IMPROVEMENTS IN THAT CLASS OF PENCILS KNOWN AS "SOLID INK" PENCILS, OR PENCILS OF AN ANALOGOUS CLASS, PART OR PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO ORDINARY WOOD PENCILS
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Darling at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 27th November 1883.
JOHN DARLING, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THAT CLASS OF PENCILS KNOWN AS "SOLID INK" PENCILS,
OR PENCILS OF AN ANALOGOUS CLASS, PART OR PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS
ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO ORDINARY WOOD PENCILS"
L
This Invention relates to improvements in attachments for sharpening the leads
of "solid ink" pencils or pencils of an analogous class and in the actuating of the
leads thereof, and parts of the said improvements are also applicable to ordinary
wood pencils,
upon
With reference to pencils of the "šolid ink" class, the invention consists in
providing the cylindrical end of the holder of such pencils with an open ended cap
or short tube capable of being slid upon the cylindrical part and also of being
rotated thereon by pressure of the thumb and finger. At the outer extremity of
is
cap
the said cap an elastic knife or cutter is attached, so that when the
the
end of the pencil and the said cap is moved outwards the spring of the knife or
cutter causes the said cutter to bear upon the point of the "solid ink" or lead and
thus when rotated by means of the thumb and finger causes the sharp edge of the
knife or cutter to act. upon the "solid ink" or lead and sharpen the same." The
attachment may either be kept permanently upon the end of the pencil through
which the "solid ink" or lead protrudes, or the attachment may be made
removable therefrom and kept separate from the pencil, or it may be placed upon
or within the upper end of the pencil casing from which it is or may be removed
to the writing end of the pencil when it is required to sharpen the solid ink or lead
therein.
.
In this latter arrangement I prefer to employ three or other convenient number
of elastic or spring cutters which are so mounted within the cap at the one
extremity thereof that the three points of the said blades are brought to a central
position within the cap so that when the cap is removed from the top of the pencil
and applied to the "solid ink" or lead at the bottom thereof the lead is sharpened
as it tends to pass through the meeting points of the blades. This removable cap may
be closed at its top, an aperture being provided in the side thereof for the escape of
the parings. The blades may be encased within a separate cap or top portion fitting

page_text: upon and within the tube and capable of turning therein, and the corresponding
holes for the escape of the parings may thus be closed when the attachment is on
the top of the pencil and not in use.
It is to be understood that this attachment applies to all pencils in which the
drawing or writing substance, that is to say a "solid ink or lead is carried
independently of an encasement of wood or equivalent material.
My further improvements in the sharpening of the leads has reference to
improvements or additions to the cutters as described in the Specification filed in
pursuance of Letters Patent N° 1126, A.D. 1881, granted to me the said John
Darling, and the improvements, consist in effecting the alteration in the angle of
the blade or cutter with respect to the lead of the pencil applied thereto so that
the lead of ordinary wood pencils, to which the hereinbefore Patent refers, but
which with regard to my present improvements is also applicable to the leads of
" solid ink or analogous pencils, is cut to a point.
"
The improvements consist in providing the tube containing the cutter which is
applied to the cylindrical end of the lead holder with a moveable cap fitting within
the top of the tube. The two ends of the said cap being closed with the exception
of a hole through the bottom of the said cap and formed eccentrically therewith so
that the said hole is passed over a projection upon the one end of the cutter.
Upon imparting a slight motion of partial rotation to the cap of the tube a slight
angular movement is given to the blade within the body of the tube sufficient to
act upon the lead and without acting upon the wood of the pencil when the
attachment is applied to wood pencils.
With reference to my improvements in actuating the leads of "solid ink"
pencils or pencils of an analogous class the improvements relate to means for
giving out or drawing in the lead within the casing. Within the body of the
pencil is placed an india-rubber tube preferably of a diameter to easily fit the
interior of the casing or holder, the tube being secured both at the top and bottom
of the casing. I prefer to attach the length of lead to a holder or small split tube,
the one end of the said tube or holder being preferably provided with a ball or
enlargement. The lead with this attachment is then placed within the india-rubber
tube so that the said ball or enlargement is in proximity with the end of the tube,
that is to say in a position at the top of the pencil case. At the bottom of the
outer cylindrical casing and at two opposite sides thereof there are provided
openings in the said outer casing sufficient to grasp the india-rubber tube between
the finger and thumb. When for instance it is desired to protrude a portion of the
lead, the india-rubber tube is pressed forward towards the point of the pencil, the
lead being within the tube which is so grasped and which is thus by the said
movement of the fingers moved forward and out from the end of the pencil, the
ordinary spring gripper at the point of the pencil being sufficient to retain the lead
in the position which it is now brought to when the tube is released-the portion
of the tube which has been stretched out, returning to its normal condition. When
it is desired to draw in a portion of the lead the india rubber tube is operated in a
similar manner but in the reverse direction. The apertures in the outer casing
may be covered by sliding strips or finger portions of metal or other material the
movements of the said pieces being regulated by a pin and slot or other equivalent
means. The ball or enlargement herein before mentioned has the effect of holding
the lead in position within the pencil in the same way as the ordinary spring top
but by the employment of the said ball or enlargement the lead is held in position
without the necessity of the said top of the pencil gripping the lead with such
severity as to weaken the lead and cause it to snap as is the case with pencils at
present in use.
In lieu of a tube of India Rubber as hereinbefore described a spiral spring or the
equivalent thereof may be employed.
Another part of my improvements has for its object to automatically deliver the
Ink of Solid Ink Pencils from out of the Pencil-case to a distance proper and
convenient for writing by simply pressing the point of the pencil-case upon the

page_text: writing table or other body conveniently situated relatively to the user of the
Pencil. For this purpose the case of the pencil is so constructed that its lower
portion is capable of a short endwise motion in or upon the upper portion of the
casing. This upper portion of the casing contains a spiral or equivalent spring
which acts upon a lever connected to the moveable lower portion of the pencil
case and the solid Ink or lead is held between a pair of grippers or springs also
moveable end wise within the lower portion of the case. When it is desired to
bring out the solid Ink or lead into the position for writing, the pencil-case is
pressed together upon the writing table or other sufficiently hard object thus
causing the moveable springs or grippers on the inside of the case to open outwards
so as to leave the solid Ink or lead free to fall down and rest upon the table or
other hard surface with which the lower part of the pencil-case is in contact.
Instantly that the pencil-case is lifted from such contact the springs or grippers
close upon the Solid Ink or lead and hold it firmly in the position relatively to
themselves into which it had previously dropped or fallen, and as simultaneously
with the closing of the said springs or grippers these are by the action of the spiral.
or equivalent spring moved outwards towards the writing point or end of the case
they carry forward to an equal extent the Solid Ink or lead and protrude it through
the hole in the point of the case into the position proper for writing with.
If desired the elastic Springs or grippers may be caused to bear upon the Solid
Ink or lead with any desired degree of holding power by being pressed through the
action of the spiral or equivalent spring against the conical or equivalently shaped
interior of the writing end of the pencil-case.
When the pencil is not required for use in writing the Solid Ink or lead is
wholly returned into the case by pressing on the upper end of the same which has
the effect of releasing the elastic springs or grippers from the Solid Ink or lead
which then drops to the interior of the case.