US3480370A - Writing instruments - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 25, 1969 HEROELN "3,480,370

WRITING INSTRUMENTS Filed Jan. 18, 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIGJ I 6 INVENTOR QELN HAROLD ATTORNEY v NQV. 25,-1969- I KOELN 3,480,370

- WRITING INSTRUMENTS Filed Jan. 18, 1968 I S Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR HAROLD E. KOELN BY sfe ATTORNEY v Nov. 25, 1969 H. E. KOELN 3,480,370

WRITING INSTRUMENTS Filed Jan. 18. 1968 5 She ets-Sheet 5 200 274 3 FIGJS 1 1 1 1 1 zz I Z20 I Y. 20

Y LL! 1 I y v 7 2259 2 7 2/2 (2/0 INVENTOR HAROLD E. KOELN,

ATTO RN EY United States Patent 3,480,370 WRITING INSTRUMENTS Harold E. Koeln, Rock Hill, Mo., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Penn Corporation, Princeton, N.J., a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 18, 1968, Ser. No. 698,903 Int. Cl. B43k 7/12 US. Cl. 401-107 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A writing instrument having a barrel and an ink cartridge shiftably mounted in the barrel and provided at one end with a writing tip. At its end, the barrel has longitudinally extending fingers which close uponthemselves and completely shield the writing tip when the cartridge is in its retracted position. A camming surface on the cartridge engages inwardly projecting shoulders on the fingers and spreads the fingers as the cartridge moves to its extended position. Elastomeric or spring metal bands assist in urging the fingers together. In a modified form of the invention the fingers form part of a collet which is shiftable within the barrel.

This invention relates in general to writing instruments and, more particularly, to writing instruments having retractable marking tips.

Ball-point pens having retractable writing points are commonplace and have been in use almost since the inception of the ball-point pen itself. Since the rotatable ball in the point of a ball-point pen is generally very small, the point itself requires little breadth to support it and consequently the hole or aperture in the end of the pen barrel through which the point projects need not be much larger than the point. Therefore, when the point is retracted into the pen barrel, the chance of the point contacting and staining nearby objects is remote. Nevertheless, after repeated use ink and stray paper fibers tend to accumulate on the point and this accumulation is transferred to the surrounding margins of the barrel aperture as the writing tip is withdrawn. -In time a relatively large deposit of ink and paper fiber accumulates on the pen barrel, thereby subjecting shirt and coat pockets, the interior of purses, and other places where such pens are normally kept to permanent ink stains.

Recently fiber tip pens or felt writers have become popular for household and business use. The writing tips of these pens, while relatively small in comparison 'to the felt markers previously marketed, are nevertheless considerably larger than ball-point tips, and as a result such cartridges are not customarily made to retractably mount them in a manner similar to ball-point cartridges. In particular, a barrel capable of retractably receiving such a cartridge in the same manner in which ball-point cartridges are normally mounted would not have the slim gentle taper which makes conventional ball-point pens aesthetically pleasing and easy to manipulate, and moreover the end of the barrel would necessarily have an enlarged aperture for receiving the felt tip. This barrel construction would not adequately shield the writing tip from nearby objects. Furthermore, fiber tips, being relatively flexible, would have an even greater tendency to deposit ink on the margins of the barrel apertures than ,is'the case with conventional ball-point pens. Also, the

fiber tips of these pens function like a wick and, unless covered, the ink evaporates at an accelerated rate. Consequently, fiber tip markers of current manufacture do not employ retractable tips, but are, on the contrary, supplied with removable protective covers similar to those used on fountain pens.

3,480,370 Patented Nov. 25, 1969 The present invention is a writing instrument having a barrel provided with an ink cartridge and writing point mounted on the end of the cartridge. The barrel has at its end longitudinally extending fingers which close upon one another and substantially completely cover and protect the writing point when that point is retracted. When the point is extended, a portion of the cartridge engages the fingers and urges them apart, thereby allowing the point to project beyond the end of the barrel for marking purposes. In a modified form of the invention the barrel is continuous and the fingers form part of a collet which is shiftable within the barrel and encircles the pen point.

