US2489983A - Fountain pen - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 29, 19.49 v. H. sEvERY FOUNTAIN PEN 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 14. 1944 V. H. SEVERY Nov. 29, 1949 FOUNTAIN' PEN 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 14, 1944 I 2 7: ...Il

V. H. SEVERY FOUNTAIN PEN Nov. 29, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 14, 1944 Patented Nov. 29, 1949 UNITED# or; Flies.

VictonrH.- Severy; Atlanta, Ga., assignor to Scripta, Inc.; .al corpocaton of: .Ge0.1rgia.=

Application Februaryj,1944,Srial Noj. 52,2;351'

131Claims. (Cl.1201.-.52`) l The inventionrelates-to fountain pensandhas` as an objectfthe improvementofi/devices 'of '-tliisl character in` several import-ant particulars.

Among the objects ofethe-invention are:` Toh provide improvedmeans-to feed ink toithe point 5 ofthe nib so-asto'secure'certainty ofmarkingtoflprevent iiooding; to-improve lining; tof improvev assembly .oi iparts to improve:coaction'bee. tvveen cap and pen; tol-avoid use orscrew threads: between-:cap .and peni; to Aimproverthe claspfto'ff' 10 improve the nib.

Morespecically; `objects: of the invention-are.:

To provide auxiliary reservoir .meansinthe-hoodkf which surrounds-the feed-'bar and cooperating reservoir means Ain .the feed bar Yitself to Ycon-15 serve. excess ink .and..to givesit out as neededl `toprovide4 the auxiliary reservoir means 4.referred to.y and to. connect 'them loymeanslofl a vent lopen tos the atmosphere. andi: connectingl withla-irfventi:

means. extending s into the. main: ink-r reservoir;v to 20 provide a structure-designed for production-fond high: speed special.. machines and linvolvingfV as minimum of assembly labor.; toiprovidenacapd having; effectualseal-ing. means to.l coact 2vvitln`=` the barrel. or .hoodzuof theI pen: and. .means to iretainag the -cap withoutthehse of .screW=wtl:1reads...

'Further objects.. will? appear .froma .thesfollowinggf descriptiony whenread` inrconnectionwithi the ac'-- companying drawing. shovving; illustrative: em-.- bodiments of ,the invention'. and wherein: Vv30 Fig. ,1 is asideelevation of theipenzvwith".therv cap in place .drawnito afsightly .enlargedlscalea Figs. 2 and 3 are side elevations withnthefcap removed viewing the pen-` from .oppositelsdesn Fig. 4 is an end view of` theinteriorof the.cap,.1. 35 the clasp being omitted..

Fig. 5 is a detail'longitudinal sectionto `a mucha'. enlarged scaleshowingthe writingrlend' of'A the.V pen with the capin place.

Fig, 6 is a section similar.to.;Fig .i. 5:takeniat3.- right angles thereto.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the feedbar.

Fig. 8 is a plan View thereof.

Fig. 9 is an end view taken from th'erightsof. Fig. '7. 1.4 Fig. 10 is an end view taken` fromthe left lof.;

Fig.A '7.

Figs. l1 and l2 are transverse sections .on .thee corresponding section .lines of Fig. .8..

Fig. i3 is a View similar to Fig.,showinganwm alternative form.

Figs. 14 and 15.are topand bottom plan. views. respectively ,of .the nib: drawnv tov a` still .furti-1er. enlarged scale.

Fig. i6 is a side elevation' ofthe nib,:-and

Fig.. 17 .is an end. viewseenffrom` the` 'lowerfiend of Fig. 14.

