US2474389A - Fountain pen - Google Patents

Description

* R. T. WING FOUNTAIN PEN June 2s, -1949.

Filed oct. 26, 1945 IN VEN TOR.

HTTOA/EXS.

Patented June 28, 1949 `UNI TED JS TAT-ES PATENT 'OFF 11C E FOUNTAIN PEN Russell T. Wing, Excelsior,

Application October 26, 1945, Serial No. 624,793

'11 Claims. (013120-216) This invention relates .to fountain pens and fithas to do more'particularly with fountain pens .of vthat type .embodying ink feed means including `:an overow ink collector such .as disclosed in my `U. S. .Letters Patent No. 2,187,528, issued January 16, 1940, `and U. S. Letters Patent No. 2,223,541, issued 'December 3, 1940, to Marlin S. 'Bakel'.

Pens of the foregoing .character embody var- .ious forms .of ink reservoirs and filling mecha- ,nisms therefor. In some instances the barrel may comprise the ink .reservoir with provision .for ,llingas disclosed inthe vabove-mentioned Baker rv.patent .or U. S. .Letters `Patent No..1,904,358, issued to Arthur -O. .Dahlberg on April 18, 1933. In other instances the reservoir may comprise the usual ink sac .adapted to be filled -in any other well Jknown manner. In use .of vpens of l.the foregoing type it is necessary that the overflow `ink Jcollector' .of the feed means be substantially cleared .of ink .after the ink reservoir is filled in Lorder that kit lbe conditioned to immediately.

thereafter serve its intended purpose of collecting ink that may now from the reservoir in excess of that required .for writing purposes'. For -ex- Iample, llingfmechanismsiof the typeeshow'n in Vsaid Baker patent includes areciprocable plunger for actuating the filling .mechanism and it has .been required thatthe :user remove the pen from the ink at the .end of the filling operation with this plunger .depressed and that the plunger then -be .released to withdraw .ink from the collector into the reservoir. While this manipulation well serves its intended purpose, neglect by users -in following .instructions in Ycerta-in instances has .resulted in difficulties due to the fact that the lcollector was .not .conditioned following the filling operation to properlytake care of overflow ofink vfrom the reservoir. Theprincipalobject of my invention is to Veliminate the foregoing condi-- tion by providing an arrangement wherein the collector kis rsubstantially cleared of ink in the course of the normal operations necessarily carried out by the userin lling the pen-special :manipulation .of any vkind by vthe user being avoided.

lIn .pens `of the .foregoing character .it is customary to .enclose the `manually actuable part of .the filling mechanism, .such as a reci-procable ,plunger, by `a cap which is .removed when itis .desired to fill the pen and replaced when the .lling operation is completed. .Another .object of my invention .to .provide means controlled by vthe replacement of the cap just referred to ,for substantially clearing the collector of ink.

'2 Additional objects are to provide means positively preventing completion of the nal stro-ke vof the filling mechanism until the usual closure cap therefor is replaced, which replacement is a normal and customary procedure carried out after the kpen is removed from the ink following the lling operation; to eliminate all dependence upon "the attentiveness of the user to filling instructions; and to provide an improved fountain pen having all of the foregoing features vwhich is of simple and rugged construction and which servesits intended ink feed functions with a maximum degree of efciency.

The invention further consists in the several features hereinafter set 'forth and more particularly defined vvby claims at the conclusion hereof.

.In'the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional View through a fountain pen embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an 'enlarged detailed sectional View of the lling mechanism showing it at the end of its in stroke;

Fig. 3 is a viewsimilar .to Fig. 2 showing the ,filling mechanism after completion of the lling operation and before the cap is screwed down;

Fig. 4 is a, detailed perspective View of the lplunger locking detent;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional View taken on the vline "5-5 of Fig. 3.

Referring to thedrawings, the pen includes .a tubular barrel 6 of suitable plastic material hav- 'ing a forward externally threaded reduced barrel extension] and an internally threaded rear end 8. The interior of the barrel, intermediate its ends, constitutes a reservoir I`2. The forward end of the barrel 6 supports a feed mechanism Lin communication with the ink reservoir I2, and the rear en'd of the barrel supports a lling mechanism, both of which mechanisms will be described morein detail hereinafter.

