US2099613A

US2099613A - Eraser

Info

Publication number: US2099613A
Application number: US23487A
Authority: US
Inventors: Julian S Loewus
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1935-05-25
Filing date: 1935-05-25
Publication date: 1937-11-16
Anticipated expiration: 1954-11-16

Description

J. S. LOEWUS Nov. 16, 1937.

ERASER Filed May 25, 1955 Patented Nov. 16, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 18 Claims.

This invention relates to erasers and to improvements therein-and more particularly to that class of eraser designated by the term soft eraser made of soft rubber or other suitable erasing material (e. g. art gum, soap, sponge, soft rubber, etc.) and used principallyfor the removal of pencil marks, as well as for cleaning purposes. It also relates to the so-'called pencil or ink eraser, constructed of harder material and having similar uses.

Due to the nature of their material and construction soft erasers are not only unsatisfactory from the standpoint of economy and ease of handling for the purposes for which they are intended, but the extent of their use is automatically limited. They possess no cohesion or body when in use, resulting in crumbling and frequently in the brealn'ng off of large pieces. Due to exposure of their entire surface to the air these erasers quickly dry out, become brittle and accordingly useless.

The harder pencil or ink erasers, though not crumbling as the softer erasers do, nevertheless are equally subject to theV drying out process. They are furthermore objectionably heavy when used in the form of cap erasers on pencils. Also, erasing by means of them frequently involves smearing. Y

It is accordingly an object of this invention to obviate this lack of body or cohesion in soft erasers by providing the same with a reinforcement that will act to hold the erasing material compactly together. This will do away with the common phenomenon of crumbling and by this provision of additional strength will render them useful for purposes heretofore impossible. Chief among these new uses would be that of erasers to capV penci1s,providing for the first time a pencil cap eraser which will retain the body or cohesiveness, characteristic of thoser in use at present, together with the additional and heretofore absent qualities of lightness in weight, avoidance of smearing, and facility of operation.

'Ihis object may be accomplished in several ways: by providing a reinforcement as a sheath exteriorly applied .to the erasing material, either integrally or separately associated therewith,

said sheath to be formed of rubber or other eras- (Cl. 1Z0-36) of erasing material strands of silk or cotton thread or other fibrous or binding substance; or by any suitable combination of the above means.

It is also an object of this invention to protect z the erasing material from drying out. This may 5 be accomplished by providing the eraser with anA external covering or sheath such as indicated, above which -may wear away withV the erasing material in the use thereof or be manually removed. l 10l It is furthermore an object of this invention to provide in erasers such as above contemplated a readily identifying characteristic of great commercial value by having the body of the eraser and its reinforcement, either internal or external, 15 of differing colors and different color arrangements. Aside from providing a means for identifying this type of eraser, from a commercial viewpoint, the same will thus be rendered decidedly novel and attractive.

It is evident that the means employed to accomplish any one object may at the same time, achieve one or more of the others.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent as the description thereof given 254 hereunder proceeds, with reference to the accompanying drawing, whereinzl Fig. 1 is a perspective view ,of one form of an eraser.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof 30 taken on line 2--2, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view thereof taken on line 3 3, Fig. 1. f

Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are views similar to that of l Fig. 3, showing modified forms of reinforcement 35 disposed in the body Vof the erasing material.

Fig. 7 is a modified forml of a pencil eraser, shown in section and applied tothe end of a pencil.

Fig. 8 is a modified form of an eraser shown in 40` perspective, with the application of a sheath reinforcement.

Fig. 9 is a further modified form of an eraser shown in perspective, with the application of a modified form olf-sheath reinforcement.

Fig. 10 illustrates a stillfurther modication Y of eraser and sheath reinforcement construction.

Fig. 11 is an elevational View partly in section of another modifiedV form of eraser and selflocking reinforcement sheath.

Fig. 12 is an elevational View of a still further modied construction showing an adjustable sheath. i

The eraser Hl shown in Fig. 1, 1s of conventional shape and is made of a soft erasing material, of 65T the type well known in the art such as art gum, soap, sponge or rubber eraser. As most soft erasers are substances having a chemical composition, in some cases with a percentage of para rubber as one of the ingredients thereof, the expression erasing material will be used throughout the following specification and claims to designate any such erasing substance that can be utilized in the present invention as the body of the eraser, having the characteristics as pointed out above in the statement of the invention. As pointed out therein, these erasers of soft erasing material have substantially no inherent cohesive strength or body, which, consequently, upon the use thereof in erasing quickly crumble, crack and break apart.

