US1702780A - Mechanical pencil - Google Patents

Description

R. H; INGERsoLL v Y. 'MEQHANIGAL'PENLL' Filed Jing 7,':1925 l I f /l Patented Feb. 19, 19429.

UNITED STATES PATENT `OFF- ICE ROBERT H. INGERSOLL, OF NEW YORK, N.

Y.; CHARLESS. SMITH AND FREDERIC C.

LEUBUSCI-IER, EXECUTORS F SAID ROBERT H. INGERSOLL, DECEASED, ASSIGNORS TO ROBT. H. INGERSOLL, INC., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

MECHANICAL PENCIL.

Application led July 7,

- mechanism ad'aptedto cooperatewith thel lead the lead, and for clamping adjacent the forward or writing end thereof for intermittently propelling or advancing the lead when the same has been projected to proper position for writ-ing. d

A further object of the invention is to provide a lead propelling mechanism for pencils wherein the means which-advances the lead` has a limited movement forward and baclward toward the writing end of the pencil, and wherein devices are provided so that when said lead feeding means is moved forward, the lead will be moved forward therewith, and when said means is moved backward, the lead will beheld from movement with said reciprocating feeding means.v

A further object ofthe invention is to provide a lead feeding means of the above type wherein devices are provided for' clamping the lead and said devices are caused by the lead feeding means to alternately grip and' release the lead. A still further-object of the invention is to provide a pencil of the above t pe having a 'reciprocating sleeve through w nch the lead is passed and by which the lead is frictionally J gripped with means for reciprocatingthe Y sleeve, and with'clutching dogs operated by ping the lead when said sleeve is at one ex-` the4 reciprocating movements of the sleeve to engage and hold the lead from movement with the sleeve whensaid sleeve is retracted,

and wherein said dogs are disengaged from the lead when the sleeve is moved in a forward'direction. l

A 'still' further object of the invention is to provide a pencil of the above type wherein said sleeve is provided with means for griptreme end of its reciprocation.

'V .A further object of the inventionv resides in the providing of an inner casing 4in which a l plurality of leads may be stored, and means whereby said leads may be fed by gravity,

one at a time, into the propelling means for feeding the lead to writing position.

These and other objects `will lin part bel supported thereby.

' terminates at some distance back or. ulp

1925. Serial No. 42,057.

. gagement with `the lead;

Fig. 4 is a detail on an enlarged scale showing the forward end of the pencil and the split or slotted clamping sleeve therefor with the parts in position so that the lead is released y from the sleeve, except for a slight frictional engagement between the sleeve and lead;

Fig. v5 is asimilar view', but showing the parts shifted so that the sleeve clamps the lead, and I Fig. 6 is a detail showing the manner of mounting the dogson the. sleeve so that the sleeve may move bodily relative to the dogs The' invention is directed broadly to a mechanical pencil of the t pe wherein a lead is advanced by aid of mec anical structure and is clamped at the writing point when in position for writing. The pencil includes an outer casing which is formed, or provided, with the usual tapered nose portion at the writing end of the pencil. Located within this outer casing and telescoping therein, is an inner casing or barrel which extends slightly beyond the upper end ofthe outer casing so that a cap or vfinger piece maybe attached thereto for moving said inner casing'lengthwise ofthe outer casing.'l Then lower end of this'inner casing the writing end of the pencil. The s connected to the lower end of said innercasing, and said sleeve is provided with a passage extending the entire length thereof. Theleadsare placed in the inner casing where they are stored,and are directed,one at a time, into the passage through the sleeve. Located lin .the'outer casing is a spring which bears againsta fixed memberin the casing, at one endand'at the other end, against a shoulder on the sleeve, and this spring normally moves the inner casing upwardly and, -away from the from eeve 1s "far as the frictional portion.

writing end of the pencil. The operator, by pressing on the cap or finger pieceat the upper end of the casing may move the inner casing downwardly, compressing the spring. This` sleeve is split or slotted from the lower end thereof upwardly for about two-thirds of its length, and the sides of the split portions are selparated by the slots so as to form channels.

