IMPROVEMENTS IN HOLDERS FOR KNIFE BLADES FILES TOOTH PICKS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES WHICH ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO THE HOLDING OF PENCIL LEADS PENS OR THE LIKE
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the
:
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
HOLDERS FOR KNIFE BLADES FILES TOOTH PICKS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES WHICH
ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO THE HOLDING OF PENCIL LEADS PENS OR THE LIKE,"
communicated to him from Joseph Reckendorfer a person resident in the
City County and State of New York in the United States of America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th July 1883.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON of 47 Lincoln's Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman, " IMPROVEMENTS IN HOLDERS FOR KNIFE BLADES FILES TOOTHPICKS
AND SIMILAR ARTICLES WHICH ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO THE HOLDING OF PENCIL
LEADS PENS OR THE LIKE" a communication to me from Joseph Reckendorfer a
person resident in the City County and State of New York in the United States
of America
The holder constructed according to this Invention consists of a handle a slotted
and notched tubular receiver fixed to the said handle a slotted guide tube free to
turn in the said receiver and a follower free to slide therein or thereon which
follower is in some cases solid and really the tang of a knife, tooth pick or file or
the like and sometimes tubular so as to receive a lead or the like and the said
follower is provided with a tooth or detent fastened thereto and projecting from
the follower through the slots both in the guide tube and the receiver.
The whole construction is such that the detent and follower may slide freely
when the slots in the receiver and guide tube coincide, and so that when the guide
tube is turned that edge of its slot farthest from the rack or notches will force the
detent into a notch and hold the follower locked fast. The slotted guide tube
must therefore have an axial motion. In order to insure this movement a pin on
the receiver enters a helical slot in the guide tube and the end of the guide tube
is surrounded by a coiled spring interposed between a shoulder on the sheath or
handle or the tubular receiver and a pressure cap which is free to turn either on
the receiver or on the handle or both. And is also free to slide longitudinally.

page_text: When this cap is pressed upon the pin and slot cause the guide tube to slide and
revolve so that one edge of the slot therein carries the detent out of its containing
notch and while the cap is so pressed the follower (if the handle be held open and
down) will drop exposing the lead, tool or pencil secured thereto beyond the end
of the handle. When the pressure upon the cap is removed the spring will force it
endwise turning the guide tube in the opposite direction and locking the detent of
the follower into the notch which may be opposite it.
Combined with the follower there is a stop to limit its outward movement and
there is added to its end a clamp or grasping or holding device. The easiest way
of making the stop is to close up the slot in the tubular receiver at the end
thereof nearest the open end of the handle and projecting the detent far enough
through the slot so that it can catch against the receiver at the bottom of the
slot this constituting the stop for the follower. Other contrivances may be used―
thus the detent may project far enough through the receiver to strike against a
piece or shoulder formed, in or projecting from the inside of the handle; or a
projection separate from the detent inay be employed so long as it is secured to
the follower and abuts when the follower is out to the desired extent, against some
stationary piece confined by or attached to the handle. When the stop brings up
the follower the detent should be opposite the notch in the tubular receiver nearest
the open end of the handle and in consequence of the combination of the stop with
the contrivance a notch can be used with parallel sides like those shown in the
drawings thereby causing the follower to be held firmly in its advanced position ;
and also to expose the lead, pen or tool to the right distance without putting a
finger in front of the open end of the handle. The grasping jaws or holding device
on the end of the follower which may be of any used construction suitable for the
purpose enable a pen tool or lead or the like to be held therein and in the case of
the lead to hold it firmly near its point and at the same time to use a long lead
because the lead may from time to time be advanced between the jaws-they being
loosened for that purpose. The lead in this contrivance may thus have two
motions, one with jaws and follower, the other in relation to the jaws and
follower.
The lead holding may consist of jaws surrounded by a screw tip which screws
upon the follower the arrangement being similar to that employed in the "artist's
pencil."
When the article is used for a knife holder or tooth pick holder or pen holder or
the like the follower may be solid; and the knife or other tool made in one piece
therewith. The slot in the receiver should be long enough to allow the detent to
slide the length of a knife blade or a pen or the grasping jaws of the lead and a
little more; the notches should be far enough apart to catch the detent at the two
limits of its motion and the stop should come into action when the blade grasping
contrivance or pen is fully exposed beyond the end of the handle.
The follower instead of being inside of the guide tube may be outside of and
árranged to slide upon the receiver; its detent projecting inwardly through the
slots in the guide tube and receiver.
When the holder is applied for the purpose of holding a knife blade or file it is
preferred to arrange the slotted guide tube outside of the tubular notched receiver
and in this case the closed projecting end of the slotted guide tube forms the
pressure cap with the spring located inside of it.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Patent Office on the 5th January
1884.
55
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman IMPROVEMENTS IN HOLDERS FOR KNIFE BLADES FILES TOOTHPICKS
AND SIMILAR ARTICLES WHICH ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO THE HOLDING OF PENCIL
LEADS PENS OR THE LIKE" a communication to me from Joseph Reckendorfor a
person resident in the City County and State of New York in the United States
of America
I will describe the Invention with reference to the accompanying drawings
wherein Figure 1 is a longitudinal central section of a holder with the follower
unlocked the follower being tubular and provided at its end with a lead holding
clamp such as are commonly used in artists pencils
Figure 2 is a similar section partly in elevation with the follower locked in place
the follower being provided with a pen holder and being arranged in this instance
upon the exterior of instead of within the receiver
Figure 3 is a longitudinal central section partly in elevation of a holder in which
the follower carries a knife blade
Figure 4 is a side elevation of the guide tube and the receiver
The holder constructed according to this Invention consists of a handle A a
slotted and notched tubular receiver B fixed to the said handle a slotted guide
tube C free to turn in the said receiver and a follower E free to slide therein as
shewn in Figure 1 or thereon as shewn in Figure 2 which follower is in some
cases solid and really the tang of a knife, toothpick or file or the like and sometimes
tubular so as to receive a lead or the like and the said follower is provided with a
tooth or detent i fastened thereto and projecting from the follower through the
slots both in the guide tube and the receiver the said slots being lettered respectively a
and b and the notches in one of the edges of the latter being lettered c.
The whole construction is such that the detent i and follower E may slide freely
when the slots in the receiver and guide tube coincide and so that when the guide
tube is turned that edge of its slot farthest from the rack or notches c will force the
detent into a notch and hold the follower locked fast-The slotted guide tube C
must therefore have an axial motion In order to insure this movement a pin g
on the receiver B enters a helical slot h in the guide tube C or the reverse and the
end of the guide tube is surrounded by a coiled spring S interposed between a
shoulder on the sheath or handle or the tubular receiver and a pressure cap D
which is free to turn either on the receiver or on the handle or both And is also
free to slide longitudinally-When this cap is pressed upon, the ping and slot h
cause the guide tube C to slide and revolve so that one edge of the slot a therein
carries the detent i out of its retaining notch and while the cap is so pressed the
follower E (if. the handle be held open and down) will drop exposing the lead tool
or pencil secured thereto beyond the end of the handle-When the pressure upon
the cap is removed the spring will force it endwise turning the guide tube in the
opposite direction and locking the detent of the follower into the notch which may
be opposite it

