Ballpoint Pen

John Loud is credited with patenting the first ballpoint pen in 1888. Several ballpoint pen patents were filed decades later, but the modern ballpoint pen as we know it was patented by László Bíró in 1938. Bíró's design solved ink-flow issues that had plagued previous designs by pressurizing the little reservoir and using capillary action to deliver the ink.

• 
• Click to Print

• Find this article at:
• https://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2023689_2023708_2023603,00.html