US3671132A - Applicator wick for a writing instrument - Google Patents

Abstract

A SELF-CLEANING WRITING POINT FOR A WRITING INSTRUMENT, COMPRISING A NIB HAVING A GENERALLY CONICAL TIP THAT TERMINATES IN ROUNDED APEX, AND ABOUT WHICH IS WRAPPED AN APPLICATOR WICK COMPRISING A HELIX OF FINE RESILIENT WIRE. THE NIB HAS FEED CHANNELS THEREIN FOR SUPPLYING INK TO THE APPLICATOR WICK.

Description

June 20, 1972 F. R. WITTNEBERT APPLICATOR WICK FOR A WRITING INSTRUMENT Filed 'Nov. 30 1970 INVEN T ()R. EQEOER/CK A? W/TT/VEBERT United States Patent Office 3,671,132 Patented June 20, 1972 US. Cl. 401-492 13 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A self-cleaning writing point for a writing instrument, comprising a nib having a generally conical tip that terminates in a rounded apex, and about which is wrapped an applicator wick comprising a helix of fine resilient wire. The nib has feed channels therein for supplying ink to the applicator wick.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Filed of the invention The present invention relates generally to ink writing instruments, and in particular to a novel self-cleaning writing point for such an instrument.

(2) Description of the prior art There have been many writing points proposed for applying ink to a writing surface, ranging from the ancient feather quill, through metallic nibs with a split tip for ink flow, and such devices as the ballpoint. While such devices have been more or less successful, there is still need for a better ink writing instrument.

Ideally, a writing instrument should be adaptable for use by anyone, writing at any angle and with different writing pressures. This ability is usually present only to a limited degree in presently available writing instruments designed for use with free-flowing liquid inks, it being necessary to hold many pens within close to a specified limited orientation for proper operation. The ballpoint pen gives greater freedom than the conventional metal ni b, but the slow-flowing ballpoint inks are objectionable to many.

There is thus a need for a writing point for use with free flowing inks that is adaptable to a wide variety of writing positions and pressures.

Another problem encountered with many present ink writing points has been the accumulation of minute particles scrapped from the writing surface during use, which can affect the writing quality of the point. In particular, such particles can accumulate in the ink feed channels or passages, to the extent where smooth ink flow is disrupted. Ideally, a writing point should be self-cleaning during use, to prevent such harmful accumulations from happening.

There is thus a need for an improved writing point for ink writing instruments, a point that can be used in several orientations and at differing writing pressures, and one that ideally will be self-cleaning. The present invention is addressed to that need.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present writing point includes a nib made of resilient material, such as nylon or the like, and which has a generally conical tip thereon terminating in a rounded apex. The nib has ink feed channels cut therein to communicate with the tip, and the rear end thereof can be mounted in a barrel. Preferably, the ink feed channels in the nib are in communication with ink reservoir means housed within the barrel, in the usual manner.

Wrapped about the conical tip and the rounded apex of the nib is a tight helix of resilient, fine wire, the nib having an axial bore in the apex thereof for tightly receiving an axially extending tongue on the helix. The helix constitutes an applicator wick, and when the writing point is in use functions to draw ink from the feed channels in the nib and apply it to a writing surface.

Specifically, as the writer uses the present writing point, the resilient nib and the resilient applicator wick helix will deform, and ink from the feed channels will be worked between the minds of the helix at the point of contact with the writing surface. The rubbing together action of the helix winds during writing as the helix deforms not only serves to feed ink to the point of contact with the writing surface, but also acts to remove any accumulations of particles picked up from the writing surface. Thus, the applicator wick is self-cleaning.

Because the applicator wick helix has a uniform cross section, and because the ink feed channels are arranged uniformly about the nib tip, the writing point can be held in substantially any desired orientation for writing. The result is a writing tip that is convenient to use, and which can 'be used with good effect by anyone.

It is a principal object of the present invention to pro- 'vide a writing point for a pen writing instrument, designed so that the pen can be held in substantially any orientation during use thereof.

Another object is to provide a writing point that will effectively apply free flowing ink to a surface, and which is rugged and trouble free in operation.

