CA1037007A - Recorder pen - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A recorder pen device having a closed cartridge or housing in which is enclosed all ink saturated fibrous material. A writing nib is secured to the cartridge with the opening of the nib comminicating with the ink saturated material inside the housing. The nib feeds a smoothly flowing trace of ink to a recording chart upon which the point of the nib is in contact. By providing various tip lengths and staggering the pens, clearance is provided so that the pens can move past each other without interfering with their respective operation. In one form of the invention a retainer is provided for supporting the nib in position on the cartridge. A modified form of retainer serves as the one end cap for the cartridge and is adapted to support the nib in one of two positions whereby the cartridge may be mounted in either one of two 180° opposite positions. Two such oppositely mounted pens can be supported to move past each other without interference. The cartridge is disposable requiring no service during a long period of operation.

Description

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B_ GROUND OF T~lr, INVENTION

The present invention relates to recorder pens and more particularly to a novel disposable cartridye and writiny nib structure.
Current writiny or recorder pens require frequent servic-iny which includes cleaniny, delintiny and refilling. The recorder pens are clipped to the recorder arm and have a small metal shell or reservoir connected to metal nibs or a small metal tube which bears upon the record sheet to draw the appropriate data therein. Drops of ink are added periodically, i.e. every

2 or 3 days, to the shell or reservolr from which shell or reservoir the ink is fed by capillary action to the chart. Some :
of the problems of the just described apparatus lie in the abradiny of the chart by the metal nibs or tubes; the criticality of the angle of contact of the metal nibs or tubes to the chart and dust and foreign material entering the shell or reservoir . . .
and cloyging the nibs or tubes requiring frequent servicing.
Typical of the just described current devices are the U.S.
patents to Lovejoy No. 1,720,226, Amthor No. 1,122,053 and Baker --No. 896,193. All three patents have openings to the atmosphere .
which facilitates filling the reservoir or venting the reservoir, :.-but such openlngs permit the entry of dust and foreign matter . .
and permit evaporation of the ink leaving non-flowing thickened :.:
ink or dry deposits requiring frequent service.
The U.S. patents to Newman No. 2,082,591, Rose No.
1,154,438 and Melas No. 2,876,740 all have closed containers :.

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~1~371D~7 and nib outlets, but -they have not proven practical in use. None of the devices have provision or feeding ink to -the nib when the container is tilted with the ink out of communica-tion with the inner end of the nib. Newman 2,0~2,591 compresses the collapsible containers to create the communication of the ink :
with the nib, while Rose 1,15~,438 and Melas 2,876,7~0 must tilt the container in the proper direction in order to make it possible for the nib to write. ~, The Gauley Patent No. 3,090,357 has a recorder device which will write in one of two positons but he must provide a vent into his cham~er in order to ge-t the ink flow he desires ' ,',., SU~MARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
' "' ' Broadly, the invention contemplates a recorder pen for ~ ~ -use on a recording instrument which comprises a tube having a closed chamber, a fibrous means impregnated with a supply ~
of ink closed in the chamber, a means Eor venting the closed ~ ~ -chamber, and a plastic nib carried by the tube and having a capillary passageway therein. A writing point is formed on the nib with the passageway communicating between the point ~ -and the inside of the closed chamber with the fluid in the chamber flowin~ through the passageway to the point. A means is provided in the chamber for equalizing pressure between the opposite ends thereof.
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a cartridge or housing is provided with an ink impregnated -fibrous material closed therein. A nib of tubular plastic, ~, .
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of collima-ted or linear fiber material of open-cell or porous plastic or of some such appropriate material projects through ;
one wall of the cartridge or housing whereupon ink is fed by ` capillary action to the writing point of the nib. The nib has on the end remote from the writing point an axially direct-ed surface which has a component facing in the direction of the major area of the inside of the cartridge or housing. The ;, , .
cartridge is provided with a member for attaching the recorder pen to the end of an arm of a recorder instrument. The improved recorder pen generally operates effectively for about three months whereupon it is removed, discarded and a new cartridge ~ -~i and nib is installed in its stead. There is a minimum amountof service required to maintain the pens and since the reservoirs are closed, there is no accumulation of dust and foreign matter ~- -to clog the nib and there is no evaporation so that the like-lihood of clogging from driedink is eliminated. The nibs are such that the angle of contact with the paper is not ;
critical and the points on the nibs are non-scratching and non- ~ -abrading. The recorder pen is very light in weight and has a . ~ , . . .
low moment of inertia, thereby making it possible to use the ;
pen on very sensitive instruments with little or no compensa-i tion required for the weight and momentum of the pen on the ~
end of the arm. - -y~
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: ~n modified ~orms o~ tlle invention improved end clips are provided ~or suppor~incJ the nibs on the cartric1ge and in one form the end clip also plugs the end of ~he cartridge. Provision is made for fastening the cartxidge to a recorder arm and ~or reversing the direction of orient~tion of the cartridge for use on special types o~ recording instruments.

