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Ballpoint pen

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"Ball Pen" redirects here. For the 2012 Indian film, see Ball Pen (film).
Ballpoint Pens
InventorLászló Bíró
AvailableWorldwide

A ballpoint pen (Philippine English & Indian English: ballpen, British English: biro) is a writing instrument, with an internal ink reservoir and a sphere for a point. The internal chamber is filled with a viscous ink that is dispensed at its tip during use by the rolling action of a small sphere. The sphere, usually from 0.5 mm to 1.2 mm in diameter, may be made of brass, steel, tungsten carbide,[1] or any durable, hard (nondeformable) material.

Tip of a ballpoint pen highly magnified
Tip of a branded ballpoint pen given to bank customers.

History

Birome's advertising in Argentine magazine Leoplán, 1945.

The manufacture of economical, reliable ballpoint pens arose from experimentation, modern chemistry, and the precision manufacturing capabilities of 20th century technology. Many patents worldwide are testaments to failed attempts at making these pens commercially viable and widely available. The ballpoint pen went through several failures in design throughout its early stages.

The first patent on a ballpoint pen[2] was issued on 30 October 1888, to John Loud,[3] a leather tanner, who was attempting to make a writing instrument that would be able to write on his leather products, which then-common fountain pens could not do. Loud's pen had a small rotating steel ball, held in place by a socket. Although it could be used to mark rough surfaces such as leather, as Loud intended, it proved to be too coarse for letter writing and was not commercially viable.

An authentic "birome", made in Argentina by Bíró & Meyne

In the period between 1904 and 1946 particularly, alternatives or improvements to the fountain pen were invented. Slavoljub Eduard Penkala invented a solid-ink fountain pen in 1907, a German inventor named Baum took out a ballpoint patent in 1910, and yet another ballpoint pen device was patented by Van Vechten Riesburg in 1916. In these inventions, the ink was placed in a thin tube whose end was blocked by a tiny ball, held so that it could not slip into the tube or fall out of the pen. The ink clung to the ball, which spun as the pen was drawn across the paper. These proto-ballpoints did not deliver the ink evenly. If the ball socket were too tight, the ink did not reach the paper. If it were too loose, ink flowed past the tip, leaking or making smears. Many inventors tried to fix these problems, but without commercial success.[4]

László Bíró, a Hungarian newspaper editor, was frustrated by the amount of time that he wasted in filling up fountain pens and cleaning up smudged pages, and the sharp tip of his fountain pen often tore the paper. Bíró had noticed that inks used in newspaper printing dried quickly, leaving the paper dry and smudge free. He decided to create a pen using the same type of ink. Since, when tried, this viscous ink would not flow into a regular fountain pen nib, Bíró, with the help of his brother György, a chemist, began to work on designing new types of pens. Bíró fitted this pen with a tiny ball in its tip that was free to turn in a socket. As the pen moved along the paper, the ball rotated, picking up ink from the ink cartridge and leaving it on the paper. Bíró filed a British patent on 15 June 1938.[5]

Earlier pens leaked or clogged because of incorrect viscosity of the ink, and depended on gravity to deliver the ink to the ball. Depending on gravity caused difficulties with the flow and required that the pen be held nearly vertically. The original Biro pen used capillary action and a piston that pressurised the ink column, solving the ink delivery flow problems. Later Biro pens had a spring that kept pressure on the piston, and still later the Biro pens used just gravity and capillary action.[6]

In 1941 the Bíró brothers and a friend, Juan Jorge Meyne, fled Germany and moved to Argentina. On 10 June, they filed another patent and formed Bíró Pens of Argentina. The pen was sold in Argentina under the Birome brand (portmanteau of Bíró and Meyne), which is how ballpoint pens are still known in that country. László was known in Argentina as Ladislao José Bíró. This new design was licensed by the British, who produced ball point pens for RAF aircrew as the Biro; they found they worked much better than fountain pens at high altitude, the latter being prone to ink-leakage in the decreased atmospheric pressure.