As shownfthe device comprises abarrel 2l?" and aecap 2 I-ficarrying a cl'aspZ-afxed VtheretoV inatmanner to -b'efdescribed.I A's=shoWn-iirFigs. 2- andif; thewbarrelcomprises ahood---portion 23`J extending downwardly-over the -nib'- sothat only" a" veryl f small f portion thereofY is exposed Lto the atmosphere and iprovidinggavvr-itingfinstrument fvrhich mayv be.graspedasnear'tothe-point as mavl b'efdesiredli The partsaarehso#shaped-aste permit--` ofsliolding..tl-1e;l pen in-as` flat rarwvriting' angle as could:."p'e'desiredn Assclearly showneineFigs and- 6,-4 th'e barrel-i 2 ilficomprisesuthe h'ood zportiom 23 fandL a v reservoir-- portinnzzZ-t: Toi: connect the-fsaid portions and-toretainainteriom partstini .placeftliere is-:shcvvn a-= Connector for.; union i 25'b1exteriorly^ screw rth'readedl at."2.51toyengagesinteriorrscrew@threads'.at 21 inf` the hood andratZjn thelreservoirportion 'llosprovide meanssfor retaining thefcap 2l in\ this;;form.ofi fthe :inventions thereig shown 4a rinaor :Washer .29 which 4.s1ips.-freely;. over :the serexvf.Y threads 26 and provides a sealing @fit With-th'e' endaoffithemoodfas. atf: Tlieropposite side of the-washe1rf-2l3s shownzasfformedfnpona slight.; allele as iindicated at fi-sandzthe fend; oi; the. reservoir member 24.is vfornzuedfupon;a complementari.;

angle withg the ,resultrthat. [the screwingI :home of 1 the;greservoiiumemberagainstgithering :willi assist.; inv-centering.;thefring. Thelconnector 25isproevided, .with a/vreduce,dgend sportion. .i2 whichymay..`- receive van. ink; -:sack1ifg.suchorm 'ofink container utilized. Alsof,- the@4 connector; is .shownfass;

formedwith.,an..internal.shoulder 33. to coact. with ashoulder llpQn-the feed-.bar 34 as will be: explained..

. The ho od..23 p :is .alsolrshown'fas formed Withmagf. plurali,tv .ofY cuts r-=ce1ls 35,l 36,and..3'l. Although@ the number .and l size oithesefcells is not critical :l .providedonly that they are not too large for capillarity.withv the yinl;;us.ed;. it4 is found that with; Writing ffluid. ,Otmar-1. .average` viscosityv which vis-,y l cosityy depends: on the value-and Which iss foundtobe Vpresent-when `the pHfvalue is. loetvveenx-l 7 and10,..thenumber .and Widtlfnof, thelcells opere.. atesatisfactorilyifther-.eeare provided seven of i the. cells.-35 each;.substantially'l-,010v Wide; sub-.r5

stantiallvsix .ot ,the Ycellsvtslof a/.zvvidth substan tia11y,..00.85., and substantially-seven of; the cells 3T. .each of a.-.widthrof '.substantial1vz00'7 andif i theedistancelof the-.front cellgnearest thewritinf;I point from:the .point et lthe feed bar zis-fsubstansY tially;.400l,".

Thefeedbanshown imdetaiLinEigs to ,12 inf-.1i elusive is madefof. afsubstance .which-Will not bee; atfected'bylthefink .andfwhich isgeasily acted upon:l bymachinedools.; Onasubstanca-Which. has been*v found satisfactoryiis anraerylic plastic resinuandf'- specifically methyl methacrylate has been found eminently satisfactory as it will not swell even after long use which swelling would distort or change the size of the ink passages and fissures. As shown, the feed bar 34 is formed with a circular bore 38 which as shown is counterbored for reception of a vent tube 39 to extend into the ink reservoir and adjacent the upper end thereof when the pen is in use or is being filled. The feed bar is also formed with an enlarged portion 40 providing the shoulder 33 already referred t0 and a shoulder 4| for engagement with the shoulder 42 in the hood.

Surrounding the feed bar there is shown a plurality of circular cuts 43, 44 shown as comprising a total of 18 cuts. The number and size of these cuts are not critical but it is found that eleven of the cuts 43 each .022 deep and seven of the cuts 44 each .011 deep, the cuts being .010" wide and spaced apart a distance of .020" will give good results with ink of an average grade of viscosity and when combined with the remaining capillary and vent passages as will be described.

