US2493665A

US2493665A - Ferrule for holding erasers to the butt ends of pencils

Info

Publication number: US2493665A
Application number: US14724A
Authority: US
Inventors: Andrew P Gagnon
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1948-03-13
Filing date: 1948-03-13
Publication date: 1950-01-03
Anticipated expiration: 1967-01-03

Description

Jan. 3, 1950 A. P. GA ON- FERRULE FOR HOL NG ERASERS TO THE BUTT ENDS OF PENCILS Filed March 15, 1948 .Qiiiavazqg Patented Jan. 3, 195

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FERRULE FOR HOLDING ERASERS TO THE BUTT ENDS OF PENCILS 6 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in ferrules for holding an eraser on the tip or butt end of a common lead pencil.

The main object of my invention is to provide a structure wherein the end of the ferrule may be readily broken off by the user by the simple operation of bending the end of the ferrule, permitting the use of substantially 50% more eraser material than is normally used.

At the present time, pencils are commonly discarded when erasers are worn down to the ferrule. I am aware that others have provided ferrules, portions of which may be removed to permit the use of more erasive material. Faber in Patent No. 795,500 shows a paper material for this purpose having grooves therein. When the user cuts one of these grooves, the paper material beyond it may be removed, thereby exposing more erasive material, but this, however, requires the use of a knife, which is not always handy and is a somewhat diflicult operation to perform without cutting the eraser or the finger of the user.

I am also aware that others have provided ferrules made out of thin frangible material such as tin, from which portions may be torn axially therefrom to permit the remainder of the portions thereof surrounding the eraser to be removed by the hand. Such a structure is shown in the patent to Boos, No. 1,237,013.

I have discovered, however, that if the ferrule be made of plastic material of a proper type and a weakened circumferential line he provided on said ferrule spaced from the outer end thereof and at least two widely spaced axial weakened lines be provided extending longitudinally outwardly from said circumferential weakened line to the outer end of the cylinder, that if the end of the ferrule is merely pressed at an angle against a fixed surface that the, tip of the plastic ferrule may break along said circumferential weakened line and along said axial lines, thereby 1 permitting the removal of the no longer desired end of the plastic ferrule by the simple operation of bending said end of said ferrule, thereby removing said end without the use of any cutting tool or extended tearing operation.

Further features of my invention relate to the specific structure of grooves or weakened lines employed byme on the end of the plastic ferrule for this purpose, at least one type of which provides means supplemental to friction to retain the end of the eraser to the butt end of the pencil. I

These and such other objects of my invention as may hereinafter appear will be best understood from a description of the accompanying drawings which illustrate embodiments thereof.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a pencil equipped with my improved ferrule.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the butt end of said pencil showing the ferrule and eraser in section and the adjacent portion of the pencil in elevation.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing how the outer end of the ferrule may be bent downwardly against a fiat surface to cause the outer end of the ferrule to break off and into the pieces shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the weakened line or circumferential groove I preferably employ being bent against the sharp edge of an object such as a desk edge to cause a fracture thereof.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic perspective view illustrating how the tip of the ferrule breaks off into two semi-cylindrical portions when bent as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

Fig. '7 is a view similar to Fig. 2 in which the circumferential groove in the ferrule is pressed into the eraser and preferably to a less thickness than the wall of the ferrule.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view similar to Fig. '7 showing how the remaining half of the groove functions to provide a circumferential lip projecting inwardly into the eraser to retain the eraser stub in fixed position on the pencil for further erasing.

In the drawings, wherein like characters of reference generally indicate like parts throughout, l0 generally indicates a pencil constructed in accordance with my invention. While my invention may be applied to a mechanical pencil, if desired, I have shown it in the drawings as applied to the butt end of a standard type of lead pencil. v

If desired, the butt end l2 of the pencil may have a reduced diameter for receiving the inner 7 22 of a standard type of cylindrical eraser 24,

that almost any type of plastic material may be 7 brought to this consistency.

In accordance with my invention, Iprovide a circumferential weakened line 26 on the outer surface of the ferrule at a spaced distance 28 from the outer end 30 thereof. While "said weakened line 26 may comprise any well known type of weakened line, such as spaced holes, it preferably comprises the groove 26 shown.

The material of the ferrule underneath the groove 2% is preferably of less thickness than the remainder of the wall of the ferrule as shown at 32. I-fdesired, as in the embodiment shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the groove may be pressed inwardly to provide a circumferential lip 3 projecting .wardly within the body of the eraser 24 to assist in retaining the eraser to the pencil I0. I also provide at leasttwo widely spaced a'ii'ial weakened lines 36, preferably diametrically spaced as shown, preferably also comprising the grooves '36 extending longitudinally outwardly from said circumferential weakened line '26 to the outer end 35 of "said ferrule. r

' The grooves-25 and 36 may be provided in the ferrule H6 in any suitable mariner, such as by casting, molding and cutting, etc. It is thus obvious that with this structure, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, when the eraser 211 becomes worn down or off to adjacent said outer end 30, as shownat 38 in Figs. 4, 5 and 8, bending pressure may be applied to said weakened lines or grooves and 36 to break off the plastic sections "40 of said cylinder l6 alongrsaid weakened lines 3 6 exterior of said circumferential weakened line '26 to expose an additional portion 41 of said eraser for -use.

