US2848729A - Pencil point cleaner - Google Patents

Description

M. vA." GUAR! PENCIL POINT C Filed March Aug. 26, 1958 INVENTOR. M/GHAEL A. GUARl/VO jaw/WM United States Patent PENCIL POINT CLEANER Michael A. Guarino, Chicago, Ill.

Application March 9, 1955, Serial No. 493,275

3 Claims. (Cl. -223) This invention relates to a pencil point cleaner, and is more particularly described as an improved device for cleaning graphite and the like, from the point of a pencil after it has been sharpened.

In sharpening a pencil, draftsmen and others often find that a quantity of the lead or graphite adheres to the point of the pencil and if fine drawings or sketches are to be made, the graphite particles may drop upon the paper or may adhere to the fingers of the writer causing a smudge on the paper or on the fingers of the draftsman.

An important object of this invention is to provide a novel and improved cleaning device for cleaning the loose graphite from the point of a pencil after the pencil has been sharpened or after the pencil point has been formed in its desired taper by use of a pencil sharpener, sandpaper, or similar material. This cleaning device is simple in construction, easy to use, and provides an effective cleaning action on the point of a pencil whereby the draftsman is able to produce drawings without smudging and having cleaner, clearer and sharper lines.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved pencil cleaner Which is inexpensive to make and produce, which is sturdy in construction and which substantially improves the cleanliness and use of pencils by anyone and particularly contributes to the neatness of drawings made by a draftsman by enabling him to maintain his pencil point in clean condition at all times.

A further object of the invention is to produce a pencil cleaner in which all of the edges are usable so that it may have a longer life and use.

Other objects of the invention will appear in the specification and will be apparent from the accompanying drawings in which,

Fig. 1 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the end portion of folded stacked sheets of soft paper forming the main body portion of the improved pencil point cleaner of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of an improved pencil graphite cleaner constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a pencil cleaner similar to that shown in Fig. 2, but with the staples at right angles to their position in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal sectional view as taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Although this pencil cleaner is described as made of thin soft folded paper and a heavier outside plate of cardboard, it may also be made of other materials which will be readily apparent.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, this improved pencil point cleaner comprises a stack of folded rectangular sheets 10 of paper usually having a single fold 12 and the paper being of somewhat absorbent soft tissue paper as shown in Fig. 1. Each sheet is folded and the folded sheets are stacked with the folds of the sheets alternating in sequence with the free edges of the adjacent sheets, the fold of one sheet being located oppositely with respect to the fold of the next sheet. By thus arranging the folded sheets oppositely, the thickness at the respective opposite sides of the stack of folded sheets is maintained substantially equal.

At the top and bottom of the stack of tissue paper are rectangular plate members 14 and 15 of relatively stiff material such as stifi cardboard, fiber, or the like, and secured thereto and together by a plurality of wire staples 16 having arms 17 extending through the respective plate members and the intervening stack of sheets as clearly shown in Fig. 4, having their bight portions disposed on the top plate 14 and the lower ends of the legs 18 bent under and against the bottom plate 15.

As shown in Fig. 2, the staples extend transversely of the plate members and the stack of tissue sheets, and in Fig. 3, the staples extend longitudinally of the plate members and the stack of sheets. In both forms, the longitudinal edges of the plate members are spaced inwardly from the longitudinal edges of the stack of paper sheets and the staples are inwardly from the edges of the plate members leaving all the marginal portions of the paper sheets exposed and free for inserting pencil points therein at all of the edges.

In using this device, after a draftsman has pointed his lead pencil to a desired shape by means of a sharpener, sandpaper or similar means, he inserts the point of the pencil into the exposed marginal portions of the sheets of paper in the stack allowing the pencil point to engage between the exposed edges of the sheets and rotating the point several times as it is passed or moved longitudinally between the edges. This effectively removes all the loose graphite from the newly pointed tip of the pencil and enables the user to draw sharp clean lines with the pencil without the danger of smudging the paper with loose graphite from the pencil point or smudging his fingers and then smudging the paper with his fingers.

While the sheets are preferably made of a soft paper such as tissue paper, it is understood that where fibrous materials may be used such as cellulose sheets, various types of paper, parchment, cloth, woven or unwoven, and including muslin, linen, cotton, rayon, and the like. It is desirable that the material be relatively rough so that it will retain the graphite particles, but soft enough so that it is not unduly abrasive on the pencil point.

While a specific embodiment has been described in some detail, it should be regarded by way of illustration and example rather than as a restriction or limitation thereof, as many changes in the construction, combination and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

1 claim:

,1. A pencil point cleaner for removing loose graphite and other material from a distance substantially equal to the length of a lead pencil point, comprising a stack of folded rectangular sheets of soft fibrous material with the edges at opposite sides transversely aligned, respective relatively stifi rectangular plate members on the top and bottom of said stack, and means located inwardly from the edges of the plate members for securing said stiff plate members and the sheets tightly together, the side margins of said stiff plate members being spaced inwardly from the said opposite edges of the said sheets, a distance substantially equal to the length of a pencil point whereby a pencil point may be cleaned by drawing said point along in the exposed margins of the stacked sheets which are disposed outwardly from the edges of the plate members, and wiping loose graphite and other loose material therefrom.

2. A pencil point cleaner in accordance with claim 1, in which the plate members are secured together by a plurality of wire staples engaging through the stiif plate members and the intervening stack sheets, the side and end margins of the stiff plate members being spaced inwardly staples being spaced ingv a igily item the margins of said stifi plate members, whereby a pencil point may be easily inserted between the side and end margins of the paper a 'sm a1 the;

fiom the; sideand endggagglns pf said sheets; and-the-wire thereof, i tmq 4 s bstat t ally aaa 19 39; 9.991 1. of, a pencil point makew m s em n fianen point ,ins xt d,; etween,t 92 131 13 1189;-91h9-nlat .m mbers and. inwadly 'efa-th iedge l eas f rmape sheets by drawing said; pnintaalcmg inithe-expo edxmaxgin 6 ef'the stacked sheets for remeiving loose materials from the point and adjacent the point of a pencil.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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