Improved Machine for Affixing Postage or like Stamps and for Sealing Envelopes.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 31st July, 1895-Accepted; 31st July, 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Machine for Affixing Postage or like Stamps and for
Sealing Envelopes.
1, THOMAS CLARKE DEVLIN, of 314 Sixth Street, of Portland, County of
Multnomah, State of Oregon, United States of America, Assistant Auditor, 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 :-
This invention relates to machines for affixing postage or other stamps to
envelopes or packages, and has for its object to provide an automatic and perfectly
operating device of this character, through the agency of which the stamp may
be cut from a sheet or strip, moistened and secured upon the envelope at the
proper corner, or upon any other desired portion thereof, by the mere movement
of one single rod or lever."
The invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts
hereinafter fully described, and set forth in particularity.
In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification in which like
letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the views:-
Fig. 1, is a vertical longitudinal section of my invention taken on a line
corresponding to x-r of Fig. 2.
'
Fig. 2, is a horizontal section, upon the line y-y Fig. 1, the reel, clutch arm and
spring, forming a part of the invention, being shown in plan.
Fig. 3, is a transverse section upon the line -
Fig. , is a front elevation, and
Fig. 2.
Fig. 5, is an inverted plan view, illustrating in detail the rollers through which
the stamps pass.
In Figs. 6, 7, 8, and 9, I have shown a modification of which :-
Fig. 6, is a side elevation of a device embodying my invention, the side wall
thereof being shown partly in section.
Fig. 7, is a transverse section upon a line corresponding to y-y' of Figure 8.
Fig. 8, is a vertical longitudinal central section.
.
Fig. 9, is a similar view of the upper portion of a modified form of the
device.
In the practice of my invention, I construct a base piece of suitable shape size
and material, having formed near the edge, upon the rear and the two sides thereof,
a shoulder or support.
At the front of the said base piece, somewhat removed
from its edge, is an upright or wall C, projecting downwardly from a point below
the middle to the top thereof and formed, as shown in Fig. 1, of two sectional
inverted L-shaped pieces of metal.
Resting upon the shoulder B, and extending through, or abutting against, the
lower portion of the front wall C, is a floor D, which serving as a support for the
entire mechanism or a majority thereof, is preferably formed of metal. From
the top of the front wall C to the shoulder B is a rectangular casing, enclosing
the whole of the device on all three sides. This casing may be formed in two
or more pieces and be suitably hinged at the top, as indicated, to enable access to
be had to the various parts of the machine.
Toward the rear of the device is a reel or spool F, journaled in one side of
the casing E, and in a bearing a secured upon the flooring D, this reel being
rotatable by a crank b, and having wound thereon the postage stamps d, which

page_text: it will be understood are arranged in a strip or sheet. Resting upon the reel F
are weight-rollers e serving to prevent too free revolution of the said wheel, and
to maintain a regular and even tension to the strip or straps d wound thereon,
these weight-rollers being supported by a bar e pivoted in the casing.
Immediately in front of the reel F is a guide roller journaled in the bar /
upon the flooring D and also in the side of the casing E. Beyond this guide-
roller and slightly to the rear of the front wall C, are feed-rollers g, and h¹,
intervening between which and the guide roller f are guide pieces i.
The upper feed-roller is mounted upon the journal j, extending from side to
side of the casing, in which it works, and having thereon at each end the corruga-
tions or teeth g', which said teeth are comparatively fine or narrow but which may
be omitted altogether and the surface of the roller be roughened in any other
desired manner.
At the outside of the casing the journal has thereon the milled
head or handle, by means of which the rollers g may be turned, and the stamps
fed forward. The lower feed-rollers h, which lie below the plane of the floor D,
Figs. 1 and are mounted to turn upon an axle loosely resting in supports ²,
upon the under side of the said floor, the said rollers being revolvable independently
of each other.
Rearward of the feed rollers is a spring arm k secured to the floor D by a
screw and having at the end thereof the grooved head or yoke which clasps
the axle at the under side thereof, and serves to maintain the feed-rollers,
Dormally in engagement with the roller g, yet permitting them to move slightly to
either side, to operate in conjunction with the roller y and prevent crushing of the
stamps to one side. This spring arm is adjustable by means of the screw k², which
regulates the pressure of the rollers. Above the spring arm k and journaled in
bearings mis a cam shaft m having a crank or handle m², on the end thereof
outside of the casing, whereby the said cam shaft may be turned to force the
arm downward and release the rollers h, h, from contact with the roller g to
permit removal of the stamps.
Upon the journal
on which the roller g is secured, is mounted a spur gear
meshing with the gear wheel G, which is journaled in the casing above the said
roller g.
