US897647A - Machine for sharpening pencils. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED SEPT. l, 1908.

0. NIGKUM. MACHINE FOR SHARPE-NING PENGILS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 18, 1907. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

&

4' 6) l a (2 I i Hun a Va;- 6),,

all ;H IL m ks I A Q) I l/VVE/VTUH UarZNickum W/ T/VESSES ATTORNEYS No. 897,647. PATENTED SEPT. 1, 1908. (L N-IGKUM.

MACHINE FOR SHARPENING PENOILS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.18, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES E W. C W 7 5 v. T E MM n UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

CARL NIOKUM, or LOGANSPORT, INDIANA.

MACHINE FOR SHARPENING PENCILS.

Application filed September 18, 1907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL NICKUM, a citizen of the United States, residing in Logansport, county of Cass, and State of Indiana, have invented a certain new and useful Machine for Sharpening Pencils, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is a machine for sharpening or pointing pencils, the same being adapted for pointing lead pencils without breaking the core or lead thereof.

In machines heretofore designed for sharpening lead. pencils, difficulty has been experienced in keeping the cutters in a sharp condition, in consequence of which the lead or core of a pencil is broken. by dull cutters, thus involving waste and delay. Furthermore, it is usual to feed the pencil by hand to the cutting or point-producing mechanism, and it frequently happens that too much of the point is cut away, again involving waste and loss, and, further, that the point i is broken by feeding the pencil too'rapidly, due to thrusting it forcibly into contact with the cutting devices or too far into the path of the same.

My machine dispenses with cutting mechanism for removing the sheath and pointing the core of a pencil, for the reason that said machine is equipped with a solid rotary abrading member, preferably embodied in the form of an emery wheel. The machine operates rapidly to produce the required point on the pencil without breaking the core, or removing too much of the sheath and the core, the pencil being brought to a needlelike point, if required. The abrading member operates on all gradesof lead pencils to produce the required point thereon without breaking the core, and it is ready for service at all times. There is practically no wear on the emery wheel, so that it will last indefinitely.

In a preferred embodiment of the machine, the abrading member is carried on a shaft which is equipped with a balance wheel to insure steady running and a relatively high speed, said shaft being driven from a driving shaft which may be operated by hand or by power. Adjacent to one side or face of the abrading member is a work holder which lies at an' angle to one face of said member, for presenting the pencil at a proper angle thereto. The pencil is adapted to be supported at one end in said holder, and, at its other end, the pencil is held in a chuck, the latter being Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 1, 1908.

Serial No. 393,571.

operated in such manner that the pencil is rotated in an opposite direction to the abrading member, whereby the pencil and the abrading member are rotated away from each other while they are kept in engagement, the result of which is to produce the required point on the pencil without breaking the lead core thereof.

An important element of my machine consists of means for yieldably thrusting the pencil into engagement with a point forming mechanism, whereby the pencil is adapted to be fed endwise automatically as the sheath and core are cut away. Such thrusting or feeding the pencil is associated, preferably, with the rotatable chuck for the purpose of moving the latter and the pencil toward the point producing mechanism.

t is preferred to make the chuck and the pencil feed mechanism adjustable so as to accommodate pencils of any length, and in practice, after the chuck has been adjusted to the length of the pencil, the feed or tension device is adjusted in such manner that the chuck is pressed yieldingly toward the abrading or cutting mechanism for the purpose of feeding said pencil automatically thereto.

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated one practical embodiment of the invention, but the construction shown therein is to be understood as illustrative only, and not as defining the limits of the invention.

Figure 1 is a plan View of a pencil sharpening machine embodying this invention, a part of the casing being removed for showing certain working parts. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section, partly in elevation, on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 look ing in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 4 is a vertical cross section on the line 44 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail view, partly in section and partly in elevation, showing the rotary chuck and the automatic feed mechanism which is associated with said chuck, the plane of the section of Fig. 5 being indicated by the dotted line 55 of Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a cross section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a detail view on the line 7-7 of Fig. 8 showing the means for presenting the pointed end of a lead pencil into engagement with one side of a rotary abrading member. Fig. 8 is a cross section through the pencil holder and a portion of the abrading member.

