Improvements in Apparatus for Impressing or Stamping Envelopes,. Letters, or the like, which Apparatus is Rendered Operative by the Insertion therein of a Coin.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 30th June, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 30th Apr., 1892-Accepted, 30th June, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Impressing or Stamping Envelopes,.
Letters, or the like, which Apparatus is Rendered Operative by
the Insertion therein of a Coin.
JOHN MACFARLANE, of 130 George Street Edinburgh, N.B. Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to apparatus for impressing or stamping envelopes letters
and the like.
My said invention comprises an apparatus designed for stamping letters either
by impressing or embossing the same the said apparatus being rendered operative
by the insertion therein of a coin or coins.
One object of any said invention is to avoid the loss of time which usually takes
place when purchasing and aflixing adhesive stamps at a post office or other place,
by providing an apparatus which upon the insertion of a proper coin will allow of
the insertion of the envelope letter or the like and of the application of an
impression or embossed stamp. My improved apparatus may be arranged upon the
counters of post offices or in connection with pillar letter boxes or in any other
convenient or suitable position.
In carrying my said invention into practice I provide a suitable box or case
having a slot for the insertion of the coin and another slot for the insertion of
the envelope, letter or the like to be stamped. Within the said box or case is
arranged the stamping mechanism consisting of a die with the desired design or
stamp in relief or intaglio.
The said die is operated by a stamping lever or arm the end of which projects
through an opening in the said box or case and is provided with a knob or handle to
adapt it to be moved up and down for stamping the letters. The said lever is
normally locked as hereinafter described to prevent the same being operated until a
suitable coin is inserted in the machine. A spiral spring is arranged to so act upon
the stamping lever or arm as to move the same back to its original position when
the said arm is released by the operator. A pad is preferably arranged above the
die to furnish the same with the necessary amount of ink or colour after each
operation of the stamp. The said die is so arranged that when at rest under
norinal conditions it will rest against the aforesaid pad.
The opening or slot through which the letters to be stamped are inserted is
normally closed preferably by a swing door or cover which is so balanced that
when unlocked as hereinafter described it may be opened by the insertion of the
envelope letter or the like.
For preventing the operation of the stamping lever or arm until the coin has
been inserted in the machine, I provide a piroted lever on to which the coin when
inserted is guided by a chute. This lever is so balanced that when the coin falls
thereon the weight of the coin will tilt the lever. The said coin lever is, on one
side, provided with an upright piece constructed to engage with a short arm_or
lever connected to the said stamping lever and thereby to lock the said lever under
normal conditions. When however a coin is inserted in the machine the coin lever
will be turned as above stated upon its fulcrum and will move the aforesaid upright
piece out of engagement with the short arm of the stamping lever or arm so as to
unlock the said lever or arm and allow the same to be operated. The coin lever is
also provided with a stop piece which is so formed, that when the said lever in its
normal position, that is to say, when no coin is inserted, the said stop piece will
engage with or will stand in such a position as to prevent the hereinbefore
mentioned swing door or cover from being opened to allow the insertion of a letter.

page_text: When however the coin lever is turned on its pivot by the weight of a coin, the stop
piece will be moved away and will allow the said door or cover to be opened by the
insertion of the envelope letter or the like.
When the coin lever has been turned on its pivot by the weight of the coin
the latter will be thrown off the lever and delivered into a suitable drawer or
receptacle provided for the purpose.
When desired I arrange in connection with the stamping mechanism a suitable
registering device by means of which the number of times the stamp is operated and
consequently the amount of money which should have been received will be recorded
on a dial thereby detecting any fraudulent use of the machine and also affording a
check upon the person whose duty it is to collect the cash from the said machine.
I provide for the impression of stamps of different value by duplicating the
parts of the apparatus and arranging a separate lever and stamping mechanisın
for each such stamp, or I may provide other suitable means for effecting this
object.
Instead of employing a stamping lever or arm which is moved up and down as
herein before described I sometimes use a handle which is connected to a spindle
projecting through the case, the said spindle being adapted to operate the stamp by
means of suitably arranged mechanism. Moreover may if desired modify the
construction of my improved apparatus in detail in various other ways without
departing in any way from the nature of my said invention.
Dated this 30th day of June 1891.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Impressing or Stamping Envelopes,
Letters, or the like, which Apparatus is Rendered Operative by
the Insertion therein of a Coin.
I, JOHN MACFARLANE, of 130 George Street, Edinburgh, North Britain,
Engineer, 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:-
My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for impressing or stamping
envelopes, letters or the like, which apparatus is rendered operative by the insertion
therein of a coin.