Within this gear wheel is secured a drum Hand upon the same journal
as that on which the said drum and gear wheel are mounted is a friction clutch H
which is adapted to engage with the said drum only upon its forward movement.
Any form of friction clutch capable of effecting this end may be used, the device
here shown being a counterpart of the well known clutch of the Howe sewing
machine. The said clutch Hi is normally held in engagement with the drum H by
means of a spring H².
The arm of this clutch which extends upwardly therefrom has a slot therein
and is connected at the top thereof by means of a spiral spring J to a look a' at
the top of the post or bearing a in which the roll or spool F rests, the tendency
of the said spring being to contact.
Extending through the slot in the clutch arm is a shoulder pin o screw-threaded
and having thereon the thumb nut o by means of which it may be secured in the
slot at any point thereof. This pin passes through the end of a connecting rod K,
which said rod is pivoted to the lower end of a lever L journaled at the centre or
at any other desired point, in the casing and having at the top thereof, a friction
roller L'.
To the journal L2, on which the lever L. is mounted is secured an arm M having
in the head thereof, which said head is oblong in shape, an elongated groove M².
The said arm M has attached thereto by means of an adjustable pin M2, extending
through the slot M', a plate N which bears upon the flexible air bulb o of an
atomizer the air nozzle Oi of which passes through, and is secured to, a bracket P.
The height and position of the bracket is regulated by screws_p. From the
nozzle Odepends a pipe g the nozzle o passing through the flooring D, and through
the front wall C, where its orifice is arranged in operative relation to the discharge
opening of a water pipe which connects with a reservoir Q joining the casing E

page_text: at the base A. It will be understood that this pipe is so connectel to the
reservoir (see Figure 3) as to be constantly kept filled with water by the reservoir Q,
which itself is replenished through the aperture Qin the top thereof, and that
upon pressing the bulb O, air will be forced through the pipe 7, expelling and
spraying the water in the pipe r upon the envelope beneath.
Upon the exterior of the front wall C is secured a plate s having on the face
thereof an outer plate t of hardened steel, both of the said plates and the wall C
having therein slots s' aligning with each other and with the feel-rollers g ad hh
at their points of engagement. The plate s is rabbeted at the bottom for the
entrance of the pipes and herein before referred to. Within the projecting
portion of the wall C is held a vertically movable rod R preferably square in shape
to prevent turning, the said rod having at the top thereof a knob or handle R' and
being surrounded at the interior by a spiral spring S secured to the said rol by a
pin St.
At the rear of the rod near the centre thereof is affixed a block T beveled
at the bottom and having upon the top thereof a spring T which bears upon the
underside of the wall C.
Upon the lower end of the rod R is mounted a metallic block u which may if
desired, be provided with yielding material u' upon its under surface, and having
at the rear thereof the sharpened steel knife blade v. This blade v is provided
with an inclined edge to facilitate the cutting operation in accordance with the
well known principle and the block u is similarly formed to correspond therewith,
as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. Upon the base piece immediately in front of
the slot s' is placed a slab or block U incline to correspond with the block 4 and
having thereon a rubber covering or surface . This slab is not permanently
secured to the base piece, and may be removed therefrom when bulky packages
are to be stamped.
The operation of the device will be readily understood from the foregoing
description taken in connection with the drawings. The stamps & having first
been wound upon the reel F, the end thereof inserted between the feed rollers gh
and ', and fed forward by turning the roller g through the agency of the milled
head g, the envelope or other package to be stamped is placed upon the slab U, the
rod R is depressed by means of the knob R', the block T thereon engaging with
the friction roller L' and pressing the top of the lever L rearwardly. As this is
done the plate N presses the bulb O, which causes the water present in the pipe r
to be spread upon the surface of the envelope immediately adjacent to the said
pipe, and as the rod K is depressed the lever L will be further forced rearwardly,
thereby bringing the clutch arm I forward and turning the gear wheel G, which
by means of the gear n actuates the feed roller g, and the strip of stamps d is fed
forward a sufficient length to cause the protrusion of one stamp beyond the
plate t.
By the time this has been effected the bevelled or tapered portion of the block T
will have passed the friction roller L', and as the remaining portion of the said
block is perpendicular the rod R will continue to descend without further actuating
the mechanism; and the blade at the rear of the plate u will engage with the
plate and acting in conjunction therewith, will shear off one stamp from the
strip d, which said stamp will fall upon the envelope at the moistened portion
thereof, and when the plate u is pressed downwardly upon the envelope lying upon
the slab U, the said stamp will be affixed to the envelope.
