Pencil driven mechanical pencil sharpener
OwnerJose F. Vilainventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mechanical pencil sharpener including a housing with a cutter assembly adapted to receive the end of a pencil along its longitudinal axis. The manual force associated with inserting a pencil into the cutter assembly causes the cutter assembly to slidably move along its longitudinal axis within the housing. Engaging means responsive to the axial slidable movement of the cutter assembly translates such slidable movement into simultaneous rotational movement of the cutter assembly. A spring is used to return the cutter assembly to its initial position when the pencil is withdrawn therefrom. A coupling means responsive to axial slidable movement of the cutter assembly in a forward or backward direction or both is employed to selectively actuate the engaging means.
Claims8
A mechanical pencil sharpener actuated by insertion of a pencil thereinto which comprises:
- (a) a frame;
- (b) a cutter assembly having a longitudinal axis, said cutter assembly being rotatably and slidably mounted in said frame, such that a pencil to be sharpened may be inserted into the cutter assembly and forced against a portion thereof to cause sliding movement in the direction of movement of the pencil, from an initial position to a displaced position;
- (c) a rod for rotating said cutter assembly to sharpen the pencil, said rod having an elongated longitudinal axis, said rod depending from said cutter assembly, being coaxially aligned therewith and being kinematically unitary with said cutter assembly, said rod including means disposed longitudinally of its length for effecting such rotation of the cutter assembly;
- (d) a sleeve fixably mounted within said frame and including means meshing with the means extending longitudinally of said rod for translating said sliding movement of said rod and said cutter assembly into simultaneous rotational movement of said rod and said cutter assembly, said sleeve being axially coincident with said rod and concentrically disposed thereto;
- (e) a spring fixedly mounted between said cutter assembly and said frame, said spring being so arranged that said sliding movement of said cutter assembly pushes against said spring to compress it when a pencil is inserted and when the pencil is withdrawn, said spring returns to its initial position which, in turn, returns said cutter assembly to its initial position;
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- (f) conversion means cooperating with said rod for rotating said cutter assembly upon insertion of the pencil and longitudinal movement of said rod, said conversion means including a coupling which renders the drive train ineffective upon withdrawal of the pencil and return of the cutter assembly to its initial position.
A mechanical pencil sharpener actuated by insertion of a pencil thereinto which comprises:
- (a) a frame;
- (b) a cutter assembly having a longitudinal axis, said cutter assembly being rotatably and slidably mounted in said frame, such that a pencil to be sharpened may be inserted into said cutter assembly and forced against a portion thereof to cause sliding movement of said cutter assembly in the direction of movement of the pencil, from an initial position to a displaced position;
- (c) gear means for rotating said cutter assembly to sharpen the pencil, a rod connecting said cutter assembly to said gear means, said rod depending from said cutter assembly, being coaxially aligned therewith and being kinematically unitary with said cutter assembly and said gear means, said gear means and rod translating slidable axial movement of said cutter assembly into rotational movement thereof;
- (d) a spring having a portion bearing against said frame, said spring being so arranged that sliding movement of said cutter assembly pushes against said spring to compress it when the pencil is inserted and when the pencil is withdrawn, and being further so arranged that said spring returns said cutter assembly and said gear means to their initial positions;
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- (e) means for rendering said gear means ineffective upon withdrawal of the pencil so that upon such withdrawal said cutter assembly does not rotate.
A mechanical pencil sharpener actuated by pushing a pencil therein, said sharpener comprising:
- (a) a cutter assembly;
- (b) means mounting said cutter assembly for rotation and for longitudinal movement in a direction parallel to the direction of the pencil being pushed into the sharpener from an initial position to a displaced position;
- (c) a stationary member;
- (d) a spring positioned between said cutter assembly and said stationary rod to store energy upon movement of the cutter assembly away from its initial position and to restore said assembly to its initial position upon withdrawal of the pencil;
- (e) means to rotate said cutter assembly upon pushing of the pencil into the sharpener;
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- (f) means to render said rotating means inoperable during restoration of the cutter assembly to its initial position by the spring.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.