GB2155864A

GB2155864A - Pencil sharpener

Info

Publication number: GB2155864A
Application number: GB08507172A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ernst Fischer
Original assignee: Mobius und Ruppert KG
Current assignee: Mobius und Ruppert KG
Priority date: 1984-03-21
Filing date: 1985-03-20
Publication date: 1985-10-02
Also published as: IT8567268A1; FR2561586A1; FR2561586B1; IT1184911B; IT8567268A0; DE3410255C1; ES295807U; GB2155864B; GB8507172D0; JPS612600A; ES295807Y

Abstract

In a pencil sharpener with an automatically closable insertion orifice for the pencil, to close the insertion orifice there are pivotally mounted flaps (28) which can be pushed open by the pencil and which are held in the closed state by an annular elastic cord (30) (Figure 1). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Pencil sharpener The invention relates to pencil sharpeners. One known form of pencil sharpener includes a housing which collects the sharpening waste and which has an insertion orifice for the pencil to be sharpened, the orifice being closed automatically when the sharpener is not in use, by two closing members, which each close half of the insertion orifice,the closing members being located in the housing behind the insertion orifice and being brought into the closed position by means of a restoring guide.

A pencil sharpener of this type is known, for example, from German Patent Specification 2,948,086. In the known pencil sharpener, the two closing members are slides which are pressed against one another into the closed position by means of metal helical springs, the edges of slides being chamfered at the joining line, thus forming, in the closed position, a V-shaped notch, into which the point of the pencil is inserted and, as it is inserted further, pushes the slides apart.

However, this design is too expensive for a mass-produced article, such as the pencil sharpener concerned, and moreover is susceptible to faults, since it encouters sliding friction. It is necessary to make sure, in particular, that the sliding tracks of the slide are smooth and cannot become soiled or damaged, and that the slides do not tilt when they slide. All these factors are weaknesses of the known pencil sharpener.

According to the present invention there is provided a pencil sharpener comprising a sharpener body mounted in a housing which collects the sharpening waste, an insertion orifice for the pencil to be sharpened, two pivotably mounted closing flaps which each close half the insertion orifice, located in the housing behind the insertion orifice and being able to be swung open inwards into the housing by the pencil being inserted and resilient restoring means to swing the flaps back to the closed position.

Such a pencil sharpener can be made less expensively, whilst ensuring a perfect closing and opening of the insertion orifice for the pencil.

Because, according to the invention, a pivoting movement and not a sliding movement is used, the closing mechanism is substantially less susceptible to faults. Dirt or damage scarcely disturb the pivoting movement at all. Also, the requirements as regards the accuracy of the design of the mounting for the flaps are substantially less stringent than in the known pencil sharpener, in which relatively long sliding surfaces have to be formed exactly.

The resilient restoring device preferably comprises an elastic cord. When the pencil is inserted and the flaps are pushed open, this elastic cord is stretched and automatically closes the flaps when the pencil is pulled out. An elastic cord of this type is also cheaper and can be used more easily than the helical springs of the known sharpeners.

a a further simplification, the elastic cord may be a single elastic cord which is designed as a closed ring.

Furthermore, the pencil sharpener is particularly simple to produce when, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is an insert,which receives the sharpener body, mounted in the housing, two webs of the insert enclosing the sharpener orifice of the sharpener body between them, the webs also projecting on the side facing away from the sharpener body, the free edges of the webs being pivotable with bearing recesses for mounting pins formed on the flaps,the insert being mounted in a pot-shaped housing part having the insertion orifice for the pencil and being connected to said housing part, in such a way that the webs resting against the bottom of said housing part surround the insertion orifice of the said housing part and the flaps close it.The insert and pot-shaped housing part can both be plastic articles which are bonded or welded to one another in a suitable way, after the flaps and the elastic cord have been inserted.

In order that the invention will more readily be understood the following description is given, merely by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation, in cross-section, of one embodiment of pencil sharpener according to the invention; Figure 2 is a fragmentary front elevation in cross-section of the sharpener of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a plan view of the insert without the upper housing part and with one flap removed.

The pencil sharpener has a housing 10 which consists of a lower housing part 12 and an upper,pot-shaped housing part 14 in which an insert 16 is located. The sharpener body is mounted in the insert 16. The upper housing part 14 and the insert 16 are connected firmly to one another, and the insert 16 can be introduced into the upper housing part 14 and retained there by means of a frictional connection.

On the side facing away from the sharpener body 18, the insert has two webs 20a,20b,one on each side of the axis of the sharpener body 18 and of the insertion orifice 22 in the upper housing part 14, as can be seen clearly from Figures 1 and 2. In the webs 20a and 20b there are recesses 24 (see Figure 3), in which the pivot pins 26 of flaps 28 are mounted. A closed loop elastic cord or elastic band 30 is likewise retained in recesses 24, as shown in Figure 3.

There are two flaps 28, as can be seen in Figure 1 in which one flap is shown open and the other flap closed. In actual fact, however, both flaps are always opened simultaneously by the inserted pencil and also close simultaneously when the pencil is pulled out.

