US3120216A

US3120216A - Magnetic support

Info

Publication number: US3120216A
Application number: US773035A
Authority: US
Inventors: Meinhardt Francis John
Original assignee: Parker Pen Co
Current assignee: Parker Pen Co
Priority date: 1958-11-10
Filing date: 1958-11-10
Publication date: 1964-02-04
Anticipated expiration: 1981-02-04

Description

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United States Patent 3,129,216 IVTAGNETEt: EUPPQRT Francis John Meinhardt, Edgerton, Wis, assiguor to The Parke Fen (Iompnny, Eanesville, W s, a corporation or Wisconsin Nov. in, 1958, er. No. 773,635 7 tllaims. (Cl. l2tP--lti8) This invention relates to devices for magnetically supporting desk set writing instrument receptacles.

The invention is concerned particularly with devices for accommodating a pen-holding (or pencil-holding) receptacle provided with a sphere or ball-like pivot member of paramagnetic material which is seated and magnetically held in a complementary concavity or socket so that the receptacle may be rotated about its pivotal center and thereby adjusted to various angular positions and/or removed from the socket.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide such a device having a much lower total height than has been possible heretofore.

It is another object to provide a device of this nature which is easy to assemble and disassemble.

It is still another object to provide a device requiring no cement to hold the parts together thereby simplifying assembly and resulting in a more reliably assembled device.

A still further object is to provide a device wherein tolerance problems are minimized and the need for grinding parts is eliminated, thereby reducing the costs considerably.

In previous manufacturing of devices of this nature, it was necessary to plate the escutcheon prior to any assembly operations, because the cement used in the assembly operations would otherwise be destructively attacked by the acid plating bath if the plating was done subsequent to assembly. In such previous manufacturing, therfore, it was necessary to ream or mill the concavity after plating the escutcheon, and the resulting burr was removed still later. These operations removed the plating from the area of the escutcheon around the con- 1 cavity. Further, the paramagnetic chips were attracted to the surface of the escutcheon, and removal of the chips caused scratching of the previously plated and lacquered escutcheon surface. This invention performs all pressfitting, soldering, reaming, sanding and polishing prior to the plating and buiiing operations and thus overcomes the disadvantages pointed out above.

' In previously known devices, the bottom washer of the device was press-fitted to the core. This resulted in a serious problem of tolerances in magnet dimensions, as for example when, as is common, the magnet is warped, thus requiring grinding the surface of the magnet to take up the tolerance. The present invention, however, provides a freely sliding loose fit, allowing the bottom washer to move until it is in contact with the magnet, thus solving this tolerance problem and eliminating the need for grinding. This cuts the cost of the entire assembly nearly in half.

The previously used cylindrical bar magnets, in the prior art devices, require a considerable length to di ameter ratio, In the present invention, the provision of a washer-shaped magnet, magnetized across its short dimension, results in a large pole area and a short length (height) dimension. This invention thus results in a thinner (shorter height) device thereby permitting new esthetic designs.

The heretofore mentioned objects and advantages, as well as others, will become apparent from the following description when read in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View of a desk set base article including a device embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan View or" said device;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of said device; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of said device.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a fountain pen desk set base structure including a base piece 1 sup porting a device which in turn supports a pen receptacle or bowl 2 having a paramagnetic sphere 3 at the lower end of the receptacle.

The device, comprising elements 5 through 9, magnetically supports the receptacle and the pen (not shown) that is placed therein. This magnetic supporting device includes a paramagnetic escutcheon or top plate 4, a diamagnetic tube 5, a paramagnetic cylindrical core 6, a washer-shaped permanent magnet 7, and a paramagnetic washer 8.

The escutcheon or top plate 4 has an opening 4a therethrough, into which is fixed the tube 5 as for example by being press-fitted and/or soldered as by a solder joint 9. The core 6 is fixed in the bore of tube 5 by a pressfit therein. The tube 5 depends from top plate 4, extending below the under surface thereof. The core 6 depends from tube 5, extending below the tube. The upper ends of core 6 and tube 5, and the surrounding part of top plate 4 are shaped to define a semispherical concavity it) which is complemental to a portion of the sphere A washer-shaped magnet 7, magnetized across its short dimension (vertical dimension in FIG. 4), surrounds the core 6 and tube 5, and lies against the underside of plate 4, being held thereto solely by magnetic attraction. The bore in the washer-shaped magnet is large enough to easily slip over core 6 and tube 5.

A paramagnetic washer 3, having its bore 8a of such size as to slip easily over core 6, surrounds core 6 and lies against the underside of magnet 7, being held thereto solely by magnetic attraction. The washer, when being placed over the core and on to the magnet, tends to shift laterally one way or the other until it contacts the core 6.