To remove the outer end of the ferrule, itmay be pressed and rolled against the flat surface of a desk '64, as shown in 4, or,-if desired, the protruding edge it of a desk may be inserted within the groove 26 and the .pencil pressed and rolled against said protruding edge to cause a fracture along said groove 26, as shown in Fig. 5. As said outer portion 26 becomes broken off from the lower end [4 of said ferrule l6, it is obvious that said outer end Will start to split along the grooves 36 into the two semi-cylindrical portions 40 as shown in Fig. 6 and if not completely broken into two portions, it is obvious that another sharp rap against any surface will complete the breakage of said end '29 into the sem'i cylindrical portions l'll shown or that they can be readily separated by the finger nail or in any othersuitable manner. It is obvious that when so broken off,- the shortened end 38 of 'the eraser becomes exosed for furthe'r'use' as an eraser substantially down to the line of said circumferential groove 26. If the ferrule be provided with the inwardly projecting lip '34 of the groove 26 projecting in groove"36,.'providing an inturned annular lip 50 biting into said eraser M'to positively retain the eraser butt 2? to 'the'pe'nciLas shown in Fig; 8.

It is apparent that I have provided a novel type of ferrule, portions of which may be readily broken 01f by the user without any supplemental equipment or without danger of cutting a person by a thin sharp metallic edge, to permit the use of a substantial amount more of the erasive material normally present in pencils and with the other advantages explained above.

It is understood that my invention is not limited to the specific embodiments shown and that various deviations may be made therefrom without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is: '1. A ferrule for holding an eraser to the butt end of a pencil, comprising a hollow cylinder of plastic material, having the inner end adapted to be secured to the butt end of a pencil and an outer end adapted to surround and contain the inner end of a cylindrical eraser, said cylinder having a circumferential weakened line on the outer surface thereof at a spaced distance from the outer end thereof and at least two widely spaced longitudinal weakened lines on said outer surface extending longitudinally outwardly from said circumferential weakened line to the outer end 'of said cylinden'whereby when the eraser is worn down to adjacentsaid outer end, bending pressure may be applied to said-cylinder to break V weakened line to expose an additional portion of tial groove to the outer end of said cylinder,

whereby when the eraser is worn down to adja-- cent said outer end, bending pressure may be applied to said cylinder to break oif plastic sections of said cylinder along said grooves beyond said circumferential groove to expose an additional portion of said eraser for use.

3. In combination, a pencil, a hollow cylinder of plastic material having an inner end secured to the butt end of a pencil and an outer end surroundin'g'and containing the 'inner'end of a cylindr-ical eraser, said cylinder having a circumferential weakened line on the outer surface thereof ata spaced distance from the outer end thereof and at least two widelyspaced longitudinal weakene'd lines onsa-id outer surface extending longitudi'n'ally outwardly from said circumferential weakened line to the outer end of said cylinder. whereby when the eraser is worn down to adjacent said outer end, bending'pressure may be -ap-' plied to said cylinder to break off plastic sections of said cylinder along said weakened "lines beyond said circumferential weakened line to e) pos'e'an additionalportion of said eraser for use.-

4. In combination, a pencil, a hollowrcylinder of plasticmaterial having an inner endsecured to the butt end of a pencil and an outer end sure rounding and containing the inner end of a cylindrical eraser, said cylinder having .a circumferential groove on the outer surface thereof ata spaced distance from the outer end thereof and at least two widely spaced longitudinal grooves on said outer surface extending longitudinally outwardly from said circumferential groove to the outer end of said cylinder, whereby when the eraser is worn down to adjacent said outer end, bending pressure may be applied to said cylinder to break off plastic sections of said cylinder along. said grooves beyond said circumferential groove to expose an additional portion of said eraser for use.

5. In combination, a pencil, a molded hollow cylinder of plastic material having an inner end secured to the butt end of a pencil and an outer end containing the inner end of a cylindrical eraser, said cylinder and eraser having an externally rolled in circumferential groove on the outer surface thereof extending into said eraser at a spaced distance from the outer end thereof, having a wall of less thickness than the ferrule wall, and at least two widely spaced longitudinal grooves on said outer surface extending longitudinally outwardly to the outer end'of said cylinder, whereby when the eraser is worn down to adjacent said outer end, bending pressure may be applied to said cylinder to break off plastic sections of said cylinder along said grooves beyond said circumferential groove to expose an additional portion of said eraser for use and the outer edge of said broken circumferential groove 6 may retain the eraser within the remainder of the broken off ferrule.

6. In combination, a pencil, a molded hollow cylinder of plastic material having an inner end secured. to the butt end of a pencil and an outer end containing the inner end of a cylindrical eraser, said cylinder and eraser having an externally rolled in circumferential groove on the outer surface thereof extending into said eraser at a spaced distance from the outer end thereof and at least two widely spaced longitudinal grooves on said outer surface extending longitudinally outwardly to the outer end of said cylinder, whereby when the eraser is worn down to adjacent said outer end, bending pressure may be applied to said cylinder to break off plastic sections of said cylinder along said grooves beyond said circumferential groove to expose an additional portion of said eraser for use and the outer edge of said broken circumferential groove may retain the eraser within the remainder of the broken off ferrule.

ANDREW P. GAGNON.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Boos Aug. 14, 1917 Number