OFF BEAT If the pen is really mightier than the sword, then who do we have to thank for the greatest weapon of all time? At least part of that credit belongs to Hungarian journalist Laszlo Biro.
Biro invented the first ballpoint pen in 1938 when he noticed that the type of ink used in newspaper printing dried quickly, leaving the paper dry and smudge-free.
He and his brother, a chemist, set out to create a pen using the same type of ink. The thicker press ink would not flow from a fountain pen, so the Biro brothers had to devise a new point. To accomplish this, the brothers fit Biro's pen with a tiny ball bearing in its tip. As the pen moved along the paper, the ball rolled, picking up ink from the ink cartridge and depositing it on the paper.
Biro first patented his pen in 1938, and applied for a fresh patent in Argentina on June 10, 1943, after he and his brother moved to the country. The British bought the rights to this patent for the war effort. The British Royal Air Force wanted a new type of pen that would not leak at high altitudes as the fountain pen did. Their successful performance for the Brits brought the Biro pens into the limelight.
Today, a highly popular modern version of Biro's pen, the BIC Crystal, has daily sales of 14 million pieces. Biro is still the generic name used for the ballpoint pen most of the world.
For more information on Biro's invention, visit http://anniversary.asme.org/2005landmarks5.shtml