; The machine is provided with a suitable base and a frame for supporting the several working parts. In the practical embodiment of said machine shown in the drawings, the base, A, is constructed so as to provide a chamber, a, for the accommodation of certain working parts, and another chamber, a, into which falls the material removed from the sheath and core of a lead pencil. The chamber, a, is closed, usually, by a cover, A, shown in Fig. 3, and said cover is fastened in place removably by appropriate screws, a which are adapted to be threaded into sockets, (t the latter being tapped in the end walls of the base, A. Said base is provided, furthermore, with suitable lugs, (1*, which receive the screws, a which are adapted to fasten the machine on a table or other suport. p It is preferred to divide the cover, A, and the base, A, longitudinally in such manner that the shaft bearings, b, b, are provided in the meeting edges of the base and the removable cover. The bearings, b, accommodate the horizontal transverse shaft, B, whereas the other bearings, 12, receive a similar shaft, C, the latter being parallel to the shaft, B. Said shaft, G, is the driving shaft of the JTlLClllIlG, and as shown in Fig. 1, the shaft,

C, is provided with a hand-crank, 0, whereby the shaft may be operated by hand, but it is evident said shaft, C, may be operated by power from any suitable source. The shaft,

0, is provided with the gear, (Z, which meshes with a gear pinion, d, the latter being provided on the shaft, B. This shaft carries also a balance wheel, D, and an abrading member, E. The balance wheel, D, is secured on or may be fastened to the shaft, B,

so as to operate in the chamber, a, of the base, whereby the balance wheel and the gears, d, d, are adapted to be inclosed by and within the base, A, and its movable cover, A.

The shaft, B, extends across the chambers, a, a, of the base, and the abrading wheel, E, is secured on said shaft so as to operatewithin the chamber, a. The abrading member consists preferably of a Wheel composed of emery, carborundum or other abrasive material, and said wheel is provided with a broad periphery, the respective faces of the wheel being parallel. The shaft, B, extends at one end beyond the base, A, and its chamber, a, and on the protruding end of the shaft is secured a spiral gear, f, which gear meshes with a complemental spiral gear, f. Said gear, 7, is fast with the shaft, f which is provided at one end of an elongated gear, F, the latter extending at an angle to the plane of one face of the abrading member or wheel, E, see Fig. 1. The elongated gear is journaled in suitable bearings which are provided in the upstanding posts, F, F, and said gear, F, is driven by the intermeshing spiral gears from the driven shaft, B, of the machine.

The frame work of the machine is shown as consisting of brackets, G, G, the former being attached to that part of the base, A, which is provided with the chamber, a while the bracket, G, is fastened to that part of the base having the chamber, a, but it will be understood that the bracket and the base may be cast integral, if desired.

H designates a slide rail occupying a fixed position in the machine, said slide rail being at an angle to one face of the abrading wheel, E, and parallel to the elongated pinion, F. The slide rail is attached to or integral with asupporting bracket, G, of that part of the base containing the chamber, a, but the other end of the slide rail is attached in a 1 suitable way to the bracket, G, as for example, by a screw or screws, h, whereby the bracket, G, supports the outer end of the slide rail and the upstanding post, F 'As shown, the slide rail is provided in its upper edge with a series of notches, h, although other forms of teeth may be employed, or the teeth may be dispensed with, if desired. Said slide rail provides a support for a chuck carriage, I, andv a feed carriage, J, said carriages being movable lengthwise of the rail, and the feed carriage being adjustable on said rail independently of the chuck carriage. Said chuck carriage is slidable freely back and forth on the rail, H, without any interlocking engagement With the toothed edge, 7L, thereof, and said carriage extends a suitable dis tance above the rail for the purpose of bringing the chuck into cooperative relation with the elongated gear, F.