One object of my said invention is to avoid the loss of time which usually takes
place when purchasing and affixing adhesive stamps to letters or the like at a post
office or elsewhere.
According to my invention I provide an apparatus which upon the insertion of
a proper coin will allow of the insertion of the letter or the like and of the
application of an impressed or embossed stamp thereto. The said improved
apparatus may be arranged upon the counters of post offices, or in connection with
pillar letter-boxes or in any other convenient or suitable position, preferably
so that it may always be available for use, either in the day or during the night.
In order that my said invention may be clearly understood I will now proceed to
describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings in which
Figure 1 is a front elevation partly in section of one form of my said improved
apparatus, and
Figure 2 is a vertical section of Figure 1 at right angles thereto.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the drawings.
A is the outer casing of the apparatus.
B is a plunger arranged to slide vertically in guides in the said casing. The
said plunger extends to the outside of the casing and is provided at its outer end
with a knob or handle B. B2 is a helical spring by which the plunger B is

page_text: B³ is a tube
normally maintained at the upper extreme of its vertical travel.
attached to the plunger and A' a tube of larger diameter attached to the top of the
casing; the said tubes guard the spring B2 from injury and the upper tube descends
into the lower one when the plunger is depressed. B B are serrations formed
upon one of the sides of the said plunger to engage with a pawl hereinafter more
fully described. The said pawl and serrations are so arranged as to offer no
obstacle to the downward movement of the plunger and to permit a slight return
movement thereof, but, under certain conditions hereinafter explained, act to
prevent any return travel in excess of the said slight movement.
C is a die or stamping device, with a suitable design formed thereon, in
intaglio or in relief as may be desired.
C is a numbering device which is so arranged as to form part of the stamping
device, and is operated by the arm C2 which engages with a stationary projection
secured to the casing, or is otherwise operated every time the plunger B is
depressed, so that the letters or the like which are stamped in the apparatus
are numbered in the order in which they are stamped. The said numbering
device which may be of any usual or suitable construction also affords an indication
of the number of times the plunger has been operated, and by the consecutive
position of the coins in the receptacle enables any letter stamped by means of a
false coin to be detected by its number.
The said numbering device may be geared with a suitable indicating device, with
a dial for example, so that when the apparatus is inspected an indication is afforded,
apart from the numbering wheels, of the number of times the apparatus has been
used.
D is an ink pad secured upon one of the sides of the plunger B at the lower end
thereof.
EE are arms adapted to turn about a spindle F secured to the casing A. E' is
an inking roller carried by the said hinged arms and so arranged that when the
plunger is depressed to stamp a letter or the like, the said roller passes across the
face of the die C and the edges of the numbering wheels carried thereby, and passes
over the face of the inking pad, returning in the opposite direction when the plunger
is raised again and transferring ink from the pad D to the said stamping and
numbering devices.
E is a spring attached to the arms E and to the casing A; it acts to maintain
the roller E always in contact with the ink-pad D or the stamping and numbering
devices. G is a shoot or channel, having at its upper end an opening G₁ the size
of which opening is just sufficient to receive the proper coin by which the opera-
tion of the apparatus is made possible. A plunger H is provided so that it may be
given vertical movement in the coin shoot to act upon any coin which comes below
it as hereinafter set forth. Within the casing and at the lower end of the said
shoot or channel is a receptacle G into which the coins are received from the said
shoot or channel G. The said receptacle is provided with an opening G³ preferably
covered with strong glass in order that the number and nature of the coins received
in the receptacle may be visible from the exterior of the apparatus.
I is an opening in the casing, through which the envelope, letter, or the like
which is to be stamped may be inserted after a suitable coin has been placed in the
shoot or channel G.
JJ are guides, suitably secured in the casing A and adapted to receive any
letter or the like inserted through the opening I. The uppermost one of the
said two guides is so arranged that the die C is not obstructed thereby in its
downward movement on to the surface of any letter or the like resting on the
lower guide..
j
K is a curved plate, the upper edge of which normally closes the opening I
the said plate is provided with an extension to cover the portion of the aperture
which appears at the side of the casing. The said curved plate is arranged to turn
upon a suitable spindle K¹ secured in bearings in the casing A, and normally is
kept in position to close the opening I by the action of the weighted lever K².

page_text: L is a bolt adapted to slide vertically in suitable guides upon the inner face
of one of the walls of the casing A when the said bolt is in its normal
position, that is to say in the position it occupies in Figure 2, its lower
edge prevents the upper edge of the curved plate K from moving forward to open
the orifice I.
