US2517297A

US2517297A - Mechanical pencil

Info

Publication number: US2517297A
Application number: US758935A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ferber Fred
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1947-07-03
Filing date: 1947-07-03
Publication date: 1950-08-01
Anticipated expiration: 1967-08-01

Description

Aug. l, 1950 F. FERBER MECHANICAL PENCIL Filed July 3, 1947 Patented Aug. 1, 1950 UNITED STATE s PAT-eur OFFICE MECHANICAL PENCIL `IIred erlier,A Englewood, N. J. p s I Application July aisizsenamo.758,935 I 'v .i fr (colza-17) i Claims.

My invention is an improvementin mechanical pencils of the type having a magazine to carry a supply of leads of the properlengtlfi,` and parts adapted to move each lead successively into position to protrude from the pencil, so that the latter can be employed for writing whenever the owner needs it for such a purpose.

An object of the inventionv is to `provide amechanical pencil of simple but superior design, comprising relatively few parts that `can be easily and inexpensively produced and readily assembled, and capable of smooth and certain actua-` tion; subjecting the leads tono breaking stresses and keeping them intactV and` `unbroken and otherwise `unimpaired as they are moved .intoI place and caused to project at the tip of the pencil for their intended use. I

A further object is to` provide a mechanical pencil having a casing with a guidingltube for the leads,` said tube being of novelfform` and mounted in a bearing member thatrpermits reciprocating movementof the tube to feedl thelead to the point of the pencil,` and to return toits starting point; the tube and the bearing member being so shaped thatithey `can be `quickly joined but are afterwards virtually inseparable.` This construction facilitates the proper union of the various parts and the maintenance of the `unit in efficient serviceable condition is thus assured.

The drawings show the preferred embodiment of my invention and the characteristics are clefined in the appended claims.` But this disclosure is explanatory only; and I doA not wish to be restricted to the exact structural'details `herein set forth. In practice I may resort `to various minor alterations without deviating 'from the general principle which underlies the construction and mode of operation, or omittingariy` of the essential features wherein theinventlon resides.

On the drawings:

Figure l is a section through the casing and inner parts of a mechanical pencil in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a similar view with the parts in different positions; and

Figure 3 is a separate view in section of the guide tube for the leads.

In the drawings, the numeral I indicates a cylindrical casing, having a removable conical tip 2 at the :front end, this tip being attached to the casing and held in place by any suitable means. Within the tube is a movable sleeve 3 which projects from the other extremity (not shown) of the casing I and contains the leads 4. One of these leads` represented at 5 is showniin the middle of` the casing projecting from the point of the tip*2. The sleeve 3 can beimoved inward by pressing on its projecting end to push the centralle'ad 5 so that its extremity protrudes from the tip, so that it can be utilized for writing. y

The guiding tube for the central lead 5 is in` dicated at 6, One endhas a collar or flangeu'l, this end having a concave surface 8, which is enveloped by the innerend of the sleeve 3. `The bore 9 of the tube 6 is of sufficient sizetoreceive one of the leads `which are stored in the sleeve 3; and, because of the concave surface 8, one `of the leads will always slip into line with the bore sand move into it. In the sides of the tube 3 are slots Ill, through which project jaws'` II', the function thereof being to grip the central lead 5 and move it towards the tip 2 in a manner ex-` plained below. At the end opposite the collar I the tube 6" has slots I2, opening throughsaidend, and permitting said end to be transversely compressed tol a slight extent. At the same end the bore 9 has inside teeth or serrations I3. i 1

The tip 2 has a counterbored recess III at its inner end, internally threaded at I5 to engage and hold a hollow bearing member I6 inoriefpiece, having a collar or flange I'I. Integral with. this member or gland I6, which has a `central bore I8 through it,` are two substantially semicircular lugs I9 projectingup from the collar Il.` `These lugs are separated from one another bys'mall spaces between their opposing side edgesy-said spaces being of uniform width; and between the side edges the inner faces of the lugs are concave on the saine radius as the bore Iii, forrninga continuation 20 thereof. The ends of theflugs IS remote from the collar I1 have inside projections or rims 2l presenting interior shoulders 22. Alongtlie opposite edges the rims are counterbcredor bevelled as indicated at'23. The tube 6 has opposed shoulders 24 and25 between the slots I0 and the end having the inside teeth I3. Between these shoulders the tube 6 is thinnest, and from the shoulder 25 to said end the tube is still thinner than between the slots II] and collar 1. The extremity with the inside teeth I3 has the form of an expanded head 26 with a bevelled end 21. This head is thicker than the inside diameter of the bore I8 in the gland I6; but it can be forced between the counterbored rims 2 I' and through the bore I 8; the part of the tube 6 with the slots I2 then yielding till the contractile head or end 26 projects from the threaded end of the gland I6. This gland I6 with the tube 6 is then inserted into the casing I; the threaded end of the gland projecting from the open end of the casing; and the tip 2 can then be screwed upon the gland I6.

