IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR STAMPING, MARKING, OR PRINTING AND ARRANGING PAPERS, LETTERS, AND OTHER ARTICLES
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Pearson Hill, of Hampstead, in the County of
Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
STAMPING, MARKING, OR PRINTING AND ARRANGING PAPERS, LETTERS, AND
OTHER ARTICLES."
Sealed the 15th September 1857, and dated the 25th March 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Pearson Hill at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
25th March 1857.
the
I, PEARSON HILL, of Hampstead, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR STAMPING, MARKING, OR PRINTING AND ARRANGING PAPERS, LETTERS, AND
OTHER ARTICLES," to be as follows:-
The machinery is particularly adapted for applying the date stamps and
obliterating stamps to letters and other articles sent through the post office,
but it may also be employed for other purposes. The letter is introduced into
the machine by hand, or by tapes, or other means, its position being regulated
by a fixed or moveable stop or guage. The stamp or marker, supplied with
ink or colour by an inking apparatus, or similar means, is pressed or driven
against or upon the letter, so as to produce the required stamp or mark. The
[Price 8d.]

page_text: letter is carried by fingers or nippers, or other means, to a trough or case, into
which it is forced by a presser or plunger, or by fingers, which propel forward
the column of letters as they accumulate, either upwards or downwards, or in
any other required direction, when the column of letters is propelled in an
inclined or curved open trough; a moveable plate or board serves to press
them into the trough, and prevent any danger of their shuffling out; a ratchet
is also employed to prevent any accidental recoil or receding of the letters
as they advance to the trough. The letters are counted by a self-acting
counting apparatus, which is so arranged, that it only acts when a letter is
placed in the machine, and ceases to act when no letter is introduced, notwith-
standing that the motion of the machine may be continued.
The stamp,
or the surface which supports the letter when it is being stamped, or both, are
made to accommodate themselves to the varying thickness or irregularities of
the letters.
Envelopes and cards and tickets and other articles may be stamped, printed,
or marked and arranged in the same manner as above described in reference
to letters. The various motions are produced by cams and eccentrics, or
cranks, or other well-known mechanical means, and the machine may be
driven by hand or by the foot, or by power, as may be most convenient.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Pearson Hill in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 25th
September 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PEARSON
HILL, of Hampstead, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Pearson Hill, Her special licence that 1, the said Pearson Hill,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Pearson Hill, 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 "IMPROVE.

page_text: MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR STAMPING, MARKING, OR PRINTING AND ARRANGING
PAPERS, LETTERS. AND OTHER ARTICLES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Pearson Hill, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment 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 Pearson Hill, 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
thereof, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say:-
The machinery is particularly adapted for applying the date stamps and
obliterating stamps to letters and other articles sent through the post office.
but it may also be employed for other purposes. The letter is introduced into
the machine by hand, or by tapes, or other means, its position being regulated
by a fixed or moveable stop or guage. The stamp or marker, supplied with
ink or colour by an inking apparatus, or similar means, is pressed or driven
against or upon the letter, so as to produce the required stamp or mark. The
letter is carried by fingers or nippers. or other means, to a trough or case, into
which it is forced by a presser or plunger, or by fingers, which propel forward
the column of letters as they accumulate, either upwards or downwards, or in
any other required direction, when the column of letters is propelled in an
inclined or curved open trough: a moveable plate or board serves to press them
into the trough and prevent any danger of their shuffling out; a ratchet may
be also employed to prevent any accidental recoil or receding of the letters
as they advance to the trough. The letters are counted by a self-acting
counting apparatus, which is so arranged, that it only acts when a letter is
placed in the machine, and ceases to act when no letter is introduced, not-
The stamp,
withstanding that the motion of the machine may be continued.
or the surface which supports the letter when it is being stamped, or both, are
made to accommodate themselves to the varying thickness or irregularities of
the letters. Envelopes and cards and tickets and other articles may be stamped,
printed, or marked and arranged in the same manner as above described in
reference to letters. The various motions are produced by cams and excen-
trics, or cranks, or other well-known mechanical means, and the machine may
be driven by hand or by the foot, or by power, as may be most convenient.

