IMPROVE- MENTS IN INKSTANDS
Year: 1878

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Salter Stewart at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th June 1878.
WILLIAM SALTER STEWART, of Ilfracombe, in the County of Devon. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN INKSTANDS."
The object of this Invention is to make inkstands in such a.manner as that they
will immediately right themselves, and prevent the ink contained within them
from being spilled, and any adjacent articles spoiled should they be upset or
knocked over.
In order to enable such a result to be attained I make my improved inkstands of
a globular, rounded, or other similar shape or form, and with or without a slightly
flattened base, upon which it steadily rests should it be provided with one, and the
base part I form comparatively thicker than the other part of the inkstand, or I
apply thereto a suitable weight, or otherwise suitably ballast the base to enable the
inkstand to right itself upon being overturned.
And in order to prevent the ink escaping at the mouth of the inkstand, upon
the latter being overturned, I form the stand with or adapt to it a funnel or conical
tube which extends from the mouth or orifice down within and nearly to the
bottom of the ink receptacle, and thus, should the inkstand be inverted, the ink
will not escape at the mouth, to which may be adapted a suitable spring or other
cover.
The inkstand or receptacle is formed with one or more openings into its interior
(adjacent to the mouth, wherein the pen is dipped to obtain a supply of ink), and
through which, openings the ink is supplied into the receptacle, and by means of

page_text: which the interior of the ink receptacle may be cleaned, the openings being at other
times closed by suitable screw or other plugs.
The above-described improved inkstands may be made in any suitable size, and
of metal, glass, wood, china, or other suitable material; and their peculiar feature
consists in the action of the ballast upon the globular or other similar form of ink-
stand, causing it to be self-righting.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said William Salter Stewart in the Great Scal Patent Office on the 18th
December 1878.
WILLIAM SALTER STEWART, of Ilfracombe, in the County of Devon.
MENTS IN INKSTANDS."
"IMPROVE-
The object of this Invention is to make inkstands in such a manner as that they
will immediately right themselves, and prevent the ink they contain from being
spilled or upset, and any adjacent articles spoiled should they be upset or knocked
over.
In order to enable such a result to be attained, I make my improved inkstands, 1,
of a globular, rounded, oblong, or other suitable shape or forin, as illustrated in
Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, and with or without a
slightly flattened base, upon which it steadily rests should it be provided with one,
and the base part I form comparatively thicker than the other part of the inkstand,
or I apply thereto a suitable weight, or otherwise suitably ballast the base, as at 2,
to enable the inkstand to right itself upon being overturned.
And in order to prevent the ink from escaping at the mouth, 3, of the inkstand,
upon the latter being overturned, I form it with or adapt to it a funnel or conical
tube 4, which extends from the mouth or orifice, 3, down within and nearly to the
bottom of the ink receptacle, and thus, should the inkstand be inverted, the ink
will not escape at the mouth thereof.
The funnel 4 is preferably screwed into the mouth 3, as shown in Figures 2 to 4,
but it may be fitted thereto or therein in any other convenient manner, and it may
be adapted with a suitable spring, or other cover, or dust excluder 5, as shown in
Figure 2. The funnel can thus be easily removed should it be necessary to clean
the interior of the ink receptacle. The funnel can also be removed to enable the
ink to be poured into the receptacle, or the ink may be poured thereinto through
the funnel, through which the pen is dipped to obtain a supply of ink.
The funnel may however be cemented or fixed in the mouth of the inkstand,
which may then be formed or provided with one or more other openings adjacent
to the mouth 3, through which the ink may be supplied to the interior of the recep-
tacle, and the latter be cleaned, these openings being at other times closed by
suitable screw or other plugs. These openings and plugs, however, are not shown
on the Drawings, because I prefer to use the removable funnel.

page_text: The above-described improved inkstands may be made in any suitable size, and
of metal, glass, wood, china, or other suitable material; and their peculiar featuro
consists in the action of the ballast upon the globular, or other equivalent, or
suitable form of inkstand, causing it to be self-righting when overturned or upset,
the ink being prevented from being spilled by the application of the said funnels.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention, together with
the manner in which the same is to be or may be perforined or carried into prac-
tical effect, I would remark in conclusion that what I claim as the Invention
secured to me by the horein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the making of
inkstands of a globular or other equivalent suitable form, and the ballasting their
bases, and providing their mouths with funnels, for the purpose of rendering the
inkstands instantly self-righting, and preventing the ink from being spilled, and
any adjacent articles spoiled should they be upset or knocked over, all substantially
as above described, and as illustrated on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Salter Stewart, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
WILLIAM SALTER STEWART
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