US2748748A

US2748748A - Retractable ball pen

Info

Publication number: US2748748A
Application number: US357183A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles K Lovejoy
Original assignee: Scripto Inc
Current assignee: Scripto Inc
Priority date: 1953-05-25
Filing date: 1953-05-25
Publication date: 1956-06-05
Anticipated expiration: 1973-06-05

Description

June 5, 1956 c. K. I ovEJoY RETRACTABLE BALL PEN Filed May 25, 1955 Z Mun/ f/MJQ ATTORNEYS United States Patent() RETRACTABLE BALL PEN Charles K. Lovejoy, Atlanta, Ga., assignor to Scripto, Inc.,

a corporation of Georgia Application May 25, 1953, Serial No. 357,183

Claims. (Cl. 1Z0-42.03)

by a uniquelatching arrangement incorporated in the retractablemechanism that operates Vwith exceptional eiectiveness and smoothness .for llatching the ball pen at a protected position for writing or for releasing the ball pen for .retraction within the 4pen barrel. The yretractable .mechanism is operated from a plunger member attherear end of the .barrel on which the latchingrneans Vis carried `interiorly rof the barrel, and 4from a lateral push `button adjacent the rear end of the barrel-by Awhichthe latching means isreleased when desired.

T he retractable ball pen of thepresent invention `is describedfurther below in connection with the accompany- .ing drawings, in which:

Fig. .l .is a vertical section of a retractable ball pen embodyingthe present invention, and showing the ball point ,and reservoirunit in projected position;

Fig. 2 is a similar vertical section but in which the ball point and reservoir unit is shown in retracted position;

Fig. 3 .is a fragmentary side elevation taken from the right in Fig. 2;

f Fig. 4 fis a transverse sectional detail taken substantially on the line 4-4 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is-a further'transverse sectional detail `taken substantially on the line 5-S in Fig. .2;

Fig. 6 is a further transversesectional detail taken substantially on the line 6 6 inFig. '2; and

Pig. 7 is a fragmentary vertical section corresponding to Fig. 3.

The embodiment of the present invention illustrated in the .drawings comprises a composite barrel, as indicated generally'bythe reference numeral '16, ,for the Aretractable jball pen shown. This composite 'barrel 1) is formed `by lwritinglend 'and rear ,

end portions

12 and 14 assembled in- `termediately of the barrel 'length as will 'be described bore-122 in the writing end'barrel portion 12 `being further Vreduced adjacent the writing tip as at 22' to provide a closelyf'tting projection opening for a 'ballpoint unit as is Vdescribed further-below.

Assembly of the barrel portions 12 andV 14 is accomplished in the embodiment Vshown in the drawings byexteriorlyreducingand threading a rear end portion 26 of the lwriting end lbarrel portion y12 to engage a threaded 'sleeve 28 fittedinteriorly at the lforward end-of the rear 'end 'barrel portion 14 together with a cover sleeve S'liitted exteriorly irl-recessed relation on the rear end barrel por- 2,748,748 LPatented rJune 5, 1956 ICC ltion :14 at its :forward end and extending to tit over the reduced rear .end portion .26 'of .the writing end barrel portion V12 when the threadedssleeve -26is screwed on this rear end portion 26 Vand `thereby present a smooth and continuous :surface with

therbarrelportions

12 and 14 at the point ofassembly.

Internally of the barrel 10 varranged in this manner, a ball point unit 32 and assembled ink Vsupply'tube 34 are -housed witha plunger member 36 disposed over the Arear endof the inktube 34. Theball point unit 32 is assembledin ausual manner as an insert at the forward end of the ink supply tube 34 and is disposed with `the forward end of the ink tube 34 in .the writing end terminal bore 22 yof the barrel portion 12, with a forwardly extending ball point writing tip portion 32 of reduced diameter slidably arranged in the closely fitting reduced portion .22 of the ,terminal bore v22 for projectionand retraction with respect to the barrel 10 as seen in Figs. l and 2,

