US2690738A

US2690738A - Ball-point pen

Info

Publication number: US2690738A
Application number: US302571A
Authority: US
Inventors: Andonov Christ
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1952-08-04
Filing date: 1952-08-04
Publication date: 1954-10-05
Anticipated expiration: 1971-10-05

Description

C. AN DON OV BALL-POINT PEN Oct. 5, 1954 Filed Aug. 4, 1952 $25-1 J2 2 mg-4 Z'M A Patented Get. 5, 1954 i'i'ED STATES-PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to automatic writing instruments, and particularly to the so-called multicolored writing instrument which is capable of writing in any one of four different colors. This invention is particularly concerned `with the adaptation of the well known ball-point pen into a writing instrument which will allow vthe selected use of any one of four different colors of ball-point ink.

There is to my knowledge no automatic ballpoint pen on the market today which does not suffer at least one of several of the common defects attributable to this type of Writing instrument as known in the prior art. In the first place the prior art devices now in use contain a propelrepel mechanism which causes the ball-point unit to extend from the opening in the end of the instrument at an angle to the axis of the instrument. This causes an awkward feel to be had by the person utilizing the instrument and is generally objected to by the user.

ln the second place the prior art instruments require the use of the operators fingernails or fingertips in the manipulation of the instrument. This is a very significant disadvantage, especially since a large percentage of the prospective users of such an instrument have little manual dexterity and hence require an instrument which can be easily manipulated without the use of the ngernails.

In the third place the prior art constructions almost universally1 contain projections which stand out from the general body of the writing instrument and tend to catch on clothing, thereby injuring it, or tending to be broken when the instrument is dropped or otherwise mishandled.

In the fourth place most of the prior art instruments have no provision for the prevention of turning of the instrument in the writers hand, a feature which is very desirable and has long been recognized in the fountain pen art by the off-center placement of the nib.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a writing instrument which has none of the foregoing defects and disadvantages.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novel ball-point pen which provides a selection of four colors.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a ball-point writing instrument which is easily manually manpulatable by means of a large, easily actuated, knob at the upper end thereof. 4

Still another feature of the present invention is the provision of a multi-color writing instrument utilizing ball-point pen inserts in which the insert projects from the instrument parallel to the axis thereof.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel 'ball-point pen in which the ball-point writing portion projects from the instrument at a point parallel to but offset from the axis of the instrument so that the writing instrument tends to be self-centering in the writers hand.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a novel, efficient and extremely simple multi-color ball-point pen having a practically fool-proof construction.

Still other objects and features of the present invention will appear to those skilled in the art from the following description of the drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of my invention is disclosed.

ln the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan View of my novel writing instrument;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of my ball-point pen as shown in Figure l;

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the writing instrument in operative position as taken along the lines lll-III of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional View of the writing instrument shown in position immediately prior to changing colors and taken along the lines III-III of Figure l;

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines V-V of Figure 3; and

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional View taken along lines VI--VI of Figure 3.

As may be seen in Figures l and 2 the writing instrument of the present invention utilizes a tubular housing generally indicated at i, a'cap generally indicated at 2, a generally conical but offset tip generally indicated at 3 and a ball-point pen insert 4. It is contemplated that the housing I and the tip 3 be integral or securely affixed to each other by welding, gluing or other similar fastening techniques which will vary depending upon the material utilized in these parts.

The writing instrument as shown in Figure 3 is in the operative position. As therein disclosed a plurality of ball-point pen inserts il are mounted in bores 5 in the rotatable core member 6. The core member E is mounted for rotation about the pivot bolt 8 which is threaded into the tip 3. The rotatable member S has a central bore therein extending from the right hand end of the member 6 to the abutment at the left hand end upon which the screw pivot member 8 seats.

A connecting pin I6 having a round head I I at the left hand end thereof is rotatably and slidably carried in the central bore. A polygonal clutch portion is formed at the left hand end of the pin III as shown at I2 and is constructed to mate with a polygonal bore I3 of the clutch member Ill which is press tted into xed position in the central bore at its left hand end. A spring I5 is provided between the member II and the member Ill to bias the pin I in the left hand direction as shown in Figure 3. It should be noted that the polygonal portion I2 of the pin Ill extends along the pin I9 a distance which is only slightly greater than the completely compacted length of the spring I5. The reason for this will be discussed later. The pin member I is embedded in the cap member 2 by means of threads IG although other suitable fastening means such as soldering, gluing, etc. may be utilized if desired.

The members l are biased into the right hand direction by means of springs Il which coact with lugs I8 formed on the exterior of the ballpoint members 4.

As may be seen from Figure 6, the cap member 2 has three bores IS therein for the reception of the three ball-point members i not in operation.

It desirable it is contemplated that an indicator device be provided at 2B. This device comprises a Window 2G in the outer shell of the housing I Colors may then be painted upon the member at four points corresponding to the colors of the ball-point pen inserts utilized. A further operating indicator 2l is shown in Figure l and comprises a diamond or other similar indicia with part of the indicia on the housing I and part on the cap member 2.

In operation the instrument is in a condition shown in Figure 3. As shown there, one of the members it is in position extending through the aperture 3a of tip portion 3 against the action of the spring I'I. As may be readily understood, the spring I5 is of greater force than the spring I? therefore maintaining the cap member 2 against the right hand end of the housing I Y and the operative member l in extended position. In this position the right hand end of the member L3 which is in use is forced through the aperture 3a in the tip by means of the cap 2 which has presented a blind face to the operative 'l member Il. The remaining three ball-point units are prevented from passing through the tip 3 since they are not aligned with the single aperture 3o therethrough. The right hand ends of the members I therefore protrude beyond the right hand end of the housing I. The cap 2 is provided with three bores IS which accept the excess length of the members I in operative position.

