on barrel: “Emgee – ROLLEX – British Made Pat. App. 19313/46”

This pencil was described to me as a “drawing pencil,” but it is not a drafting pencil because the lead is not strongly prevented from spinning axially, making it difficult to point; so I’ll call this a sketching leadholder.  This pencil does not use a clutch, but a novel propelling/repelling mechanism.  As a matter of principle, I disallow non-clamping mechanisms the privilege of appearing in the Leadholder galleries, but this instrument is too interesting to ignore, and it would never appear in an orthodox Victorian, advertising, or fine pen/pencil collection so someone has to legitimize this thing.

The mechanism is unlike any I’ve seen in any type of instrument.  I’ll try to describe it because it’s so unusual.  The hollow Bakelite (or something) barrel is threaded internally along its entire length.  A thin slot is cut axially through the barrel wall from the blunt end to about 1 cm from the shoulder.  A small brass carriage with a tubular tension clamp at the leading end holds the lead in place as the carriage travels inside the length of the barrel.  Integral with this carriage is a toothed wheel which engages the threads along the inside of the barrel and protrudes through the slot so as to be accessible to manipulation. As the wheel is rotated with the thumb, the lead is propelled or repelled.  Neat.  But the most ingenious bit is the wheel lock.  When pressure is applied by pushing the lead onto the drawing surface, a center pin attached to the lead clamp presses against the toothed wheel preventing it from rotating, and, therefore, preventing the lead from retracting while in use.  The pin is shaped such that as the wheel is turned manually the pin disengages automatically.  Only the force from the tip of the pencil pushing back will lock the wheel fast.  The plated brass nose piece and end cap are threaded to mate with the internal threading of the barrel making manufacture very simple.

Components of the surprisingly simple Rollex mechanism.

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