The knob R being released the rod R will be raised upwardly by the spiral
spring S, and the spiral spring J connecting the clutch arm I with the post a will
cause the different parts to resume their former positions, the gear wheel and the
feed rollers, however not being affected, as the clutch H', as before stated, is
incapable of turning the druin H and the gear wheel G other than on the forward
movement thereof. This prevents the stamps from being fed backwardly on the
recoil of the rod R.
In conjunction with the stamp affixing device herein before described I have
designed an attachment for sealing the flaps of the cnvelopes to be stamped, which

page_text: said device comprises a tube V inserted in the reservoir Q, perforated at the
bottom and having therein a wick, sponge or other absorbent material W above
which is secured the cap to which serves as a guide for the envelope flap and presses
the same downward in engagement with the sponge.
It will be observed that the spraying of the water may be increased or decreased
in quantity and rapidity by the adjustment of the bracket P to raise or lower the
position of the bulb O with reference to the plate N, or the said plate N may itself
be adjusted by means of the screw pin M2, which screws the shank of the said
plate in the groove M'.
It will also be possible to readily regulate the feed of the rollers hand h¹ by
raising or lowering in the groove 1, the pino which secures the connecting rod K
to the clutch arm the point of conjunction thereof being prearranged according
to the length or if it is desired to feed the stamps laterally according to the width
of the stamps used.
!
I desire it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the use of all different
parts herein illustrated nor to the exact details of mechanism set forth, as the same
may be changed or varied, and in some instances, altogether omitted, as convenience
may dictate.
In the modification shown in Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9, I employ a base piece A³,
extending upwardly from which is a housing or casing B³, of such suitable size
and shape as to enclose the whole of the mechanisin hereinafter described. At the
centre of that portion of the base piece supporting the casing is a longitudinal
box C³, adapted to receive a quantity of the postage or other stamp strip D³, which
said strips each preferably comprises ten of the postage stamps, the said box C³,
being of substantially the width of one of the stamps.
At the bottom of this stamp box is a steel or other metallic plate spring a³,
secured at the centre thereof by a screw a', and supporting a movable false
bottom E³, which when the stamp strips D³ are placed thereon, serve with the aid
of the spring a³, to force the said strips upwardly, against the friction rollers 3,
which are journaled in the beams F, secured to the top of the casing above the
stamp box C3, which said beams extend downwardly beyond the top of the said
stamp box at each side thereof. This stamp box C3, which rests in a groove A¹, in
the base piece A³, is held in position by a bolt C, and may be slid in place, or
removed from the device, through the door B, at the rear of the casing B³.
Near the forward end of the stamp box is a roller G³ upon a journal 3 having
its bearings at each side of the casing. This roller G³ bears upon the stamp
strips D³, and the periphery thereof is preferably roughened to facilitate contact
with the topmost of the side strips, or may be provided with short fine teeth, if
desired. At one side of the said roller is secured a drum H³, and upon a journal 63,
on which the said roller and drum are mounted, is a friction clutch H 4, which is
normally held in contact with the drum H³, by means of the spring H³, which said
clutch is adapted to rotate the said drum only upon the rearward movement
thereof. To the arm I 3, of this clutch, which extends upwardly therefrom and
has an elongated groove 14, at the top thereof is secured a connecting rod e³, which
is secured to the said clutch arm by a pin d 3, passing through the groove 1', the
said pin being screw-threaded and having thereon a thumb nut d, by means of
which and of the pin, the connecting rod, may be held at any point in the said
groove. This connecting rod is pivoted at its forward end to a lever J³, which
is itself pivoted at the top thereof in the casing at J 4, and has near the centre
thereof friction ruller J, the said lever being connected to the casing by a spiral
spring K³.
Toward the front of the device, in the upper or projecting part of the casing B 3,
is a vertically movable rod L3, having a knob L4, at the top, and near the middle
a block e 3, beveled at the lower portion thereof, and adapted, when the rod is
depressed, to engage with the friction roller J 5, and force the lever J³, rearwardly,
thereby turning the roller G³, through the agency of the connecting rod c3, and
the clutch H 4. This rod L³, has a spiral spring M13, surrounding the same at the

page_text: lower end thereof, which said spring is fastened to the rod by a pin Mª, and at the
bottom to the said rod is secured a pressing block 3, carrying at the rear thereof
the inclined cutter blade /*.
Upon the side of the roller G³, opposite to the clutch H4, is secured or is.
mounted upon the same journal as the roller, a gear-wheel g³, engaging by means
of the smaller gear g, with a gear wheel 5, similarly secured to a roller h³,.
journaled in the casing immediately behind the front wall thereof. Beneath this
roller 13, is a pair of rollers h4, which are loosely journaled to permit of slight.
vertical movement thereof, and are held normally in engagement with the upper-
roller 3, by means of a rod i³, having the forked head, which bears against the
under side of the axle 3, on which the said lower rollers are loosely mounted, the
said rod 3, resting in the support j4, and having beneath the same a spiral
spring j5. The rod 3, may be depressed, and the lower rollers 4, released from
engagement with the upper roller ³, by turning the shaft 13, which has thereon a
lug 14, adapted to engage with the notch 1, in the rod. This shaft is turned by
means of a handle 1, upon the same outside of the casing.
