GB864038A - Improvements in or relating to writing instruments - Google Patents

Abstract

864,038. Writing instruments. SHEAFFER PEN CO., W. A. March 20, 1959, No. 9776/59. Class 146(3). [Also in Group XXV] A retractable writing instrument, e.g. a ball-point pen, comprises a rocking, pivotally mounted pocket clip, an actuating member secured to the pocket clip and disposed within the barrel and writing unit displacing means mounted on the writing unit and slidable longitudinally therewith within the barrel, the pocket clip having a bead at its forward end which is movable into an aperture of the pen barrel where it engages the actuating member and displaces it in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the barrel, such transverse displacement of the actuating member causing longitudinal movement of the writing unit displacing means so as to project the writing unit against the biasing action of a return spring. As shown in Fig. 2, the pen barrel is in two parts 10, 30 connected by a sleeve 32 which serves to centre a ball-point writing unit 18 within the barrel. A pocket clip 42 having a rearward extension 50 overlies a longitudinal slot in the barrel portion 30 and is pivotally mounted at 34 on a sleeve 56 fixed in the rear barrel portion. Integral with the pocket clip is a spring-like actuating member 46. A cam member 62 is mounted on the rear end of the writing unit 18 and a. rod 60 extends from the rear end thereof having a reduced diameter portion which slides in the sleeve 56. The cam member 62 has a frusto-conical surface 66 and a flat, annular surface 64. As shown the forward end 48 of the actuating member 46 engages the surface 64 to hold the writing unit in projected position against the rearward bias of a return spring 24, the pocket clip 42 lying flush with the barrel in this position. Inward pressure on the extension 50 of the pocket clip causes the latter to pivot outwards and move the end 48 of the actuating member out of engagement with the surface 64 so as to allow the writing unit to be retracted by the spring 24. The actuating member 46 then occupies the longitudinal slot in the barrel and the clip 42 is disposed outside the barrel for engagement with the edge.of a pocket. The writing unit is projected by pressing the forward end of the pocket clip inwards so that a bead 44 thereon engages the member 46 and moves it inwards. The end 48 co-operates with the surface 66 of the cam member 62 so as to cam the latter forwards until the end 48 engages the surface 64 again. In a modification the writing unit extends substantially the whole length of the barrel and a cam member equivalent to the cam member 62 is secured thereto approximately mid-way along. As shown in Fig. 5, the rear barrel part 220 is formed with two slots 228, 240. A pocket clip 232 has a U-shaped portion 236 which is pivoted on the forward edge of the slot 240. A spring-like actuating member 244 is secured at its rear end in the U-shaped portion 236 of the pocket clip and has a forward end 246 which lies adjacent to the slot 228 in the retracted position of the writing unit 208. An annular cam member 254 is mounted on the writing unit arid is secured thereon by a U-shaped strapmember 256. The cam member has a frustoconical surface 262 and an annular, flat surface 260. To project the writing unit the forward end of the pocket clip 232 is pressed inwards so that a bead 234 thereon enters the slot 228 and displaces the actuating member 244 which acts on the cam member 254 in a similar fashion to the action of the member 46 on the cam 62. The writing unit is unlatched for retraction by the return spring by pressure on a face 238 of the pocket clip.