BRIEF ESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

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FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a recorder -pen embodying the invention and shown as attached to the outer end of a recorder arm;
FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the improved recorder pen in use on a record sheet; .
, FIGURE 3 is an enlarged and exploded apart perspective view of the invention of FIGURE l;
FlGURE 4 is a modified form of the invention as in-stalled on the ends of overlapping recording arms for cross-over use;
FI~U~E 4A is another modified iorm for mounting two or more recorder pens for cross-over use;
FXGURE S is an enlarged and exploded apart perspective ~iew of one of the modified recorder pens of FIGURE 4; ~ :
~ , ` FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view of a simplified and modified form of the invention;
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FIGURE 7 is still another cross-sectional view of ~ ~:
,~25 another modified version of the invention; ~ -~ FIGURE 8 is a different version of the modified .
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i ~ recorder pen of FIGURE 7; and ~ :
FIGVRE 9 is a perspective view of a m~dified form of the invention. ::~
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~37~7 Referring to the drawings and in particular to FIGU~ES 1 - 3, a recorder pen 10 is shown in position on the end portion 11 of a recording or pen arm 12. The pen arm 12 is attached to an instrument, not shown, of conventional design wherein continuous readings of the state of some condition is transmitted to the arm 12 and recorder pen 10 and then to a record sheet 14 which can be circular, as shown, or can be a straight sheet or any appropriate recording surface. The nib or tip 15 on the recorder pen traces a line 16 on the sheet 14 leaving a permanent record of the condition of the readings.
For instance, the temperature of a furnace correlated to time or the pressure in a boiler correlated to time are the types of readings recorded by the instrument.

The recorder pen 10 consists of an integral extruded or molded tube preferably of a suitable plastic material, such as polyethylene or polypropylene or other appropriate material. The tube could also be made of metal although some of the advantages of the design might be lost thereby. The tube has two parts, a continuous 20~ hollow sleeve portion forming the cartridge vial or housing . :. . . .
18 and a channel-shaped mounting member 19 formed by a pair of spaced apart but facing U-shaped members 20 for :,,. ~ . .
receiving and resiliently retaining the end 11 of the pen ~ -arm 12. A wad or length of fibrous absorbent material 21 is stuffed in the sleeve portion of the housing 18. A pair of shaped end plugs 22 made of plastic or other appropriate material are adapted to be press-fit into the respective ends -of the housing 18. Each plug 22 has an enlarged flange 23 for abutting the end face of the housing and a projecting ;~`
body portion 24 for fitting into the open ends of the ~
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housing. A small button or projection 24' e~tends inwardly from the body portion 24 so as to retain the wad of . ..' . ~ '' , ','.: ' ,'.

