US2397229A - Writing instrument - Google Patents

Description

March 26 1946. J. BIRO WRITING INSTRUMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 17, 1945 1 J. .ELIO

a b Q Q s Patented Mar. 26, 1946 2,397,229 WRITING INSTRUMENT Laszlo Jozsef Biro, Buenos Aires, Argentina, as-

signor, by mesne assignments, to "Eterpen Sociedad Anonima Financiera, also known as Eterpen S. A., Buenos Aires, Argentina, a company of Argentina Application June 17, 1943, Serial No. 491,208 In Argentina May 19, 1943 25 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in fountain pens of the ball-tip type, and particularly to means for providing a regular ink feed to the ball constituting the active or writing element thereof.

Many improvements have been made in fountain pens having a rotatably mounted small ball instead of the usual writing pen, but no satisfactory improvements have been made in the ink reservoir, to the extent that manufacturers are still using the simple charge reservoir requiring auxiliary elements such as valves and other means capable of aiding in the feed of ink and avoiding undue oozing thereof.

From actual experiments it has been ascertained that the most suitable ink for ball-tip fountain pens is the so-called dense ink, which is very adhesive and in rotating the ball a thin film of ink will pass to the exterior thereof regularly and in a quantity suflicient to mark neat and normal strokes.

While being dense, said ink is sufficiently liquid to pass through small interstices, and it is therefore a problem to confine the ink without eliminating the corresponding air intake to enable the pen to work by gravity. Also, in the case of a barrel-shaped reservoir, the mass of ink will tend to seek its level, changing its position as the instrument is moved about, and this means that when raising the tip of the fountain-pen, there is a risk of losing the necessary contact between the general ink mass and the feeder, due to the formation of bubbles which might interrupt the normal working of the instrument.

Therefore, it would be ideal to constitute an ink reservoir wherein the gravity would not alter the position of the liquid and wherein the charge would be kept in perfect condition to provide a feed constituted by a vein of liquid, and this is exactly what is attained by means of the improvements subject of the present invention.

The ink reservoir of the present invention is constituted by one or more conduits arranged so as to acquire the nature of a coil concurrent to the ball feeder and acting as a base therefor.

To this end, the conduit constituting the reservoir is preferably of helical or other similar shape or arrangement following an extended path from a corresponding air-intake to said feeder.

It is an object of this invention to constitute a reservoir having a large capacity and capable of holding the ink so as to form an uninterrupted liquid vein within said conduit.

A further object of the invention is to condition the ink so that it will lose the properties of the liquid, 1. e., that it will maintain its condition within the conduit regardless of any changes in the position of the instrument.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a combination which will counteract the influence of gravity when the instrument is placed with the air-intake downwards, since due to the fact that the conduit forming the reservoir being of small cross-section, i. e., not more than say 5 square milliameters in area will act as a pipette the upper portion of which is kept closed by the writing ball, the atmospheric pressure will be sufficient to prevent the ink from oozing out of said air-intake.

A further object of the invention is to provide air-intakes constituted by a simple orifice, without requiring the use of check-valves or other auxiliary means, inasmuch as the vein of liquid will act as a closed pipette and, therefore, can: not return to the air-intake even if the latter is located downwardly due to the position of the instrument.

A further object is to avoid interruptions in the feed of the instrument, since the vein of liquid established by the ink charge in the reservoir will -be in' constant contact with the ball feeder.

A still further object is to provide an ink reservoir of simple structure and which will be substantially strong, for which purpose the conduit may be obtained by means of channels in the shape of screw-threads, closed by contact with a body with which it is combined in order to constitute the reservoir within the instrument barrel.

A still further object is to provide means for replacing the charge of ink through detachable reservoirs.

A still further object is to provide a simple writing instrument of the fountain-pen type which will not require auxiliary means for causing the ink to reach the writing ball.

The above and. other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the course of the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating, by way of example, some of the preferred embodiments of the invention, and where- Flg. 1 is a view of the writing instrument, partially in section so as to disclose the interior thereof and the wound reservoir which, in this particular instance, is formed by a screw-like body having a helical channel which is closed into a the internal section of the so that whensaid body 1 is cylinder, the channels 5 ditions, said channels 5' conduit upon introducing said body into the barrel of the writing instrument.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view line NN of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 shows a further embodiment of the reservoir which, in this particular instance, -is formed by means of a helical channel obtained by an internal screw-thread formed in the barrel, the conduit being closed on one side by means of a cylindrical body adapted as a male member.

Fig. 4 shows an embodiment similar to that of Fig, 1, but wherein the screw-thread is provided with two ormore admissions instead of one, which means that there are two or more helical conduits ending at the ball feeder.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the writing instrument in a further embodiment, wherein the reservoir is constituted by a detachable body within the fountain-pen barrel; and

Fig. 6 is a view graphically showing the separation of the reservoir as 'a removable and rechangeable body. I

The same reference characters are used to indicate like or corresponding parts or elements throughout the drawings.

