US3039437A - Universal ball point cartridges - Google Patents

Description

June 19, 1962 P. A. WALKER UNIVERSAL BALL POINT CARTRIDGES Filed Aug. 11, 1958 INVENTOR. PHELPS ASBURY WALKER 3,639,437 UNIVERSAL BALL POWT CARTRIDGES Phelps Asbury Walker, Janesville, Wis, assignor to The Parker Pen Company, Janesville, Wis, a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Aug. 11, 1958, Ser. No. 754,461 1 Claim. (Cl. 120-42.4)

This invention relates to new and improved adjustable length replacement cartridges for ball point pens.

Most ball point pens incorporate a removable ink-containing cartridge, which, basically, consists of a tube containing ink and having a ball writing point at one end. These pens are designed so that when the ink in the origi nal cartridge is exhausted, a refill cartridge can be in-: serted within the casing to replace the original cartridge. A great variety of ball point pens are now on the market having casings of various lengths requiring a variety of different lengths of refill cartridges.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a universal type refill cartridge of adjustable length for use with a variety of pen casings of different lengths.

Another object is to provide such a universal cartridge of simple, effective and economical structure.

It is a further object to provide a novel length adaptor device for a ball point cartridge to render the cartridge universal.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view, partly in section, of a ball point cartridge forming a part of one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the cartridge shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view, partly in section, of another type of ball point cartridge forming a part of another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is an end view of the cartridge shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of a length adaptor device forming part of the invention;

FIG. 6 is an end view of the device shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of the cartridge shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 and of the device shown in FIGS. 5 and 6;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are elevational views, partly in section, of the cartridge shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 and a portion of the device shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, illustrating an adjustable feature of the invention; and

FIG. 10 is an elevational view, partly in section, of a portion of a ball point cartridge illustrating another embodiment of the invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a tubular ball point cartridge 50, of the thin or capillary type, having an ink supply 51 therein, terminates in an open rear end 53 having a circular bore 57.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, there is seen a ball point cartridge 69, of the fat or non-capillary type, having an ink supply 61 therein and a follower 62 on the rear of the ink column. An element 63 forms the rear of the cartridge. The element 63 has a portion 64 inserted into the ink tube, a flange 65 resting on the end of the ink tube, and a portion 66 extending rearwardly of the flange.

3,939,437 Patented June 19, 1962 'ice The rear end of the cartridge is open via polygonal bore 67 and round vent bore 68. A vent slot 69, in the wall forming the polygonal bore, is located at one of the corners of the bore, and thus insures venting of the cartridge.

The diameter of bore 57 (FIGS. 1 and 2) and distance across the opposed flats of polygonal bore 67 (FIGS. 3 and 4), are equal.

FIG. 10 shows an alternate rear end structure for a cartridge. The cartridge ink tube 70 has a rear member 73 having a plug 74 inserted into the tube and a flange 75 resting on the end of the tube. A portion 76 extends rearwardly of the flange. A circular bore 77 vents the cartridge and provides a receiving means for the length adaptor. The diameter of bore 77 is equal to that of bore 57 of cartridge 50 in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The cartridges 5t), 60, 70 are of the same predetermined length, as for example, a length so as to fit one certain brand of easing or holder. The cartridges 50, 60, 70 may, by this invention, be adapted in length to fit several other casings or holders of several other different lengths.

To this end, there is provided (see FIGS. 5, 6 and 7) a length adaptor device, being one integral molded plastic piece, and having a runner portion or main stem 40, and several sprue portions or branch stems 10, 20, 30. The main stem 40 isweakened at its points of juncture with the branch stems, by being reduced in diameter at these points, to thereby provide planes of weakness to facilitate breaking the branch stems from the main stem as desired. The branch stems are of different lengths to provide a plurality of predetermined selections of lengths. Each of the branch stems 10, 20, 30 have a slot 14, 24, 34 therein as shown to insure venting of the cartridge.

Branch stem 10 has a collar 12 and a rear part 13, each too large for insertion into the bores 57, 6'7, 77 and has a reduced front plug 11 adapted to frictionally fit into any of bores 57, 67, 77.

Branch stem 30 has a collar 32 and rear part 33, each too large for bores 57, 67, 77 and has a reduced front plug 31 adapted to frictionally fit any of bores 57, 67, 77.

Branch stem 29 has a collar 22 and a rear part 23, each too large for insertion into the bores 57, 67, 77, and has both a reduced front plug 21 and a reduced rear plug 21 each adapted to frictionally fit any of bores 57, 67, 77.

Plug 21 is of a different length than plug 21, so that, as is illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, the cartridge may be extended to either of two lengths merely by reversing end-for-end the member 20.

The depth of bore 67 (FIG. 3) is greater than the length of any of plugs 11, 21, 21, or 31 to prevent a peripheral seal so that venting of the ink column is plug 21 for the fifth length. More lengths could of course be provided for by making branches 10' and 30 with double plug ends similar to branch 20. Still more lengths could of course be provided for by having additional branch stems oflt' main stem 40.

I claim:

A universal type refill ball point cartridge assembly for use with pens varying in length, said assembly comprising an elongated cartridge structure having a ball Writing point front end and an open rear end, and a length adaptor comprising a stem having a central portion larger than the bore of said open rear end and having 5 being of difierent lengths.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Liguori Jan. 22, 1957

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