Among the several objects of the present invention may be noted the provision of a writing instrument in which the writing point retracts into and is completely shielded by the barrel; the provision of a writing instrument in which the writing point is relatively broad, yet retracts into a slim tapered barrel; the provision of a writing instrument which does not leave a deposit of ink and paper fibers on the pen barrel after the point has been retracted numerous times; and the provision of a writing instrument which is simple and rugged in construction and economical to manufacture. Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the constructions hereinafter described, the scope of the invention being indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which several possible embodiments of the invention are illustrated,

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a writing instrument constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of the writing instrument with the writing tip retracted;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the writing instrument;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 44 of FIG. 2;

'FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 4 but showing the writing tip extended beyond the end of the barrel;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modified form of writing instrument;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7 7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of another modified form of writing instrument;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is an exploded elevational view of the writing instrument illustrated in FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary elevational view of still another modified form of writing instrument;

FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken along line 1212 of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary sectional view of a further modified form of writing instrument;

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary sectional view of still another modified form of writing instrument showing the writing tip and collet retracted;

FIG. 15 is an end elevational view of the writing instrument illustrated in FIG. 14; and

FIG. 16 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 14 but showing the writing tip and collet in their extended positions.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawmgs.

Referring now to the drawings, 2 designates a writing instrument including a barrel 4, an end cap 6, and an ink cartridge 8 mounted for shiftable movement in barrel 4.

Barrel 4 is preferably molded from a somewhat flexible plastic and has a gently tapered tubular body portion having a diametrally reduced threaded end portion 12 projecting axially from its upper end, reference being made to the position in which instrument 2 is normally held when writing on a horizontal surface. At its opposite or lower end, body portion 10 is provided with three upwardly extending longitudinal slits 14 which open into three circumferentially spaced triangular cutouts 16, thereby defining three longitudinally extending fingers 18 which taper inwardly to form a rounded nose portion 20 on barrel 4. Immediately inwardly from nose portion 20, body portion 10 is undercut in the formation of a shallow circumferential recess 22 which extends upwardly beyond triangular cutouts 16. Fitted into recess 22 is an elastomeric band 24 which biases fingers 18 toward one another so that the edges forming slits 14 abut unless otherwise restricted.

Barrel 4 is provided with an internal axially extending bore 26 which extends through threaded end portion 12 and body portion 10. At its lower end, bore 26 tapers inwardly with the taper of body portion 10 and terminates at shoulders 28 located on the inwardly presented surfaces of fingers 18 substantially midway between their ends. Beyond shoulders 28, fingers 18 are relieved in the formation of an axially extending Well 30 in body portion 10 which opens upwardly into bore 26.

Mounted in bore 26 for limited axial shifting movement between extended and retracted positions is ink cartridge 8, including a tubular reservoir 32 having a tapered intermediate portion 34 at its lower end which merges into an axially extending diametrally reduced end portion 36 having a fiber marker 38 retained therein by means of crimps. Fiber marker 38 projects axially beyond end portion 36 in the provision of a writing tip 39 which is disposed within well 30 of barrel 4 when cartridge 8 is in its retracted position. Encircling end portion 36 rearwardly beyond writing tip 39 is a sleeve 40 having a chamfered camming surface 42 which is located adjacent shoulders 28 when cartridge 8 is in its retracted position (FIG. 4). The location of camming surface 42 with respect to writing tip 39 of marker 38 is such that when cartridge 8 is moved axially forward in barrel 4, camming surface 42 will engage shoulders 28 before tip 39 reaches the base or closed end of well 30. Moreover, the taper of camming surface 42 and the diameter of sleeve 40 are such that continued advancement of cartridge 8 will cause camming surface 42 to spread fingers 18 sufficiently to allow writing tip 39 to project beyond the spread nose portion 20 on barrel 4 without being in contact or having ever contacted the internal surfaces of fingers 18 (FIG. 5).

Crimped into the opposite end of tubular reservoir 32 is a plastic end plug 44 having a diametrally reduced operating stem 46 projecting axially therefrom. Embracing reservoir 32 immediately downwardly from plug 44 is a restraining collar 48 and bearing against collar 48 is a coil spring 50 which also encircles reservoir 32. At its opposite end coil spring 50 bears against a slidable ring '52 which rests on the upper rim of end portion 12 on barrel 4. Accordingly, spring 50 continually biases cartridge 8 to its retracted position. Reservoir 32 is filled with a suitable ink composition which saturates fiber marker 38.