The chuck, indicated at K, is carried by an arbor or spindle, 7c, which is mounted for rotation freely in the upper part of the carriage, I, and said chuck is provided with a gear wheel, 70, the latter meshing with the elongated gear, F, at any point in the ad justment of the chuck carriage on the slide rail, H, whereby the chuck may be operated by said gear, F, when adjusted to accommodate pencils of different lengths. The chuck is of any suitable construction to receive the butt end of a lead pencil, indicated at X, and this chuck is in cooperative relation to a holder, L. Said holder is supported in, preferably, a fixed position by the bracket, G, or the post, F, and said holder is at one side of or close to the operating face of the abrading wheel, E. The holder, L, is provided with a taperin'g socket, Z, the axis of which is inclined to the face of the rotating abrading wheel, Er Said socket opens through one side of the holder, L, which is next to the abrading Wheel, and also through the rear end of said holder, whereby the pencil, X, is adapted to extend from the chuck, K, to the holder, L, the socket of which presents the end of the pencil to be pointed at an angle to the plane of rotation of the abrading wheel.

toward the abrading wheel.

The arbor or spindle, is, of the chuck is shown in Fig. 5 as having an annular groove,

rm, into which extends the inner end of a screw, m, shown in Fig. 6, whereby the chuck spindle is retained in the carriage, I, from endwise movement.

By making the chuckcarriage movable freely on the slide rail, H, I am enabled to provide means for automatically moving said carriage normally toward the abrading wheel, and. in a preferred embodiment of this automatic feed mechanism I employ a yield able pressure device which cooperates with the feed carriage, J, and the chuck carriage, I, in such manner that the chuck is pressed yieldably or held under tension relative to the abrading wheel.

The feed carriage, J, is represented as a slide fitted loosely on the rail, H, and this carriage is provided with a dog, j, in the form of an inclined lip or shoulder, the latter being adapted for engagement with one of the notches or teeth, h, on the slide rail, whereby the carriage J, is adapted to have interlocking engagement with said slide rail. The upper part of the carriage is provided with a transverse opening, 1, through which loosely passes a stem or spindle, M. The front end of this stem or spindle is fitted in the chuck carriage, I, and held in a fixed position relative thereto by the pin, n, the rear end of said stem having a stop pin, n. On this spindle is loosely fitted a spring, 0, which is held in place by the stem, the respective ends of said spring engaging with the feed carriage, J, and the chuck carriage, I. Said feed carriage is movable on the rail, H, to a position quite close to the chuck carriage in order to compress the spring, 0, which is thus put under tension and is caused to act on the chuck carriage so as to press the chuck The spring is thus placed under tension to serve primarily as the yielding feed mechanism for the chuck, and it operates to force the end portion of the pencil into engagement with the abrading wheel, and to keep said end of the pencil in contact with the abrading wheel, thus com pensating for the material which is cut away from the sheath and the core by the action of the pointing mechanism.

The operation of the machinemay be described as follows: The carriages, I and J, are moved backwardly on the slide rail so as to permit the introduction of a pencil of any desired length into the socket, Z, of the holder, L, after which the carriage, I, is moved toward the butt end of'the pencil, in order that the chuck, K, may receive said end of the pencil. The feed carriage, however, is siibsequently moved along the slide rail and relative to the stem, M, for the purpose of compressing the spring, 0, and the lip or dog, j, of said feed carriage is dropped into engagement with one of the teeth, 72/,

of said slide rail, whereby the carriage, J, is locked on the slide rail by the engagement of this dog with one of said teeth, and said spring, 0, pressing said carriage, J, into such fixed engagement with said slide rail. The spring, however, acts 011 the carriage, I, so as to press the chuck toward the holder, L, and the pencil is thus forced through the socket of the holder and into. engagement with the face of the abrading wheel. The pencil is inclined at an angle to said abrading wheel, and said pencil is rotated by the chuck and. the gearing in an opposite direction to that of the abrading wheel. The shaft, C, is rotated either by hand or by power, and the gears, d, d, rotate the shaft, B, at an increased speed as compared with that of the shaft, C. Said shaft, B, rotates the balance wheel, D, and the abrading wheel, E, and the shaft, B, furthermore, drives the spiral gears, f, for the purpose of rotating the elongated gear, F, the latter in turn rotating the chuck, K, which chuck "rotates the pencil in the holder, L.

