AN IMPROVED ELASTIC PAD FOR WET OR DAMP STAMPS
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Edward Walsh at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd November 1883. Communicated
to him from abroad by Auguste Callewaert of Brussels Civil Engineer,
JOHN EDWARD WALSH of Halifax, in the County of York. Patent Agent and
Consulting Engineer. "AN IMPROVED ELASTIC PAD FOR WET OR DAMP STAMPS."
A communication to me from abroad by Auguste Callewaert of Brussels Civil
Engineer,
The pads in use up to now are composed of a piece of felt or cloth impregnated
with a suitable fatty ink, they have the greater inconvenience of being very rapidly
used, and worn at the place, where the stamp is constantly pressed and besides of
not allowing a very neat impression on account of the loose fibres of the felt or
cloth sticking to the stamp, and making it greasy. The pad for which application
for patent is now made, has none of these faults, it offers a greater durability, and
causes a clearer and more uniform impression to be taken. This pad is composed
in the first place of an elastic paste composed of 25 per cent of resin, 25 per cent
of glycerine, 18-75 per cent gelatine, 12.50 per cent of oil of Almonds, 12.50 per cent
of sugar, and 6.25 per cent of grease making in all 100 parts. These materials are
mixed in a crucible and heated to the required degree until a perfect homogeneous
fluid is obtained; in the second place I use a piece of thick felt, of oval shape (in
preference), around which is sewn (forming an edging) a strip of stuff of which the
length is less than the outline of the felt, in order to give a slightly rounded surface
to the felt. In the cap thus obtained I pour up to the proper height the above
specified elastic paste; on this paste a block of wood is then applied, around which
is fastened the strip of stuff by means of nails; afterwards this is covered with tin
which is fastened with a few nails. The layer of paste beneath the felt gives it the
desired elasticity and embodied with the felt, prevents it wearing away rapidly in
holes, as in the case with the ordinary pads; it is evident that the strip of stuff
surrounding the felt can be replaced by felt suitably rounded. After cooling the
paste the pad thus obtained is inked in the ordinary way, and absorbs a
considerable quantity of ink which is above all desirable for large offices such as
post or telegraph offices and Railway offices for the use of the latter where more
ink may be required, it will only be necessary to prick holes to render it more
spongy. As to the substances which compose the paste the proportions may be
varied accordingly, as a greater or less elasticity, the colopham may be replaced by

page_text: resin if need be by pitch, the gelatine may be replaced by glue, or a matter having
the same properties, and the sugar by syrup, then the grease in certain cases may
be left out. It would be still possible to leave out the colopham and the oil of
almond, and in this case a composition similar to that used for the ink rollers in
letter press printing would be obtained, but although the pads thus obtained would 5
be much superior to the old sort, they would be much inferior to the one of which
we give the composition.