There thus is a magnetic circuit established which will magnetically hold the sphere 3; in socket 10 when the sphere is placed therein. The circuit, starting with the magnet, includes the magnet 7, the escutcheon or top plate 4, the sphere 3, the core 6, the washer 8, and back to the magnet 7. The ball or sphere 3 is thus magnetically held in socket it} in whatever position placed. The receptacle 2 can thus be pivotably moved to and securely held in any of many desired angular positions relative to the base, and can be removed therefrom if desired.

The washer-shaped magnet 7, being magnetized across its short dimension, provides a large pole area and a short height (length) and thus permits a much thinner base design than was possible with the heretofore used bar magnets which required a considerable ratio of length to diameter. Washer-shaped magnets magnetized across the short dimension thereof are available commercially. One such commercially available suitable magnet is sold under the name l'ndox by Indiana Steel Products Company of Valparaiso, Indiana. Another is that sold under the name Ferrimag by Crucible Steel Company of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The device is made by a method which does not damage the finished outer (upper) side of the escutcheon 4, does not require cementing of parts together, and does not require grinding of any parts.

The method of making the device is as follows:

The core 6 is press-fitted into tube 5 bringing them flush at one end (the upper end) thereof. The resulting core-tube unit is then pressfitted and/or soldered into the hole 4a in the plate 4 bringing core 6, tube 5 and plate 4 flush at their upper ends. The resulting core-tube-plate unitary structure is then cut, i.e. drilled, bored, or reamed to form the semispherical concavity 1b therein with the center of the concavity on the longitudinal axis of the core. A burr around the periphery of the socket or concavity is raised by the reaming operation, and the plate is then sanded and polished to remove the burr and to provide a smooth surface. The entire core-tube-plate unitary structure is then plated with a suitable metal such as brass, bronze or gold. The outer (upper) surface of the escutcheon 4 (top plate) may then be lightly buffed to bring out the color of the metal plating material. Next, the entire core-tube-plate unitary structure may be lacquered to provide protection for the plated-on finish. The socket (concavity it?) is then very lightly reamed to remove the lacquer therefrom, without cutting any of the metal from any of the core, tube, or plate. The washer-shaped magnet is then placed loosely over the core and tube into contact with the underside of the top plate 4. Next, the washer 3 is placed loosely over the core and into contact with the underside of the magnet. This completes the device.

The device so made is ready for use as a support for a pen receptacle and pen, and if desired may further be incorporated into a base piece 1 as shown in F168. 1 and 4.

The invention is not limited to the single embodiment described above or to every detail of that embodiment. Other embodiments as Well as the one described, with or without every detail will enjoy the advantages of the invention and will be obvious to those skilled in the art, and are within the spirit of the invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A device adapted to magnetically support a desk set writing instrument receptacle having a holding sphere of paramagnetic material at one end thereof, said device comprising: a paramagnetic top plate having an opening therethro-ugh; a diamagnetic tube disposed in said opening and extending below said plate; a paramagnetic cylindrical core disposed in the bore of said tube and extending below said tube; the upper end faces of said tube and core and the surrounding portion of said top plate being shaped to define a semi-spherical concavity for receiving a portion of said holding sphere; a Washershaped permanent magnet magnetized across its short dimension, said magnet surrounding said core and underlying said top plate and attached to said plate solely magnetically; and a paramagnetic washer surrounding said core and underlying said magnet and attached thereto solely magnetically.

2. A device adapted to magnetically support a desk set pen receptacle having a holding sphere of paramagnetic material at one end thereof, said device comprising: a paramagnetic top plate having an opening therethrough; a diamagnetic tube fixed in said opening and extending below said plate; a paramagnetic cylindrical core fixed in the bore of said tube and extending below said tube; said plate, tube and core thereby forming a unitary structure; the upper end faces of said tube and said core and the surrounding portion of said top plate being shaped to define a semispherical concavity for receiving a portion of said holding sphere; a washer-shaped permanent magnet magnetized across its short dimension, said magnet surrounding said core and underlying said top plate and attached to said plate solely magnetically; and a paramagnetic washer surrounding said core and underlying 7 said magnet and attached thereto solely magnetically.

