"sosimple" Filling System Revealed

[fountainbel]

Hi all,

 

Finally found out how the ”So simple (?)” filling system disassembles and works.

 

Be barrel and section being effectively one piece, it was clear to me the pen should open from the back of the barrel.

 

And yes, there was a small seam at 1.5 mm from the barrel end!

 

Heating up the barrel end, carefully pushing a thin blade in the seam and pushing/pulling , it did not move.

 

I decided to drill the end out on the lathe and yes , the end plug came out, in fact it was threaded in the barrel.

 

Problem is that -given the minor plug collar- one has no grip on the end plug.

 

If I had known it was threaded, I could have heated it and pushed it on a thick soft rubber pad to screw it out……

 

Whatever, I’ve made me a new HR end plug.

 

The disassembling the lever –which was internally axially positioned/locked with a steel clips- was no problem, the rusted spring clip simply broke in two

 

Pushing from the section side the mechanism came out……: A piston !

 

This pen is a lever actuated piston filler !

 

The system works as follows :

 

1-After swinging the lever out, one pulls on the lever and the piston slides forward in the long barrel slot till its end stroke.

 

2-Immerse the nib under ink level and pulling on, the lever the piston moves backwards and takes the ink in.

 

3-At end stroke one simply pivots the lever back in place.

 

The long cork was completely crumbled, and the cork enclosure nut was unfortunately gone.

 

Made a new HR cork enclosure nut, new HR barrel end plug, made and installed a new long cork seal, made a new stainless spring clip, cleaned the parts, ready for re-assembling.

 

On the attached Photobucket link you can see the dis assembled pen

 

Frustration gone, I’m a happy camper !

 

Francis

 

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h89/fountainbel/Repaired%20Vintage%20fountain%20pens/Sosimple005.jpg

 

 

 

[ticoun]

Nice job Francis! i really like this kind of reverse engineering. what an odd and novel filling system! a lever actuated piston filler! i didn't know such a thing existed.

[northlodge]

thanks Francis, once I am fit to resume pen restoration I will be refering back to your photo / instructions.

 

Paul

[eckiethump]

Nice work Francis, another mystery solved and an added method of filling a pen, well done,

Eric

[Kelly G]

For being "So Simple" it sure seems complicated. Another way to skin the cat and avoid patent issues I suppose.

 

Good work, as always.

[Tom Heath]

Francis

 

You are the man.

Congrats on your success story.

 

One man imagines another makes it happen.

 

Thanks for the photo too

Tom

[Inka]

I've been gone for too long, missing out on cool stuff like this.

 

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h89/fountainbel/Repaired%20Vintage%20fountain%20pens/Sosimple005.jpg

 

What an amazingly simple design, really happy you've got it working and figured out just how "Simple" it really was to repair.

Awesome, Francis, never seen one of those until now, thanks!

[northlodge]

I did commit to restoring my example at the time of the OP, and have only now gotten around to starting the process. The pen is in pieces (thank you fountainbel). I thought I would correct an error above,

 

"The long cork was completely crumbled, and the cork enclosure nut was unfortunately gone."

 

as with the evidence now of two dismantled pens I think it safe to assume there is no 'cork enclosure nut' the cork simple sits on a screw thread.

 

 

[fountainbel]

I did commit to restoring my example at the time of the OP, and have only now gotten around to starting the process. The pen is in pieces (thank you fountainbel). I thought I would correct an error above,

 

"The long cork was completely crumbled, and the cork enclosure nut was unfortunately gone."

 

as with the evidence now of two dismantled pens I think it safe to assume there is no 'cork enclosure nut' the cork simple sits on a screw thread.

 

 

 

Thanks for your interesting input northlodge !

Given the long length of the cork,I think you are right !

I've made a fitting HR nut though, it looks I've overdone it...

Francis

[eckiethump]

I can't thank you enough Francis, I knew I had serviced one before, these two I have here, the slide mechanism is seized, but I'll get that sorted. How did I ever forget how these worked ?

Thanks again

Eric