Improvements in Lead or Crayon Holders.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Oct., 1892-Accepted, 19th Nov., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Lead or Crayon Holders.
I, JAMES YATE JOHNSON of 47 Lincoln's Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention which has been com-
municated to me from abroad by The Eagle Pencil Company of the City County
and State of New York in the United States of America and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :―
The holder to which this invention is applicable is one which has a step by step
positive feed for the lead or crayon.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a side elevation (with part broken away) of a pencil or crayon holder
which is arranged according to this invention in the manner preferred.
Figure 2 is an elevation of the mechanism with the sheath in section shewing
the side where the longitudinal slots of the guide tube and receiver are situated.
Figure 3 is a like view of the mechanism with the sheath in section shewing the
side where the pin, and inclined slot connection between the guide tube and receiver
is situated.
Figure 4 is a cross section on the line 4-4 Figure 2.
Figure 5 is a view of the lead follower detached and
Figure 6 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the upper part of the guide tube
and receiver in the plane of the pin and that portion of the inclined slot in which
the pin normally stands.
In Figure 2, the parts in normal position are represented by full lines; the
dotted lines exhibiting the position assumed by the parts when the spring retracted
pressure cap is partly depressed or pushed forward.
In Figure 3 the parts are represented in the position they assume when the cap
is fully depressed to accomplish the step by step feed.
A is the tubular sheath or handle which may be of any suitable size, con-
figuration and material. In this instance it is supposed to be of wood to resemble
an ordinary wooden pencil.
B is the tubular receiver fixed within the handle. It is provided with the
longitudinal slot a bounded on one side by ratchet teeth b.
C is the guide tube contained within, and longitudinally moveable with respect
to the receiver B. It has a longitudinal slot c.
The rear end of the guide tube, which projects beyond the sheath is surrounded
by a ferrule f mounted upon and secured to the rear end of the sheath; and on the
end of the guide tube is a pressure cap 9 which can be moved to and fro in the
ferrule. A retracting spring s confined as usual between the end of the sheath and
a shoulder on the guide tube holds the parts in the normal position shewn in
Figures 1 and 2.
Within the guide tube is a lead follower D which is shewn as consisting of a
cylinder which at its front end merely abuts against the rear end of the lead X
(although if desired it may be provided with a socket to receive the end of the
lead) it should fit somewhat snugly in the guide tube so as not to be loose therein,
and for this purpose is provided with expanding spring or friction jaws d which bear
outwardly against the guide tube and prevent the follower from moving except
when force is applied to it. A tooth or detent e on the follower projects out
through the slot c of the guide tube into the slot a of the receiver.
The slot c in the guide tube is just wide enough to permit the passage of the
detent e without cramping; and the follower in this way will be compelled to
partake of any rotary movement of the guide tube. The slot a in the receiver is

page_text: considerably wider than the slot in the guide tube, wide enough in fact to offer a
straight unobstructed passage to the follower-tooth or detent when the latter is
moved laterally out of engagement with the teeth 6 of the receiver.
The pin and inclined slot connection between the receiver and guide tube is as
follows-
which
In the receiver is what may be described in general terms as a V sloth
extends in the direction of the length of the receiver. And the guide tube is
provided with a pin i which enters the slot, the normal position of this pin being at
the rear end of the rear leg h of the V slot. When the pressure cap is pushed
forward by the time it has been advanced to the position shewn in Figure 2 in
dotted lines, the guide tube will have been advanced far enough to cause the pin i
to fully traverse the inclined leg h of the V slot, with the effect of simultaneously
advancing the follower D (and consequently the lead) and at the same time giving
the follower through the intermediary of the guide tube a movement of partial
rotation sufficient to carry its detent or tooth e to one side of the row of teeth b
and into the unobstructed portion of the slot a the follower being at the same time
carried forward a distance of one tooth. In this position the parts are shewn in
Figure 2 by dotted lines.
By continuing to push upon the pressure cap the pin i is caused to traverse the
other and oppositely inclined leg of the V slot with the effect of causing a partial
rotation of the guide tube in a direction to bring the follower into engagement with
the tooth on the receiver to which it had been advanced by the preceding move-
ment. The parts in this position are shewn in Figure 3. In this way the lead is
held in its protruded position.
Manifestly however, if the V slot were a simple V slot with parallel sides then
upon release of the pressure cap the springs in retracting the guide tube would
cause partial rotation of the latter with the effect practically of returning the parts
to the position from which they started. It is therefore necessary that upon the
return movement of the guide tube the pin i should travel in a straight path so as
not to impart rotation to the tube.
To provide for this I form towards the forward end of the leg h³ of the ✓ slot a
return slot having converging sides and extending back directly towards the rear
end of the leg h of the V slot. The pin i itself is spring yielding and can play up
and down in the hole in the guide tube through which it protrudes. Its outer end
is slightly bevelled as seen at Figure 6 and the edge of the material which
bounds the upper end of the return slot is also slightly bevelled as indicated at j
Figure 6.
The consequence of this arrangement is that when after the parts have been
brought to the position shewn in Figure 3, the pressure cap is released and the
retracting spring draws back the guide tube, the pin i will pass back not through
the inclined sloth but directly through the return slot h2; and when it reaches.
the upper end of the latter, it will be depressed by the action of the bevel ; upon
its outer bevelled end i¹ and consequently will ride under the solid portion of the
tube intervening between that point and the rear end of the leg h of the V slot,
and finally passing from beneath that solid portion will snap into the rear end of
the leg thus returning to normal position without having imparted rotary move-
ment to the guide tube. The rear end of the leg h of the slot has a square shoulder
against which the pin i will squarely abut. Without this however there would be
no danger of the pin passing back of this point because the rearward movement of
the pressure cap is limited and ceases before the pin could get back beyond the end
of the slot.
When after the pencil has been used, it is desired to push the lead back into the
sheath, all that is needed is to push the pressure cap about half way forward to
bring the follower to the position shown by dotted lines in Figure 2. In this
position of parts, the lead can be pushed back by pressure upon its outer end;
after which the pressure cap is released and allowed to resume its normal
position.

page_text: In lieu of the spring yielding pin arrangement, the pin can be made rigid and the
portion of the shell of the receiver under which the pin passes back can be made
yielding. Such an arrangement is manifestly the equivalent of that hereinbefore
described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is.―
The combination of the sheath or case; the slotted and toothed receiver; the
slotted guide tube longitudinally moveable within the receiver; the toothed
follower contained and frictionally held in the guide tube; the pin and slot
connection between the guide tube and the receiver consisting of the V slot h
and return slot 2 in the one part and the pin i for engaging said slot on the other
part for co-operating as described the pressure cap and the retracting spring,
substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.
Dated this 11th day of October 1892.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
Agents.