U.S. patent number 3,830,574 [Application Number 05/354,686] was granted by the patent office on 1974-08-20 for tubular nib writing implement with an interchangeable nib.
This patent grant is currently assigned to J. S. Staedtler. Invention is credited to Klaus Glombitza, Claus Gottschalk, Otto Mutschler.
United States Patent |
3,830,574 |
Glombitza , et al. |
August 20, 1974 |
TUBULAR NIB WRITING IMPLEMENT WITH AN INTERCHANGEABLE NIB
Abstract
A tubular nib writing implement has a head piece, whose lower
end is adapted for the screwing in of a nib provided with a collar
with a nut profile and the upper end of the head piece can be
inserted with its upper end, which serves for receiving an ink
cartridge, into a holding shank. The shank is provided with a
spanner recess corresponding to the nut profile of the nib. The
spanner recess lies in the substantially cylindrical side wall of
the holder shank.
Inventors: |
Glombitza; Klaus (Nurnberg,
DT), Mutschler; Otto (Heidelberg, DT),
Gottschalk; Claus (Nurnberg, DT) |
Assignee: |
Staedtler; J. S. (Nurnberg,
DT)
|
Family
ID: |
5844426 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/354,686 |
Filed: |
April 26, 1973 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
Current U.S.
Class: |
401/195;
401/258 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B43K
8/16 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B43K
8/00 (20060101); B43K 8/16 (20060101); B43k
001/10 (); B43k 029/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;401/258-260,195,132-135 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Charles; Lawrence
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Hane, Baxley & Spiecens
Claims
We claim:
1. A tubular nib writing instrument, said instrument comprising in
combination:
a tubular grip member open at both ends for inserting an ink supply
cartridge into one of the ends of the grip member, said one end of
the grip member having fastening means for removably retaining one
end of a closure cap, the other end of the grip member being
threaded;
a tubular writing nib having at one end a threaded wall portion
screwable upon the threaded grip member end, the other end of the
nib constituting a writing end thereof, said nib mounting
intermediate its ends a collar having an unround peripheral
outline; and
a tubular closure cap for covering an ink supply cartridge inserted
into the grip member, said cap being removably fittable upon said
fastening means on the grip member, and including in its side wall
an opening having a peripheral outline matching the unround
peripheral outline of the collar on the nib, whereby said cover cap
constitutes a key for tightening or loosening said nib when the
side wall opening thereof is fitted upon said collar.
2. The writing instrument according to claim 1 wherein said nib
collar and said side wall opening each have a hexagonal peripheral
outline.
3. The writing instrument according to claim 1 wherein the side
wall of the cover cap includes a second opening diametrically
opposite to the first opening, said second opening constituting a
passage opening for the writing end of the nib.
4. The writing instrument according to claim 1 wherein said
fastening means on the grip member comprise screw threads, and
wherein said cover cap end receivable in the grip member comprises
screw threads insertable upon the grip member threads.
5. The writing instrument according to claim 1 and comprising an
elongate ink supply cartridge inserted with one end into the grip
member and extending through part of the length of the closure
cap.
6. The writing instrument according to claim 5 wherein said side
wall opening is disposed in juxtaposition with a cartridge part
extending within the cover cap for checking the ink supply in the
cartridge through said opening.
7. The writing instrument according to claim 6 wherein said side
wall of the cover cap includes a second opening, said second
opening being axially spaced from the first opening and disposed in
a cover cap portion free of said cartridge part extending within
the cover cap.
Description
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
1. Field to Which Invention Relates
The invention relates to tubular nib writing implements, and more
particularly with a head piece, whose lower end is adapted for the
screwing in of a nib provided with a collar with a nut profile and
the upper end of the head piece can be inserted with its upper end,
which serves for receiving a ink cartridge, into a holding shank,
more particularly by screw means, and the shank is provided with a
spanner recess corresponding to the nut profile of the nib.
2. The Prior Art
In the case of such previously proposed tubular nib writing
elements with an interchangeable nib, which make it possible to
vary the line thickness in the case of writing or drawing by the
use of a writing nib with a different tube diameter, on the nut
profile, for example provided with flats, a suitably shaped spanner
is provided of small size in order to be able to screw in and
unscrew the writing nib from the head piece. This prior art
arrangement with a separate actuating spanner, however, offers the
disadvantage that frequently the actuating spanner constituting a
separate part is mislaid or lost so that when the user intends to
change the nib the spanner is not immediately available.
Furthermore, there has been another prior proposal (see for example
in this respect the German Gebrauchsmuster Specification No.
7,016,989) to provide the spanner recess in the circular covering
face at the upper end of the substantially cylindrical holder shank
so that the holder shank removed from the head piece can be
simultaneously used as an actuating spanner for the detachable
writing nib.
However, in the case of such an arrangement the short lever arm,
corresponding to half the diameter of the holding shank, only makes
it possible to exert a relatively small torque on unscrewing a
writing nib, something which frequently leads to substantial
difficulties in the case of writing nibs which are jammed by
encrusted ink residue and this difficulty is made worse by the fact
that the fingers are frequently moist.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
One object of the present invention is to provide a tubular nib
writing element with an interchangeable nib in the case of which
the holding shank used as a wrench which cannot be lost makes
possible a particularly effortless actuation of the writing nib
even when the screw threads are jammed or blocked with dried
ink.