The ball point unit 32 and ink tube 34, together with the plunger member 36, are biased rearwardly in the ,barrel 19 .by a compression spring .38 which is seated lat vrfhe plunger member 36 is shaped with a shoulder step 42 for this abutment, with ya tip portion tai-of reduced diam eter extending beyond the shoulder step 42 through the rear end terminal bore 18 Vin the barrel portion 14 Vand exposed for operating manipuiation at the rear end of the barrelltl. Y

The plunger .member 35 ,also has anchored thereon within the rear end barrel yportion 14 a spring latching lever 4.6 extending .rearwardly of the plunger member 36 beyond the shoulder step 42 and intermediately .of the length of the tip portion 44. The plunger member 36 is recessed, as described further below, to receive thelatching vlever 46 in nested relation for sliding movement therewith within 'the vrear end terminal bore 24, but the lever 46 is outwardly biased for ,shifting laterally from this nested relation within -the Vmain 'barrel bore 2i), so that upon depression of `plunger kmember `36 at the tip portion 44 to pro- `ject Athe v'ba-ll point unit 32 at the writing end .of the Ybarrel button element 48 slidably fitted in the .rear end barrel `portion `14 at a lateral opening Si) spaced iust below the rear end annular shoulder 18. The push button element '4S arranged `in vthis Vmanner operates to return the latching lever 46 to nested relation with the plunger member 3'6.and thereby free the plunger member 36, .ink tube 34, and ball-point unit 32 for-return to retracted position under the bias of the compression spring 38.

In order to carry the latching lever 46 'for operation in the manner just described above, and for disposition over the rrear end of the ink supply tube 34, the plunger member 36 is formed iirst with a central bore 552 opening forwardly through the base thereof to receive the rear end-of ink tube 34 with a sliding tit. This central bore 52 terminates Vat an 4inwardly formed vrib 54 serving to ylimit theiitted depth of the rear end of the ink tube 34 Within the plunger member 36, and it should be noted 'that the r'bore 52 communicates past the rib 54 with 'the recessed portion of the plunger member 36 so that the rear end of ink tube 34 is maintained open to the atmosphere.

The recessed arrangement of the plunger member 36 comprises a longitudinal groove extending upwardly in steps as at 56, 58 and 60 from an annular ring shaped portion 62 at the base of the plunger member 36. This ring shaped base portion 62 serves as an anchor element for the latching lever 46, and a web portion 64 of restricted width is formed across the longitudinal groove adjacent the top of the rst step 56 thereof in spaced relation above the ring portion 62 to serve as a fulcrum ele` ment for biasing the lever 46 outwardly from nested relation with the plunger member 36. The latching lever 46 is disposed on the plunger member 36 to extend interiorly of the ring portion 62 and is angled outwardly thereunder, while it extends exteriorly of the groove web portion 64 and is angled inwardly thereover so as to engage the plunger element 36 positively for movement therewith within the barrel 10. The latching lever 46 extends upwardly for the remainder of its length as a freely springing lever, the cross section of which is transversely bowed towards its free end for strength as at 66, and its top end portion is angled inwardly with a rounded bend as at 68 for readily engaging and disengaging the rear end annular barrel shoulder 18. In order to restrain the plunger member 36 against turning within the rear end barrel portion 14, so as to maintain the latching lever 46 in operative alignment with the push button release element 48, the rear end barrel portion 14 is formed with a longitudinal rib 70 extending forwardly below the annular shoulder 18, and the lower portion of the plunger member 36 is longitudinally grooved as at 72 to ride this rib 70.

This push button release element 48 is formed with a yoke portion 74 spreading outwardly within the main barrel bore 20 and thereby serving to limit outward movement of the push button 44 in the lateral barrel opening 50 as well as to straddle and thereby readily find and engage the transversely bowed portion 66 of the latching lever 46. It should also be noted that the push button 48 is disposed in relatively closely spaced relation beneath the rear end annular barrel shoulder 18, and is thereby substantially spaced above the portion of the plunger member 36 at which the latching lever 46 is anchored and fulcrumed so as to provide adequate purchase for releasing the latching lever 46 easily against a strong lateral bias therefor.

