IMPROVEMENTS IN WRITING INSTRUMENTS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Shaw, of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Calico Printer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WRITING INSTRUMENTS."
Sealed the 22nd March 1854, and dated the 19th October 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Shaw at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 19th October 1853.
I, RODENT SHAW, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, Calico Printer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WRITING INSTRUMENTS" to be as fol-
lows:-
This Invention relates to the so arranging pens or writing instruments
that one charge or filling of ink may last for a very considerable time
in writing, and thus avoid all the trouble incidental to repeated dipping
in the inkstand. In arranging such peus the barrel or stem is tubular,
and answers as the ink reservoir. It is entirely closed, except at the lower

page_text: end, where the pen is entered, and at this opening, or a short distance
above it, a cross or bridge piece is fitted in as a support for the fluid.
To cause the flow of ink in writing a few hairs or other minute fibres
or wires, or other materials which shall leave minute interstices between
them, are placed in the barrel; these appliances are extended through-
out the barrel of the holder, and are made to pass down partially into
the pen itself. This arrangement causes a constant uniform flow of
ink for a very considerable time, producing regular writing without the
the trouble of recharging at frequent intervals. The interior of the
barrel may be protected from the corrosive action of the ink by tinning,
silvering, or otherwise. With the arrangement described the air fills
up the vacuum left by the departure of the used ink by entering at the
bottom where the pen is fitted; but a small opening may be made in
the top of the barrel for a similar purpose. A similar conducting power
for the flow of ink is attainable by forming longitudinal channels or
ribs along the interior of the barrel or pen. The reservoir may be
charged by compression of an elastic chamber having a conducting pipe
entered into the barrel.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent.
filed by the said Robert Shaw in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 19th April 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
ROBERT SHAW, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Calico Printer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
seventeenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Robert Shaw, Her special
license that I, the said Robert Shaw, my executors, administrators.
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Robert Shaw, my executors,
administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no

page_text: 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 "IMPROVEMENTS
IN WRITING INSTRUMENTS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I.,
the said Robert Shaw, by an instrument in writing under hand and
seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in 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 immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Shaw, do hereby declare
the nature of my 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 accompanying Draw-
ings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:
My said Invention relates to the so arranging pens or writing
instruments that one charge or filling of the ink may last for a very
considerable time in writing, and thus avoid all the trouble incidental to
repeated dipping in the inkstand. In arranging such pens the barrel
or stem is tubular, and answers as the ink reservoir.
It is entirely
closed, except at the lower end, where the pen is entered. At this
opening, or a short distance above it, a cross or bridge piece is fitted in
as a support for the fluid. To cause the flow of ink in writing a few
hairs or other minute fibres or wires, or other materials which shall
leave minute interstices between them, are placed in the barrel. These
appliances are extended throughout the barrel of the holder, and are
made to pass down partially into the pen itself. This arrangement
causes a constant uniform flow of ink for a very considerable time, pro-
ducing regular writing without the trouble of recharging at frequent
intervals. The interior of the barrel may be protected from the cor-
rosive action of the ink by japanuing, or by a coating of glass, or of
gutta percha, or otherwise. With the arrangement described the air
fills up the vacuum left by the departure of the used ink by entering
at the bottom where the pen is fitted; but a small opening may be

page_text: made in the top of the barrel for a similar purpose.
A similar con-
ducting power for the flow of ink is attainable by forming longitudinal
channels or ribs along the interior of the barrel or pen. The reservoir
may be charged by compression of an elastic chamber having a con-
ducting pipe entered into the barrel, and a cap may be added for
covering and protecting the pen when carried in the pocket so as to
prevent the escape of ink.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood
1 shall now proceed to describe the several Figures on the Sheet
of Drawings hereunto attached, shewing the manner in which the
said Invention is to be applied, as is more fully explained in the
following description. Figure 1, is a side view of one form of the
improved pen complete, looking on the under side of the pen's
point; Figure 2, is a longitudinal section; and Figure 3, is a trans-
verse section of the same; Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7, are longitudinal
sections of pens of slightly modified construction; and Figures 8
and 9, are transverse sections corresponding to Figures 6 and 7. The
instrument (Figures 1, 2, and 3,) consists of a tubular stem or holder A,
formed of any suitable metal or other material; it is here represented
in its simplest form as a plain cylindrical tube, but it may be ornamented
in a variety of ways, if required. The tube A is completely closed at
the end B; at the end C it is formed with a socket to receive the steel
pen D. The pen is entered partially into the interior of the tube
through a semicircular slit or opening in the end diaphragm C
Through the same opening a number of very fine wires, hairs, or other
minute fibres E, are passed.
These minute details are soldered or
otherwise fixed to the end B of the tube, whilst their opposite ends lie
against the inside of the pen D, terminating within a short distance of
the points of the latter. These wires or hairs convey the ink to the
pen point in virtue of their capillary action maintaining a uniform flow
as long as any ink remains in the tube. The supply of air which is
required to replace the ink as it flows out is admitted by a small hole
or slit F, in the end C, of the tube. In the modification represented
in Figure 4, the conducting wires E, are soldered to the pen, and lie
loosely inside the tube A; and the air hole F, has a small tube fitted

page_text: to it internally to assist the introduction of the air which takes the
place of the used ink. Instead of admitting the air at the top or
butt end of the writing instruments, provision may be made for this
purpose at the bottom where the conductors emerge near the nibs,
space being left here for the atmospheric connection. In the modifi-
cation represented in Figure 5, the capillary wires E, are also soldered
to the pen D, but they only extend.one third the length of the tube; a
single stronger conducting wire G, however, is soldered to the end B of
the instrument, with its opposite end lying loosely in the air hole F.
The air hole F is here shewn as formed with a small tube on the
outside. The modification represented in Figures 6 and 8 only differs
from the last in having the conducting wire G soldered to both ends of
the tube A. At the end C it is soldered just between the air hole F
and the pen. In the modification represented in Figures 7 and 9 the
conducting wire G is soldered to the end C on the outer side of the
air hole F, that is, the air hole is between the end of the wire and
the pen; in other respects this modification is precisely similar to
the preceding one. It is obvious that the several modifications of the
different parts as described may be combined with each other in various
ways so as to produce the best possible result. It is found to be
preferable to dispose the strong conductor, when a short one is used, so
that it shall be eccentric to the axis of the barrel; this gives a more
certain and a quicker effect to the flowing ink.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used
or carried into effect, I may observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine
or restrict myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have
had occasion to describe or refer to, as many variations may be made
therefrom without deviating from the principles or main features of my
said Invention; but what I consider to be novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before
in part recited Letters Patent, is,―
First, the general arrangement and construction of pens or writing
instruments for obtaining a continuous supply and flow of ink, as
herein-before described.

page_text: Second, the system or mode of causing or securing a uniform flow of
ink in pens or writing instruments by the use of conductors disposed
within the barrels of such instruments.
Third, the application and use of capillary spaces in the barrels or
tubular portions of pens and writing instruments for the purpose of
securing an uniform flow of ink.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Shaw, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Twelfth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
ROBERT SHAW. (L.S.)