The upper end of cartridge 8 projects out of bore 26 beyond which it is contained within end cap '6 which forms an uninterrupted external continuation of barrel 4. End cap 6 (FIG. 3) includes a body portion 60 having a downwardly opening lower bore 62 which receives the upper end of cartridge 8. The walls defining the lower end of bore 62 are threaded for reception of threaded end portion 12 of barrel 4. Shiftably mounted in the opposite end of end cap 6 is an actuating button 80, and interposed between stem 46 and button 80 is an actuating mechanism 90. Since actuating mechanism 90 is conventional, it is designated by dotted lines in FIG. 3. When button is depressed, mechanism will act upon stem 46 and shift cartridge 8 axially within bore 26 to its extended positions. When cartridge 8 reaches its fully extended position, wherein writing tip 39 projects beyond nose portion 20 on barrel 4, mechanism 90 will engage cap 6 and maintain cartridge 8 in that position until button 80 is again depressed or mechanism 90 is otherwise disturbed. When this occurs mechanism 90 Will disengage itself from cap 6, and allow spring 50 to shift cartridge 8 back to its retracted position.

As cartridge 8 moves from its fully retracted position to its extended position, camming surface 42 will engage shoulders 28 and spread fingers 18 before writing tip 39 reaches the base of well 30 (FIG. 4). Continued advancement of cartridge 8 will cause shoulders 28 to ride up onto the exterior surface of sleeve 40, thereby maintaining fingers 18 in a spread condition (FIG. 5). Since fingers 18 are spread, tip 39 of marker 38 is free to shift outwardly between spread fingers 18 and project beyond the extreme end or nose portion 20 on barrel 4. When button 80 is again pushed so that spring 50 will retract cartridge 8, the reverse sequence of operation occurs with elastomeric band 24 assisting the natural resiliency of the plastic in bringing fingers 18 into snug closure. This closure is sufficiently tight to prevent any appreciable evaporation of the ink from writing tip 39, thereby preventing fiber marker 38 from drying out through exposure. Furthermore, marker 38 is completely shielded so that objects coming in contact with the end of barrel 4 Will not be stained with ink. Also, when cartridge 8 is moved into and retracted from its extended position, fingers 18 are maintained in spaced relation from Writing tip 39 so that ink and paper fibers do not accumulate on them.

Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7, it is possible to provide a modified writing instrument which is similar to writing instrument 2, but has a ball-point cartridge in lieu of a fiber marker cartridge. Writing instrument 100 includes a barrel 102 which gently tapers inwardly to a rounded nose portion 104 at its lower end where it is provided with three axially extending slits 106 defining three fingers 108. Barrel 102 is preferably formed from a flexible plastic and embedded within its nose portion 104 beyond the ends of slits 106 is a spring band 110 having metal arms 112 projecting from the lower margin thereof along fingers 108 into which they are embedded. Arms 112 are also formed from a resilient metal and are biased toward one another so as to urge fingers 108 into, and to hold them in, closure-forming abutment. Internally, barrel 102 is provided with a bore 114 and opening into bore 114 within nose portion 104 is a well 116, the juncture between bore 114 and well 116 being shoulders 118 which project inwardly from fingers 108.

Fitted within barrel 102 for axial shifting movement between extended and retracted positions is an ink cartridge 120 including a tubular reservoir 122 which tapers at its lower end into a cylindrical intermediate section 124 having a chamfered camming surface 126 at its lower end. When cartridge 120 is in its retracted position, camming surface 126 is located adjacent shoulders 118. Beyond shoulders 118, cartridge 120 is provided with a diametrally reduced writing tip 128 including a tapered end which terminates at a rotatable ball 130. Cartridge 120 is shifted to-and-fro within barrel 102 by any suitable actuating means.