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absorbant materi~l 21 spaced ~rom the junction between the plug 22 and the walls of the housing 18. The purpose of the just described spacing is ~o prevent capillary leakiny of ink from the ink-imp~egnated wad through said junction between the plug and the housing.
A xetainer member 25 is provided with a shaped body portion 26 adapted to slide into one open end of the spaced U-shaped member 20 into the mountiny member 19. The retainer 25 has a downwardly depending handle portion 2~ that has a wall 29 which bears against the end of the tube. The top face of the retainer 25 is composed of two planar surfaces, one surface being ofset downwardly along a ledge 30 a short distance from the other surface. With the retainer 25 in position in the mounting member 19, the ledge 30 will provide a small space between the lower planar face and the bottom wall of said member 19. With the wall 2g located against the end of the tube, an opening 31 in the body portion 26 is properly positioned for holding the nib 15 to the tube (as will be described hereinafter) such that when ~ -~
the portion 11 o~ arm 12 is positioned in mounting member 19 the end of the arm will slide between the top face of the retainer 25 and the bottom of the member ~ and the end wall of the arm will abut the side wall of the nib to accurately position the ~ -tip or nib 15 relative to the root of the arm for correct ` positioning of the point on the chart~14. The end of arm 12 125~ may be notched or bifurcated whereby lt will e~gage the nib 15 at two points in locating the pen on the arm 12. ;
Th~ retainer 25 has the opening 31 through the body portion 26. Said openi~g has chords cutting across the walls ` thereof so as to qive the opening somewhat of a triangular 1 ' ,. . .
3Q shape. The ~ip or nîb 15 is a generally tubular member having ' ~ ~ 6 1~37~110~
one end 32 cut of~ at an angle to form a face 33 and having the other end gradually rounded and tapered to form a writing point 3~. The angle of the face 33 with respect to the ~xis of the nib 15 should be be-tween 30 and 60 for best results, however, an angle greater or less than 30-60 does produce advantages but not as great as in the 30-60 range. The end 32 is press-fit through opening 31 and passes through an opening 35 in the wall of the housing. The opening 35 in the housing is shaped or constructed to permit a very slight venting past the nib 15 into the housing. The venting can be accomplished by making the opening 35 slight out of round so as to not seal -against the nib or by forming a slight groove in the opening 35 or some such similar arrangement whereby a limited venting into ~e housing is permitted. The shape of the opening 31 serves to grip and retain the nib in place. The end face 33 of the nib rests interiorly of the cartridge or housing 18 and has a component lying parallel to the major axis of the cartridge ;~ ~ -and facing into the major inside area of the cartridge or housing -18 with the capillary ends or passages 36 communicating between the inside o the cartridge 18 and the writing point 34. With ;~
the face 33 of the nib facing into the major area of the cartridge improved capillary action is established over a longer period o~ time thereby extending the life and usefulness of the recorder pen. A depending sleeve 37 is integrally formed on the lower face of the body 26 of the retainer 25 and has an opening thPrein aligned with the opening 31 in said body. The size of the opening in the sleeve can be the same as opening 31 in retainer 25 or may be~round and substantially equal to the outside diameter of the tip or nib 15 so as to engage and support said nib : . -during use. ~

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The nib or tip 15 is formed by molding, extruding or compaction and is made of any one or possible combinations of materials having capillary capabilities. Typical of the types of constructions and materials that have been found to S operate successfully are collinated or linear fibérs, open cell porous plastic, compactad random fibers, extruded plastic with a convoluted capillary passage or a composite of an extruded tubuiar shell over a core that can be linear fibers/ porous plastic random fibers or the like. The material to be selected for the nib or tip 15 is preferably plastic and has appropria~e capillary characteristics of the general type provided by the just enumerated constructions.
With the nib 15 in position in the retainer 25 and in the cartridge 18, the ledge 30 of the retainer 25 provides a small space for air to enter between the face of the retainer 25 and the bottom wall of the mounting member lg. The com~ined ef~ect of said spacing and the venting shape of the opening 35 into the cartridge 18 permits limited but adequate venting of the inside of the chamber of the cartridge or tube 18. The venting is only sufficient to permit free flowing by capillary action o the ink through the nib 15, but is not sufficient to dry the ink absorbed in the wad o~ absorbant material 21.
A cap 40 is formed with a hollow interior recess 41 ; adapted to enclose the point 34 and the exposed body of the ~25 nib 15 when the recorder pen is not in use. The cap 40 has a tapered body portion 42 and a flanged lip 44 at the open enlarged end portion 45. The end portion 45 slips over the depending sleeve 37 and grips thereto so as to position the ~ap 40 in nib protecting relationship~ ~he walIs of the recess 41 o cap 40 are spaced from the point 34 for protecting the polnt during shipment and storage. The cap is easily removed by gripping the outer surface and pulliny ~xially away from the cartridge 18.

