Ballpoint Pen Patented 79 Years Ago
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10 June 2022 14:49 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - An Indonesian renowned author Pramoedya Ananta Toer once said that to write is to work for eternity. Through writing, a person is able to articulate their ideas and knowledge that can be enjoyed by anyone who reads it.
Ever since we were children, we are most familiar with pencils and ballpoint pens as tools to write. These stationary hold a major role in a person’s journey in academics. On this day in history back in 1943, the first commercially successful modern ballpoint pen was patented in Argentina.
However, the history of the writing tool actually started far beyond that year in 1827, which was introduced by Roman inventor Petrache Poenaru in a less-refined form - to today’s standards - as a fountain pen.
In 1884, Lewis Edson Waterman designed and patented the three-channel ink feed fountain pen which ensured a smooth flow of ink and made pens into a truly transportable tool, citing Historyofyesterday.
The fountain pen underwent many inventions throughout the 20th century, like the use of replaceable and refillable ink cartridges, and the use of plastic, metal, and wood. The evolution of the pen was eventually perfected in 1938 by Hungarian journalist László Bíró.
As a journalist, László was too familiar with the annoyance of ink smudging on paper, which led to him deciding to use the quick-dry ink and introduce a small metal ball that rotated at the tip of the pen. This metal ball invention kept the ink from drying and also distribute it smoothly.
In 1943, László and his brother György, a chemist, patented this new design. These pens, known as biromes were a huge commercial success. The patent for this design was then bought by Marcel Bich in 1945, where his company sold over 100 billion ballpoint pens worldwide.
VIOLA NADA HAFILDA
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