Ballpoint pen rolling over a paper surface, leaving behind a trail of ink.

Eversharp, a maker of mechanical pencils, teamed up with Eberhard Faber in May 1945 to license the design for sales in the United States. At about the same time a U.S. businessman, Milton Reynolds, saw a Biro pen in a store in Buenos Aires. He purchased several samples and returned to the U.S. to found the Reynolds International Pen Company, producing the Biro design without license as the Reynolds Rocket. He managed to beat Eversharp to market in late 1945; the first ballpoint pens went on sale at Gimbels department store in New York City on 29 October 1945 for US$9.75 each.[7] This pen was widely known as the rocket in the U.S. into the late 1950s.ne

Description

There are two basic types of ball point pens: disposable and refillable; disposable pens are chiefly made of plastic throughout and discarded when the ink is consumed; refillable pens are metal and some plastic and tend to be much higher in price. The refill replaces the entire internal ink reservoir and ball point unit rather than actually refilling it with ink, as it takes special high-speed centrifugation to properly fill a ball point reservoir with the viscous ink. The simplest types of ball point pens have a cap to cover the tip when the pen is not in use, while others have a mechanism for retracting the tip. This mechanism is usually controlled by a button at the top and powered by a spring within the pen body, but other possibilities include a pair of buttons, a screw, or a slide.

Ballpoint ink is usually a paste containing 40 to 50 per cent dye.[8] Rollerball pens combine the ballpoint design with the use of liquid ink and flow systems from fountain pens. Compared to rollerball and fountain pens, ballpoints require more pressure to write. Ballpoints lack the free flowing supply of ink that other types have, requiring the writer to apply more pressure to the page. As a result, the ballpoint pens are less likely to leak. Their robustness makes them suitable where a firm press is required, namely for carbon copy-type forms where a layer of carbon paper transfers the writing to subsequent copies.

Because of the pen's reliance on gravity to coat the ball with ink, most ballpoint pens cannot be used to write upside down. However, Space Pens, developed by Fisher in the United States, combine a more viscous than normal ballpoint pen ink with a gas-pressured piston which forces the ink toward the point. This design allows the pen to write even upside down or in zero gravity environments.[9] A graphite pencil can also be used in this way but produces graphite dust, requires sharpening, and is erasable, making it undesirable or unsuitable for use in some situations. Ballpoint pens also have difficulty writing on surfaces with low friction, such as plastics, shiny surfaces, and wet or oily surfaces.[10]

Example of a ballpoint pen work-in-progress by artist James Mylne.

In everyday life

Ballpoint pens, due to their low cost and ubiquity, are the most widely used pen to date.[citation needed] Their convenience in writing both on paper and on fabrics without causing the unwanted bleed-through of ink (more present on lower grade of papers) or smears on paper make them appropriate when both presentation and legibility is important, such as on medical papers and carbon based papers. Because ballpoint pens are low cost alternatives to both fountain pens and roller-ball pens, they have become largely a disposable product.

Ballpoint pens are often provided free by businesses as a form of advertising — printed with a company's name; a ballpoint pen is a relatively low cost advertisement that is highly effective (customers will use, and therefore see, a pen daily). Businesses and charities may also include ballpoint pens in direct mail campaigns in order to increase a customer's interest in the mailing.

As art medium

Main article: Ballpoint pen artwork

Since their invention and subsequent proliferation in the mid-20th Century, ballpoint pens have proven to be a versatile art medium for professional artists as well as amateur doodlers.[11] Low cost, availability, and portability are cited by practitioners as qualities which make this common writing tool a convenient, alternative art supply.[12] Some artists use them within mixed-media works, while others use them solely as their medium-of-choice.[13]

Effects not generally associated with ballpoint pens can be achieved.[14] Traditional pen-and-ink techniques such as stippling and cross-hatching can be used to create half-tones[15] or the illusion of form and volume.[16] For artists whose interests necessitate precision line-work, ballpoints are an obvious attraction; ballpoint pens allow for sharp lines not as effectively executed using a brush.[17] Finely applied, the resulting imagery has been mistaken for airbrushed artwork[18] and photography,[19] causing reactions of disbelief which ballpoint artist Lennie Mace refers to as the Wow Factor.[17][18]

