AN IMPROVED INSTRUMENT, COMPRISING A PEN, PENCIL, KNIFE BLADE, AND INDIA-RUBBER ERASER
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVED INSTRUMENT, COMPRISING A PEN, PENCIL, KNIFE BLADE,
AND INDIA-RUBBER ERASER." A communication from abroad by Sidney C.
Thompson, of the City and State of New York, United States of America.
Sealed the 13th July 1877, and dated the 4th May 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th May 1877.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED INSTRUMENT, COMPRISING A
PEN, PENCIL, KNIFE BLADE, AND INDIA-RUBBER ERASER." A communication from
abroad by Sidney C. Thompson, of the City and State of New York, United
States of America.
This Invention relates to a combined pen, pencil, knife blade, and india-rubber
eraser, mounted in a holder. By this Invention one holder may be made to contain
a pen for writing, a pencil, a knife blade, and india-rubber, conveniently and
compactly arranged, so that each one of these articles may be used independently
of the others without interfering with each other.
In practising my Invention I construct a tubular holder provided with a section
which has a knife blade firmly fixed at one end, and an india-rubber eraser fitted at
the other end. This section is provided with a collar between its ends, and may
have either end inserted into the said holder. When the end with the blade is
inserted the india-rubber eraser is exposed for use, and when the end with the said
eraser is inserted, the blade is exposed for use; the collar on the said section
limits the extent of its insertion into the holder. A second section, forming part of
the said instrument, has one end provided with a pen and the other end with a
pencil. This second section, like the first-named section, may be inserted by either
of its ends into the holders, so that when the pencil end is inserted the pen will be
exposed for use, and when the pen end is inserted the pencil will be in position for
use, and when the knife blade of one section, and the pen of the other section are
inserted into the holder, and the ends of the pencil reversed, so that its sharpened
Prine G71

page_text: end may be received within the section to which it is attached, the holder with its
appointments may be carried in the pocket without inconvenience.
The pencil and india-rubber eraser are removable, and may be replaced at
pleasure when worn. Instead of providing one of the sections with a knife blade,
the instrument may be modified as follows, that is to say, it may have one section
having a pen at one end and eraser at the other end of the section, and a second
section with a pencil only, the opposite end of this pencil section being closed. If
desired the pencil end of the section may have screw threads formed upon it to
facilitate the securing and adjustment of the pencil; or the tubular handle may be
provided with a slot formed in it, and with a ring around it, with a pin inserted
through the said ring and slot into a slide within the holder, into which slide the
pencil is fixed, so that the pencil may slide in and out of the holder as in ordinary
pencils, the eraser and pen remaining as last above described; or the pin may be
affixed to a slide instead of the pencil, and the pencil with an eraser secured to one
of its ends may be inserted directly into one end of the holder, which may be slotted
to receive pencils of various sizes.
If desired the tubular holder may be constructed with slots, so that the knife
blade, the pencil, and the pen may be projected from the ends of the holder as they
may be required, each one working independently of the other, and to prevent one
instrument from pushing out another when it is being slipped out of the holder
notches are formed at the ends of the said slots in the holder.
According to another modification of my Invention a slot may be formed in the
holder with an offset which opens into a second slot parallel with the first named
slot, so that a slide within the holder may cause to project outwards, at either end
of the holder, the knife blade or the pencil, as may be desired, the pen and eraser
being secured to a section which is fitted into the end of the holder in the manner
above described.

