US2775229A - Ball point pen and retracting means therefor - Google Patents

Description

H. W. SAMS BALL POINT PEN AND RETRACTING MEANS THEREFOR Filed Aug. 14. 1953 Dec. 25, 1956 H5985? I1. JAMS I6 6M fl pa/vy A TURNEYJ Herbert W. Sams, Atlanta,Ga., assignor to Scripto, Inc., Atlanta, Ga., a corporation of Georgia Application August 14, 1953, Serial No. 374,393 4 Claims. (Cl. 120-42.03)

This invention relates to ball point pens, and more particularly to an improved retracting means by which the ball point unit for a pen of this sort may be selectively projected for writing or retracted within the pen barrel when not in use. I The retracting means provided according to the present invention may be briefly characterized as incorporating an operating plunger slidably disposed within a tubular operating cap that is mountedfor rotation at the rear end of the pen barrel, with the plunger and: cap interrelated so that depression of the plunger means associated with the cap operates to latch the plunger at a forward position resulting in projection of the ball point unit for writing, and rotation of the cap results in releasing the depressed plunger for return to its original rearward. position at which the ballpoint unit is retracted within the pen barrel.

The present invention is described in further detail below in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a ball point pen incorporating a retracting means arranged according to the present invention, the ball point unit being shown in projected position; i

Fig. 2 is a generally similar. vertical section rotated 90 as seen from the left in Fig. 1, and with the ball point unit shown in retracted position;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken substantially on the line 3--3 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken substantially on the line 44 in Fig. 1; t

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail in section of the plunger push tube and cap cam tube taken alone as seen in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the cap cam tube taken alone as seen from the right in Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is an elevation, partly in section, of the plunger push tube takenalone as seen from the left in Fig. 5.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, and more particularly at first to Figs. 1 and 2, a ball point and reservoir unit is indicated generally by the reference numeral 10 housed within a two-part barrel formed by a forward barrel portion 12 and a rear barrel portion 14. The

forward barrel portion 12 forms the writing end of the pen and mainly housesthe ball point unit 10 which consists of a ball point element 16 fitted within the forward end of an ink reservoir 18 that extends rearwardly for substantially the full length of the two-part barrel formed by the forward and rear portions 12 and 14. A compression coil spring 20 is arranged within the forward barrel portion 12 to engage the ink reservoir 18 so that the ball point unit is yieldably biased at all times rearwardly towards its retracted position.

The forward barrel portion 12 is adapted for assembly with the rear barrel portion 14 by an externally threaded portion of reduced diameter adjacent its rear end that is arranged to engage a threaded sleeve fitted inside the forward end of the rear barrel portion 14. Intermediately of its length the rear barrel portion 14 is further fitted inwardly formed ears 36 on the push tube 32 with an alignment sleeve 24, and is formed with an inwardly extending annular flange 26 at its rear end.

The previously mentioned tubular operating cap is indicated in the drawings by the reference numeral 28 and the operating plunger by the reference numeral 30. As shown, the plunger 30 is slidably disposed within the tubular cap 28 and projects rearwardly therefrom, while carrying at its forward end a push tube 32 that extends forwardly for sliding movement within the alignment sleeve 24. The plunger 30 is reduced in diameter adjacent its forward end to receive the push tube 32, and has a circumferential groove 34 in this reduced portion to engage and thereby secure this tube 32 on the plunger 30.

The portion of the push tube 32 adjacent the plunger 30 is fully tubular except for a longitudinal slot 38 therein, and on each side of which the above mentioned inwardly formed cars 36 are arranged. Beyond this adjacent fully tubular portion, however, the major part of the extending length of the push tube 32 is semicircular in cross section, as at 40, this semicircular portion 40 being disposed oppositely to the push tube longitudinal slot 38 and being of enlarged diameter in relation to the adjacent fully tubular portion thereof.

