Improvements in and relating to Fountain Pens.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 4th June, 1894-Accepted, 7th July, 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Fountain Pens.
A communication to me from abroad by FRANCIS CASHEL BROWN, of
168, Broadway, in the City, County, and State of New York, one of the
United States of America, Gentleman.
1, PETER JENSEN, of 77 Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Chartered
l'atent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
This invention has relation to fountain pens, and this class of pens as heretofore
constructed present disadvantages that are a great source of annoyance to those
using the same, as well as of frequent injury to or soiling of wearing apparel,
It has
irrespective of the annoyance due to liability of soiling the fingers.
heretofore been found impossible to provide a cap for the pen that is or will remain
fluid tight, or that so constructed as to prevent ink from the fount flowing thereto,
so that it is necessary in placing the pen in the pocket of a garment to see that the
capped end is upward, otherwise the cap will fill with ink, which is liable to ooze
out at the cap joint. There is another disadvantage inherent to the necessity of
carrying the pen when not in use in the manner described, in that the pen becomes
dry in a short time, and when it is desired to use the same, it becomes necessary
to start a flow of ink, which is usually done by imparting a jerking or sudden
movement to the pen in such manner as to expel a portion of the ink from the
fount.
This invention is designed to overcome these disadvantages, and furthermore
to materially simplify the construction of this class of pens, as will now be fully
described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which-
Figures 1 and 2 are longitudinal sectional views at right angles to each other of
fountain pens embodying the invention; Figure 3 is a front end view of Figures 1
and 2; and Figure 4 is a cross section of the fount, and the part B' in rear of its
auxiliary feed slot b'.
Similar symbols of reference indicate like parts wherever such may occur in the
figures of drawings just described.
Referring to Figure 1, A indicates a tubular handle or holder, constructed of one
piece and closed at one end a, said holder constituting the ink fount; B indicates
the pen supporting bar, one end of which is secured centrally to the closed end of
the fount; the other end B' of the bar is also cylindrical in cross section and of
such a diameter as to fit the open end of the fount A practically fluid tight; said
enlarged front end B' of the bar B is slitted or slotted longitudinally to form a
bearing for the pen P. In practice the slit or slot b is formed above the major
axis of the cylindrical portion, and segments thereof are cut away to form a
longitudinal ledge &', whereby air ducts 2, 2, are formed on each side of the said
cylindrical body between the vertical walls, 3, 3, the ledges or shelves b¹ and the
inner walls of the fount A, as clearly shown in Figure 3, from which it will be seen
that the cut-away portion extends below the slot b, whereby a central rib or
bearing 4 is formed for the underside of the shank of the pen P, which is preferably
U-shaped in cross section to fit said bearings snugly, the ledges b¹ on opposite sides
forming also bearings for the edges of the vertical sides of said pen shank. The
two tongues formed by slotting the cylindrical portion are of such length that
when the pen is in proper position in the slot for use, the lower tongue will
terminate near the point of the pen, whereby a bottom feed is provided, said lower

page_text: tongue being suitably attenuated, as shown in Figure 2; however, the upper
tongue may also be extended so as to project over the pen P, to near the point
thereof, whereby a top and bottom feed is provided. In either case, I provide two
more or less elastic tongues which firmly grasp the pen P, yet, if desired, the said
pen may be secured to its bearings by riveting or stapling.
With a view to facilitate the supplying of ink to the fount, I preferably
make the orifice or mouth thereof flaring outwardly, as shown at a¹, which
mouth is closed by the usual cap C, when the pen is not in use, said cap fitting
or screwing onto the open as well as the closed end a of the fount, as usual,
or the said cap may be provided with a stud c, fitting a socket a³ in said
_closed-end.
There is, however, another advantage in making the mouth of the fount flaring
outwardly when the pen support has end wise motion in the fount, as hereinafter
described, in which case the enlarged portion B' acts more or less like a piston
when drawn into the fount A, and when said fount is full, ink is liable to be forced
out along the channels 2, so that unless the mouth of the fount'is widened to receive
such ink, the latter would spill or run along the outside of the fount.
In a fountain pen constructed as shown in Figure 1, instead of supporting the
pen P from a bar B, B', the portion B of said bar may be dispensed with, and the
end B' thereof fitted in the outer open end of the fount A, as will be readily
understood. A fountain pen constructed as described does not overcome the liability
to leakage at the cap C, nor prevent ink from entering the said cap when the pen
is carried in the pocket with the cap downward; the illustration being given
chiefly as a modification of construction, wherein the pen support is stationary,
the construction being very simple, and hence adapted for cheaper classes of
goods.