Crossing the cuts 43 and 44 and extending longitudinally of the feed bar from an opening to the atmosphere as indicated in Fig. 10 and extending into communication with the last cut 43 as indicated at 45, Fig. '7, there is a longitudinal channel 45 which is slightly greater in width but less in depth than the cuts 43, 44. The depth of the channel is desirably .008 and its width .030. The fact that the channel 46 is greater in width but less in depth than the cuts 43, 44 causes the lm strength of the writing fluid in the circular cuts to be weakened and as ink is drawn from the reservoirs 35, 36, 31 it may be replenished from ink in the cross cuts 43, 44. The bore 38 is shown as terminating in a passage way 41 extending to the surface of the feed bar under the nib 48.

The nib is formed upon the arc of a circle having an outer radius the same as that of the feed bar and tting into a recess milled in the upper part of the feed bar in which it closely fits with its edges lying against shoulders 49, 50. The nib is shown as formed with an upwardly extending lug 5l which ts in a recess 52 formed nteriorly of the hood 23 as clearly indicated in Fig. 5 and is pressed thereagainst by the end of the connector 25 when the parts are screwed together. The nib is therefore prevented from any motion of revolution with respect to the hood and because of the fit of the nib upon the shoulders 49, 50 the feed bar is prevented from any motion of revolution. The nib is also formed with an opening 58 from which opening a slit 59 extends to the writing point.

Extending longitudinally of the feed bar from a point 53 substantially .050 from the end thereof and continuously to the reservoir end there are shown a pair of capillary cuts 54, 55 between which, from a point 56 adjacent the most forward f the cuts 44, there is a wider and shallower cut 51. The cut 51 as shown extends continuously under the nib to the point B but milling of the space for the nib reduces its depth thereunder and this space as well as cuts 54, 55, are in communication with the hole 41. The cuts 43, 44 are also milled away in the shaping of the nib recess and the cuts 44 under the nib are substantially only .001 in depth. The recess for the nib is allowed to die out in its portion beyond the nib as clearly indicated in Fig. 5 to preserve strength in the remaining portion of the feed bar. The cuts 43, 44 are in substantial registry with the cuts 36, 31 in the hood and communicate with 4 the cuts 35 with the exception of the last 4 or 5 thereof.

To coact in sealing relation with the outer surface of the hood there is shown a ring 60 in the cap, the angle between the cap and hood being substantially an included 5 or well within the angle at which a seal once formed will not slip, which angle with the material under consideration is critical at substantially an included 6. To hold the cap upon the body of the pen without the use of screw threads, the washer 23 is shown as formed with an outer rounded surface and a recess 6| is milled upon the interior of the cap to coact therewith. The opening of the cap is slightly in excess of the outer diameter of the ring 29 and the interior diameter of the cap at the ring is somewhat less than the outer diameter of the ring. To permit the skirt of the cap to expand to slip over the ring, kerfs 52, shown as three in number, may be formed with a very thin saw. The recess 6I is of excess axial length to allow for wear in ring 60.

The clasp 63 is shown as terminating in a ring 64 set upon the end of the cap and held in place by means of a rivet 65 expanded as at 66. To prevent revolution of the clasp upon the cap a recess is formed at 61 in the cap and a lug or 4 enlargement 58 is formed on the ring 64 to enter the recess 61. The clasp is formed at 69 with a. cam surface 10 to provide slightly greater resistance to removal.

In `the form shown in Figure 13, the connector V25 has screw threaded coaction with the skirt of the hood 23 and the reservoir portion 24' of the pen has a slip fit at 1I with the connector 25. The feed bar 34 is extended to a screw threaded projection engageable by a nut 12 to hold the parts in assembly. In this form of the invention there are illustrated screw threads 13 upon the portion 24 engaging with internal screw threads upon the cap.

The nib 48, as shown in Figs. 14-17 is formed for long life and to conserve valuable metal. To this end, a gold point 15, preferably 14 karat gold, is welded to a non-corroding base metal body 15 as at line 11. Appearance alone could be secured by gold plating the point portion 15 .I but in such practice it is difficult to plate the edges of the slit 59, which if not solid metal or plated would eventually corrode and destroy good operation.

