IMPROVE- MENTS IN PENHOLDERS, PENCIL CASES, AND OTHER ARTICLES SLIDING IN CASES OF A LIKE NATURE
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in
the County of Middlesex, and of 166, Buchanan Street, in the City of
Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PENHOLDERS, PENCIL CASES, AND OTHER ARTICLES SLIDING IN CASES OF
A LIKE NATURE."A communication from Louis Charles Riattot, of Paris,
in the Empire of France, Manufacturer.
Sealed the 29th June 1858, and dated the 1st January 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
1st January 1858.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, and of 166, Buchanan Street, in the City of Glasgow, North
Britain, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said: Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PENHOLDERS, PENCIL CASES, AND OTHER ARTICLES SLIDING IN
CASES OF A LIKE NATURE," a communication from Louis Charles Riattot, of
Paris, in the Empire of France, Manufacturer, to be as follows:
This Invention relates to an improvement applicable to sliding penholders,
pencil cases, toothpicks, cigar holders, and other articles sliding in cases of a
like nature.
According to this Invention, supposing improvements to be applied to an

page_text: ever-pointed pencil, that portion of the holder which carries the lead and slides
inside the case is connected by means of an internal-india-rubber or helical
spring with the top end of the holder, which spring tends constantly to keep
the sliding portion of the holder inside the case; a small stud or button,
attached to one side of the slide in lieu of the ordinary sliding ring, and
working along an ordinary slot in the pencil case, serves to draw out the lead
ready for use, and when it is thus drawn out it is retained in that position by
means of a spring catch inside the case, which is released by simply pressing
it with the nail, whereupon the internal spring instantly draws back the pencil
inside the case. This internal spring and catch may obviously be applied to
all articles of a similar nature to pencil cases such as those herein-before
enumerated.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent. Office on
the. 30th June 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex, and
of 166, Buchanan Street, in the City of Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said John Henry Johnson, Her special licence, that I, the said John
Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed,' should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "In-
PROVEMENTS IN PENHOLDERS, PENCIL CASES, AND OTHER ARTICLES SLIDING IN CASES
OF A LIKE NATURE," a communication from Louis Charles Riotott, of Paris, in
the Empire of France, Manufacturer, 'upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in

page_text: what manner the same. was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in
the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Henry Johnson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same. is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention .consists in applying to penholders, pencil cases, &c., &-
spring which forces back or returns the pencil or part containing the leads in
ever-pointed pencils, toothpicks, or other. articles, into the interior of the
pencil case or. tube when it is no longer required to be used. This movement,
which may be effected at will by releasing a kind of detent, does not present
any complication; it is easier to use, and causes less wear than the ordinary
arrangement of sliding rings for such purposes.
The following description, with the annexed Drawing, will explain this
Invention:-
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a pencil case according to this Invention,
furnished with a spring of india-rubber; Fig. 3 shows a similar view, with a
metallic spiral spring. In these two views the point is supposed to be out, and
in position for the pencil case to be used. Fig. 2 is an exterior view of the
pencil case, with the point returned or shut up.
The point A containing the lead is arranged as in ordinary; it is projected
in the usual manner, and slides in the tube B of silver or other material. This
point A carries a button or pin a which projects through and slides in a
groove 6 in the tube; by means of this pin the point A is passed out of the
case. A ring to encircle the case may be added to this pin, if desired, which
I think however is unnecessary. When the pin a has been pushed by the
finger nail to the extremity of the groove, thus sliding out the point A, a pin c
carried by a spring d fixed to the back part of A engages itself by the effect of
the spring d in the further end of the groove b, or, by preference, in a special
slot or catch e. A spring of metal or india-rubber (see Figs. 4 and 5) is
attached at one end to the top of tube B and at the other to the back end of
point A. When the point A is slid out the tension of the spring f is increased
and tends to draw it back, but which is prevented by the catch c engaging in
the aperture e; thus the point is held in position outside the case for use.
When it is required to return it into the case, instead of pushing it back by
means of a button or ring, it is sufficient to press with the finger nail on
catch c, which escapes from aperture e, when the spring fimmediately draws

page_text: the point back into the case. This arrangement is very convenient, and so
simple that it is not at all liable to be out of order.
Fig. 4 shows a spring of india-rubber, while Fig. 5 shows a metal spring,
each in its condition as separated from the case; Fig. 6 is a transverse section
on line 1, 2.
Having described the nature of the Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be secured
under the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is the application of
springs of any suitable kind to pencil cases, penholders, toothpicks, and other
articles sliding in cases of a like nature, to draw the pencil point, pen, or other
article within the tube or case, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (LS.)