~1~37~7 The recorde~ pen 10 which is receiv~d filled with recorder in~ or fluid and which has the nib sealed by tile cap 40, is put i~ use by removing th~ cap 40 and drawiny the point 34 across a surface to be sure the capillary actiorl of the writing fluid has begun. The arm 12 has the end 11 threaded into the facing U-shaped openin~s 20 until the end of the arm abuts the wall of the nib 15 between the retainer 25 and the bottom of the mounting member 19. The point 34 on nib 15 is lowered into contact with the chart 14 and is held in contact therewith by the spring urging of the arm 12. The pen will trace the record on the chart 14 as the chart rotates (FIGURE 2~ or as the chart is drawn underneath the recorder pen.
The wad of absorbant material 21 is impregnated with xecorder ink or fluid which recorder ink or fluid is selected depending on the conditions under which the recorder pens will operate. The conditions of the area where the recording is made are important and, in particular, the room temperature, the humidity, the conditions o the air, i.e. dusty, solvent ~aden and the like. The chemical composition including the viscosity of the lnk to be used will be varied depending on the operating conditions mentioned above. One type of recorder ink found to be highly successful with the recorder pen is a water- -based ink with a plasticizer which operates successfully in ., :.
a temperature range of from -30F. to 120~F.
The light-weight plastic materials used for the integral tube and mounting channel together with the light-weight absorbant wad and recorder ink result in a low moment of inertia recorder ~ -; pen which can be used successfully in extremes oi~ temperature, vibrations and ~tmospheric conditions. The plastic type nlbs 15 1 30 will continue to trace the record on the sheet and will not gouge `~ holes in the sheet even under extreme vibrations of the instrument. -~

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Since the reservoir is closed no dust or foreiyn matter gets into the chamber with recording ink or fluid impregnated wad 21 for the point 34 and, therefore, no daily service is required. Recorder pens made according to the invention have been in use continuously for more than three months without requiring replacement. When service is required the recorder pen 10 is usually removed, discarded and replaced by another recorder pen.

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FIGURES 4 and 5 show a modified form of the invention, and, referring to FIGURE 4 a pair of recorder pens 50 are shown, and the one end plug 22 and retainer 25 of the form of invention shown in FIGURE 3 are replaced by a one ~ -piece plug retainer 51 which clips over the forward end of the cartridge or housing 18 and serves both as a plug and as a nib retainer. Specifically, retainer 51 has a body portion 52 shaped to conform to the shape of tne cross-section of the car-tridge and has projecting parallel legs 53, 54. The leg 54 of retainer 51 is inserted into the open end of the mounting chan-nel between the U-shaped members 20 with the leg 53 positioned ~0 over and bearing against the top of the cartridge vial 18. When the retainer 51 is in position the body portion 52 will bear again~t the end wall of the housing 18 to seal the end of the housing. The leg 54 has an opening 55 formed therein in such a ~;
way as to provide a downward projecting skirt 56 around the -~5 openlng, which skirt serves as a support for the tip or nib 15.
That is, the tip or nib 15 is essentially the same as in FIGURES -~ -1 - 3 and projects through the skirt 56, opening 55, opening 57 in the wall of the housing 18 into the recorder ink impregnated fibrous wad in the housing 18. The remainder of the recorder ¦
pen 50 is essentially the same as the pen 10 of FIGURE 1 and l . ' ': - ' -10- ~
~ , . " ' ~37~7 has the end plug 2~ seated in the rear end of khe housing, has the ink-impregnated fibrous material 21 in the reservoir and when the end portion 11 of the arm 12 is ncs~ed in the channel 20 the end o said arm abuts against the nib 15 between the bottom of the mounting 19 and the top surface of the retainer 51 ~or correctly positioning the recorder pen relative to the instrument.
The retainer 51 is adapted to be reversible with respect to the end of the housing 18 so that the leg S4 with the opening 55 and skirt 56 may be posi~ioned on the non-channelled wall 58 of the housing 18 so that the end wall 33 and end portion of the nib 15 extend through an opening 60, shown in dotted lines, in th~ wall 58 of the housing. The nib lS with point 3~ is now pointing 180 opposite to its previous direction and the mounting membar 19 is on the wall opposite lS to the wall 58 containing the nib 15.
The reversible, oppositely projecting ni~ 15 concepthas particular use on multiple arm recording instruments such as shown in FIGURE 4. Two spring urged arms 61, 62 project outwardly from the instrument in overlapping relationship, !
with the upper arm 61 being longer than the lower arm 62. The recorder pen 50 as described above with the nib lS projected downwardly from`between the mounting 19 is mounted on the upper erm 61 and employs a longer nib 15 so as to contact the recording -~ux~ace. The lower arm 62 receives a recorder pen 50 with the ~. . ... .
,~ `25 retainer 51 reversed so that the nib 15 projects from the unchannelled wall 58 o~ the housing. The axm 62 nests in the 1~ channel 20 with the housing 18 below the arm so that the nib 15 xtends downward into contact with the recording surface. The two recorder pens mounted in 180 opposite positions with -; 30 ~ respect to the housing 18 provide a dual recording instrumant `I ................................................................ . .. .