The tip 18 is provided with a hard tip, as

e Ruthorium alloy, in the usual manner. The central portion 19 of the under surface of the nib is highly polished and the side portions 30, 8l are shown as sanded in accordance with known practice, to improve feed of ink to the slit 59 and to the writing point.

the pen which balance is upset by the act of writing, releasing fluid to flow outward from the writing point of the nib to the writing surface.

looding occurs when the hydrostatic balance fails, or does not properly control ow from the Ypoint of the nib.

In the pen of the present invention the only passages or fissures which open to the atmosphere are the slit of the nib leading to the point, and the air Vent at the bottom of the feed bar.

v' These are both of capillary size.

Considering carefully the above description and explanation, the ow of writing fluid to the writ- QABQQLQQK@ 5 ing fpointfV in l my-\invention, takes -f-place-*fas 4for as. lows;thea-main.-reservoir'sin the barrel or'fsac supplies-the ink to the openingducts in thefeed Thelcapillary--vchanneland the airvent admits Y. andby'passes. some fluid. to the `main feedchan-r nel. `Although the quantity depends upon the-.1.:V heightof uid in themain. reservoir, inverting to writing position allows somel ink in the ventpip, to flow` toward the feed channel, until a bal-.j ance is effected between the air entering thefvent holein'the feedto the vent tube; when the remaining fluid in lthe vent pipe ows in the opp0-, siteiway, admitting air to the reservoir. The fluid passing down the :main'channel and capillaries if. on'eachside'of theichannelo'ws outwardly from; thitransverse channels in the feed bar underthe writing nib to the cells nearestthe reservoir end: n Thf-flling1ofthe cells in the front or nearer the writing point takes place next but slowerbecause the -fluid attraction `is not as 'great at thispoint"l dutofgreater width-of the -lower cells andthe laclrof conducting channels under the lowerendi of the-feed bar and the nib. f 'Ilhelling of these cellsltakesuplace more fslowlyas well as the 'mid-75% dle'f'cells.:` VThe conducting'channel on I:the lowerf'` sidefifof f feed barwopposite'.thev nib furnishes a f channel conducting' the writing fluidto and aways:`v from' thesefront cells.`v y

Furthermore, in my invention the designfal# lowsethefgnib or writing unit to lie in a deforma.` tiorrfonfthe top of the feedA bar,wcomp1etingfa truecornp'act circular bar fitting tightly into lthe shell bore. Although the nib member has a radius equal-rta the feedbar radiuspboth `on the inside; as well as outsideof lthe nib member,the writing fluidi-by capillary action r along this space be-'flv tween lthetwo surfaces.flows-outward to the widerv cellsatthe writing end, and `emptieslrst.::\; when vthe demand is made during writing.

'Ilhelwritinguid iindsits path alongthe nibgm l slit v,to the extremitythe point vof the nib-and contacts with the writing surface. As Vthe flow...v of fluid -takes place air is admitted through the. vent4 hole 41 klocated in the upper partof thlf. feed bar adjacent to the nib; this air liowing. fromV the fissures and cells to the upper reservoir... rst and later fromV the lower by-pass channel` in thefeed bar, connected with the atmosphere 'L to and up through the' airvent pipe to thetop of thereservoir, thus balances the atmospheric' pressure,`due to the outward flow of writing'fluid.`

My invention provides a check valve topreJ'" vent flooding.' `This action of flooding, caused by several well known actions,A can occur when the auxiliary cells are partially or wholly emptied 55 by the action of writing.' In this case the fcellsI would fill in part or completely until'the balance-"fe is reached. Howevelg-'if these cells are full, such as might occur by holding the pen in writing position' without writing, then the fluid tends 'to fillithe lower cells completely, andrneeting the well 'known edge eiiect of the cell chambers, 'write' ingj;` nib, vand air intake channel, automatically'y raises the pressure factor oriuid tension, against which the'expansionl has to contend, andjfurf-' the'r-and'at the same instant` shutting off'all', airjventing, preventing a returnfof air to thevv main reservoir.

