US3084670A - Writing instrument - Google Patents

Writing instrument Download PDF

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Publication number
US3084670A
US3084670A US848080A US84808059A US3084670A US 3084670 A US3084670 A US 3084670A US 848080 A US848080 A US 848080A US 84808059 A US84808059 A US 84808059A US 3084670 A US3084670 A US 3084670A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
ball
writing
groove
plunger
spring
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Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US848080A
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English (en)
Inventor
Dottlinger Alfred
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
JACOB RITTER KG
Original Assignee
JACOB RITTER KG
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Publication date
Application filed by JACOB RITTER KG filed Critical JACOB RITTER KG
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3084670A publication Critical patent/US3084670A/en
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B43—WRITING OR DRAWING IMPLEMENTS; BUREAU ACCESSORIES
    • B43K—IMPLEMENTS FOR WRITING OR DRAWING
    • B43K24/00—Mechanisms for selecting, projecting, retracting or locking writing units
    • B43K24/02—Mechanisms for selecting, projecting, retracting or locking writing units for locking a single writing unit in only fully projected or retracted positions
    • B43K24/08—Mechanisms for selecting, projecting, retracting or locking writing units for locking a single writing unit in only fully projected or retracted positions operated by push-buttons
    • B43K24/086—Mechanisms for selecting, projecting, retracting or locking writing units for locking a single writing unit in only fully projected or retracted positions operated by push-buttons with heart-shaped cams, balls

