US3158138A

US3158138A - Writing instrument

Info

Publication number: US3158138A
Application number: US153374A
Authority: US
Inventors: Bross Helmut Karl
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1961-11-20
Filing date: 1961-11-20
Publication date: 1964-11-24
Anticipated expiration: 1981-11-24

Description

Nov. 24, 1964 H. K. BRoss WRITING INSTRUMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 20, 1961 FIEL-3 ATTORNEY Nov. 24, 1964 H. K. BRoss WRITING INSTRUMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 20, 1961 HELMUT BROSS INVENToR ATTORNEY United States Patent O Helmut Karl Bross, dit Weiehselgartenstrasse, Altenberg, uber Nurnberg, Germany, assigner of fifty percent to Frank T. Seltmann, Berkeley Heights, NJ.

Filed Nov. 2t?, 1961, Ser. No. I374 2 Claims. (Ci. 12th-42d) This invention relates to writing instruments. Particularly, the invention relates to a writing instrument having a writing point at each end of the instrument.

Writing instruments, e.g. pencils, having a tixed writing point at each end of the instrument are well known. Usually, such double pointed instruments have writing points which write in different colors, frequently red and blue. These instruments are often used by draftsmen, teachers, etc. for both normal writing (eg. in blue color), and marking errors or corrections (eg. in red color). Recently, ballpoint pens having diierent colored, iixed, non-retractable, writing points have become common, and are usually provided with two caps, one for each end of the instrument so that the fixed points can be covered for carrying. One form of the present invention is dirceted to a simple writing instrument having two writing points, one at each end of the instrument casing, wherein retraction of one point into the instrument casing will automatically project the other point for writing. This form of the invention is Jpreferably used with a single cap carrying a pocket clip, said cap fitting over either end of the instrument. Thus, the cap can be used to cover the projected point of the instrument, and since the other point is retracted into the casing, the instrument can then be readily carried in a pocket, purse, etc. Another form of the present invention permits projection of one point while retracting the other point, and also permits both points to be moved to a retracted position. Since both points can be retracted, there is less need for a cap for carrying purposes and a spring pocket clip can be fastened directly on the instrument casing if desired. Another form of the present invention permits both points to be projected at the same time, while also permitting retraction of one point and projection of the other point. This last form enables the instrument to be safely carried with a single cap covering the exposed point, and at the same time permits both points to be exposed for writing at the same time. This last feature is of value to those users who frequently change back and forth between the two Writing points, since with both points exposed, the instrument merely has to be turned in the hand to employ either point.

In all of the above forms, the points of the instrument can be retracted by merely pressing the projected point iirmly against a rigid surface, such as a writing surface or a cap. This rirm pressing releases a latch and allows the projected point to move toward a retracted position within the instrument casing. Or, a cap can be pushed down against the exposed point to retract said exposed point or to project the retracted point.

The invention will be further understood by reference to the following description and the drawings, which include a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE l is a longitudinal View, partly in cross-section, of a writing instrument of the invention having its lower point projected and its upper point retracted.

'FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal view, partly in cross-section,'illustrating how the lower point of the instrument can be retracted and the upper point protracted.

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines 3-3 of FIGURE l.

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal view, partly in cross-section,.showing how a cap can be used to retract one point and protract the other point of the embodiment of FIG-v URES 1 to 3.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary view, partly in cross-section7 illustrating a dilierent latch means.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary view, partly in cross-section, illustrating still another latch means.

` FIGURE 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines 7-7 of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, illustrating yet another latch means.

FIGURE 9 is a longitudinal view, partly in section, of another embodiment of the invention, with one point retracted and the other point projected. Y

FIGURE 10 is a longitudinal View, partly in section, of the embodiment of FIGURE 9 with both points retracted.

FIGURE ll is a longitudinal view, partly in section, of still another embodiment of the invention.