The push button 48 is also arranged according to the present invention for easy access directly above a pocket clip element secured on the rear end barrel portion 14 and providing by virtue of this aligned arrangement against accidental release of the push button 48 except when intentionally operated. Also, it should be noted that the rear end barrel portion 14 terminates obliquely in a plane slanting symmetrically downward toward the push button 48 and thereby exposes the tip portion 44 of the plunger member 36 predominantly in aligned relation with the push button 48 and the pocket clip 76 so that the operating manipulation of the retractable ball pen of the present invention by means of the plunger tip portion 44 and the push button 48 is handled naturally and conveniently.

The present invention has been described in detail above for purposes of illustration only and is not intended to be limited by this description or otherwise except as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A retractable ball pen comprising a barrel portion having a main bore and a terminal bore of reduced diameter with an inwardly facing annular shoulder at the juncture of said bores, a plunger member having a main body portion slidably disposed in said main bore and a tip portion of reduced diameter slidably extending through said terminal bore with a shoulder step between said plunger portions engaging said annular barrel shoulder upon retraction, a separate spring latching lever anchored at one end on the main body portion of said plunger member at a position spaced substantially from said shoulder step and arranged with the other end thereof extending beyond said shoulder step to a position intermediate the length of the tip portion of said plunger member, said spring latching lever being biased for shifting of said other end thereof laterally outward from said plunger member within said main barrel bore, and said plunger member being recessed to receive said spring latching lever in nested relation for sliding movement with the tip portion thereof within said terminal bore, and said other end of the spring latching lever engaging said annular barrel shoulder upon projection.

2. A retractable ball pen comprising a composite barrel formed by a writing end portion and a rear end portion assembled intermediately of the barrel length, both of said barrel portions being formed interiorly with inwardly facing annular shoulders adjacent the remote ends thereof, said shoulders defining a main barrel bore therebetween when said portions are assembled, and each of said barrel portions having terminal bores of reduced diameter opening beyond said shoulders at the remote ends thereof, a ball point and reservoir unit, a plunger member disposed over the rear end of said unit, said unit and plunger member being housed within said barrel, the ball point portion of said unit being projectable through the terminal bore of said writing end barrel portion and the reservoir portion of said unit being engaged by a compression spring bottomed on said writing end annular shoulder, the plunger member having a main body portion slidably tting said main barrel bore and a tip portion of reduced diameter extending through the terminal bore of said rear end barrel portion, said plunger member being shaped with a shoulder step between said portions facing the adjacent rear end barrel shoulder and normally maintained in abutting relation therewith by said compression spring, a rearwardly extending spring latching lever anchored at its forward end on said plunger member at the main body portion thereof and extending rearwardly intermediate the length of said tip portion, said plunger member being formed in the shape of an annular ring at the base of the main body portion thereof with a longitudinal groove extending upwardly from said annular ring to recess said main body and tip portion to receive said lever in nested relation, a web of restricted width being formed across said groove in relatively closely spaced relation above said ring, the forward end of said lever being arranged inside and beneath said annular ring for anchoring thereat and extending exteriorly and over the top edge of said groove web with said web serving as a fulcrum element for biasing said lever for shifting laterally from said nested relation within the main bore of said barrel and engaging the adjacent barrel shoulder upon projection of said unit, and a laterally slidable push button extending through an aperture in said barrel located forwardly of but adjacent said barrel shoulder for engaging and returning said lever to nested relation with said plunger member and thereby releasing said lever from engagement with said barrel shoulder and permitting retraction of said unit.