page_text: Figure 1, Sheet T., of the accompanying Drawings, is an elevation or front
view of a machine constructed according to my invention; Figure 2, Sheet II.,
is a side view of the same; Figure 3, Sheet III., is a plan of the same.
The same letters refer to similar parts in each Figure. These Drawings
represent the machine of half the full size. A is the framing, and A' the
table or flat top of the machine; B is the main shaft, which may be driven by
a treadle a, with a connecting rod b connected to a crank on the shaft B; c is
a crank on the shaft B, which is connected by a rod C with the lever D, which
turns on the bearings d, d, and carries the stamp or die E. A pad or cushion
is fixed in the table A' to support the letter while it is being stamped by the
die E. The die is supplied with ink by means of a sliding frame which
carries inking rollers, and which slides backwards and forwards under the
lever D.
1
1
Figure 4. Sheet IV.. is a full size plan of the under part of the lever D
with the inking rollers; Figure 5 is a longitudinal section of the same. Two
rails or guides f. f. are fixed to the lever, and serve to support and guide a
rectangular roller frame F. whose edges are dovetailed to fit the guides. The
roller frame F carries three rollers g. g. g, covered with the ordinary com-
position of glue and treacle employed for inking rollers, or with other suitable
material. The spindle of the roller g' is capable of sliding through its bearings.
and it is pushed or caused to iraverse from side to side. by the undulating
cams or templates h, h, fixed on the lever D, as the roller frame F moves
backwards and forwards in the guides f, f. G is a flat plate or inking table,
fixed to the lever D, and adjusted so that the rollers g, g¹, g, run in contact
with it. H, in Figures 1, 2, and 3, is the doctor roller with its ink trough H'.
The spindle of the doctor roller H carries a ratchet wheel h', which is advanced
by a paul jointed to the lever ", which is driven by a rod from a pin on
the lever D. Another paul is employed to prevent the wheel h' from moving
in the wrong direction. The rod can be adjusted to different positions on
the lever h³, so as to vary the motion of the doctor roller. The trough H' can
also be set nearer to or farther from the doctor roller in the ordinary manner.
The doctor roller and trough are mounted on a plate H, which can be raised
and lowered by screws, so as to cause the doctor roller to press with more or
less force on the roller g when it runs under the doctor roller. The lever D
carries an arm or lever d', which gives motion by a connecting rod to a
leverd, turning on a pin or fulcrum d' on the frame A. is a connecting
rod, which connects the top of the lever d to the roller frame F. Thus,
when the die E rises, the roller frame F slides forwards and carries the rollers

page_text: g, gunder it, and thus inks the die. As the die descends, the roller frame
runs back and carries the roller g. in contact with the doctor roller H. which
supplies it with a small quantity of ink. As the frame repeats its backward.
and forward motion the ink is transferred from the roller gio the inking
table G, where it is spread about or distributed by the rollers g, g, and the
traversing roller g' at the same time the rollers g'. g. become uniformly
charged with ink, which they apply to the die E. The die then descends upon
the corner of the letter which is introduced by hand and placed against a stop
or stops. These stops may be fixed, or they may be made to descend through
or into the table as the lever D descends with the die. A letter is thus
stamped or printed at each stroke of the machine. As each letter is stamped
it is removed to make way for the next letter in the following manner:-
I is a lever, turning on a fulcrum or pin i on the frame A. The top i' of
this lever is bent into a horizontal position. The lever I carries a roller, which
enters a groove in the face of the cam 1' fixed on the shaft B.
Figure 6, Sheet IV., is a Diagram, shewing the form of the groove in the
cam I'.
J is a lever, turning on a fulcrum j. and carrying a roller which
enters a groove in the cam J₁ fixed on the shaft B. The form of the groove
in this cam is shewn in Figure 7, Sheet V. ' is a rod, jointed to the lever J
and to a rod, sliding through guides fixed to the lever I; is a fork or
series of prongs, mounted on the rod i'. but capable of yielding a little, being
pressed up by a spiral spring. As the die E rises after stamping the letter.
the fork is raised by the cam J. and the letter is thus nipped between the
fork and the horizontal part i'. The lever is then driven forward by the
cam I, and it carries with it the rod and the fork, and the letter held
between and . The letter is thus carried forward until it arrives over the
fingers K, K, on which it is deposited by the descent. of the fork ", which
then returns with the lever I to its first position. These motions are effected
by the cams I', J¹. The fingers K, K, are fixed to a bar or spindle K',
carrying a lever K. having a pin which enters a fork or slot in the end of a
lever K, which turns on the fulcrum k, and carries a roller which enters the
groove of the cam K The form of the groove of this cam is shewn in
Figure 8, Sheet V. The motion of this cam causes the fingers K, K, to turn
up into an angular position and to carry the letter up to the bottom of the
inclined trough L. M. M, are a series of sliding fingers, moving at right
angles to the trough L, and worked by a lever M', turning on a fulcrum m,
and carrying a roller which enters the groove of the cam M². The form of
the groove of this cam is shewn in Figure 9, Sheet V. As the letter is raised