e-passage through the sleeve adjacent the writing end of the pencil is of substantially the same size as the lead, so as to frictionally grip the same. The passage in the sleeve, however, throughout the greater portion of its length is larger, so as to permit the lead to drop freely by gravity down into the sleeve as The purpose ot' this fi'ictional grip of the sleeve on the lead is to afford means whereby the lead may be moved forward when the sleeve is moved forlward. The frictional grip is comparatively light and mean-s is provided which consists of two opposed dogs which lightly engage the lead when the sleeve is retracted so as to hold the lead and prevent it moving back with the sleeve, and thus it is the sleeve secures a new frictional grip upon the lead so thatit may be fed forward and projected from the writing end of the pencil. Said sleeve and outer. easing have cooperating means which causev the split ends of the sleeve to grip the lead when the lead is in writing position, andthe sleeve is at one end of its movement in the outer casing, so that the lead may be firmly held during writing. I

Referring more in detail to the-drawings, the improved mechanicalpencil consists of an outer casing l within which is located an inner casing la. The outer casing is provided with the usual tapered portion 2 at the ,writing end. The

inner casing l is considerably shorter than the outer casing, but is arranged therein so as to project beyond the upper end of theouter casing, so that a cap 9 may be attached thereto and form a 'finger piece for moving the inner casing downwardlyv yThis cap is also provided in the outer casing.

with a shoulder sleeve 1() which'butts against the outer end of the outer casing and limits. the downward movement of the inner casing.

Located at the lower end of the inner casing is a sleeve 3. This sleeve 1n the present embodiment of the invention projects beyond the yend of the casing 1 and has va nose portion 4 formed with a cam face, 5. The

length. said slot extending from the lower end thereof up into the sleeve forming fingers, and the side edges of the split portions are spaced so as to form chanels 14. The nose portion of the outer casing has a comparatively small opening 6 so that the sleeve back from said cam portion 5 will slide freely therethrough. The end of the nose portion engages the cam portion 5 when the sleeve is moved to the right, as shown in Fig. 5. The

sleeve is split or slotted for about three-fourths of. its"` end of the casing sliding up on the cam 5 will cause the split'end portion ofthe sleeve to grip the lead at a point very close to the writing point and thus clamp the lead for writing.

The sleeve 3 is rigidly attached at its upper end to the inner casing or barrel la.' This is accomplished by providing the sleeve with a collar 25a. Said collar 3a snugly fits within the lower end of the inner casing 1a and may be secured thereto in any suitable way. The sleeve is provided with a passageway 7L which extends throughout the entire length of the sleeve. This passageway 71 at the lower end, has a portion thereof indicated at 1.3 in Fig. 4, which is of smaller diameter than the remainder of the passageway through the sleeve indicated at 13l in Fig. 4. The lead 7 extends down into the passageway 7 in the sleeve b and is fed through the sleeve to writing position in the manner hereinafter to be described. The portion 13 of the passageway is of substantially the same diameter as the diameter of the lead, and will friccated at 13a, is larger than the lead, and the' collar 3 has a cone-shaped rportion 23 leading to this passageway, so that the leads stored in .the chamber 24 formed by the inner casing may pass by gravity into the pasageway 7a.

i lt is understood, of course, that while the pencil is shown in the drawings horizontal, this of course, does not illustrate the proper position of the pencil during writing, or during handling. When the pencil is in writing andthus itg'is that the 1- automatically replenished. if 4`Lo-k casing land belowthe:

partition orretaining?fy I position, it is nearly upright, and the leads,

collar 11 which is rigidly secured to the outer casing-1 in any. suitable' way. IBetween this retaining collar 11 and tlie'collar 3 attached to the inner easing 1, isja spring 12. This spring bears at its lower end on the collar 1.'.1 and at its upper end .againstgthc collar la The spring normally tends to move the inner casing 1nt u iwardly andl away froml the writ` ing end 'of die pencil. .The operator, through the cap or linger piece 9 can move the inner by compressing the casing downwardly spring. The downward movement of the inner casing 1a and the sleeve 3 which is rigidly attached thereto, will move the lead downwardly and cause it to project and remain beyond the end of the outer casing 1a. This is brought about through the frictional grip of the portion 13 of the sleeve 3 onthe lead l portion 21 cone-shaped as soine distance from and cooperating retainingdogs 15 and 16', which dogs and their mode of'opeiation will now bedescribed.

