A recent post on Zoss raised the question about a curved breather tube not unlike the shape of the "Lucky Curve" in Parkers. Well it is not actually a breather tube at all. It is however a "drain rod" and performed the same function as the Lucky Curve ink return mechanism. This device was supposed to make contact with the inside of the sac and allow the ink to flow back into the sac when the pen was capped and pocketed. The idea was to break any surface tension that otherwise would occur which would prevent the return flow of ink from the nib back into the sac.

Here is a scan or 2 that shows the device plainly:





Image credit should go to Cliff Lawrence who prepared the guide from which it was taken. Apart from some of his "editorial comments" in the text the diagrams and most of the associated detail information were taken by Mr Lawrence from an early Skyline repair manual. By the time of the later Skyline repair manual (1946) the "Drain Rod" device was not shown, so it follows that it was an early Skyline item. I give image credit, but the images here are reproduced without permission from any prior author. Appropriate apologies if any infringement has occured

Syd the Wahlnut

FWIW, I mention the "drain rod," both versions, in my article Feeds: Whatever Happened to the lucky Curve?

Richard, your article, if I'm reading it right, says the sliver of celluloid changed to a tube before the Skyline came out. I just picked up a Skyline at an antique show (well, most of a Skyline, anyway) that has the flat curved piece of celluloid. Is it likely this was transplanted from a donor pen at some point in the past?