Improvements in Fountain Pens.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Jan., 1899-Accepted, 18th Mar.,
1899
Improvements in Fountain Pens.
I, JOSEPH HAMPSON BURTON, of 107, Downs Street, Kingston, Ulster County,
New York, United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The invention relates to fountain pens, and to feeding devices therefor.
One of the objects of the invention is first to provide a duplex pen in which
two different colored inks may be used, or two inks of different character, such,
for instance, as copying and record ink. Second, to provide novel feeding
devices for said pen, whereby the pen, when lying flat upon a desk or table will
not leak; and finally to provide novel feeding devices, whereby the amount of
ink supplied to the pen point may be controlled.
With these objects in view, the invention consists in certain features of con-
struction and combination of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and
claimed.
In the drawings:
Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of my improved fountain pen,
illustrating the relation of parts when not in use.
Figure 2 is a similar view showing the relation of parts when one of the
pens is in use.
Figure 3 is a similar view showing the relation of parts when the other pen
is in use.
Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of one of the feeding devices, used to
prevent the pen from leaking when lying flat upon a desk or table.
Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view through the same.
Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of another form of feeding device, used
for the same purpose.
Figure 7 is a longitudinal sectional view through the same.
Figure 8 is a perspective view of another form of feeding device, used for
the same purpose.
Figure 9 is a side elevation looking from the opposite side.
Figure 10 is a bottom plan view.
Figure 11 is a longitudinal sectional view.
Figure 12 is a perspective view of another form of feeding device, used for
the same purpose.
Figure 13 is a similar view showing the parts of which it is composed
separated.
Figure 14 is a longitudinal sectional view of my feeding device designed to
regulate the flow of ink, the view being taken through the pen socket, the feed,
and the pen point, showing the feed in its maximum range of adjustment to
supply the pen point with a large quantity of ink.
Figure 15 is a similar view showing the feed adjusted to supply the pen
point with but a small amount of ink.

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Figure 17 is a longitudinal sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of the same
part.
Figure 18 is a perspective view of another modification; and
Figure 19 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same.
Referring to Sheet 1 of the accompanying drawings, 1 denotes the fountain
of the main pen, provided with a pen socket a, pen point 2, and a reduced upper
end 3. 4 denotes the supplemental fountain provided with a pen socket b, pen
point 5, and socketed end 6.
7 denotes a cap.
As shown in Fig. 1, the parts are arranged so that the pen may be carried
in the pocket.
Now, supposing it is desired to use the ink in fountain 4 of the pen;--the
cap 7 is removed and placed over the reduced end 3 of fountain 1, as shown in
Fig. 2. Now, should it be desired to use the ink in fountain 1, the fountain 4
is slipped off the pen end of the fountain 1, and has its socketed end slipped
over the cap 7 that is on the end 3 of the fountain 1, thus inverting the pen
point 5 and preventing the running of ink therefrom while the pen point 2 is
being used; and when in this position, should it be desired to use the ink in
fountain 4, the fountain 1 may be inverted, and the ink in said fountain 1 will
also be prevented from leaking out while writing with the pen 5. It will thus
be seen that the device comprises within itself two separate pens; and to
secure this result the size and length are not materially increased.
I provide several novel forms of feed devices for my improved pen, by means
of which, when the pen is placed upon a desk or table, in a horizontal position,
the ink will not run out and smear the papers and also the pen socket.
I will now proceed to describe the several forms of feed devices, still referring
to Sheet 1 of the drawings.
In Figures 4 and 5, 8 denotes a feeding device which consists of a cylindrical
solid body having on its exterior, near its inner end, and preferably on its
lower side, a longitudinal groove or channel 9 that communicates with a spiral
channel 10, the spiral extending in one direction and communicating with a
spiral 11 extending in an opposite direction. This spiral 11 in turn communi-
cates with a spiral 12 extending in a direction opposite to the spiral 11, and
the spiral 12 communicates with a spiral 13 extending in an opposite direction
to the spiral 12. The spiral 13 now communicates with a slanting duct that
extends entirely through the body of the feed. This duct communicates with a
longitudinal groove 14, which lies directly under the shank of the pen. The
end of this groove is provided with a vent passage 15, which permits air to be
expelled from said groove as the ink flows therein. This vent passage is
intended only to allow the escape of air, and owing to its small size, will not
allow the ink to escape therethrough.
When the pen holder is laid upon a desk or table, it is evident that the ink
cannot run through the feed out to the pen and on the desk, for the reason
that the ink entrance to the feed is on the side opposite to the exit of ink from
the feed.
Figures 6 and 7 show feed devices as being provided with a longitudinal
groove or channel 17 communicating at its outer end with a spiral groove or
channel 18, which in turn communicates with a short longitudinal channel 19,
communicating with a semicircular channel 20. This channel 20 communicates
with a short longitudinal channel 21, which in turn communicates with a slant-
ing duct 22 leading to the ink groove 23, and which is provided with the air
vent 24.
In Figures 8, 9, 10 and 11, 25 denotes a longitudinal channel at the inner
end of the feed device, which, at its outer end communicates with a short trans-
verse groove or channel 26, which communicates with a short longitudinal

