, as a spiral groove may be cut through the case, and the spring clip
may be made to travel in it, as shown at Figures 38, 39, and 40.
In Figure 38 a spring slide and a propeller, similar to those shewn at
Figures 10 and 11, are employed; the only difference being that the shoulder
or rising piece is curved or twisted to cause it to adapt itself to the spiral
groove. In Figure 39 a propeller, made to form a spring against the inside
of the case, as in Figures 10* and 14, is shewn; and in Figure 40 the slide
and propeller are in one piece, the slide being so bent as to form a spring on
the outside of the case. Figure 41 is a detached view of the plate before
being bent to form the spring slide and propeller; and Figure 42 is a view of
the slide and propeller, shewn detached.
And having now described the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, we declare that we do not limit ourselves
to any of the precise forms of slide or slide and propeller herein-before
described, and represented in the Drawings annexed, as the same may be
varied without departing from the features of our Invention; but we claim
as our improvements in pencil cases, the adaptation thereto of a slide or slide

page_text: and propeller, so constructed and fitted as to form a spring either on the
outside or the inside of the case, or both on the outside and inside thereof,
whether used separately or in combination with a rack upon the case.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Lund, for myself and on behalf
of the said Alexander Bain, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this t
Sixth day of May, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
WILLIAM LUND. (L.S.)