Having enlarged your picture i see no problems to be had with any patents.
Any trying to get one or protect an existing one is on a loser in any country.
The patent has to be on the invention not the idea.
There is no new invention here nor new idea come to that, I had a four colour pen when I was a child that employed the same action / movement, method to get the different colours to the nib.
What's new and why would anyone think they have something to protect by keeping it to themselves.
I think somebody is exaggerating here \typical Yanks.