Reference is now made to the drawings in detail, with particular reference to the embodiment of FIGURES 1 to 3. The writing instrument has an outer tubular casing or barrel including the lower barrel section 10 and the upper barrel section itl', which sections are joined together by threaded engagement. The outer ends of the respective barrel sections 1li and Ill are each tapered inwardly as at il and Il and terminate in open ends. The bore extending through the tubular casing is reduced in its cross-section proximate both ends of the casing as indicated at 12 and l2 to thereby form annular interior shoulders l and i3. Tubular hood members 14 and ld', have their inner ends formed with the respective annular lianges 15 and 15', while their outer ends normally project through the adjacent open ends of said casing. Cartridge units 16 and I6 include the short terminal feed tubes 17 and I7 respectively, which in turn carry the respective writing balls 18 and i8. Coil compression springs i9 and lil',k are respectively disposed between the flanges 15 and l5' and the rings 2t) and 26 iixed, as by frictional engagement, within the barrel members it? and Iii. The

springsk

19 and 19' urge the hood members 14 and ld to their extended position where their ilanges 15 and ISseat atop the respective shoulders 13 and i3. Joining said cartridges I6 and 16', is a tubular cartridge connector .2li frictionally engaging the outer surface of the inner portions of said cartridges. The connector 2l, and cartridges 16 and I6 are longitudinally movable as a single unit. The connector 2l is internally formed with an annular lip 22, which abuts the inner ends of said cartridges. An air vent 23 admits air to the interior of said cartridge units. Extending downwardly from said connector ZI, are spring latches 24, each having an enlarged rounded end 25.

Annular grooves

26 and 27 are formed in the barrel member It), said grooves each having a cross-section complementary to the rounded ends 2S.

FIGURE l shows the lower ballpoint 18 in a projected position for writing, while the upper point 1S is retracted within its adjacentvhood id. It will be noted that the spring latch ends 25 are seated in the annular groove 26.

The flat latch springs 24 tend to spring apart from each other with sufiicient force to maintain their ends 25 seated in the groove 26 against normal writing pressure applied to the writing point 13, particularly when the instrument is held at an angle to the writing surface. However, when the instrument is held vertical to a rigid surface 28, as in FIGURE 2, and then pressed down against said surface with greater than normal writing pressure, then rst the point I8, and then the hood 14, are forced upwardly into the instrument casing. The spring ends Z5 became dislodged from the groove 26 as the cartridge unit 16 moves upwardly, and are shifted into the annular groove 27, while the upper cartridge unit la', and its point 18', are now, in a projected position. Upon lifting the lower end of the instrument from contact with said surface 2b', the hood I4 will return to its normally extending position by its spring i9. The instrument can then be turned upsidedown so as to write with the point id as the springs 24 by. means of their ends Z5 seating in the groove 27 will now maintain the point t8 projected against normal writing pressure. It will be apparent that if the now projected point I8' and its adjacent hood id are forced into the barrel section under substantial pressure, that the instrument can again be returned to its position of FIGURE l where point It; is projected and the spring ends 25' are again in the groove 26.

It desired, the instrument of FIGURES l to 3 can be provided with a cap 29 having a pocket clip 3h. This cap can be used to cover the projected point for carrying, and canl also be used as a pushbutton. For example, the tubular cap 29, having a closed upper end, can be positioned over the upper end ot the instrument in the FIGURE 2 position. Then, the cap is pressed down so as to force said cap to slide down upon the tubular barrel member itl until it assumes the position of FIG- URE 4. The inner wall 3l ofthe closed end ot the cap will thereby force the point 18 and hood i5' to a retracted position relative to the barrel section Iii', while at the same time projecting point I8. The tubular walls 31 of the cap tit suiiiciently snug around the barrel 10' so as to frictionally hold the cap in the position of FIG- URE 4 against the light pressure of spring I9 exerted against the hood The instrument in the position of FIGURE 4 can be retracted by firmly pressing the point 1S down against a rigid surface so as to force the upper point 18 against the inner end wall 31 of said cap 29 to thereby raise the cap 29 relative to the barrel as indicated by the dotted lines denoting the upper end of the cap. The point lttwill then be inside its hood 14, while the point 1S', even though out of its hood I5', will still be concealed within the cap 29. The instrument can then be carried or clipped to a pocket, etc.

FIGURE 5 represents a fragmentary view illustrating a modiiied tubular cartridge'connector 32 having

annular flanges

33 and 34 which rictionally engage the inner barrel wall 3S with suicient force to withstand normal Writing pressure, but which will be slidingly movable within said barrel upon suiiicient retraction pressure being applied to a projected point.