1. A pencil sharpener comprising a sharpener body mounted in a housing which collects the sharpening waste, an insertion orifice for the pencil to be sharpened, two pivotably mounted closing

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Pencil sharpener The invention relates to pencil sharpeners. One known form of pencil sharpener includes a housing which collects the sharpening waste and which has an insertion orifice for the pencil to be sharpened, the orifice being closed automatically when the sharpener is not in use, by two closing members, which each close half of the insertion orifice,the closing members being located in the housing behind the insertion orifice and being brought into the closed position by means of a restoring guide. A pencil sharpener of this type is known, for example, from German Patent Specification 2,948,086. In the known pencil sharpener, the two closing members are slides which are pressed against one another into the closed position by means of metal helical springs, the edges of slides being chamfered at the joining line, thus forming, in the closed position, a V-shaped notch, into which the point of the pencil is inserted and, as it is inserted further, pushes the slides apart. However, this design is too expensive for a mass-produced article, such as the pencil sharpener concerned, and moreover is susceptible to faults, since it encouters sliding friction. It is necessary to make sure, in particular, that the sliding tracks of the slide are smooth and cannot become soiled or damaged, and that the slides do not tilt when they slide. All these factors are weaknesses of the known pencil sharpener. According to the present invention there is provided a pencil sharpener comprising a sharpener body mounted in a housing which collects the sharpening waste, an insertion orifice for the pencil to be sharpened, two pivotably mounted closing flaps which each close half the insertion orifice, located in the housing behind the insertion orifice and being able to be swung open inwards into the housing by the pencil being inserted and resilient restoring means to swing the flaps back to the closed position. Such a pencil sharpener can be made less expensively, whilst ensuring a perfect closing and opening of the insertion orifice for the pencil. Because, according to the invention, a pivoting movement and not a sliding movement is used, the closing mechanism is substantially less susceptible to faults. Dirt or damage scarcely disturb the pivoting movement at all. Also, the requirements as regards the accuracy of the design of the mounting for the flaps are substantially less stringent than in the known pencil sharpener, in which relatively long sliding surfaces have to be formed exactly. The resilient restoring device preferably comprises an elastic cord. When the pencil is inserted and the flaps are pushed open, this elastic cord is stretched and automatically closes the flaps when the pencil is pulled out. An elastic cord of this type is also cheaper and can be used more easily than the helical springs of the known sharpeners. a a further simplification, the elastic cord may be a single elastic cord which is designed as a closed ring. Furthermore, the pencil sharpener is particularly simple to produce when, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is an insert,which receives the sharpener body, mounted in the housing, two webs of the insert enclosing the sharpener orifice of the sharpener body between them, the webs also projecting on the side facing away from the sharpener body, the free edges of the webs being pivotable with bearing recesses for mounting pins formed on the flaps,the insert being mounted in a pot-shaped housing part having the insertion orifice for the pencil and being connected to said housing part, in such a way that the webs resting against the bottom of said housing part surround the insertion orifice of the said housing part and the flaps close it.The insert and pot-shaped housing part can both be plastic articles which are bonded or welded to one another in a suitable way, after the flaps and the elastic cord have been inserted. In order that the invention will more readily be understood the following description is given, merely by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation, in cross-section, of one embodiment of pencil sharpener according to the invention; Figure 2 is a fragmentary front elevation in cross-section of the sharpener of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a plan view of the insert without the upper housing part and with one flap removed. The pencil sharpener has a housing 10 which consists of a lower housing part 12 and an upper,pot-shaped housing part 14 in which an insert 16 is located. The sharpener body is mounted in the insert 16. The upper housing part 14 and the insert 16 are connected firmly to one another, and the insert 16 can be introduced into the upper housing part 14 and retained there by means of a frictional connection. On the side facing away from the sharpener body 18, the insert has two webs 20a,20b,one on each side of the axis of the sharpener body 18 and of the insertion orifice 22 in the upper housing part 14, as can be seen clearly from Figures 1 and 2. In the webs 20a and 20b there are recesses 24 (see Figure 3), in which the pivot pins 26 of flaps 28 are mounted. A closed loop elastic cord or elastic band 30 is likewise retained in recesses 24, as shown in Figure 3. There are two flaps 28, as can be seen in Figure 1 in which one flap is shown open and the other flap closed. In actual fact, however, both flaps are always opened simultaneously by the inserted pencil and also close simultaneously when the pencil is pulled out. CLAIMS

1. A pencil sharpener comprising a sharpener body mounted in a housing which collects the sharpening waste, an insertion orifice for the pencil to be sharpened, two pivotably mounted closing flaps which each close half the insertion orifice, located in the housing behind the insertion orifice and being able to be swung open inwards into the housing by the pencil being inserted and resilient restoring means to swing the flaps back to the closed position.

2. A pencil sharpener according to claim 1, wherein the resilient restoring means comprises an elastic cord.

3. A pencil sharpener according to claim 2, wherein the elastic cord comprises a singie elastic cord which is designed as a closed ring.

4. A pencil sharpener according to Claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein an insert,which receives the sharpener body is mounted in the housing, two webs of the insert enclosing the sharpener orifice of the sharpener body between them, the webs also projecting on the side facing away from the sharpener body,the free edges of the webs being provided with bearing recesses for mounting pins formed on the flaps, the insert being mounted in a pot-shaped housing part having the insertion orifice for the pencil and being connected to said housing part, in such a way that the webs resting against the bottom of said housing part surround the insertion orifice of the said housing part and the flaps close it.

5. A pencil sharpener substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.