A Protector Ring or Guard for Penholders.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 9th June, 1892-Accepted, 9th July, 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Protector Ring or Guard for Penholders.
I, HERMANN BORSCHEL of 10 Meterstrasse, Hanover, in the Empire of
Germany, Gentleman, 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 this invention is an india rubber or other suitable elastic ring
protector or guard for penholders which is advantageously made of vulcanized india
rubber or of any other suitable flexible material or imitations of india rubber.
The ring or guard is made in different sizes and can be placed over any penholder
of suitable thickness and form the ring being pushed along the same until it reaches
that part of the penholder upon which the fingers generally bear when writing: the
ring thus affords to the index finger a rest whereby the writing gains in uniformity.
Many writers unwittingly grasp their penholders too tightly after prolonged and
rapid writing and hence do not hold the same in its proper position. There arises
soon therefrom a constrained cramp like feeling in the hand (writer's cramp) which
prevents any more writing being done.
This inconvenient and painful condition cannot exist while using my improved
ring or guard as by bearing the index finger against the same the penholder can be
readily held and guided between the thumb and the middle finger so that no turning
or shifting of the penholder can take place against the will of the writer.
This improved ring or guard is particularly useful for young scholars and
beginners in the art of writing as it enables them to hold the penholder more firmly
and securely.
This ring or guard moreover promotes the proper extension of the index finger
while at the same time preventing the crippled position of the fingers (Figure a).
Furthermore this ring serves to prevent the over filling of the pen as by slightly
shifting the same forward or backward on the penholder the depth to which the
latter is to be dipped in the ink-pot according to the height of the ink therein can
be very accurately regulated.
The soiling spotting or smearing of the fingers with ink is also efficiently pre-
vented by the improved ring or writing guard as owing to its being firmly mounted
on the penholder it forms a water tight barrier to the immersed pen.
The use of my improved ring brings forth still another advantage the irregular
and faulty dipping thereof in the ink pot being prevented as the penholder is
dipped in the ink until this ring comes in contact with the top of the ink pot.
Finally this ring or guard prevents when the penholder is laid down surrounding
objects from being smeared with ink while its angular form also prevents the
penholder from rolling when placed on the table, desk or bench.
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 :-
A protector ring or guard for penholders and the like characterized by a ring
placed on the lower end of the penholder made of vulcanized india rubber or other
suitable flexible material and formed in such a manner as to afford a convenient
extended position to the index finger to regulate the dipping of the penholder in
the ink vessel or pot and to prevent when the said penholder is laid down the
surrounding articles or objects from being smeared with ink while at the same time
impeding the rolling motion of the penholder substantially in the manner and

page_text: for the purposes herein before described and illustrated in the drawings hereunt
annexed.
Dated this 9th day of June 1892.
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.