US1875866A - Fountain pen filling device - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 6, 1932. R. HARRIS ET AL FOUNTAIN PEN FILLING DEVICE Filed May 17, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet l a S 2 m V. w; W s M F 424/164 5. KEECH p R. L. HARRIS ET AL 1,875,866

FOUNTAIN PEN FILLING DEVICE Filed May 17. 19252 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IPI4MJJI 4. HAFP/S 044/4 5. KEE'CH Sept. 6, 1932. R. HARRIS ET AL FOUNTAIN PEN FILLING DEVICE 4 Sheets-sheaf '3 Filed y 17, 1932 wufn/roes 24/1/54! 4. #46845 04444 E. 4 5566 #770E/VEV Sept. 6, 1932. R. HARRIS ET AL 1,375,866

FOUNTAIN PEN FILLING DEVICE Filed May 17, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 E4M$4V A- HARP/.5 0/4444 5. [EEC/7 Patented Sept. 6, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BAMSAY HARRIS, OF CLAREMONT, AND DANA E. KEECI-I, OF GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA FOUNTAIN PEN FILLING DEVICE Application filed May 17, 1932. Serial No. 611,798.

Our invention relates to fountain pen filling devices and finds particular utility in a preferred embodiment thereof which is adapted to be readily applied to any standard ink bottle.

While there have been numerous attempts to produce a satisfactory device for filling fountain pens none of these devices has come generally on the market to date, and it is an object of our invention to produce .a satisfactory device of this character. Among other objects sought to be attained by our invention is the object of providing a fountain pen filler which accomplishes its purpose without turning a bottle upside down; which keeps the barrel of the pen free from being wetted by the ink; which automatically fills the ink sac in a fountain pen; which operates uniformly so that a person may be absolutely sure after having proper- 1 used the device that the pen sac will be filled with ink; and which so closes the mouth of a bottle of ink when the device is not in use as to be practically immune from 5 accidental spilling of ink.

In experimenting with fountain pen filling devices of this type we have found where the air space above the ink in the bottle is vented to the atmosphere and where air is blown into the ink in the operation of the device, that bubbles are formed in the air space above the ink which tends to carry ink out of the vent with air passing outwardly therethrough.

It is therefore another object of our invention to provide a vented fountain pen filling device having means for breaking up bubbles of ink prior to their reaching the vent.

The manner of accomplishing the foregoing objects, as well as further objects and advantages will be made manifest in the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a preferred embodiment of our invention applied to a standard ink bottle.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of an inside member included in the device shown in Fig. 1.

Figs. 3 and 4: are horizontal sectional views taken on the lines 33 and 44 of Fig. 1.

Figs. 5 and 6 are enlarged fragmentary sectional views illustrating a modified form of Vent vestibule adapted to be used in the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating a stage in the operation of our invention in which the bellows thereof is manually compressed.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 illustrating a stage in the operation of our invention where the bellows is released after being compressed.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the modified form of our invention applied to a standard ink bottle.

"Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9 illustrating the first step in the operation of this device.

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 10 illustrating the second step in the operation of the device shown in Fig. 9 which follows the steps in the operation illustrated in Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a plan view of a second modified form of our invention applied to a special ink bottle.

Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 13-13 of Fig. 12.

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of a washer used in the construction of the device shown in Fig. 12'.

Fig. 15 is a view similar to Fig. 13 and illustrating the operation of the device shown therein.

Referring specifically to the drawings, and particularly to Figs. 1 to 8 inclusive, a preferred form of our invention illustrated in these figures comprises a fountain pen filling device 20 which is shown as being applied to a standard ink bottle 21. The ink bottle 21 has the usual neck 22 provided at its upper end with an outwardly extending head 23, there being a body of ink 24 in the bottle.

The pen filling device 20 has an outer shell 28 which is formed of rubber or siniilar resilient material. The shell 28 includes a collar 29 which fits over the neck 22 of the bottle 21 and has an annular inner recess 30 which wardly from the shoulder 39 is an annular which will be made manifest hereinafter.

The recess 35 is separated from the recess by an inwardly extending flange 36 and is bounded eripherall by a relatively thin wall of ru ber 37. he recess is bounded upwardly by an inwardly extending flange 38, there being an annular outer shoulder 39 which extends downwardly below the level of the upper edge of the annular recess 35.

