Ever-sharp pencil

Claim 1

A lead storage pencil comprising an outer body casing formed with an elongated opening in a side wall thereof, an axially reciprocable lead tube supported within said casing coaxially therewith and terminating in lead chucking means for selectively chucking or releasing lead from the tube, said lead tube being slidably supported for reciprocal movement within said casing by ring means therein positioned distant from said lead chucking means and having integrally formed thereon first flange means in a region thereof between said lead chucking means and said ring means, said ring means and flange means being located proximate the opposite ends of said elongated opening in said casing side wall, spring means mounted between a fixed member in said casing and said flange means for normally urging said lead tube upwardly and said chucking means into its chucking position, and force translating means for translating radially applied forces through said elongated opening into axially applied forces on said lead tube and comprising a resilient member over and covering said elongated opening, means operatively related to said lead tube and providing a second flange means between said first flange means and said ring means, and camming means having a camming surface and an extension portion, said camming means having its camming surface projecting through said elongated opening in confronting relation to said resilient member and being mounted relative thereto for clockwise movement of said extension portion upon radial displacement of said resilient member, said extension portion upon clockwise movement thereof being adapted to bear against said second flange means to urge said lead tube downwardly against the action of said spring means.