Improvements in or in connection with Pencils or Pencil Cases.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 5th June, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 10th July, 1896-Accepted, 15th Aug., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or in connection with Pencils or Pencil Cases.
A communication by BYRON BENJAMIN GOLDSMITH, of 19 East 74th Street,
New York, in the County and State of New York, United States of America,
Manufacturer.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, 118 New Street Birmingham
in the County of Warwick and 322 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The invention has reference to improvements in propelling lead pencils con-
structed with either a wooden or metallic holder or mantle, and a sleeve or hand
piece movable screw fashion over the mantle and practically from one end to the
other. This sleeve or hand piece engages the pencil holder proper or carrier
which is located within the axle bore of the mantle and a portion of which projects
through a longitudinal slot in the mantle.
With this construction the pencil will be held against rearward movement in the
act of writing in any position, and if the point is used up, a short turn of the sleeve
upon the mantle or of the mantle within the sleeve, will project another portion of
the pencil ready for use.
Dated this 4th day of June 1896.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.
A communication by BYRON BENJAMIN GOLDSMITH, of 19 East 74th Street,
New York, in the County and State of New York, United States of America,
Manufacturer.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, 118 New Street, Birmingham
in the County of Warwick and 322 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineer, 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 invention has reference to improvements in propelling lead pencils con-
structed with either a wooden or metallic holder or mantle, and a sleeve or hand
piece movable screw fashion over the mantle and practically from one end to the
other. This sleeve or band piece engages the pencil holder proper or carrier
which is located within the axis of the bore of the mantle and a portion of which
projects through a longitudinal slot in the mantle.
Price 1

page_text: on the penet wil be nem against rearward movement in the
act of writing in any position, and if the point is used up, a short turn of the sleeve
upon the mantle or of the mantle within the sleeve, will project another portion of
the pencil ready for use.
This improved propelling lead pencil is illustrated in tho accompanying drawings
in which:
Figure 1, is a side view of the improved lead pencil;
Figure 2, a similar view, partly in section and on an enlarged scale, of a portion
of the pencil;
Figure 3, a longitudinal section on the line x-x of Fig. 2;
Figure 4, a perspective view of the lead carrier;
Figure 5, a central longitudinal section of the front end of the pencil;
Figure 6, a side view, partly in longitudinal section, of a modified forn: of the
mantle,
Figure 7, a side view of another modified form of mantle, also showing the
propeller in longitudinal section, and
Figures 8 and 9, are side views of other modified form of the pencil.
Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figures 1, 2 and 3, there is
shown a cylindrical mantle 1, having an exterior helical groove 2, extending from
the front, tapering end 3, to near the rear end thereof, where the groove terminates
at the usual metallic ferrule 4, the latter carrying an erasive rubber 5. As shown
in Figs. 2 and 3, the mantle has an axial, longitudinal bore 6, large enough to
receive a marking lead 7, and extending radially from this bore to the outer
surface of the mantle there is a longitudinal slot 8, commencing at the front end of
the nozzle 3, and terminating at the ferrule 4. In the wall of the bore,
diametrically opposite the slot 8, there is formed a longitudinal shallow groove 8',
co-extensive with the slot.
Surrounding the mantle there is a short sleeve or exterior lead propeller 9,
having near one end a short inwardly projecting rib 10, set at an angle so as to
conform to the helical groove 2. This rib 10, enters the groove 2, and when the
sleeve 9, is turned around the mantle, it will be propelled forward or backward
according to the direction of rotation, the groove 2, and rib 10, coacting as a
screw-feed for the propeller 9. In order to facilitate the manipulation of this
sleeve, there is a milled annular rib 11, formed on it; the sleeve has also formed in
it, at the end opposite to that in which the rib 10, is formed, an interior, annular
groove 12, the purpose of which will presently appear.
Within the bore 6, of the mantle there is a lead carrier, best shown in Figures 3
and 4, and consisting of a flat metal strip 13, having a prolongation 14, of less
width, which is forked so as to form two opposing prongs or jaws 15, all made in a
single piece and preferably stamped out of a piece of sheet metal. The lead 7, has
its butt end forced between the jaws 15, where it is held with sufficient friction to
prevent it from being loosened by any ordinary use to which the pencil is sub-
jected. The lower edge of the lead-carrier travels in and is guided by the
groove 8', in the wall of the central bore 6, opposite the slot 8, and the plate 13,
enters the said slot and has formed on its upper edge a short tooth 16, which
projects into the interior groove 12, in the sleeve 9.
It will now be seen that when the sleeve 9, is rotated and consequently fed in
one direction or the other by the co-operation of the groove 2, and rib 10, the lead
carrier will be moved longitudinally in the mantle being prevented from turning
with the sleeve 9, by the slot 8, and groove 81, and the lead will be projected into
position for use or withdrawn into the mantle, according to the direction of rotation
of the sleeve.
By forming the lead carrier as described, and providing the mantle with the
slot 8, and groove 81, into both of which the carrier extends, the bore 6 can be
made only large enough to receive the lead easily and at the same time support it
along its entire length.
Heretofore lead carriers have been made tubular and the central bore was made