page_text: Figure 5 represents a holder with a slide combined with the pen, so that the said
pen may move in and out at one end of the holder, and a knife blade combined
with a slide and slot, so that it may work in and out of the other end of the holder,
and a pencil combined with a slide and slot, so that it may work out of the end of
the said holder.
Figure 6 shews a holder, on one end of which is fitted a section, with a pen at one
end and a rubber eraser at the other end, the said holder having a slot formed in it,
which allows a pencil and a knife blade to be moved out of the holder alternately
at each end of the game.
Similar letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the Drawing.
A is a tubular holder provided with a section B, which has a knife blade a firmly
fixed at one end, and an india-rubber eraser 6 fitted at the other end. This section
is provided with a collar c between its ends, and may be inserted at either end into
the holder A. When the end with the blade is inserted the india-rubber eraser b is
exposed for use, and when the end with the rubber eraser is inserted the blade is
exposed for use, the collar c on the section limiting the extent of its insertion into
the holder; C is a second section, one end of which is provided with a pen e, and
the other end with a pencil d.
This second section, like the first-named section, may be inserted by either of its
ends into the holder, so that when the pencil end is inserted the pen will be exposed
for use, and when the pen end is inserted the pencil will be in position for use; and
when the knife blade of one section, and the pen of the other section are inserted
into the holder, and the ends of the pencil reversed, so that its sharpened end may
be received within the section to which it is attached, the holder, with its appoint-
ments, may be carried in the pocket without inconvenience.
The pencil and rubber eraser are removable, and may be replaced at pleasure when
worn. Instead of providing one of the sections with a knife blade the instrument may
be constructed as shown in Figure 2, that is to say, it may be provided with one
section D having a pen c¹ at one end and eraser f¹ at the other end of the section,
and a second section E with a pencil g¹ only, the opposite end of this pencil section
being closed. If desired the pencil end of the section may have screw threads
formed upon it, as shown in Figure 2, to facilitate the securing and adjustment of
the pencil, or the tubular handle A may (as shown in Figure 3) have a slot ƒ formed
in it, and a ring g around it, with a pin inserted through the ring and slot into
a slide h within the holder; into this slide the pencil is fixed, so that the
pencil may slide in and out of the holder as in ordinary pencils, the eraser
and pen remaining, as last described; or the pen may be affixed to a slide h¹
instead of the aforesaid pencil, and the pencil with an eraser secured to one of
its ends may be inserted directly into one end of the holder A, which may be
slotted, as at 6¹, to receive pencils of various sizes (see Figure 4).
If desired the tubular holder A may be constructed with slots i, j, k, (as
shown in Figure 5) so that the knife blade, the pencil, and the pen may be
projected from the ends of the holder as required, each one working independently
of the other; and to prevent the pushing out of one instrument by another when it
is being slipped out of the holder, notches are formed at the ends of the slots i, j, k,
in the said holder.
If desired another modification of my improved pen and pencil holder may be
made as follows, that is to say, it may have a slot m which extends half the
length of the holder, where, by an offset n, it opens into a second slot o parallel with
the first-named slot, so that a slide 2 within the holder may project outwards at
either end of the holder, the knife blade or the pencil, as may be desired, the pen
and eraser being secured to a section G, which is fitted into the end of the holder in
the same manner as above described. This modification of my combined instru-
ments is shewn in Figure 6.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my

page_text: foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,
First. A pencil case, combined with two detachable sections, one of which sections
is provided with a knife blade and an eraser, and the other section with a pen and
pencil, as above set forth.
Second. A pencil case provided at one end with a removable section, to which is
fitted a pencil, and at the other end with a removable section fitted with a pen and
eraser, as above set forth.
Third. A pencil case with a removable section, having an india-rubber eraser and
pen, and provided with a slot and slide to protrude a pencil from the other end, as
above set forth.
Fourth. A pencil case provided with a slotted slide to project a pen from one end
of the case, the other end of the pencil case being slotted, to receive wooden pencils
of various sizes, as above set forth.
Fifth. A pencil case constructed with three slots and slides, one slide projecting a
knife blade, a second projecting a pen, and a third a pencil, as above set forth.
Sixth. A pencil case constructed with a slot extending nearly the entire length
of the case, and a slide whereby a pencil or a knife blade may be projected from the
end of the case, and a removable section with pen at one end and eraser at the
other, fitting into one end of the pencil case, as above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of October, in the year of our Lord,
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.