Formed in the wall 37 just below the shoulder 39 is a vent hole 40, the purpose of which will be made manifest hereinafter.

Provided on the shell 28 and extending up wall 44 which forms a suction bellows 45.

' The wall 44 preferably curves inwardly to form a cup 46 having a relatively thin floor 47 there being a pen nib receiving opening 48 provided centrally in this floor.

Mounted in the annular recess 35 is an inner member 50 which is preferably formed 'of a rigid material, such as metal, hard rubber, bakelite, glass, or the like. The inner member 50, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, includes an upper floor 51, an outer wall 52, a pen-nib pocket 53, and a vestibule floor 54.- Theupper floor 51 of the member 50 has an annular boss 58 extending upwardly above the upper end of the pen pocket 53 and provided with radial channels 59 formed therein. The channels 59 slope towards the axis of the member 50 and divide the boss 58 into segments 60 which are preferably hollow, as

shown in Fig. 1, in order to out down the wei ht of the inner member 50.

e outer wall 52 has an outer vent hole 62 provided therein, which, when the device is assembled is disposed in communication with the vent hole 40.

The pen pocket 53 is adapted to closely fit the en nib of the maximum size with which the device 20 is adapted to be-used. The upper end of the pen pocket 53 has an external shoulder 65, the pur ose of which will be made evident hereina ter, and the lower end of the pocket preferably has a tapering floor 66 which terminates in a downwardly extending neck 67. Stretched over the neck 67 is a rubber tube 68 which preferably extends to the lower end of the bottle 21, as shown in The vestibule floor 54 of the inner member 50 preferably tapers downwardly towards the middle and has a central opening around which is formed a flange 70 which fits over the ocket 53, it being driven onto said pocket untl it engages the shoulder 65. 'The entire inner member is preferably die cast of an chamber,

having suflicient hardness to resist deformation, and this member is preferably coated with an acid-resisting aint so as to prevent its being attacked by 'lute acids-in the ink. The floor 54 has an inner vent hole 74 which is preferably on the opposite side of the member 50 from the outer vent hole 62.

Formed in the member 50 by the walls thereof above described is an annular vent vestibule 75 which is preferably a fluid-tight the only openings of which are the outer and inner vents 62 and 74. While the yestibule 75 may be left empty orit may be provided with any desired means for absorbing ink or obstructing the flow of ink from the inner vent 74 to the outer vent 62, this vestibule is preferably filled with a finely divided substance'such as wool or cotton.

Fitting about the lower portion of the pen pocket 53 is a pair of screens and 81 which are preferably formed of acid-resisting metal, or the like, and the purpose of which is to break up bubbles of ink which might form in the a r space in the bottle 21 above the ink and keep these from entering the inner vent hole 74.

Operation The operation of our invention is as fol,- lows: Any standard fountain pen, such as the pen 85 shown in Figs. 7 and 8 and having a resilient ink sac 86, ma be filled by the pen filling device 20. o accomplish this the barrel 87 is grasped in one hand of the operator'and the pen nib 88 is inserted downwardly through the opening 48 in the wall 47 until the mouth 89 of the pen' barrel 87 comes into pressural contact with the upper surface 90 of the wall 47, thereby depressing this wall until it comes into contact with the upper surface of the annular boss 58. This boss supports the wall 47 so that further pressure downward on the pen 85 tends to make a fluid-tight seal'between the mouth 89 of the barrel and the upper surface 90 of this wall, but the size of the opening 48 and the.

fact that the wall is supported from beneath by the boss 58 excludes the pen barrel 87 from the hole 48.

The width and length of pen nibs 88 of different pens vary considerably, but the pen pocket 53 is made so as to closely confine the largest of the pen nibs 88 with which the de-- I vice 20 is adapted to be used.