In order to receive this extending semicircular push tube portion 40, as previously mentioned, the alignment sleeve 24 is formed with a bore in which one half, as at 42, has a diameter corresponding to the external diameter of the semicircular push tube portion 40, and the other half, as at 44, has a diameter corresponding to the internal diameter of the fully tubular portion of the push tube 32. By this arrangement, the alignment sleeve 24 is not only adapted to receive the extending semicircular push tube portion 40 for sliding movement, but also to prevent rotation of the push tube 32 and thereby maintain its sliding movement aligned within the rear barrel. portion 14. In addition, it should be noted that the ink reservoir 18 of the ball point unit 10 extends rearwardly to be received within the fully tubular portion of the push tube 32 in abutting relation at the bottom face of the plunger 30, and that as the smaller bore half 44 in the alignment sleeve 24 corresponds in diameter with the internal diameter of this portion of the push tube 32, the alignment sleeve further serves to align and support the sliding movement of the reservoir 18 during projection and retraction of the ball point pen.

The tubular operating cap 28 in turn carries a cam tube 46 extending forwardly in adjacent surrounding relation with respect to the push tube 32. The cam tube 46, like the push tube 32, is also formed with a fully tubular portion except for a longitudinal slot 48 adjacent the tubular cap 28 and with an extending semicircular portion 50 of enlarged diameter extending in relation to the semicircular push tube portion 40.

The lower portion of the tubular operating cap 28 is formed with a bore of enlarged diameter to receive the tubular portion of the cam tube 46, and has a longitudinal rib formed therein as at 52 fitting the longitudinal cam tube slot 48 so as to key the cam tube 46 against rotation in relation to the tubular cap 28. Also, the tubular portion of the cam tube 46 is formed at the part received within the enlarged bore of the tubular cap 28 with at least one slit boss 54 having the slit edge thereof formed downwardly so as to grip this bore against removal of the cam tube 46 from the tubular cap 28. In addition, the cam tube 46 provides for assembling the tubular operating cap 28 for rotation on the rear barrel portion 14 by means of outwardly formed ears as at 56 and 58 an ranged to extend beneath a washer 60 seated below the rear annular barrel flange 26 and extending therethrough in abutting relation against the bottom face of the tubular operating cap 28.

'The "extending semicircular cam tube portion 50 is formed with a cant-slot 62 that'is shaped with tw'o'symmetrical leg portions 64 curving or spreading rearwardly from a forwardly facing central notch 66. The semicircularpush tube portion 40 isinturn formed with a lateral cam lug 68 positioned in following relation within the cam slot 62. As a result, depression of the operating plunger 30 results in interaction between the cam lug 68-and cam slot 62 so that the cam 'tube46 is rotated as theplunger 30 and push tube 32'move downwardly to the bottomof slot'62, directly below notch 66, from 'whichlocation spring 20 will urge the cam lug 68 to move into latching relation with the central cam slot notch 66, and at-which latched position the ball point unit is held forwardly in projected position. Upon rotation of the tubular operating cap 28 in either direc tion, however, the push tube cam lug 68 is displaced readily from the notch 66 to move freely within one or the other of the cam slot leg portions 44 and thereby release the push tube 32 and plunger 30, together with the ball point 'unit "'10, for return to retracted position under the bias' of the spring 20 engaging the ink reservoirlS.

The present invention has been described in detail above forpurposes of illustration only and is not intended to be limited by this description or otherwiseexcept as defined inthe appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a ball point pen, a rear barrel portion-having a retracting means assembled therewith, said retracting means comprising a tubular operating cap mounted externally at the rear end of said barrel portion for rotation,

an:alignment sleeve'fixed within said barrel portion intermediate the length thereof, a plunger slidably disposed within said cap and projecting rearwardly therefrom, a

.push tube. carried by said plunger and extending forwardlytherefrom for sliding movement within said alignment sleeve, said push tube being keyed against rotation in said alignment sleeve, and a cam tube fixed on said cap and extending forwardly therefrom adjacent said push tube, said cam tube being formed with a cam slot shaped with two symmetrical leg portions spreading rearwardly from a forwardly facing central notch, and said push tube being formed with a lateral cam lug portion positioned in following relation within said cam slot, whereby latching of said cam lug portion at said cam slot notch results upon forward movement of said plunger and rotation of said cap results in displacing sai'd lug portion from said notch.