The upper end of the bolt L is connected to one of the arms of a two-armed
lever M suitably pivoted in the casing A.
The end M of the other arm of
the said lever projects into the channel G as shown for a purpose hereinafter
set forth.
N is a rod supported on suitable guides, and attached at one end to the lever M.
The other end N of the rod N is formed to engage with a notch B formed in the
plunger B as shown.
O is a pawl, adapted to turn upon a pin O¹ secured firmly to the casing A. The
angular movement of the pawl O about the pin O' is limited to oscillation between
the two ends of the fixed piece O2 secured to the casing.
PP are rods, which are arranged to move in the direction of their length in
guides P. The lower end of the rod P is provided with a roller P² which is
intended to be raised vertically by any letter introduced through the opening 1.
The upper
ends of the rods P are connected by a cross-piece carrying a projec-
tion P+ which is engaged with the pawl O in the following manner: The projection
is forked to pass on either side of the pawl O, and in the opening between the two
arms of the projection and below the pawl, a spring 1 is placed. The said spring
is so arranged that in a slight upward movement of the rods P the spring, moving
therewith will force the pawl O towards the plunger B into engagement therewith
or into readiness to engage. Any further upward movement of the rods P will
simply compress the spring P seeing that further movement of the pawl is
prevented by the stop 02. When afterwards, a sufficient downward movement
is imparted to the rods P the spring P if it has been compressed will expand,
and then be moved down away from the pawl O by the said rods P, whereupon the
said pawl will fall away from the plunger B to such distance as is permitted by the
aforesaid stop 02.
Qis a serrated segment secured upon the lever M so as to turn therewith.
R is a lever arranged to turn upon a pin R' secured to the casing of the
apparatus. One end R of the said lever is shaped to engage with the teeth of the
serrated segment Q, and the other end R³ is provided with a spring tongue R
which extends beyond the said end of the lever into the path of a projection C¹³
upon the plunger B, so that in the downward movement of the said projection with
the plunger, the said projection will depress the spring tongue R and pass the said
lever; but in the upward movement of the projection the spring will be kept against
the end of the lever by the projection C³ so that the lever is operated and its
end R2 moved out of engagement with the segment Q.
The operation of the said apparatus will now be explained
If a proper coin be dropped through the orifice G into the channel G it will rest
upon the portion M' of the lever M, and below the plunger Has shown in dotted
lines in Figure 2. The plunger H. should then be depressed to cause the penny to
act upon the end M' of the lever M forcing the said end M' out of the channel
and thereby moving the said lever to cause the end N¹ of the rod N to move out of
engagement with the notch B5 in the plunger B, to unlock the plunger. The said
movement of the lever also causes the serrated segment to turn in the direction
indicated by the arrow marked thereon, into the position indicated by dotted
lines, in which it is retained by the end R² of the lever R, and raises the
lower end of the bolt L clear of the upper edge of the curved plate K. The
said upper edge of the curved plate may now be depressed by the insertion of
an envelope letter or the like into the opening 1 so that the said plate assumes
some such position as is indicated in dotted lines in Figure 2; the said letter
or the like inserted at the opening I is pushed in to the end of the guides J ;
when the said letter is thus inserted it passes beneath the roller P2 and raises

page_text: the rods P so as to move the pawl O into contact with the serrated portion of the
plunger B.
The plunger B which was released by the rod N as aforesaid is now depressed
to bring the die C into contact with the letter or the like; the serrations B
on the said plunger as aforesaid are so arranged that the pawl offers no
resistance to the downward movement of the plunger and allows it, after the
letter is stamped to move upward for a slight distance, just sufficient to enable
the letter to be withdrawn from under the die without being smeared in the act.
The letter is now withdrawn, and allows the curved plate K to resume its normal
position, and the rods P, as the roller P is no longer supported by the letter or
the like, fall, under the influence of gravity and bring the pawl O out of engage-
ment with the serrations B of the plunger B, which is immediately raised by the
helical spring B2 and, as it rises, operates by the projection C³ the end R³ of the
lever R by engagement with the spring R and causes the opposite end thereof to
release the segment Q whereupon the bolt L falls and thereby again engages the
upper edge of the curved plate K. The plunger B as soon as it resumes its
original position is again.locked by the re-engagement of the end N' of the arm N
therewith, for the said end N' was moved into contact with the side of the
plunger B by the downward or locking movement of the bolt L; the engagement
of the said end N¹ with the notch B will have no effect upon the bolt, which is
already engaged, except to lower it a little further in front of the upper edge of
the plate K.