Famous 20th Century artists such as Andy Warhol, among others, have utilized ballpoint pens to some extent during their careers.[20] Ballpoint pen artwork continues to attract interest in the 21st Century, with contemporary artists gaining recognition for their specific use of ballpoint pens; for their technical proficiency, imagination and innovation. Korean-American artist Il Lee has been creating large-scale, ballpoint-only abstract artwork since the late 1970s.[11] Since the 1980s, Lennie Mace creates imaginative, ballpoint-only artwork of varying content and complexity, applied to unconventional surfaces including wood and denim.[21] The artist coined terms such as PENtings and Media Graffiti to describe his varied output.[17] More recently, British artist James Mylne has been creating photo-realistic artwork using mostly black ballpoints, sometimes with minimal mixed-media color.[19] In the mid-2000s (decade) Juan Francisco Casas generated Internet attention for a series of large-scale, photo-realistic ballpoint duplications of his own snapshots of friends, utilizing only blue pens.[22]

Lennie Mace, Uchuu Neko Parade (2005) ballpoint pen and hardware on paper.

Using ballpoint pens to create artwork is not without limitations. Color availability and sensitivity of ink to light are among concerns of ballpoint pen artists.[23] Mistakes pose greater risks to ballpoint artists; once a line is drawn, it generally cannot be erased.[17] Additionally, "blobbing" of ink on the drawing surface and "skipping" of ink-flow require consideration when using ballpoint pens for artistic purposes.[13] Although the mechanics of ballpoint pens remain relatively unchanged, ink composition has evolved to solve certain problems over the years, resulting in unpredictable sensitivity to light and some extent of fading.[23]

Standards

The International Organization for Standardization has published standards for ball point and roller ball pens:

ISO 12756
1998: Drawing and writing instruments – Ball point pens – Vocabulary[24]
ISO 12757-1
1998: Ball point pens and refills – Part 1: General use[25]
ISO 12757-2
1998: Ball point pens and refills – Part 2: Documentary use (DOC)[26]
Pentel R.S.V.P. ballpoint pens manufactured in multiple colors.
ISO 14145-1
1998: Roller ball pens and refills – Part 1: General use[27]
ISO 14145-2
1998: Roller ball pens and refills – Part 2: Documentary use (DOC)[28]

