AN IMPROVED STAMP AND LABEL AFFIXER
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Honry Woodward, of Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Gun Maker, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED STAMP
AND LABEL AFFIXER."
Scaled the 29th February 1876, and dated the 8th December 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Woodward at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 8th December 1875.
I, HENRY WOODWARD, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
5 Gun Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"AN IMPROVED STAMP AND LABEL AFFIXER," to be as follows, that is to
say :-
The object of my Invention is to provide an automatic and self-
acting apparatus or machine, simple and efficient in its action, for the
O purpose of affixing stamps, labels, and other like articles upon letters,
documents, or packages.
The apparatus or machine consists of a bed or box into which is
fitted a travelling feed slide for the purpose of feeding the continuous

page_text: strips or lengths of stamps or labels forward to the affixing plate, upon
the under side of the feed slide and contained within the bed or box is
formed or secured a guide block moving to and fro with the feed slide,
and regulating by its length the distance to be traversed by the feed
slide, according to the size of the stamp or label to be affixed. Above
the affixing plate and supported by a bracket or arm is a vertical
cylinder in which works a piston or plunger operated by hand and kept
up in place and clear of the affixing plate when not in operation by
means of a helical spring confined within the vertical cylinder, and to
the bottom end of the piston or plunger is secured the pressure pad,
upon the inner edge of which is attached a vertical cutting blade for
separating the stamps or labels as they are affixed upon the under side
of the forward end of the feed slide in the damping pade, immediately
beneath the cutting blade and contained in the bed or box is a small
receptacle or reservoir for water, or gumming, or adhesive liquid, and in
the receptacle or reservoir is placed a spunge, so that as the damping
pad passes over the sponge it will be made damp or wet, and the
damping pad will then damp the portion of the letter or other article
for the affixing of the stamp or label.
The feed slide is moved forward by means of small cords or chains
attached to the rear end of the feed slide, and at their forward ends to
the top of the piston or plunger carrying the pressure pad, the cords
or chains also pass underneath a regulating cross roller or rollers held in
bearings in the sides of the bed or box and revolving over the forward
end of the sliding plate near the cutting blade, the cross roller or rollers
thus hold the chains or cords at tension when the piston or plunger is
not in operation, and such cross roller or rollers also work in connection
with the feed slide by bearing upon the continuous strip or length of
stamps or labels assisting in moving such strip or length forward and
keeping it in place, the revolution of the cross roller or rollers being
stopped when the strip or length has advanced a sufficient distance to
affix one stamp or label by means of small levers taking into ratchets
upon the cross roller or rollers, or by some other such means.
A stamp
or label having been passed through from the feed slide on to the
damped portion of the letter or other article the piston or plunger is
then operated, causig the pressure pad to press upon the stamp or label
and affix it; at the same time the cutting blade will separate the stamp
or label from the continuous strip or length. When the piston or

page_text: plunger is thus depressed the stamp or label will, as before stated, be
kept in position by the cross roller, and the feed slide with the damping
pad returns ready for the repitition of the progress, and to assist such
return movement of the feed slide is introduced a suitable spring
between the block and the termination of its traverse; this spring
whilst the cords or chains are held at tension cannot operate, but upon
depressing the piston or plunger and consequently slackening the cords
or chains it will then exert its tension force, causing the feed slide and
damping pad to retire.
Upon any convenient part of the apparatus may be attached a
suitable cutter for separating a sheet of stamps or labels into strips or
lengths, and at the rear of the feeding slide upon the bed or body may
be secured a roller for holding the continuous strip or length of stamps
or labels, and from which it passes on to the feeding slide.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Woodward in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 8th June 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
WOODWARD, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gun Maker,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and succes-
sors, give and grant unto me, the said Henry Woodward, Her special
license that I, the said Henry Woodward, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry Woodward, 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 "AN IMPROVED
STAMP AND LABEL AFFIXER," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Henry Woodward, my executors or administrators, by an.