Definitions

  • This invention relates to writing instruments, particularly Writing instruments of the ball-point type.
  • a ball-point pen with a retractable ink reservoir having a ball-point mounted on the exposable end of the reservoir requires a spring loaded locking means to hold the reservoir and ball-point in writing and carrying positions respectively.
  • the reservoir and ball-point will hereinafter be called the writing means.
  • the primary object of the invention therefore is to provide a spring loaded locking mechanism for writing instruments utilizing a ball as the locking member which is positively controlled in both its longitudinal and its circumferential movements and which requires no manual dexterity to operate successfully.
  • a writing instrument and more particularly a ball-point pen which has a body, a plunger-operated, spring-loaded writing means mounted for sliding movement in said body, and locking means for locking said writing means in writing and retracted positions.
  • the locking means comprises a ball, the travel of which is restricted between opposing semicircular grooves formed respectively in the writing means actuating plunger and in the body or a sleeve in the body. The grooves slidably cooperate to simultaneously engage the locking ball to hold it under the action of said spring, in either of two alternative positions corresponding to the writing and retracted positions of the writing means.
  • a feature of the invention is that the ball as a lock-t ing member is no longer freely movable and exposed only to the influence of its mass and gravity in its movements, but is guided positively along predetermined paths with each of its two halves simultaneously engaged in one of two opposing and intersecting grooves which are together circular in their cross section.
  • One of the grooves is formed in the body, or a sleeve in the body of the writing instrument and the other groove is formed in the plunger.
  • These grooves comprise a circumferential groove and a longitudinal groove each of semi-circular cross section and which slide relative to each other when the plunger is actuated.
  • the locking ball is confined in and displaced with the moving point of intersection of the grooves and moves practically free of friction and wear, from one to another of the writing and retracted positions in cyclical sequence.
  • the plunger may also be operated by a longitudinal 3384,57 0 Patented Apr. 9, 1963 ice thrusting motion followed by an abrupt arrest of the motion imparted by the hand to the instrument in the direction of the writing tip. In this case the tension of the spring is reduced in order that the writing means will spring forward into its Writing position at the first longitudinal motion and at the second motion will spring back to its retracted position.
  • the direction of the thrusting motion is the same in both cases.
  • FIG. 1 is a partial sectional view of a ball-point pen having a ball locking means actuated by push button and having a longitudinal groove applied to the inner Wall of body or sleeve.
  • FIG. 2 is a sectional view along line 2-2 of FIG. 1 of the body and sleeve members of the invention.
  • FIG. 2a is an enlarged view of the ball guide path of FIG. 2.
  • FIG. 3 is a partial view similar to that of FIG. 1 of a modified embodiment having an inverted J-shaped groove applied to the plunger.
  • FIG. 3a represents the ball guide path of the locking means of FIG. 3.
  • FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view of another modification of i8. locking means that is actuated by longitudinal thrusting motion and where a longitudinal groove is provided in :a closed top clip sleeve.
  • FIG. 4a shows the ball guide path of the locking means of FIG. 4.
  • FIG. 5 shows a sectional view of another embodiment of a push button type locking means having a different reservoir and spring arrangement.
  • FIG. 6 shows a modified clip sleeve projecting above the body of the writing instrument and having a circumferential groove.
  • FIG. 6a is a sectional view taken along line 6a--6a of FIG. 6.
  • FIG. 7 shows another modification of a projecting clip sleeve, having a circumferential groove aligned with a front slot.
  • FIG. 7 a is a section taken along line 7a-7a of FIG. 7.
  • FIG. 8 shoWs a modified plunger with a sectional groove.
  • the Writing means 10 slidably arranged in the body 11 of a ball-point pen is acted upon by a coil shaped spring 12 and is connected at its upper end to a plunger 13, which is guided in a guide sleeve 14, which is inserted in the body 11 as a threaded clip sleeve.
  • the pockets for the ball 16 in the retracted position of the writing means is designated 19 and that for the writing position designated 21.
  • the springdoaded locking means shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises a continuous groove 18 disposed in the inside wall of the threaded clip retaining sleeve 14 as a guide groove for the ball 16.
  • the exact basic form of the groove 18 is shown in FIGS. 2 and 2a.
  • the groove 18 is slanted relative to the longitudinal axis of the Writing instrument.
  • a lancet shaped island 22 is formed between the periphery of groove 18. At the lower end of island 22 pocket 21 is formed.
  • the upper pocket 19 is the top curvature of the groove 18.
  • the lowest end of the island 26 ends in a nose 23 extending into groove 18 and narrowing the ball path at that point.
  • This groove form is for use with pushbutton actuated locking mechanisms in which the longitudinal grooves are in the body or sleeve.
  • the circumferential groove 17 is formed in the periphery of the plunger 13. This embodiment of the locking means is suitable for actuation by pushbutton.
  • the inverted J-shaped longitudinal guidegroove 39 is provided in the plunger 31 in a reverse arrangement from that of FIG. 1.
  • the circumferential groove 32 for the ball is disposed in the threaded clip retaining sleeve 33 or, as is shown in FIG. 3, groove 36* may be formed as a circumferential slot by leaving a space between the lower part of the correspondingly sharp thread clip retaining sleeve 34 and the upper part of an inserted sleeve 33.
  • the groove form illustrated in FIG. 3a is used when the longitudinal groove or recess is in the plunger.
  • the longitudinal guide for the ball 49 consists of a J-shaped groove 41 disposed in the inside wall of the threaded clip retaining sleeve 42 and shown in FIG. 4a.
