IMPROVEMENTS IN METALLIC AND OTHER PENS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Macintosh, of Great Ormond Street, in the
County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN METALLIC
AND OTHER PENS."
Sealed the 23rd November 1855, and dated the 18th September 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Macintosh at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 13th
⚫ September 1855:
I, JOHN MACINTOSH, of Great Ormond Street, in the County of Middlesex,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
METALLIC AND OTHER PENS" to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object means of forming a pen on each end of a
piece of metal or material used for pens. The end pen is formed first by the
machine in ordinary use, and the other end of the piece of metal or material
used is then placed by hand again in the machine to form a pen on the end
usually left blank. The machine may be so arranged as to make a pen on
both ends of the piece of metal or other material used for pens in one operation
if desired.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Macintosh in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
13th March 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, Jonn
MACINTOSHI, of Great Ormond Street, in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Macintosh, Her special licence that I, the said John Macintosh,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
John Macintosh, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no 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
METALLIC, AND OTHER PENS," upon the condition. (amongst others) that I, the
said John Macintosh, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 John Macintosh, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
My improvements consist in forming on one piece of steel or other material
suitable for the manufacture of pens two nibs, that is to say, I form one nib at
each end.
When it is desired to use this pen, one nib is placed in the holder, and when
the nib in use becomes worn, it is in turn inserted in the holder, and the other
nib is used. I sometimes form a fine nib at one end, and a, coarse nib, suitable
for thick writing, at the other.
The second part of my improvements consists in making pens of a flat
instead of a semi-cylindrical surface or shape, as is usually the case. I form

page_text: these pens from a flat sheet of metal or other suitable material. I can con-
sequently pack these flat pens in a much less compass than the usual pens
occupy; but when they have a nib at each end, it is evident that one box of
pens made in accordance with this Invention will only occupy about a third
of the usual space. It will be also evident that in these flat pens there is a
peculiar elasticity or spring, which is never found in the pens manufactured in
the ordinary mode. This has the effect of rendering the act of writing much
more easy and rapid; and, finally, each nib of these pens will last double the
time of the ordinary pens.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Macintosh, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
JUHN MACINTOSH.
(L.S.)