Mechanical pencil

Claim 1

A pencil of lead-storage type comprising an outer elongated tubular body casing provided with a restricted opening at one end thereof, through which a length of lead is adapted to extend, and an axially extending opening in the side thereof, a lead tube disposed within said elongate body casing coaxially therewith for feeding lead, adapted to be charged within said tube at the opposite end of the casing body, through said restricted opening, said lead tube terminating short of the restricted opening, means to slidably mount said lead tube within said body casing for axial movement only therein, a chuck member carried by said lead tube for rectilinear axial movement therewith, said chuck member being proximate said restricted opening for both permitting advance of the lead through said restricted opening upon movement of said lead tube to a first position thereof and for preventing rearward movement of said lead through said restricted opening upon said axial movement only of said lead tube to a second position thereof, means engageable with said lead tube and at least in part operative within said axially extending opening for transforming a purely radially hand-applied force to an axially applied force on said lead tube for moving said lead tube from its normal second position to said first position thereof, said body having fixed thereto in coaxial relation therewith a sleeve formed with an axial opening in registration with said axial opening in said casing body, said force translating means extending through both said openings, said sleeve having a threaded extension at that end thereof nearest said restricted opening, said clutch member carrying a clamp ring within said sleeve extension and in relation to which said clutch member is reciprocated, and a nozzle cap threadedly engaging said threaded extension and being formed with said restricted opening.