236,475. Brynda, W. F. Jan. 30, 1925. Pencil holders. - In magazine pencil holders containing leads of different grades or colours, the leads are brought selectively into the writing position by longitudinal and rotary movement of one tubular member within another, the means for feeding a lead to compensate for wear consisting either of a simple pusher acting upon the lead, or a screw device for retracting the inner portion of the casing over the lead. As shown in Figs. 1 and 4, a tube 2 slidable within a tubular shell 1 is closed at its lower end by a slotted plug 3 - which forms a guide for resilient slidable arms 5 of wire or the like projecting therethrough and carrying the leads 8 within containers or clamping sheaths 7 at their ends. Longitudinal slots 10 extending to the lower end of the tube 2 are disposed in radial alignment with each arm 5, and in the normal writing position one of these slots is engaged by a guiding projection 11 on the inside of the sleeve 1. The projection 11 is disengaged from the slot 10 when the tube 2 is pulled out to its full extent, enabling the tube to be rotated until an indicating mark on its periphery corresponding to any particular lead is aligned with an index on the shell. In this position thelower end of the arm 5 carrying the required lead is in register with an inwardly projecting abutment 9 on the shell, so that when the tube 2 is again pushed into the, shell this arm is arrested, the arms carrying the other leads being moved downwardly owing to their frictional engagement with their guiding plug 3. The lead on the arrested arm is guided into the central position by a conical cap 21 screwed upon the tube 2, and projects through the slotted end 4<1> of a guiding tip 4, integral with or attached to the tube 2, being clamped in the writing position by screwing down the cap 21. A slotted tube 12, secured against rotation within the shell 1 by means of a transverse pin 13, forms a guide for a push rod 14, which is connected by a pin 15, extending through the slot 18 in the tube 12, to an actuating sleeve 16 upon the shell enabling the lead to be projected by pushing it from within its sheath 7 to compensate for wear, after first loosening the. clamping-cap 21. A spring 19 surrounding the tube 12, and between the plug 3 and the transverse pin 15, tends to hold the push rod in its inoperative position, and also facilitates the outward movement of the tube 2 when selecting another lead. In a modification, shown in Fig. 6, the lead carriers 5 comprise tubular sheaths provided at their inner ends with pins 23 projecting through longitudinal slots 24 in a sleeve 25 which is secured within the tube 2 and extends beyond its ends. The pins 23 permit a rocking movement, enabling a lead carrier to be guided through the axial aperture of the conical guide cap 26 when the lower end of the carrier abuts against a fixed projecting- pin 91, which is operative when the tube 2 is pushed within the shell. The tube 2 is provided with external screw threads for a nut 29 which is positioned to adjust the amount of projection of the tube 2 relatively to the shell 1 to vary the amount of lead 8 projecting. The projecting- pin 91 is secured in an eccentric position upon a plate 33 which forms one end of a refill chamber 31. In another modification of the leadadjusting device, shown in Fig. 12, the lower end of the inner tube 2 is provided with a tubular extension 36 having grooves or apertures 38 to receive teeth 37 on a nut 35 when the tube 2 is pushed within the shell 1 to project the leadcarrier aligned with the projection 9 on the wall of the shell. The coupling-nut 35 is carried on a screw 34 which is secured to a rotatable end cap 33. In another modification of the leadadjusting device, shown in Fig. 16, the lead carriers 44 which extend within longitudinal slots 43 in the reduced end 42 of a tube 41 fixed within the shell 39. The tube 41 is closed at its lower end by a disc 50 which forms an abutment for the head 49 of a screw 47 secured on the end cap 48. The screw 47 engages a nut or plug 46 at the lower end of a movable sleeve 45 which surrounds the reduced lower end 42 of the inner tube 41 and has an inward projection 51 which can be positioned to engage the lower end 44 of the lead carrier projecting through the slot 43. By pulling upon the cap 48, the sleeve 45 is moved longitudinally, beyond the end of the shell 39, the flange 46 at its upper end also retracting the projecting lead carrier, and in this rearward position the projection 51 of the sleeve enters a recess 43<a> at the bottom of the slot 43, allowing the sleeve to be rotated relatively to the shell to position its projection 51 beneath another lead carrier which is projected by pushing the sleeve in again.