A further object is to provide a writing point for a pen that is self-cleaning during use.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment, when taken together with the accompanying drawmgs.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 'FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a fountain pen embodying the writing point of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of the writing point and a portion of the barrel of the pen in FIG. 1, showing in particular how ink is fed through the nib to the applicator wick;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view, taken on the line '3--3 of FIG. 2.;

FIG. 4 is a further enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of the tip of the nib and the applicator wick helix, for further showing the construction thereof; and

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings, a fountain pen is indicated at 2, and is fitted with the writing point 4 of the invention. The pen 2 includes a barrel 6, within the front end of which a feed element 8 is mounted by a collar 10, the components 6, 8 and 10 being of conventional construction, and ink being supplied to the feed element 8 from either a cartridge or a conventional refillable filler assembly contained within the barrel 6.

The feed element 8 has an axial bore 12 of uniform diameter extending inwardly from the front end thereof, and which terminates in an annular shoulder or seat 14. The present writing point 4 is mounted within the axial bore 12, and includes a nib 16 made of a resilient material, such as nylon.

The nib 16 includes an elongated cylindrical portion 18 having an external diameter such that said portion will be tightly received within the axial bore 12, the portion 18 being of less length than said bore. The nib 16 includes a conical tip 20 on its forward end that terminates in a rounded apex 22, and a short cylindrical neck 24 of reduced diameter at the base of the tip 20.

The angle and the dimensions of the tip 20 can, of course, be varied. But by way of example, an angle A of between about 11 and about 12 has been found to give good results, one specific angle that has proved satisfactory being ll" 42'. In a typical embodiment of the invention the length of the conical tip 20 is about 0.096 inch, and the rounded apex 22 has a radius of about 0.016 inch. It is again emphasized that these angles and dimensions are given solely by way of example, and that variations therein are possible without departing from the invention.

The apex of the tip 20 has an axial bore 24 therein of uniform diameter, and which has a length about two-fifths that of the tip 20. The inner end of the bore 24 opens into an enlarged cylindrical ink feed channel 26, which in turn opens at its inner end into an enlarged ink supply channel 28. The rear end of the nib 16 has a notch 30 therein that opens into the ink supply channel 28, for a purpose to be described hereinafter.

The nib 16 has a plurality of axially extending, circumferentially spaced ink feed slots 32 cut in the forward end thereof, one side wall 34 of each slot 32 being radial, as shown in FIG. The slots 32 extend for the full length of the conical tip 20 and the cylindrical neck 24, and beyond the neck 24 for a substantial distance. Each slot 32 includes a front bottom wall portion 36 that lies parallel to the axis of the writing point 4 and extends rearwardly from the apex of the tip 20 for nearly the length of the bore 24, and which lies radially between the diameter of the bore 24 and the diameter of the ink feed bore 26.

Extending outwardly at an angle B from the end of the front bottom wall portion 36 of each slot 32 in an inclined rear bottom wall portion 38, each such wall portion 36 intersecting the forward end of the channel 26 so that a series of ink feed ports 40 are formed between the ink feed channel 26 and the slots 32, one port 40 for each slot. The angle B is preferably chosen to be just slightly greater than the angle A, so that the inclined rear bottom wall portions 38 lie generally parallel to the surface of the conical tip 20.

As shown in FIG. 5, the bottom wall portions 36 and 38 of the slots 32 do not lie flat, but rather are at an acute angle C to the radial side wall 34 of the slot. Typically, the angle C will be about 60. When the writing point 4 is in use ink thus flows from the reservoir means (not shown) contained in the barrel 6, into the channels 28 and 26, through the ports 40, and thence into the slots 32.

Ink is drawn from the slots 32 and applied to a writing surface by an applicator wick 42, which comprises a tightly wound helix of resilient wire that is wrapped about the conical tip 20. The wick 42 is preferably made from stainless steel wire, wound in an annealed state and then heat treated. Typically, the wire for the wick 42 has a diameter of about 0.004 inch.

The wick 42 includes an axial anchor portion 44 which fits tightly within the cylindrical bore 24, and which extends rearwardly through the ink feed bore 26 and the ink supply bore 28 of the nib 18 to terminate in a bent key tab 46 that is received in the notch 30. From the anchor portion 44 the wire of the wick 42 is wrapped helically about the rounded apex 22, the inclined surface of the conical tip 20, and the cylindrical neck portion 24. For a typical conical tip 20 measuring about 0.096 inch in length, and using 0.004 inch diameter wire, the helix wick 42 will include about thirty-five turns, the helix being tightly wound so that the turns thereof are in engagement with each other.

