US2964614A - Ballpoint-pen with a light-bulb disposed adjacent the ballpoint - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 13, 1960 P. BUSCHLE 2,964,614

BALLPOINT-PEN WITH A LIGHT-BULB DISPOSED ADJACENT THE BALLPOINT Filed July 8, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet '1 I0 10 \W/r 1 9 27 l3 /2 v 22 4; T ,7 7 76" 32 7 24 j; 4 i 2 20 3 .31 g

INVENTOR.

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United rates Tatent.

BALLPOINT-PEN WITH A LIGHT-BULB DISPOSED ADJACENT THE BALLPOINT Paul Buschle, Lederstrasse 17, Wuppertal-Elberfeld, Germany Filed July 8, 1958, Ser. No. 747,206 Claims priority, application Germany July 17, 1957 '4 Claims. (Cl. 240-646) The present invention relates to a ballpoint-pen with a battery-fed light-bulb disposed adjacent the ballpoint, which light-bulb is put in and out 'of the closed circuit,

respectively, by the pressure mechanism operating the writing utensil.

Ballpoint-pens are known which have a pressure mechanism operating the forward and backward movement of the writing utensil. It is also known to provide a light source at the point of the ballpoint-pen, which lights up the writing surface. An electric light-bulb is provided for this purpose.

It causes appreciable difficulties to form a pressure mechanism in such a manner that it causes, in addition to the movement of the writing utensil, the openingand .closing, respectively, of the circuit of the light-bulb, and furthermore tomaintain the ballpoint-pen in operative condition in spite of its necessary disassembly caused by frequent change of the Writing implement and of the battery and to make possible a simple disassembly. First of all, a device is required which provides a safe, electric contact, which is assembled without screws and which centers exactly.

It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide a ballpoint-pen which comprises an insulating sleeve receiving the writing implement, which sleeve car- .ries at its rear end a metal-piston, having a projection at its front face, into which projection is inserted a guide sleeves being overlapped by the free tongue-like working ends of an immovable sleeve.

It is another object of the present invention toprovide a ballpoint-pen which has advantages bringing about an undisturbed use and operation, since at first due to the insulating sleeve and due to the possibility of arranging a long metal piston a sliding contact can be achieved, which is reliable since the contact faces rub each other clean, thereby, always leading to the full light output.

This formation permits also an easy mounting particularlyduring change of the writing implement, since it forms a closed screwless unit, which is extremely sensitive, be-

:cause-first of all the sleeves sitting on the guide pin center themselves.

In orderto achieve an exact positioning of the switch 4' position in the pressure mechanism, in accordance with -the present invention, the thick-walled, slidable sleeve of .largest diameter is movably guided on a longer thin- -Walled sleeve, which is supported by the sleeve of smaller diameter. -..A simple arrangement of the pressure mechanism is brought about in accordance with the present invention .by forming the projection, formed integrally with the pisis'tapered down in "the direction of the end '2 ton, ofthe metal piston sitting on'the insulating sleeve, face of' said piston.

The sleeve surrounding the pressure mechanism may now be equipped advantageously with lateral, upper and lower projections, in order to fit in the lighting arrangement, between which projections the battery is clamped in and said lower projection serves as amounting ring for the outer cover which slides over the upperpro'jection. The outer cover is secured from its end face with a single screw which is received by the upper'projection.

It is thus also possible to mount the light-bulb in an easy manner, in accordance with the present invention, by providing a bore in the lower projection, which here is lined with sheet metal and equipped with a ring formation at its lower end, the light-bulb being received .insaid bore. Two tubes spread apart by means of a helical spring and telescoping within each other are mounted "in the bore with intermediate arrangement of an insulating sleeve, said tubes engaging with one end a terminal of the light-bulb and with the other end the terminal of the battery.

