US2715888A - Control mechanism for writing implement - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 23, 1955 A. T. LIGUORI CONTROL MECHANISM FOR WRITING IMPLEMENT Filed Sept. 22, 1953 INVENTOR hree-ofz/auafi/ ATTORNEY United States Patent CONTROL MECHANISM FOR WRITING llVlPLEMENT Alfred T. Liguori, Bronx, N. Y., assignor to Delva Plastics, Inn, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 22, 1953, Serial No. 381,538

7 Claims. (Cl. 12042.03)

The present invention relates generally to writing implements. In particular, the present invention relates to writing implements of the type wherein the operative end thereof is automatically retractable. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to automatically retractable writing implements and the means for extending the front end thereof into operative position, for retaining same in such position, and for automatically causing retraction of the writing end into the body of the implement. While the present invention will be described as applied to a pen of the ball-point type, it is not to be limited in its application except by the appended claims, it being obvious that the structure of the invention may be applied equally well to pencils, crayons, or other types of marking materials.

conventionally, ball-point writing implements comprise an elongated cylindrical barrel open at both ends thereof. A plunger rod within the barrel has an end which extends rearwardly of the barrel through the rear, or top opening. The bottom or lower end of the plunger within the barrel, bears against the rear or upper end of a writing element or tube containing therewithin the ink and the ball point at its lower or front end. A coil spring concentrically disposed about the barrel normally urges same rearwardly or upwardly into the barrel, so that the operative end thereof is positioned therewithin. A trapped coil spring disposed within the plunger, and a catch member associated therewith and projecting laterally of the plunger cooperates with the barrel to lock the tube in its extended position. The present invention relates specifically to the construction and operation of the plunger and the locking spring associated therewith.

The plunger, the spring trapped therewithin and the catch associated therewith extending outwardly from the plunger, as in conventional writing implements, comprise three elements, the formation and assembly of which involve considerable expense, particularly when the cost of labor is considered in addition to the cost of the materials themselves. It is always important to reduce manufacturing costs, but this is of little avail when the high, everincreasing cost of labor is considered. It is always desirable, therefore, to so construct any mechanism as to render its assembly simple and easy, even for relatively unskilled labor. It is a main object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a new and improved writing implement, having a projecting and locking mechanism which comprises relatively few parts, of simple construction, easy to assemble.

It is a further object of my invention to provide new and improved projecting plunger.

It is a still further object of my invention to provide a new and improved plunger locking mechanism.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a plunger having the spring locking component extending forwardly thereof.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a double-armed spring for locking the plunger in alternative positions within the barrel of the writing implement.

Other, further and more specific objects of the present invention will in part be obvious and in part specifically pointed out in the following description of an illustrative embodiment, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawing wherein:

Figure l is an exploded view, in perspective, of one form of device constructed according to and embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged, exploded view, of the plunger and locking spring elements;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section through the completely assembled writing implement; and

Figure 4 is a transverse section on the line 44 of Figure 3.

The writing implement generally is indicated by reference numeral 10, comprising a barrel 12, a plunger 14, a plunger lock spring 16, a fluid tube 18, and coil spring 20.

The barrel 12 is formed of two portions, the upper or head 22 being hollow and having an opening 24 at the top or rear end 26 thereof. The lower or body portion 28 of barrel 12 is also hollow, and is formed with an opening 30 in the front or lower end 32 thereof. An elongated slot 34 is formed through one side of barrel head 22, midway between the ends thereof, said slot 34 having an enlarged portion 36 at the end thereof near the lower end 33 of barrel head 22. A cylindrical plug 40 is fixed, as at 41, into the lower end 38 of head 22, said plug 40 being longitudinally apertured as at 42 and having a portion thereof 44 extending outwardly from said barrel head 22 the extension being provided with external threads as at 46. The upper end 48 of barrel body 28 is internally threaded as at 50 whereby the barrel head and body can be joined, as shown in Figure 3. A clip 52 is fixed to barrel head 22, the upper end 54 thereof being clamped, riveted or otherwise secured thereto, the lower end 56 of the clip 52 having an enlarged head portion which may be depressed towards barrel 22 or urged outwardly therefrom.

The ink-containing tube 18 has a ball point 58 fixed to its lower end 69, and is provided with an enlargement or stop 62 spaced away from the lower end to trap coil spring 20 between and within the lower or front end 32 of barrel body 28 and said enlargement or stop 62. As seen in Figures 1 and 2, the upper end of tube 18 extends through and rearwardly of plug 40.

The plunger 14 is formed of any suitable plastic, as by molding, casting or otherwise, and comprises a cylindrical upper end 70, and a widened lower end portion 72, having an offset, transversely extending hook arm 74 formed integrally therewith. Spring 16 is of thin, flat, metal stock, having an arm 81) provided with an outwardly arched end 82 and an opposed arm 84 having a stepped end 86 bent outwardly therefrom to define a detent. The arms 80, 84 are connected by an integrally formed bridge portion 86. Arms 8d, 8 are normally divergent, the distance between the respective ends 82, 86 being greater than the internal diameter of the hollow barrel head 22.