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which can be used for cross-over systems or the like with all of the same advantage of the invention as previously described.

FIGURE 4A is anoth~r way of mounting the cartridge or housing 18 for cross-over systems. That is, the nib 15 projects from the side of the housing having the moun-ting member l~ and the retainer member 25 for both housings 18 so that the pen arms 61 and 62 will rest in said members 19 at the bottom of both housings. The lengths of the nibs 15 are such as to permit cross-over use of the system without the arms 61, 62 or housings 18, 18 interfering with each other.
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The modification of ~IGURE 6 shows a recorder pen 70 with a closed housing or cartridge 71 containing an ink saturated fibrous material 72. A nib 73 having an angled wall 74 projects through an opening 75 in the wall of the housing 71 and has a writing point 76 projecting outwardly from said .
houslng. Appropriate holding means such as spring clips and the like (not shown) can be provided for securing the recorder pen 70 on an arm for use. The recorder pen 70,functions in substantially the same manner as the modifications of FIGURES :
l - 3 and 4 - 5.

PIGURES 7 and 8 show another form of recorder pen 80 having a housing or cartridge 81 sealed at one end 82 and having an apertured plug 83 sealingly inserted in the other end thereof. The plug 83 has a positioning flange 84 for abutting the end of the housing. A nozzle 85 projects from the plug 83 and has an opening 86 extending therethrough into the reservoir in the housing 81. A curved tip or nib 87 has a ¦~
writing point 88 on one end and has a wall 89 cut off at an angle at the opposite end. The angled wall 89 is force fit into the plug 83 whereupon ink in the ink-impregnated fibrous materi-al 90 in the reservoir of the housing 81 flows by capillary -: .