In order to achieve this object there is provided in a tubular nib
writing implement of the above-mentioned type that the wrench
recess lies in the substantially cylindrical side wall of the
holder shank. Owing to the arrangement of the wrench recesses in
the side wall of the holder shank there is the advantage that on
placing the wrench recess on the nut collar of the writing nib the
holding shank axis lies perpendicular in relation to the axis of
rotation of the writing nib so that the length of the holding shank
acts as a lever arm.
It is advantageous if the wrench recess in the holding shank lies
opposite a diametrally placed preferably similarly shaped opening,
through which on placing the holding shank in position as an
actuating wrench extends onto the nib at its front end.
The construction of this through-hole for the front end of the
writing nib as a recess similar to that of the wrench recess has
the advantage that the holding shank can be placed as desired on
one or the other side as a wrench, which also has the advantage
that in the case of any damage or splitting of one of the wrench
recesses a further wrench recess is available for use.
The wrench recess can be arranged in the lower part of the holding
shank, in accordance with a further feature of the invention, into
which the ink cartridge extends so that there is not only a large
lever arm but there is also the possibility of examining the state
of filling of the ink cartridge from the outside without any
difficulty.
Owing to the provision of several axially spaced wrench recesses in
the holding shank, which if required can have different shapes so
that they can be used for actuating nibs with differently shaped
collars, there is the possiblity that one of the recesses can be
arranged adjacent to the top end while the other is arranged
adjacent to the lower end of the ink cartridge so that the ink
supply in the cartridge can be observed all the time.
For this purpose it can be an advantage when the wrench recess
and/or the opening placed diametrically opposite it is constructed
as an axially extending slot, which extends substantially over the
whole length of the ink cartridge.
It should be pointed out at this juncture that the wrench or key
recess corresponding to the nut collar of the nib should not be
taken only to include such recesses as whose peripheries exactly
correspond to the periphery of the collar, but includes all forms
of recesses which on placing on the nut collar can act as a key or
wrench.
It is an especial advantage if in accordance with the invention a
wrench or key recess is arranged in the upper part of the holder
shank, above the inwardly extending ink cartridge so that for
removal of the writing nib of one implement another similar tubular
nib writing implement can be used, that is, the holding shank of
the one implement does not need to be removed at all. In order
simultaneously to allow checking the level of the ink in the ink
cartridge from the outside it is possible for the arrangement to be
such that several wrench or key openings are provided with axial
spacing between them, at least one opening being arranged adjacent
to the inwardly extending cartridge and at least one being arranged
above the space in the holding shank occupied by the ink
cartridge.
In order to avoid any scratching of the outer surface of the
holding shank produced by injection molding during the course of
removal from the mold, which could occur due to the formation of
flash at the mold recesses for the wrench recesses, an injection
molded part comprising the wrench recess and the oppositely placed
openings can be injection molded in the holder shaft which is
preferably of a different color. This injection molded part or
these injection molded parts in the case of the provision of
several such parts, are placed before injection molding of the
holding shank in the corresponding mold.
The difference in color of the injection molded part and the holder
shank offers simultaneously the possibility of color marking of
different tubular nib writing implements in accordance with the
line thickness of their nibs while the color of the injection
molded part is preferably the same as the corresponding color of
the writing nib.
The holding shank can advantageously be a sleeve which is
substantially cylindrical and is open at both ends, since owing to
the arrangement of the wrench or key recess in its side wall a
covering surface is not absolutely necessary.
LIST OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF DRAWINGS
Further advantages, features and details of the invention will be
gathered from the following description of an embodiment referring
to the figures of the drawing.
FIG. 1 is a view of a tubular nib writing element, partly in
section.
FIG. 2 shows the holding shank mounted as a wrench or key on the
writing nib and partly broken away.
FIG. 3 is a part view looking in the direction of the arrow P in
FIG. 2.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In the grip member or head piece 1 provided at its lower end with
an internal screw thread a writing or drawing nib 2 can be screwed
in, while at the upper end, into which an ink cartridge 3 can be
inserted, a screw section 4 is provided, with whose help the head
piece 1 can be screwed into a holding shank or cap 5.
In the lower part of the holding shank 5, into which in the
assembled condition the ink cartridge 3 extends which is provided
with a transparent wall, two axially spaced hexagonal recesses or
openings 6 and 7 are arranged which in shape and size correspond to
a hexagonal nut collar 8 serving as a wrench or key engaging
surface.
The recesses or openings 6 and 7 are opposite to correspondingly
shaped recesses or openings 9 and 10, through which the writing nib
11 can extend to the outside when the holding shank is mounted on
the nib 2 for use as an actuating key.
Reference numeral 12 indicates the tip of a conventional cleaning
wire, which is connected with a loading weight which can move to a
limited extent inside the writing nib.
The invention is not limited to the embodiment shown. Thus it is
possible not only to have a different number, arrangement, and
shape of the wrench or key recesses and the passage openings
arranged opposite them for the lower end of the writing nib, but
also to provide a force fit of the holding shank on a
correspondingly shaped fitting surface at the upper end of the head
piece instead of screwing it on as is shown.
Finally, it would also be possible, in the case of the production
of the holding shank, more particularly by injection molding, to
make the key recess somewhat oversize and to mount in it an insert
part, of a different color so that it cannot rotate, for example
owing to a gripping action.
* * * * *