Ever-sharp pencil with retractable core pipe

Claim 1

A pencil comprising a casing means terminating at one end thereof in a cap nozzle formed with an end opening and at the opposite end thereof with an axially displaceable member having a portion extending outwardly of the casing means, a first tube adapted to extend through said end opening in said cap nozzle, a second tube within said casing having its lower end portion operatively connected to said first tube for movement of the latter with said second tube, first stop means on said second tube and second stop means on said casing means below said first stop means, said first and second stop means being above the connection of said lower end portion of the second tube to said first tube, first resilient means between said first and second stop means to urge said first and second tubes toward said opposite end of the casing means, a third tube within said casing means movable relative to and coaxial with said second tube and being operatively connected at one end portion to said displaceable member and adapted to terminate at its opposite end in a lead securing means effective, as a function of predetermined relative movement between said second and third tubes, to secure or release the lead, cooperating means for imparting said predetermined relative movement between said second and third tubes and comprising a disc mounted on said second tube and a push ring mounted on said third tube at a location thereon above the location of the mounting of said disc on said second tube, said push ring being adapted to move said disc, against the force of said first resilient means, upon downward movement of said displaceable member, and a second resilient means for normally urging the displaceable member and the third tube connected thereto toward said opposite end of the casing means, said downward movement of said displaceable member being against the force exerted by said second resilient means.