US1989220A - Fountain pen - Google Patents

Description

Patented Jan. 29, 1$i35 I n 'I -k l. Y l v UNITEDV STATES: PATENT oFrlcl-z 1.989.220 n.n'ENH.. NJ.. Application February 20, 1934, No. '112,139

'z-olaims. (ci. 1go-109) My invention relates to improvements in pens, Referring to thedrawing in which correspondparticularly fountain pens :and nibs, or pens ing vand Vlikeparts are designated by the same refproper, therefor. I erence characters throughout the several views,

In the manufacture `offountain pens jit is the "Figure 1 is a fragmentary view partly in longi- I prevailing practice to equip them with nibs or tudinal section and partly in elevation of a founv5 pens of lmore or less standard sizes, containing tain pen equipped with my novel nib or pen and a a high proportion of gold usually fourteen caratsv preferredform ofmynib-reenforoing means. alloyed withv other metal. The use of gold, as Figure 2 is a view in elevation .of the nib with will be understood', is highly desirable because thereenforcing means attached thereto and lookof its non-corrosive character, its softness and ing at the upper 'face of the nib. l0

flexibility which contribute to ease of writing, `Figure 3 is-asimilar view'looking at the under and also because of commercial demand due to face of said nib.

general appreciation of its intrinsic value. Be- Figure 4 is a' face view of thefreenforcing means cause of the high cost of vgold,`its.use in any such detached from the nib and drawn to an enlarged 16 or much smaller proportions is notfpracticable scale. f 15 in the manufacture of nibs, particularly of the Figure 5 is a similar view of a modified form -usual sizes, for low cost fountain pens. of the reenforcing means looking at the under With the foregoing in mind, the primary obface` thereof and illustrating how said means is ject of my invention is to provide in afountain adapted to vfacilitate the. flow of ink and to pre- 20 pena so-calledgold nib having a high carat convent the'same from spurting. v 20 tent, but a smaller amount or weight of gold Figure 6 is a view in transverse section illustherein than present day nibs of corresponding trating the reenforcingl means of Figure 5 atsizes, sov that gold nib fountain pens may be protached to the nib and taken on the line 6-6 vduced at low cost. 1 of said Figure 5.

More specifically my invention comprehends Figure 'I is a fragmentary'elevation looking 25.

a gold nib,'or pen, of high carat content but of at the upper face of the nib and illustrating how finer or thinner gauge than present day nibs of the reenforcing means may be modified to vary corresponding size, so that the amount or weightl the flexibilityv of the writing point of the nib, and of gold therein is appreciably smaller as com- Figure 8 is aview similar to Figure 1, illus- $0 pared with the usual gold nibs, combined with trating devices Vfor mounting the nib and the re- -30 novel nib reenforcing Vmeans for preventing the enforcing means of Figure 5 in the barrel or holdnib from buckling or undue flexing under writer of the pen to eliminate the usual ink feed bar. ing pressure, said means preferably having the uSpecifically describing the embodiment of the form of a frame of non-corrosive inexpensive invention illustrated by Figures 1 to 4 inclusive,

85 metal relatively stiffer than the nib and reenfthe numeral 1 designates the pen barrel, and 2 35 forcing the body portion of the nib and also the the usual sleeve member wedged into the lower writing point thereof. end of the barrel land forming therewith the Another object of my inventionis to provide pen holder. The sleeve member 2 is provided a reenforcing frame for lthe nib adapted tov faciliwith an extension 3 to'which an ink sack 4 is 40 tate and induce the fiow of ink 'to the-writing suitably secured and has an axial bore 40 point of the nib and to prevent the ink from 5 through which projects the upper end of an ink spurting. feed bar 6 provided with an ink ow channel as Another object is the provision-of a reenforcat 7. i ing frame readily attachable to the nib to form The numeral 8 designates the nib, or pen proptherewith a manufacturing unit. butv detachable er, which includes a body portion 9, a writing i5v therefrom if desired, and adaptable for usewith point 10 having upwardly concave side edges 11 the nib as a separate detached unit.- and the usual tip 11'. Preferably the upper edge Other objects are to provide for elimination of or heel of the nib or pen 8 is concave as at 12 the usual ink feed bar, and for varying the flexfor a purpose presently apparent. As previousibility of the writing point of the nib. 1y stated,in substance, the nib 8 is formed of 50 Subordinate objects will presently appear and gold alloy but of very thin gauge, as compared e the nature of my invention will be more clearly with pens as now constructed; whereby an alloy understood from a reading of the following deof high carat gold content may be utilized in its scription and claims in conjunction with the acmanufacture While at the same time the amount companying drawing. Y or weight of gold is small compared with the known types of nibs to correspondingly reduce the cost of production. f

Superposed upon the nib 8 is a single piece nib reenforcing frame 13 including side members 14, an upper end member or heel part 15, and a lower pointed end member or toe part 16, said frame being of a size and shape toextend along the'longitudinal edges or marginal portions of the nib substantially flush or coincident with said edges, to within a -short distance of the tip l1', the pointed end member 16 extending across the writing point 10 to additionally `reenforce the same against undue iiexing, asbest shown in Figures 1 and 2. In this form of the invention the reenforcing frame 13 is attached to the nib or pen 8 to form therewith a manufacturing unit. Preferably, for this purpose a lug or clip 17 is provided on the y"upper edge of the end member 15, centrally thereof, to be bent under the upper edge of the nib 8 and set in the concavity thereof, and avpair of similar lugs or clips 18 are provided on opposite sides of the pointed end member 16 for similar arrangement relative to the concave edges 11 of the writing point 10. It will be noted that the lugs 1'7 and 18 are arranged so as to prevent accidental displacement of the frame 13 and also to obviate undue spreading of the writing point 10. Also other means may be resorted to for attaching the frame 13 to the nib 8 for instance spot welding, or soldering. The nib 8 and attached frame 13 are removably mounted in the bore 5 over the ink feed bar 6 as shown in Figure 1. In this connection it is to be noted that the end member or heel part 15 is wider than the members 14 and 16 to provide an adequate bearing surface therefor in the bore 5, and to reenforce the gold pen against buckling during insertion ofv the pen in the bore. It has already been stated that the frame 13 is formed of an inexpensive material relatively stiffer than the nib 8. Preferably stainless steel, or monel is utilized, said frame being stamped, or otherwise formed of a .thin sheet thereof.