Accordingly in the form of eraser shown in Fig. 1, the body II of the eraser is provided with a thin external coating I2 of an erasing material of a harder or tougher character somewhat of the type used in the conventional rubber eraser. 'Ihis coating I2 of harder erasing material is preferably bonded or otherwise securely united to the body of soft erasing material in the manner well known in the art. In view of this construction, it is apparent, that in the use of this eraser, the coating I2 will act to reinforce the body II of the eraser to prevent the crumbling and the breaking off of pieces therefrom. Inasmuch as the coating I2 possesses erasing characteristics, it is obvious that the same will not interfere with the desirable erasing properties of the body II of soft erasing material. As the eraser I0 is used, the coating I2 and body II will simultaneously wear down, there being always present the outer coating I2, no matter what the ultimate size of the eraser, to reinforce the same.

In the modified construction shown in Fig. l there is provided within the body I I of soft erasing material, a reinforcement I3 which comprises a thin corrugated sheet of erasing material of the same characteristics as the coating of hard or tough erasing'material I2, and is arranged centrally and longitudinally of the eraser. The thin corrugated sheet of erasing material I3 in conjunction with the outer coating I2, cooperates to produce a highly eicient eraser which will wear down evenly in use without the objectionable crumbling and breaking off of pieces therefrom.

In some cases it may be desirable to utilize with the body II of the eraser only an internal reinforcement. Such a construction is shown in Fig. 5, wherein there is provided transversely and longitudinally of the body II of the eraser a corrugated or latticed thin sheet I4 of hard or tough erasing material Ill identical in all respects with the coating I2 and reinforcement I3 as described above, said corrugations or latticing extending practically across the entire width of the eraser and terminating at points spaced slightly inwardly of the top and bottom walls of the eraser as clearly shown. I desire it to be understood that the internal reinforcement I3 or IDI may assume any desired shape and may be located within the body II of erasing material in any desired manner. For example, the internal reinforcement I3 or I4 may be made to assume any determined configuration, such as a name, word or object, in any desired color or color combination which will possess the added feature of providing an excellent advertising medium within the body of the eraser, the advantages of such being readily apparent.

The sectional. modification shown in Fig. 6 relates to an entirely different form of internal reinforcement for soft erasers. In this constructional form there is provided in the body of the eraser short lengths or strands of thread or silk or any desired brous substance I5. These strands of thread, silk or any desired brous substance are preferably made very short (approximately 1/8 inch), and are profusely intermingled throughout the body II of the eraser, to function as a binding agent for the body of soft erasing material. In the use of an eraser of this character, the strands will act to prevent the crumbling and cracking of the soft body of erasing material and the consequential breaking oif of large pieces. As the eraser is worn down by the use thereof, the strands will wear off with the erasing material, that is rubbed off, and in view of the very small length of these strands the same will not be objectionable. In order to prevent the drying out of the body of soft erasing material II internally reinforced with the strands, ilocks or fibers I5, the. same may be encased within an external sheath of harder erasing material such as I2, as described above with reference to the form of erasers shown in Figs. l, 2, 3, and fi.

While each of the above described modifications relate to erasers that are of desk size, it is apparent that the invention may also be applied to erasers placed on the ends of pencils. Hitherto it has not been practical to use soft erasing material in pencil erasers because of the disadvantages inherent in the use thereof as indicated above.

In Fig. 7, there is shown one common form of pencil eraser that is slipped over the end of a pencil. In this case this form comprises a triangular, rectangular, conical or other shaped. body of soft erasing material 20 that is provided with a coating 2I, of the same character as the coating I2 described above, and that terminates at the bottom of the eraser in a cylindrical sleeve 22 adapted for placement over the end of pencil 23.

If desired the body of erasing material 2i) may be reinforced by any one of the methods not only described above but also those to be described hereinafter, and may be made in any desired shape or size for use on the ends of pencils.

In some cases it may be desired that the sheath or coating 2| be made separate and the body 2t of soft erasing material forced thereinto to be retained thereby under compression, it being well known in the rubber art that rubber will last longer, not losing its life or resiliency, when placed under an initial compression.

In each of the above modied forms of erasers with the exception of that of Fig. 6, the reinforcement of harder erasing material whether internal or external is worn olf along with the body of softer erasing material as the eraser is used. This characteristic is also present in the strand reinforcement I5 shown in the modification of Fig. 6. In either case the reinforcement is simultaneously removed with the body of erasing material.

