US531799A - Common-school writing-cabinet - Google Patents

Description

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H.' HUNT. COMMON SCHOOL WRITING CABINET.

No. 531,799. Patented Jan. 1,1895.

UNITED STATES Par-ENT Ormea HORATIO HUNT, OF SWITZ CITY, INDIANA.

COMMON-SCHOOL WRITING-CABIN ET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 531,799, dated January 1,1895

Application iiled November `l, 1894.

To all whom it may concern-.-

Be it known that I, HORATIO HUNT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Switz City, in the county of Greene and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Common-School W'riting- Cabinets; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

In teaching penmanship, especially in the public schools the care of the pen and ink during the intervals between lessons is the cause of much annoyance by the methods now in vogue and also results in much expense for supplies which might be materially lessened. By the present methods in most schools, the desks are equipped with ink wells which are securely fastened to the desks within easy access of the child, being thereby a source of constant temptation and forming a fruitful occupation for his idle moments in disguring books and all other accessible objects. Besides the direct waste of ink much is also lost by evaporation because ofthe carelessness of the child who in most cases will neglect to close the covers of the wells. Besides the evaporation, dirt is allowed to enter because of the open condition of the wells and the ink is rendered unt for use. By present methods each scholar is custodian of his own pen. Ile plays with it, loses or breaks it and oftentimes exchanges pens and holders with his neighbor, probably because of no distinguishing mark by which he may know his own, and this forms an easy means for the dissemination of disease.

The objects of this invention are, rst, to remedy the above described evils by providing ink wells that will be distributed when wanted for use; that cannot be easily broken and from which the ink cannot spill and which exposes a minimum surface for evaporation; second, to provide a receptable within which the ink wells will all be deposited after use and which can be rendered air tight to exclude dirt and prevent evaporation: third, to provide pen-holders marked or numbered so each scholar will know his own and provide a place of deposit for each pen holder within the receptacle containing the ink wells, and

Serial No. 527,630. (No model.)

so arranged that each pen holder will be separated fromthe others, and will have a certain designated place.

The object also is to provide a receptacle that can be placed on its edge or side when closed, without danger of spilling the ink or disarranging the contents of the box, thereby enabling the box to be set in any position and place most convenient, when the ink is not needed.

I accomplish the objects of this invention by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 visv a view in perspective of my receptacle and shows the ink wells and the pens in place with the exception of one place for the ink wells and two of the places for the pen holders, which are left vacant in order to show the construction of the parts of the receptacle at said points. Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the receptacle and shows the manner in which the springs for holding the pen holders also bear upon the ink wells when the case is closed so as to prevent the displacement of the wells. In thisl figure one of the wells is shown in vertical section.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

A represents the receptacle or case which will preferably be made of wood but if so desired may be made of metal such as tin or iron. It will consist of the lower portion A having a bottom and four sides, and the upper portion A2 having a top and four depending sides secured to said top so as to from a recess within which the pen holders will be secured in the manner as will be hereinafter fully described.

C is a tray which will be secured either permanently or removably within the lower section A of the case and at a suitable distance above the bottom of the case. It will be provided with a series of openings C to receive the ink wells which will be deposited therein.

B are the ink wells which will preferably be of glass and of the pattern shown in the drawings which will obviate the spilling of the ink and will also provide a very strong and durable Well such that should the same be accidentally dropped and fall to the door it will notbreak or spill the ink. The openings in the tray will correspond in size and shape to the cross section of the well and will be so destributed as to prevent contact between the wells.

D is a gasket of rubber or other elastic material and is here shown as fastened to the rim of the lower section A although it might be fastened to the rim of the upper section with equal effectiveness. The two sections A and A2 are hinged together by means of the hinges a and the edges of the two sections will coincide when closed. The object and purpose of the gasket is to produce a tight fitting joint between the edges of the two sections and render the receptacle practically air tight when it is closed. The fastening E will include a cam or similar movement whereby the two edges of the case can be forced together and held securely.

G represents the pen holders which will be of usual construction and will be marked by numerals reading from l upwardly according to the number of pens in use, each pen bearing a separate number or other designating mark.

H represents an elastic fastening by which the pen holders are secured to the inside of the lid of the case. This will preferably consist of a strip of rubber bent into folds as clearly shown in the drawings and secured by tacking the same between the folds in the manner as shown at 72, Fig. 1. Two strips will preferably be used for each row of pen h`olders and the strips will be placed so as to overlie the ink wells in order that when the lid is closed the wells will be held from displacement. Instead of rubber the fastenings might be made from metal without departing fromthe spirit ot this invention.

The combination, with the receptacle A in two sections hinged together and having a rubber gasket between the meeting edges of the two sections and means for forcing the sections together and securing them, of a tray secured within the lower section and having aseries of openings in parallel therein, ink i wells removably secured in said openings, pen racks secured within the upper section of the receptacle and formed from rubber or other elastic material bent to engage the pen holders and also to depend from the top so as to bear against the ink wells when the case is closed and hold the wells from displacement,

lsubstantially as described and arranged substantially as and for .the purposes specified. In testimony whereof Iaftix my signature i-n presence ot two witnesses.

HORATIO HUNT. Vitnesses:

JOSEPH A. MINTURN, T. F. MEANY.

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