An Improved Device for Affixing Postage and other Stamps.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Nov., 1396-4ccepted, 24th Dec., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Device for Affixing Postage and other Stamps.
I, HEINRICH BÜRKLI, of 79, Klingenthalstrasse, Basle, in the Republic of
Switzerland, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
The device for affixing postage and other stamps which forms the subject of this
application consists of a metal plate which is connected with a handle by means of
a socket attached to it and is provided with an opening through which a pointed
metal pin passes, upon which pin a spring arranged in the said socket acts, in such.
a manner that the said pin normally projects slightly through the metal plate..
With this construction when the metal plate is pressed upon a postage stamp which
lies with its gummed surface in contact with a suitable moistened pad the pin is.
pushed through the stamp and the gummed surface of the latter is simultaneously
thoroughly moistened and when the apparatus is afterwards removed from the pad
the stamp remains on the said pin and can be applied to the envelope to be stamped
and affixed thereto by simply pressing the said inetal plate upon the envelope which
rests upon a rigid support whereby the pin is pressed back into the socket of the
metal plate thereby freeing the stamp which then remains affixed to the envelope
when the apparatus is lifted from the latter.
To enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe it by reference to
the accompanying drawing, in which :-
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a stamp affixing device made according to my
invention.
Figure 2 is an end view of the same; and,
Figure 3 is an elevation of a pad to be employed in connection with my
device.
A handle C of wood
A is a square metal plate formed in one with a socket B.
or any other suitable material is screwed into the socket B. In the axial line of
the socket B the plate is provided with a hole or opening a through which the
pointed metal pin D projects, which pin is provided inside the socket with a
broad head upon which the spiral spring c acts. The said spring c presses at its
other end against the inner end d of the handle so that the spring c constantly tends
to press the head b of the pin D against the plate A whereby the pin D is caused
to project slightly from the metal plate.
E is an ordinary pad of felt or other absorbent material, the said pad being fitted
in a sheet metal case F adapted to be closed by a cover f.
In order to affix postage stamps by the above described device the stamps are
first laid upon the pad E with their gummed surfaces in contact therewith as shewn
at H Figure 3. The apparatus is then, by means of the handle C so placed upon.
one of the stamps on the pad E that the pin D comes opposite to the same whereby,
when the handle C is pressed, the plate A is pressed against the pad E. By this
means the pin D is caused to perforate the postage stamp and in consequence of
the pressure which the plate A exerts upon it the gummed surface of the postage.
stamp is wholly moistened so that when the apparatus is removed from the pad the
moistened stamp remains hanging upon the pin D and can be transferred to the
envelope to be stamped. For this purpose it is only necessary to press the plate A,
by means of the handle C against the said envelope which is placed upon a rigid.

page_text: support whereby the pin D, which is acted upon by the spring c, is pushed back
into the socket B so that the postage stamp is freed from it and remains affixed to
the envelope after the apparatus has been removed therefrom.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. An improved device for affixing postage and other stamps having a pointed
metal pin which projects through an opening in a metal plate connected with a
handle by means of a socket attached to it, the said pin being provided inside the
socket with a broad head upon which a spring arranged in the socket (B) acts in
such a manner that the pin normally projects slightly through the metal plate so
that when the latter is pressed upon a postage stamp which lies with its gummed
face in contact with a suitable pad the pin is pushed through the said postage stamp
and thoroughly moistens its gummed surface and when the apparatus is afterwards
lifted from the pad the postage stamp remains hanging upon the pin and can be
applied to the envelope to be stamped and affixed thereto by pressing the plate
upon the envelope which rests upon a rigid support whereby the piu is pressed back
into the socket and the postage stamp is pushed from the same and remains on the
envelope when the apparatus is raised from the same.
2. The manufacture and use of the improved device for affixing postage and
other stamps herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 24th day of November 1896.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.