An Improved Ink Stand.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Nov., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 10th Aug., 1891-Accepted. 19th Sept.
1801
VISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Ink Stand.
I, WILLIAM JAMES SAWYER of Elmfield, Selhurst Road, South Norwood, in
the County of Surrey Gas Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
My invention relates to an improved inkstand and has for its object to preserve
5 the reserve store of ink from contact with the air and so prevent chemical and
physical changes which cause the ink to thicken and at the same time maintain a prac-
tically constant quantity of ink in a small dipping well from which the pen is
supplied.
My invention consists essentially in the employment, for containing the reserve
of ink, of a vessel which is collapsible under the atmospheric pressure and so
permits the ink to flow out spontaneously into the dipping well as fast as it is con-
sumed therefrom without the admission of any air within the reservoir to take the
place of the outflowing ink, the vessel being made of a material impervious to air
so that all contact of the air with the contents is prevented. The dipping well is
connected with the collapsible reservoir by a flexible tube, and the invention com-
prises means whereby the relative positions of the reservoir and dipping well may be
adjusted from time to time as required, to maintain the ink in the well at a constant
level as the contents of the reservoir become diminished in quantity. For this
purpose, the dipping well may either be lowered or the reservoir may be raised by
a suitable means of adjustment and to render this adjustment as infrequent as
possible, the reservoir is of such form as to contain a considerable quantity with a
very low head or column so that the withdrawal of even a considerable portion of
its contents will not appreciably affect the level of the ink in the dipping well.
The reservoir is made of indiarubber or other flexible and impervious material
and a suitable form for the purpose is a cylindrical bottle laid horizontally in a
cradle which, if the height of the reservoir is to be adjustable with regard to the
lipping well, is supported by screws, cams, or a system of levers operated from
without the external casing in which the reservoir is enclosed.
Dated this 8th day of November 1200.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Ink Stand.
I, WILLIAM JAMES SAWYER of Elmfield, Selhurst Road, South Norwood in
the County of Surrey, Gas Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to an improved inkstand and has for its object to
prevent contact of the air with the bulk of the ink (in order to prevent the ink
undergoing the chemical and physical changes which cause it to thicken) and at
the same time maintain a practically constant quantity of ink in a small well in
which the pen is dipped.
My invention consists essentially in the employment, for containing the ink, of a
vessel which is entirely closed except in respect of its connection with the dipping
well, but which is collapsible under the external atmospheric pressure, and so
[Price 8d.]

page_text: permits the ink to flow spontaneously into the dipping well without the admission
of any air to take the place of the outflowing ink, so that all contact of the air
with the contents of the vessel is prevented, the small quantity of ink contained in
the dipping well only being exposed. The dipping well is connected with the
collapsible reservoir by a tube, and the invention also comprises means whereby
the relative positions of the reservoir and dipping well may be adjusted from time
to time as required to maintain the ink in the well at a constant level as the
contents of the reservoir become diminished in quantity. For this purpose the
dipping well may either be lowered, or the reservoir may be raised by a suitable
means of adjustment, and to render this adjustment as infrequent as possible the
reservoir is of a flattened or horizontal form so as to contain a considerable
quantity with a very low head or column so that whether the reservoir be full or
nearly empty the level of the ink in the dipping well will not be appreciably affected.
The reservoir is made of flexible and impervious material preferably india-
rubber and a suitable form for the purpose is a flattened or cylindrical bulb laid
horizontally and supported in a cradle adjustable in the vertical direction for the
purpose of varying the height of the reservoir with regard to the dipping well.
This adjustment may be effected by various means, one being a system of levers
hereafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings forming part of
this Specification wherein I have illustrated one example of my invention. I would,
however, have it understood that I do not limit myself to this particular means of
adjustment as various other mechanical contrivances may be adopted to attain the
same end.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation and Figure 14 a cross section of
the inkstand, the ink reservoir being full and in its lowermost position.
Figure 2 is a similar view, the reservoir being nearly empty and in its highest
position.
Figure 3 is a plan showing three such inkstands side by side in one casing, one of
them being in section to show the reservoir elevating mechanism.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.
A is the collapsible oblong ink reservoir preferably made of indiarubber pro-
vided with an outflow tube B of the same material leading from the underside of
the vessel A and enlarged at its outer end to form the dipping well C which is
supported in a cup formed on the front of the inner casing D in which the elevating
mechanism is mounted. The reservoir A. lies in a cradle E having a longitudinal
slot to give passage to the tube B when placing the reservoir in the cradle. This
cradle is in this example supported on two pairs of bell crank levers FF, F¹ F¹
working on centres at f, their long arms being pivoted to the cradle at f¹
and the back pair being fast on the same axis and their short arms
connected to the short arms of the other pair by links f³ so that both
pairs work together with a parallel motion in order to maintain a horizontal
position of the cradle. To a yoke fattached to the front pair of levers is con-
nected an adjusting rod g which may be a rack rod or may be conveniently
operated by a milled nut G screwing on the threaded part of the rod and abutting
against the front end of the casing D so as by its revolution to move the rod g and
oscillate the levers F F¹ to raise the cradle. In the example shown the casing D
fits in an outer casing H from which it may be withdrawn to facilitate refilling
the reservoir.
Instead of this elevating motion of the reservoir the dipping well C might be
carried by a vertically sliding support fitted to work in guides on the casing and
operated by an adjusting screw or other means may be adopted of raising and
lowering it with regard to the reservoir.
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:
1st. An inkstand consisting of a closed, collapsible containing vessel connected

page_text: o̟y a tube with an open dipping well, substantially as specified, the vessel and
dipping well being adjustable as to height relatively to one another by any suitable
means.
2nd. The herein described inkstand consisting of a horizontal, closed, collapsible,
containing vessel connected by a flexible tube with an open dipping well in com-
bination with a supporting cradle vertically adjustable with regard to the
dipping well.
3rd. The herein described inkstand consisting of a horizontal, closed, collapsible
containing vessel connected by a flexible tube with an open dipping well, in com-
bination with a supporting cradle carried and rendered vertically adjustable by
pairs of levers operated substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 10th day of August 1801
W. J. SAWYER.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.