With reference to Figure 5, the frame 13 may be adapted to facilitate the feed of the ink to the nib 8 by providing suitable ink channels in the under side thereof. Preferably a continuous capillary channel 19 is engraved or otherwise formed around the entire frame together with capillary feeder channels 20 leading from. the upper edge of the member 15 to said channel 19 all the channels being on the side of the frame that contacts with the nib 8. These channels 19 and 20 are designed under the flexing action of the nib 8 and frame 13 to induce a flow Iof ink to the writing point 10 of said nib, the channels at the end 16 of the frame being in superposed relation to the usual slit in the writing point of the nib to lead ink thereto. To obviate spurting a series of lateral channels 2l are in the end members 16 in communication with the channel 19 to receive and retain ink from the point 11 when the pen is inverted endwise and to serve as reservoirs for the ink so that ink shall be always immediately available for beginning writing without the necessity `for shaking the pen or waiting for the ink to run from the sack. Obviously, 4ink would ow between the nib 8 and frame, even without the channels 19, 20 and 21. If desired the described frames 13 may be adapted for use with a nib as a separate detached unit by eliminating the lugs or clips 17 and 18 said frames in this case being merely laid upon the nib and heldin place by the holder 1,

The ink feeding, or channeled form of frame 13 may also be used to take the place of the ink feed bar 6 as shown in Figure 8. In this form of the invention a plug 22 is utilized in lieu of the sleeve 2 said plug having an extension 23 to which the ink sack 4 is suitably connected and also having an ink flow channel 24 into which the nib 8 and frame 13 are fitted. Preferably, in this form of the invention, the frame 13 is adapted for use as a separate detached unit held in place together with the nib by the pen holder.

The invention makes it possible to use an extremely thin gold nib with a minimum of metal therein, by reenforcing the gold nib against buckling or undue bending under writing pressure.- The whole pen is therefore inexpensive and yet reliable and durable. The degree of flexibility of the writing point may be varied by locating the end 16 of the frame at different distances from the extremity of the writing point; for example Figure '7 shows a nib havingY a more flexible writing point than that shown in Figures 1 to 4, the end 16 of the frame being located farther from the extremity ofthe writing point.

The foregoing constitutes a detailed description of my invention and it is believed that the operation and advantages thereof will be clear therefrom. It is to be understood however that thev invention is not to be confined to the precise details set forth and that right is herein reserved to modifications falling fairly Within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what claim is: y

l. The combination of a nib having a heel and a Writing point, and a nib reenforcing open frame having a heel part overlying the heel of the nib, a toe part overlying the Writing point, and side members connecting said heel part and toe part and overlying and secured to the longitudinal `marginal portions of said nib, and a holderhaving a recess frictionally receiving the heel of the nib and the heel part of said frame, so that said heel part, the side members and the toe part of the frame reenforce the heel, 'the longitudinal marginal portions and the writing point of the nib, respectively.

2. The combination of a nib having a heel and a writing point, and a nibreenforcing open frame having a heel part overlying the heel of the nib, a toe part overlying the writing point,

and side members connecting said heel part and toe part and overlying andv secured to the longitudinal marginal portions of said nib, and a holder having a recess frictionally receiving the heel of the nib and the heel part of said frame, said frame having lugs at its edges clinched over the edges of said nib to positively secure the frame on the nib, so that .said heel part, the side members and the toe part of the frame reenforce the heel, the longitudinal marginal portions and the writing point of the nib, respectively.

3. The lcombination of a nib having a heel and a writing point, and a nib reenforcing open frame having a heel part overlying the heel of the nib, a toe part overlying the Writing point, and side members connecting said heel part and toe part and overlying and secured to the longitudinal marginal portions of said nib, and a holder having a recess frictionally receiving the heel of the nib and the heel part of said frame, said writing point being longitudinally split and said toe part of the frame having lugs clinched over the opposite side edges of the writing point to limit spreading of said writing point.

4. The .combination with a pen nib having a longitudinally split writing point, of a reenforcing member overlying said writing point and having lugs clinched over the opposite side edges of the writing point to limit spreading of said Writing point. K

5. The combination of a. pen nib having a heel and a writing point and being inherently incapable of withstanding writing pressure, and an open relatively stiffer reenforcing frame having a heel part overlying the heel of the nib, a toe part partially overlying said Writing' point, and side members connecting said heel part and toe part and overlying the side edge portions of said nib, and means positively fastening said frame in snug'contact with said nib.

6. A pen nib comprising an open frame formed of stii inexpensive material having a heel part and a toe part and side members connecting said heel part and toe part, and a thin highly ilex ible body portion of precious metal alloy underlying said frame and exposed therethrough between said heel part, toe part, and side members vand having a split writing point inherently inconduct ink to the writing point and cooperates with the frame to produce an ornamental appearance.

7. 'Ihe combination set forth in claim 6 wherein said frame is formed of stainless steel and said body portion is formed of a-gold alloy.

' NORMAN E. WEIGEL.

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