GB2047629A - Pencil - Google Patents

Abstract

A writing implement comprises a barrel 1 having a longitudinal groove in its wall, a container 112 for miscellaneous items attached to the barrel, and a reduced diameter wood-sheathed pencil 2 with its rear end in a bracket 23 which is slidably mounted in the groove to enable extending and retracting of the pencil 2. A pencil grip and tightening head 11a, 12, 114, is provided at the front of the barrel 1 for holding the pencil 2 in place when extended. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to writing implements The present invention relates to writing implements.

Pencils may be classified into three main categories: the conventional wooden pencil that is sharpenable with knife or sharpener; the automatic or "propelling" pencil of which the lead is forwarded and retracted from a barrel by means of a pushing or turning mechanism; and a more recently disclosed socalled non-sharpening pencil, of which pieces of lead are pre-sharpened and held in individual seats made of plastics being chargeable to a hollow barrel like bullets, each bullet with a dull point after use being discarded and a fresh one taking its place.

All three kinds of pencil have disadvantages. Because the lead in a wooden pencil is tightly held in the wooden barrel, the pencil is comparatively stable and steady during writing and also less expensive. However, means for sharpening have to be provided and the shorter the barrel after successive sharpening, the harder it is for gripping.

Although the non-sharpening pencil provides the convenience of replacing a tip instead of sharpen it, rejecting a lead tip when it is blunt and only Tor 3 is consumed is wasteful. Even though it can also be sharpened, it is meaningless and pointless to sharpen a non-sharpening pencil and it is very difficult to perform a sharpening operation on such kinds of leads tips. The product life terminates as soon as novelty ceases to exist.

The automatic pencil usually provides a non-sharpening feature through the use of finer lead, which is thus liable to be broken.

Since it is more expensive, generally only adults are potential users.

The product longevity of conventional wooden pencil is desirable. Small diameter wooden pencils have appeared on the market for easier sharpening. However, such pencils are hard to grip. Also, wooden pencils of any diameter require a protective cap to avoid breakage of the lead when not in use.

According to the invention, there is provided a writing implement comprising a cylindrical barrel and a wooden pencil, the barrel having a longitudinal guide groove and a rectangular container, a pencil grip and tightening head being provided at the front end of the barrel and a cap being provided at the rear end of the barrel, the wooden pencil being retained in the barrel and having a plain or threaded rear end, then being further provided a nut-bracket for receiving the threaded or plain rear end of the wooden pencil and having a push tab disposed outside the guide groove to allow extending and retracting of the pencil.

It is thus possible to provide a writing implement that retains the steadiness of a wooden pencil, is extendable and retractable like an automatic or propelling pencil, is protected with an easy grip barrel and cap.

There may be provided a member for indicating the week day, which member may be formed integrally with the barrel or otherwise.

A reduced diameter wooden pencil may be used with its rear end threaded to be received in a nut-bracket slidably mounted in the guide groove. The pencil is capable of being sharpened by a knife or sharpener.

The cap may comprise a rear cap with rubber eraser whose front end covers a rear opening of the small container.

The invention will be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a writing implement constituting a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the writing implement of Fig. 1; Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the writing implement of Fig. 1; Figure 4 is a bottom view with partial cutaway of the writing implement of Fig. 1; Figure 5 is a cross sectional view along line I-I of Fig. 1; Figure 6 is a cross sectional view of the barrel of another embodiment; Figure 7 is a cross sectional view of the barrel of still another embodiment; Figure 8 is a sectional front view of a weekday indicating member; and Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view along line ll-ll of Fig. 8.

Now referring to Figs. 1 to 4, a writing implement constituting a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a barrel 1 and a core of wooden pencil 2.

Barrel 1 comprises a cylindrical wall 11 having a longitudinal guide groove 111 extending almost to its full length and a small rectangular container 11 2 disposed on the rear portion of and formed integrally with the barrel. Screwed in the front end of the barrel cylinder 11 is a taper grip 11 a having two to four longitudinal splits 11 4 and threads 11 5 disposed on it. Screwed in the rear end of the barrel cylinder 11 is socket 11 b with threads 11 6 on it. Adjacent the front end of the container 11 2 is a week-day indicating member 11 3 which is formed separately and attached thereon with appropriate adhesive.A conical head 1 2 with inner thread 1 21 is screwed on the taper grip 11 a; a rear cap 1 3 with inner thread 131 and a rubber eraser 1 32 is screwed on the rear end of the barrel cylinder 11 to form the whole barrel 1.

The core of wooden pencil 2 is substantially a conventional wooden pencil of reduced diameter, of which the front end can be sharpened with a knife or sharpener. The rear end 22 of the core is threaded to be taken in a nut bracket 23, the outside diameter of a nut part of the bracket 23 being somewhat smaller than the inside diameter of the barrel 1. A leg 231 of the nut bracket 23 extends through the guide groove 111 of the barrel 1 and a push tab 232 is formed at the end of the leg 231 and is pushable by a user's finger to slide forward or rearward along the groove 111.