These dogs 15 and 16 are located in the spring wire has a irictional grip upon the" sleeve, but the sleeve can niove within' this spring pivot ring whenever the dogs are held from movement with the sleeve. The fixed collar'll has the lower end thereof formed indicated at 21 in'Fig. 'Q of the drawings. -Secured to this fixed collar 11 is a sleeve 11a. T he inner diameter of this sleeve is larger than the outei'face of the cone of the sleeve 11, The lower end of the sleeve 11nL has an inwardly extending lip 19. Between this lip, which the cone-shaped portion 21,v there is a recess formed'by the 'sleeve 11a l which houses the upper end-s of the dogs 15 1G are provided and 16. The dogs 15 and with tapered ends 22 which are adapted cooperate with the tion 21 of the collar 11.

provided with shoulders These dogs are also 20 which are adapt# ed to cooperate with the lip 19. The spring 17 acts as a pivotal support for the dogs and sleeve B. The lower ends of the dogs' which are indicated at 15a and 16t--. respectively, are adapted to be moved. into light engagementwith the -lead 7 as in- Y dicated in Fig. 2, or-moved .and held out-lof engagement with the lead as indicated in Fig.

3. The cone-shaped cam 21 cooperating with the tapered ends 22, swing pivot spring into Contact with the lead, while.

' cause it to break when the dogs von the the `lip -19 on the sleeve 11 cooperating with 'the shoulder Q0 on .the dogs, will move them out of engagement with the lead-and hold the dogs (The purpose of these dogs is to restrainfthe `lead from movement whenthe sleeve'is` Ai e tracted 'for the purpose of thefrictional'por; tion of the saine ohtaining'ay iewf-gi'ip on outot' engagement -witli the lead.

the lead.

When the finger piece orcap 9 is released,

12 moves the inner casingto the is, away'ffi'oin y inventiomvof coiirsethis is 'through the'A action' of the spring 19. :forcing 'the inner casing-1- the spring riglit as viewed in Fig. l, that the writing end of the pencil. l`hev slcieye'ri3 being rigidly attached to said casing f will v move therewith. VVheirthe sleeve movesto i that they win iighay the right as viewed in these figures, the dogs 15 and 16'will move therewith, by reason of the fact that the pivot spring engages the sleeve 3 with sufficient' frietional gripas to inofve the dogs therewith; This movementv occurs on the very first part `of the upward movement of the sleeve 3. The dogs will be is spaced cam faces of the cone porholding or clamping grip the ball shaped cams '.4 on cam faces', 'nd 6. on 'the outer casing are f brought intov contact-.by

spring, which -forces thetheretoltupwardly grip the lead. This brought into engagement with the conenient. After the sleeve is moved upwardly 4to the limit of its movement, then the sleeve has anew fiictional grip upon the lead, and when the sleeve is moved downwardly, it will carrythe dogs downwardly into engagementwitli the lip 19 which rocks the dogs out of engagement vwith the lead, and permits the lead to move freely'with'the sleeve. The dogs have a very` limited movement with the sleeve which isv solely for the purpose. of moving the dogs into and out'of .engagement with the lead. Vhile in' engagement with the lead, they do not move end wise of the outer casing, `from movement with the sleeve. dogs are moved out of engagement or into eutial position,

iovement with'the outer sleeve. The only function of the dogs is to prevent the lead from returning with the sleeve when the sleeve'is retracted have nothing whatever t0 do with the feeding of the lead forward. excepting that they hold 4the lead when the-sleeve is retracted f or the purpose of .overcoming the friction which the 'sleeve has on the lead. At no time dothe dogs grip into the lead so" as to indent it and exposed for writing. It is noted that this portion 13 o thesleeve has merely a frictional grip on the lead, when in its downward movement, and not a real thereon. In order to. clamp ythe lead when in .writingl position,

