US3237605A

US3237605A - Two-color stylograph

Info

Publication number: US3237605A
Application number: US349865A
Authority: US
Inventors: Bourbon Jean
Original assignee: A BOURBON AND FILS ETS
Current assignee: A BOURBON AND FILS ETS
Priority date: 1963-03-15
Filing date: 1964-03-06
Publication date: 1966-03-01
Anticipated expiration: 1983-03-01
Also published as: BE644827A; NL6402712A; DE1461594A1; ES297901A1; NL122102C; AT254739B; GB986408A; FR1361948A; CH404461A

Description

March 1, 1966 J. BOURBON TWO-COLOR STYLOGRAPH Filed March 6, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR qw @Mbo-L ATToRNE A March 1, 1966 J, BQURBON 3,237,605

TWO-COLOR STYLOGRAPH Filed March 6, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /AM E www BY m@ ATTORNE United States Patent() 3,237,665 TWO-COLOR STYLOGRAPH Jean Bourbon, Saint-Lupicin, France, assignor to Etablissements A. Bourbon di Fils, Saint-Lnpicin, France,

a joint-stock company of France Filed Mar. 6, 1964, Ser. No. 349,865 Claims priority, application France, Mar. 15, 1963, 43,440, Patent 1,361,948 1 Claim. (Cl. 1Z0-42.13)

The present invention relates generally to writing devices having two retractible writing elements, and more particularly to twoacolor ball-pens.

One object of the invention is to provide a two-color ball-pen or stylograph Lhaving a particularly simple and reliable operating mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to provide a very cheap mechanism of the above kind.

In a preferred embodiment the invention comprises a cap having at its upper portion a diametrical wall on each side of which may slide the operating knobs of two writing elements movable axially within the cap against a spring, which diametrical wall rotatably carries at its lower portion an oscillating member lhaving two studs protruding laterally and coacting each with a .recess located in each of the operating knobs which, with the exv ception of an assembling groove, are symmetrical relatively to the plane of this wall.

The prole of each recessfis such that, under action of one of the return springs of the writing elements, the oscillating member may be positively pushed always in the same direction.

It is thus temporarily brought out of the said position when one of the knobs is pushed downwardly, whereafter the same is locked in writing position by the other operating knob which is kept retracted and which urges the oscillating member towards its original angular position.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section through the upper portion of a two-color ball-pen according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is an longitudinal section thereof on a plane perpendicular to the section plane of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 are transverse sections respectively on the lines III-III, IV-IV, V-V, VI-VI and VII-VII (FIG. l).

FIGS. 8 and. 9 are diagrammatical detail views showing independently the two operating knobs and the oscillating members, respectively when one writing element is being brought into writing position, and after this operation.

FIG. l is an exploded perspective on a large scale showing the two operating knobs and the oscillating member.

The two-color ball-pen shown in the drawings comprises a barrel 1 rigidly secured to a cap 2 extending thereabove. The upper portion of the cap 2 ends in a diametral wall 3 extending only in the upper portion of the ball-pen, while the lower portion of the cap 2 has a cylindrical transverse recess adapted to rotatably receive the cylindrical head 4 of an oscillating member 5 engaged therein. Within the cap 2 and on each side of the wall 3, are slidably mounted two operating knobs, 6, 7, each engaging at its lower portion the upper end of a writing cartridge 8. The cap 2 is open at the level of the upper portion of the

knobs

6, 7. The latter may be pushed against helical return springs 9 located on the cartridges 8.

Each spring 9 is compressed between the

knob

6 or 7 and an inner thrust ring 10 fixed within the barrel 1.

A pocket clip 11 of known type is laterally mounted on the cap 2 with which it is preferably integral, the whole unit being made of plastic.

3,237,605 Patented Mar. 1, 1966 The face of the knob 6 directed towards the wall 3 is provided with a recess 12 (FIG. 10) having a profile limited at its upper portion by a transverse zone 12a (FIG. 8), which is connected by convergent inclined cam-faces 12b and 12e to a lower end-zone 12d (FIG. 8). The recess 12 is thus limited on one side of the knob 6 by a vertical edge 12e (FIGS. 8 and 9), and on the ,other side by the two

Zones

12a, 12d having their ends tangent to an ideal straight line (not shown) parallel to the edge 12e. Also, a groove 13 (FIG. 10) having the same depth as the recess 12, is located above the latter, one side of the groove 13 being in line with the edge 12e.

On its face directed towards the wall 3, the knob 7 is provided with a recess 14 (FIG. 10) similar to the recess 12 and symmetrical thereto with respect to the plane of the wall 3.

Reference numerals

14a, 1411, 14C, 14d and 14e refer to the elements of the recess 14 respectively corresponding to the

elements

12a, 12b, 12C, 12d, 12e of the recess 12 (FIGS. 8, 9, 10).