In use, the writer will grasp the barrel 6, and will press the writing point 4 against a writing surface. No heed need be given to the circumferential orientation of the writing point 4, since such is supplied with ink over the circumference thereof by the radially spaced feed slots 32. When the writer thereafter moves the instrument, the turns of the resilient helix wick 42 at the point of engagement with the writing surface will move relative to each other, and the resilient nib 18 will flex. These combined actions will effect movement of ink from the adjacent slot(s) 32 outwardly onto the writing surface.

As writing with the instrument progresses, minute particles are frequently scraped from the writing surface. Any accumulation of such particles between the turns of the Wick helix 42 is prevented by the flexing and rubbing together action of the turns of the wick, so that the writing point 4 is self-cleaning. The result is smooth, even writing on the writing surface.

While the writing point 4 has been described in connection with an ink reservoir, it is to be understood that such might also be incorporated into a drawing pen or the like, where ink is applied directly thereto rather than by means of a reservoir.

Obviously, many other modifications and variations are possible in the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A writing point for a writing instrument, comprising: a resilient nib; and an applicator wick mounted on and in engagement with the surface of said nib, and comprising a tightly wound helix of file resilient wire.

2. A writing point for a writing instrument, comprising: a flexible nib having a generally conical tip thereon terminating in a rounded apex and being adapted to carry a supply of ink; and a resilient applicator Wick mounted on and tightly wrapped about the rounded apex and the generally conical tip of said nib, said wick comprising a tightly wound helix having closely adjacent turns of fine resilient wire, said turns engaging the surface of said nib for receiving ink therefrom.

3. A writing point as recited in claim 2, wherein said nib has an axial bore in the apex end thereof, said applicator wick helix including an axially extending anchor portion receivable within said axial bore.

4. A writing point as recited in claim 3, wherein said applicator wick helix comprises from about 25 to about 45 turns of resilient wire having a diameter of about 0.004 inch.

5. A writing point as recited in claim 4, wherein said resilient wire comprises annealed and heat treated sta nless steel.

6. A writing point as recited in claim 3, wherein said nib has feed channel means therein opening beneath said applicator wick helix, for supplying ink to said wick.

7. In a writing instrument including a barrel containing ink reservoir means, a writing point mounted on one end of said barrel, and comprising: a flexible nib, the inner end of said nib being mounted Within one end of said barrel, and said nib having feed channel means therein communicating the outer end thereof with said reservoir means; and a flexible applicator wick tightly mounted on the surface of said outer end of said nib, and comprising a tightly wound helix having adjacent, engaged turns of fine resilient wire said turns being relatively movable with respect to each other under writing pressure for moving ink from the channel means onto a writing surface.

8. In a Writing instrument including a barrel containing ink reservoir means, a writing point mounted on one end of said barrel, and comprising: a nib made of resilient material, the inner end of said nib being mounted 'Within one end of said barrel, and the outer end of said barrel, and the outer end of said nib having a generally conical tip thereon terminating in a rounded apex, said nib having feed channel means therein communicating the said outer end thereof with said reservoir means; and an applicator wick mounted on and tightly wrapped about the rounded apex and the generally conical tip of said nib, said wick comprising a tightly wound helix of fine resilient wire adjacent turns of the helix being in engagement with each other, said nib and wick being simultaneously flexible and the adjacent turns of the helix rubbing together under writing pressure.

9. In a writing instrument as claimed in claim 8, wherein said nib has an axial bore in the apex end thereof, said applicator wick helix including an anchor portion that extends axially therethrough and which is receivable within said axial bore.

10. In a writing instrument as claimed in claim 9, wherein said feed channel means comprises: a plurality of axially extending slots in said nib extending over the length of said conical tip and said rounded apex, said nib containing an axial feed bore that is in communication with said slots and with said reservoir means.

11. In a writing instrument as recited in claim 9, wherein said nib further includes a cylindrical tip portion adjacent the larger end of said conical tip, said applicator wick helix also being wrapped about at least a portion of said cylindrical tip portion.

12. In a writing instrument as recited in claim 11, wherein said applicator wick helix comprises from about 6 to about 45 turns of resilient wire having a diameter of about 0.004 inch, and wherein said conical tip tapers at an angle of from about 11 to about 12.

13. In a Writing instrument as recited in claim 12, wherein said resilient wire comprises annealed and heat treated stainless steel.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,825 11/1844 Park 401-292 1,177,404 3/1916 Estes 401-258 1,836,342 112/1931 Siptrott 401-292 2,289,998 7/1942 Salz l--258X 3,507,600 4/1970 Cress 401-258 LAWRENCE CHARLES, Primary Examiner US. 01. X.R. 401-258

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