2. In a ball. point pen, the structure defined in claim 1 and further characterized in that said tubular operating cap is formed with an enlarged bore at the forward'portion thereof to receive said cam tube, said enlarged bore is formed with a longitudinal rib, and said cam tube is formed at the portion received in said bore with a longitudinal slot for keyed engagement with said rib and with at least one outwardly formed slit boss having the slit edge thereof facing downwardly and thereby gripping said bore against removal of said cam tube.

3. In a ball point pen, a rear barrel portion having a retracting means assembled therewith, said retracting means comprising a tubular operating cap mounted externally at the rear end of said barrel portion for rotation, an alignment sleeve fixed within said barrel portion intermediate the length thereof, a plunger slidably disposed within said cap and projecting rearwardly therefrom, a push tube: carried by said plunger and extending forwardly therefrom for sliding movement within said alignment sleeve and having an arcuate extension of enlarged -die'une'te'r' "'with'a portion of "said extension cut away, said alignment sleeve being formed with a bore having at least two portions of different diameters, the larger diameter portion corresponding to the external diameter of said arcuate extension, thereby keying said push tube against rotation in said alignment sleeve, and a cam tube fixed on said cap and extending forwardly therefrom adjacent said .push'tube,-said cam tube being formed with a cam slot shaped with two symmetrical leg portions spreading rearwardly from a forwardly facing central notch,'.,and said'pushatub'e being formed with a lateral cam lug. portion positioned in following relationwithin said cam'slot, whereby sliding movement of said plunger and push tube "in the direction faced by said notch results in disposing said cam lug in latching relation with said notch and rotation of said operating cap in either direction with respect to said plunger results in displacingsaid cam-lug from said notch and releasingsaid plunger fo'r sliding movement within one of said leg portions thereby retracting said plunger and said push tube:

4. In a ball point pen, a rear barrel portion having a retracting means assembled therewith, said retracting means comprising a tubular operating cap mounted externally at' therear end of said'ba'rrelportion for rotation relative to'said barreL'an alignment sleeve fixed within said barrel portion intermediate the lengththereof, aplunger'slidabl'y disposed within said'ca'p and projectin'g-rearwa'rdly therefrom, a push tube fixedly secured to said plunger for movement therewith and extending forwardly therefrom'for sliding movement within said alignmentsleeve, said push tube being keyed against rotation in said ali'gnment sleeve thereby preventing rotation ofsaid plunger, and a cam; tube fixedly secured to said cap for rotationtherewith and extending forwardly therefrom adjacent said push tube, said cam tube extending around the rearwardxend-of said push tube andthe forward end of said-plunger, said cam tube being formed with a cam slot having a notch therein facing in a direction of sliding movement of said plunger and push tube and having two symmetrical lcgportionscurving from eachside of said notch in the opposite direction, said push tube being formed with a lateral cam lug portion positioned in following relation within said slot, whereby sliding movement of said plunger and push tube in the direction faced by said notch results in disposing'sai'd cam lug in latching relation with said notch and rotation of said operating cap in either direction with respect to said: plunger :results in displacing said cam lug from said notch and releasing said plunger for sliding movement within one of said leg vportions thereby retracting said plunger-and said push tube.

References Citedrin the file of this patent UNITED STATESv PATENTS 2,119,778" Crockett June 7, 1938 2,177,839 Most Oct. 31, 1939 I 2,712,299 Richmeyer July 5, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 10,026 Great Britain of 1887 962,732 France Dec. 12,1949

63'5,144'-- Great Britain a Apr; 5, =1950 641,595 Great-Britain Aug.'l6,a1950

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