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action to the pOillt ~. The wall 8~ on the nib 87 is adapted to penetrate and puncture a seal 91 in the end of the pluy 83 which seal 91 can be best seen in F~GUR~ 8.
FIGUR~ 8 shows the recorder pen 80 and cartridge or housing 81 of FIGURE 7 as used with another nib or tip 93. In the modification of FIGURE 8 the seal 91 is unbroken and the nib 93 similar to the nihs of FIGURES 1 and 5 is used.
The nib 93 penetrates an opening 94 in the wall of the housin~
81 so as to provide a capillary communciation of recorder ink from the ibrous material 90 ~o the point of the nib 93.
Both FIGURE 7 and 8 recorder pens are adapted to be mounted on recording arms by appropriate means such as spring clips and the like. -' FIGURE 9 is another modification wherein a breather lS tube is provided to equalize pressure from one end of the cartridge or tube to the other. That is a circular cartridge or tube 95 is provided with end plugs 96 force fit into the ends of said tube. A wad of fibrous absorbant material 97 is pressed lnto the tube and is impregnated with recorder ink. A nib 98 similar to ..........
20 nib 15 is mounted in the wall of the tube 95 with the component of the end face 98' facing into the major area of the tube. A
hollow breather tube 99 is pressed into the tube between the wad of material 97 and the inner wall of the tube 95 with the ~nds of the breather ~ube opening into the end areas of the inside 25~ of the tube 95. In the illus~rated position of the breather tube 9~ u~equal pressure between the end portions of the cartridge or tube 95 is avoided, in that as ink is bled off through nib 98 pressure in .he end of the tube in which nib 98 is located is egualized by air passing through breather tube 99O In this way the ~low of ink to nib 98 is not in~errupted by a pressure block developing ~ in the tube 95.

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The tips or nibs of the several modifications are plastic parts which have a shaped writing point which does not scratch, does not clog from dust or other foreign particles and will continue to wrlte at a wide variety of contact angles with the writing surface. The angle of writing contact is, in other words, not critical as it is with conventional metal nibs or points. The plastic nibs can be made to provide a very fine line tracing, can operate at slow or fast speeds and are not subject to obstruction by air bubbles in the delivery tubes.
Since the improved recorder pen is sealed, the spillage of ink is eliminated, the device is inexpensive to manufacture and, therefore, can be thrown away when it runs dry, the device is cheaper to service since it is not necessary to frequently fill and clean the pan, different color inks can be readily used since all that is required is to switch one cartridge of one color ink for another cartridge of a different color, the device is universally usable with practically all current recording instruments and the device has a long shelf life since the reservoir is closed and the nib is enclosed by the cap 40. :

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Claims (7)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A recorder pen for use on a recording instrument comprising a tube having a closed chamber, fibrous means impreg-nated with a supply of ink enclosed in said chamber, means for venting said closed chamber, a plastic nib carried by the tube and having a capillary passageway therein, a writing point formed on said nib with said passageway communicating between said point and the inside of said closed chamber, said fluid in said chamber flowing through said passageway to said point, and means pro-vided in said chamber for equalizing pressure between the opposite ends thereof.

2. A recorder pen as claimed in claim 1 wherein said tuba has a channel means formed on one side thereof for receiving the end portion of an arm of the recording instrument.

3. A recorder pen as claimed in claim 2 wherein said tube and channel means are integrally formed as a one-piece plastic member.

4. A recorder pen as claimed in claim 1 wherein the inner end portion of said nib lies in a plane disposed at an angle to the axis of the nib, said inner end having a component lying parallel to the major axis of the chamber and facing into the major area of the chamber.

5. A recorder pen as claimed in claim 1 wherein said nib has a longitudinal axis which is disposed at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of said closed chamber in said tube.

6. A recorder pen as claimed in claim 5 wherein said plane of said inner end portion of said nib forms a 45° angle with respect to the axis of said nib.

7. A disposable, continuous capillary recorder pen for recording information on a surface comprising a tube hav-ing a closed chamber and a sleeve projecting laterally there-from, fibrous means substantially filling said closed chamber, said fibrous means being impregnated with a supply of ink, a plastic nib carried by said sleeve on said tube and having a capillary passageway therethrough, vent means between said nib and said tube immediately adjacent said nib to permit pressure equalization in said closed chamber, said nib having the face of one end disposed at an angle with respect to the axis of the nib, said one end of the nib extending into said closed chamber with the angled face projecting toward the bulk of the fibrous means and into engagement with said ink impregnated fibrous means, a writing point formed on said nib with said capillary passageway communicating between said point and the inside of said closed chamber, said ink in said fibrous means being trans-ferred by continuous capillary action from said fibrous means through said capillary passageway to said point and onto said surface regardless of the angle of orientation between said recorder pen and said surface and means provided in said chamber for equalizing pressure between the opposite ends thereof.