It is thus seen that by the action of press ing the pen barrel 87 downwardly, a space surrounding the nib 88, and excluding the barrel 87, has been closely confined, this space being connected through the channels 59 to the interior of the bellows 45. The walls of the bellows 45 are now compressed with the fingers of the other hand, as shown in Fig. 7, thereby forcing air from the bellows downwardly through the channels 59, the pen pocket 53, and the tube 68 so that this air is emitted in the form of bubbles from the lower end of this tube, these bubbles rlsmg u wardly, as shown in Fig. 7, and being bro on onthis bellows is released is to evacuate the air from the sac 86 of the pen 85 so that this sac is collapsed, as shown in Fig. 8. The suction of the bellows 45 also draws ink upwardly through the tube 68 and the pen pocket 53 so as to fill this pen pocket up to the wall 47, an

excess of ink being drawn through the channels 59 into the lower end of the bellows 45, as clearly shown in Fig. 8. The channels 59 are thus seen to form a vent means for relieving the upper end of the pocket 53 of air. The lower end of the bellows 45 is also seen to form a reservoir of fairly liberal size for surplus ink elevated by the bellows;

The bellows 45 is shown in full lines in Fig. 8 as when only partly expanded to its normal position. When the bellows is completely expanded, as shown by dotted lines 95 in Fig. 8, the ink has been drawn upwardly in the pen pocket, the channels, and the lower portion of the bellows until the upper level of this ink is approximately as indicated by the broken lines 96. As soon as the sucking effect of the bellows 45 is relaxed, the sac 86 begins to expand and draw in ink. It is one of the objects of our invention, as stated hereinbefore, to give the sac 86 a good load of ink, and for this reason it is necessary to exclude as much air as possible from this sac when it is expanding. This has been done by surrounding the nib 88 with ink excepting in the small space beneath the barrel mouth 89 in the opening 48 which is not occupied by the nib 88. This space is so small, however, as to have practically no effect upon the load of ink taken up by the sac 86 when it expands.

The surplus quantity of ink which has been drawn upwardly by the bellows 45 consists of the stratum of ink which lies between the level of the lower surface of the floor 47 and tion of a second following the resumption by the bellows 45 of its normal shape. Therefore, it is only necessary for a person to count to two or three after observing the cessation of movement in the bellows 45 to be absolutely sure that he has a full load of ink in his pen.

If a person should not hold the pen tight enough to make a fluid-tight seal between the barrel mouth 89 and the wall 47, a sucking noise will result which. will warn him that he does not have a full load. In this event it is only necessary to leave the pen nib in the device, make a more perfect sealing connection between the mouth 89 of the pen barrel and the wall 47, and then repeat the squeezing of the bellows 45 and the releasing of this as previously described. If there is any ink in the sac 86 when the bellows 45starts to expand it will suck out every bit of this ink as well as practically all of the air in the sac, thereby permitting the sac to take on a full load of ink when the bellows 45 reaches its fully expanded position.

When the pen nib 88 is withdrawn from the pen filling device 20 the wall 47 follows the mouth 89 of the pen barrel upwardly until this wall reaches its elevated position, as shown in Fig. 1. If the pen nib is of a relatively large size, it is rotated slightly to assist in its removal from the hole 48. This lifting ofthe floor 47 causes a slight increase in the capacity of the bellows 45 so that air issucked inwardly between the mouth 89 of the pen barrel 87 and the sealing surface 90 of the floor 47 so as to clean the surfaces of the hole 48 and the sealing face 90 of any accumulation of ink adhering to these surfaces as a result of the pen filling operation, other than a very thin film of ink which remains on the surfaces. Another advantage which results from the lifting of the floor 47 is that the lower surface of this floor, that is, the lower surface 97 of this floor, is lifted above the level 96 ofv ink in. the bottom of the bellows 45 so that the air trap present in the bellows 45 while the pen is still inserted in the device, is broken, thereby releasing the ink so that this can flow from the lower end of the bellows 45 through the channels 59 and into the pocket 53, from which this ink drains through the tube 68 into the bottle 21.

It is also desired to state here that it is preferable for the shell 28 to be formed from relatively soft rubber so that the bellows 45 does not expand too rapidly when it is released after being compressed as shown in Fig. 7.

The drawings herewith of device 20 are scale drawings, one and one-half actual size, of a very satisfactory working model of the device.

