A NEW MOVEABLE STAMP
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Woodcroft Hammond, of 27, South-
ampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "A NEW MOVEABLE STAMP."—A
communication from abroad by François Henri Jullien, residing at
Locokan laz Remizelles in Raleium
Sealed the 24th May 1872, and dated the 14th December 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Woodcroft
Hammond at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 14th December 1871.
I, HENRY WOODCROFT HAMMOND, of 27, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "A NEW MOVEABLE
STAMP," a communication to me from abroad by François Henri Jullien,
resident at Laecken-lez-Bruxelles, in Belgium, to be as follows :—
This Invention consists in a new disposition of a moveable stamp ;
allowing to obtain, without adding or taking off anything in the
apparatus, every combinations of dates or numbers whatsoever..

page_text: This result is obtained by means of a certain number of disks of the
same diameter freely set upon a common axis. This axis is provided
with a fixed hollowed seal, on the circumference of which are engraved
the required and invariable names, professions, address, etc., of the
merchant. Every disc is externally toothed with the most scrupulous
symmetry. On the outside faces of the teeth of every disk is engraved
either a figure or the name of a month, or any such indication; and the
assemblage of those disks thus placed in juxtaposition is combined in
such a manner that their common radius is equal to the excentricity of
the engraved face of the fixed seal with regard to the common axis, and
that the dates or numbers which they form together fill the hollowness
of the above-mentioned fixed seal. A small metallic plat band, grooved
or slotted in the form of a stirrup, slips in the fixed seal, and enters on
each side of a series of teeth of the disks, so as to keep the said disks
steadily in their position during the action of the stamp.
When it is desired to alter either the indicated number, or the day of
the month or the year, etc., the stirrup or brake is cleared, and one, two, or
more disks thus rendered loose on their common axis may be easily turned
till the requisite figures or names present themselves in such a manner as
to form the assemblage required; then the stirrup is thrust between the
teeth and the stamp, such become steady is in a proper condition to be
used by the well-known spring and rack inking disposition.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Woodcroft Hammond in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 11th June 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
WOODCROFT HAMMOND, of Number 27, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send
greeting.
2
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her 3
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the
thirty-fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Henry Woodcroft Hammond, Her

page_text: special licence that I, the said Henry Woodcroft Hammond, my exc-
cutors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry
Woodcroft Hammond, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "A NEW MOVEABLE STAMP," a communication to him from
abroad by Francois Henri Jullien, resident at Laecken-lez-Bruxelles,
in Belgium, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry
Woodcroft Hammond, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same
to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Woodcroft Hammond, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
-
This Invention consists of a new and novel arrangement of a
moveable stamp, which allows you to obtain any combination of dates,
numbers, or names, without adding to or taking from the apparatus.
This result is obtained by means of a certain number of discs of equal
diameter fitted upon a common axis, which axis also carries a fixed
hollow seal, on the circumference of which is engraved the name,
address, or business of the user. Each and every disc is externally
toothed with great exactness; and on the outside face of each tooth is
engraved the days, months, years, or any similar required indication.
The whole of the discs placed side by side forms a combination of such
a kind that their common radius is equal to the eccentricity of the
engraved face of the fixed seal, and the dates or numbers which they
form together fill the hollow of the above-mentioned fixed seal. A
small metal band, grooved or slotted in the form of a stirrup, slides into
the fixed seal on cach side of a number of toothed discs, so as to keep
the said discs in their position during the operation of stamping.
When it is desired to alter the indicated number, the day of the

page_text: month, or the year, &c., the aforesaid stirrup or brake is drawn out, and
one, two, or more discs thus rendered moveable on their common axis,
and may be so easily manipulated as to present the required figures or
names at will of the operator, after which by the replacing of the break
in its former position the stamp is again ready for use.
In order more fully to understand the nature of my Invention, and
the way in which it may be carried into practical effect, I have repre-
sented on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, Fig. 1, an elevation and
section through the line 1, 2, of a moveable stamp constructed on this
principle, and applicable for marking letters or commercial bills.
Fig. 2, a side sectional view of same through the line 3, 4, Fig. 1.
Fig. 3, a plan of the same, as seen from underneath..
A, A', is a fixed frame having its bases A¹ standing upon the paper, skin,
leather, etc., to be stamped, which frame bears on cach of its sides a
vertical groove B into which slides the axis G of the stamp; the two
extremities of the axis G turn freely in the sockets D, D, of the
moveable stamps E, which is moreover guided by the rod or tube F of
the fixed frame, along which the handle G may vertically slide. The
handle G is hollow in order to hold a spiral spring H, which presses on
one end against the handle, and at the other against the button I, which
is screwed into the upper part of the tube or rod F. The fixed frame
bears on one of its sides, a rack formed with two or any other convenient
number of teeth J, J, and on its upper part a box containing a pad T
made of cloth, felt, or any other suitable material; this pad being
intended to ink the stamp after having itself received the matter.
The stamp is composed of two parts; 1st, a metallic frame K or
"fixed
stamp" hollowed and engraved with the required name, address, or any
other necessary indication; 2nd, a cylindrical part L or "moveable
stamp" inserted into the hollow of the fixed stamp K, and reaching
exactly to the exterior surface of the said stamp K. The fixed stamp K,
which bears a tooth M, is keyed upon the axis G by means of the pin G'.
By raising or lowering the moveable frame E this tooth M gears with
the rack J, J, and so make the stamps K, L, revolve half a turn. The
cylindrical or moveable stamp L is formed with a suitable number of
discs or cylinders (five for instance) a, b, c, d, e, whose peripheries are
symetrically toothed or cut in twelve parts (or any other number).
These discs are freely set upon the axis G, and secured in juxtaposition
by the checks f,f, of the fixed stamp K.

page_text: "
In the case represented by the annexed Drawing the discs a, b, c, d, e,
are each engraved with figures from 0 to 9, and the disc c bears the
indications of the twelve months of the year engraved on each of its
twelve teeth. The discs a, b, mark the day of the month, and those
d, e, the date or year. A stirrup or brake N slides into the fixed
stamp K, and each one of its branches n, n; is introduced into the two
openings between the three consecutive teeth of each disc in order to
secure the position of the middle tooth (there are five in this instance),
the whole of which forms the date or the desired number. The
position N of the stirrup or brake N indicated by the dotted lines on
the Drawing is obtained by drawing out said brake from the openings
between the teeth; and by this simple operation the discs are rendered
loose and able to revolve independently round their axis so as to enable
the operator to arrange the figures, dates, &c., as will.
A notch g
is grooved into the side A' in order to leave a free passage to the
stirrup N.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the means by
which it is or may be carried into effect, I wish it to be distinctly
understood that what I claim in the above-described moveable stamp is
more especially,-
First. The combination of the stamp K, called "fixed stamp," with
the stamp L called "moveable stamp;" this latter being formed with
toothed discs a, b, c, d, e, in juxtaposition upon a common axis, and
independent the one from the other, each tooth being engraved with a
name or figure as required, so as to obtain by the semi-rotation of one
or several discs any desired combination of figures, numbers, dates, &c.
Second. The use of the stirrup or break N, which secures the relative
positions of all the discs when conveniently fixed upon their common
axis G.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Woodcroft Hammond; have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of June, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
tivo
HENRY WOODCROFT HAMMOND. (L.S.)