When cartridge 120 is in its retracted position, chamfered camming surface 126 is located immediately inwardly from shoulders 118, while writing tip 128 is disposed within well 116. Advancement of cartridge 120 causes camming surface 126 to engage shoulders 118 and spread fingers 108, so that writing tip 128 can pass through the opened nose portion 104. Upon continued advancement of cartridge 120, shoulders 118 will ride upon the cylindrical surface of intermediate section 124 and at the same time writing tip 128 will be presented beyond the end of nose portion 104 for writing in a manner similar to that previously described.

It is also possible to provide a writing instrument 134 (FIGS. 8-10) having a barrel 136 providexl with four fingers 138, the adjacent side edges 140 of which are stepped and overlapped (FIG. 9), and are urged intO marginal abutment by a spring metal split ring 142 located in a circumferential groove 144. This feature affords even greater shielding of the writing tip. In such a case two opposed fingers 138 may be formed integral with barrel 136 while the other two opposed fingers 138 may be formed on a separate ring 146 which is subsequently glued to a shoulder 148 on barrel 136 (FIG. Fingers 138 are biased inwardly by means of split ring 142 carried within circumferential groove 144 extending around fingers 138 (FIG. 8).

It is also possible to, provide a writing instrument 150 (FIGS. 11 and 12) including a metal barrel 152 having a nose portion 154 provided with four longitudinally extending slits 156 which define four fingers 158. Intermediate their ends, fingers 158 are indented inwardly in the formation of an external annular recess 160 and internal shoulders 162. Fitted within barrel 152 is a writing cartridge 164 having a tubular reservoir 165, a cylindrical intermediate section 166 which terminates at camming surface 167, and a writing point 168. When cartridge 164 moves into its extended position, camming surface 167 engages shoulders 162 and spreads fingers 158 for outward extension of writing point 168. After further advancement of cartridge 164, shoulders 162 ride upon intermediate section 166 and are thereby maintained in the spread position. 1

Turning now to FIG. 13, another modified writing instrument 170 is similar to writing instrument 150, but the gentle contoured taper of its barrel 172 is continuous to the end of its nose portion 174 which is provided with four slits 176 defining four fingers 178. Fitted into barrel 172 is a cartridge 180 having a tubular reservoir 182, a cylindrical intermediate section 184 which is beveled at its ends in the provision of a camming surface 186, and a tapered writing tip 188 projecting axially from intermediate section 184. In this case intermediate section 184 is larger and camming surface 186 is located closer to writing tip 188 than their counterparts on writing instrument 150. When cartridge 180 is moved to its extended position, camming surface 186 engages the inwardly presented surfaces of fingers 178 and spreads them, thereby permitting writing tip 188 to project beyond the end of barrel 172.

It should be noted that the nose portions of the foregoing writing instruments can have from two to four and even more fingers and that the description of barrels having a specified number of fingers is for purposes of illustration and not by way of limitation. Moreover, the cartridges previously described need not necessarily retain fiber markers or ball-point tips, but they can also be mechanical pencils or crayola holders.

As will be seen by reference to FIGS. l4-16, another modified writing instrument 200 includes a tubular barrel 202 provided with a nose portion 204 which terminates at an aperture 206. Internally, barrel 202 is provided with a shoulder 208 located immediately inwardly from aperture 206, and abutting against shoulder 208 is an inwardly extending forward coil spring 210 which encircles a protective collet 212 preferably formed from a tempered resilient metal.

Collet 212 includes a collar portion 214 having a radially projecting flange 215 at its upper end for engaging the opposite end of coil spring 210. Extending downwardly and substantially axially from the opposite end of collar portion 214 are three outwardly biased arms 216, the bias thereof resulting from the natural resiliency of the metal. Arms 216 terminate at generally triangular plate-like cover elements or shields 218 which come into marginal abutment when arms 216 are urged together,

6 thereby forming a protective cover approximating a threesided pyramid (FIGS. 14 and 15).

Fitted within barrel 202 is an ink cartridge 220 having a tubular reservoir 222 which merges into a diametrally reduced cylindrical shank 224 provided with a writing tip 226 at its end. Encircling shank 224 between reservoir 222 and flange 215 is a rear coil spring 228. Writing instrument 200 is further provided with a suitable mechanism for shifting cartridge 220 between an extended position and a retracted position.