  • the two ends formed as pockets 43 and 44 for the ball 40 have a height difference which corresponds to the difference between the two positions of the writing means 10 (FIG. 1).
  • the plunger 46 is guided by its collar 47 in the sleeve 42 and by its top part 48 in a bore of the closing cap of the sleeve 42.
  • a cylindrical annular cavity 49 is left free between the upper part of the plunger and the cylindrical wall of the threaded clip retaining sleeve 42.
  • the spring loaded means shown in FIG. 4 is responsive only to momentum forces produced by longitudinal thrusting motions imparted to the pen.
  • a J-shaped guide groove 41 is provided in the inside wall of the sleeve 42 and an annular circumferential groove 53 in the plunger 46.
  • the threaded clip retaining sleeve 42 is closed at the top and is fully protected against dirt and dust which is a special advantage for the improved function of a spring loaded means.
  • Another advantage resides in the fact that an unintended depression of the plunger is precluded for such an unintended depresssion could otherwise easily happen in view of the weak return spring particularly when the writing instrument is carried in a pocket.
  • upper and lower parts 55 and 56 of the body of the writing instrument are connected by a middle sleeve 57 having a standardized screw thread and formed with longitudinal guide groove 58.
  • the upwardly extending plunger 59 slidably arranged in said sleeve is formed with an annular circumferential groove 60.
  • the return spring 61 falls against the upper part of the threaded middle sleeve 57 and against collar 62 of the extension of the plunger.
  • the writing means is connected to the plunger 59 and follows its movements.
  • FIGURES 6 and 7 show modifications of the clip sleeve, suitable for the embodiment of FIG. 3.
  • the end collars 65 and 75, respectively, project above the instrument body and are preferably tapered. Both alternatives are space 4 saving and allow the locking mechanism to be used in the thinnest writing instruments.
  • the sleeve shown in FIG. 6 and in the corresponding sectional view of FIG. 6a has an inner horizontal groove 66 applied to the upper, projecting portion of collar 65, where it does not weaken the relatively thin, threaded, lower sleeve portion.
  • the co-operation with the mating plunger groove 30 (FIG. 3) is identical with that described in connection with FIGS. 3 and 3a.
  • the collar 75 has, immediately below its widened upper portion, an inner groove 76 similar to groove 66 of the previous embodiment, and also a slot 77 at the opposite side.
  • This alternative facilitates the manufacture of these sleeves by economic methods, by means of a tool inserted through the front opening 77 which is preferably somewhat Wider than the inner groove 76.
  • the modified lift pin 8t shown in FIG. 8 is adapted for use in the system of FIG. 1.
  • a circumferential groove 81 extends only partly around the pin, unlike the complete annular groove 17 of pin 13 (FIG. 1).
  • this alternative plunger is designed to reduce the practicable measurement limits of the writing instrument. It is understood, however, that the groove 81 can be applied also to the embodiments of FIGS. 4 and 5, without affecting the cooperation with the mating longitudinal grooves 41 and 58 respectively.
  • the operation of the plunger-operated, spring-loaded, ball-locking means when the plunger is depressed by hand is as follows: when a movement of a plunger is initiated by pressure thereon the ball will move according to FIGS. 1 and 2, first from its position at the upper pocket 19 (shown in FIG. 1 in dash and dot lines) downwardly in the right hand section of the groove 18 according to FIG. 2a while it is at the same time circumferentially displaced in and positively guided by the circumferential groove 17 of the plunger 13. When the ball has reached the nose 23 and the plunger is released the ball will be urged into that lower pocket to lock the reservoir 10 in its writing position.
  • the operation of the locking means by means of a thrusting motion in the direction of the ball-point requires a longitudinal groove having a basic J-shape and is performed as follows: as a result of the first longitudinal thrusting motion imparted to the pen, illustrated in FIG. 4, in the direction of the ball-point, both the ball 40 and the plunger 46 move from one of the pockets 43 and 44 toward the arcuate portion of the J-shaped groove where the ball is deflected from one groove circumferentially to the other owing to its momentum while it is simultaneously transversely displaced in the circumferential groove 53.
  • the writing means It) follows the movement of the plunger 46 to which it is connected. Thereafter the ball is urged by the lower side of the circumferential groove under the influence of the return spring to the other pocket.
  • a second thrusting motion directed toward the tip causes the operation to be repeated but the ball now travels back to lock the writing means again in its original position.
  • the circumferential groove is made higher than would be necessary for a rolling of the ball therein.
  • a stop of the plunger is provided in the form of the inserted sleeve 52 (FIG. 3).
  • a writing instrument having a tubular *body with a writing end and an opposite end, writing means longitudinally slidable in said body and movable in and out of said writing end to retracted and writing positions, spring means mounted in the body for biasing the writing means toward said opposite end, and locking means mounted in said opposite end comprising: a ball; a tubular sleeve fixed in said opposite end; a plunger longitudinally slidable in said sleeve and engaging said spring-biased writing means to move it against said spring bias to writing position and for releasing said writing means to be moved to the retracted position by said spring means; the tubular sleeve and plunger having slidably engaging coaxial surfaces with a groove in each of, said surfaces; one of said grooves extending transverse to the longitudinal axis of said surfaces and the other of said grooves extending both circumferentially and longitudinally and crossing said one groove to form at the point of crossing a space receiving and confining said ball, each of said grooves having a depth less than
  • said ball-carrying pockets are defined in an elliptically-shaped closed groove having ball guiding side portions and narrow ends, the outer of said side portions defining a ball-carrying pocket in one narrow end, and the inner of said side portions defining a second ball-carrying pocket near the other narrow end.