the action of the split end 'ofthe sleeve. into tightr gripping g engageinentwith Ithe lead# In thepres'ent einhodii'nentof the accomplished piece 9 vis released atoil lley writing en moves it-toi't Initial lie in the channels 14 in the sleeve can move freely, allthough the dogs are restrained from move.-

they still. have'no endwise the sleeve andthe and the sleeve 3 connected hen the caporf'nger ,i n'other-words,thegoperintermittently pressing on thegiinger piece will `feed. the lead stepby step out of the d o he pencil, but`when"" tl ie is1released,` then .the spring 11.25,

upward position where f Vand therefore, would hold the lead'4 1 Whenv the the lead-is-l-claihplrhythe' split end ofthe sleeve through referred tor-... From the abovedescription it will be noted the ction 'of the cams justg the writing end is the i the mode of operation of the intermittent feed l claim as new and that I have provided a mechanical pencil wherein devices operate upon the lead adjacent the writing point, both for feeding the lea-d forward and for gripping the lead and holding it when in writing position. Therefore, the leads can be used right up to the last small end portions thereof, and furthermore, the lead is held in proper condition for writing without any chance of wabbling, and without any chance of being forced back up into the pencil by the pressure of writing, and furthermore, there is little or no chance of the lead jamming.

As has already been noted, when the pencil is placed in a vertical position with the writing end down, or in any position so that i lowest, the leads will pass by gravity from the chamber 24, one at a time, into the passageway 7, and the sleeve 3 with the cooperating dogs will take up an of the initial feed and those to follow. It has also been noted that the drawings are not intended to show the pencil in position co that the lead is fed by gravity into this passageway 7a. The purpose of the drawings is to show the structure and not pencil.l It will be, 'readily understood by those skilled in the art, however, how the leads are fed one after another by gravity, into the sleeve which takes up au automatic intermittent feed of the leads, and which also clamps the lead at the writing point when it is in' Writing position.

While I have shown my inner casing as moved by the cap or linger piece'pressed 1n opposition to a spring, it will be understood, of course, that other ways may be obvious for moving this inner casing back and forth. In fact, it may be moved positively in both d1- rections by the operator, and the sleeve and the cooperating holding dogs will `function in precisely the same manner. It will be understood, therefore, that the invention is not limited necessarily to what might be called a punch type of pencil, but is broad enough to cover other means for operating the sleeve 3, and therefore, changes in the details of construction and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what desire to sccure'by Letters-Patent, isi 1. 'A mechanical pencil comprising a casing, and reciprocating member' associated therewith for supportingsand propelling the lead and devices carried by said member for clamping said lead adjacent the Writing point thereof when said propelling means is at one extreme end of its movement.

2. A mechanical pencil comprising a casing, and reciprocating means associated therewith for supporting and propelling the moan/so lead and for clamping said lead adjacent the writing point thereof when said propelling means is at one extreme end of its movement, and for releasing said clamp and means for restraining said lead from movement while said propelling means is retracted for the purpose of engaging the lead to further ad vance the same, said restraining means being independentofsaid clamping means.

3. A mechanical ing, a sleeve located within said casing and projecting from the casing at the writing end of the pencil, means connected to the casing for moving the sleeve back and forth in the casing, said sleeve having a passage therethrough for the lead and having a split end adapted to grip the lead and hold it in writing position, the passage through the sleeve adjacent the end thereof and for a portion of its length being so proportioned relative to the lead as to make a light frictional grip upon the lead, said passage above the frictional gripping portion being larger in diameter than thelead, and means associated with the sleeve for preventing the retraction of the lead with the sleeve when the sleeve is retract-- ed whereby a. new frictional grip upon the lead is obtained for advancing the lead.