As may be seen from the drawings, a is the handle of the writing instrument terminating in a tip b carrying the writing ball i. This ball is suitably mounted so as to provide a spherical.

portion projecting sumciently to engage the writing. surface. However, said ball is held by a setting 2 sufliciently closely fitted to form a closure but free to rotate and hold a coating of ink which will pass out of the instrument upon rotating said ball for writing purposes.

In order to constitute the setting for said ball I, said tip b is provided with a concave socket 3 V with which the ink feeding channel 4 receiving the liquid from the reservoir communicates.

Said reservoir c-constituted by at least one conduit 5, which is preferably helical and, as shown in the drawings, starts at the air-intake 6, extending to the feeder 4. g In the embodiment of Fig. 1, the reservoir 0 is formed by combining the body] and a cylinder 8 constituted by the handle or barrel a. .For this purpose,-said body 1 is threaded so as to provide a helical channel The cross-section of said channel 5' is relatively'small, for example of a section of less than 5 mm}, and the maxi I will coincide with cavity of cylinder- 8 housed within said will remain closed by mum diameter of said body the walls of said cylinder v will acquire the nature of a coil-like conduit capable of constituting the.

vein of liquid when charged with ink.

As stated hereinbefore, the embodiment shown and also form a helical conduit 5, capable of establishing a liquid vein from the air-intake 6 to the feeding channel 4. In this-embodiment of Fig. 3, the air-intake 6 is protected by a cap taken along the 8. Under these con- Fig. 3 comprises a helical conduit similar to I remain 40 ple replacement of said body c constituting the 2, the ball I will 9 having a corresponding orifice- S'VCOITBSDOHCL. 1

. ing tosaid air-intake.

Fi 4 shows a further embodiment of the invention-similar to that of Fig. 1 in that said instance, the threaded main closed so reservoir is also formed by a conduit comprising a cylinder 8 and body 1, except that in this body 1 has two or more conjugate channels following the same helical course, after the fashion of a screw with several threads. The starting point :of each channel will constitute an air-intake 6, and all the screwthreads terminate at thefeeding channel 4, as shown. V

Inasmuch as each thread is constituted by a channel 5', and said channels are closed through" the combination of the body der 8, this means that there of helical conduits 5 starting at the air-intakes 6 and terminating at the feeding channel 4.

In the embodiment of Figs. 5 and 6,-the reservoir c is formed in a body which is independent of the handle a and detachably housed within the cavity of said handle or barrel. In this instance, said reservoir 0 is formed by a body 0' having a cylinder In terminating in a nozzle l0, through which the tube .4 of feeder 4 is screwed. Within said cylinder I0, is

1 within the. cylinjusted against the walls ofsaid cylinder I 0, so as to also form a helical conduit 5 terminating at the feeder 4, so that when charged with ink, it will form a liquid vein which will reach the ball i in the same manner as in the previous embodiments.

Inasmuch as the handle or barrel a will serve as a casing for the body 0, constituting the reservoir c, it will be suflicient to detach said handle as shownin Fig. 8, in order to remove the. body 0'. In order to remove said bodyc, tube a should be unscrewed, whereby said body 0' will free for removal and replacing. Thus, if the ink in the fountain-pen has been exhausted, the charge may be replaced through the simreservoir.

From the foregoing it may be seen that in any of the embodiments. illustrated in the difierent figures, the reservoir c acquires the character of a conduit starting at the corresponding airintake 6 and ending at the feed channel .4.

Incharging the reservoir c with dense ink, all the cavities of the system constituted by the channels should be filled, or in other words, the reserv voir 0 should contain a intake 6 to the ball I. I

Inasmuch as the conduit 5 of said reservoir 0 is of small section, i. e., having a cross-section of fullcharge, from the airnot more than say 5 square millimeters, when charged with ink it will form an uninterrupted vein of liquid, as if it constituted an extension of channel 4. Due to the close fit of said ball I in the setting 2, the tip of the instrument will rethat the ink cannot discharge by gravity.

Notwithstanding the adjustment of the setting act as an intermediary means between.'the ink charge-and the writing surface. since due to the adhesive properties of the ink, upon rotating saidball it will be coated therewith, said coating 4 so as to defineperfectly regular strokes.

As the ink is consumed through use of the instrument, the charge in'the form of a liquid vein will move bodily to occupythe space of the portion carried out by the ball. I

Said vein of liquid is uninterrupted, and therefore the continuity thereof will be maintained as the ink is used, since the displacement will take place throughout the vein, and hence there will will be a plurality a' body I which, being threaded as in the embodiment of-Fig. 1, is adpassing out of the instrument feeding channel 4, which is asomae beno risk of interruptions, as the rear terminal thereof is in contact with the atmosphere by means of said air-intake 6.