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  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Heart & Thoracic Surgery (AREA)
  • Mechanical Pencils And Projecting And Retracting Systems Therefor, And Multi-System Writing Instruments (AREA)
  • Pens And Brushes (AREA)
US848080A 1954-09-14 1959-10-22 Writing instrument Expired - Lifetime US3084670A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AT341737X 1954-09-14
AT80255X 1955-02-08
AT170255X 1955-02-17
AT180355X 1955-03-18

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3084670A true US3084670A (en) 1963-04-09

Family

ID=27422240

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US848080A Expired - Lifetime US3084670A (en) 1954-09-14 1959-10-22 Writing instrument

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US3084670A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
CH (1) CH341737A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE1187520B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
NL (2) NL250944A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3196837A (en) * 1961-07-21 1965-07-27 Hofmann Ulrich Multicolor ball-point writer
US3302619A (en) * 1964-06-27 1967-02-07 Jacob Ritter Kom Ges Ball pressure mechanism for pens
JPS5513020U (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) * 1978-07-10 1980-01-28
US4943175A (en) * 1986-07-17 1990-07-24 A.W. Faber-Castell Gmbh & Co. Feed mechanism for a writing device
US20150126958A1 (en) * 2013-11-06 2015-05-07 Becton Dickinson and Company Limited Medical Connector Having Locking Engagement
US10463245B2 (en) 2015-12-21 2019-11-05 Snug Harbor Orthopedics, LLC Method of using cannula for surgical procedure
US11230137B2 (en) * 2017-12-20 2022-01-25 Societe Bic Multi-function writing instrument comprising a leadholder system
US11241904B2 (en) * 2019-07-15 2022-02-08 Hangzhou Bingqi Technology Co., Ltd. Retractable pen

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR3053924B1 (fr) * 2016-07-12 2019-07-12 Societe Bic Dispositif manuel, notamment instrument d'ecriture, equipe d'un dispositif de blocage

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US362121A (en) * 1887-05-03 Kalph spear
AT162533B (de) * 1947-05-08 1949-03-10 Viktor Mali Elektrischer Druck- oder Zugschalter
US2611343A (en) * 1948-07-03 1952-09-23 Imp Pen & Pencil Co Inc Retractable writing implement
FR1023101A (fr) * 1950-08-08 1953-03-13 Perfectionnements aux instruments à écrire à plusieurs couleurs
US2671354A (en) * 1950-06-28 1954-03-09 Birome Sa Locking device

