FOUNTAIN PENS. A fountain pen is one having an ink barrel in the holder which supplies ink as required by means of an automatic feed. Foun tain pens were manufactured in England as early as 1833. hut they did not attain any great degree of success. In the Schaeffer pen the ink was ad mitted to the pen from a reservoir in the holder, by pressing a projecting button with the thumb. In the Parker pen the flow of ink was regulated by a piston controlled by a rotating nut. Other early attempts sought to control the flow from the barrel by means ()f tubes, springs. valves. or other mechanical contrivances. In all these early attempts the flow of ink was found to be irregu lar. All modern fountain pens are based on a different principle. The thew of ink is regulated by a feed. and air is admitted to the barrel to take the place of the ink as it is used, A typi cal fountain pen consists of four pieces of hard rubber and a gold pen. The handle containing
the ink reservoir is in two pieces, connected with a screw joint, so that it may readily he taken apart for filling. The gold pen is held in the point section of the barrel by means of a third piece of rubber. the feed-bar. which also conveys the ink from the reservoir to the pen. Air is admitted to the barrel, to replace the ink as it is used. by means of a cavity in the feed connecting with the hole at the end of the slit in the back of the pen proper. During the act of writing the ink is drawn from the reservoir by capillary at traction, through the feed to the pen point, and the flow ceases with the writing. The fourth piece of rubber is the cap, which covers the pen to erotect it from injury and keep the ink from drying when not in use. A fountain pen usually holds ink enough for ten hours or more of con tinuous writing, or from 15,000 words up.