IMPROVEMENTS IN AFFIXING POSTAGE AND OTHER STAMPS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Moore Naylor, of 111, Mont-
pelier Row, Bloomsbury, Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AFFIXING
POSTAGE AND OTHER STAMPS."
Sealed the 3rd November 1853, and dated the 11th August 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Moore
Naylor at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 11th August 1853.
Sp
I, HENRY MOORE NAYLOR, of 111, Montpelier Row, Blooms- Pr
bury, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AFFIXING
POSTAGE AND OTHER STAMPS " to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of a combination of apparatus for affix-
ing. postage or other stamps to letters and documents; such
apparatus consists of a chamber to receive a pile of postage or
other stamps with the adhesive surfaces upwards, and the upper
one is at all times in a position to be taken on to a letter or docu-
ment when the same has been moistened by another part of the

page_text: apparatus, which consists of a roller with ponge or porous surface,
and water is supplied thereto by another roller revolving in water,
or having an endless cloth or fibres moved thereby through water,
or the moistened sponge or fibre is lifted up by a lever or instru-
ment. The apparatus is closed in a case.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, filed by the said Henry Moore Naylor in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 11th February 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME,
I, HENRY MOORE NAYLOR, late of 111, Montpellier Row, Blooms-
bury, but now of 30, Newhall Street, Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by
Her Letters Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of August, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three,
in the seventeenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs
and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Henry Moore
Naylor, Her special licence that I, the said Henry Moore Naylor,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Henry Moore Naylor, 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 ex-
pressed, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN AFFIXING POSTAGE AND OTHER STAMPS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Henry Moore Naylor, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 Moore Navlor do

page_text: hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof (that is
to say):
This Invention consists of a combination of apparatus for affix-
ing postage or other stamps to letters and documents; such
apparatus consists of a chamber to receive a pile of postage or
other stamps with the adhesive surfaces upwards, and the upper
one is at all times in a position to be taken on to a letter or
document when the same has been moistened by another part of
the apparatus, which consists of a roller with sponge or porous
surface, and water is supplied thereto another roller revolving
in water, or having an endless cloth on fibres moved thereby
through water, on the moistened sponge or fibre is lifted up by a
lever or instrument. The apparatus is closed in a case.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will
proceed to describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Fig. 1, shows a plan; Figure 2, a side elevation; Figure 3,
a vertical section, shewing the parts of the apparatus in the act of
applying a stamp; Figure 4, shews another vertical section of
the apparatus in position ready to receive a letter or document in
order that a stamp may be applied; Figure 5, shews a vertical
section, taken through the water trough; and Figure 6, shews
another side view, by which it will be seen that the apparatus
may be kept locked. In each of these Figures the same letters
indicate similar parts. a, a, is the box or case of the apparatus.
b, is a trough containing water, in which is placed a roller c,
coated with sponge or other suitable matter in order to bring
moisture up from the trough. d, is a metal roller fitting loosely
on its axis, as is shewn. e, is a cover, which is capable of being
moved on its axis f, and thus leave the water trough and the
chamber in which the adhevise stamps are contained uncovered.
The cover carries the axis f', of the roller d, and the under sur-
face of the cover acts as a guide in introducing the corner of an

page_text: envelope, or note, or letter, or other document to be moistened
and to receive an adhesive stamp, the cover not fitting down on
the table or upper surface of the box a; and the cover also carries
a stop g, against which the corner of the document comes when
it has been introduced to receive a stamp, and such stop moves on
an axis g', and retains its position by gravity. h, is a moveable
chamber to contain the adhesive stamps to be used, and they are
placed in such chamber with their faces downwards and their
backs or adhesive: surfaces upwards; on the under side of the
cover e, there is a projection e', of vulcanized india-rubber or other
suitable material, which comes over the chamber h, and offers a
flexible and elastic surface for the envelope, letter, or other docu-
ment about to receive a stamp to be pressed against it. The
moveable chamber h, is made on the interior of the form of the
stamps to be applied, and it is capable of sliding up and down in
the case a, of the apparatus, and by reason of the spring i, it has
constantly a tendency to rise up so as to come, above the table or
upper surface of the case a. The stamps are placed on the
piston j, which has below it a plate j', acting as the piston rod,
which slides within the chamber h, and the piston is constantly
drawn down by the vulcanized india-rubber spring k. The piston
is moved upwards by means of the lever key 1, which is connected
to the lever m, by the link or rod m', and the lever m, is con-
nected to the slide of the piston by the link n; hence, when the
key is depressed the piston with the stamps thereon rise, and
when released the piston descends, carrying with it the chamber h,
by reason of the greater strength of the india-rubber spring than
that which raises the chamber h. In using this apparatus the
corner of the document or envelope is passed under the cover so
as to pass between the moistened roller and the pressing roller, by
which the surface of the paper will be moistened; the document
or envelope is then to be moved so as to bring the moistened
surface over the chamber h, when by pressing the key 1, the
chamber will be raised by its spring so as to bring it up to the
surface of the moistened paper, and the further movement of the
key will raise the piston and force up the stamps, so that the

page_text: uppermost one will come in contact with the moistened surface, s
and the stamp will be pressed forcibly against the moistened
surface. The key then being released will allow the india-rubber
spring to draw back the piston and the chamber h, and the
apparatus will be again in position to receive another envelope,
note, letter, or document.
I would state that for some uses the damping part of the appa-
ratus may be used separately. In which case I prefer to form
the damping apparatus as shewn at Figures 7, 8, and 9, which
respectively show a plan, a front elevation, and a transverse sec-
tion. In this arrangement there would only be that part of the
previous combined apparatus which consists of the water trough,
the roller dipping therein, and the pressing roller, as will readily
be understood by reference to these Figures. This form of part
of my apparatus renders it suitable for moistening surfaces on to
which adhesive stamps are to be applied by hand.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, I would have it understood that
I do not claim the separate mechanical parts of which the appa-
ratus is composed, nor do I confine myself to the precise details.
But what I claim is, the combination of the mechanical parts, as
herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Moore Naylor, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of
February, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
GEORGE MEEKS,
HENRY MOORE NAYLOR. (L.S.)
Birmingham,
in the County of Warwick.