AThe ink feed mechanism includes a cellular ljtype overflow ink collector I3, .a tubular pen nib 14, .a 'feed bar I 5, and an outer shell I6. The ink collector I3 is adapted to embrace and sup- ,port the tubular nib I4' and the feed bar I5, and 'theseparts which are .adapted to be assembled as a unit in .the extension TI are covered by .the shell I 6 except for the writing point of the nib I 4. The ,parts I3, I4, I5 and .I6 `are formed, constructed V'and arranged similar yto the parts30, 3|, 32 and 3,3 of .the aforementioned Baker Patent No. .2,223,541 and function in a similar manner -to control vlthe flow of ink.,from the pen. The only ,u 4change in .detail .of the present construction of the parts above described over that of said Baker patent is a continuation of the narrow slit 49 of said patent structure completely across the reduced diameter portion of the collector as indicated herein by the numeral l1. As the novelty of the present invention is not in the details of the ink feed mechanism per se but only in the association of a collector type feed mechanism with the filling mechanism, further description thereof is deemed unnecessary.

The filling mechanism includes a so-called breather tube I8 which is mounted at its front end in a bore I9 of the feed bar I5 and which corresponds to the bore 32EL of said Baker Patent 2,223,541 and further includes an expansible chamber type filling device having a reciprocatory operating member, preferably a reciprocatory plunger 2G. The specific lling mechanism herein shown is of the general character disclosed in U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,904,358, granted on April 18, 1933, to Arthur O. Dahlberg, and includes a exible diaphragm 2|, means for clamping the diaphragm to the barrel 6, the plunger 23, means connecting the inner end of the plunger with the central portion of the diaphragm, spring means for returning the plunger and diaphragm on its suction stroke, and further includes according to this invention means for automatically stopping or preventing said plunger moving the full length of its stroke during the filling of the pen by the operator, and means controlled by the cover cap for the plunger to release such stopping means to permit the plunger to complete its vstroke and thus withdraw from the collector device any ink that may have been deposited therein during the filling operation.

The diaphragm 2| is a thin disk of rubber or other suitable inkproof iiexible material, and the means for clamping it to the barrel comprises a sleeve 22 having its inner end 23 tapered to correspond to the tapered bore of a sleeve 9 with the outer edge portion of said disk wedged or clamped between said tapers to form a fluid tight joint by the clamping of the sleeve 22 by means of a sleeve clamping nut 24 having a threaded portion 25 engaging the threaded end 8 of the barrel and having a threaded outer end 26 to t the internally threaded end 21 of a plunger cover cap 28.

The means connecting the inner end of the plunger with the central portion of the diaphragm 2| includes a ball 29 between which and the inner hanged end 30 of the plunger 2l) and a plug or collar 3| having a press fit therein the central portion of said diaphragm is clamped.

The filling plunger 20 is a hollow tubular member which is guided in the bores 32 and 33 formed in the sleeve 22 and the nut 24, respectively, with its outer end having an upset connection 34 with a anged collar 35. The spring means for returning the plunger on its suction stroke includes a spring 36 interposed between the head 31 of a detent or latch 38 and a key or bar 39 that works in diametrically disposed and elongate slots 40 in the plunger 20 and is anchored at its ends inopenings 4| in the sleeve 22.

The latch 38 has a latching blade or tongue 42 provided with a right-angled locking or stop shoulder 43 adapted during normal filling operations of the pen by the operator to engage the bar 39 and thus stop the movement of the plunger4 before it moves the full length of the slots 40, as shown in Fig. 3. The latch 3B has an offset extension 49 beyond the shoulder 43 which rides along under the bar 39 during movement of the plunger 23 between the positions shown in Figs. l

and 3 respectively and thus maintains the latch 38 in position whereby the shoulder 43 engages the bar 30 when the plunger 20 is moved into the position shown in Fig. 3. Hence when the cap 28 is removed and the plunger 20 is pushed inwardly against the opposing force of the spring 35 from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 2, the plunger travels the full length of its stroke and for succeeding strokes in the ordinary filling of the pen the plunger makes a partial stroke between the position shown in Fig. 2 and the position shown in Fig. 3, and at the completion of the lling operation by the operator, the plunger is moved outwardly by the spring 36 and held by the latch 38 in the partial stroke position shown in Fig. 3.

To permit release of the locked plunger 20 from its partially complete outstroke position to effect an additional suction action the cover cap 28 has a latch release member 44 in the form of an inwardly extending centrally disposed rod. As the cap is screwed onto the barrel nut 24 the latch release member 44 passes through the opening 46 in the collar 35 and an opening 41 in the head 31 of the latch 38 and engages an inclined side or cam face 48 on said latch member 3B, and in doing so cams the tongue 42 outwardly through the tilting of said head relative to the collar 35. The tongue is thereby moved laterally relative to said bar 31 a distance sufiicient to release its shoulder 43 from said bar and allow spring 36 to move the plunger 20 to the end of its out stroke and in so doing create a sufficient void in the reservoir to allow ink that may have collected in the collector I3 to be drawn into the reservoir. l

Thus the collector device is cleared of ink, so that it may function as intended without any special manipulation of the filling mechanism by the operator.

