Improvements in Pencil Sharpeners.
Year: 1897

page_text: I, ALEXANDER DONALDSON SPIERS, of 8 Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, in the
County of Middlesex, Financial Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to pencil sharpeners, the object being to make it in the
simplest and cheapest form."
In carrying out the invention I form preferably by stamping out of a single
piece of metal the sharpener in the form of a stirrup, the loop of which will render
it suitable for being attached to a watch chain, or it may be carried loose in the
pocket. The plate at the bottom of the stirrup forms the cutting edge, and is
bevelled inwardly on both sides so as to form the edge and also to protect the fingers
of the user from damage. In order to allow sufficient room for the movement
necessary in pointing the pencil, I prefer to clongate the sides of the stirrup, so that
in appearance this fastener would look like an elongated stirrup instead of one of
the ordinary proportions. However the proportions may be varied according to
requirement.
The sharpener being flat its various faces may be employed for advertising
purposes in any convenient manner, and may be embossed or a pattern or design
or advertisement worked in relief or otherwise, or cut entirely through, and all
parts of it may be shaped for ornamental purposes, and it may be plated or other-
wise painted or enamelled in one or more colours if desired.
Dated this 15th day of Anril 1897
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Pencil Sharpeners.
I, ALEXANDER DONALDSON SPIERS, now of 72 & 73 Gracechurch Street,
London, E.C., formerly of 8 Great Russell Street in the County of Middlesex,
Financial Agent, 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:
_

page_text: This invention relates to pencil sharpeners, the object being to make it in the
simplest and cheapest form."
In carrying out the invention I form preferably by stamping out of a single
piece of metal the sharpener in the form of a stirrup, the loop of which will render
it suitable for being attached to a watch chain, or it may be carried loose in the
pocket. The plate at the bottom of the stirrup forms the cutting edge, and is
bevelled inwardly on both sides so as to form the edge and also to protect the fingers
of the user from damage. In order to allow sufficient room for the movement
necessary in pointing the peucil, I prefer to elongate the sides of the stirrup, so that
in appearance this fastener would look like an elongated stirrup instead of one of
the ordinary proportions. However the proportions may be varied according to
requirement.
The sharpener being flat its various faces may be employed for advertising
purposes in any convenient manner, and may be embossed or a pattern or design
or advertisement worked in relief or otherwise, or cut entirely through, and all
parts of it may be shaped for ornamental purposes, and it may be plated or other-
wise painted or enamelled in one or more colours if desired.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a pencil sharpener constructed according to this
invention.
Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a pencil sharpener adapted to serve also as a
button hook.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
The arms A A¹ of the pencil sharpener have a ring or loop B form at the point
whence they branch their ends, being united by a bridge piece C, the whole being
stamped or otherwise constructed of a single piece of metal and having the appearance
of a stirrup. The bridge piece B is bevelled so as to form a cutting edge D which
is turned towards the central opening E between the arms A A', so that it will not
be liable to come into operation accidentally. The cutting edge D is preferably
formed by a double bevel as shown but a single bevel may be employed if desired.
The arms A A¹ are of such length that ample room is left in the space E for the
free movement between them of the end of the pencil to facilitate the sharpening of
the latter. The device is preferably constructed of hardened steel.
The pencil sharpener need not necessarily be of the particular form shown, as it
might for instance be made triangular, that is to say, with the arms A A¹ straight
instead of curved as shown in the drawings.
In the modification illustrated in Fig. 3 in place of forming the ring B at the
point where the arms A A¹ branch an extension which may be curved into the form
of a hook F is constructed so as to form a button hook.
It will be seen that the breadth of the arms A A¹ and also of the bridge piece C
may be increased if desired in order to give a greater area for advertising or
ornamental purposes or on the contrary these parts may be made much narrower for
the sake of lightness."
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed. I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. Aencil sharpener of the nature described.
2. A pencil sharpener formed of a blade and protecting handle or frame made
of a single piece of metal.
3. The combined pencil-sharpening and advertising device substantially as
described.
4. A combined pencil-sharpener and button-hook.
5. A combined pencil-sharpener and button-hook formed of a single piece of
1

page_text: 6. The pencil-sharpener substantially as described and illustrated in Figures 1
and 2 of the accompanying drawings.
7. The pencil sharpener and button-hook substantially as described and illustrated
in Figure of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 28th day of May 1897.
ALEX. D. SPIERS.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant.