Improvement in Combined Pencil Sharpener, Ink Eraser, and Point Protector.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd July, 1888
Specification Accepted, 24th Aug., 1888
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in Combined Pencil Sharpener, Ink Eraser, and Point
Protector.
We, HENRY EDGARTON, of Shirley, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, and
LEVI LINCOLN TOWER, of Boston, in the County of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts,
United States of America, Stationer, 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 :-
Our improved combined pencil sharpener, ink eraser and point protector is formed
of thin sheet steel, bent into a tube which fits over the pencil; this tube has a
segmental cutter provided near one end which is formed by means of a semicircular
opening, the curved side of which is sharpened so as to form an edge which is bent
inwardly so as to project slightly beyond the inner surface of the tube, which surface
forms a bearing for the end portion of the pencil when being sharpened, and also
forms a guage, or guide to determine the thickness of the shavings, as they are cut
from the wood of the pencil.
The extreme end portion of the said tube is formed on an incline, or angle, which
may be slightly curved, and have a sharp cutting edge which may. be used to
erase ink.
The opposite end of the tube is provided with a handle, the end of which is supplied
with a piece of rubber which will serve to erase pencil marks.
The pointed end of the pencil when not in use is inserted into the open end of the
tube, which serves as a point protector.
And in order that our Invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect we will describe the accompanying Sheet of Drawings reference being had to
the figures and letters marked thereon.
Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the method of sharpening a pencil with our
invention.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the invention.
Fig. 3 is a similar view of the opposite side.

page_text: .
In these views A is the tube which forms the point protector for the pencil B,
and C, is the incline curved edge portion, used for erasing ink, and E is the segmental,
or curved inwardly projecting cutting edge which is formed by means of the semi-
circular opening F, the curved side portion of which is bent inwardly so as to project
slightly beyond the inner suface of the tube, as shown.
The advantage obtained by the curved form of cutting edge, above described, is,
that when sharpening a pencil shallow cuts must be taken, and the pencil kept round,
whereby a fine point can be quickly obtained without breaking the lead, whereas
when sharpening a pencil with an ordinary cutter the tendency is to take deep cuts on
straight lines around the pencil in a series of angles, so as to break off the lead, or
form an irregular point.
The pencil is sharpened by drawing it over the cutting edge E, as shown in Fig. 1,
the sharpener being held firmly in position by means of the handle H, which is
provided at its outward end with the rubber I, adapted for erasing pencil marks.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said Inven-
tion, and in what. manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
A pencil sharpener, ink eraser and point protector, consisting of the sheet metal
tube A, provided with the curved opening F, having an inwardly projecting segmental
cutting edge E, and the inclined curved cutting edge C, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.