When the gland IB and the tube 6 are thus assembled, the internal rims 20 are between the

shoulders

24 and 25, and with these shoulders and the shoulders 2I limit the movement of the tube 6. Adjacent the collar 1 and tube 6 is snugly encircled by a ring 28 to which the resilient jaws II are secured by their ends; and

encircling the jaws I I is a tubular slidable bush` ing 29 encircled by the adjacent end of the sleevel. 3, and having a collar 3D between its ends abut" ting the inner extremity of said sleeve. Th'ej'a-ws project from the end of the bushing beyond thel 4 the tube consisted of two or more parts threaded to be screwed together, it would be weak and the parts could not be properly lined up. The lead would break, or part of the tube would become separated from the remainder thereof. As illustrated and described, this tube is straight, strong, rigid, and durable. The pencil is also easy and quick to assemble, as above stated; because to connect the ,tube 6 and the gland I6, the end 25 of the tube is merely thrust past the chamfered edges 23. The length of the feed of the lead is nicely determined and limited; so that too much of the lead does not stick out' from the tip and collar 30, and their outer edges 3| diverge' from the axis of the casing I.

The inner surface of i."

the bushing at the adjacent end 32 flaressomewhat; so that, when the bushing 29 is pushed vtowards the tip 2, it squeezes the jaws II into gripping engagement with the lead l and feeds it towards the open end of the tip. Between the collar 39 and the collar I1 `of the gland I6 aspring enlarged end 26 of the tube 6, the toothed por-'l tions between the slots I2 constituting jaws like the jaws II; because the tube 5 is pushed up by the spring 33 acting on the bushing 29, which engages the ring 28 and presses it against the collar 'I to draw the end 26 into the endof the gland I6; so that the teeth i3 bind the lead and hold it in readiness for writing. When the sleeve 3 and bushing 29- are actuated to move against the force of the spring 33, the ring 23 displaoes the tube '6 in the gland. I6 enough to release the jaws I3, because the ring 29 exerts enough -friction on the tube 6 to move it slightly. Then 'the jaws II can feed the lead forward as required.

As stated above, the extremity of the sleeve 3 projects from the end of the lcasing opposite tip 3;l and the lead 5 is fed forward merely by pressing on this end with the linger. In the bore of the tip 2 is a lining 34, with an enlarged inner end 35, snugly tting an enlarged part of said bore adjacent the recess I4 in the tip 2. This lining has longitudinal slots 36 opening through the opposite extremity, andv except for the part 35, it fits the bore of the tip loosely, so that it will grip the end of the lead 5 passing through it lightly, but yield sufficiently so that'the lead will not be obstructed or retarded. It terminates within the tip 2, and the opening at the point of the tip is just large enough to pass the lead, bracing the lead all round its circumference and diminishing the risk of breaking it oil?.`

- The structure set out above thus makes both the tube B and gland I6 a one-pieceunit, no part of which can get out of operative position. If

"loss'bjf breaking off of the lead is avoided.

1 -.laying described my invention, what I believe'to be new is:

f" 1. -A pencil'vhaving a casing, a bearing memberwithga bore through it in said casing, said member having lugs with opposed internal projections, a guide tube in said bore, said guide tubeA havingop'posed external shoulders and lbeing `relatively thin between Vsaid shoulders, said projectionsbeing between said shoulders.

2 The vpencil according to claim 1, in which the'space between the lugs is substantially equal to the diameterofthe bore, and the tube has a contractile end thicker than said diameter.v

3. The pencil according to 'cla-imi, in which the space between the lugs is substantially equal to the diameter of the bore, and the tube has a contractile end thickerthan said diameter, said tube and said member'each being in one piece.

4. A'p'enfcil 'having a casing, a bearing with a. bore through it inl the casing, said bearing having opposed lugs at one end, said lugshaving concave inner surfaces spaced apartby a distance substantially equal to the' diameter of the bore,'S aid lugs having opposed internal rims presenting shoulders, a guide tube in said member, said tubehaving shouldersl and a relatively thin part between said shoulders, said rims being between shoulders, and the tube having'an enlargedv to the shoulder `at'theremoteend of said thin portion.

- FRED FERBER.

vRIFRENCES CITED `'The following references are of record in the me 0f., this-Date@ 5 UNITED STATES rA'rENTs v Number '1 -Name Date 1,865,992" Woelm July 5, 1932 2,049,965 ^Leistenschneider Aug. 4, 1936 2,179,835

Ward Nov. 14, 1939