With these and other objects in view which will become apparent in the following detailed description, the present invention will be clearly understood in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the ballpoint-pen designed in accordance with .the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an axial section of the ballpoint-pen shown in Fig. l, the writing implement being shown in withdrawn position and the outer cover for the light arrangement being removed for better showing;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view partly in axial section, wherein the pressure mechanism .stands in the first switch ing position, that means without light, yet its writing implement in writing position; I

Fig. 4 is an elevational view partly inaxial section with the light in operation and its writing implement in writ ing position;

Fig. 5 is an elevational view partly in axial section,

- wherein the writing implement is released in order to be withdrawn, that means the writing implement being pushed through completely;

Fig. 6 is an axial section of the sleeves at enlarged scale in the switching position of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a section along the lines 77 of Fig. 2 and Fig. 8 is section along the lines 88 of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawings, the ballpoint-pen comprises a writing implement 1 which is mounted, in a chamber 2 of the longitudinal body 3 and is carried by apressure spring 4. A pressure mechanism is provided at the upper end of the body 3, which pressure mech anism switches on and off, respectively, the light buib 5 with the advance stroke and return stroke respectively, of the writing implement 1.

The pressure mechanism comprises an insulating sleeve 6 receiving the rear end of the writing implement 1, which sleeve 6 in turn has at its rear end sitting thereon a metal piston 7. The latter carries a projection 8 at its upper or rear end face. A guide pin 9 is driven into a central bore of the projection 8 and of the metal piston 7 to form therein a pressure seat, the free end of the guide pin 9 carrying at its free end a push-button 1 Two sleeves 11 and 12 disposed in series are slidably .arranged between the projection 8 of the piston 7 and the lower or front edge of the push-button 10.

The sleeve 11 has a diameter which is slightly greater for a predetermined amount than that of the rearedge of the projection 8 and enters the ,latter with a dishlike end face, so thata centering is brought about between thesetwo elements.

The sleeve 12 has likewise a diameter which is somewhat greater than that of the sleeve 11 and enters into the dish-like hollowed opposite end face in centering manner. The sleeve 12 is formed thick-walled and guided along a longer tubular sleeve 13.

The tubular sleeve 13 has somewhat shorter length than the distance from the lower edge of the pushbutton 10 to the end face of the sleeve 11 engaging the projection 8, so that the sleeve 11 may perform a slight -axial movement, the stroke of which sufiices for the entrance of the tongue-like operating ends 14 of an immovable bushing 15 (Fig. 3). The sleeve 12 can, however, perform also on the tubular sleeve 13 an axial movement towards the lower edge of the push-button 10, so that the tongue-like ends 14 open a slit between the sleeve 11 and the sleeve 12 and may enter said slit (Figs. 4 and 7).

Furthermore, the sleeve 12 can, upon complete pushing through of the push-button 10, bring into slit-free engagement the sleeve 11 with the projection 8, so that the tongue-like ends 14 slide backwards into the original position of the pressure mechanism (Fig. 2).

In order to reduce the tension of the tongue-like ends 14 in this position, the projection 8 is tapered down in the direction towards the end face of the piston 7.

During operation of the pressure mechanism, in addition to the forward stroke of the writing implement 1, a contact is closed in the circuit of the light-bulb. This contact is formed by the metal piston 7, the circumference of which engages a contact spring 16, which is connected with one terminal 17 of a battery 23. The other contact spring 18 forms a slide contact, the clip or wire 19 of which leads to the socket 20.

The body 3 surrounding the writing implement 1 has lateral projections 21 and 22 which are disposed in the same plane and a battery 23 is inserted between the projections 21 and 22. The lower or front projection 21 serves as a mounting set-off 24 for the outer cover 25 which slides over the rear projection 22. The outer cover 25 has a cap 26, through which the push-button 10 projects and which secures the outer cover 25 on the rear projection 22 by means of a single screw 27 received by the latter.

The lower projection 21 has a bore 29 which is lined with a sheet metal body and equipped with an annular set-off 28 at its forward end, the light-bulb being supported in said bore 29. The light-bulb 5 is maintained in this position by two tubes 31 and 31' which are telescopically spread apart by an inner helical spring 30. The tubes 31 and 31 are surrounded by an insulating sleeve 32 and engage with one end one terminal of the light-bulb 5 and with the other end one terminal of the battery 23.

, The light-bulb 5 is suitably covered by a protecting cap 33 made of clear glass.

The operation of the described ballpoint-pen is as follows:

At the first, short stroke pressure on the push-button 10, the writing implement 1 is brought from its original position, shown in Fig. 2, into the position shown in Fig. 3, where it is ready for writing. The tongue-like ends 14 of the immovable bushing 15 move, thereby, over the edge of the projection 8 and move the sleeve 11, which abuts the tubular sleeve 13 after a short stroke, and the tubular sleeve 13 in turn abuts on the lower edge of the push-button 10. In this position the contact spring 18 does not come yet into engagement with the metal piston (Fig. 3).

