US2691960A

US2691960A - Crayon sharpener

Info

Publication number: US2691960A
Application number: US273062A
Authority: US
Inventors: Leeds Walter Albert; Norbert J Sweete
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1952-02-23
Filing date: 1952-02-23
Publication date: 1954-10-19
Anticipated expiration: 1971-10-19

Description

Oct. 19,1954 w, LEEDS ETAL 2,691,960

CRAYON SHARPENER Filed Feb. 23, 1952 Patented Oct. 19, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CRAYON SHARPENER Walter Albert Leeds and Norbert J. Sweete, Chicago, Ill.

Application February 23, 1952, Serial No. 273,062

2 Claims. I 1

This invention pertains to devices for sharpening or pointing the ends of crayons.

It is well known that due to the composition of crayons, the matter of Sharpening or pointing by usual means and methods presents a somewhat awkward and messy task. The shaved particles have a tendency to cling to the cutting implement employed and the small shavings are diificult to confine or accumulate for proper disposal and, further, the hands of the person performing the operation become soiled.

One of the objects of our invention is to provide a novel crayon sharpener that is simple in construction, easy to use, and which obviates the foregoing diiilculties.

Another object is to provide an improved crayon sharpener having a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart cutter blades, arranged in converging relation to each other, for receiving the end of a crayon therein, with each blade having an inwardly facing cutting edge, together with relief portions adjacent said cutting edge to reduce the possibility of adherence of crayon shavings thereto.

A further object is to provide an improved crayon sharpener characterized by the provision of a cutter head and cutter blades, together with a shavings collector receptacle adapted to be detachably connected to the head in surrounding relation to the cutter blades.

Still another object is to provide an improved crayon sharpener having a cutter head formed with a guide opening, with the wall of the opening being of substantial length, together with a plurality of converging cutter blades connected to the head and disposed in registration with the guide opening.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a view, part in section and part in elevation, showing the crayon sharpener and shavings collector receptacle embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the assembly of the crayon sharpener and shavings collector receptacle.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view, taken substantially as indicated at line 33 on Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, axial section through the combined sharpener and shavings collector receptacle, taken substantially as indicated at line 44 on Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an enlarged, transverse, sectional view, taken substantially as indicated at line 5-5 on Figure 4.

The crayon sharpener embodying the present invention comprises a unitary device indicated at It, preferably molded from any suitable material such as, by way of example and not limitation, thermo-plastic material, such as polystyrene. Associated with the unitary sharpener device, in detachably connectable relation, is a shavings collector receptacle II, which likewise may be formed as a unitary molded product of any suitable material, such as thermo-plastic material.

As shown in the drawing, the unitary sharpener device It comprises a head member or plate I2, formed with an opening I4, for the reception of the end of a crayon, as indicated at I5. Surrounding said opening, on the underside of said head member, is a flange or collar I6, which, together with the thickness of the head member I2, provides a guide Wall of substantial length for insuring proper guidance for the end of the crayon when it is being inserted into the sharpener device preparatory to pointing or sharpening said crayon. The sharpening device I0 is provided with a plurality, herein shown as four, circumferentially spaced-apart cutter blades I 8, which converge together in a direction away from the head plate I2, as clearly seen in Figures 1 and 4 of the drawing. The inner edge of each of the cutter blades is formed to provide a knife edge or cutting edge, as indicated at I9. The sides of the cutter blades taper toward the cutting edge and thereby provide relief portions for the shavings cut from the end of the crayon as the crayon is rotated in contact with the converging cutting edges IQ of said blades. Due to the shape of the cutter blades in cross section, as may be seen in Figure 5 of the drawing, relief isprovided for such shavings when the crayon is rotated in either direction with respect to the cutter blades. By this arrangement, the shavings cut from the crayon tend to freely dislodge themselves from the cutter blades.

As herein shown, the upper ends of the cutter blades are formed integrally with the underside of the head plate I2 and the flange l6 thereof, and the lower or opposite ends of the cutter blades are preferably, but not necessarily, integrally connected together by a disk-like member indicated at 2 I.

The shavings collector receptacle Il may be of any desired contour and, as shown, is of circular cross section. Said receptacle is closed at one end and the opposite or open end is provided with an internal annular recess 23, dimensioned for a snug friction fit around an annular shoulder 25, formed on the undersid of the head plate l2, as clearly seen in Figure 4 of the drawing. By virtue of this construction, th shavings cut from the crayons are conveniently collected within the receptacle and when desired the receptacle may be quickly and easily detached from the unitary cutter device ID for disposal of the shavings-therefrom.

It will be zapparent'izhat, if desired, the :cutter device l may be utilized independently of a shavings collector receptacle.

Although We have herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of our invention, manifestly it is capable of modification without .oleparting from the spirit and scope thereof. We do not, therefore, wish to be understood as limiting this invention to the precise embodiment herein disclosed, except as we may be so limited by the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

I. A unitary, molded crayon'sharpener "formed of thermo-plastic material comprising a head member provided with an opening for the recaption of a crayon therein, and a plurality of oircumferentially spaced-apart 'cutt'erb'lades secure'd'at one end to the "underside of said head member, in surrounding relation to said opening,

said 'cutter blades having cutting edges extendi-ng toward the axis of said opening and in converging relation to each other, in a direction away from said head member, the ends of said blades, remote from said head, being rigidly connected together.

2. A unitary, molded crayon sharpener formed of thermo-plastic material comprising a head member provided with an opening for the reception of a crayon therein, a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart cutter blades secured at one end to the underside of saidhead-.member,

in surrounding relation to said opening, said cutter blades having cutting edges extending toward the axis of said opening and in converging relation to each other, in a direction away from said head member, the ends of said blades, remote from said head, being rigidly connected together, and a collar surrounding said opening and constituting a guide for centering the crayon with respect to said cutter blades.

References Cited in the file of this patent