US1585843A - Pencil - Google Patents

Description

W. H. FITCH PENCIL Filed August 14, 1922 May 25 1926.-

Patented May T, 1926.-

PATENT oFFflcE.

'WILLIAM HUBERT FITCH, OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS.

PENCIL.

Application filed August 14, 1922. Serial No. 581,784.

This invention relates to pencils and has v for an object to provide a pencil of the type wherein a lead is maintained in position forl writing purposes during such writing operi ation and withdrawn when the writing has been completed lfor protection.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pencil of improved type having4 a lead and convenient means for extending l the lead for writing purposes and withdrawing'it for protection, and independentl release such lead to be automatically withdrawn for protection when the clip is manually operated for attaching to the parts of the pocket.

5 A further object of the invention is to provide a pencil having a rigid barrel within which slides a member controlled by a spring tending to hold the sliding part at one extreme of its movement, with manual l means for moving the moving part in the opposite direction against the tension of the spring, in which latter position a lead is projected beyond the end of the pencil into Writing position, and to provide a latch i' for holding the moving-part with the lead so extended, which said latch serves also as a clip to maintain the pencil securelyin the pocket of the user, the operation of which, on being inserted in the pocket automaticallyA releases the moving part to permit .the spring to withdraw the lead for protection.

WVith these and other objects in view the invention comprises certain novel parts, units, elements, combinationsand functions,

i as disclosed in the drawings, together with mechanical equivalents thereof, as will be hereinafter more fully described' and claimed.

In the drawings z,

Figure 1 isa view of the pencil princi pally taken in longitudinal diametrical section, with the parts associated to extend the lead beyond the point to writing position and lield in such position by the clip;

F1 ure 2 is a viewlargely in .longitudinal iametrical section with the parts reracted, holding the lead in protective p Osi- -ion; y Figure 3 is a tranverse sectional view taken on-line 3 3 of Figure 1';

Figure t is a transverse sectional view taken on line Ll--t of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a detail 'View -in side elevation of the guide cylinder;

Figure 6 is a view lead guide.

Like characters of reference indicate cor-` responding parts throughout the several views. The improved pencil which forms the sub- ]ect matter of the presentappli'cation comprises a barrel 10, which preferably, though not necessarily, is constructed of metal, any rigid material, however, being lfully within its scope, At one end the barrel is tapered` as indicated at 11, forming at its extreme 'a' in side elevation of the lead orifice 12, as shown at Figure 2 and within which preferably is constructed a shoulder 13.

Within the barrel a tube 14 is positioned, such tube having an indented spiral screwor worm 15, as shown in elevation at Figure 2 and in section at Figure 1. At its lower end the tube 14 rests upon a spring 16 which at its opposite end rests upon the shoulder 13, the tendency of the spring being to hold the tube 14 away from the lead ori-tice 12. Preferably the lower end sol of the tube 14 will be provided with a collar 17 to receive the thrust of the spring, although suclicollar is a mere mechanical expedient and'niay be eliminated if the formation of the tube is such that the spring will rest directly against the tube. Intermediate its len h a sleeve 18 is rigidly secured tothe tu e 14 serving asa guide for the tube in its reciprocation within the barrel 10 and for the 'further purpose which will be hereinafter more fully described.

-At its up er end the tube lttalso has rigidly secured t ereto a guide sleeve 19, shown in elevation at Figure 5, such connection being by any approved means, but `preferably by forming the tube structure thlckened, as at 20 with an under-cut at 21 so that there is a space intervening between the tube 14 and the sleeve 19 throughout a portion of its length. This space is, utilized for aecommodating a lug` 22 carried by the barrel 10, preferably, though not necessarily, formed by striking or pressing in av part of the material of the barrel. This lug 22 enters la slot in the sleeve 19, such slot'eomprising a section 23 (see Fig. 5) whichopens through the lower margin of said sleeve and extends upwardly in parallelism with the axis to a transverse or lateral section 24. The lateral section 24 extends cireumferentially about a portion of the sleeve 19 which may be a quarter or a third of the entire circumference, such distance being non-essential to the present invention and terminates in a second parallel slot 25 forming with the lateral slot 24 a T.

