US2693171A - Writing instrument - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 2, 1954 R. A. LANOIE 2,693,171

WRITING INSTRUMENT Filed Nov 16, 1953 /l/-L/I I J FIG.3

- INVENTOR. RAYMOND A. LANOIE ATTORN EYS United States Patent WRITING INSTRUIVIENT Raymond A. Lanoie, Providence, R. I., assignor to Lew Mfg. Co., a corporation of Rhode Island Application November 16, 1953, Serial No. 392,260

3 Claims. (Cl. 12042.03)

The present invention relates to writing instruments and more particularly to the mechanical mechanism used to extract a marking device.

An object of the invention is to improve upon the construction of writing instruments, particularly by reducing the number of parts of the extracting mechanism.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a cylindrical guide member in an extracting mechanism which is spread at the upper end thereof so as to provide driving engagement with a cap that may be frictionally held thereby and eliminate the need for an exernal driving boss.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a sectional view taken through the body of a writing instrument illustrating a preferred employment of the extracting mechanism;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on lines 22 of Figure 1 showing the frictional engagement of the boss of the extracting mechanism with the casing;

Figure 3 is an exploded view showing the parts of the improved extracting mechanism;

Figure 4 is a partial sectional view showing a modified employment of the extracting mechanism.

In proceeding with the invention, I provide a clutch tube with projections thereon that slide within a slot in a guide member. To move the clutch tube a sleeve having helical threads is slipped over the guide member, the threads engaging the projections. Relative rotation of the parts is efiected by providing a boss to engage the sleeve and a part of the casing and a spread portion at the upper end of the guide member to engage another part of the casing, which rotation moves the clutch tube within the guide member.

Referring to the drawings which show merely by way of example embodiments of my invention, the writing instrument is provided with a casing which encloses the extracting mechanism, a clip 11 encircling part of the mechanism and extending outside of the casing 10 so as to retain the instrument in the owners pocket. A cap 12 is provided, which serves as a driver for the extracting mechanism and which is adapted to engage one part thereof as will presently be more fully described. The marking device 13 projects from the conical end 10' of the casing 10 and is frictionally clutched or held by a split tube 14. The clutch member or tube 14 is adapted to be slidably received in a cylindrical guide member 16 and is provided with two projections 15-15. The cylindrical guide member 16 is provided with a longitudinal slot 17 throughout its length, the projections 15-15' of the clutch member 14 being adapted to slide therein. The clutch member 14 is normally within the slotted tube 16 as shown in Figure 1 but may be projected through the lower end 18 thereof towards the end of its movement through the slotted tube 16.

To effect this movement, a sleeve 20 having a helical slot 21 is slidably received upon the exterior of the cylindrical guide member 16. At the upper end of the sleeve 20 there is affixed a boss 22 having a knurled portion 23 and a rim 24. This boss is provided with a notch 25 which is adapted to engage a projection 26 upon the sleeve 20 so as to be fixed therewith. The

3 2,693,171 Patented Nov. 2, 1954 formed by cutting the tube at its upper extent diametri' cally opposite the slot 17. These ears are then spread outwardly and form a frictional engagement with the cap 12. As the guide member 16 is rotated within the sleeve 20, the clutch member 14 will be advanced or retracted within the cylindrical guide member as a unit according to the direction of rotation of the guide member 16. The projections 1515' will slide freely through the helical slot 21 during such rotation, and therefore, to advance or retract the marking device 13, it is merely necessary to hold the sleeve 20 and rotate the guide member 16.

To provide a structure whose parts will rotate freely against one another, two washers 29 and 30 are provided between the upper end of the boss 22 and the ears 27, 28 of the cylindrical guide member. Preferably the lower washer 30 is made of some non-metallic material that will tend to self-lubricate the metallic parts on either side thereof. To hold the entire structure together, washers 31 and 32 are provided at the lower end of the guide member, and the guide member is bent outwardly as at 33 and 34 so as to urge the parts together. In this instance also the washer 31 is preferably made from some non-metallic material.

According to the structure herein shown, the cylindrical guide member 16 is adapted to be rotated by springing the ears 27, 28 outwardly to a sufiicient distance so that as a cap 12 is fitted frictionally on the ears 27,28, a tight enough fit will be effected to secure rotation of the tube 16. The purpose of bending the upper part of the tube 16 outwardly is not only to provide a portion which may be engaged to be rotated and thus eliminate the necessity of affixing a separate boss to the tube but additionally forms a portion which will hold the parts in their assembled relation as illustrated in Figure 1. As will be readily apparent, the ear portion 27, 28 of the slotted tube 16 may be formed in such a manner that it will resiliently hold an eraser should it be so desired.

Referring to Figure 1, it will be seen that the cap 12 engages the cars 27, 28 at spaced points in such a manner that should this be the only bearing point between the mechanism and the cap, the cap would tend to tip. To prevent such an action, however, the boss 22 has been provided in this instance with an enlarged rim 24, which, as seen in Figure 1, is of a diameter equal to the expanded diameter of the cars 27, 28, thus providing a second engagement point of the cap 12 with the mechanism. Alternately the rim 24 may be omitted and the casing 10 provided with a reduced diameter which will accept the bottom portion of the cap 12.

The mechanism shown herein may be arranged as shown in Figure 4 in which the parts are reversed so that the boss 22 engages the cap 12 and holds the mechanism therein. The ears 27, 28 engage the casing 10 and the casing is provided with a reduced diameter section 12' to accept the end of cap 12. Additionally the clutch member 14 is made slightly longer so that it will extend beyond the cars 27, 28 as shown.

I claim:

1. A writing instrument having a casing of two parts that are adapted for relative rotation, a boss frictionally held in one of said parts, a sleeve having a helical thread therein received in said boss and attached thereto, said sleeve receiving a guide member with a longitudinal slot therein, a clutch member received in said guide member and having a projection thereon extending through said slot in said guide member and into engagement with said helical thread, said guide member extending through said boss and having two longitudinal ears at its outer end formed of the same piece of material that are cupped outwardly, said ears engaging the other of said parts.

2. A writing instrument as in claim 1 wherein one of said parts is a casing and another of said parts is a cap.

means on said guide member to retain said ring in position, a clutch member received within the guide member and having a projectioniextending through said slot into said thread, a casing of two parts adapted for relative rotation, one of said parts engaging said boss and the other part engaging said ears.

No references cited.

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