Improvements in Elastic Caps for Writing Pens.
Year: 1894

page_text: .
Date of Application, 21st Feb., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 12th July, 1894-Accepted, 18th Aug., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Elastic Caps for Writing Pens.
I, NICHOLAS KARMANOFF, of Milliounaia Street, Gomel, in the District of
Mogileff, Russia, retired Lieutenant Colonel of Artillery, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
With all their real advantages the commonly used writing pens (steel pens, quill
pens and others) are not free from some substantial imperfections, and the object
of my invention is to provide means for removing the same.
It is well known to everybody how the common pens often catch or hook on the
paper, splutter and blot, while hairs and extraneous particles enter into the slit of
the pen (especially when the latter is repeatedly dipped into ink) while, on the
other hand, considering the small supply of ink on the pen, a repeated dipping
cannot be avoided, causing the process of writing to proceed slowly and the writer's
attention to be distracted. When using the elastic cap which forms the subject of
my invention all these disadvantages will disappear.
Fig. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings represent a side and a top view of
the elastic cap (shewn in about double the natural size), and Figs. 3 and 4 are a
front and a side view of the same (also to an enlarged scale) when adapted
to a pen.
From the drawings it will be seen that the cap proposed consists of a hollow
cone a of india rubber (or any other suitable elastic material) having the top
slightly cut off so that when the cap a is mounted on the pen (Figs. 3 and 4) the
nib of the pen will slightly project (about 1 or 2 m.m.).. The cone a, when put on
the pen, lies close against the convex (external) surface band stands off from thre
concave (inner) surface c of the pen, on which it is retained by natural cohesion and
the elasticity of the india rubber.
When using such a cap the tips of the pen, however shaped the latter may be,
are closely surrounded by the india rubber, so that if an unexpected hindrance or
an excessive pressing on the pen would cause them to go asunder, the elasticity of
the cap will greatly contribute to hold the tips in their normal position or to bring
them back into this position. It is evident that a pen provided with the cap
described will easily overcome the roughnesses of the paper, without spluttering,
provided the paper itself be more or less smooth and of good quality. In a like
manner the blots at least as far as produced by pressing the pen excessively on the
paper (whereby the tips of the pen move asunder and the ink drops on the paper)
will be avoided by the use of the elastic cap as this does not allow the tips to go
asunder beyond a certain extent. Finally, owing to the free space between the
iuner surface of the pen and the elastic cap, which, when dipping the pen deeply
enough, is filled in with a sufficient supply of ink, a repeated dipping is rendered
unnecessary, and also there is avoided another unpleasant inconvenience namely the
entering into the slit of the pen of hairs and the like, as this inconvenience increases
in proportion to the number of times the pen is dipped. Thus the cap's curtailed
top affords means for avoiding spluttering and blotting, and secures a smooth
writing, while the larger part of the cap constitutes an ink reservoir open at its
upper end. Experiments have shown that the ink supply is securely held in the
cap and does not run out even if the pen is raised.
By modifying the length of the cap the supply of ink may be increased. Figs. 5
and 6 of the drawings represent pen-holders provided with an elongated cap of india
rubber the cylindrical part thereof closely surrounding the tubular part of the pen-
holder containing a considerable ink supply. In Fig. 5 the ink is poured in the