Referring to Fig. 5, the container 11 2 is formed integrally with the barrel cylinder 11 and communicates therewith through a length of aperture 11 7. Small items of flat shape, such as a knife blade or a card printed with or a name or other interesting drawings or proverb etc., can be stored therein. In another embodiment shown in Fig. 6, the container 11 2 is formed flatter to contain only a printed card and the material forming the barrel and the container is preferably transparent.The container 11 2 may also be formed as shown in Fig. 7, wherein the container is expanded to hold small items such as a specially designed knife, the top of the container 11 2 being formed with a recess 11 8 so that a name card or the equivalent may be adhered thereupon or even engraved thereon with a pre-designed mold.

-The week-day indicating member 11 3 has a box shaped body 101 with its rear end open as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. Retained in the body 101 is a pair of rollers 102, 103 mounted laterally within the box and rotatably on respective axles 104, 105. An endless belt 106 with names of weekdays printed therein is wound about the rollers 102, 103, the inner surface of the endless belt 106 being made into coarse stripes so as to match with the likewise surface feature of the rollers to increase friction therebetween to avoid slippage. One end of the axle 104 of the driving roller 103 projects out of the side wall of the box 101 and is provided with a turning knob 107 for driving of the indicating belt 106. On top of the box 101, a lid 109 with an indicating window 108 is provided.

The weekday indicating member 11 3 is preassembled as an individual part to be adhered adjacent the container 11 2 on the barrel cylinder 11, because this arrangement is more convenient than forming the said member 11 3 integrally with the container 11 2 on the barrel cylinder 11. Although the member 113 maybe formed integrally with the container 11 2 it would be much more difficult to the mold preparation.

The use of the writing implement is as follows. The wooden pencil 2 is usually hidden in the barrel 1 when not in use. Before use, the conical head 1 2 is loosened with the hand to enable the splits 11 4 on the taper grip 11 a to open. The tab 232 is pushed forward along the guide groove 111 and the pencil 2 is moved forward within the barrel together with the nut bracket 23. The lead tip thus projects out of the conical head 1 2 by a desired length. The head 1 2 is then screwed up to tighten the taper grip 11 a to hold steady the pencil 2 in a position for writing.

After finishing writing, the operation is reversed by first loosening the head 1 2 and then moving the tab 232 rearwardly until the pencil retracts into the barrel 1. The head 1 2 is again tightened. The weekday indicating member can be adjusted by turning of the knob 107.

When the pencil 2 is substantially used up so that only a short stub remains and the nutbracket 23 has been moved to the foremost end, the head 1 2 is released,~the stub is unscrewed from the nut 23, and refill comprising a new pencil 2 is inserted.

The rear opening or the entrance to the container 11 2 is sealed up by the front end of the cap 1 3 as shown by the dotted line in Fig.

5. Unless the cap 13 is detached from the barrel, small items such as a knife blade cannot fall out from inside the container 11 2.

The eraser 1 32 may be replaced when used up by detaching the cap 13, pushing the unusable eraser from the front end of the cap with a small stick, and replacing it with a new one.

With the above-described structure, the pencil 2 is retractable into the barrel 1 and is protected therein. When projecting outfor use, the pencil has the property of a conventional pencil which is steady. However, it is of reduced diameter, and holding of the pencil is made easy by the use of the barrel and is substantially without fatigue of the fingers.

The container arid weekday indicating member provide extra convenience in use. The pencil can be used to its shortest length possible without much waste. Besides, the pencil is sharpenable with an ordinary knife or sharpener to maintain an ever sharpening condition of the tip.

The above-described embodiments are given only for illustration purpose and not by way of limitation. Modification will become evident to those skilled in the art which will fall within the scope of attached claims. For instance, instead of screwing up to the barrel, the conical head 1 2 and the cap 1 3 may also be provided by insertion into the barrel without threading. A spring clip may be provided in between the rear cap 1 3 and the barrel cylinder 11, and the pencil may be inserted into the bracket without threading. A ballpoint pen refill may be used instead of a wooden pencil.

Claims (1)

1. A writing implement comprising a cylindrical barrel and a wooden pencil, the barrel having a longitudinal guide groove and a rectangular container, a pencil grip and tightening head being provided at the front end of the barrel and a cap being provided at the rear end of the barrel, the wooden pencil being retained in the barrel and having a plain or threaded rear end, there being further provided a nut-bracket for receiving the threaded or plain rear end of the wooden pencil and having a push tab disposed outside the guide groove to allow extending and retracting of the pencil.

2. A writing implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the longitudinal guide groove extends almost the full length of the barrel and the rectangular container is formed integrally with and near the rear end of the barrel, the pencil grip and tightening head comprising a taper grip with outside threading and at least two splits and being connected to the front end of the barrel, there being provided a threaded socket coupled with the rear end of the barrel and a conical head screwed on the taper grip, and the cap comprising a detachable cap with a replacable rubber eraser screwed on the socket at the rear of the barrel.

3. A writing implement as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein a weekday indicating member is disposed adjacent the front end of the container.

4. A writing implement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cap has a front end with an outside diameter greater than that of the barrel so that, when disposed at the rear of the barrel, the outside edge of the cap covers a rear opening or entrance of the container.

5. A writing implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rear end of the wooden pencil of reduced diameter is of a plain type without threading.

6. A writing implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the engagement between the rear end of the wooden pencil and the bracket is of tightened insertion without screwing up.

7. A writing implement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wooden pencil is of cylindrical, hexagonal or polygonal cross-sectional shape, the rear end of which is provided with or without threads.

9. A writing implement substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.