FIGURES 6 and 7 illustrate a tubular cartridge connector 36 formed with spaced annular grooves 37 and 3S for selective engagement with the deformable indentations or detents 39 formed in spring latches dit?. The at spring latches 40 are held in place by the tubular ring 41 frictionally engaging the inner wall of the tubular barrel 42. Theindentations 39 atten out suthciently to allow movement of the connector 3d upon suliicient longitudinal force being applied to said connector 36.

FIGURE 8 represents another latch system where the cylindrical connector 43 is provided with a bore 44 carrying a spring 45 urging the latch balls 46 outwardly so as to be engageable in the annular grooves 47 and d formed in the inner wall of the tubular barrel member 49. upon being displaced from their annular grooves. It will be apparent that any of the latching systems of FIG- URES 5, 6 and 7, or 8, can be substituted for the con-r nector 21,

spring latch elements

24 and 25, and the

grooves

26 and 27 of the embodiments of FIGURES 1 to 4.

The writing instrument of FIGURES 9 and lt) is similar to that of FIGURES 1 to 3 with the primary exception that the lower barrel section 50 is internally formed with three longitudinally spaced

annular grooves

5I, 52, and 53. The detents, i.e. latch springs ends 54, when engaged in groove S1, holds the lower point 55 in a protracted position. By pressing the point 5S against a rigid surface with greater than normal writing pressure, the

The latch balls 4d move inward into the bore 44 within their adjacent hoods 57 and 5S. Thus, the instru' ment can be carried in this position without a cap. It will be apparent, that by pressing the hood 57 and point into contact with a rigid surface, that the latch ends 54 can be shifted into groove 53 to thereby hold lower point 55 still retracted and upper point 56 projected. Subsequent projection of point 55 can, of course, be achieved by applying pressure to point 56 and hood 58. In this type of instrument having three latch positions, it is preferred to use a spring or snap latch of the type shown which will malte a clicking sound when seating in the

grooves

51, 52 and S3. In this way, the user can judge from the clicking sound when the ends 54 have seated in the center groove 52; On the other hand, seating of the spring ends 54 in the

grooves

51 or 53 willi occur automatically by pressing the appropriate end off the instrument into contact against a rigid surface until the contacting hood and adjacent point are pressed into the barrel as far as they can and the rigid end of the barrel contacts said surface.

The embodiments of FIGURE l'l are quite similar to that of FIGURES 9 and l0, except that the cartridge units are slightlyr longer, so that when the spring latch ends 54' are in the center groove 52', both points 5S' and 56 are projected. Movement of said latch ends 54 to engagement within the annular recess 53 will further project point 56', while retracting point S5. On the other hand, movement of said latch ends 54 into the recess 51 will retract point 56 and further project point 5S. f

In sum, the present invention provides a simple, inexpensive, readily operated, double pointed Writing instrument having a minimum of parts. that a number of minor variations can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

l. A ballpoint pen comprising: a tubular casing having an upper and a lower end and open only at said ends;l

upper and lower tubular hoods extending through said ends of said casing and longitudinally movable relative to said casing; springs within said barrel urging said hoods outwardly relative to said casing; a rigid writing assembly having an upper writing point and a lower Writing point at a lixed distance from each other, said assembly including a tubular cartridge connecting member and upper and lower ballpoint cartridges carried by saidV connecting member, said assembly being longitudinally movable within said barrel between (l) a first position wherein said lower Writing point extends through the outer end of said lower hood and said upper writing point is concealed Within said upper hood and (2) a second position wherein said upper writing point extends through said outer end of said upper hood and said lower writing point is concealed within said lower hood; and latching means defined by said connecting member and said cas-` ing to selectively hold said assembly in said tirst and said second positions against normal writing pressureapplied to the extended writing point, but yieldable upon the application of inwardly directed pressure to said extended writing point and the adjacent hood in excess of normal writing pressure; said inwardly directed pressure being obtainable and said assembly being shifted between said positions by pressing said extended writing point and said adjacent hood into contact with a rigid surface to' thereby longitudinally move said extended writing point and said adjacent hood inwardly into said casing and then releasing said extended writing point and said adjacent hood from said contact, whereby (a) said adjacent hood returns to its original position, (b) said extended writing point has now been moved lto a concealed position within said adjacent hood and (c) said assembly has been It will be apparent 5 6 shifted from one of said positions to the other of said References Cited inthe le of this patent positions. 2. A writing instrument according :to claim 1, wherein UNITED STATES PATENTS said barrel is formed with lower and upper internal annular recesses and said latching means comprises a spring 5 883,968 VGUZ APT- 23, 1959 latch carried by said connecting member and having a 3,079,894 johmann May 5, 1963 detent porfton engageable in said recesses, said detent por- FOREIGN PATENTS tion when engaged in said iower recess holding said as- 568 454 Italy Oct 30 1957 sembly in said rst position, said detent portion when 783mg Great-htgi'n' "Sept: mi 1957 engaged in said upper recess holding said assembly in 10 said second position.

Claims

1. A BALLPOINT PEN COMPRISING: A TUBULAR CASING HAVING AN UPPER AND A LOWER END AND OPEN ONLY AT SAID ENDS; UPPER AND LOWER TUBULAR HOODS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID ENDS OF SAID CASING AND LONGITUDINALLY MOVABLE RELATIVE TO SAID CASING; SPRINGS WITHIN SAID BARREL URGING SAID HOODS OUTWARDLY RELATIVE TO SAID CASING; A RIGID WRITING ASSEMBLY HAVING AN UPPER WRITING POINT AND A LOWER WRITING POINT AT A FIXED DISTANCE FROM EACH OTHER, SAID ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A TUBULAR CARTRIDGE CONNECTING MEMBER AND UPPER AND LOWER BALLPOINT CARTRIDGES CARRIED BY SAID CONNECTING MEMBER, SAID ASSEMBLY BEING LONGITUDINALLY MOVABLE WITHIN SAID BARREL BETWEEN (1) A FIRST POSITION WHEREIN SAID LOWER WRITING POINT EXTENDS THROUGH THE OUTER END OF SAID LOWER HOOD AND SAID UPPER WRITING POINT IS CONCEALED WITHIN SAID UPPER HOOD AND (2) A SECOND POSITION WHEREIN SAID UPPER WRITING POINT EXTENDS THROUGH SAID OUTER END OF SAID UPPER HOOD AND SAID LOWER WRITING POINT IS CONCEALED WITHIN SAID LOWER HOOD; AND LATCHING MEANS DEFINED BY SAID CONNECTING MEMBER AND SAID CASING TO SELECTIVELY HOLD SAID ASSEMBLY IN SAID FIRST AND SAID SECOND POSITIONS AGAINST NORMAL WRITING PRESSURE APPLIED TO THE EXTENDED WRITING POINT, BUT YIELDABLE UPON THE APPLICATION OF INWARDLY DIRECTED PRESSURE TO SAID EXTENDED WRITING POINT AND THE ADJACENT HOOD IN EXCESS OF NORMAL WRITING PRESSURE; SAID INWARDLY DIRECTED PRESSURE BEING OBTAINABLE AND SAID ASSEMBLY BEING SHIFTED BETWEEN SAID POSITIONS BY PRESSING SAID EXTENDED WRITING POINT AND SAID ADJACENT HOOD INTO CONTACT WITH A RIGID SURFACE TO THEREBY LONGITUDINALLY MOVE SAID EXTENDED WRITING POINT AND SAID ADJACENT HOOD INWARDLY INTO SAID CASING AND THEN RELEASING SAID EXTENDED WRITING POINT AND SAID ADJACENT HOOD FROM SAID CONTACT, WHEREBY (A) SAID ADJACENT HOOD RETURNS TO ITS ORIGINAL POSITION, (B) SAID EXTENDED WRITING POINT HAS NOW BEEN MOVED TO A CONCEALED POSITION WITHIN SAID ADJACENT HOOD AND (C) SAID ASSEMBLY HAS BEEN SHIFTED FROM ONE OF SAID POSITIONS TO THE OTHER OF SAID POSITIONS.