US1895130A - Pencil - Google Patents

Description

C. R. KEERAN A`lan. -24, `1933.

PENCIL Filed Nov. 7.. 19:50`

Patented Jan. 24, 1933 PATENT OFFICE CHARLES R. KEEBAN, OF EVANSTON, ILLINIS PENCIL Application llled November 7, 1930; Serial No. 493,931.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a mechanical pencil with the upper portion of the barrel, the clip and the clip-securing mea-ns shown in section to illustrate the features of this invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the upper portion of the pencil barrel with its clip-securing means of modified form. E

Figure 3 is a transverse section taken as 'indicated at line 3-3 on Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a transverse section taken as indicated at line 4.--4 on Figure 2.

Figure is a partial longitudinal section similar to Figure 2 showing a further modication of the cli -securing means.

Figure 6 is a ragmentary sectional view showing the clip in the process of assembly and a retaining plug partially inserted in the barrel.

The lead-propelling mechanism which may be understood as housedin the lower or 3 5 ti pedend of the pencil barrel, 1, may` be of any suitable type and hasno particular relation to the present invention; therefore it is not illustrated in detail and need not be further described.4 The upper portion of 10 the barrel, 1, is hollow, as is usual in pencils of this type, having a bore indicated at 2.-'

l For holding the pencil upright in a coat or vest pocket the barrel is equipped with a.

spring clip whose external portion is in the usual form of a tapering arm, 3,"preferably terminating in a spherical formation at 4 and bent transversely at 5 to enter an o ening in theform of 'a slot, 6, in the wall o the barrel, 1. Inside the barrel the clip member terminates in a tang, 7, bent approximately at right angles to the transverse portion, '5, so as to extend' substantially parallel j to the spring arm, 3, and to the axis of the barrel, 1, in its assembled position.

The tang, 7 of the clip lmember is held in 55 placel by al plug, 8, inserted in the up er end of the barrel and accurately fitting t e bore, 2,-preferably so that the plug m'ust be forced in under considerable pressure and is held tightly enough inthe barrel to be considered a permanent fixture therein. In .the form shown in Figure 1 the inner wall of the barrel is formed with a groove, 9, vextending longitudinally from the slot, 6, to the open end of the barrel and dimensioned to accommo- G5 date the tang, 7, of the clip member, the depth of the slot being substantially equal to the thickness of the tang. v

In the form shown in Figure 2 the inner wall of the barrel is unbrokenexcept by .the slot, 6, but a longitudinal groove 19 is provided in the outer wall of the plug, 18. In the second modification which is lshown in Flgure 5, the plug, 28, instead of being forced into the bore of the barrel, 1, is formed with a short thread,'29, near its upper end which engages corresponding threads formed on the inner wall of the barrel so that the plug, 28, may be screwed home to position for locking the tang, 7 in the groove, 9, of the barrel.

With any of the plug structures just described it will be evident that the assembly of the clip with the barrel becomes an eX- tremely simple matter. It is only0necessary to enter the tang, 7, in the slot of the barrel and then swing the tang bodily in the slot, thus rocking the curved part, 1,0, of the transverse portion, 5,.into place and bringing the tang fiatly 4against the inner wall of the barrel or the bottom of the longitudinal groove in that wall; then the 'insertion of the plug firmly locks the tangof the clbip in this position.v If the p lug is not too tightly fitted, or is screwed into position, as shown in Figure 5, the breakage of the clip, 3, be-

Acomes a very simple matter to repair because it merely involves removal of the plug and insertion 'of a new tang. This can usually be done b yvthe retail dealer and thus avoid shipment of the pencil to the factory for this repalr. Y

In order to utilize the space in the barrel efficiently I prefer to make the plug, 8, or either of its modified forms, 18 or 29, hollow so as to serve as a chamber or reservoir for spare leads, which are indicated in this position at 11 in Figures 1, 3 and 4. And preferably I combine with the hollow plug as an y integral portion thereof a somewhat larger removed its prongs tend to open, thus releasing the eraser, 13 and permitting it to be re-adjusted, usually outwardly, to compensate for wear; or the erasermay be completely removed and replaced by a new one, whereupon the spring holder will be re-inserted in the socket, 12. Occasionally, it may be dif'- icult to grasp the eraser u nit at the bends, 14h, and in such instances a pin or similar implement may be inserted in the aperture, 16, of the socket, 12, said aperture being located opposite the lower edge of the spring holder, 14, as indicated in Figure 5.

" It will be understood, of course, that any manipulation or adjustment of the eraser is carried `on after removal of the outer ornamental cap, 20, if such cap is provided, although in more inexpensive grades of pencils this cap may be entirely omitted from the structure. Such cap, 20, is merely held by frictional engagement with the outer surface of the socket, 12.

The hollow plug, 8, and its connected socket portion, 12, may be formed from sheet metal by well known methods similarto those used in the drawing of cartridge shells, the bottom low cylindrical body with an aperture in its wall, a clip comprising a portion extending through said aperture with a ieldable arm bent transversely of said portion and lying along the outside of the barrel, and a tang also bent transversely of said portion` but extending within the barrel in contact with the inner wall thereof, together with a plug inserted in the barrel and dimensioned to grip the tang between its outer wall and the inner wall of the barrel, said plug having, a hollow portion at its outer end extending beyond the barrel serving to hold an eraser, the barrel having a groove to accommodate the ta'nk of the clip, and the plug and barrel having cooperating threaded portions by which the plug is retained in clip-holding position.

2. In the combination dened in claim 1, said plug being in the fbrm of a hollow shell having a portion adapted to serve as a magazine for lspare writingA points for the implement, the eraser being removably held in the outer end ortion of the plug and serving as a closure or said magazine.

3. In a pencil, a hollow barrel having an aperture in its wall, a clip comprising a portion extending through said aperture, a yield.- able arm bent transversely of said portion and lying along the outside of the barrel, and a tang also bent transversely of said portion extending within the barrel in contact with v the inner wall thereof,-together with a plug inserted in the barrel and firmly held therein against longitudinal movement to grip the tang between its outer wall and the inner wall of the barrel, said plug being in the form of a hollow shell closed at the inner end having a portion adapted to serve as a spare lead magazine for the pencil, and a portion at its outer end of larger diameter serving to hold an eraser and forming a shoulder at the junction of said portions to abut the end of the barrel for limiting the insertion of the smaller portion therein.

CHARLES R. KEERAN.

wall of the hollow plug being left in place to serve as the bottom of the spare lead chamber, thus avoiding the 'expense and work of inserting 'a special'plug or diaphragm to perform this function. When the barrel, 1, is formed of bakelite, celluloid or other molded composition 'it is a simple matter to hold the groove, 9, in forming the main bore, 2. But

- i when the barrel is to be of metal tubing or any standard tubing it may be considered preferable to employ the form of plug shown at 18 in Figure 2, in which the groove, 19, is pressed into the wall of the plug itself so that no special formation is required in the bore of the barrel, 1a.

I claim:

1. In a writing implement including a hol-

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