It now the writing implement 1 is advanced still further by operation of the push-button 10 against the pressure of the spring 4, the tongue-ends 14 slide over the sleeve 11, move'the sleeve 12 and enter into the opening slit between the sleeves 11 and 12 (Fig. 4). In this position thecontact spring 18 engages the metal piston 7 so that the circuit of the light-bulb 5 is closed and the latter lights up. The writing implement is then sup ported in an advanced position.

In order to open the circuit and to withdraw the writing implement 1, respectively, the push-button 10 is pushed through completely. The tongue-ends 14 of the bushing 15 step out, thereby, of the slit and slide on the circumference of the sleeve 12. Due to the pressure of the spring 4, the writing implement 1 and the piston 7 move together with the sleeves 11 and 12 against the tongue-ends 14, upon release of the push-button 10, so that the tongue-ends 14 slide along and are returned over the sleeve 11 on to the projection 8. The writing implement 1 has'now returned to its original position and the circuit of the light-bulb 5 is opened. It is now possible, to repeat the cycle as described above, by advancing the writing implement 1 and to close the circuit of the light-bulb 5 in the record switching position.

The exchange of the battery 23 and also the exchange of the light-bulb 5 is made possible, if required, merely by removal of the old elements and insertion of a new one.

While I have disclosed one embodiment of the present invention, it is to be understood that this embodiment is given by example only and not in a limiting sense, the scope of the present invention being determined by the objects and the claims.

I claim:

1. In a ballpoint-pen, a longitudinal body, a ballpoint writing implement axially movable in said longitudinal body, a battery-fed illuminating device having a light bulb disposed in said longitudinal body adjacent said writing implement, said illuminating device being adapted to light up the writing surface, a helical spring surrounding said writing implement and tending to urge the latter into said longitudinal body, a metal piston secured to the rear end of said writing implement and having a projection extending rearwardly from the rear end face of said piston, said longitudinal body defining an opening at its rear end face, a pressure mechanism for step-wise axial forward movement of said writing implement through said longitudinal body against the force of said helical spring, said pressure mechanism comprising a push button axially movable in and projecting through said rear end opening of said longitudinal body, means for connecting said push button with said writing implement for joint axial movement, an insulating sleeve surrounding at least the rear portion of said writing implement, said push button having a plurality of forwardly projecting tongue-like gripping ends, two sleeves disposed axially behind each other and axially movable between said push button and said projection of said metal piston, said tongue-like gripping ends engaging selectively the end face of said metal piston, the adjacent faces of said sleeves and the outer face of the rearmost of said sleeves, respectively, in response to the axial position of said push button, said illuminating device including a rear contact spring blade and a front contact spring blade, said contact spring blades beingv axially spaced apart from each other and disposed in the circuit of said light bulb, said rear contact spring blade engaging said metal piston in the rearmost inoperative position, in an intermediate operative position and in the most forward operative position of said writing implement, and said front contact spring blade engaging said insulating sleeve in the rearmost inoperative position and in the intermediate operative position and engaging said metal piston in the most forward position of said writing implement, so that the circuit of said light bulb is closed by electrically connecting said contact spring blades by means of said metal piston in the most forward position of said writing implement.

2. The ballpoint-pen, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said sleeves have at their forward end a conically shaped outer face and the rear face of said projection and of the forward of said two sleeves forming a complementary,

inner conical face, in order to center said projection and said sleeves relative to each other,

3. The ballpoint-pen, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the outer diameter of the rearrnost of said sleeves is larger than that of the other of said two sleeves, and the diameter of the latter is larger than that of said projection of said metal piston.

4. The ballpoint-pen, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said means connecting said push button with said writing implement comprises a guide pin secured to said push button at one end and to said metal piston at the other end, and includes a tubular sleeve moving axially on said guide pin and of a length shorter than that of said guide pin,

said tubular sleeve abutting said pressure button and the forward one of said two sleeves, respectively.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,222,948 Hawthorne Apr. 17, 1917 2,727,981 Carpenter Dec. 20, 1955 2,811,632 Bartlett Oct. 29, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,040,172 France May 20, 1953 187,458 Austria Oct. 25, 1956

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