Family Cites Families (17)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE40135C (de) * O. WOLLEN -BERG in Berlin Bleistifthalter
DE52733C (de) * W. G. DlNKELMEYER in Nürnberg Bleistifthalter mit frei fallendem Stift
DE42547C (de) * J. H. WÜSTER in Ybbs a. d. Donau Bleistifthalter
DE51199C (de) * L. ERHARD in Nürnberg, Neudorferstr. 16 Schreibstifthalter mit von selbst vorfallender Bleimine
DE379275C (de) * 1922-08-26 1923-08-18 Simplo Fuellfeder Ges Voss Lau Fuellbleistift
US2593365A (en) * 1946-01-07 1952-04-15 Brown & Bigelow Ball point pen
FR976380A (fr) * 1948-12-10 1951-03-16 Perfectionnements aux instruments servant à écrire
US2587935A (en) * 1949-01-10 1952-03-04 Frank C Wallace Retractable pen device
FR984548A (fr) * 1949-02-11 1951-07-06 Stylo à bille perfectionné
DE813129C (de) * 1949-03-10 1951-09-06 Erko Werk Rastvorrichtung fuer Schreibstifte mit zurueckziehbarer Schreibspitze
FR985249A (fr) * 1949-04-27 1951-07-16 Frazar France Perfectionnement aux porte-mines, stylographes, stylobilles et analogues
FR985667A (fr) * 1949-05-04 1951-07-23 Perfectionnements aux mécanismes sélecteurs, en particulier pour instruments à écrire à plusieurs couleurs
US2693170A (en) * 1949-06-09 1954-11-02 Hartley Pen Company Retractable writing instrument
DE911567C (de) * 1950-06-28 1954-05-17 Birome Sa Com E Ind Druckknopfschalter mit Rasthaltung
DE915543C (de) * 1953-02-05 1954-07-22 Faber Castell A W Schreibstift mit axial verschiebbarer Schreibmittelhalterung
FR1100962A (fr) * 1954-03-10 1955-09-27 Anciens Etablissements Baignol Perfectionnement aux instruments graphiques
DE1693832U (de) * 1954-12-04 1955-02-24 Hanns Buelow Schreibgeraet ohne aeussere betaetigungsorgane fuer die einziehbare schreibspitze.

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US362121A (en) * 1887-05-03 Kalph spear
AT162533B (de) * 1947-05-08 1949-03-10 Viktor Mali Elektrischer Druck- oder Zugschalter
US2611343A (en) * 1948-07-03 1952-09-23 Imp Pen & Pencil Co Inc Retractable writing implement
US2671354A (en) * 1950-06-28 1954-03-09 Birome Sa Locking device
FR1023101A (fr) * 1950-08-08 1953-03-13 Perfectionnements aux instruments à écrire à plusieurs couleurs

Cited By (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3196837A (en) * 1961-07-21 1965-07-27 Hofmann Ulrich Multicolor ball-point writer
US3302619A (en) * 1964-06-27 1967-02-07 Jacob Ritter Kom Ges Ball pressure mechanism for pens
JPS5513020U (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) * 1978-07-10 1980-01-28
US4943175A (en) * 1986-07-17 1990-07-24 A.W. Faber-Castell Gmbh & Co. Feed mechanism for a writing device
US20150126958A1 (en) * 2013-11-06 2015-05-07 Becton Dickinson and Company Limited Medical Connector Having Locking Engagement
US9414991B2 (en) * 2013-11-06 2016-08-16 Becton Dickinson and Company Limited Medical connector having locking engagement
US10206853B2 (en) 2013-11-06 2019-02-19 Becton Dickinson and Company Limited Medical connector having locking engagement
US10463245B2 (en) 2015-12-21 2019-11-05 Snug Harbor Orthopedics, LLC Method of using cannula for surgical procedure
US11234583B2 (en) 2015-12-21 2022-02-01 Snug Harbor Orthopedics, LLC Apparatus for performing an arthroscopic surgical procedure
US11230137B2 (en) * 2017-12-20 2022-01-25 Societe Bic Multi-function writing instrument comprising a leadholder system
US11241904B2 (en) * 2019-07-15 2022-02-08 Hangzhou Bingqi Technology Co., Ltd. Retractable pen

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CH341737A (de) 1959-10-15
NL250944A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
NL103716C (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE1187520B (de) 1965-02-18

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