3. A desk set unit comprising a base piece and a device adapted to magnetically support a desk set pen receptacle having a holding sphere of paramagnetic material at one end thereof, said base piece supportingv said device, said device comprising: a paramagnetic top plate having an opening therethrough; a diamagnetic tube fixed in said opening and extending below said plate; a paramagnetic cylindrical core fixed in bore of said tube and extending below said tube; said plate, tube and core thereby forming a unitary structure, the upper end faces of said tube and said core and the surroundins portion of said top plate being shaped to define a semispherical concavity for receiving a portion of said holding sphere; a Washer-shaped permanent magnet magnetized across its short dimension, said magnet surrounding said core and underlying said top plate and attached to said plate solely magnetically; and a paramagnetic washer surrounding said core and underlying said and attached thereto solely magnetically.

4. A device adapted to magnetically support a desk set pen receptacle having a holding sphere of paramagnetic material at one end thereof, said device comprising: a paramagnetic top plate having an opening therethrough; a diamagnetic ring disposed in said opening; a paramagnetic core disposed in the bore of said ring and extending below said ring; the upper end faces of said ring, the core and the surrounding portion of said top plate being shaped to define a semispherioal concavity for receiving the supporting surface of said holding sphere; a permanent magnet having an aperture therein in substantial alignment with the axis along which said magnet is magnetized, said magnet abutting the bottom of said top plate with said core depending into said aperture, and paramagnetic means disposed below said top plate interconnecting said core with said magnet.

5. A device adapted to magnetically support a desk set pen receptacle having a holding sphere of paramag netic material at one end thereof, said device comprising: a paramagnetic top plate having an opening therethrough; a diamagnetic ring press fitted into said opening; a paramagnetic core disposed in the bore of said ring and secured thereto, said core extending below said ring; the upper end faces of said ring, said core and the surrounding portion of said top plate being recessed to define a semispherical concavity for receiving the supporting surface of said holding sphere; a washer-shaped permanent magnet ma-gnetized in the direction of its short dimension, said magnet abutting the bottom of said top plate with said core depending through said aperture, and a paramagnetic Washer abutting the bottom of said magnet and interconnecting said core with said magnet, said core depending into the aperture in said paramagnetic washer, with the side of said core engaging said washer.

6. A device adapted to magnetically support a desk set pen receptacle having a holding sphere of paramagnetic material at one end thereof, said device comprising: a paramagnetic top plate having a bore therethrough; a diamagnetic sleeve disposed in said bore and attached to said top to form a unitary structure; a paramagnetic cylindrical core fixed in the bore of said sleeve; the upper end faces of said sleeve, the core and the surrounding portion of said top plate being shaped to define a semispherioal concavity conforming to a portion of said sphere for receiving the supporting surface of said holding sphere; a plating on the assembly of said plate, sleeve and core, a lacquer covering the assembly of such plate, sleeve and core except on the surface of said concavity, a washer-shaped permanent magnet surrounding said core and sleeve and abutting the under surface of said plate, and a paramagnetic washer disposed over said core and abutting the under surface of said magnet.

7. A device adapted to magnetically support a desk set pen receptacle having a holding sphere of paramagnetic material at one end thereof, said device comprising: a paramagnetic top member having an opening therethrough; a diarnagnetic ring disposed in said opening; a solid paramagnetic core disposed in the bore of said ring and extending below said ring; the upper end faces of said ring, the core and the surrounding portion of said top References @ited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Talbot Nov. 26, 1929 Guyot July 14, 1931 Guyot May 24, 1932 Bonnsack Apr. 28, 1942 Hull June 6, 1950

Claims

1. A DEVICE ADAPTED TO MAGNETICALLY SUPPORT A DESK SET WRITING INSTRUMENT RECEPTACLE HAVING A HOLDING SPHERE OF PARAMAGNETIC MATERIAL AT ONE END THEREOF, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING: A PARAMAGNETIC TOP PLATE HAVING AN OPENING THERETHROUGH; A DIAMAGNETIC TUBE DISPOSED IN SAID OPENING AND EXTENDING BELOW SAID PLATE; A PARAMAGNETIC CYLINDRICAL CORE DISPOSED IN THE BORE OF SAID TUBE AND EXTENDING BELOW SAID TUBE; THE UPPER END FACES OF SAID TUBE AND CORE AND THE SURROUNDING PORTION OF SAID TOP PLATE BEING SHAPED TO DEFINE A SEMI-SPHERICAL CONCAVITY FOR RECEIVING A PORTION OF SAID HOLDING SPHERE; A WASHERSHAPED PERMANENT MAGNET MAGNETIZED ACROSS ITS SHORT DIMENSION, SAID MAGNET SURROUNDING SAID CORE AND UNDERLYING SAID TOP PLATE AND ATTACHED TO SAID PLATE SOLELY MAGNETICALLY; AND A PARAMAGNETIC WASHER SURROUNDING SAID CORE AND UNDERLYING SAID MAGNET AND ATTACHED THERETO SOLELY MAGNETICALLY.