It isreadily seen that vthe fluid friction israised considerably and has in my invention metithe' 70 normal flooding problem. When this pressure'in the'reservoir subsides thewriting fluid is drawn up lolut' of thev airv channel inthe feed barjwith,` considerable ink in the" front cells, these cells releasing their ink supply more easily and before 75 ink-waiter several pumping actions the inkrapidmf ly .gains-in -vvolume within l the. freservoir which;V

:"recess;r a nib seated ins'aid recess with a surfac sofi ne of Isaid-members Y formedwith a longitudine.

fislotsg'and means 'in said'shell to 'supply ink-to c3 In they actief `filling. the penthe auxiliary cells-s.

llfrst then the reservoir.- It has beenvfoun benecial. to instant writing.r to `eject a drop-=0r twolofwriting fluid asrthepen is withdrawnfro the'. writing huid-container and to wipe Vthe sidesf. g

(310th:v f

Myinvention' employs the-uid 'valvellocki-e principle -inlling theireservoiriofthe :pena -The L inkacl'iannel:y and capillaries provide more -fricvionalresistancefor.` the ink-.than -the airportorY vent tube. In filling and` on the .expelling stroke of .=any= usual pumpingV device utilized for .llin the reservoir there .will-be a more rapid expulsionv of ethe air-infthe reservoir than displacement;'of`

point of the hood. This passage is in/registwith the slit of theA nib and :passesabovefand :inl communicationwith `the opening. 58gof the nibll The useof this passagezs optionalandfwill Vbe? advantageous particularly witnpensdesigned lto write heavy lines. It acts 4withchannellli as an@ additional air vent' to conduct air seeping in abovethenib. as ink is drawn in writing from below the. nib;..It may also, under some conditions, serve` as vanadditior1al supply of ink to lthe slit" of th nib from' the auxiliary .reservoirs provided by slots` 35,"vvhile ventair is entering through channell 4B Minor 'changes `may be made in the`v physica embodiments of theiinvention within the scop of .the` appended claims'without 'departing frm,. thespirit'of the invention;`

I claim as my inventionzi Y.

1. A `fountain penicomprising .in combia.,.;= tion: "a shell member .formed .with annular` capili liaryslots in 'its"`inner.surfae;. a feedA bar membei closelylttin'g the'.` interior of `Asaid shell.; one of saidmembers formed with a longitudinal'lc'apilflA lary passage placing said' slots' in Vcommunication one of said members formedwith'a .nib receivin thereof exposed to the interior. of said slots; an meansin said, shell to supply link to saidislotsgfn, capillary passage rand nib."

v 2. A fountain pen comprisingjin combination: shell 'member formed'with' annular ,capillar slots in 'its inner surface; a feed bar membe closely'flttlng the interior of the'shell'a'nd'formed with-annular capillary slots in its periphery, cer tain'of which register withlthev slots of theshell capillary passage placing said slots in communi cation';1one1of saidrnembers formed `vvitha nib receivingrecess;2 a nib seated in said recess with" a surface thereof exposed 'to theinterior of 'sai 4. The structure of claim 1 in which the slots i nearest the writing end of the pen are of greater axial extent than certain of the slots more remote therefrom.

5.The structure of claim 1 in which the capillary passage is in the portion of its member opposite the location of the nib and opens to the atmosphere.

6. A fountain pen comprising, in combination: a shell member formed with annular capillary slots in its inner surface; a feed member closely fitting the interior of said shell; one of said members formed with a longitudinally extending recess; a longitudinal capillary passage in one of said members at one of the opposed surfaces thereof, opening to the atmosphere, and placing said slots in communication; a nib formed with an opening and a slit extending from said opening to the point thereof; one of said slots registering with said opening; and means in said shell to supply ink to said slots and nib.

7. The structure of claim 2 with a longitudinal capillary passage in said feed bar extending under the nib from a point closely adjacent said nib opening and across the annular slots in the feed bar; and with a Venting capillary passage opening to the atmosphere and cutting across Said slots.

