Mechanical pencil with rotary discharge member

A mechanical pencil comprising:

• a tube-like housing having an upper end and a tapered bottom end portion, an elongated central cavity and a plurality of elongated lead cavities annularly provided around said central cavity, said lead cavities being adaptable for receiving aligned leads with their sharpened ends directed downward, said housing further having a lead discharge member receiving cavity below said central cavity and said lead cavities, said tapered end portion having a lead guiding passage means below said lead discharge member receiving cavity and a lead outlet;
• an operating rod movably received in said central cavity, having an upper end and a lower end, said lower end extending into said lead guiding passage means;
• means for urging said rod to move upward;
• a lead discharge member provided in said lead discharge member receiving cavity, having a bore to permit said rod to pass therethrough and a single lead discharging passage to selectively register with said lead cavities, said lead discharge member being cooperatively associated with said rod so as to discharge a piece of lead into said lead guiding passage means when said rod is depressed, said lead discharging passage permitting leads to fall into said lead guiding passage means when said rod is moved downward and then upward.