page_text: considerably larger than the lead so as to receive the carrier, while the front end
of the bore was contracted to fit the lead. The lead was, therefore, only supported
at the front and rear and would easily break if the pencil accidentally fell.
By this construction this objectionable feature is entirely obviated, since the
lead is supported at all points throughout its length.
It will also be seen that the lead carrier is always locked against movement
from the pressure used in writing, by the rib 10, engaging in the groove 2.
In the form of pencil shown, the slot 8, extends to the extreme forward end of
the nozzle, and in this instance the lead carrier may be inserted at the front end
and the propeller sleeve slipped over it.
By this construction the strength of the mantle at the front end is slightly
impaired so that the pressure of the hand applied to the mantle in the act of
writing may sometimes force the walls of the slot together while the pressure of
the lead in the act of writing might force the walls of the slot apart. This may
be avoided by using a conical sleeve 17, shown in Figure 5, which may be secured
over the nozzle 3 in the usual manner, and this sleeve may have an inwardly
With
projecting portion 18, extending into the slot 8, and just filling the same.
the use of such sleeve either the collapsing or the expanding of the forward end of
the holder is prevented. It is evident that the slot 8, need not extend through the
nozzle in which case, however, it must extend through the rear end of the mantle;
and in such case the ferrule 4, will be provided with the little plate or block 18,
which is now shown as a part of the nozzle sleeve 17. This, or some similar
means, for preventing the collapsing or expanding of either the front or the rear
end of the mantle, while useful, is not really essential.
The mantle may be made of various materials and in the form set forth in the
foregoing description it may be assumed that it is made of wood, in which case,
the helical groove 2, which constitutes the guide for the sleeve 9, may be formed
by a suitable tool in any well known manner. If, however, the mantle is made of
any material that may be molded into shape, such for instance as hard rubber or
celluloid, the groove 2, may be formed directly by the mold.
The mantle may also be formed of metal in which case the walls may be quite
thin, as indicated in Fig. 6, and the groove 2, may be spun or pressed into the
exterior surface of the mantle in any well known manner.
My correspondent does not necessarily confine himself to the use of a helical
groove to feed the sleeve 9, since he may form on the exterior of the mantle a
helical ridge 2', as shown in Fig. 7, and the inwardly projecting rib 10, on the
sleeve 9, may enter between two adjacent turns of this ridge, which, in such case,
performs the function of the groove 2. This ridge 21, may be molded or spun on
the mantle, according to the materials used in the construction of the same, or it
may consist of a flexible strip wound around the mantle and secured thereto in any
suitable manner.
In Figs. 8 and 9, the sleeve or propeller 9 is shown, provided with an interior
helical groove 18, extending from end to end of the sleeve, and on the mantle there
is formed a line of pins or projections 20, as in Fig. 8, or short inclined ridges 21,
as in Fig. 9, spaced and shaped to conform to the groove 19, in the sleeve. It will
be seen, at once, that if the sleeve be rotated and the mantle held fast, or, what is
the same thing, if the sleeve be held fast and the mantle be rotated, the sleeve will
be fed along the mantle by the pins or projections 20, or ridges 21, engaging in
the groove 19. The pins 20 or ridges 21, may extend from the nozzle 3, to the
ferrule 4, in a straight line, or may be otherwise arranged, as desired.
In applying the sleeve 9, to the mantle it is immaterial whether the rib 10, is
toward the front or rear end of the pencil. In Fig. 1, this rib is shown toward the
rear of the pencil, while in Figs. 2 and 3, it is shown toward the front end of the
pencil. Nor is it necessary that the guide 2, extend the whole length of the mantle,
since it need extend only so far as necessary to cause a lead of the length used
with the holder, to be withdrawn entirely into the same; but in order that the

page_text: longest lead possible be used with the holder the guide should extend approximately
the whole length of the same.
This invention is not confined to any particular screw mechanism for feeding the
propeller or sleeve 9, along the mantle, so long as the said screw-feed is exterior
to the mantle. By this invention my correspondent is enabled to construct a pro-
pelling lead-pencil of the screw-feed type, characterized by extreme simplicity and
cheapness of structure and not easily injured.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is-
1. A propelling lead pencil, comprising a mantle, a screw-feed mechanism
exterior to said mantle, and a lead-carrier within the mantle, engaged and actuated
by the screw-feed mechanism, substantially as described.
2. A propelling lead pencil, comprising a mantle having a helical guide or its
equivalent on its exterior, a sleeve or propeller on the mantle engaging the guide,
and capable of being fed along the mantle thereby, and a lead-carrier within the
mantle engaged and actuated by the sleeve or propeller, substantially as described.
3. A propelling lead-pencil, comprising a mantle having a longitudinal slot in
one side a screw-feed mechanism on the exterior of the mantle, and a lead carrier
projecting through the slot into engagement with the screw-feed mechanism and
having one end formed into holding jaws for a lead, substantially as described.
4. A propelling lead pencil, comprising a mantle having a helical guide or its
equivalent on the exterior, a sleeve or propeller on the outside of the mantle,
having an interior annular groove and formed to coact with the mantle to constitute
a screw-feed, and a lead carrier within the mantle having a projecting part
engaging the annular groove in the propeller, substantially as described.
5. A propelling lead pencil comprising a mantle having a longitudinal slot in
one side and a helical groove on its outer surface, a sleeve or propeller on the
outside of the mantle, having an interior annular groove near one end, and near the
other end an inwardly projecting rib conforming to and entering the helical groove,
and a lead carrier in the mantle having a part projecting through the slot and
entering the annular groove in the propeller, substantially as described.
6. In a propelling lead pencil, a lead carrier within the pencil mantle, consisting
of a flat plate of metal formed at one end into two opposing jaws for holding a
marking lead, and widened at the other end for engagement with the propelling
mechanism, of the pencil, substantially as described.
7. A propelling lead pencil, comprising a mantle having a longitudinal slot in
one side and a longitudinal groove in the wall of the bore of the mantle opposite
the slot, a lead carrier within the mantle guided by the slot and groove, and
propelling mechanism for the lead carrier exterior to the mantle, substantially as
described.
DJ of Tal- 1000
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.