Each

yknob

6, 7 hasat its lower portion a boss 15 directed `towards the ball-pen axis. The thickness of each boss 15 is equal to half the thickness of the wall 3, so that

vthe knobs

6, 7 may be both in contact by their bosses 15 (FIGS. 2 and 6), the upper faces 15a of the latter preferably coming into abutment against the lower portion of adequate shoulders 16 provided within the cap 2in Aorder to limit the upward movement of the

knobs

6, 7 under action of the return springs 9.

The oscillating member 5 with its cylindrical head 4 hinged in the wall 3, has substantially the same thickness as the said wall 3. However, the lower portion of the oscillating member 5 has two studs 17 and 18 (FIG. l0) protruding laterally on each side in order to cooperate respectively with the

recesses

12 and 14 of the knobs 6 and 7 (FIGS. 5 and l0).

The operation is as follows:

When the cartridges 8 are both in retracted position (FIGS. 1, 2) the

knobs

6, 7 are upwardly urged by their return springs 9 and they are in abutment by means of their

bosses

15, 15a against the shoulders 16 of the cap 2. By the simultaneous action of the stud 17 urged into the end-zone 12d between the cam-faces 12b and 12C, and of the stud 18 urged into the end-zone 14d between the cam-faces 14b and 14C, the oscillating member 5 is retained in a determined angular position, i.e. directed towards the right in FIGS. l and S.

By then vertically urging the knob 7 inwardly of the ball-pen (FIG. 8), it is apparent that the action of the cam-face 14e on the stud 18 will push the oscillating member 5 towards the left, which results in a slight downward movement of the knob 6 since the stud 17 of the oscillating member 5 operates in turn the cam-face 12b of the recess 12. When the knob 7 has been sufficiently pushed down i.e. when the transverse zone 14a is at the level of the stud 18, the latter has a tendency to engage therein under action of the return force of the spring 9 of the knob 6 which, due to the cam-face 12b, urges the oscillating member 5 towards the right (FIG. 9). This results then in a slight upward movement of the knob 6 up to its original position, while the oscillating member 5 is definitively pushed to the right and retained in place by the stud 17 engaging the cam-face 12b, and while the stud 18, completely engaging in the transverse Zone 14a of the knob 7, locks the latter in writing position.

Similarly, by then pushing down the knob 6, it will be understood that a similar action of its cam-face 12C causes, at iirst, a rotation to the left of the oscillating member 5, the stud 18 of which escapes out of the portion 14a. The knob 7 being unlocked, returns back into retracted position under action of its return spring 9,

3 whereafter, if the knob 6 is still pushed down, the latter is locked in writing position as above indicated, the knob 7 being then maintained in retracted position.

The groove 13 is adapted to permit assembly of the ball-pen. In fact, the knob 7 is rst placed in retracted position, and whereafter the cylindrical head 4 of the oscillating member 5 is engaged through the wall 3, the said oscillating member 5 being moved in a direction perpendicular to the ball-pen axis. When the oscillating member 5 is in place, the knob 6 is inserted from the inner space of the ball-pen and, due to the groove 13 passing over the stud 17, it is possible to bring the recess 12 around the said stud 17.

Minor changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed. More particularly, the bosses 15 and shoulders 16 may be replaced by any other known device to limit the upward movement of the

knobs

6, 7.

What I claim is:

A two-cartridge retractable ball pen mechanism comprising a longitudinal housing open at its lower end and at its upper end, and having an inner thrust ring provided with two axial openings; a diametrical wall integral with said housing and extending above the upper end of the latter; two push-knobs inserted in and projecting from the upper end of said housing, each of said knobs being axially movable in said housing and each having a recess on its side facing the other push-knob; two ball-pen writing elements of predetermined color movable axially in said housing through the said openings of the thrust ring, and having their upper ends each mounted in their respective push-knobs, their lower ends each carrying a ball point adapted to project from the lower end of said housing when in operative position; a return spring disposed around each writing element between said thrust ring and the corresponding push-knob to urge the latter into its uppermost position; an oscillating member pivotally carried by the lower portion of the said diametrical wall and adapted to oscillate under the wall and between both said push-knobs in a plane parallel to that of said diametrical wall, said oscillating member having two studs protruding laterally and each engaged in one of the said push-knob recesses, the latter being symmetrical with respect to the middle plane of said diametrical wall except for a vertical assembling groove provided in one of the said push-knobs and opening at the upper portion of the latter, whereby each of the said push-knob recesses has a profile adapted to urge the said oscillating member always in the same transverse direction under action of any of the said writing element return springs, said profile comprising an upper transverse zone connected by convergent inclined cam-faces to a lower end-zone directed in the same transverse direction as said upper portion transverse zone.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,152,578 10/1964 Hofman 1Z0-42.13 X

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,307,761 9/1962 France.

EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner.

LAWRENCE CHARLES, Examiner.