It will be noted that the pencil is rotated on its longitudinal axis, is supported in a position inclined to the operating face of the abrading wheel, and is moved, fed or thrust endwise under yielding pressure by the feed mechanism associated with the chuck carriage, whereby the end portion of the pencil in engagement with the face of the abrading wheel may be pointed without breaking the core or lead in the sheath. These operations are important features of my improved machine because they all contribute to the pointing of a pencil rapidly, economically and without danger of breaking the lead, irrespective of the quality of the lead in the encil.

It will be observed that the carriages, I and J, are adjustable on the slide rail for the purpose of accommodating any suitable length of pencil, and, furthermore, said carriages may be adjusted simultaneously by reason of the connection between said carriages afforded by the stem, M, although in the present construction, the feed carriage, J, is necessarily adjustable on the slide rail independently of the chuck carriage. Such independent adjustment is required in order to place the chuck carriage under the tension of the spring, 0.

I have found that the employment of a balance wheel on the shaft which carries the rotary abrading wheel is quite advantageous for the reason that a heavy rim on said balance wheel insures easy and steady running of the abrading wheel and causes the abrading wheel to rotate at a comparatively high rate of speed which enables the machine to rapidly produce the point on the pencil.

In the practical use of the machine, the abrading wheel, when made of emery or carborundum, will last for an indefinite length of time, for the reason that there is no appreciable wear on said wheel, but should wear take place it is desirable to make provision for the adjustment of the holder, L, in order that it may retain its cooperative relation to the face of the abrading wheel.

The material which is removed from the pencil by the action of the abrading wheel drops into the chamber, a, so as to be collected thereby, thus preventing the material from soiling the hands of the operator, and from dropping on to the table or desk.

In removing the pencil from the machine after the point has been formed thereon, it is not necessary to adjust the feed carriage, J, for the reason that the operator can press the carriage, I, and the chuck, K, backward against the tension of the spring, 0, for a sufficient distance to disconnect the butt end of the pencil from the chuck, after which the pointed end of the pencil can be withdrawn from the holder.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the class described, a pencil-pointing mechanism, a chuck adapted to receive the end portion of a pencil, means for rotating said chuck, a tension device operating to yieldingly move the chuck toward the pencil-pointing mechanism, and means whereby the chuck and the tension device therefor may be adjusted simultaneously to variable positions relative to the pencil pointing mechanism, thereby enabling the chuck to be used for supporting pencils of different lengths and at the same time feed said pencil under yielding pressure to said pointing mechanism. 4

2. In a device of the class described, pencil-pointing mechanism, a chuck adapted to receive the butt end portion of a pencil and to apply pressure thereto in an endwise direction, means for rotating said chuck, and tension mechanism normally cooperating with' said chuck, said tension. mechanism being adjustable simultaneously with the chuck and to variable positions relative to the pencil-pointing mechanism, whereby the chuck is shiftable to suit pencils of different lengths and is capable of feeding such pencils under yielding pressure to said pointing mechanism.

3. In a device of the class described, pencil-pointing mechanism, a solid chuck-shaft, a chuck thereon, means for rotating the chuck-shaft, and a tension device cooperating with said chuck and shiftable bodily therewith to variable positions relative to said pointing mechanism, whereby the chuck is adapted to accommodate pencils which vary in length and to feed said pencils under yielding pressure to said pointing mechanism 4. In a device of the class described, penoil-pointing mechanism, a chuck-carriage, a

solid chuck-shaft mounted in the carriage, a

chuck rotatable with the shaft and adapted to receive a butt-end of a pencil for exerting endwise pressure thereon, means for rotating the chuck-shaft, and a tension device in cooperative relation to the chuck-carriage, said tension device being adjustable with the chuck-carriage at variable distances from said pointing mechanism.