In putting the device 20 on a bottle it is necessary to keep the vent hole 40' open in air order to prevent a yser of ink upward from the device. The s oulder 39 ma es it practically impossible for a finger to be aced over the vent 40 'so as to entirely close t is.

In Fig. 5 we have shown a modified form of inner member which is exactly like .the inner member 50 excepting that the floor 101 of the vestibule 102 o the member 100 is provided with a valve seat 103 on the lower surface thereof and an annular wall 104 on the upper surface thereof, the valve seat 103 and the wall 104 being disclosed concentrically with a vent hole 105. Ada ted to rest on the floor 101 within the annu ar wall 104 is a hollow frusto-conical valve actuating bod 106 which is provided at its lower edge wit assageways 107. Hung from the body 106 y means of a wire 108 is a valve head 109, as shown in Fig. 5.

Provided on the floor 101 of the member 100 is a vertical wall 110 for the tpurpose of protecting the body 106 from the brous material 111 with which the vestibule 102 is packed. This construction forms an automatically closing vent valve 112 which closes as shown in Fig. 6 when the device 20 is turned upon its side or upside down. The effect of this valve is to prevent the admission of ink to the vestibule chamber 75 when the bottle 21 is tipped so that ink covers the inner vent of this chamber.

Referring now to Figs. 9, 10, and 11, we have disclosed therein a modified form of fountain pen filling device which includes a rubber shell 121 having a tubular body 122, inside of which are formed annular recesses 123 and 124 so as to provide a lower securing ring 125, an internal flange 126, and an upper internal flange 127. The lower end of the ring 125 has an internal bevelled surface 128 to facilitate the device being applied to the bottle 21, as shown in Fig. 9.

Positioned in the annular recess 124 is a metal member 130 having an outer wall 131, from the upper edge of which is formed an annular Wall 132 in the middle of which is provided a drain valve opening 133.

Formed upwardly from the tubular body 122 is an annular wall 135 which arches inwardly to form a bellows 136, the inner portions of the wall 135 forming a cup 137 having a floor 138, this floor having a pen nib receiving hole 139. Formed upon the floor 138 and extending downwardly therefrom is a pin pocket 145, the upper end of which communicates with the hole 139 and has an annular valve shoulder 146 formed outwardly thereon, this shoulder having lateral passages 147 formed therein which connect the upper end of the pen pocket with the lower end of the bellows 136. The annular valve shoulder 146 is of larger diameter than the opening 133 in the wall 132 of the member 130 and is adapted to seat on this wall to close the open- Lenses floor 138 is pushed Connecting to the lower end of the pocket 145 is a tube 149 which extends to the bottom of the bottle 21 and is provided at its lower end with a weir member 150, this member having an aperture therein which restricts the flow of ink through this tube.

As the pocket 145 is preferabl soft rubber it is adapted to be fbrmed with the shell member 121 in one cure. Attention is called to the fact that in the device 120 there are no vents from the bottle 21 through the shell 121 excepting the passage up through the hole 133 and the passa ewa s 147 which lead through the upper en of tlie pocket 145 to the pen nib openm 139.

The internal meta member 130 forms a dead air chamber 160, the'purpose of which will be made evident hereinafter.

The operation of the device 120 is shown in Figs. 10 and 11. To fill the pen 85 with this device, the nib 88 thereof is inserted through the nib opening 139 as shown in Fi 10, and the pen is pressed firmly downward so as to bring the annular valve shoulder 146 into contact with the floor 132, thereby closing the valve opening 133. The nib 88 is thus extended into the pen pocket 145 which yields to adapt itself to the shape of this nib, so that only a very small space remains in the pocket 145 which is not occupied by the nib 88. With the pen thus pressed downwardly the bellows 136 is seized between the thumb and forefinger and collapsed as shown in Fig. 10, so as to force air from this bellows downwardly through the passageways 147, the pen pocket 145, and the tube 149 so that this air is expelled through the weir member 150 into the ink in the bottle 21. This air rises upwardly through the ink and forms bubbles 162, as shown in Fig. 10, in the dead air space 163 enclosed in the bottle above the ink. This causes a back pressure to be built up in the bottle owing to the absence of any vent to the atmosphere at this time, but owing to the fact that the dead air space chamber enlarges the dead air space 163, normally in the bottle, this back pressure is insuflicient to hamper the successful operation of the'device 120 when the level 165 of the ink in the bottle 21 is at or below the point shown in Fig. 10.