The arm C2 of the numbering device is operated in the descent of the plunger
by a projection secured to the casing, and not shown in the drawing.
Although, when a letter or the like is withdrawn from under the die C, which
as aforesaid is retained stationary at a short distance above it, but is not withdrawn
from the opening I, another letter or the like might be inserted with a view to
fraudulent use of the apparatus, the stamp or die could not be fraudulently used,
for the only movement of depression which could be given to the plunger B would
be so slight that the letter could not be embossed, if an embossing stamp were
used, and moreover, where an inked stamp is employed, the ink would have been
removed, if not entirely, to a considerable extent, in the first operation of stamping,
and consequently the faintness of the second impression would indicate fraudulent
use of the apparatus.
Although I have described the die C as a die with which ink or colour is
employed it is obvious that I might employ a dry die or embossing device, without
ink or colour.
Instead of employing a stamping lever or arm which is moved up and down as
herein before described I sometines use a handle which is connected to a spindle
projecting through the case, the said spindle being adapted to operate the stamp
by means of suitably arranged mechanism.
I provide for the impression or embossing of stamps of different values, by
duplicating the parts of the apparatus and arranging a separate lever and stamping
mechanism for each such stamp, or I may provide other suitable means for effecting
this object.
Instead of the inking device and stamp arranged as bereinbefore described the
operating lever or plunger may carry a tumbling "die, that is to say a die which
normally bears against an inking pad secured to the lower end of the plunger but
which, when the plunger is depressed, turns over to present its inked face to the
letter or the like which is to be stamped. The operation of the said tumbling die
may be effected by any suitable mechanism such for example as that employed in
the well-known tumbling-die office-stamps.
Moreover I may if desired modify the construction of my improved apparatus
in various other ways without departing in any way from the nature of my
invention.
It should be clearly noted that after the plunger B has been depressed it cannot
return to its normal position until the letter upon which it has operated or any

page_text: other obstruction is withdrawn from under the roller P, and as the said withdrawal
of the letters or other article from below the roller allows the pawl O to free the
plunger so that the said plunger is caused to operate the locking mechanism by the
action of the projection C³ and the lever R, the apparatus is effectually safe-
guarded until the locking mechanism is again properly released by the insertion of
another coin.
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 :-
First. Apparatus for impressing or embossing a mark or stamp upon envelopes,
letters, and the like in which the stamping or marking device is rendered
operative by the insertion of a coin or coins.
Second. In coin-freed apparatus for impressing or embossing a mark or stamp
upon envelopes, letters and the like, the combination with the operating-lever or
plunger by which the stamping or marking device is operated, of a coin-operated
lever and mechanism operated thereby to lock and unlock the said operating-lever
or plunger, substantially as herein before described..
Third. In coin-freed apparatus for impressing or embossing a mark or stamp
upon envelopes, letters and the like introduced through a suitable orifice into a
channel or guide provided in the apparatus, the combination with a door or cover
for the said orifice, of a coin-operated lever, and a bolt operated thereby, to lock
and unlock the said door or cover, substantially as hereinbefore described.
Fourth. In coin-freed apparatus for impressing or embossing a mark or stamp
upon envelopes, letters and the like the combination with the door, which controls
the orifice by which the said letters and the like are admitted, of a serrated
operating-rod or plunger controlling the die or stamping device, a pawl secured
to the casing of the apparatus and adapted to engage with the said serrations, a
pair of rods carrying a roller which engages with the letters or the like, and
carrying also a spring which operates the said pawl substantially as hereinbefore
described and for the purposes specified.
Fifth. In coin-freed apparatus for impressing or embossing a mark or stamp
upon letters envelopes or the like the devices for supplying ink or colour to the
stamp or die, substantially as herein before described.
Sixth. In coin-freed apparatus for impressing or embossing a mark or stamp
upon letters envelopes or the like, the numbering and counting devices arranged
and operating, substantially as herein before described.
Seventh. In apparatus for impressing or embossing a mark or stamp upon
envelopes, letters or the like, the combination with the operating-lever or plunger
by which the die is operated, of a coin-operated lever provided with a toothed
segment, a projection secured to or formed upon the said plunger, and a lever
pivoted to the casing and engaging with the said segment and so arranged as
to be operated by the upward movement only of the said plunger, substantially
as hereinbefore described, for the purpose specified.
Eighth. The apparatus for impressing or embossing a mark or stamp upon
envelopes, letters and the like, substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 30th day of April 1802
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.