This engagement of the lug 22 in the slot is brought about by inserting the tube 14 into the open end of the barrel, which as shown in the drawing is the upper end, until the lug engages and passes into the .slot- 23 and is further moved to the limit of such slot. The sleeve is now turned manually so that the lug follows theV lateral slot 24 to its limit when it is now positioned in the vertical slot- 25, In this position the tube 14 and its associated parts is held against rotation by the lug 22 in the slot 25 except at the middle of Isaid slot 25. The tendency of the spring 16, however, is to move the sleeve 19 the entire distance permitted by the sliding of the lug 22 in the slot 25 and to slide past the lateral slot, there being no tendency to enter this slot. lileans to move the structure manually consists of a head 26 carrying a tubular member 27 which also serves as a lead guide and as will be hereinafter more fully described. This head 26, with the tube 27 acting as a spindle and provided with a collar 28, 1s held in relation to the sleeve 19 in any ap# proved manner, as by inserting a collar 29 into the end of the sleeve 19, which, by reason of its being split, as indicated at 30 (see Fig. 6) makes rictional engagement -with the interior bore of the sleeve 19. In-

cidentally this head 26 serves to accommodate an eraser 31 and the whole is covered by a cap 32 which has sufficient frictional engagement with the head 26 so that the stresses manually applied thereto will slide the device longitudinally or will turn it for the purposes hereinafter more fully described. The interior of this cap 26 substantially lits the barrel and the space indicated between the cap and the barrel at Figures 1 and 2 is only for clearness of illustration qand does not indicate the actual clearance found in the article.

The lead guide or tube 27 is preferably rolled of sheet metal, at the'top the edges meeting, as indicated at 33 in Figure 6, but providing a slot 34 with lips 35 forming a constriction intermediate its length for the purpose hereinafter mentioned. This lead guide or tube 27, as has been noted, is rigidly secured to the head 26 and rotates therewith and is inserted within the worm 14, as indicated more particularly at Figure 1.

Within the lead' guide 27 a lead carrier1 isintroduced comprising an intermediate section 36 having its edge proportioned to extend through the slot 34 and to conform to the interior of the worm 14, as indicated more particularly at Figure 1. This central portion 36' is extended upon opposite sides y springs 37 and 37', the latter carrying at its end, which 'in the drawings is the lower end, a sleeve 38 'properly proportioned to receive and grasp a lead 39 of theusual and ordinary proportions. The position and formation ofthe springs 37 and 37', as clearly shown at Figure 1, bear upon the side ol the lead guide 27 opposite the slot 34 and tend to hold the central or engaging portion 36 extended outwardly through said slot and into position for engagement with the threads of the tube 14, as noted, but providing for yielding of said members to prevent breakage. The lips 35 serve as a stop for this central portion 36, so that when the tube has been rotated to move the lead carrier downwardly to its limit, the part 36 engages against the lips 35 and prevents further movement. Owing to the resiliency of the parts 37 and 37', however, the lead carrier when extended so that the sleeve 38 protrudes from the lead guide 27, may, by grasping the end with 'the hand, be drawn out either by sliding under the lips 35 or by reasonl of the resiliency between such lips, so that the lead carrier as an entirety may be drawn outl and returned manually when found necessary. This is accomplished, ot' course, when the device, comprising the tube 14 and contained lead guide 27 are withdrawn from the barrel.

As has been noted, the structure just mentioned slides vertically within the barrel guided by the sleeve 18 rigidly secured upon the tube-14. This sleeve 18 serves a further purpose in that the barrel 10 is provided with a slot or opening 40 through which a. point 41 of the clip 42 extends. A spring 43 tends to hold the pointl 4l inserted through the opening 40 except when released by pressure upon the end 44, as indicated by the arrow at Figure 1. With the sleeve in the position shown at Figure 2; that is to say, with the lead retracted, the point 4L engages against the surface of such sleeve, butwhen manual pressure is applied to the cap 32 to move the internal structure downwardly so that the lead 39 projects through the opening 12, as shown at Figure 1, the point 41 engages in the rear of the sleeve 18 and retains it in such position, which is the writing position.

1t will be obvious that when writinghas been completed and it is the intent of the user to insert the pencil in'the pocket, pressure will be applied-to the part 441to open the clip so that it may be inserted in such a position that the clip will engage the clothing. This pressure upon the clip will release the point 41 from engagement with the sleeve 18 and t-he spring 16 `will force the internal construction upwardly to the position shown at Figure 2, withdrawing the lead into protected position.

