US427063A - Inkstand - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

G. A. PIFIELD..

INKSTAND.

No. 427,063. PatentedlVIay 6, 1890.

@QMCKfMQ/ UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

GEORGE A. FIFIELD, OF DUBUQUE, IOVA.

INKSTAN D.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 427,063, dated May 6, 1890.

Application filed June 10, 1889. Serial No. 313,686. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. FIFIELD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dubuque, in the county of Dubuque and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Inkstands; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to various new and useful improvements in inkstands.

The particular variety of inkstands to which my invention has immediate reference is that in which the ink-well will be immediately closed when the pen-holder is placed on a convenient rack or support, and when the pen is removed therefrom the entrance will be automatically closed. In the devices of this character heretofore made there has been no question as to their great convenience and utility; butnevertheless there are some disadvantages attendant on their construction, and particularly for the reason that the closinglid has been always arranged to be lowered into and raised from position over the mouth of the ink-vessel, so as to thereby be liable to become lodged over the entrance by the coagulation of the ink. By means of my invention nothing of this nature can occur, since the closing-lid does not come into engagement with the ink.

The principal novelties in the construction of my invention consist of an ink-vessel having a mouth therein for the entrance of the pen, a movable shield pivoted with relation to said inkstand and adapted to be normally away from the mouth in the same, a support or rack secured either to the ink-vessel or to the shield for the reception of the pen, and a counterbalancing weight or spring attached either to the ink-vessel or to the shield for keeping the shield in its normal position away from the opening in the ink-vessel. y

For a thorough understanding of my present invention, taken in connection with the description following hereinafter, attention is invited to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of an improved inkstand with a shield movable with relation to the ink-receptacle; Fig. 2, a side as to sit firmly and securely on the desk, and

with a curved top, and I make said ink-vessel of some sheet metal-such as brass or tin, on account of the cheapness of such substances and their capability for use for the purpose intended. Projecting out from each of the sides of the ink-vessel is a pivoting-pin a, and the location of these pins is preferably at the center of a circle whose circumference is a continuation of the arc formed by the top of the ink-receptacle. By reasonof this peculiar and definite location of these pivotingpins it will be apparent from afurther perusal of this specification that when the shieldl is moved either by the weight of the pen-holder or the counterbalancing Weight or spring the movement of the said shield will be parallel with the top of the ink-receptacle.

C C are two vertical arms bearing at their lower ends on the pivoting-pins a a, so as to be capable of vertical movement thereon. A

.shield D connects the upper ends of these vertical arms, the connections being by means of soldering or otherwise, and by this means the shield will be pivotally supported directly over the top of the ink-receptacle. The precise shape of this shield is immaterial. It may be ornamented or not, to suit the taste, and the only essential attendant thereto is, that in its normal position it should be entirely to one side of the opening in the inkvessel.

Two studs b and c, one on the front and the other on the rear side of the ink-vessel, form stops to arrest the backward or forward movements of the shield. The shield is kept normally against the rear stud c and from engagement with the opening in the ink-vessel by means of a counterbalancing-weight E, mounted on the end of an arm, (not shown,) so as to bring the center of gravity as low as possible. Instead of this counterbalancing- IOO Weight, a retracting-spring might be used with equally good results.

Attached to the forward portion of the shield is a rack .or support F, provided with two or more curved arms e e for the easy reception of a pen-holder. This rack or support may be very conveniently made of ordinary wire and of one piece; but this is a mere suggestion, and I do not wish to be limited to such, since the construction of the said pensupporting rack is open to many changes and modifications.

The action in operation of the device I have j ust described is this: Vhen in use, the counterbalancing-weight will hold the shield back against the stud c and away from the opening in the ink-vessel, so that clear and uninterrupted passage is given to reach the ink. When through with the ink-vessel, the penholder is placed on the receiving-arms e e, and its weight will overcome the opposition of the counterbalanGing-weight, and the shield will be thrown over against the forward stud b and directly over the opening in the inkvessel. Said opening is thereby effectively closed, and all dust, &c., will be excluded from the ink, and, additionally, the presence of such shield over the said opening will prevent evaporation in a measure.

The form of inkstand illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 will now be described. It is similar in many respects to the form described above, the essential difference being that in this inkstand the shield remains stationary, while the ink-vessel moves vsith relation thereto. G represents Athe ink-vessel, provided, as in the former case, with a curved top. Since the bottom of the ink-vessel in this form is suspended clear of the desk, it is better to make it curved to correspond with the top thereof,

`as by so doing the ink can be reached with equal facility when there is but a small quant-ity in the ink-vessel. This latter form is also provided with pivoting-pins, supportingarms, and a shield corresponding identically with the similar elements of ,the first. The shield, however, is supported and is stationary, and the mounting thereof can be accomplished in a number of ways. Y I have shown the one that I regard as preferable. An inverted-V-shaped support f is rigidly secured toits apex, directly to the lower extremity of each of the supportingarms b b, by means of soldering or otherwise. By means of these supports f the device will sit firmly on the desk with the shield held in a rigid position to one side of the opening in the ink-receptacle. This, as in the first form, is the normal position of the shield. The inkreceptacle is provided either on its interior or exterior, at its rear position, with a counterbalancing-weight g or, instead of this weight, a retracting-spring may be used. The penrack, insteadof being secured to the shield, is attached to the front side of the ink-vessel. A stud b is placed on the rear side of the inkvessel, so as to arrest the front movement of the same.

In this form the following is the mode of operation: Vhen in use, the shield is held away from the opening in the ink-vessel and unimpeded entrance is offered for the entrance of the pen. After the writer has iinished using the stand the pen is placed on the rack, thereby partially rotating the ink-vessel and throwing the opening therein partly around, so as to be covered by the shield, and it will thereby be effectively closed. Upon removing the pen the counterbalancing-weight will return the ink-vessel to its normal position.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l.V The combination of an ink-vessel and a shield pivoted together, one element being movable and the other immovable,a supporting base or stand for the immovable element, a pen-rack and an opposing Weight attached to the movable element, and an opening in the ink-vessel adapted to be closed by the shield when the pen is placed on the rack.

2. The combination of an ink-vessel and a shield, one element being movable and each having a pivotal relation to the other, a penrack and counterbalancing-Weight attached to the moving element, and two arresting steps or studs for restricting the movement of such movable element.

In testimony whereof Iaffix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE A. FIFIELD.

NVitnesses:

MONROE M. CADY, .J. F. NELSON.

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