US2669225A - Adjustable ruling pen - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 16, '1954 R. D. SHOMO ADJUSTABLE RULING PEN Filed Feb. 20, 1951 INVENTOR. Rosin-r D. Sucmc Mom A'Fro QM EYS Patented Feb. 16,, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLE RULING PEN Robert D. fShom0,,Detr.oit, Mich.

Applicationi-February 20, 1951,"Serial'No. 211,823

3 Claims.

This invention relates 'to' drafting implements, .and .more particularly to. an inking pen-provided wit-h means for adjusting: the widthoff the" line which may be drawn thereby;

A main object of: the inventionis' to'provide' a inoveland improved adjustable inkingpen which is simple in -construction,.which:1iseasy'to manipulate, and which enables the draftsman. to accurately reproduce "a line of any desired'width.

Aiurther objectzof the: invention is toxprovide an improved: rulingepeni which involves inexpens'ive parts, which :is sturdy in construction, which is "easy to. (adjust, and which enables .a draftsman to select: a correctline rwidthiby merely adjusting the pen without'requiring the lineto' be tested on an. auxiliary pieceof paper to determine whether the width thereof is satisfactory.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will becomeappa'rent from'th'e following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevationa'l view of anlimproved ruling. pen constructed in. accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is aside elevational view similar to Figure 1-, but showing the nibs of the pen in separated relationship;

Figure 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional detail view taken on line 44 of Figure 1;

Figure .5 is a fragmentary perspective detail view of the abutment member employed for separating the nibs of the pen of Figure 1 to obtain a desired line width.

Referring to the drawings, the pen is generally designated at H and comprises a tubular shank l2 to one end of which is threadedly secured the pen body I3. The body I3 is formed with the opposed bowed, resilient nibs I4, l5 having the tapered points l6 and I I which are biased toward each other by the resiliency of the nibs l4 and I5. Designated at I! is an elongated shaft member which extends slidably and rotatably through the tubular shank 2 and has secured to its lower end, as viewed in Figure 1, the oval cam head member I8. Designated at I9 is an inwardly extending bracket element integrally formed on the neck portion of the nib It, said bracket element being formed with a V-notch 2B which receives and serves as a bearing for the shaft element I1, as shown in Figure 4. Designated at 2| is a cap member which fits slidably and 1'0- tatably over the top end of the shank I2, as viewed in Figure 1, the end of the shaft member 2 I! :being rigidly secured to cap or handle 2|, as by being embedded therein in the manner shown in Figure 2.

The points of the nibs l4 and I5 may be separated as desired by moving the cap member 2| downwardly on the shank l2, as viewed in Figure 1, whereby the headl8 exerts a spreading action on the power portions of the nib members 4 and I5. Alternatively, the points it and I1 may be separated by rotating the cap member 2 on the shank [2, since the oval shape of head |8 provides a camming action responsive to the retation of the shaft |1 relative-to the nibs I4 and I5. To obtain a predetermined degree of separa tion of the points 16 and i1 responsive to rotation of the cap '21, the cap may be provided with an index mark 22, and the shank l2 may be inscribed with longitudinal reference lines 23 registrable with the mark 22, each reference line 23 representing a different width of inked line to be drawn. With the head It arranged so that the nib points I 6 and. I1 are just in contact and with said head engaging the inside surfaces of the nibs l4 and I5 at opposite-points on its minor axis, the .nib points I6 and ll may be separated to. a predetermined degree by rotating the cap 2| to bring index mark 22 into registry with a line23' of the desired'width. Obviously, as above described, it is also possible to adjust thewidth of the line to be drawn by moving the cap 2| down wardly on the shank l2, as viewed in Figure 1.

In use, the handle or cap 2| will be moved downwardly on the shank l2 to a position where the cam head l8 separates the nibs I8 and IT to the desired degree, the handle or cap may then be rotated so that a desired width between the nibs may be obtained with the index mark 22 registering with the reference lines 23. Since the cam head H3 is selectively adjustable along the interior surface of the respective nibs l6 and H, a different value of width between the nibs will result at different predetermined positions of the cam head I8, as the handle 2| is rotated. Hence, it follows that when a line of desired width is to be drawn, the handle will be moved to place the cam head I8 at the location at which the nibs are separated to the required distance. This will cause the index mark 22 to register with the reference lines 23 at a definite location to give a certain reading. Then, if the draftsman wishes a line wider or narrower than the first or base line, he merely rotates the handle 2! and can judge the change in the desired direction by the reading of the index mark with relation to the reference lines. To return to the base or first line, the draftsman simply again rotates the handle to the original index reading. It follows, then, that the longitudinal adjustment determines the first or base width of line to be drawn by the ruling pen and the rotational adjustment is employed to vary the width of the base line. Additionally, with the base line width predetermined, the handle can be rotated so that the widest possible separation of the nibs result (Figure 3) so that the draftsman may wipe the ink from the nibs with a cloth or rag and then return the nibs to the original separated width by rotating the handle in the opposite direction until the index mark is moved to the original registration location with relation to the reference lines.

It will be readily apparent that while the above description has been directed toward a ruling pen for ruling straight lines, the same structure may be employed in an inking compass for inking circles, the above-described structure being employed in place of the pen conventionally em ployed in an inking compass.

While a specific embodiment of an improved ruling pen has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A ruling pen comprising a shank having an axial bore extending therethrough, spaced oppositely disposed outwardly bowed resilient nibs carried by and extending longitudinally from said shank, said nibs converging as they recede from the shank, a shaft extending through the bore and adapted to rotate and move longitudinally relative to the shank, a cam head carried by the shaft for rotation and longitudinal movement therewith between the nibs, said cam head being adapted to engage the nibs and separate them to regulate the distance between the ends thereof remote from said shank, and a handle fixed to the shaft adjacent the end of the shank remote from the nibs for rotating the shaft and moving it longitudinally through the shank.

2. A ruling pen comprising a shank having an axial bore extending therethrough, spaced oppositely disposed outwardly bowed resilient nibs carried by and extending longitudinally from said shank; said nibs converging as they recede from the shank, a shaft extending through the bore and adapted to rotate and move longitudinally relative to the shank, a cam head carried by the shaft for rotation and longitudinal movement therewith between the nibs, said cam head being adapted to engage the nibs and separate them to regulate the distance between the ends thereof remote from said shank, a bearing carried by a nib and facing the opposite nib, said bearing engaging the shaft adjacent the cam head for holding the shaft in alignment with the bore, and a handle fixed to the shaft adjacent the end of the shank remote from the nibs for rotating the shaft and moving it longitudinally through the shank.

3. A ruling pen comprising a shank having an axial bore extending therethrough, spaced oppositely disposed outwardly bowed resilient nibs carried by and extending longitudinally from said shank, said nibs converging as they recede from theshank, a shaft extending through the bore and adapted to rotate and move longitudinally relative to the shank, a cam head carried by the shaft for rotation and longitudinal movement therewith between the nibs, said cam head being adapted to engage the nibs and separate them to regulate the distance between the ends thereof remote from said shank, ahandle fixed to the shaft adjacent the end of the shaft remote from the nibs for rotating the shaft and moving it longitudinally through the shank, said handle having an index mark thereon and said shank having longitudinal reference lines thereon registrabie with said mark so that a predetermined separation of the nibs may be obtained.

ROBERT D. SI-IOMO.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 15,657 Ketcham Sept. 2, 1856 423,684 Heath Mar. 18, 1890 1,571,565 Wedekind Feb. 2, 1926 2,231,246 Blake Feb. 11, 1941 2,375,188 Blake May 8, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 334,682 Germany Mar. 19, 1921

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