3. A retractable ball pen comprising a barrel having a main bore and a terminal bore of reduced diameter with an inwardly facing annular shoulder at the juncture of said bores, a plunger member having a main body portion slidably disposed in said main bore and a tip portion of reduced diameter slidably extending through said terminal bore with a shoulder step between said plunger portions facing said annular barrel shoulder, a rearwardly extending spring latching lever anchored at its forward end on said plunger member at the main body portion thereof and extending rearwardly intermediate the length of said tip portion, said plunger member being formed in the shape of an annular ring at the base of the main body portion thereof with a longitudinal groove extending upwardly from said annular ring to recess said main body and tip portion to receive said lever in nested relation, a web of restricted width being formed across said groove in relatively closely spaced relation above said ring, the forward end of said lever being arranged inside and beneath said annular ring for anchoring thereat and extending exteriorly and over the top edge of said groove web with said web serving as a fulcrum element for biasing said lever for shifting laterally from said nested relation within the main bore of said barrel, whereby the other end of the spring latching lever and said plunger member shoulder step may be alternatively disposed in abutting engagement at said annular barrel shoulder.

4, A retractable ball pen comprising a composite barrel formed by a writing end portion and a rear end portion assembled intermcdiately of the barrel length, both of said barrel portions being formed interiorly with inwardly facing annular shoulders adjacent the remote ends thereof, said barrel defining a main barrel bore between said shoulders when said portions are assembled, and each of said barrel portions having terminal bores of reduced diameter opening beyond said shoulders at the remote ends thereof, a ball point and reservoir unit, a plunger member disposed over the rear end of said unit, said unit and plunger member being housed within said barrel, the ball point portion of said unit being projectable through the terminal bore of said writing end barrel portion and the reservoir portion of said unit being engaged by a compression spring bottomed on said writing end annular shoulder, the plunger member having a main body portion slidably fitting said main barrel bore and a tip portion of reduced diameter extending through the terminal bore of said rear end barrel portion, said plunger member being shaped with a shoulder step between said portions facing the adjacent rear end barrel shoulder and engaging said shoulder upon retraction of said unit by said compression spring, a separate spring latching lever anchored at one end on the main body portion of said plunger member at a position spaced substantially from said shoulder step and arranged with the other end thereof extending beyond said shoulder step to a position intermediate the length of the tip portion of said plunger member, said spring latching lever being biased for shifting of said other end thereof laterally outward from said plunger member within said main barrel bore, and said plunger member being recessed to receive said spring latching lever in nested relation for sliding movement with the tip portion thereof within said terminal bore, said other end of the spring latching lever engaging the adjacent barrel shoulder upon projection of said unit, and a laterally slidable push button extending through an aperture in said barrel located forwardly of but adjacent said barrel shoulder for engaging and returning said lever to nested relation with said plunger member and thereby releasing said lever from engagement with said barrel shoulder and permitting retraction of said unit.

5. In a retractable ball pen having a barrel, a ball point and reservoir unit housed within the barrel for sliding movement therein between retracted and projected positions, a cap removably connected to said barrel, a plunger and a laterally biased latch housed within said cap for sliding movement therein, with one end of the plunger projecting out of the cap and the opposite end engaging said reservoir for effecting projection of said ball point out of the writing end of the barrel upon depressing said projecting end of said plunger, and means for biasing said plunger and ball point unit into retracted position; the improvement of said plunger being provided with an aperture and adjacent web portion for releasably engaging a portion of said laterally biased spring latch to effect an operative combination of the plunger and latch and said plunger being further provided with a recess for receiving another portion of the spring latch, said latch being carried on said plunger in nesting relationship and the plunger and latch combination being adapted for sliding movement therewith within the cap during projection and retraction, said cap containing a shoulder housing a portion that engages said laterally biased latching member upon projection of said unit and retaining it in projected position until released, andmanually operable means extending through said cap and accessible exteriorly thereof for releasing said latching member to effect retraction of said unit, and said shoulder having another portion for engaging said plunger and latch combination upon retraction and stopping the movement thereof in desired retracted position.

References Cited in the lile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,557,054 Mansheim June 12, 1951 2,593,366 Thiell Apr. 15, 1952 2,624,314 Spatz Ian. 3, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 128,697 Australia Aug. l0, 1948 641,595 Great Britain Aug. 16, 1950 814,568 Germany Sept. 24, 1951