The component parts of the writing implement of the present invention may be assembled easily, and quickly, and by persons with no particular skill or training. After clip 52 is affixed to barrel top 22, with its enlarged portion 56 overlying the enlarged portion 36 of slot 34, the spring bridge 86 is engaged with the plunger by sliding same into the space between the ofiset hook arm 74 and portion 72. The cylindrical end of plunger 14 is then inserted into barrel head 22 through the lower end 38 and the divergent arrn ends 82, 86 brought together and pushed thereinto until the top end 15 of the plunger extends through and beyond aperture 24, whereupon the plunger may be manually engaged and rotated until the stepped end 86 of arm 84 snaps into slot 34, it being understood that the divergent tendency of the arm ends, one of which rests against the inner wall of the barrel head causes this outward springing of arm head 86. The width of arm 84 is greater than that of slot 34, and only the tip end 90, and the stepped portion 92 immediately therebelow are of suflicient width to extend upwardly through the widened slot portion 36. The second stepped portion 94 is wider than slot 34 and portion 36.

Plunger 14is movable between two positions spaced apart the length of slot 34, the outer or upper position being shown in full lines in Figure 3, and the inner or lower position being shown in dotted lines in said figure. In the inner or lower, dotted line position, tip 90 and the first stepped portion 92 extend upward through slot portion 36 and urge clip head 56 outwardly of barrel head 22, the edges of the slot adjacent the widening 36 serving as a stop against outward movement of plunger 14.:

After plug 40 is fixed within head 22, tube 18 is threaded therethrough, spring 20 disposed about its lower end, and the tube and spring inserted into barrel body 18, whereupon the plug is thread-engaged to the lower barrel portion 28, as at 46, 50 to complete the assembly. The normally expansile biasing of spring 20 against enlargement 62 will urge tube 18 rearwardly between spring arms 80, 84 and against hook arm 74.

When plunger end 15 is depressed, or urged into the barrel head, it will bear against tube end 19 and cause the balled end 60 to project out of the front end of the barrel into the dotted line position of Figure 3, whereupon the implement is ready for use.

When the enlarged end 56 of clip 52, which is wider than slot 34 or the enlarged portion 36 thereof, is pressed against tip 90, spring arm 84 will be depressed until the stepped portion 92 is below the level of slot 34, whereupon the expansile energy of spring 20 will be released to snap tube 18 and the tip end 15, plunger 14 upwardly and out of barrel head 22, to position the ball end 60 inside the barrel and the arm end 90 in its other position.

Having now described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A writing implement comprising an elongated barrel having a front opening and a rear opening, an elongated writing element having a forward end and a rear end and positioned in said barrel and longitudinally movable between an advanced and a retracted position, spring means normally urging said writing element to a retracted position, a longitudinally movable plunger disposed in said barrel and projecting through said rear opening and in co-acting relationship with said writing element, said plunger having a transverse recess formed therein rear- Wardly of the forward end thereof, a locking member formed of resilient material and disposed in said barrel and including a pair of forwardly directed, relatively outwardly sprung legs joined at their rear ends by a crotch portion engaging said recess and having an outwardly directed detent element on and in the vicinity of the forward end of one of said legs, said barrel having a longitildinal slit formed therein, said slit having an enlarged forward portion of relatively greater width, said detent having a base portion wider than the rear portion of said slit and no wider than the enlarged forward portion thereof and a narrower tip no wider than the width of the rear portion of said slit, said detent being urged into engagement with said slit by said resilient leg.

2. A writing implement in accordance with claim 1, wherein the front end of one of said legs is outwardly bent and of step like configuration to define said detent.

3. A Writing implement in accordance with claim 1, wherein the forward part of the other of said legs is provided with an outwardly facing convex portion bearing against said barrel wall.

4. A Writing implement in accordance with claim 1', including a clip member having one end thereof secured to said barrel and having its free end confronting said enlarged forward portion of said slit.

5. In a writing implement including an elongated barrel having a front and rear opening and an elongated writing element disposed therein and movable between an advanced and a retracted position and spring urged to its retracted position said barrel having an aperture formed in its wall, a plunger element projecting through said rear opening and having a transverse slit formed therein and a locking member including a pair of resilient forwardly directed legs joined at their rear by a crotch portion registering with said slit, one of said legs extending forwardly of the front end of said plunger and having an outwardly directed detent portion adapted to engage said aperture.

6. A writing implement in accordancegwith claim 5, wherein the forward end of said plunger. abuts the rear end of said writing element and said legs bear against opposite walls of said barrel.

7. A writing implement in accordance with claim 5, wherein said plunger is provided with an enlarged forward portion and said transverse slit is formed in said enlarged forward portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Germany July 30. 1951

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