In fact, an adequate vacuum is formed in the bellows 136, when it is released as shown in Fig. 11, to evacuate the air from the pen sac 86 and cause an inflow of ink through the weir 150 and tube. 149 into the pocket 145, thus filling this pocket and providing a surplus of ink which flows outwardly through ing 138 when the cup downwardly.

formed of the passageways 147 until the lower end of the bellows 136 is filled up to the level 166. The pressure in the bottle, of course, assists in the elevation of ink as just described. As indicated in Fi 11, the pen sac 86 remains collapsed unti the bellows 136 resumes its normally expanded position indicated by the broken line 168, whereupon, the suction being broken in the pen pocket 145, the pen sac 86 expands by its own resiliency and takes in a full load of ink.

With the pen thus filled with ink, it is lifted upwardly, thus releasing the wall 135 from downward pressure on the cup floor 138 and permitting this cup floor 138 to return to its upper position as shown in Fig. 9. This opens the valve opening 133 and permits the surplus ink in the lower end of the bellows 136 to drain downwardly through the opening 133 without passing through the pen pocket, and establishing a bottle vent to the atmosphere through this opening, as before described. This also permits the surplus ink in the pen pocket 145 to drain downwardly through the tube 149 into the bottle. It is thus seen that the drainage of the surplus ink from both the pen pocket 145 and the lower portion of the bellows 136 into the bottle 21 is responsive to the withdrawal of the pen 85 from the device.

This drainage has the advantage of rendering the spilling of ink from the device relatively difficult. After the ink, has drained, as above described, and the bottle 21 having the device 120 mounted thereon is turned upon its side, the ink passing through the opening 133 will have to fill the bellows 136 up to the level of the pen nib opening 139 before this ink will start to fiow from the device.

An important feature of the fountain pen filling device 120 is the use of a flexible pen nib pocket 145. This pocket not only yields to conform to the pen nib when the latter is inserted therein, but it is further adapted to yield to the pressure differential between the interior and exterior thereof so as to even more tightly cling to the pen nib and correspondingly reduce the free space in the pocket not occupied by the pen nib itself. The flexible nature of the pocket 145 thus greatly reduces the amount of air space connected with the bellows 136 when this is collapsed, as shown in Fig. 10, and this makes it much easier to draw a vacuum on this pocket, in the face of a back pressure in the bottle, when the bellows is released. The clinging of the pocket 145 to the nib under external pressure is also an effective aid in the operation of the device as a much smaller quantity of ink is thus suflicient to immerse the pen nib 8 and permit the'pen sac 86 to take in a full load of ink.

Where it is desired to work on very close clearances in the pocket 145 the inner surface of this pocket is scored so as to provide longitudinal channels for conducting the ink around the nib where this pressurally engages the pocket walls.

Referring now to Figs. 12 to 15 inclusive, a third modified form of the invention will be described which c omprises a pen fillin device 200, this being mounted in a s ia bottle 201. The bottle 201 has a nec 202 provided externally with threads 203, upon.

, which a cap 204 is screwed, this cap having a central opening 205.

The device 200 includes upper and lower rubber cups 210 and 211 having annular, flange portions 212 and 213 which are compressed beneath the cap 204, a washer 215 which has a central opening therein, being disposed between said cups, as shown. The cup 210 extends downwardly through the central opening of the washer 215 and is formed so that the normal position of this cup is with its side walls folded, as shown in Fig. 13, there being a bottom wall 217 formed on this cup having a pen nib receiving aperture 218 provided centrally therein.

The outer cup 211 is also formed with its side walls folded, as shown in Fig. 13, this cup also having a bottom wall 220 which is centrally provided with a pen pocket 222, the lower end of which has a tube 223 which extends downwardly into the ink in the bottle 201.

Provided in the lower end of the tube 223 is a weir member 225 having a fairly small orifice therein, this member being formed of a non-corrosivev material, such as hard rubber or the like.

