Sheaffer Patents And What Might Have Been (Capillary Filling And Capless Retractable)

[IThinkIHaveAProblem]

I've recently fallen down the rabbit hole of Sheaffer pens. The Triumph style nibs (Early lifetime ones and later style) just draw me in.

I'm also a nerd. As such, I like knowing how things work. A great way to understand how things work is to look up the patents filed by the inventors.

While looking for the patents for Touchdown and Snorkel filling systems

(Touchdown:https://patents.google.com/patent/US2610612 )

(Snorkel as near as I could find:https://patents.google.com/patent/US2799247A )

Bonus:

(Triumph Vac Fill:https://patents.google.com/patent/US2474996A )

I found some other fascinating things that AFAIK were never put into production but would have likely changed things Vis-a-vis Parker if they had:

Secondary Ink Chamber and Shutoff Valve:

https://patents.google.com/patent/US2914028A/

Retractable Nib / Capless fountain pen

https://patents.google.com/patent/US3073286A/

https://patents.google.com/patent/US2949887A/

Extreme ways of dealing with over pressure

https://patents.google.com/patent/US2101304

And last but certainly NOT least CAPILLARY Filling Snorkel!

https://patents.google.com/patent/US2784699A

Snorkel with a Capillary reservoir but quick filling

https://patents.google.com/patent/US2949888A/

To the best of my (admittedly limited) knowledge, none of these things were put into production

It's fun to imagine how a capillary filling snorkel would have done against a Parker 61...

I hope this was entertaining and you learned something!

[OCArt]

How cool, it's like finding industrial secrets!

 

I've recently fallen down the rabbit hole of Sheaffer pens. The Triumph style nibs (Early lifetime ones and later style) just draw me in.

[Nathaniel Harter]

Retractable Nib / Capless fountain pen

https://patents.google.com/patent/US3073286A/

https://patents.google.com/patent/US2949887A/

 

There is a prototype of this

[IThinkIHaveAProblem]

 

There is a prototype of this

there is!??

 

Are there pics or an article anywhere you can link to? PLS?

[Nathaniel Harter]

there is!??

 

Are there pics or an article anywhere you can link to? PLS?

That's a good idea, I'll write an article about it! Will link when done.

[IThinkIHaveAProblem]

That's a good idea, I'll write an article about it! Will link when done.

Awesome. I can’t wait

[Parker Quink Turquoise]

Interesting stuff.Thanks for posting.

[IThinkIHaveAProblem]

Interesting stuff.Thanks for posting.

you're welcome!

[inkstainedruth]

Fascinating. When skimming over the text of the "capillary" patent and looking at the corresponding image, it seemed to just be describing a regular Snorkel. But if there actually *is* a prototype, as NathanielHarter said, that's really interesting.

Especially in light of my joking about how Sheaffer's response to the encroachment of ballpoints was to design the Snorkel (the most convoluted fill system on the planet) while Parkers's response was, well, the Parker 61 capillary fill....

And before you ask, the answer is "Yes, I have several of each...."

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Nathaniel Harter]

Awesome. I can’t wait

 

 

Fascinating. When skimming over the text of the "capillary" patent and looking at the corresponding image, it seemed to just be describing a regular Snorkel. But if there actually *is* a prototype, as NathanielHarter said, that's really interesting.

Especially in light of my joking about how Sheaffer's response to the encroachment of ballpoints was to design the Snorkel (the most convoluted fill system on the planet) while Parkers's response was, well, the Parker 61 capillary fill....

And before you ask, the answer is "Yes, I have several of each...."

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

Here is the article about the prototype capless pens: https://fountainpentastic.com/2020/05/22/sheaffer-1041-a-prototype-cap-less-fountain-pen/

[IThinkIHaveAProblem]

Great article!

 

Anyone else think the pens look a lot like the new Curidas? To me, far more than the vanishing point.

 

I think that's a function of two things:

1- Most of them are made of clear (demonstrator) plastic, like the curidas

2- they all seem to be about the same visual "fatness" as a curidas. Whereas the VP seems slimmer. Again, that might be materials/optical illusion

 

Is it me, or does the D1 look like for a "nib" they just took a (fatter) snorkel tube and added a pointed bit and some tipping? kinda like if they grafted a Parker "51" nib onto a (fat) snorkel tube?

 

Thanks again for the article, it's really cool!