page_text: by the fingers K, the fingers M slide out, and as the letter passes them they
slide in again under the letter. The fingers K then descend to their first
horizontal position and receive another letter, while the first letter remains
supported by the fingers M. As the second letter reaches the bottom of the
trough L. the fingers M retire, leaving the first letter or the whole of the
letters in the trough resting upon the leiter which is just being pushed in by
the fingers K. As these fingers reach the top of their stroke, the fingers M
again slide in under the last letter, and they support the letters in the trough
while the fingers K again descend to fetch another letter, and so on. The
fingers K carry curved or segmental pieces at their extremities, which prevent
any letter from being accidentally pushed under them.
When a number of letters with thick seals enter the trough, there is some-
times a tendency for some of the letters to rise and work out of the column
and fall down. This is prevented by a plate or presser board N, mounted on a
lever N, which turns on the fulcrum n. n¹ is a forked lever, which is driven
by a pin on another lever n on the bar K', so that as the fingers K descend,
the board N is pressed against or towards the column of letiers, and thus any
projecting letters are pushed back into their places. To prevent any accidental
recoil of the letters as they arrive on the fingers K, a series of horizontal
ratchet bars, or bars with teeth like a saw, may be fixed between the fingers K.
and projecting a little above them when they are in their horizontal position.
These teeth prevent the return of the articles which are being stamped.
I have not, however, found these ratchet bars to be required when operating
upon letters. The number of letters stamped is registered by a counter P of
any ordinary construction. p is the lever which works the counter, and which is
connected by a rod p' to a lever p² on a spindle . mounted on the lever D:
p is another lever on the same spindle p, and which is connected to a small
pin or rod q, which passes through the lever D near the die. The pin or rod q
enters a small hole in the table, so that as long as no letter is placed in the
machine the lever D may work up and down without the pin q coming into
action. The slight motion communicated to the rod p' and the lever p of the
counter is then not sufficient to advance the wheels of the counter; but
when a letter is placed in the machine, the pin g descends upon it, and is pre-
vented from entering the hole. The lever p' is thus raised, and the additional
motion thus communicated to the rod p' and lever p causes the counter to
advance one tooth and register the operation. Thus, whenever a letier is
stamped it is registered by the counter; but when the attendant omits to supply
the machine with letters, the counter stops, although the machine may continue

page_text: in motion. The die E is made in three pieces. as shewn in Figure 5, having
shoulders, which prevent them from falling out of their places. Three pieces
of vulcanized caoutchouc Q are placed above them, and a metal, plate ris
pressed down on the caoutchouc by a screw R, which is capable of adjustment.
The parts of the dic can thus yield a little, so as to adjust themselves to the
variable thickness of the letters. The number of parts into which the die is
divided may be varied, and it may be made in one piece if preferred. S is a
moveable plate or door, turning on a pin and secured by a spring catch. By
unscrewing the screw R and opening the door S the dies may be removed
and others substituted. The dies may be made with cavities for the reception
of types for the date, or for other purposes, and which may be changed from
time to time. I also make the die with the whole design in duplicate, so that
the design with the date may be legibly impressed upon the letter or
envelope as well as upon the postage stamp which is obliterated or cancelled
by it. The pad or cushion on which the letter is placed may be formed
of or supported by a piece of vulcanized caoutchouc, or otherwise, rendered
capable of yielding when the pressure becomes excessive. If the attendant
omits to insert a letter at each stroke of the machine the die will print
upon the pad or cushion, and this impression will be transferred or will
set off upon the back of the next letter which is stamped. In the case
of letters passing through the post this is of little consequence, but it may be
prevented, if desired, by employing a long band of paper, or calico, or other
suitable material, which passes over the pad and is shifted forward at each
stroke, so as to carry away the printed portion and present a clean surface
under the letter. This band may be wound upon one roller, and gradually
drawn off and wound upon another roller; or it may be a long endless band
carried over rollers, and of sufficient length for the ink of each impression to
become dry before it returns to the pad.. The motion may be given to the
band by a rod from the lever D working a paul in a ratchet wheel on one of
the rollers. This rod may be jointed to the lever D, or it may work in a guide
and receive its motion from an arm or projection on the lever p', or on its
spindle p, in such manner that the rod may only be moved when the lever D
has descended without any letter being placed under it.
A similar arrangement may be adopted for advancing the band, whether a
counter be connected to the machine or not. In this way the band will only
be advanced when it has received an impression from the die, and it will
remain stationary as long as the machine is supplied with a letter at every
stroke. Instead of inking the-die as herein-before described, the impression