4. A mechanical pencil -comprising an outer casing, an inner casing located in said outer casing and having 'a compartment in which the leads may be stored, a sleeve located within said outer casing and rigidly connected to said inner casing, said sleeve having a passage therethrough for the lead, and a split end adapted to be forced into contact with the lead for'holding it in writing position, said passage through the sleeve adjacent the end thereof and for a portion of its length being so proportioned relative to .the lead as to make a light frictional grip uppencil comprising a cason the lead at all times, means associated with the sleeve for preventin the retraction of the lead with the sleeve W ien the sleeve is rctracted whereby a new frictional grip upon the lead may be had for advancing the same,

lio

said passage at the upper end of said sleevev terminating ina cone-shaped recess opening into the compartment within the inner casing so that leads stored in the' inner casing may pass by gravity into thepassage through the sleeve and be writing position.

an inner casing within said outer casing, means whereby said inner casing'may be moved back and forth in said outer casing, a sleeve rigidly connected to the llower end of said inner casing, said sleeve having a passage'therethrough for the lead, and a split end, means whereby said outer casing forces the split end of said sleeve into engagement with the lead for holding it in writing position when the inner casing is at one end of its movement, a passage through intermittently fed forward t0 mechanical pencil comprising anl outer casing,

v said sleeve -having when unrestrained, the

4 the lead with the sleeve when said a portion thereof at the split end so proportioned relative to the lead as to frictionally grip the lead, the portions of the sleeve formed by the splitting thereof being spaced from each other so'as to provide channels, holding dogs located 1n said channels, means for pivotallv supporting said dogs,'said pivotal support forthe dogsextending about the sleeve and having a slight frictional engagement therewith, whereby dogs will move with said sleeve, devices cooperating with'said dogs for moving the vsame into engagementl with the lead when the sleeve is moved away from thewriting end of the pencil for restraining the lead against movement with the sleeve whereby said sleeve may be moved upwardly on the lead for a new frictional grip thereon,

and devices cooperating withthe dogs for moving the same out of engagement withthe lead when thesleeve is moved in the opposite direction whereby the frictional grip of the sleeve on the lead will advance the lead and cause the same to project beyond the end of the outer casing and the sleeve. v

6. A mechanical pencil comprising a casing, a. sleeve located within said casing and rejecting from the casing at the writing end of the pencil, means connected to said sleeve for moving said sleeve back and forth in the casing, said sleeve having a passage therethrough for the lead and having a split end making fingers adapted to grip the lead and lock it in writing position, said passage through the sleeve being so formed that said sleeve has a lightfrictionalgrip upon' the lead at all times, and means associated with said sleeve for preventing the retraction of sleeve is retracted to obtain a new frictional grip upon the lead for advancing the same, said split end of the sleeve and said casing at the writing end thereof having cooperating means adapted to cause the split end of the sleeve to grip the lead whenthe sleeve is retracted.

7 A mechanical pencil comprising an outer casing, an inner casing located within said-outer casing, a sleeve located in the outer casing and connected to said inner casing, a spring inthe outer. casing for moving the inner casingand sleeve away from the-writingend of the pencil, a cap or lingervpiece attached to the inner casing for moving the sleeve and inner casing toward the writing end of the pencil, said sleeve having a passage therethrough for the lead, channels in said-sleeve leading into said passage, said passage having a portion thereof of such diameter as to frictionally grip the `lead and movethe lead with the sleeve,unless restrained from movement, dogs located' in said channels,meansforpivotallysupportingsaiddogs, and devices for moving said dogs into contact with the lead when the inner casing is moved upwardly away from the writing end of the Vspring in the outer casing spring in the outer casmg pencil so as to restrain the lead from movement whereby said sleeve moves along the lead and obtains a new rictional grip there- 8. A. mechanical pencil comprising an outer easing, an inner casing located within said outer casing, a sleeve located in the outer casing and connected to said inner casing, a

ner casing and sleeve away from the writing end of the pencil, a cap or linger piece attached to the inner-,casing for moving the sleeve and inner casing toward the writing end ofthe pencil,'said sleeve having a passage therethrough for the lead, channels in said sleeve leading into said passage, said passage having a` portion thereof of such vdiameter as to frictionally grip the lead and move the lead with the sleeve,` unless .restrained from movement, dogs located in said channels, means for pivotally supporting'the dogs, devices for moving said dogs into contact with the. lead when 4the inner casing is moved upwardly away from the writing end of the pencil so as'to restrain the lead from movement whereby said sleeve moves along -the lead and obtains a new rictional grip thereon, and devices cooperating with VA-said dogs for moving the dogs out of engagement with the'lead when the slee-ve and inner casing are moved toward the writing end of the pencil so that sai-d lead is unrestrained by the dogs and free to move with the sleeve.

