AN IMPROVED INKSTAND
Year: 1872

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
18th November 1872.-A communication from abroad by Alfred
Jean Marie Joseph Rondel, of Paris, France.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED INKSTAND," a commu-
nication, to be as follows:-
The object of the present Invention is the novel construction of an
inkstand, which may be called "The Economical Inkstand," and which is
herein-after described. This novel inkstand is characterized by the fact
of having its cover always closed except at the moment when the is
pen
dipped therein, at which moment it rises under the slightest possible
pressure of the finger upon a lever placed in front of the block or stand
which contains the ink pot. This lever carries a kind of tappet whose
extremity presses upon a slight projection formed in the lower face of
the cover, which is thus kept raised during the time necessary for dipping
the pen in the ink. The cover falls by its own weight immediately the
hand is withdrawn from the said lever, and the inkstand is thus auto-
matically closed.

page_text: The numerous advantages of this Invention will be readily understood.
The ink is preserved by the constant closing of the cover from a too
rapid evaporation which in a short time would destroy its fluidity. And
from the action of dust and foreign bodies which deteriorate the best
inks, evils inherent to all other known inkstands which may be left
unclosed through forgetfulness, a circumstance that cannot happen
with this Invention, the closing thereof being effected automatically, and
its opening taking place only at the exact moment and during the very
short time when the same is used.
This improved inkstand is highly economical with regard to the con-
sumption of ink by reason of the diminution of the evaporation resulting
from its employment.
The aforesaid block or stand may be of any desired form, and may be
made of wood, metal, or other material; it supports both the fixed and
moving parts of the apparatus. The said block is recessed to receive the
ink pot, the counterweight of the cover, and the aforesaid lever which is
preferably U formed, and is provided with a pedal-like piece for the band
to act on at the moment when the ink is to be taken from the inkstand.
For this purpose the pedal carries at its lowest portion two metal
knife edges which rest at the bottom of two grooves made in the block. 1
The said pedal is furthermore fixed upon the extremity of the two
arms of the bent lever, whose curved portion carries the aforesaid
tappet which presses upon the small projection on the cover, the said
projection being curved and soldered upon the said cover. The latter is
jointed to the block by suitable pins, and has behind the hinge the afore-
said counterweight, which when the cover is raised enters a recess or
bed made in the block, and coming in contact with the lever prevents
the turning over of the cover. The said counterweight being insufficient
alone to maintain the equilibrium of the cover, as soon as the pedal is
relieved from pressure the cover falls by its own weight, and the a
automatic closing of the inkstand is thus insured.
The pedal has a weight sufficient to balance the part of the lever on
the opposite side of the knife edges, so that the slightest possible pressure
will suffice for raising the cover.