IMPROVEMENTS IN FOUNTAIN PENS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Newton Wilson, of 144, High Holborn, in the County
of Middlesex, Mechanical Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
FOUNTAIN PENS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Newton Wilson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st July 1880.
NEWTON WILSON, of 144, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
Mechanical Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FOUNTAIN PENS."
This Invention relates to what are known as stylographic fountain pens, and
consists primarily in the automatic opening and closing of the valve which admits
air to the reservoir, by so connecting the needle which protrudes through the
writing end of the instrument with the air inlet valve as to cause the said valve
to open automatically by the movement inside the holder of such needle during
the operation of writing, and to close so soon as the pressure is removed. For this
purpose I connect the upper end of the needle either directly or indirectly with the
air valve, and combine therewith a spring in such a manner as to ensure the closing
of the said valve as well as the outlet for the ink by one and the same operation.
As the needle extends through the whole or greater portion of the length of the
reservoir it follows that its constant movement therein tends to keep the apertures
clear. I also sometimes make this class of pens with an adjustable cap so arranged
that by turning or otherwise moving or adjusting the same by hand the inlet of
air can be regulated at will.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Newton Wilson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 31st
January 1881.
NEWTON WILSON, of 144, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
Mechanical Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FOUNTAIN PENS."
My said Invention relates to the class of writing instruments known as stylo-
graphic fountain pens, and consists partly in effecting an automatic opening and
closing of the valve or aperture, which admits air to the ink reservoir by connecting,
according to one arrangement, the needle, which protrudes slightly through the
writing end of the instrument when in use, either directly or indirectly with the
air inlet valve or aperture in such a manner as to cause the same to be opened by
the movement of the needle inside the holder by and during the operation of
writing, and to be closed automatically so soon as the pressure on the needle point
is removed, this being combined with an air chamber through which the needle
passes, formed inside the plug or stopper at the head of the instrument, and having
an air vent made in the top or other convenient part thereof, the object of this
air chamber being to receive any small globule of ink that may escape past the
air valve and allow it to be returned into the reservoir again without soiling the
exterior of the instrument.
As the needle extends through the entire length of the instrument, it follows
that its constant movement therein whilst the instrument is in use tends to keep
the air inlet aperture as well as the ink duct clear. The said needle is also so
arranged as to be independently moved by hand inside the holder in order to
admit of a small drop of ink being forced through the writing tip before com-
mencing to write, thereby putting the instrument in proper writing order and
keeping the ink duct in the tip clear. I also make this class of writing instru-
ments with the needle permanently attached to an adjustable cap or stopper so
arranged that by adjusting the same by hand the inlet of air can be regulated at
will, whilst by the same movement the needle will be withdrawn sufficiently to
enable the ink to flow, or will close the ink duct, as the case may be, thereby
keeping the duct always clear by the movement of the needle therein in the act
of opening and closing by hand the air inlet. This I call my "semi-automatic'
arrangement.
"
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to
the several Figures on the explanatory Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 of my Drawings represents an enlarged longitudinal section (drawn
to a scale of double the real size) of a combination or arrangement of parts consti-
tuting one form of my improved automatic stylographic fountain pen. a is a
hollow holder consisting of a metal or other tube forming the ink reservoir; b is
a metal or other writing tip which is tapered or otherwise formed so as to afford a
convenient writing point. This tip is screwed or otherwise secured into the lower
end of the holder, and has an ink duct or passage made longitudinally through it
communicating with the ink reservoir, as is well understood. c is a self acting
needle, consisting of a thin rod of metal wire or other suitable material, the lower
end of which may be tapered or otherwise shaped so as to fit the ink duct and
form a plug thereto when pushed home, its extreme end when in a state of rest
projecting slightly beyond the end of the tip. The upper end of this needle passes
through a hollow removeable plug or stopper d of metal or other suitable material,
within which is formed an air chamber h screwed or otherwise secured into the
top of the holder a. e is a valve of any convenient shape attached to or formed

page_text: on the needle (see Figure 1) for the purpose of opening and closing automatically
an air inlet aperture f in the lower part of the air chamber h, and communicating
with the ink reservoir. This valve is closed by a separate helical or other spring g
so long as the needle is at rest, but is opened by the pressure upon the point of the
needle in the operation of writing. The air chamber h is formed inside the plug
or stopper & screwed into the head of the instrument, and has an air vent i made
in the top or other convenient part thereof, the needle passing through the top of
the said air chamber and being conveniently provided with a knob or projection k,
or otherwise formed so as to admit of its being readily moved in or out, more or
less, by hand when required. The object of this air chamber is to receive any
small globule of ink that may escape past the air valve e and allow it to be returned
into the reservoir again without soling the exterior of the instrument. The object
of enabling the needle to be occasionally moved inside the holder by hand inde-
pendently of the operation of writing is to keep the air aperture and ink duct
clear, and to carry the ink to the point of the instrument at the moment of com-
mencing to write. On removing the plug d for the purpose of filling the ink
reservoir the needle will at the same time be withdrawn, to be replaced again on
returning the plug, thus preventing any permanent clogging of the ink duct.