When it is desired to change colors the cap 2 is pulled to the right as far as it will go. This action pulls the polygonal member I 2 to the right until it engages the polygonal section I3. At this point the right hand ends of the inoperative members Il will have been cleared by the cap member as shown in Figure 4. The springs I1 will have forced all four of the members 4 to their far right hand positions.

With the parts in this position the cap 2 is rotated, turning the member 5 by means of the polygonal clutch members I2 and I3 to a position in which some one of the remaining three colors is aligned with the aperture 3a through the tip member 3. The cap member 2 is then allowed to move to the left a slight amount sufficient to disengage the members I2 and I3 but not to engage the right hand ends of the member 4 in the left hand ends of the bores I9 of the cap. In this position the cap 2 may be rotated Without aiecting the position of the member 6. The cap 2 is then rotated until the alignment members 2I are opposite each other at which point the cap member 2 is released and allowed to move to its extreme left hand position under the influence of spring I5. This rotation of the cap member 2 Without rotation of the member G is necessary in order that the blind portion of the cap member 2 be opposite the aperture 3a so that when the cap is released the member d which is opposite the aperture 3a will be forced through the aperture into an operative position.

Assembly of the Writing instrument is accomplished by inserting the member 6 in the hollow housing I and fastening it therein by means of the pivot screw 8 which is preferably slotted for screw driver or socket wrench. The members are then inserted in the bores 5 with the spring I'I therearound. The member I6 with its head II is then positioned in the central bore and the spring l5 positioned therea-bout. With the parts in this position the member I 4 with its internal clutching polygonal member section I3 is press fitted into the central bore 9 thus positively maintaining the member I3 with its head SI inside the central bore. In order to place the cap upon the end of the pin I0 the pin I0 is forcibly pulled to its far right hand position. At this position the threaded end of the pin I0 extends some distance beyond the right hand end of the inoperative pen members l and the cap member may therefore easily be turned down on the threaded end of the pin I. The pin ID may be maintained in a relatively secure position during this turning by keeping the clutch members I2 and I3 in engagement and preventing the rotation of the member 5 by holding on to the four members 6.1. The cap 2 is rotated down on the pin It' until it bottoms thus giving a look t with the cap member in a proper adjustment. It is thus apparent that in order to change inserts or put in replacement or refill ball-point pen units it is only necessary to pull the cap member 2 to the extreme right hand position and then rotate it in the counterclockwise direction while holding the members 4 against rotation. This will unscrew the cap 2 from the pin I9 and permit the members 4 to easily be removed.

t will thus be seen from the above disclosure that I have provided a novel multi-color ballpoint pen Writing instrument which is extremely simple, has a minimum number of parts, and is readily operated without the use of the fingernail of the Writer.

It Will be understood that modifications and variations may be eiTected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A multi-color Writing instrument comprising a housing having a generally conical tip with an offset aperture therein for the passage of a selected writing unit, a member positioned within said housing and rotatable about the longitudinal axis thereof, said member having a plurality of bores therein eccentric to the axis thereof and adapted to be selectively aligned with said offset aperture, writing means in each of said bores, and cap means pivotally supported by said rotatable member and selectively clutchable thereto for rotating said member to align a selected bore with said oiset aperture, said cap being declutchable therefrom to be rotatable relative thereto and slidable relative to said member and having a plurality of blind bores therein for accommodation of writing units not in use and abutment means thereon for cooperation with the writing unit selected for use to position said writing unit through said aperture into operative position.

2. A multi-color writing instrument comprising a housing having an aperture therethrough offset from the longitudinal axis thereof for the passage of a selected writing unit, means for supporting a plurality of writing units therein, a cap rotatably and slidably secured to said means and clutchable thereto upon sliding movement whereby said means may be rotated to align a selected writing unit with said aperture, said cap being reciprocable to an unclutched position and rotatable to a position in which propelling means thereon faces said selected writing unit and said cap being further reciprocable into a compacted position adjacent said housing where rotation of said cap relative to said housing is prevented and said selected Writing unit is placed in operative position.

3. A writing instrument comprising a housing, a member rotatably mounted within said housing and having eccentrically positioned bores, said housing having an aperture therein offset from the longitudinal axis thereof and alignable with a selected one of said bores, a Writing unit in each of said bores, actuating means for said writing units, said actuating means comprising a cap member reciprocably and rotatably mounted on said member, said cap member having eccentric blind bores along the longitudinal axis thereof for cooperation with said writing units when said cap member is moved into proximity with said houring and abutment means in said cap for coopera tion with the selected writing unit for recip rocating it through said aperture, selected clutch means on said cap and said member for providing simultaneous rotation therebetween, said cap beiniT reciprocable away from said housing into a position in which it is clutched to said member for rotating said member, reciprocable to an unclutched intermediate position where the cap may be rotated independently of said member and positioned so that said abutment is aligned with the selected writing unit and the aperture, and reciprocable to a third position in proximity to said housing in which said selected Writing unit is forced by said abutment through said aperture into operative position and the remaining writing units are positioned in said blind bores in said cap thereby locking said cap against rotation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 641,230 Rice et al Jan. 9, 1900 876,223 Newman et al Jan. 7, 1908 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 378,187 Germany July 6, 1923