GB832094A - Improvements in writing instruments - Google Patents

Abstract

832,094. Writing instruments. KOVACS, T. Feb. 28, 1957 [March 9, 1956], No. 6745/57. Class 146(3) A writing instrument such as a ballpoint pen has a pocket clip in a fixed position on the barrel, a writing unit retractable in the barrel by a spring, and an axially movable press-button whereby the writing unit is thrust into writing position at which it is held by engagement with a detent, the writing unit being releasable from its detent by displacement of the unit sideways in the barrel, in a direction at right angles to the medial plane through the pocket clip and barrel, by manual pressure applied to the outside of the barrel in said direction. Front and rear barrel portions 1, 2 are connected by a threaded resilient member 3 and the pocket clip 17 is secured to the rear end of the portion 2 by a retaining nut. A ball-point writing unit 4, the reservoir of which is made, e.g. from polyethylene, and is plugged at its rear end by a stopper 5, is inserted in a stiffening tube 6 which is biased rearwards by a spring 7. A plunger 13 is slidable axially in the rear end of the barrel and is secured against rotation by a key 12. The plunger is slotted at 14 and the plug 5 of the writing unit 4 engages a sloping face 15 in the slot. An annular insert 10 is screwed into the part 1 of the barrel. Pressure on the plunger 13 pushes forward the unit 4 and tube 6 which are tilted by the sloping face 15 of the slot 14 until the stopper 5 engages under the end face of the key 12, where the unit is held latched in projected position as shown in Fig. 2. The unit is retracted by pressing the barrel in the direction of the arrow 49 so that the insert 10 bears against the stiffening tube 6 and disengages the plug 5 from the key 12: the spring 7 then retracts the unit and the plunger 13. In modifications the resilient member 3 is omitted the barrel portions being threaded together and sufficiently bendable in themselves, or the barrel may be made in one piece, the pressure point only being made resilient by longitudinal slots cut on either side thereof. The detent may consist of a projection on the stiffening tube which engages a corresponding projection on an annular insert screwed into the barrel.