5. In a device of the class described, penoil-pointing mechanism, a rotatable pencil chuck, and a tension device cooperating with said chuck for moving a pencil normally under pressure toward said pointing mechanism, said chuck and the tension device there for being shiftable simultaneously and at will relative to said pointing mechanism, whereby pencils varying in length may be used in the machine and held under a given pressure in cooperative relation to said pointing mechanism.

6. In a device of the class described, pencil-pointing mechanism, a chuck-carriage normally free to move toward and from said pointing mechanism, a revoluble chuck on said carriage, and automatic tension devices cooperating with the carriage for moving said carriage and the chuck under pressure toward said pointing mechanism; said tension device being adjustable with the carriage at variable distances from said pointing mechanism.

7. In a device of the class described, penoil-pointing mechanism, a sliderail, a chuckcarriage movable on said slide-rail, a rotatable chuck on said carriage and adapted for engagement with the butt-end of a pencil for exerting endwise pressure thereon, and automatic tension mechanism for moving the chuck under yieldable pressure toward the pointing mechanism, said tension mechanism being adjustable on the slide-rail and simultaneously with the chuck-carriage to variable positions relative to the pencilpointing mechanism.

8. In a device of the class described, penoil-pointing mechanism, a slide-rail at an angle to the path of operation of said point ingmechanism, a chuck-carriage movable on said slide-rail, a rotatable chuck on said carriage, and automatic tension mechanism cooperating with the chuck-carriage for moving the same and the chuck normally toward said pointing mechanism, said tension mechanism being adjustable on the slide-rail and simultaneously with the chuck-carriage to variable positions relative to the pencilpointing mechanism.

9. In a device of the class described, penoil-pointing mechanism, two carriages adj ustable independently of each other, a chuck on one of said carriages, pressure means for moving the chuck carriage toward said pointing mechanism, and means operatively connecting said carriages whereby they are re tained in operative positions.

10. In a device of the class described, pen oil-pointing mechanism, a rail, two independent carriages movable on said rail, means for holding one carriage in a relatively fixed position on said rail, a chuck on the other carriage, and a pressure device cooperating with the carriages for moving the chuck and its carriage relative to the pointing mech anism.

11. In a device of the class described, pencilpointing mechanism, a slide-rail, a chuckcarriage slidable on said rail, a feed carriage adapted to have interlocking engagement with said rail, a chuck on the chuck carriage, astem connecting said carriages, and a pressure spring held in place by the stem and acting on the chuck carriage for moving the chuck under pressure toward the pointing mechanism.

12. In a device of the class described, a shaft, an abrading member composed of a solid wheel of abrasive material, said member being rotatable with the shaft, means for driving the shaft, a sliderail at an angle to the abrading member, an elongated pinion parallel to the sliderail, intermeshing spiral gears on the shaft and the elongated pinion for driving the latter, a chuck carriage movable freely on the slide-rail, a chuck mounted on the carriage and having a pinion which meshes with the elongated pinion, another carriage adapted to have interlocking relation to the slide-rail, and a pressure device cooperating with the aforesaid carriages and 4 adapted to press the chuck normally toward the abrading member.

13. In a device of the class described, pencil-pointing mechanism, a slide-rail, a chuckcarriage slidable on said rail, a revoluble chuck mounted in said carriage, a feed carriage adjustable at will on said rail, and means cooperating with the chuck carriage and the feed carriage for y-ieldably pressing the chuck and its carriage toward the pointing mechanism.

14. In a device of the class described, pencil-pointing mechanism, a rotatable chuck provided with a socket which is closed at one end and open at the other for the reception of the butt-end of a pencil, means for automatically exerting tension on said chuck, thereby moving it normally toward said pointing mechanism, and a sliding and rota table member for rotating said chuck at all points of its travel.

15. In a device of the class described, pencil-pointing mechanism, a rail, a chuck sup port movable freely back and forth on said rail, a chuck mounted on said chuck-support, means for rotating said chuck, a spring actingon said chuck support, and an adjustable element cooperating with said spring and adapted to have fixed engagement with said rail at different points thereon.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CARL NICKUM.

Witnesses E. A. RUTENBER, FRANK J. DUNN.

Images