US1953706A - Penholder - Google Patents

Description

P 3, 1934- o. Foss 1,953,706

PENHOLDER Filed May 22, 1953 7 my BY Patented Apr. 3, 1934 iii'lfi STATES PATENT 3 Claims.

This invention relates to writing instruments and particularly to a penholder or the like which will facilitate instruction in penmanship.

Experts and instructors in penmanship have generally recognized that when a penholder is held in a certain position, to wit; between the thumb, the index finger and the second finger, with the staff of the holder lying adjacent the side of the knuckle of the index finger, then a comfortable free-arm writing movement may be obtained and efficient penmanship may be achieved without cramping or tiring the muscles of the writer.

It is an object of my invention toprovide an improved penholder so constructed that the writer is constrained to hold the instrument in the most efficient position for eflecting good handwriting.

Another objcct of my invention is the provision of an improved penholder of the class described which may be manufactured at very low cost; which is particularly adapted for instruction in penmanship in schools; which will not roll off an inclined desk in the manner of conventional penholders widely used, and which olfers comfort in writing to those who do a substantial amount of longhand work.

More specifically it is an object to provide an extremely simple penholder of the class described which may be constructed from an integral piece of light material having a rectangular cross section.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be more fully set forth in the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views, and in whichz-- Fig. l is a perspective view of an embodiment of my improved penholder with a pen point attached in proper position for right handed writ- Fig. 2 is a perspective view in a slightly different form of the invention with the pen point detached;

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2, with the penholder turned. clockwise 90 degrees from the position shown in Fig. 1, the dotted line indicating the maximum depth of the thumb receiving recess;

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are perspective views showing the steps in grasping the improved penholder and applying it in use whereby correct writing position of the pen is assured.

As shown, my improved penholder is constructed from an integral strip or rod '7 of relatively light material, such as light wood and of rectangular; preferably square, cross section. It is to be understood that if desired the rear portion or staff of the holder may be tapered from a point say 2 inches from the forward end to the rear end thereof. One of the longitudinal corners of the square rod '7 is recessed as indicated by the letter 'I in conformance with the shape of the pad of the thumb and this recess T is spaced a short distance from the forward or pen-point-receiving end of the holder and extends obliquely to the faces 7a and 7b of the square rod and at its maxlmum depth is disposed diagonally of the cross section area of the square rod as indicated by the dotted line X in Fig. 3.

The forward end of the square rod 7 is pro vided with an axially disposed circular groove 8 forming in the stock an annular socket for adjustably receiving the shank of a pen point 9.

In Fig. l the penholder is shown particularly adapted for writing instructions in the lower grades of school wherein recess T is of approximate length and shape to just receive the padded portion of the writers thumb.

In Fig. 2 the recess T is longer so that some variation may be had in the point of gripping the penholder. This holder I find somewhat better adapted for business use as some writers prefer to hold a pen or writing instrument farther from the stylus than others.

In the use of my improved writing instrument the shank of the pen point is disposed in the position illustrated in Figs. 3 and 6 for a right handed penman. The thumb comfortably fits the recess '1, the padded portion of the index finger engages comfortably the face '70 of the holder (the upper face) and. the side of the tip of the second finger comfortably engages the face 7d of the holder. The grasped portion of the penholder is of substantially triangular cross section and when so held the staff necessarily extends upwardly alongside of the fore knuckle of the hand in correct writing position and will not slip from that position due to the cooperative pressure from the thumb and first two fingers and the confining recess for receiving the thumb.

For a left handed writer the shank of the pen point 9 is disposed in a position turned counterclockwise 90 degrees from the position shown in Fig. 3.

Figs. 4 to 6 inclusive illustrate a manner by which correct penmanship may be easily taught by the use of my improved penholder. As shown in Fig. 4, the holder may be first laid between the index and the second finger on the palm side of the hand, with the fingers outstretched. The thumb is then engaged with the recessed portion T. The pad of the index finger then perfectly engages the upper face '70 of the square rod and the side of the second finger then engages the face 741 of the holder. The fingers are necessarily bent in proper writing position in so grasping the pen and the staff of the pen is disposed upwardly extending along the side of the fore knuckle of the hand and cannot slip from that position as long as it is so grasped with the thumb engaged in recess T.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided an exceedingly simple pen holder which may be constructed at very low cost and which positively assures the writer of maintaining the pen in correct position for most comfortable and efiicient writing.

It further will be seen that by starting the construction from a square rod or strip only a single recessed portion need be formed to pro vide a three-faced grip for the thumb, index and second finger of the writing hand and that further the holder so constructed will not roll off an inclined desk.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, proportions, and arrangement of the parts without departing from the scope of my invention, which, generally stated, consists in a penholder capable of carrying out the objects above set forth and in the novel parts and combinations of parts disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A penholder having an end provided with a socket for receiving a pen point and having at least the forward portion thereof of rectangular cross section, one of the longitudinal edges of said portion being recessed obliquely to the adjacent faces to receive the padded portion of the writers thumb, the opposite faces of the forward portion being positioned to engage the in dex finger and side of the second finger, respectiveiy.

2. A penholder comprising an elongated memher having a socket at its forward end for receiving a pen point and having a pair of angularly disposed plane faces extending longitudinally and rearwardly from the forward end thereof, one of which is adapted to be engaged by the tip of the index finger and the second of which is adapted to be engaged by the side of the second finger, said member having a recess disposed adjacent the forward end thereof and disposed oppositely to the corner edge between said angularly arranged faces and being shaped to receive and conform to the padded portion of the writers thumb.

3. A penholder comprising an elongated symmetrical member having a socket at its forward end for holding a pen point and having a series of angularly arranged plane faces extending from the forward end to the rear end thereof, said member having a recess formed in a portion thereof spaced a short distance from the forward end. said recess being disposed oppositely to two adjoining plane surfaces and being shaped to closely fit the padded portion of the writers thumb.

OSTEN FOSS.

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