ByA forming the reinforcement of harder erasing material of a different color from that of the body of the soft erasing material either when placed interiorly or exteriorly thereof, it is possible to thus provide an eraser of distinctive character, which by virtue of the contrast in color will lend itself as a means for identication, that is commercially valuable from the viewpoint of advertising. Erasers of this character because of the diiferent colors therein will have increased appeal due to their novel and attractive form.

' The strand reinforcement in the form shown in Fig. 6 may be variegatedin color, so that when seen against the background of the body of erasing material which should be of a suitable color will present a most novel form of eraser.

Referring to Figs. 8, 9, and 10 there is shown an altogether different form of reinforcement wherein the body of soft erasing material is provided with a separable reinforcement in the form of a sheath.

In Fig. 8 there is shown a block of soft erasing material 30, provided with a sheath 3| that may be made of paper, metal foil, cellulose composition or any other suitable material, which may be applied to the block of soft erasing material by being glued, cemented, vulcanized, or otherwise bon-ded thereto, and in some cases the cellulose composition (nitrate, acetate, etc.) may be applied by rolling, pressing, spraying or dipping process. The sheath 3| tightly embraces the body of soft erasing material 30, and as shown is scored as at 32 along a spiral whereby as the erasing material is worn olf in use, portions of the sheath 3| may be uncovered by an unwinding process in the manner well known. As only a small portion of exposed erasing material is necessary at any one time, the removal of one convolution of the scored sheath is sufficient. In the unwinding of the convolutions, each one may be torn or cut off from the remainder of the sheath. If desired cross scoring may be provided in the sheath to obviate the necessity of tearing or cutting.

It may also be desirable to form the sheath 3| of a spirally wound strip, the convolutions of which may be held together by `adhesive or any other suitable substance.

In Fig. 9, there is shown a cylindrical block of soft erasing material 35 that is provided with an external sheath 36 that snugly ts thereover. In this case the cylindrical sheath may be also made of paper, metal, metal foil, cellulose composition or any other suitable material, although paper is preferred in view of its cheapness, ease of manufacture, strength and rigidity. This sheath 36 is capable of longitudinal sli-ding movement relative to the body of the eraser. Hence upon the eraser being worn down, all that is necessary is to pull the sheath down to uncover any desired length of exposed erasing material. That portion of the sheath 36 that projects beyond the bottom of the eraser may be readily torn or cut off.

In Fig. 10, the sheath 38 surrounding the block of soft erasing material 39 is of the same character as the sheaths shown in Figs. 8 and 9. In this case, however, the sheath 38 tightly encloses the body of the eraser and is cut or scored along parallel lines 4U to divide the sheath into individual ring sections 4|, whereby portions of the eraser may be successively exposed as the eraser is worn down, by merely removing one ring section at a time.

While the sheaths 3| and 38 shown in Figs. 8 and 10, respectively, are separable with respect to the body of the eraser, said sheaths may be provided on their inner surfaces with a form of adhesive that will cause the same to adhere to the eraser which at the same time will not prevent the peeling off therefrom of the sheath or portions thereof.

The modification of Fig. 11 is somewhat similar to that shown in Fig. 9. The body of erasing material 50 is cylindrical in form and is adapted to have snugly fitted thereover a sheath 5| of a stiif material such as cardboard, metal or any other suitable material. Arranged around the wall of the sheath 5| are inwardly directed projections 52 struck out from the wall of the sheath. Preferably these projections 52 are arranged on a helix around the wall of the sheath, so that each will be at a different level. As the erasing material 50 is worn off in use the same is pushed upwardly and-outwardly of the sheath, viewing Fig. 11, the distance of one projection so that the same will engage the bottom of the eraser 50 to prevent the same being pushed back into the sheath 5|, in the manner clearly shown.

In Fig. 12 the body of erasing material 55 is provided with a helical projection 56 that is adapted to cooperate with a helical groove 51 formed in the sheath 58. As the eraser is worn in use, a further exposed portion thereof may be presented by merely screwing the eraser out of its sheath in the manner readily apparent.

It is well known that erasers of the character of erasing material that are soft and crumbly in use will after exposure toy the atmosphere undergo a deteriorating or drying out process that renders the same brittle and unsuitable for erasing purposes. This is also true of erasers made of erasing material having a harder structure such as the conventional pencil eraser. I have accordingly found that the enclosing of erasing material in sheaths of the type as above described will act to prevent this drying out process thus resulting in the erasing material retaining its original erasing properties throughout Vthe entire life thereof. A clear' cellulose sheath, even though closely united to the rubber eraser transmits violet rays of light, which deteriorate the rubber, this being an additional reason for colored sheaths.