I desire it to be understood that this invention is not to be limited to any particular form or arrangement of parts except as limited by the prior art and by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a fountain pen of the type described a barrel having an ink reservoir therein, an ink 'feeding passage communicating with said Yinl:

reservoir, an overow ink collector also communicating with said ink reservoir, operating means for filling said ink reservoir, a cap adapted to be attached to the rear end of said barrel, said operating means being normally operable, with said cap removed, between limits of operation to cause said ink reservoir to be reduced to a minimum capacity and enlarged to a capacity less than maximum capacity, and means including a part on said cap and a part on said operating means for transmitting motion from said cap to said operating means in response to movement of said cap on said barrel toward its closed position on said barrel for actuating said filling means to cause said ink reservoir to be enlarged to its maximum capacity whereby ink is drawn from said collector into said reservoir.

2. In a fountain pen of the type described feed means comprising an overflow ink collector, a barrel containing an ink reservoir in communication with said feed means, filling means for expanding and contracting the volume of said reservoir, a latch comprising coacting parts on said barrel and said filling means limiting the movement of said filling means during normal filling operation, a cap adapted to be detachably connected to said barrel,V and a part onv said cap positioned to engage said latch upon movement ot the capon said barrel towardits-,connccted position onsaid barrel torelease saidilatchfwhercby to extend the limit of movementoff.fsaidvilling means in a `direction tofurther enlarge said: ink reservoir and draw ink fromsaidco1lector into said' reservoir.

3. In a fountain pen of thetype described comiprising a barrel having an ink.reservoi-r ther-'eins a feed mean-s at. the front end of `saidJoar-reliii-1v communica-tion withv said reservoir, and. a. nil-ing mechanism .havingv a. plunger Within said barrel and reciprocable lengthwise: thereofk to vary thev eiectivevolume of said reservoir for filling the latter, and wherein said feed. means includes: an overflow collector, and means' for insuring clearance of said collector .atl the 'completion ofv each filling operation, -saidi last-named meanaincluding al cap adapted toA be connected to the' rear end of said barrel and removable to provide- .ace cess to saidV plunger and latch meansicomprising. coacting parts onv said plunger and said barrel which limits movement of said plunger short of a full rearward stroke with respect to said barrel to prevent enlarging the eilective volume of said reservoir beyond a predetermined amount, and an element on said' 'cap adapted to Contact said latch means to disconnect the same upon movement of said cap on said barrel' towards its connected position on the rear end of said barrel whereby full rearward stroke .of said plunger is' permitted' to thus enlarge the effective volume' of said. reservoir beyond said predetermined amount.

4. In a fountain pen, an elongate, hollow Abarrel, feed means at the front end of said barrel, said feed means being operative to absorb a substantial quantity of ink during each pen-lling operation and to retain the same subject to withdrawal as hereinafter described, said barrel having an interior chamber constituting an elongate ink-holding reservoir at the rear of said feed means and in communication therewith, a lling device comprising a plunger disposed within and reciprocable lengthwise of said reservoir, a cap detachably connected to the rear end of said barrel and removable to provide access for operating said plunger, said plunger being normally operative with said cap removed between limits of movement corresponding to a predetermined minimum effective volume of said ink-holding reservoir and an enlarged volume less than maX- imum effective volume thereof, and coacting parts on said cap and said lling device adapted to transmit motion to said filling device when the cap is moved on said barrel toward its normal, replaced position on said barrel whereby said plunger is moved to provide maximum effective volume of said ink reservoir, whereby, when the front end of the pen is removed from the ink supply, the ink is drawn from said collector into said reservoir.

5. A fountain pen having a barrel, a reservoir therein including a displaceable member, ink feeding passage means communicating with said reservoir, operating means for said displaceable member, and a cap adapted to be removably attached to said barrel, said operating means being normally movable, with said cap removed, between limits of operation whereby said displaceable member is either displaced to its fullest extent to reduce the eiective volume of said reservoir to a minimum or partially displaced whereby the effective volume of said reservoir is less than maximum, said cap having a portion adapted to cooperate with said operating means to impart movement thereto as said cap is itself 6, moved ont said barrel-towards its normal-,. replaced position on saidy barrel whereby' the displaceable member is moved to enlarge the eiecti-ve volume of said reservoir toits; maximum extent after filling. i p