The vein of ink reaches the ball through the followed by conduit constituting the reservoir 0, so that said feed will be permanent and the instrument will at all times be ready for use.

Inasmuch as the reservoir c is formed by a coil of small section fully charged with ink, the instrument'may be placed in any position and used in any manner without the established liquid vein being affected by gravity.

It is obvious that in carrying the invention into practice, several changes in construction and detail will occur to those skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of the invention as clear- 'ly set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A fountain pen of the type having a freelyrotatable writing ball mounted in a seat, an ink reservoir formed by a conduit which communicates at one end with said seat and which, after following a tortuous path, leads to an air-intake .at the end of the conduit remote from said seat.

2. A fountain pen of the type having a freelyrotatable writing ball mounted in a seat, an ink reservoir formed by a coil-shapedconduit which communicates at one end with said seat and which, after following a tortuous path, leads to an air-intake at the end of the conduit remote from said seat.

3. A fountain pen of the type having a freely-- rotatable writing ball mounted in a seat, an ink reservoir formed by a substantially helicallyshaped conduit which communicates at one end with said seat and which, after following a tortuous path approximately from one to the other end of the instrument, leads to an air-intake at the end of the conduit remote from said seat.

4. A fountain pen of the type having a freelyrotatable writing ball mounted in a seat, an ink reservoir formed by a plurality of substantially helically-shaped conduits each of which communicates at one end with said seat and which, after following tortuous paths approximately from one to the other end of the instrument, lead to air intakes at the ends of the respective conduits remote from said seat.

5. A fountain pen of the type having a freelyrotatable writing ball mounted in a seat, an ink reservoir formed by a conduit including a groove substantially longer than the reservoir which conduit communicates at one end with said seat and which leads to an air-intake at the end of the conduit remote from said seat.

6. A fountain pen of the type having a freelyrotatable ball mounted in a seat, an ink reservoir formed by a combination of an externally threaded body snugly fitted within a cylinder so that the helical channel formed by the thread is closed by said cylinder forming a conduit-which communicates at one end with said seat and which leads to an air-intake at the end of the conduit remote from said seat.

rotatable writing ball mounted in a seat, an ink reservoir formed by a conduit which communicates at one end with said seat and, after following a tortuous path approximately from one to the other end of the instrument, leads to an airintake at the end of the conduit remote from said seat, said reservoir being formed in a body detachably fitted within the barrel of said fountain pen. v

9. A fountain pen of the type having a freelyrotatable writing ball mounted in' a seat, an ink reservoir formed by a conduit of substantially constant section which communicates at one end with said seat and, after following an extended path, leads into an air-intake at the end of the conduit remote from said seat, said conduit and feed channel when charged with ink forming an uninterrupted vein of ink extending to said ball 1 seat.

10. A fountain pen of the type having a freelyrotatable writing ball mounted in a seat, an ink reservoir formed by a conduit of small cross-sectional area which communicates at one end with said seat and, after following a path substantially longer than the entire length of the instrument, leads to an air-intake at the end of. the conduit remote from said seat.

11. A fountain pen of the type having a freelyrotatable writing ball mounted in a. seat, an ink reservoir formed by a conduit of small cross- Sectional area which communicates at one end with said seat and, after following an extended path approximately from one to the other end of the instrument, leads to anair-intakeat the end of the conduit remote from said seat, said conduit and feed channel holding the entire ink supply. 4 I

12. A fountain pen of the type having a freelyrotatable writing ball mounted in a seat, an ink reservoir formed by a conduit of substantially constant section which communicates at one end with said seat and leads to an air-intake at the end of the conduit remote from said seat.

13. A fountain pen of the type having a freely- .rotatable writing ball mounted in a seat, an ink reservoir formed by a conduit of substantially constant section of less than five square millimeters which communicates at one end with said seat and which leads to an air-intake at the end of the conduit remote from said seat.

14. A fountain pen of the type having a freelyrotatable writing ball mounted in a seat, an ink reservoir formed by a conduit of substantially constant section which communicates with a feed channel of smaller cross-section than said conduit which communicates with the seat for said ball and leads to an air-intake at the. end of the conduit remote from said seat, said conduit and feed channel when charged with ink forming an uninterrupted vein of ink extending to said ball seat.

15. A fountain pen of the type having a freelyrotatable writing ball mounted in a seat, an ink reservoir formed by a conduit of small crosssectional area which extends approximately from one to the other end of the instrument, and leads into a feed channel of smaller cross-sectional area which communicates with the seat for said ball, the end of the conduit remote from said ball being provided with an air-intake, said conduit and feed channel holding the entire ink supply.