It is to be understood that while the constructions disclosed herein show preferred forms of my invention, the same may be embodied in various other forms and that the disclosure herein is illustrative and not restrictive.

sin() 1. An eraser of the character described comprising a body of erasing materiaLand a thin sheath of erasing material surrounding the body of erasing material and united therewith, said sheath acting to reinforce and to prevent the drying out of said erasing material, the construction and relationship between said body of erasing material and sheath being such that the normal erasing properties of said eraser resides in said body of erasing material.

2. An eraser of the character described comprising a body of frangible erasing material, and a thin sheath of non-frangible erasing material united to said body to reinforce the same against crumbling or breaking and adapted to prevent the same from drying out.

3. An eraser comprising a body of erasing material, and a reinforcing medium of erasing material provided within said body of erasing material to reinforce the same against crumbling and breaking, and arranged therein in a predetermined pattern to represent a selected character or object adapted to wear down simultaneously with said body of erasing material.

4. An eraser comprising a body of frangible erasing material, and a reinforcing medium disposed throughout the body thereof in a predetermined pattern to represent a selected character or object and of a non-frangible character adapted to reinforce the body of the eraser against crumbling and breaking, and to wear down simultaneously with said body of erasing material.

5. An eraser of the character described comprising a body of soft erasing material, and a sheath formed of harder erasing material surrounding the body of erasing material to reinforce the same against crumbling or breaking, and acting to retain said body of erasing material under compression.

6. An eraser of the character described comprising a body of non-metallic erasing material, and a sheath of erasing material surrounding the body of erasing material to reinforce the same against crumbling or breaking, and acting to retain said body of erasing material under compression.

7. An eraser of the character described comprising a body of non-metallic erasing material, and a sheath of erasing material surrounding the body to reinforce the same against crumbling or breaking, the construction and relationship between said body of erasing material and sheath being such that the normal erasing properties of said eraser resides in said body of erasing material.

8. An eraser of the character described comprising a body of erasing material, a sheath of erasing material surrounding the body of erasing material to reinforce the same against crumbling or breaking, and a flexible reinforcing medium provided wholly within said body of erasing material.

9. An eraser of the character described comprising a body of erasing material, and a sheath surrounding the body of erasing material to prevent the drying out of the same and adapted to wear down simultaneously with said body of erasing material, the construction and relationship between said body of erasing material and sheath being such that the normal erasing properties of said eraser resides in said body of erasing material.

10. An eraser of the character described comprising a body of erasing material having short strands or fibers profusely interspersed throughout the body thereof.

11. An eraser of the character described comprising a body of frangible erasing material, a reinforcing medium Within said body, and a sheath surrounding said body to reinforce the same against crumbling or breaking.

12. An eraser of the character described comprising a body of frangible erasing material reinforced with short strands or fibers profusely interspersed throughout the body thereof, and a thin sheath of non-frangible erasing material surrounding said body to reinforce the same against crumbling or breaking.

13. An eraser of the character described comprising a body of frangible erasing material, a non-frangible flexible erasing material provided within said body for reinforcing the same, and a sheath of non-frangible erasing material surrounding said body to reinforce the same against crumbling or breaking.

14. An eraser of the character described comprising a body of erasing material, a sheath of erasing material surrounding the body of erasing material to reinforce the same against crumbling or breaking, and an additional reinforcing medium of erasing material provided within said body of erasing material and arranged therein in a predetermined pattern to represent a selected character or object adapted to wear down simultaneously with said body of erasing material.

l5. A cap eraser comprising a body of frangible erasing material, and flexible reinforcing means associated interiorly therewith to prevent crumbling and breaking.

16. A cap eraser comprising a body of frangible non-metallic erasing material and a flemble reinforcement of a non-frangible erasing material incorporated therewith to prevent crumbling and breaking thereof.

17. A cap eraser comprising a body of frangible non-metallic erasing material, and a flexible sheath of a non-frangible erasing material, surrounding the same to prevent crumbling and breaking thereof, said body and sheath being of different degrees of hardness.

18. In the cap eraser as specified in claim 17, said sheath having a pocket integrally formed therewith for mounting the eraser on the end of a pencil.

JULIAN S. LOEWUS.