Slate Pencil Pointer or Sharpener.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 27th June, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 2nd July, 1889-Accepted, 17th Aug., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Slate Pencil Pointer or Sharpener.
JOHN ROBERTS 2 Rock Terrace Bethesda Bangor North Wales 'Assistant Master'
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention is to have a flat piece of Steel or Malleable Iron faced in the form of
a file, or rasp, to sharpen or making a point on the children's slate pencils, the same
placed on the frame of the writing slates fastened by two small nails. The child can
easily make a point on his pencil, which is very necessary in order to procure good
writing, and neat figures, by only rubbing the pencil along the sharper or file
piece.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Slate Pencil Pointer or Sharpener.
JOHN ROBERTS, 2 Rock Terrace, Bethesda Bangor North Wales, 'Assistant Master'
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:-
My invention is to have a flat piece of Steel or Malleable Iron faced in the form of
a file or rasp, to sharpen or making a point on the children's slate pencils, the same
placed on the frame of the writing slates fastened by two small nails. The child
can easily make a point on his pencil, which is very necessary in order to procure
good writing, and neat figures, by only rubbing the pencil along the sharper or
file piece.
This will add greatly upon the present form of making points on pencils, as children
are always using their knives placing pencil against the desks, and so proceed
sharpening, and therefore mark and spoil the desks.
It will also prevent children using knives at all, which are so dangerous, and will
have no excuse for bringing the same out of pockets at least during school hours.
The lower standards in schools where only slates are used, sometimes teachers have
to sharpen their pencils in order to procure an uniform writing, which otherwise is
impossible for a child to do, it will therefore add to the teaching apparatus of the
schools.
There is nothing to prevent the youngest child pointing his own pencil.
Unless good writing and figures are taught while using the pencil, it will be but a
poor chance to procure it when coming to Ink.
I speak of the mention facts regarding writing and figuring from experience,
having been teaching the different Standards for several years, and have many a
time thought of something to cure this fault, which I believe I have come to at last,
the same been tried and works well.
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. I claim the idea of Pointing or sharpening, a slate or any other pencil on a
piece of Steel or Malleable Iron of any shape or size, faced in the form of file or
rasp, and attached on the frame or any other part of writing slates.

page_text: 2. The simplicity of the mode of sharpening, or pointing-and as an improvement
upon writing slates.
3. The use of the slate Pencil Pointer or Sharpener for the purpose named sub-
stantially as described
JOHN ROBERTS..