In the modified or semi-automatic arrangement shown at Figure 2, a peculiarly
formed air inlet valve e entirely detached from the needle is employed; it is made
in the form of an г shaped elastic flat metal tongue permanently secured by a
rivet or otherwise to the side of the plug d at the point d', and rests at its free
end upon the top of the plug and upon the upper end of a separate needle c in such
a manner as to close the air passage fin the plug when not lifted by the motion
of the needle in writing or otherwise. By thus making the valve separate from
the needle and so as to close by its own inherent elasticity, the use of the separate
spring g heretofore employed is dispensed with. Z is a removeable perforated cap
or cover fitted onto the top of the plug, as is well understood, and serving to protect
the flat spring valve e from injury. In lieu of the usual taper on the lower end of
the needle, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, fitting a correspondingly tapered ink
duct, I sometimes make it with parallel sides, but of slightly reduced diameter,
along a portion of its length, as shown at c¹ in the modified arrangement, Figure 3,
so as to leave a shoulder c² on the needle. The reduced portion is made to fit and
protrude slightly beyond a small parallel bored tube b¹ inserted into the tip, whilst
the shoulder c on the needle by bearing upon the top of the tube will act as a
valve to close the ink duct until the needle is slightly raised or its point withdrawn
inside the instrument, whether the same be effected by the pressure against its
point in the act of writing, as in Figures 1 and 2, or by unscrewing the air inlet
regulating plug to which the needle is attached separately by hand in the act of
admitting the air, as in Figure 3. This Figure shows the arrangement wherein
the needle is permanently attached to an air inlet regulating plug m having a
portion at n cut away along one side, or otherwise so formed as to admit air into
the reservoir when such plug is partly elevated or turned round, and by the same
operation to move the needle and keep the ink duct clear, as before described.
In this arrangement, contrary to the usual practice, the point of the needle remains
entirely withdrawn inside the instrument during the operation of writing, as shown
in Figure 3, and is protruded only when the instrument is out of use.
valve e and plug m may be faced with a packing of any suitable material if
required.
The
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 would observe in conclusion, that 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 combination, in what are known as stylographic fountain pens or
writing instruments, of an arrangement whereby the admission of air to the ink
reservoir is rendered automatic or is governed by the longitudinal movement or

page_text: play of the needle inside the instrument, produced by and during the operation of
writing, with an air chamber in the head of the instrument through which the
upper end of the needle passes, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore
described and illustrated by Figure 1 of my Drawings.
Secondly. The combination, in a stylographic fountain pen or writing instrument,
of the hollow holder a, writing tip b, needle c, valve e, spring g, and air chamber h,
when the needle is caused to pass entirely through the instrument and through the
said air chamber, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described and
illustrated by Figure 1 of my Drawings.
Thirdly. The combination, in a stylographic fountain pen or writing instrument,
of the hollow holder a, tip b, separate loose needle c, and separate flat blade
spring valve c attached to the plug d, the said loose needle playing freely within
the holder and plug, and bearing at its upper end against the said valve, substan-
tially as and for the purpose herein before described and illustrated by Figure 2 of
the Drawings.
Fourthly. The peculiar construction of needle c for stylographic fountain pens
or writing instruments having a reduced cylindrical portion c¹ and shoulder c² in
combination with the small tube 6 and ink holder a, whether the said needle be
permanently, secured to a screwed air inlet regulating plug m in the permanent
plug & and withdrawn inside the instrument when in use, as shown in Figure 3,
or is caused to pass entirely through and play freely within the instrument in the
act of writing, as described and shown in Figures 1 and 2.
In witness whereof, I, the said Newton Wilson, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Thirty first day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
NEWTON WILSON. (L.S.)