Wirt "simplicity" Self Filler, For Fans Of Wirt, Fillers, And History

[Greenie]

I could not find any pictures or references to this pen, or rather the filling mechanism used by this pen, except a single ad from 1915. So I am posting this for scholarship purposes as well as for fans of Paul Wirt, fans of filling mechanisms, or for pen history fans.

 

The patent on the pen is Apr 7, 1903. This seems to be referring to patent numbers 724,983 and 724,984. These are Wirt patents for feeds, not the filler. Scanning Wirt's patents (listed many places, including FPN here), he does not have a patent for this filler. It is unclear if it was someone else's patent. It seems unlikely that Wirt invented this but failed to patent it, given the large number of patents he held for pen related inventions.

 

Pictured is an unusual filling system from Wirt, c1915 per the attached ad.

The Wirt ad states that you pull out the bead and twist 1/4 turn.

 

The exposed portion rotates a pressure bar. There is a groove inside the barrel. The section end of the pressure bar has a "tooth" on the side to catch the edge of the groove. The far end is attached to the filler device that extends out of the pen.

 

Pictured: The pen. The filler: closed, extended, and turned clockwise. Interior: groove, bar, and bar as it rotates

 

[DanDeM]

Matt:

Interesting find.

Looks like an adaptation of a fill design patented on May 3, 1910 by Greishaber (#956895), except it lacks the hump Greishaber used to lock the pen and prevent accidental discharge.

Am sure I posted the article here on FPN, but the “My Content” listing only goes back twelve months. You can see the pen and patent here:

http://www.newpentrace.net/article%20Hump%20Filler.html

Howarya?

Dan

[Greenie]

Glad to hear from you, Dan. Life is good here (after recovering from a car accident last summer..... No major injuries, but a concussion, some lasting pains and bruises for the family... ) I hope you are doing better and we can see you soon.

 

The Wirt is actually pretty novel. The pressure bar rotates with the internal groove as the anchor point/central axis of rotation.

 

If anything, it is closest to the Mabie Todd Swan "Leverless", but that design is a twist fill that uses an entangling bar to wring out the sac, and the central axis of the barrel is the point of rotation. The Wirt is a traditional compression, but in an odd rotational direction.

 

I would love to hear if anyone has any ideas about this design!

[DanDeM]

Glad to hear from you, Dan. Life is good here (after recovering from a car accident last summer..... No major injuries, but a concussion, some lasting pains and bruises for the family... ) I hope you are doing better and we can see you soon.

 

The Wirt is actually pretty novel. The pressure bar rotates with the internal groove as the anchor point/central axis of rotation.

 

If anything, it is closest to the Mabie Todd Swan "Leverless", but that design is a twist fill that uses an entangling bar to wring out the sac, and the central axis of the barrel is the point of rotation. The Wirt is a traditional compression, but in an odd rotational direction.

 

I would love to hear if anyone has any ideas about this design!

Wirt was so very careful about his designs, I can’t believe that he came up with this approach without protecting it. Must have licensed it from someone else. It would be fascinating, and tedious to track it down.

 

Have not seen it on any other pens, so he may have had exclusivity. But then, that was not easy to manufacture, and by 1915 the lever was going into Public Domain. Why would they bother? For that matter, why did Wirt bother? Bet he made three and said “To hell with it!”

 

Where did you find it?

 

You might consider bumping this into the History Forum. Nerdier audience; might have more info.

 

Sorry to hear about bang-up. Hope you and family are well on to mend.