page_text: Combined with the follower there is a stop to limit its outward movement and
there is added to its end a clamp or grasping or holding device-The easiest way
of making the stop is to close up the slot in the tubular receiver at the end thereof
nearest the open end of the handle as at x (fig 4) and projecting the detent i far.
enough through the slot so that it can catch against the receiver at the bottom of
the slot the said devices and i thus constituting the stop for the follower-Other
contrivances may be used thus the detent may project far enough through the
receiver to strike against a piece or shoulder formed in or projecting from the
inside of the handle or a projection separate from the detent may be employed so
long as it is secured to the follower and abuts when the follower is out to the
desired extent against some stationary piece confined by or attached to the handle-
When the stop brings up the follower the detent should be opposite the notch in
the tubular receiver nearest the open end of the handle and in consequence of the
combination of the stop with the locking contrivance a notch can be used with
parallel sides thereby causing the follower to be held firmly in its advanced
position and also to expose the lead, pen or tool to the right distance without
putting a finger in front of the open end of the handle The grasping jaws or
holding device on the end of the follower which may be of any construction suitable
for the purpose enable a pen tool or lead or the like to be held therein and in the
case of the lead to hold it firmly near its point and at the same time to use a long
lead because the lead may from time to time be advanced between the jaws they
being loosened for that purpose-The lead in this contrivance may thus have two
motions one with the jaws and follower the other in relation to the jaws and
follower
The lead holding device shown in Figure 1 consists of jaws surrounded by a
screw tip d which screws upon the follower the arrangement being similar to that
émployed in artist's pencils
When the article is used for a knife holder or toothpick holder or pen holder or
the like, the follower may be solid; and the knife or other tool made in one piece
therewith The slot in the receiver should be long enough to allow the detent to
slide the length of a knife blade or a pen, or the grasping jaws of the lead and a
little more'; the notches should be far enough apart to catch the detent at the two
limits of the motion and the stop should come into action when the blade grasping
contrivance or pen is fully exposed beyond the end of the handle
In Figure 2 the follower carries a pen holder. In the arrangement here shewn
it will be noted that the follower instead of being inside of the guide tube is
outside of and arranged to slide upon the receiver and its detent projects inwardly
through the slots in the guide tube and receiver
When the holder is applied for the purpose of holding a knife blade or file it is.
preferred to arrange the slotted guide tube outside of the tubular notched receiver
as shewn in Figure 3 and in this case the closed projecting end of the slotted guide
tube forms the pressure cap with the spring S located inside of it.
:
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and
original and therefore' claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in
part recited Letters Patent is :-
First The combination of the handle or sheath, the tubular slotted receiver
provided with notches, the slotted guide tube connected with, the receiver by a
pin-and-helical slot connection, substantially as described, the spring and the
follower with a stop to limit the outward movement of the follower-intending to
claim none of these parts separately but all of them in combination when made
and operating, substantially as herein before setforth
Secondly. A follower provided with a stop and grasping device in combination
with a slotted guide tube, a tubular slotted and notched receiver connected

page_text: •
therewith by a pin-and-helical slot connection, substantially as described, and a
coiled spring intending to claim none of these parts separately but only the
combination of all of them when constructed and operating, as set forth
In witness whereof I the said John Henry Johnson have to this my Specification
set my hand and seal this Second day of January One thousand eight hundred
and eighty four
J. HENRY JOHNSON (L.S.)