US2134570A - Pencil - Google Patents

Description

J. MEILNER Oct. 25, 1938.

PENCIL Filed May 17, 1955 INVENTOR ATTORN EYS Patented Oca-*25, 1938 UNITED s'rlrrr-:s .PATENT OFFICE PmClL :mph Manner, west om, N. J., mimo: to

Eagle Pencil Company, a corporation of Dela- Application any 17, 1935, sei-n1 No. 21,945

s claims. (ci. izozati My present invention relates to pencils. more particularly to the so-cailed clutch type pencil of the character commonly used by reporters.

Among the objects of the invention is to provide such pencil, of the utmost simplicity of construction, in which the worn lead can be advanced to writing position in an instant, and remain eiectively gripped without local weakening or breaking under writing pressure.

Another object is to provide a pencil of the above type, of extremely rugged and inexpensive construction, made of few parts that are not apt to become deranged or jammed in use.

In the accompanying drawing, in which is J shown one of various possible embodiments of the several'features of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a view in longitudinal cross-section o a complete pencil,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale in longitudinal cross-section, taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and with the lead removed,

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the relation of the parts with the lead in writing position, l

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional viewy taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale, showing the upper or sharpening end of the pencil, and

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the Sharpener blank shown positioned in Fig. 5.

Referring now to the drawing, the pencil includes a lead tube I extending substantially the entire length of lthe pencil having soldered to the rear-end thereof the collar Il of a ferrule presenting an enlarged` cylindrical bearing i2. The upper end of the tube III is closed by a plug i3 soldered or otherwise held in position. Telescoped over the upper extremity of the ferrule sleeve I2 is a sheet metal cap or thimble AHl held in position by friction and spaced at its lower or skirt end I from the ferrule. The upper extremity of the pencil barrel i6 is telescoped over the sleeve i2, the skirt i5 of the thimble or cap extending over the extremity of the barrel. The

lead tube has a chuck conformation at its forward end, unitary therewith, and preferably comprising a separate sleeve il soldered or brazed over the tube iii. The chuck comprises preferably a pair of jaw members i8 'and it at the outer ends of arms 20 unitary with and protruding forward from sleeve il. Each of the jaw members `is conformed at its inner face as a cylindrical segment 2i struck on a radius smaller than the radius of the thicker pencil lead. At the outer face each of the chuck jaws is enlarged, presenting a forwardly and outwardly flaring body 22 and a tip 23 tapered forwardly to a relatively sharp rim 2l. A narrow shoulder ledge 25 is defined between the shank 22 and the tip jaws.

The lead tube is also encircled by a collar 28 soldered, brazed or otherwise fastened thereto, substantially midway between its ends, said collar having an outwardly extending -fiange 29 serving as a seat for one end of a coil spring 30 encircling the lead tube. The pencil barrel I6 which may be of vulcanite, enamelled metal or the like for its main length, has a tapered forward extremity 3| which latter is preferably of sheet metal, the reduced rim 32 at the forward end of the barrel snapping in back of the shoulder ledge 25 on the chuck, as best shown in Fig. 2, when the barrel is telescoped over the empty lead tube and its encircling spring 30. The shoulder ledge 25 thus acts as-a latch with respect to rim 32 and blocks removal of the lead tube and its associated chuck.

In the assembled pencil, the rear end of the barrel is lodged as shown in Fig. 1, between the ferrule bearing I2 on the lead tube and the skirt i5 of the cap or thimble il, while the shoulder ledge 25 on the chuck resiliently holds the barrel i6 in position. By drawing the barrel into the thimble I4 against the resistance of spring 30, the jaws I8 and i9 oi' the clutch are permitted to separate, and the lead may now be readily inserted. By then gripping the barrel and pressing with the thumb on the thimble itl, the lead is released and permitted to drop out to any desired writing length, and upon release of pressure on the thimble, the lead is retained in securely gripped position, as best shown in Fig. 3, by the blocking action of the rim 32 of the barrel against the chuck. The chuck is thus retained by the thickness of the lead 3l tov maintain the shoulder 25 somewhat spaced from the barrel rim, as best shown in Fig. 3.

Since the inner radius of the `cylindrical chuck jaws is less than that of the lead, it is clear, as

best shown in Fig. 4, that the lead will be engaged only by the edges of the chuck elements, the main areas of which elements are out of contact with the lead. The grip is longitudinal, in the particular embodiment shown, along four lines 33, '34, 35 and 36, parallel to the axis of the lead and extending the effective length of the chuck. It is thus clear that the lead engagement is well distributed along longitudinal lines for an extremely effective gripping engagement of the lead.