Resting upon the floor 220 of the lower cup 211 is a washer 230 having a raised annular ring 231 formed centrally therein, this ring having a central opening 232. The ring 231 is supported by a wall 233, this wall having openings 234 provided radially therein.

The operation of the device 200 in filling the pen 85 is as follows: The nib 88 is extended downwardly through the nib receiving opening 218, and the mouth 89 of the barrel 87 is brought pressurally against the upper surface of the cup bottom 217, so as to depress this and expand the side walls of the cups 210 and 211, as shown in Fig. 15. In this downward movement the two cups 210 and 211 cooperate to provide a bellows 240 which evacuates the air from the pen pocket 222 so as to collapse thesac 86 in the pen and draw ink through the weir 225, thus filling the pen pocket 88 and the lower end of the bellows 240, as shown in Fig. 15. Owing to the fact that the pen nib 88 is fairly closely confined by the pen pocket 222 a relatively small quantity of ink is sufiicient to fill the remaining space in this pocket to cause the ink to rise up to a level where it contacts the lower face of the upper cup bottom 217 and rises in the lower end of the bellows 240 so as to lock the air in this bellows and prevent admission of this air to the pen nib 88 when the vacuum is relaxed so as lower cup 211 in the operation of filling the pen 85 the air in the bottle 201 is compressed so asto assist the ink to flow upthe tube 223 into the pocket 222. Thus, when the pen. nib 88 is lifted out of the pen nib opening 218, the tendency of the lower on 211 to rise to its normal folded position is dela ed by the semi-vacuum in the air space in t e bottle 201 until this is broken bi the surplus ink returning through the poo et 222 and the tube 223 into the ink bottle. This prevents a sudden collapsing of the bellows 240 which might cause a fountain of ink therefrom. As the pen is lifted the upper cup bottom 217 follows the mouth 89 of the pen barrel 87 faster than the lower cup, a sli ht amount of air thus being caused to pass ownwardly between the pen and the cup bottom 217, this tending to clear the pen nib opening 218 of ink as the pen nib is withdrawn therethrough.

From the above description it is seen that all of the objects set forth at the beginning of-this specification are attained by our invention. I

While we have shown and described herein only three forms of our invention, it is to be understood that various changes might be made in these without departing from the spirit of our invention or the scope of the appended claims.

at we claim is 1. In a fountain pen filling device the combination of: a wall provided with a vertical opening adapted to admit the nib of a fountain pen and a resilient seat means disposed about said opening and engaging the mouth of the barrel of said pen to exclude said barrel from passing through said opening, and to make a fluid-tight seal with said mouth, vent means being provided leading from the space immediately surrounding said nib a relatively short distance below the level of said seal; said wall providing means to lift a body of ink from a source .of supply upwardly in said space so as to immerse said nib in ink up to the level of said vent means, said ink entering said vent means and forming a liquid trap preventing access of air to the aforesaid space during the filling of said pen from said ink.

2. A combination as in claim 1 in which said seat means is formed on a substantially horizontal upper face of said wall, whereby pen barrel mouths of varying diameters are seated substantially on the same level.

3. A combination as in claim 1 in which a pocket is provided which relatively closely confines sald pen nib, said seat means being depressible to dispose said nib opening closely adjacent the upper end of said pocket, said vent means being of a relatively restricted cross-sectional area.

4. A combination as in claim 1 in which a pocket is provided which relatively closely confines said pen nib, said seat means be g namaeo 5. A combination as in claim 1 in which a pocket is provided which relatively closely confines said pen nib, said seat means being depressible to dispose said nib o ening closely adjacent the upper end of sai pocket, said vent means being of a relatively restricted cross-sectional area, said wall also providing an ink surplus reservoir which said vent means connects to said pen pocket, air in said reservoir being liquid locked against flowing through said vent means into said pocket when the'device is in readiness for the pen sac to take a drink of ink; and means whereby said surplus ink in said pen nib pocket, said vent means, and said reservoir may automatically return to said source of supply when said pen barrel mouth is lifted from said seat means.

6. A combination as in claim 1 in which said wall is yieldably supported permitting it to be depressed a limited distance in the act of making a sealing engagement between said barrel mouth and said seat means, said wall following said barrel mouth upwardly to the normal position of said wall when said pen nib is Withdrawn from said opening, thereby preventing a surplus of said elevated ink from flowing out at said nib opening and ad-- mitting air above the surface of said surplus ink when the nib is withdrawn.