See also

References

  1. ^ "How does a ballpoint pen work?". Engineering. HowStuffWorks. 1998–2007. Archived from the original on 9 November 2007. Retrieved 16 November 2007. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ Collingridge, M. R. et al. (2007) "Ink Reservoir Writing Instruments 1905–20" Transactions of the Newcomen Society 77(1): pp. 69–100, page 69
  3. ^ Great Britain Patent No. 15630, 30 October 2008
  4. ^ Webshark Ltd. - www.webshark.hu. "A porcelán-arany csoda". Herend. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
  5. ^ The first complete specifications appear to be UK 498997, June 1938 and UK 512218, December 1938; his rather basic Hungarian patent 120037 was dated April 1938. Collingridge, M. R. et al. (2007) "Ink Reservoir Writing Instruments 1905–20" Transactions of the Newcomen Society 77(1): pp. 69–100, page 80
  6. ^ Collingridge, M. R. et al. (2007) "Ink Reservoir Writing Instruments 1905–20" Transactions of the Newcomen Society 77(1): pp. 69–100, page 80
  7. ^ Inventing the 20th century: 100 inventions that shaped the world. NYU Press. 2002. p. 106. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  8. ^ Kunjappu, Joy. "Ink chemistry". Retrieved 7 December 2012.
  9. ^ "Fisher Space Pen - About Us". Retrieved 5 November 2011.
  10. ^ Russell, Melissa. "How Ballpoint Pens Work". Home.howstuffworks.com. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
  11. ^ a b Genocchio, Benjamin (August 10, 2007). "To See the World in Ballpoint Pen". The New York Times. Manhattan, New York, USA: Arthur Ochs Sulzberger, Jr. ISSN 0362-4331. OCLC 1645522. Retrieved June 2012. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  12. ^ Attewill, Fred (September 29, 2011). "Artist wins £6,000 art prize after using 3p ballpoint pens from Tesco". Metro. Kensington, London, England: Associated Newspapers Ltd. ISSN 1469-6215. OCLC 225917520. Retrieved July 2012. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  13. ^ a b Johnson, Cathy (2010). Watercolor tricks & techniques: 75 new and classic painting secrets (illustrated, revised ed.). Cincinnati, Ohio, USA: North Light Books. p. 123. ISBN 978-1-60061-308-1. OCLC 299713330. Retrieved July 2012. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  14. ^ Small, Suzy (August 19, 2005). "Ai Candy; exhibition preview". Tokyo Weekender. 2 (15). Tokyo, Japan: BC Media Group: 16. Retrieved May, 2012. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  15. ^ Mylne, James (2010). "About Ballpoints, & Using Them in Art". Biro Drawing.co.uk. James R. Mylne. Retrieved June 2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  16. ^ Tizon, Natalia (2007). Art of Sketching (illustrated ed.). New York City, New York, USA: Sterling Publishing. p. 84. ISBN 9781402744235. OCLC 76951111. Retrieved July 2012. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  17. ^ a b c d Liddell, C.B. (April 3, 2002). "The hair-raising art of Lennie Mace; Lennie Mace Museum". The Japan Times. Tokyo, Japan: Toshiaki Ogasawara. ISSN 0447-5763. OCLC 21225620. Retrieved May, 2012. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  18. ^ a b Liddell, C.B. (2002). "Getting the ball rolling in harajuku". Tokyo Journal. 21 (241). Tokyo, Japan: Nexxus Communications K.K.: 36–37. ISSN 0289-811X. OCLC 13995159. {{cite journal}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  19. ^ a b Garnham, Emily (April 16, 2010). "Biro artist recreates Girl With A Pearl Earring masterpiece". Daily Express. London, England: Northern and Shell Media. OCLC 173337077. Retrieved June 2012. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  20. ^ Warhol, Andy; Slovak, Richard; Hunt, Timothy (2007). Warhol Polaroid Portraits. New York City, New York, USA: McCaffrey Fine Art. pp. intro. ISBN 9780979048418. OCLC 420821909. Retrieved July 2012. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  21. ^ Honda, Takahiko (2011). "New York's Playful Ballpoint Picasso". 「月刊ギャラリー」(Gekkan Gallery Guide). 4. Tokyo, Japan: Gallery Station Co., Ltd.: 27. {{cite journal}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  22. ^ staff (February 2, 2008). "Simply birolliant - the incredible 10ft 'photographs' drawn with a ballpoint pen". Daily Mail. England: Associated Newspapers Ltd. ISSN 0307-7578. OCLC 16310567. Retrieved June 2012. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  23. ^ a b Holben Ellis, Margaret (1995). The care of prints and drawings (reprint, illustrated ed.). Lanham, Maryland, USA: Rowman Altamira. pp. 101–103. ISBN 9780761991366. OCLC 33404294. Retrieved July 2012. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  24. ^ "ISO 12756:1998 - Drawing and writing instruments - Ball point pens and roller ball pens - Vocabulary". Iso.org. 12 June 2009. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
  25. ^ "ISO 12757-1:1998 - Ball point pens and refills - Part 1: General use". Iso.org. 12 June 2009. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
  26. ^ "ISO 12757-2:1998 - Ball point pens and refills - Part 2: Documentary use (DOC)". Iso.org. 12 June 2009. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
  27. ^ "ISO 14145-1:1998 - Roller ball pens and refills - Part 1: General use". Iso.org. 12 June 2009. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
  28. ^ "ISO 14145-2:1998 - Roller ball pens and refills - Part 2: Documentary use (DOC)". Iso.org. 12 June 2009. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
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