page_text: hollow metallic holder d when removed from the common wooden handle
e,
the
former being previously provided with the cap a, after which the holder d again
has the end of the wooden handle e fitted to it over which. end the cylindrical part
of the cap a is finally drawn up. Fig. 6 shows a hollow (tubular) penholder which
constitutes itself an ink reservoir. It is evident that in the latter arrangement the
open end of the penholder is to be closed by a stopper f. If the ink should not
easily flow (run) out of the opening in the cap a, the pen needs only to be raised
and the cap slightly pressed on, so that the air may freely enter.
Dated this 21st day of February 1894.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Elastic Caps for Writing Pens.
I, NICHOLAS KARMANOFF of Millionnaia Street, Gomel in the District of
Mogileff, Russia, retired Lieutenant Colonel of Artillery 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 :-
With all their real advantages the commonly used writing pens (steel pens, quill
pens and others) are not free from some substantial imperfections, and the object of
my invention is to provide means for removing the same.
It is well known to everybody how the common pens often catch or hook on the
paper, splutter and blot, while hairs and extraneous particles enter into the slit of
the pen (especially when the latter is repeatedly dipped into ink) while, on the
other hand, considering the small supply of ink on the pen, a repeated dipping
cannot be avoided, causing the process of writing to proceed slowly and the writer's
attention to be distracted. When using the elastic cap which forms the subject of
my invention all these disadvantages will disappear..
Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings accompanying my Provisional Specification
represent a side and a top view of the elastic cap (shewn in about double the
natural size), and Figs. 3 and 4 are a front and a side view of the same (also to an
enlarged scale) when adapted to a pen.
From the drawings it will be seen that the cap proposed consists of a hollow
cone a of india rubber (or any other suitable elastic material) having the top
slightly cut off so that when the cap a is mounted on the pen (Figs. 3 and 4) the
nib of the pen will slightly project (about or 2 m.m.). The cone a, when put on
the pen, lies close against the convex (external) surface band stands off from the
concave (inner) surface c of the pen on which it is retained by natural cohesion and
the elasticity of the india rubber.
When using such a cap the tips of the pen however shaped the latter may be,
are closely surrounded by the india rubber, so that if an unexpected hindrance or
au excessive pressing on the pen would cause them to go asunder, the elasticity of
the cap will greatly contribute to hold the tips in their normal position or to bring
them back into this position. It is evident that a pen provided with. the cap
.described will easily overcome the roughnesses of the paper without spluttering,
provided the paper itself be more or less smooth and of good quality. In a like
manner the blots at least as far as produced by pressing the pen excessively on the
paper (whereby the tips of the pen move asunder and the ink drops on the paper)
will be avoided by the use of the elastic cap as this does not allow the tips to go
asunder beyond a certain extent. Finally, owing to the free space between the
inner surface of the pen and the elastic cap, which, when dipping the pen deeply
enough, is filled in with a sufficient supply of ink, a repeated dipping is rendered
unnecessary, and also there is avoided another unpleasant inconvenience namely the
entering into the slit of the pen of hairs and the like, as this inconvenience increases

page_text: in proportion to the number of times the pen is dipped. Thus the cap's curtailed
top affords means for avoiding spluttering and blotting, and secures a smooth
writing, while the larger part of the cap constitutes an ink reservoir open at its
upper end. Experiments have shewn that the ink supply is securely held in the
cap and does not run out even if the pen is raised.
By modifying the length of the cap the supply of ink may be increased. Figs. 5
and 6 of the drawings represent penholders provided with an elongated cap of india
rubber, the cylindrical part thereof closely surrounding the tubular part of the pen-
holder containing a considerable ink supply. In Fig. 5 the ink is poured in the
hollow metallic holder d when removed from the common wooden handle e, the
former being previously provided with the cap a, after which the holder d again
has the end of the wooden handle e fitted to it over which end the cylindrical part
of the cap a is finally drawn up. Fig. 6 shows a hollow (tubular) penholder which
constitutes itself an ink reservoir. It is evident that in the latter arrangement the
open end of the penholder is to be closed by a stopper f. If the ink should not
easily flow (run) out of the opening in the cap a, the pen needs only to be raised
and the cap slightly pressed on, so that the air may freely enter.
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:
An elastic hollow cap for use in combination with a writing pen, the said cap
being drawn over the pen and so formed as to press with its small open front end
upon the upper side of the split nib of the pen, while between the cap and the
concave underside of the pen a space is formed that constitutes an ink reservoir,
substantially as described.
Dated this 12th day of July 1894
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.