7. In a fountain pen fillin device the combination of a vertical pen ni' pocket adapted to relatively closely confine the nib of a fountain pen when said nib is inserted downward therein; resilient seat means disposed about the upper end of said pocket to form a fluidtight .seal with the mouth of the barrel of said pen and limit downward movement of said mouth relative to said pocket; means for connecting the lower end of said pocket with a suppl of ink disposed therebeneath; and means orming a surplus ink reservoir disposed laterally from the walls of said pocket and adjacent to and connected with the upper end of said pocket, said last mentioned.

means also providing means for creating a pressure differential between said reservoir and said ink supply tocause ink to flow upward from the latter to fill said pocket up to said connection with said reservoir, and overflow a substantial amount into said reservoir.

8. In a fountain pen filling device the combination of: a suction means; Walls forming a pen nib pocket adapted to relatively closely confine a, nib of a fountain pen so that a relacombination of: a substantially cylindrical tivel small quantity of ink'in said pocket will immerse said pen nib, an upper portion of said pocket communicating with said suction means, said pocket having an opening for receiving said nib there being seat means disposed about said opening to exclude the barrel of said en and make a fluid-tight seal with the mout thereof; and means connecting a lower end of said nib pocket with a sup ly of ink, so that surplus ink lifted by said suction means will drain into said supply when said seal is broken.

9. In a fountain pen ink sac filling device the combination of: walls forming a pen nib pocket adapted to relatively closely confine the nib of a fountain pen so that a relativel small quantity of in in said pocket wil immerse said nib, said ocket having an opening for receiving said nib there being seat means disposed about said opening to exclude the barrel of said pen and make a fluid-tight seal with the mouth thereof; means connecting said pocket with a supply of ink; and a suction bellows connecting wlth an upper portion of said pocket, said bellows being resilient and normally in expanded condition, the capacity of said bellows being such that when compressed and released, with said seat means closed by the mouth of a en barrel, as aforesaid, a suction is effected w ich collapses the ink sac in said pen and draws ink into said pocket to substantially fill this, said bellows then returning to its normal expanded condition, relaxing said suction and permitting said sac to take in a load of ink.

10. In a fountain pen ink sac filling device the combination of: walls forming a pen nib pocket adapted to relatively closely confine the nib of a fountain pen so that a relatively small quantity of ink in said pocket will immerse said nib, said pocket having an opening for receiving said nib there being seat means disposed about said opening to exclude the barrel of said pen and make a fluid-tight seal with the mouth thereof; means connecting said pocket with a suppl of ink; and a suction bellows connecting wit an upper portion of said pocket, said bellows being resilient and normally collapsed into contracted condition, the capacity of said bellows being such that when manually expanded to its fully expanded condition, with said seat means closed by the mouth of a pen barrel as aforesaid, a suction is effected which collapses the ink sac in said pen, and

draws ink into said pocket to substantially fill it, said suction then being spent, thereby permitting said sac to take in a load of ink. 11. In a fountain pen filling device the shell of soft rubber adapted to fit over the neck of an ink bottle; pen pocket forming means provided within said shell on a vertical axis; means for connecting said pocket with ink in said bottle; and flexible suction bellows means formed upwardly from said shell, a pen nib opening being formed in said bellows means in alignment with said ocket.

12. In a fountain pen filling device the combination of: an annular resilient bellows; means forming a pen pocket disposed axially relative to said bellows, said pocket communicating with said bellows, there being a central opening in a wall of said bellows through which the nib of a pen may be inserted into saidpen pocket, the mouth of the barrel of said pen makin a fluid-tight fit with said wall; means or' mounting the aforesaid means on an ink bottle; and means for connecting said pen pocket with the ink in said bottle.