page_text: 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 5
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Woodward, do 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, that is to say :—
The object of my Invention is to provide an automatic and self-acting
apparatus or machine, simple and efficient in its action, for the purpose
of affixing stamps, labels, and other like articles upon letters, documents,
or packages.
This Invention will be more readily understood by referring to the 1
accompanying Drawings, reference being had to the letters and figures
marked thercon.
Figure 1 is a side clevation, and Figurė 2 a plan of the apparatus or
machine consisting of a bed or box (a) into which is fitted a travelling
feed slide (6) Figure 3, for the purpose of feeding the continuous strips 2
or lengths of stamps or labels forward to the affixing plate (c) upon the
under side of the feed slide (b), and contained within the bed or box (d)
is formed or secured a guide block (e), Figure 3, moving to and fro
with the feed slide (6), and regulating by its length the distance to be
traversed by the feed slide (b) according to the size of the stamp or 2
label to be affixed. Above the affixing plate (c) and supported by a
bracket or arm (f) is a vertical cylinder (g) in which works a piston or
plunger (9) and kept up in place and clear of the affixing plate (c)
when not in operation by means of a helical spring () contained within
the vertical cylinder (9), and to the bottom end of the piston or 3
plunger (9¹) is secured the pressure pad (i), upon the inner edge of
which is attached a vertical cutting blade (k), Fig. 4, or a pair of
shears for separating the stamps or labels as they are affixed (k').
Figs. 1 and 4 may be placed in the front of the apparatus, as shown.
Upon the upper or under side of the forward end of the feed slide (6) is 3
the damping pad (2) immediately beneath the cutting blade (k), Fig. 3,
and contained in the bed or box is a small, receptacle or reservoir (m)

page_text: for water, or gumming, or adhesive liquid, and in the receptacle or
reservoir (m) is placed a sponge (m³) and roller pad (m²), so that as the
damping pad (2) passes over the roller pad (m²) it will be made damp or
wet, and the damping pad (2) will then damp the portion of the letter,
also the under side of the stamp or other article to be affixed. To the
side of the apparatus is attached a tube (m³) in connection with the
reservoir to supply it with a continuous flow of water or adhesive
liquid.
The feed slide (6) is moved forward by means of small cords or
chains (n) attached to the rear end of the feed slide (6), and at their
forward ends to the top of the piston or plunger (9¹) carrying the
pressure pad (i); the cords or chains (n) also pass underneath a regu-
lating cross roller or rollers (o', o³,) held in bearings in the sides of the
bed or box (a) and revolving over the forward end of the affixing
plate (c) near the cutting blade (k); the cross roller or rollers (0¹, o³;)
thus hold the chains or cords (n) at tension when the piston or plunger (9¹)
is not in operation. The ends of the cords or chains are passed through
a tension plate (n'), at the back of which is another plate (22) carrying
a screw in order to tighten the cords or chains (n) to compensate for the
slackening caused by use of the apparatus; and the cross roller or
rollers (0¹, 0%) also work in connection with the feed slide by bearing
upon the continuous strips or lengths of stamps or labels assisting in
moving such strip or length forward and keeping it in place, the
revolution of the cross roller or rollers (0³, 0³) being stopped when the
strip or length has advanced a sufficient distance to affix one stamp or
label by means of small levers taking into ratchets, Fig. 4, upon the
cross roller or rollers (0³, o²); or I may obtain the same result by
passing over the rollers (0¹, 0³,) an endless band (v), Fig. 3.
For the additional guidance of the stamp or label I place a metal
plate (w) between the rollers (o¹, o*,) and the feeding plate (1) a stamp
or label having been passed over the metal plate (w) upon the feed
slide (6) on to the damped portion of the letter or other article, the
piston or plunger (9¹) is then operated, causing the pressure pad (i) to
press upon the stamp or label, and affix it, at the same time the cutting
blade (k) or (k²) will separate the stamp or label from the continuous
strip or length. The striking plate (c) is made to move up and down
by means of springs (p). When the piston or plunger (9) is thus
depressed the stamp or label will, as before stated, be kept in position

page_text: by the cross rollers (0¹, 0%) and the feed slide (6) with the damping
pad (7) returns ready for the repetition of the process; and to assist such
return movement of the feed slide (6) is introduced a suitable spring
between the block and the termination of its traverse, this spring whilst
the cords or chains (n) are held at tension cannot operate excepting
upon depressing the piston or plunger (9¹) and consequently slackening
the cords or chains (n); it will then exert its tensile force, causing the
feed slide (6) and damping pad to retire. At the rear of the feed slide (6)
upon the bed or body is a roller (") for holding the continuous strip or
length of stamps or labels, and from which it passes under the rollers to
be operated upon by the feed slide.
Fig. 5 is a plan, and Fig. 6 a section of a cutter which may be
attached to any suitable part of the apparatus for separating a sheet of
stamps or labels; (s) is the board for cutting upon, on which are small
channels (8) for the cutters (t) to fit into; by drawing the cutters (t)
along the board (8) a sheet of stamps or labels are separated into strips
or lengths.
Having thus described the object and nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be carried into effect, I claim
without limiting myself to these precise details the several improvements
herein more fully set forth and specified, constituting apparatus to be
used in affixing stamps and labels.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Woodward, have here-
unto set my hand and scal, this Sixth day of June, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
six.