So long as the length of lead extended beyond the lead guide 27 is sufficient so that the end extends when moved to writing position, as shown at Figure 1, no further action is necessary than merely moving the internal construction within the barrel to project the lead manually or to permit its retraction by action of the spring.

When, however, the lead has worn to such an extent as to make it desirable to advance the lead further, the head 26 is rotated, preferably by rotating the -cap 32 so that the lead carrier is moved downwardly a distance within the lead guide. This moving is brought about by the rotation of the lead guide carrying therewith the lead carrier and by reason of the engagement of the part 36 with the worm 14, the advancing is accomplished.

Whenthe lead has been consumed to such an extent that it can be no further projected in this manner, the internal construction is removed from the barrel by moving the sleeve 19 one-half the amplitude of normal movement, so that it may be rotated with the lug 22 following the slot 24 and then withdrawn by moving the sleeve in such manner that the lug 22 follows the slot 23. Vwholly releases the internal construction. The lead having been consumed, the sleeve 38 of the lead carrier now extends beyond the lead guide 27 and the old lead may be manually removed from this sleeve 38 and n new lead inserted. By holding the sleeve 18 in the lingers of one hand and rotating the head 16 with the other` hand the lead carrier and the new lead may be withdrawn into the lead guide 27 and the parts replaced in the barrel in the manner the reverse of the steps employed in removing.

What I claim is:

1. A pencil comprising a cylindrical barrel, al lug inset within the barrel, a sleeve proportioned to be inserted into and slide within the barrel, said sleeve having a longitudi'nal slot proportioned and positioned `t0 interengage with the lug, said slot having a right angle circumferential turn terminating in a longitudinal T-section adapted to ri`his limit the sliding movement of the sleeve, and a lead carrying and advancing organization carried by the sleeve.

2. A pencil comprising a cylindrical barrel, a lug inset within the barrel, a sleeve proportioned to be inserted into and slide within the barrel, said sleeve having a longitudinal slot proportioned and positioned to interengage with the lug to limit the sliding movement of the sleeve, a lead carrying and advancing organization carried by the sleeve tending to move the'organization, including the sleeve, to one limit, and manually controlled means for maintaining the organization at the opposite limit.

3. A pencil comprising a cylindrical barrel, a lug inset within the barrel, a sleeve proportioned to be inserted into and slide within the barrel, said sleeve having a longitudinal slot proportioned and positioned to interengage with the lug, said slot having a right angle circumferential turn terminating in a longitudinal Tsection to limit the sliding movement of the sleeve, a lead carrying and advancing organization carried bythe sleeve, ,and manually controlled means to maintain vthe organization at one limit of its movement.

V 4. A pencil comprising a cylindrical barrel, a lug inset within the barrel, a sleeve proportioned to be inserted into and slide within the barrel, said sleeve having a longitudinal slot proportioned and positioned to interengage with the lug, said slot having a right angle circumferential turn terminating in a longitudinal T-section to limit the sliding movement of the sleeve, a lead carrying and advancing organization carried by the sleeve, a,Ak spring tending to move the organization, including the sleeve, to one limit, and manually operable means to maintain the organization at the opposite limit. v

5. A pencil comprising a cylindrical bar- .rel, a lug inset within the barrel, a sleeve proportioned to be inserted into and slide within the barrel, said sleeve having a longitudinal slot proportioned and positioned to interengage with the lug to limit thev sliding movement of the sleeve, a lead 'carrying and advancing organization carried by the sleeve, a second sleeve carried by the organ ization, a detent rinserted from without through the barrel and riding freely on the second sleeve and tending to engage the end of said sleeve to hold said organization at one limit of its movement.

6. A pencil comprising ay cylindrical barrel, a lug insert within the barrel, a sleeve proportioned to be inserted into and slide within the barrel, said sleeve having a longitudinal slot proportioned and positioned to interengage with the lug, said slot having a right angle circumferential turn terminating in a'longitudinal T-section to limit the second sleeve and tending to 'engage the sliding movement of the sleeve, a lead carryend of said second sleeve to hold the organi- 10 ing and advancing organization carried by zation at one limit of its movement against the sleeve,. a sprin tending to move the the tension of the spring.

organization, inclu ing the sleeve, to one In' testimony whereof I hereunto afx my limit, a second sleeve carried by the organisignature.

zation, a detent inserted from without through the barrel and riding freely on the WILLIAM HUBERT FITCH.

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