As compared with a construction in which the lead is gripped peripherally, the gripped length by the present invention is several times greater, and, accordingly, the effectiveness of the hold is improved even though a weaker spring be employed. Moreover, by this arrangement, the engaged portion of the lead is reinforced and strengthened, where with peripherallyengaging clutches, the effectiveness of the hold might be accomplished at the cost of locally weakening the lead by indenting the same peripherally, and this would lead to frequent breakage, especially under the severe service to which this type of pencil is commonly subjected.

While it is preferred to employ a chuck with two jaw pieces, as shown, it is, of course, apparent that it could be made with three or more such pieces, each conformed to engage the lead substantially along its edges, so that the main area of the jaw pieces remains out of contact with the lead.

It is also understood that the concave conformation of the jaws need not necessarily be on a circular cylindrical arc, but could be angular, or of any suitable cross-section to afford the desired longitudinal, relatively sharp line of engagement with the lead.

Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, the pencil is illustratively shown with a simple lead Sharpener attachment. For that purpose, a rigid disk 40 is retained in the cap midway of the length thereof, within a peripheral groove 4|. The lead sharpener may constitute a hardened steel blank 42 shown in Fig. 6, generally rectangular in form with a generally hour-glass shaped longitudinal aperture 43 and lateral tongues 44 near the opposite extremities thereof, bent inward at right angles and gripping tabs 45 protruding midway from opposite extremities of the blank. The metal of the blank, transversely creased at 46, is inserted by its creased portion through a central aperture 41 in the cap. The fold or crease 46 becomes lodged in a central aperture 48 in the disk 40 and the lateral tongues 44 serve as stops against the end wall of cap or thimble I4. For sharpening, the lead is simply inserted through the opening 41 and turned, so that the oblique edges of the hour-glass shaped opening 43 serve as cutting edges to produce the desired conical point on the lead, before insertion thereof through the chuck opening at the forward end of thei pencil. If desired the cap can be removed and held over the lead while in the pencil.

It is, of course, understood that the Sharpener appliance, while desirable, is not an essential part of the combination and that if dispensed with, the thimble would be closed or equipped with a removable eraser, if desired.

It will thus be seen that there is herein described vapparatus in which the several features of this invention are embodied, which in its action attains the various objects of the invention and is well suited to meet the requirements of practical use.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A pencil structure comprising a unitary barrel presenting a relatively sharp reduced forward edge, a lead tube extending substantially the length of said barrel, a coil spring within said barrel encircling .said lead tube and urging the latter away from the pencil point, said lead tube having a lead gripping jaw structure protruding beyond the rim of said barrel and having a tapering portion within said barrel engaged by the rim of the latter, said jaw structure presenting an external shoulder serving as a limiting stop determining the uppermost position of the lead tube in the barrel.

2. A pencil comprising a sheet metal barrel presenting a reduced forward rim, a rigid lead tube in said barrel having as a unitary part at the forward end thereofa pair of spaced arms, each having an enlargement near its forward extremity presenting jaws protruding from the rim of said barrel, said jaws presenting longitudinal edges to grip a lead, a coil spring within the barrel engaging the lead tube to propel the same away from the point, said enlargements tapering at the barrel enclosed portion to cause the rim of the latter to draw the jaws together for longitudinally gripping the lead, said jaws each presenting an external shoulder serving as a limiting stop determining the uppermost position of the lead tube in the barrel.

3. A lead pencil comprising a lead tube having a pair of spaced rigid jaws presenting longitudinal lead gripping edges, each of said jaws of concavity to be free from engagement of the lead between said edges, said jaws having an intermediate peripheral shoulder and tapering toward their upper and toward their lower ends, a sheet metal pencil barrel encircling said lead tube and presenting a reduced forward rim encircling the tapering u pper end of said jaws with the lower end of said jaws protruding beyond said rim and said shoulder serving as a limiting stop between said lead tube and said barrel and a coil spring in said barrel reacting against said lead tube to cause theinner tapered portion of said jaws to be forced toward each other by the engagement therewith of the lower rim of said barrel.

4. A pencil structure comprising a lead tube having lead gripping jaws at the forward end thereof, a unitary sheet metal pencil barrel encircling said lead tube and presenting a relatively sharp lower rim, said jaws having means thereon cooperating with the lower rim of said barrel for forming a latch connection therewith, and spring means tending to draw said jaws into said barrel.

5. A pencil structure comprising a lead tube having lead gripping jaws at the forward end thereof, a unitary sheet metal pencil barrel encircling said lead tube and presenting a relatively sharp lower rim,` said jaws having means thereon cooperating with the lower rim of said barrel for forming a latch connection therewith, and spring means tending to draw said jaws into said barrel, the external portion of said jaws above said means having an externally tapering portion.

JOSEPH MEILNER.

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