6. In a fountain pen' vhaving a barrel, a reservoir including a displaceable member in said barrel,l a 'cap-for the yrear end of said barrel and ink feed mechanism includingia collector device.,

.the combination with said displaceable member,

of a1 reciprocatory plunger for operating said member to dvi-'aw ink into4 said' reservoir, stop means con/iprisingl coacting parts on` said barrel and saidplunger to limit the stroke of said plunger when said cap is removed to less than full stroke at they end of the fil-ling opera-tieni by the operator whereby the eiective volume of said reservoir is reduced to a minimumI and enlarged to a degreev less than maximum, and means comfprising a part on said ycap adapted to release said stop means upon movement of saidcap on said barrel towards its connected position on said barrel whereby said plunger is allowed to` com'- plete its fullI stroke and thereby cause said 4displaceable member to enlarge the effective volume of said reservoir vtoaA maximum and thus draw ink from*` said collector into said reservoir.

'7.A In a fountain pen having a barrel',a reservoir including a. displaceable member in said barrel, a' cap for the rear end, of said barrel and'. ink feed mechanism including a collector device', the combination. with saidV displaceable member, of a reciprocatory spring-returned plunger for operating said displaceable member to draw ink into said reservoir, and releasable stop means including coacting parts on said plunger and said barrel adapted to hold said plunger in partially completed return stroke position at the end of the filling operation by the operator, said cap carrying la contact member adapted to engage said stop means to release the same upon movement of said cap on said barrel toward its connected position on said barrel allowing the plunger to return to its full return stroke position by the action of said spring whereby said displaceable member is operated to draw ink from said collector device into said reservoir.

8. In a fountain pen having *a barrel, a reservoir including a displaceable member in said barrel, a cap for the rear end of said barrel and ink feed mechanism including a collector device, the combination with said displaceable member, of a reciprocatory spring-returned plunger for operating said member to draw ink into said reservoir, and releasable latch means including coacting parts on said plunger and said barrel adapted to hold said plunger in partially completed return stroke position at the end of the nlling operation by the operator, said cap carrying a contact member adapted to engage said latch means to release the same upon movement of said cap on said barrel toward its connected position on said barrel allowing the plunger to return to its full return stroke position by the action of said spring whereby said displaceable member is operated to draw ink from said collector device into said reservoir.

9. In a fountain pen having a barrel, a reservoir including a displaceable member in said barrel, a cap for the rear end of said barrel, and ink feed mechanism including a collector device, the combination with said displaceable member, of a reciprocatory plunger, a spring within said plunger for moving the same on its out stroke, a stop in said barreLa latch member having a part interposed between said plunger and spring and automatically engageable with said stop as said plunger moves on its out stroke to hold said plunger in partially completed stroke position, and a member carried by said cap adapted to engage said latch upon movement of said cap on said barrel toward its connected position on the barrel to move the latch out of engagement with said stop means to allow the spring to move said plunger to its full out stroke position and thereby cause said displaceable member to draw ink from said collector device into said reservoir.

10. In a fountain pen having a barrel, a reservoir including a displaceable member in said barrel, a cap for the rear end of said barrel, and ink feed mechanism including a collector device, the combination with said displaceable member, of a reciprocatory plunger having diametrically disposed slots, a stop bar carried by the barrel and extending through said slots, a spring within said plunger for moving the same on its out stroke, a latch having an apertured head abutting the outer end of the plunger and held thereagainst by said spring and automatically engageable with said bar as said plunger moves on its return stroke to hold said plunger` in partially completed stroke position, and a pin carried by and extending inwardly from said cap and adapted to engage said latch upon movement of said cap on said barrel toward its connected position on said barrel to move the latch laterally out of engagement with said stop and allow said spring to move said plunger to its full return 8 stroke position and thereby cause said displaced member to draw ink from said collector device into said reservoir.

11. A fountain pen comprising a barrel having an ink reservoir, ink feed means connected to said reservoir and including an overflow ink collector, means for filling said reservoir including a plunger reciprocable in said barrel and retracting means resiliently urging said plunger rearwardly of said barrel, a cap attached to the rear end of said barrel and removable for access to said plunger, means including a releasable latch element on said barrel for limiting full retracting movement of said plunger after a predetermined forward stroke thereof, and a release element on said cap positioned to engage and release said latch element upon replacement of said cap on said barrel and thereby permit said retracting means to effect full retracting movement of said plunger and cause said iilling means to draw ink from said collector into said reservoir,

RUSSELL T. WING.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNTED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,954,358 Dahlberg Apr. 18, 1933 2,187,528 Wing Jan. 16, 1940 2,223,541 Baker Dec. 3, 1940

Images