Claims
- 1. In a mechanical pencil, a combination comprising a housing having a front end portion provided with a tip, and a rear end portion; a lead-containing cartridge bounding an interior adapted to contain a plurality of leads, and having a leading end portion provided with an outlet passage having one end open into and communicating with said interior and another end longitudinally spaced from said one end, said cartridge being removably insertable into said rear end portion of said housing; lead-feeding means reciprocable in said housing for incrementally advancing leads from said rear end portion to and outwardly beyond said tip; means at said leading end portion of said cartridge for coupling engagement with said lead feeding means; means for blocking said passage until such coupling engagement is effected; and means for unblocking said passage by acting upon said blocking means in response to such coupling engagement, said blocking and unblocking means being shaped and cooperate with each other so that after acting of said unblocking means upon said blocking means the latter ceases to block said passage and also does not intrude into said interior of said cartridge.
- 2. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said lead-containing cartridge has coupling portions, said lead feeding means being provided with coupling means operative for coupling with said coupling portions of said cartridge.
- 3. A combination as defined in claim 2; and further comprising resilient means urging said lead feeding means in direction away from said tip of said housing.
- 4. A combination as defined in claim 3, wherein said lead feeding means include an elongated casing having a first end portion provided with an annular collar having an upper end face directed away from said tip and adapted to support said leading end of said cartridge when the latter is installed on said casing and a lower end face directed towards said tip.
- 5. A combination as defined in claim 4, wherein said resilient means constitute a spring having one end supported by said lower end face of said collar and another end.
- 6. A combination as defined in claim 5, wherein said coupling means include a part of said first end portion of said casing extending beyond said upper end face and operative for engaging said coupling portions of said cartridge.
- 7. A combination as defined in claim 6, wherein said coupling portions include a recess in said leading end of said cartridge, said recess being adapted to closely receive therein said part of said first end portion of the casing when said cartridge is installed on said housing.
- 8. A combination as defined in claim 7, wherein said casing is provided with a throughgoing longitudinal passage operative for passing therethrough leads toward said tip.
- 9. A combination as defined in claim 8, wherein said lead outlet of said cartridge has one end so open into said recess that when said cartridge is installed onto said casing said passage of the casing is coaxial with said lead outlet thereby establishing said lead supplying passage between the cartridge and the casing.
- 10. A combination as defined in claim 9, wherein said blocking means include a disc mounted in said recess so as to close the latter to thereby close the lead outlet of said barrel.
- 11. A combination as defined in claim 10, wherein said disc is provided with at least one weakened portion.
- 12. A combination as defined in claim 11, wherein said weakened portion is so located on said disc in a region in which said part of the casing is located when said cartridge is installed on said casing.
- 13. A combination as defined in claim 12, wherein said disc is a ring and said weakened portion including at least one inwardly projecting tongue extending across and beyond the center of said ring so at to overlie and close the lead outlet.
- 14. A combination as defined in claim 13, wherein said recess is provided with a circumferential shoulder operative for receiving said ring therein.
- 15. A combination as defined in claim 10, wherein said disc is provided with a plurality of weakened portions.
- 16. A combination as defined in claim 10, wherein said disc is provided with a plurality of slits forming at the center of disc an annular space, at least one of the webs between said slits being connected to the disc, said web carrying a plate located in said annular space to thereby close said lead outlet.
- 17. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said cartridge is provided at its leading end with a plurality of ribs extended lengthwise from said cartridge, said ribs being so bent over in inward direction when said cartridge is filled with the leads that at least one of said ribs extends across the center of the cartridge thereby blocking said lead outlet.
- 18. A combination as defined in claim 17, wherein said interior of said cartridge has a lower end directed towards said tip when said cartridge is installed on said casing said lower end being shaped as a funnel leading into said lead outlet.
- 19. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein the leading end portion of said cartridge has a tubular stepped outer surface operative for being inserted into a tubular section provided with a partition wall having at least one weakened portion to be broken when said section is installed on said housing.
- 20. A combination as defined in claim 19, wherein said partition is integrally connected to said tubular section.
- 21. A combination as defined in claim 1, and further comprising an eraser mounted on the trailing end portion of said cartridge.
- 22. A combination as defined in claim 21, wherein said eraser is partially embraced by a tubular wall of said trailing end portion of the cartridge.
- 23. A combination as defined in claim 22, wherein said trailing end portion of said cartridge is extended beyond the trailing end of the housing.
- 24. A combination as defined in claim 2, wherein said housing is provided with separate closure for so placing on said cartridge as to cover said eraser.
- 25. A combination as defined in claim 24, wherein said closure is provided with a cleaning needle operative for cleaning the lead passage in said tip; said eraser being provided with a passage adapted to receive said cleaning needle when said closure is installed on said cartridge.
- 26. A combination as defined in claim 24 wherein said eraser is detachable from said cartridge and is provided with a cleaning needle extended longitudinally when said eraser is installed on said cartridge.
- 27. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said interior of said lead-containing cartridge is formed as an inner chamber which is substantially closed with the exception of said outlet passage, said blocking and unblocking means being arranged so that after acting of said unblocking means upon said blocking means said blocking means does not project into said inner chamber.
- 28. A refill cartridge unit for a mechanical lead pencil, comprising a lead-containing cartridge bounding an interior adapted to contain a plurality of leads, and having a leading end portion provided with an outlet passage having one end open into and communicating with said interior and another end longitudinally spaced from said one end; means at said leading end portion for coupling engagement with a lead advancing mechanism of a mechanical pencil; means for blocking said passage until such coupling engagement is effected; and means for unblocking said passage by acting upon said blocking means in response to such coupling engagement, said blocking and unblocking means being shaped and cooperating with each other so that after acting of said unblocking means upon said blocking means the latter ceases to block said passage and also does not intrude into said interior of said cartridge.
- 29. A refill cartridge as defined in claim 28, wherein said interior of said lead-containing cartridge is formed as an inner chamber which is substantially closed with the exception of said passage, said blocking and unblocking means being arranged so that after acting of said unblocking means upon said blocking means said blocking means does not project into said inner chamber.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
2724317 |
May 1977 |
DEX |
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Parent Case Info
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 910,504, filed May 30, 1978, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,247,215.
US Referenced Citations (14)
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
910504 |
May 1978 |
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