page_text: groove or channel 27 extending rearward, said rearwardly extending groove or
channel communicating with a short transverse channel 28, which in turn com-
municates with a longitudinal groove or channel 29 leading to the forward end
of the feed device. This groove or channel 29 communicates with a short trans-
verse groove or channel 30, which in turn communicates with a rearwardly
extending groove or channel 31. This groove or channel 31 communicates with
a forwardly extending long groove or channel 32, which communicates with a
semicircular groove or channel 33 that leads to the slanting duct 34, which
communicates with the ink groove 35 provided with an air vent 36.
Referring to Figures 12 and 13, c-d denote two sections of the feed device,
the former section having on its outer side a longitudinal groove or passage 37
intersected by a transverse aperture 38 that communicates with a longitudinal
recess 39 that lies opposite a similar recess 40 in the section d and communicates
with a transverse aperture 41 in said section. This aperture 41 is intersected'
by a groove 42 in the opposite side of the section d and leads to a transverse
perforation 43 in said section. This perforation 43 extends through said
section and communicates with recesses 44 formed in the meeting edges of
the two sections.
The forward ends of these opposing recesses 44 are intersected by a hole 45
that leads to longitudinal opposing passages 46 and 47, respectively, of the
sections cand d. These passages 46 and 47 communicate with opposing up-
wardly extending grooves 48, which in turn communicate with the ink chamber 49
provided with the air vent 50. From the foregoing description, taken in
connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction, operation and
advantages of the pen and several feeding devices above described, will be
annarent without further description.
Referring to Figs. 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 & 19, 1 denotes the staff or reservoir of
the pen holder; 2 the pen socket; 3 the feed, and 4 the pen point. The
holder, pen socket and pen point may be of any well known or approved con-
struction; hence, a detail description of the same is not deemed necessary, the
parts being referred to only in conjunction with the feed, which I will now
proceed to describe.
The feed has a cylindrical rear end formed with a screw-thread 5, which is
adapted to take a similar thread 6 in the pen socket. 7 denotes a groove formed
in the cylindrical end of the feed and gradually decreasing in depth from the
forward end of the cylindrical portion to the rear end thereof, where it merges
into the body portion. This groove, as shown in Figures 14 and 17, is an
inverse spiral. The forward end of the groove communicates with a diagonal
duct 8, extending through the tubular forward end of the body portion, and
this duct communicates with a straight ink passage 9, which leads the ink out
to the pen point. The form of groove may be changed or varied at pleasure,
and the manner of conducting the ink to the pen point may be also modified, the
gist of the invention being the manner of regulating the flow of ink.
It is evident that when the feed is screwed in to the position shown in Fig. 14,
a greater depth of the groove 7 will be presented to the ink reservoir, thereby
allowing said groove to fill its entire depth with ink, and the ink to run out and
be fed to the pen point.
When the feed is screwed out to the position shown in Fig. 15, but a small
portion of the groove is exposed to the ink in the reservoir, and consequently but
a small amount of ink will be allowed to escape through the groove 7.
By screwing the feed farther out, the inner end of the cylindrical portion of
the feed, or that part where the inner end of the groove merges into the body
portion, will be engaged with the internal threads of the pen socket, thus entirely
shutting off the supply of ink.
In the construction shown in Figures 18 and 19, I have formed the body of
which intersect at a¹ and increase in
the feed with two diverging grooves a-a,

page_text: depth from their inner to their outer ends and communicate with the passage 9
through the inclined duct S.
It will be understood that changes in the form, proportion, and the minor
details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle,
or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. In a duplex pen of the character described, the combination with the foun-
tain 1, provided with a reduced extension 3, of the fountain 4, provided with a
socketed end adapted to be slipped over the pen point of the fountain 1, a cap 7
adapted to be slipped over the pen point of the fountain 4 and also adapted to
be slipped over the extension 3 and to receive the socketed end of the fountain 4,
substantially as set forth.
2. A feed for fountain pens consisting of a cylindrical body, provided with
ink passages or grooves leading to the inclined duct extending through the lower
end of said feed, and an ink groove communicating with said duct and provided
at its end with an air vent, substantially as specified.
3. A feed device for fountain pens consisting of a cylindrical body portion
provided with abruptly interrupted ink passages or grooves leading to the
inclined duct extending through the lower end of said feed, and an ink groove
communicating with said duct and provided at its end with an air vent, sub-
stantially as described, for the purpose set forth.
4. As an improved article of manufacture, a feed for fountain pens having a
surface groove varying in depth from its inner to its outer end, substantially as
set forth.
5. A feed for fountain pens having a cylindrical end formed with a surface
groove decreasing in depth from its outer to its inner end, an ink duct extending
entirely through the feed and communicating with said groove, and an ink
passage communicating with said duct and leading to the forward end of the
feed, substantially as specified.
6. The combination with a pen socket internally threaded, of a feed having a
cylindrical end exteriorly screw threaded to engage the socket, said feed being
provided with a surface groove increasing in depth from its inner to its outer
end, an ink passage formed in the feed and an ink duct extending entirely
through the body of the feed and connecting said ink passage with the said
groove, substantially as set forth.
7. The combination with an interiorly threaded pen socket, of an externally
threaded feed longitudinally adjustable in said socket to vary or entirely shut
off the flow of ink, substantially as described for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 10th day of January 1899.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents.