US3230934A

US3230934A - Writing instrument

Info

Publication number: US3230934A
Application number: US60628A
Authority: US
Inventors: Eriksson Ernst Alden
Original assignee: Carters Ink Co
Current assignee: Carters Ink Co
Priority date: 1960-10-05
Filing date: 1960-10-05
Publication date: 1966-01-25
Anticipated expiration: 1983-01-25

Description

1966 E. A. ERIKSSON WRITING INSTRUMENT Filed Oct. 5, 1950 INVENTOR E.ALDEN ERIKSSON ATTORNEYS 6Q Y t m: 1 11.1w; 9L D 3 9 V m: B; if h. 1 3 9 1 9 m b N n 80 a \E Q a a u a e a m5 2 a 8 j r A 2 g 2 mm mm 8 pm mdE 6 m [IIIIIL 2 8 N @E wE m a w M A w B m m w\ United States 3,230,934 WRITING INSTRUMENT Ernst Alden Eriksson, Lexington, Mass., assignor to The Carters Ink Company, Cambridge, Mass 21 corporation of Massachusetts Filed Oct. 5, 1960, Ser. N 66,628 4 Claims. (Cl. 120-4203) This invention relates to writing instruments, and more particularly to an improved writing instrument of the kind having a cartridge reciprocable in a barrel to an extended position for writing, and to a retracted position for carrying in a pocket when the instrument is not in use.

It is common practice in such writing instruments to provide a push button and plunger which are reciprocably mounted in the barrel to extend the cartridge and the point thereof into writing position, and detent mechanism for releasably latching the cartridge in that position. The detent mechanism is frequently provided with a retracting or release button aocessibly mounted in the barrel for releasing the cartridge, thereby permitting a compression spring to withdraw the cartridge to the retracted position following use of the pen. In pens having eradicating de vices in the rearward portion of the barrel, or in which it is otherwise inconvenient to locate the retracting button rearwardly on the barrel, the detent mechanism and the retracting button must be located forwardly along the barrel. However, the forward location of a retracting button, in the area of the barrel which is occupied by the fingers in holding the pen, frequently results in accidental retraction of the cartridge during use.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved writing instrument of the kind having a retracting or release button situated forwardly in a barrel thereof, which minimizes the possibility of accidental retraction which otherwise arises from this location of the retracting button.

In the use of a writing instrument having the conventional pocket clip located rearwardly thereon, users may be irritated by the angular side edges of the clip striking the hand. While users may not become conscious of this discomfort, they are frequently observed to twist the writing instrument into a position such that the clip is disposed away from the hand.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved writing instrument having means for automatically positioning the instrument so that a pocket clip mounted thereon is disposed away from the hand of the user.

Briefly stated, in accordance with a preferred embodiment thereof, I may carry out my invention by providing a writing instrument with a barrel having a protruding flattened finger-deck surface located rearwardly adjacent to a retracting or release button situated forwardly of the barrel, and incline this deck surface outwardly from the barrel in the forward direction. The deck surface receives one of the fingers of a user holding the pen in position for writing, and is so formed that the finger will not easily slip accidentally into engagement with the retracting button. A pocket clip is aligned longitudinally on the barrel with the finger deck, so that the user automatically grips the pen in a position such that the clip is disposed away from the hand.

A cartridge having a writing point is reciprocably mounted in the barrel and secured to a plunger for extending the point to a writing position. A detent mechanism is positioned within the barrel near the front end thereof for releasably latching the cartridge in the extended position against the bias of a retraction spring,

and is arranged to release the cartridge upon the depression of the retracting button.

My improved pen construction is particularly suited for use in a pen having an eradicating device contained in the rearward portion of the barrel, such as is described in my copending application entitled, Combination Writing instrument and Eradicator, or in which other use is made of the space contained in the rearward portion of the barrel; however, its utility is not confined to pens having .such provisions.

The invention will be better understood from consideration of the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof in a ball-point pen, referring to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan View of a ball-point pen according to my invention;

FIG. 2 is a view in front elevation thereof;

1G. 3 is an elevation in cross-section showing the cartridge in a retracted position;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view in cross-section showing the cartridge in an extended position, and

FIG. 5 is an end view.

Referring to the drawings, my improved writing instrument includes a barrel 1, which is formed of plastic, metal, or other relatively rigid material. In the embodiment shown, a plunger 2 .is provided, including a removable cap 3 slidably received thereon, and a removable ejection button 4 slidably received on the cap. A casing 5, having a resilient pocket clip 6 secured thereto, is slidably received over the barrel for enclosing the plunger. A bayonet button 7 is attached to the inner surface of the casing and is received within a suitable L-shaped groove (not shown) formed in the barrel, to removably secure the casing upon the barrel in a conventional manner.

The plunger 2, the cap 3, and the ejection button 4 may be formed as an integral structure if desired, but I prefer that the plunger be hollow to form an eradicating fluid reservoir, with the cap and the button being removable to afiord access to an eradicator dispensing tip (not shown), and a blotting tip (not shown), as described and claimed in my aforementioned co-pending application.

A conventional ball-point cartridge 8, which forms an ink reservoir and has a ball-point unit 9 mounted thereon, is received within the barrel and threaded at 18 into the plunger 2. A vent 10a is formed in the plunger to communicate the ink supply in the cartridge with atmospheric pressure, so that a vacuum is not built up in the cartridge to interfere with the flow of ink to the point. An interior bore 11 of the barrel receives a retracting spring 12. The bore is reduced in diameter at 13 to form a flange 14 against which the spring 12 rests. Manual depression of the ejection button 4 drives the plunger 2 and the cartridge 8 forwardly in the barrel, and extends the Point unit 9 into writing position through a nosepiece 15 received on the forward end of the barrel. The retraction spring 12 biases the plunger in a rearward direction, thus tending to withdraw the cartridge and the point rearwardly into the barrel.

A detent mechanism is provided to releasably latch the cartridge and the point unit in the extended writing position. The detent mechanism includes a detent spring 15, which is secured to the front end of the cartridge 8 by means of a collar 17. The detent spring is formed with a reverse bend 16a, and terminates in an outwardly and axially extending flange 13. A retracting or release button 19 is pivotally supported in the nosepiece 15 by means of a hook portion Ztl formed in the button. A planar surface 24 extends axially of the button rearwardly from the hook portion 28, for sliding cooperation with the flange 18 of the detent spring 16. The button 19 is loosely received within a radial slot 21 formed in the forward end of the barrel. At its rearward end, the button is fitted interiorly of an overhanging lip 22 formed in the barrel, and is free to move radially inwardly of the lip.

The cartridge and the point unit are shown in the retracted position in FIG. 3. In order to extend them to the writing position of FIG. 4 the ejection button 4 is depressed forwardly, driving the plunger, the cartridge, and the point unit forwardly, and carrying the flange 18 of the detent spring 16 into abutment upon the hook portion 20 of the retracting button, thus stopping the forward motion of the cartridge. The barrel is formed with an inwardly projecting detent or lip 25, which is of greater height than the retracting button. As the flange 18 reaches the position shown in FIG. 4, the reverse bend 16a of the spring overrides the lip 25 and springs outwardly. Upon the release of the ejection button, the cartridge retracts very slightly until the reverse bend 16a axially abuts the lip 25, the flange 18 then being slightly withdrawn from the hook portion 20. The detent spring 16 thus retains the cartridge in the extended position for writing, against the rearward bias of the retracting spring 12.

In order to retract the point following use of the pen, the retracting button is depressed. This movement drives the reverse bend 16a of the spring radially inwardly out of engagement with the lip 25, and the retraction spring l2 withdraws the point, the cartridge, the plunger and the ejection button to the retracted position of FIG. 3. The flange 18 of the spring slides axially over the planar surface 24 of the button 19. The plunger and cartridge are stopped by the engagement of a shoulder 4a of the ejection button with an opening 5a of the casing to limit the rearward movement of the cartridge. As shown, the flange 18 does not engage the lip 25 in the retracted position of the cartridge. However, upon removal of the casing 5 from the barrel for replacement of the cartridge, the latter is withdrawn rearwardly by the spring 12 to a point at which the flange and the lip engage. The plunger and cartridge assembly may then be released for removal from the barrel by again depressing the retracting button 19, which drives the flange inwardly out of engagement with the lip. Removal of the cartridge is facilitated by the provision of a groove 27, extending longitudinally in the casing rearwardly from the lip 25. The flange 18 passes readily along the groove 27 as the cartridge is Withdrawn from the barrel.