8. A fountain pen comprising, in combination: a shell comprisinfr a hood portion and a reservoir portion; said hood portion formed with a feed bar and nib receiving bore portion and a larger internally screw threaded portion joining at an internal shoulder; a feed bar housed in said shell and closely fitting the rst named portion of said bore, and formed intermediately of its length with an enlarged portion presenting oppositely facing shoulders; a connector formed with a bore presenting an internal shoulder and with external screw threads to coact with said rst named screw threads; said connector acting against one feed bar shoulder to press the remaining feed bar shoulder against the internal shoulder of said hood portion; means providing intimate non-slipping engagement between said reservoir portion and an extension of said connector; a nib confined between said feed bar and the interior of the hood; and means to feed ink from the reservoir portion to the point of the nib.

9. The structure of claim 8 with a laterally extending lug carried by said nib and confined against the interior shoulder of the hood portion by -said connector.

A1,0. The structure of claim 8 with a washer confined between the opposed ends of said shell portions and formed with an annular rounded surface projecting from the surface of the shell.

1l. A fountain pen comprising, in combination: a shell member formed with annular capillary slots in its inner surface; a feed bar closely tting in said shell, formed with annular capillary slots in its periphery and with a largerthan-capillary bore in its portion remote from the rnib end thereof and in communication with certain of feed bar slots remote from the nib end of the bar and opening to an ink reservoir; a plurality of the feed bar slots nearest said bore exceeding in depth the remaining thereof; said bar formed with a nib receiving recess cutting across said bar slots; a nib seated in said recess and formed with an opening registering with at least one of the shell slots nearest the point of the nib, and with a slit extending to the point of the nib; said bar also formed with a longitudinal capillary passage from a position closely adjacent the nib end to the reservoir end thereof passing through said nib recess and communieating with the vent bore at its slot communication.

12. A feed bar comprising: a substantially cylindrical body formed with an enlarged central portion providing oppositely facing shoulders; said body formed with a longitudinal recess in its surface for receiving a nib and tapering to a point located at the center of the recessed surface; said body having a central vent bore extending from the end thereof opposite said point to a position midway of its length and a transverse passage at said mid length end to the surface of the body; said body formed with spaced capillary grooves from a point closely adjacent its point to the opposite end, interrupted by said transverse passage, and with a shallow groove communicating laterally with said spaced grooves and cut to a less depth; said shallower groove terminating intermediate the length of said nib recess; said body formed with a series of annular peripheral slots, at least one thereof cutting into said transverse passage, certain of said slots cutting through the bottom of said nib recess; and said body formed with a longitudinal capillary slot extending from said point end to communication with the annular slot which is in communication with said transverse passage.

13. A fountain pen comprising, in combination: a shell member; a feed bar member closely fitting the interior of said shell member; a nib rigidly confined between surfaces of said mel bers with only its point projecting from the shell; the longitudinal central portion of said y nib having a polished surface, and side regions of said nib bordering said polished surface roughened as by sand blasting; said roughened surface contacting its confining surface only at the eminences thereof whereby to provide capillary passages among said eminences leading from the edges of the nib to said polished portion thereof; capillary fissures in at least one o f said members at the edges of said nib and in communication with the capillary passages of said roughened surface; and means to supply ink to said fissures.

VICTOR H. SEVERY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 9,890 Cross Oct. 11, 1881 109,257 Schifferle Nov. 15, 1870 631,824 Robinson Aug. 29, 1899 734,116 Blair July 21, 1903 832,981 Kennedy Oct. 9, 1906 836,905 Whitehouse Nov. 27, 1906 1,313,056 Blackwood et al, Aug. l2, 1919 1,613,812 Wahl Jan. 11, 1927 1,825,090 Reis Sept. 29, 1931 1,950,364 Moore Mar. 6, 1934 2,016,106 Dahlberg Oct. 1, 1935 2,107,150 Heising Feb. l, 1938 2,375,770 Dahlberg May 15, 1945 2,282,840 Wing May 12, 1942

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