13. In a fountain pen filling device the.

combination of: means forming a pen nib pocket disposed vertically, and adapted to relatively closely confine the nib of a fountain pen; seat means formed at the upper end of said pocket to admit the nib of said pen into said pocket, exclude the barrel of said pen from said pocket, and make a fluidtight seal with the mouth of said barrel; means for mounting the aforesaid means on an ink container; means connecting said pocket with ink in said container; and means forming a suction chamber, said chamber being freely and exclusively connected with the upper end of said pocket when said seal is formed so as to be adapted to both expel air into said pocket and withdraw air therefrom.

14. A combination as in claim 13 in which said suction means is connected to the upper end of said pocket through an ink reservoir provided by the lower portion of said suction means, said suction means yieldably expanding of itself, when compressed and released, thus collapsing an ink sac in said pen and drawing ink up in said pocket until it overflows into said reservoir, said seat means being yieldably suspended above the normal level of ink thus entering said reservoir, the engagement of said seat means by said barrel mouth, to effect said seal, depressing said seat means below said level.

15. In a fountain pen filling device the combination of means adapted to be mounted on top of a bottle for receiving the nib of a fountain pen, collapsing the ink sac in said pen, and elevating ink up from said bottle to immerse said nib and permit said sac to suck in a load of ink, there being an air vent rovided leading from the interior of said bottle to the atmosphere; and bubble breaking means disposed to shield said vent from ink bubbles resulting from the operation of said device.

16. A combination as in claim 15 in which.

said bubble breaking means includes a screen mounted in spaced relation with said vent.

17. A combination as in claim 9 in which v means is said bellows is adapted'to draw ink up and out of said upper portion of said pocket and o atmosphere during the operation of said de-- return said ink to said bottle without its pass-' 10' in through said pen pocket; and automatic valve means for retaining said ink in a reservoir provided by and communicatin with a lower portion of said bellows wh1 e the latter is under suction. 4

19. A combination as in claim 9 in which the space in said bottle is closed from the vice, and in which air from said bellows is forced into said container preparatory to the expansion of said bellows to draw ink upwardly into said pocket.

20. A combination as in claim 9 in which the space in said bottle is closed from the atmosphere during the operation of said device, and in which air from said bellows is forced into said container preparatory to the expansion of said bellows to draw ink upwardly into said pocket; and means in said device formin an auxiliary dead air s ace to augment sugstantially the minimum ead air space normally present in the container.

21. In an ink dispensing device the combination of means adapted to be mounted on an ink container for lifting ink up from said container temporaril for use, the surplus ink so lifted being thereafter returned automatically to said container; means providing a vent from said bottle to the atmosphere during operation of said device;

and valve means operating automatically to shut said vent in response to turning said container on its side or upside down.

22. In an ink dispensing device the combination of: tubular mounting means adaptseat means provided about said exclude the barrel of said en om said pocket and make a fluid-tight seal with the mouth of said barrel; and means for del1ver1ng 1nk mto said pocket from which the mksac 1n said 'pen may take a load of ink.

24:. In a fountain pen filling device the combination of; a flexible pen nib pocket adapted to yieldably conform to the nib of a fountain pen so that said nib is confined m said pocket with a relatively small amount of free space, there being an openin at one end of sald pocket for receiving sai nib; seat means provided about said 0 ning to exclude the barrel of said pen rom said pocket and make a fluid-tight seal with the mouth of said barrel means for drawing a suction on said pocket to collapse the ink sac in said pen and delivering ink to said pocket by the semi-vacuum formed therein, a portion of said ink being drawn into said sac when, owing to the relaxing of said vacuum, said sac expands.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto set our hands at Los Angeles, California, this 7th day of May, 1932.

RAMSAY L. HARRIS.

DANA E. KEECH.

ed to be pressed down over the upper end of v the neck of an ink bottle; means rovided thereon for lifting ink up from sald bottle, there being a passage formed therein which communicates with ink in said bottle while said mountin means is being applied to said bottle, there eing a single relatively small vent hole in said device communicating with the space above said ink and the atmosphere;

and means formed in the outer surface of said mounting means to provide a shoulder adjacent the outer mouth of said vent which substantiall prevents said vent being accidental:

l closed by the fingers while applying said evice to a bottle.

23. In a fountain pen filling device the combination of: a flexible pen nib pocket adapted to yieldably conform to the nib of a fountain pen so that said nib is confined in said pocket with a relatively small amount of free space, there being an opening at one

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