In use, the writers fingers normally engage the pen near the forward end thereof, in the vicinity of the retracting button. It is a feature of my invention that the casing is formed with a protruding, flattened finger deck surface 26, which is inclined outwardly in the forward direction along the barrel to form a rest for a forefinger of the writer. The deck surface aids in preventing accidental depression of the retracting button during use of the pen by opposing slippage of the finger along the barrel and into engagement with the retracting button. The deck surface is aligned longitudinally with the clip 6 upon the barrel, and serves to automatically position the writing instrument with the clip disposed away from the writers hand, thereby avoiding annoyance caused by the clip striking the hand. It will be apparent that the deck surface neednot be precisely aligned longitudinally with the clip, but may be offset somewhat in a circumferential direction, so long as in the normal writing grip the position of the forefinger upon the deck surface positions the clip out of contact face forwardly to a point rearwardly adjacent to the slot 21 and to the button. The deck surface is also preferably extended to a radial height slightly greater than that of the retracting button, as shown, and is inclined at a sub stantial angle to the barrel.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my improved writing instrument, it will be appar cut to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. I therefore intend to cover all such changes and modifications in the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a pen, a barrel, a cartridge including a writing point reciprocably mounted in said barrel, said cartridge being movable forwardly of said barrel to an extended writing position and rearwardly of said barrel to a retracted position, spring means urging said cartridge to the retracted position, detent mechanism including a release button releasably securing said cartridge in the writing position, said button'being accessibly mounted forwardly in said barrel for operation by thefinger of a user to release said cartridge for retraction by said spring means, said barrel being formed with a deck surface rearwardly of said button for receiving a finger of a user in position for writing, said deck. surface protruding from said barrel to prevent accidental operation of said retracting button by the timer of the user slipping forwardly along said barrel.

2. A pen as recited in claim 1, in which said deck surface is flattened and is inclined outwardly in the forward direction of said barrel;

3. In a pen, a barrel, a cartridge including a writing point reciprocably mounted in said barrel, said cartridge being movable forwardly of said barrel to an extended position for writing and rearwardly of said barrel to a retracted position, spring means urging said cartridge to the retracted position, a release button pivotally mounted in said pen at the forward end of said barrel, a detent formed in the forward end of said barrel, a detent spring mounted on said cartridge and normally resiliently engaging said detent in the extended position of said cartridge to restrain said cartridge against retraction by said spring means, said button being accessible for depression by the finger of a user to depress and disengage said detent spring from said detent for movement of said cartridge to the retracted position by said spring means, said barrel being formed with a deck surface rearwardly adjacent to said button for receiving a finger of a user in position for writing, said deck surface protruding from said barrel and being inclined outwardly in the forward direction along said barrel to prevent accidental depression of said button by the finger of a user slipping forwardly along said deck surface and into engagement with said button.

4. In a pen, a barrel having a longitudinal axis, a nosepiece received on a forward end of said barrel and having an axial opening, a cartridge including a writing point mounted for longitudinal reciprocation in said barrel to a writing position in whi h said point protrudes through said opening from a forward end of said barrel and to a retracted postion within said barrel, spring means urging said cartridge to the retracted position, a longitudinal slot formed in said forward end of said barrel adjacent said nosepiece, detent mechanismincluding a release button releasably latching said cartridge in the writing'position, said button being received in said slot and pivotally mounted in said nosepiece for depression by the finger of a user to release said cartridge for retraction by said spring means, said barrel being formed with a deck surface locatedrearwardly of and adjacent to said slot for receiving a finger of a user in position for writing, said deck surface protruding from said barrel and being inclined outwardly toward said slot to prevent accidental depression of said button by the finger ofthe user slipping forwardly along said deck surface and into engagement with said button.

(References on following page) References Cited by the Examiner UNITED FOREIGN PATENTS STATES PATENTS 965,551 6/1957 Germany.

Grant 822,259 10/1959 Great Britain.

120 42 03 5 EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Przmary Examzner.

Fraser 42-705 GEORGE A. NINAS, 111., JOSEPH D. BEIN, JEROME Lovejoy 12o 42.03 SCHNALL, Examiners.

Claims

1. IN A PEN, A BARREL, A CARTRIDGE INCLUDING A WRITING POINT RECIPROCABLY MOUNTED IN SAID BARREL, SAID CARTRIDGE BEING MOVABLE FORWARDLY OF SAID BARREL TO AN EXTENDED WRITING POSITION AND REARWARDLY OF SAID BARREL TO A RETRACTED POSITION, SPRING MEANS URGING SAID CARTRIDGE TO THE RETRACTED POSITION, DETENT MECHANISM INCLUDING A RELEASE BUTTON RELEASABLY SECURING SAID CARTRIDGE IN THE WRITING POSITION, SAID BUTTON BEING ACCESSIBLY MOUNTED FORWARDLY IN SAID BARREL FOR OPERATION BY THE FINGER OF A USER TO RELEASE SAID CARTRIDGE FOR RETRACTION BY SAID SPRING MEANS, SAID BARREL BEING FORMED WITH A DECK SURFACE REARWARDLY OF SAID BUTTON FOR RECEIVING A FINGER OF A USER IN POSITION FOR WRITING, SAID DECK SURFACE PROTRUDING FROM SAID BARREL TO PREVENT ACCIDENTAL OPERATION OF SAID RETRACTING BUTTON BY THE FINGER OF THE USER SLIPPING FORWARDLY ALONG SAID BARREL.