page_text: may be produced by placing a band prepared with ink or colouring matter
between the die and the letter. This band is advanced a little at each stroke.
Figure 10, Sheet VI., is a front view of a machine so constructed, and
having a simpler arrangement of fingers than that first herein-before described.
A is the framing; A¹ is the table; B is the main shaft, which may be driven
by a treadle a, with a connecting rod b connected to a crank on the shaft B.
c is a crank on the shaft B, which is connected by a rod C to the lever D,
which turns on bearings d and carries the stamp or die E; H is a band
colouring material, which is wound upon.
The
of cloth, prepared with ink or
a roller h, mounted on the lever D. On the axis of the roller is a ratchet
wheel ', which is advanced a little as the lever D rises by coming in contact
with the paul 12. The other end of the band is attached to a roller , carry-
ing a ratchet wheel h', which is advanced by a paul h. The spindle of the
roller turns rather stiffly in its bearings, so that the band may not run off of
itself. The roller or the ratchet wheel turns rather stiffly on its spindle,
so that it may yield a little and not endanger the breaking of the band.
letters being placed under the die by hand receive the mark or impression
from the band, which is pressed upon them by the die, and at each impression
the band is advanced a little by the ratchets, so as to bring forward a fresh
supply of colouring material. Each letter as it is stamped is removed by a set
of fingers, of which only the end one is seen in the Drawing. These fingers
work through slots in the table A, like the fingers or fork, in the machine
first herein-before described; but instead of moving to and fro, they revolve in
a circle, being fixed on the main shaft B. As the die rises these fingers pass
up through the table and push the letter T along the table until it arrives on
the inclined plane U, where it assumes the position T¹, with the last edge
inclined upwards a little, so as to admit of the next letter passing under it.
The fingers descend through the table and again come round to remove the
next letter, which is pushed under T', and at the same time pushes it forward
a little. The letters thus pass down the inclined plane U and along the inclined
trough L. This trough is capable of moving to and fro a short distance, and
it carries an arm L', which is pushed forward by a cam B' on a fly wheel B
which is mounted on the main shaft B. As the cam B leaves the arm I the
trough is suddenly drawn back by a spring. A jogging or vibratory motion is
thus communicated to the trough L, which facilitates the passage of the letters
down it; or a vibratory motion may be communicated to the trough by other
means or in a different direction. N is a board or plate, which turns on a
pivot at n and rests upon the letters, so as to cause them to pack rather closer

page_text: A
together than would otherwise be the case on first starting the machine.
small arm with an adjustable weight may be connected to the board N to
increase or decrease the pressure on the letters at pleasure. The connecting
rod b from the treadle a may be connected to a crank on the shaft B, or it may
be connected to an eye on the connecting rod C, as shewn in the Drawing, so
as to drive the shaft B by the crank c..
Figure 11, Sheet VII., is a front view, shewing a somewhat different
arrangement of the fingers, whose motion more nearly resembles that of the
fingers or fork 13 in the machine first herein-before described. The rod j',
which carries the fork or fingers 73, is jointed to a lever J, turning on a fulcrum
at j. The rod j¹ is also jointed to the crank c, or to another crank on the main
shaft B. The points of the fingers or fork are thus made io move in a sort
of oval path, as shewn by the red line. The other parts of the machine are
similar to those of the machine shewn in Figure 10.
Another arrangement of the fingers consists of a star wheel, having two,
or three, or more sets of fingers arranged at equal distances apart. This star
wheel or finger wheel is mounted on a separate shaft, or it may turn loosely
on the shaft B, and it is driven at a less velocity, so that one set of fingers
may act at each stroke of the lever D. Thus, if the wheel has four sets of
fingers, it will be driven by toothed wheels, or otherwise, at one quarter of the
speed of the shaft B; or, instead of driving this wheel at a uniform velocity, it
may be driven by a paul or catch connected to the lever D, acting upon a
ratchet wheel or a series of catches on the finger wheel. By this last
arrangement, the fingers strike the letter with a small velocity, which is
All
gradually accelerated, instead of striking it with a uniform velocity.
the machines may be constructed either with the inking rollers or with the
aforesaid band. A counter may be attached to any or all of the machines, and
the herein-before mentioned contrivances for renewing the surface of the pad
or cushion may also be applied to all the machines.
stamp an embossing stamp may be employed; or, if desired, an embossing
stamp may be employed in conjunction with an inking apparatus, so as to pro-
duce a coloured embossed impression on the paper or other material placed
under it. The machines are applicable for stamping and arranging note
paper, envelopes, cards, and other articles, as well as letters passing through
the post.
In lieu of a printing
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that what I claim is,
constructing machinery for stamping, marking, or printing and arranging

page_text: papers, letters, and other articles by the combination of stamping, marking, or
printing apparatus, with fingers or instruments for removing and arranging in
order the said articles, in manner herein-before described.
In witness whereof, 1, the said Pearson Hill. have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
CHARLES COWPER,
20, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane, London.
PEARSON HILL. (L.S.)