Assuming cartridge 220 is in its retracted position, writing tip 226 will be withdrawn inwardly beyond the tip of nose portion 204 and into the interior of barrel 202 (FIG. 14). Collet 212 will also be presented rearwardly, being urged into that position by forward spring 210, and its plate-like cover elements 218 will marginally abut and completely shield writing tip 226. Forward spring 210 will encircle arms 216 and thereby assist in retaining cover elements 218 in marginal contact. As cartridge 220 is shifted to its extended position, rear spring 228 will compress and bear against flange 215 and thereby shift collet 212 forwardly in barrel 202. As cover elements 218 and arms 216 emerge from aperture 206, arms 216 will spread by reason of their natural outward bias and this will provide sufiicient clearance for continued advancement of writing tip 226 beyond cover elements 218. In time, forward spring 210 will sufliciently oppose further forward motion of collet 212 to enable writing tip 226 to extend into its fully extended position beyond the opened ends of cover elements 218, in which position tip 226 is free for writing '(FIG. 16). When cartridge 220 is retracted, the opposite sequence of events occurs, that is cylindrical shank 224 and writing tip 226 withdraw within barrel 202 at a somewhat greater pace than collet 212, the cover elements 218 of which close about writing tip 226. As cartridge 220 withdraws, arms 216 engage the margins of aperture 206 and are cammed inwardly during the inwardly shifting movement of collet 212. When cartridge 220 is in its fully retracted position, cover elements 218 will be in marginal abutment at aperture 206 (FIG. 15).

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in alirniting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. A writing instrument comprising a barrel having a bore extending longitudinally therethrough; a plurality of slits extending longitudinally inwardly from one end of, said barrel, said slits defining a plurality of fingers which taper inwardly to form a nose portion at said one end of said barrel; said fingers having shoulders which protrude radially into said bore at a point between said one end of said barrel, and the inner ends of said slits; said barrel, said fingers and said shoulders being of unitary construction; a cartridge shiftably mounted within said bore and including a writing tip and a camming surface; said cartridge being movable from a retracted position wherein its writing tip is within said barrel to an extended position wherein said writing tip protrudes axially beyond said fingers; said camming surface being positioned on said cartridge so that it engages said shoulders during movement of said cartridge to its extended position and spreads said fingers prior to the exit of said writing tip from said barrel; and bias means encircling and engaging the outer surfaces of said fingers to yieldably urge them radially inwardly into snug closure-forming relationship.

2. The writing instrument of claim 1 wherein said bias means is an elastomeric band which covers said slits a substantial distance along their lengths.

, 3.- The Writing instrument of claim 1 wherein the adjacent side edgesof said fingers are stepped and overlapped so as to impede evaporation of ink from said writing tip when said cartridge is in its retracted position.

4. A writing instrument comprising a barrel having a bore extending longitudinally therethrough and terminating in an aperture at one end of said barrel; a collet shiftably mounted within said bore and having a collar portion and a plurality of outwardly biased arms terminating in cover elements; a cartridge shiftably mounted within said bore with one of its ends slidably extending through said collar portion and terminating at a writing tip; said collet being movable from a retracted position wherein it is within said bore and said cover elements are in closure-forming abutment shielding said writing tip to an extended position wherein said cover elements protrude from said aperture and spread radially outwardly from one another; said cartridge being movable from a retracted position wherein said writing tip is within said bore to an extended position wherein said writing tip protrudes beyond said aperture; said writing tip protruding beyond said cover elements when said cartridge and said collet are in their extended positions; and spring means between said collet and said cartridge, whereby said spring means causes said collet to move to its extended position in response to movement of said cartridge towards its extended position, said spring means yielding when saidcollet reaches its extended position to permit said writing tip of said cartridge to continue its extension beyond said collet.

1 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,839,817 1/1932 Walker 401 107 1,714,965 5/1929 Ullner 401-107 2,111,767 3/1938 Gimonet 401 107 x FOREIGN PATENTS 243,110 11/1925 Great Britain. 788,722 8/1935 France. 1,424,491' 12/1965 France.

LAWRENCE CHARLES, Primary Examinerv

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