In order to prevent the ink flowing into the cap, and keep the pen moist with ink
when not in use, that is to say, in order to adapt the pen to be carried in the pocket
with the pen point down, I so arrange the pen support B as to have end wise motion
in the fount A to an extent sufficient to withdraw the pen point completely into
the fount, and construct the cap C with a central plug c that fits fluid tight into
the open end of the fount A in front of the pen, thus forming an ink tight
closure, the cap being provided with a stud e adapted to fit a socket in the closed
end of the fount A, as hereinabove referred to.
The cap C, may also be constructed to screw on either end of the pen handle or
stock, as will be readily understood.
Endwise motion can be imparted to the support B in various ways, for instance,
the fount A may be open-ended and screw-threaded interiorly at one end for the
reception of an attenuated portion a³ of an auxiliary tubular section or extension A',
into which the bar B projects, said attenuated portion a³ performing practically the
function of a stuffing box to prevent the ink from entering the section A'. The
..latter section has two longitudinal slots a, diametrically opposite each other, and
on said section slides a ring R, to which is riveted or otherwise secured a cross pin p
that passes through said slots and through the bar B. It is obvious that by sliding
the ring along section A¹ in one or the other direction, the bar will be corre
spondingly moved to project the pen from, or withdraw it into the fount, the
amplitude of motion of the bar being such that when at the limit of its movement
towards the closed outer end a³ of section A', the point of the pen P will be far
enough from the mouth of the fount A to admit of the insertion of the above-
described plug for closing the fount when the pen is not in use.
It is obvious that when the pen is withdrawn into the fount, ink can be readily
supplied thereto, but that the flow of ink along the enlarged end of the bar may be
expedited, I gradually widen the bore of the fount from its mouth inwardly, so as
to provide, besides the channels 2, an annular channel around the enlarged
part B.
For the purpose of increasing the flow of ink to the pen whenever this is desired,
1 provide a groove or channel 6* in the underside of the enlarged portion B¹ of

page_text: bar B, which groove is of such length as not to communicate with the ink fount when
the pen is fully projected, as shown in Figure 2, a perfect closure of the inner end of
It is obvious
the groove being obtained when the pen is in the position referred to.
that when the pen is moved in the fount until the end of groove 6* lies beyond the
smaller diameter of the fount, said groove will be uncovered, and an additional ..
quantity of air will flow into the fount through said groove 64, thereby corre-
spondingly increasing the volume of ink flowing to the pen.
Any other means than those described for imparting endwise motion to the pen
support may be resorted to, such means being well known and having been applied
to pencil holders, and I do not desire to claim broadly any particular means for
imparting endwise motion to the pen support.
in
In constructing the cap C, the central plug c¹ may be made of the same length
as the encompassing tubular portion, but inasmuch as the end of the plug
contact with the ink when the pen is carried with the point down, said end of the
plug would be liable to soil the fingers in removing the cap, and for this reason I
preferably make it shorter than the encompassing tubular portion, as shown.
Of course, instead of boring the fount so that the interior diameter increases
from a certain point inwardly, said fount may be made to taper outwardly, as will
be readily understood.
The construction of the feed bar B, B', may be materially simplified by forming
the portion B¹ nearly cylindrical, having a longitudinal rib 4 that serves as a
bearing for the pen P, the lower tongue or feed bar b³ projecting from said body B¹
and being formed integral therewith, the upper tongue 62 being simply laid on the
pen; and in order to securely hold the pen between the tongues, it may be riveted
or stapled thereto.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim, is :-
1. In a fountain pen, a pen support, as B' when constructed as described with or
without the stem B, in combination with the ink fount.
2. In a fountain pen, the pen support, as B, B', provided with the additional
groove 6, in combination with the ink fount and with means for imparting end wise
motion to said pen support, for the purposes described.
3. In a fountain pen, the combination and use of a pen support constructed as
described, with an ink fount having a flaring mouth and a bore that is gradually
reduced in diameter to said flaring mouth, for the purposes as described.
4. In a fountain pen, the combination with the ink fount, of a pen support that
has sufficient end wise motion in said fount for the purposes stated, and means for
closing the open end of the fount when the pen is withdrawn into the same.
5. In a fountain pen, the combination with the ink fount and a pen support
that has sufficient end wise motion in said fount for the purposes stated, and a plug
adapted to fit into the open end of the pen, of a cap provided with such a plug
fitting respectively onto the end of the fount and into the bore thereof.
6. In a fountain pen, the combination with the ink fount and a pen support that
has sufficient end wise motion in said fount for the purposes stated, of a cap provided
with a plug as c' for closing the open end of the fount, said cap having a stud, as c
fitting a socket or recess in the opposite end of the pen.
Din 4th day of Tune 1804
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.