16. In a writing implement for use with a dense adhesive ink, a writing ball, a socket in which the ball is rotatably mounted. a feed channel feed channel opening in a writing implement of substantially uniform with an air vent to admit 3 in the conduit. v g I 121. A reservoir for holding a substantial quan-' opening forwardly into the socket, and a .1'3561'7 voir comprising an ink-holding .conduit which is adapted to hold the major part of the charge of ink for the writing implement and is of such cross-sectional area relative to the flow characteristics of the ink as to prevent the ink from flowing freely under gravity alone in either direction in the conduit irrespective of the position of the writing implement, said conduit being connected at one of its ends with said feed channel and being provided at its other end with a vent.

17. In a writing implement, a writing ball, a

socket in which the forwardly into the socket,

and a reservoir comprising an ink-holding contity of ink for use in writing implement of the type having a writing a socketand a feed channel opening forwardly into the socket; said reservoir comprising an inkholdingconduit which is adapted to 'hold the major part of the charge of ink for the writing implement in the form of a continuous vein, saidconduit being adapted to be connected at one of its ends with said vided at its other end with a vent, and said conduit being of such 'to the fiowcharacteristics ofthe-ink as to mainball is rotatably mounted, a

duit which is adapted to hold the entire supply of ink for the writing implement in the form of a continuous vein-and is of such cross-sectional area relative to the flow characteristics vof the ink as to maintain the continuity of the ink vein irrespective of the position of the writing-implement, said conduit being connected at one of its ends with said feed channel at its other end with a vent.

18. A reservoir for holding in continuous vein form'a substantial quantity of thick ink for use and being provided in' a writing implement 'of the type having a writing ball rotatably mounted in a socket and a feed channel opening forwardly into the socket; said reservoir comprising an ink holding conduit which isadapted to hold the major part of the charge of ink for the writing implement and is of such cross-sectional area relative to the con: sistency of the ink as to prevent the ink from flowing freely under gravity alone in either diifection in the conduit irrespective of the position of the reservoir, said conduit being adapted for con-' nection at one" of its ends and being provided at its other end with a vent.

19. A reservoir for holding in continuous vein form a substantial quantity of thick ink for use with said feed channel the type having a writvein irrespective of ends into said channel ing ball rotatably mounted in a socket and a feed channel opening forwardly into the socket; said reservoir comprising an ink holding conduit which is adapted to hold the entire supply of ink sectional area relative to theflow characteristics for the writing implement and isof such crossof the ink as to maintain the continuity of the ink vein irrespective of the position of the reservoir, said conduit being adapted for connection atone of its ends with said feedchannel and beingpro'videdatits other end with a vent. 20. An ink reservoir for its length and is adapted to hold the entire ink supply, said conduit being adapted for connection 'atone end with said feed channel to feed\ink to the socket and beingprovided atits other end airas the ink advances use ina writing implement of the type having a writing ball 'rotatably mounted in a socket and having a feed channel the socket; said reservoir and, after following a path I to'an air intake at the rotatable writing reservoir formed by a plurality 'of conduits of tain the continuity of the ink vein irrespective of the position of the writing implement.

22. A reservoir for holdinga substantial quane tity of ink for use in a writing implement of the holding conduit which .follows a. tortuous path and is adapted. to-hold the entire supply of-inkv for the writing implement in the form of a con-' tinuous vein, said conduit being adapted to be connected at one of its endswith said feed channel and being provided at its other end with a vent, and said conduit being of such cross-sectional area relative to the fiow characteristics of the ink as to maintain the continuity of the ink implement.

23. In a'writing implement, a writing tip for applying ink to the surface being written upon,

is conducted to the tip, I closely arranged passages behind said'channel in which the main supply of ink for said tip is retained, said passages all opening at their front ink in the passages in either direction under the influence of gravity alone irrespective of the posi-- drawnat the tip. 4

24. A fountain pen of the type having a freelyrotatable writing ball mounted in a seat, an ink reservoir formed by a plurality of conduits of small cross-sectional area, duits communicates at one substantially longer than the entire length of the instrument, leads end of the conduit remote from said seat. I

25. A fountain ballmounted in a seat, an ink small cross-sectional area, each of which conduits communicates at one end with said seat and, after'following a path approximately from oneend of-the instrument to the other, leads to a respective air intake at ,the'end remotefrom said seat, said plurality of conduits holding subentire ink supply. I

' 'LASZLO JOZSEF BIRD.-

ball rotatably mounted in feed channel and being procrosssectional' area relativethe position' of the writing s and at their rear ends to 4 the atmosphere and being of such cross sectional area with respect to the flow characteristics of" the ink as to. prevent any appreciable flow of the each of which conend with said seatpen of the type having a freely

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