9. A mechanical pencil comprising an outer casing, an inner casing located within said outer casing, a sleeve located in the outer for moving the incasing and connected to said inner casing, a, A

for moving lthe inner casing and sleeve away from the writing end of the pencil, a cap or finger piece attached to the-inner casing-for moving the sleeve and inner casing toward the writing end of the pencil, said sleeve having a passage therethrough for the lead, channels in said sleeve leading into said passage, said passage having a portion thereof of such diameter as to frictionally grip the'lead and move the lead` with the sleeve, unless restrained from movement, dogs located in said channels, means for pivotally supporting said dogs, devices for movingy said dogs into contact with the lead when the inner casing is movedvupwardly laway from the writing end of the pencil so as to restrain the lead from movement whereby said sleeve moves along the lead and obtains a new frictional grip thereon, devices cooperating with said dogs for moving the dogs out of engagement with the 'lead when the sleeve and inner easing are moved toward the writingend of the pencil so that said lead is unrestrained by the dogs and free to move with the sleeve` said sleeve having the end thereof split whereby said sleeve may be moved into clamping engagement with the lead, and Vmeans whereby the and a split end, said 'passage being so proortioned relative to the lead as to make light rictional engagement therewith so that said lead will move with the' sleeve unless r`estrained against movement, devices operated -by the movements of the sleeve for engaging the leadand restraining the same against movement when said sleeve is moved away ,A from the writing end'of the pencil.

11. A mechanilcal pencil comprising an outer casing, an inner casing, a sleeve located within said outer casingl and connected to said inner casing, said inner casing forming a compartment for storing the writing leads,vsaid sleevehavin a passa e formed therethrough for the leads, an a coneshaped. recess at the 'upper end of thesleeve leading into said compartment for 'directing the leads intothe passage through the sleeve,

said sleeve having means for frlctionally engaging the lead so as to cause the samewhen in the passage to move with the sleeve, means .for imoving. said sleeve and inner casing lengthwise of the outer casing, and means associated with the sleeve for restraining the movements ofthe lead in the sleeve when ,thesleeve is moved away from the vwriting end of the pencil whereby said sleeve may ob tain a new frictional grip upon-the lead for advancing the same.

12. A vmechanical outer casing, an inner casing, a sleeve located within said outer casing and connected to said, inner casing, said inner casing forming' a compartment for storing the writing leads, said sleeve having` a passage formed therethrough for the leads, a cone-shaped recess vat vthenpper end of' the `sleeve leadinginto :said compartment for directing the leads into the .passage through the sleeve, said sleevehaving means tor rictionally engaging the llead so as to cause the same when in the passageto move with the sleeve, means for `mmTJ ing said sleeve and inner casing lengthwise of the outer casing, means associated with the pencil comprising an sleeve for restraining the movement of the lead in thesleeve when the sleeve is moved away from thewriting end of the pencil whereby said'sleeve may obtain a new frictional grip upon the lead for advancing the same, and means associated with the sleeve for clamping. the lead when the lead is in I proper position for writing.

13. 'A 'mechanical vpencil comprising an" outer casing, means located within the outer casing 'and adjacent the writlng end 'thereof lead from Vmovement when said first named-y means is retracted', 'and means at the write ing end of the pencil independent of the restraining means for clamping the lead and holding the same firmly during writing. l

In testimonv whereof, I aflix- 'my signaturel a ROBERT INGERSOLY.,

Zand-movable endwise of the 4casing for inv termittently vfeeding the lead forward to ,writing position, means `for restraining the

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