At either side of the rollers h3, and, are guide pieces m 3, m, which serve to
guide the postage stamp strip D3, between the said rollers. At the front of the
casing is secured a block n 3, having thereon a hardened steel plate n', both the
said plate and the block of the casing having slots n 5, thereon, aligning with each.
other and with the space intervening between the guide pieces m³, m 4.
the block n 3, is a slab N 3, inclined to correspond with the pressing block ₤3, and
cutter blade, the said slab having a rubber or other flexible covering m 4, upon
the upper surface thereof.
Below
At one side of the rod L3, is an air pump or cylinder O³, having a pipe o³,
branching off from the bottom thereof and opening immediately below the delivery
slot n 5, where it meets a pipe o, leading thereto from a water reservoir P³. The
cylinder 3 bas in the bottom thereof a valve p³, adapted to open inwardly only.
Within the cylinder O³ which is open at the top, is a piston bead Q3, the rod Q4,.
of which is provided near the top with a catch 3, which is held in a slightly
oblique position by means of the spring 74. This piston rod Q, rests in the arm
secured to the operating rod L³, and has at the top thereof a bead or flange 7.
upon which beais a spring 76, secured to the top of the casing. Immediately
above the cylinder O 3, is a lug or shoulder r4, which is adapted, when the piston
rod Q4, is depressed, to force the catch 73 inwardly or to a vertical position.
against the spring q.
"
The operation of the modification will be apparent from the foregoing description
taken in connection with the drawings. The postage or other stamps having first
been arranged in strips D 3, and inserted in the stamp box C 3, where they are
held upwardly against the rollers F³, the envelope or other package to be stamped
is placed upon the slab N 3, the rod L³, is depressed by means of a knob L4, the
block e 3, thereof engaging with the friction roller J, thereby forcing the lever J³,
rearwardly, and by means of the connecting rod e3, the clutch arm 13, as well,.
thereby turning the feed roller G³, which engages with the topmost of the stamp
strips D 3, and forces the same forward through the guide picces m³, m³, in between
the rollers 3, and 4. And the upper roller 78, being turned through the agency of
the gears 93, 94 and, the said stamp strip is fed forward through the slot n5, the
length of one stamp beyond the plate. As the block is bevelled only at
the lower portion thereof, by the time, the stamp has been fed as above stated, the
lever J3, and the feed rollers, will not be further actuated by the rod L³.
As this feed is being effected, the block 3, upon the side of the rod L 3, will.
engage with the projecting top of the catch 3, and depress the piston rod Q4,.
thereby forcing air through the pipe o³, causing the water which will be present iu
the pipe 4, to be spread upon a portion of the envelope or passage upon the
slab N 3. As the piston rod Q, is depressed, the catchy 3, will come in contact.
with the shoulder r4 and be forced inwardly thereby, and thereafter as the
operating rod L 3, is depressed the arm³, will pass the catch 3, thus failing to
2

page_text: .
'
further depress the piston rod Q 4. As soon as the atomizer of which the pipe o 3,
forms part, has been caused to moisten, or spray upon, the envelope, and the
pressure from the inside of the cylinder ceases, the spray of the atomizer will stop
and the valve p³, (shown upon its seating in Fig. 6) will be free to open to permit
the entrance of air to cylinder 0%. After the spraying of the envelope and the feed.
of the stamps have been effected, the rod L3 continues downwardly, and the cutter
blade F4 thereon, in conjunction with the blade a 4, shears off the produced stamp,
which falls upon the envelope or package and is pressed thereon by the block ƒ3
when the latter comes in contact with the said envelope or package."
Upon releasing the knob L', the spring K³, which connects the lever J³, and the
casing B3, readjusts the parts to their former positions. The feed of the rollers J 3
is regulated by adjusting the pin d 3, which secures the connecting rod c³, to the
clutch arm 3. The piston Q³ will be raised by the return action of the knob and
rod L L and spring M³, air finding free ingress to cylinder 0³, by valve p³ which
will then fall upon its seating ready for the next operation of the atomizer.
In Fig. 9, I have shown a modification of the device, in which the lever J 3, is
pivoted at the ceutre with the friction roller Js, at the top and has at the end
thereof pointed teeth, which engage with the stamp D3. As the rod L³, is
depressed, the block e 3 forces the lever rearwardly at the top and forwardly at
the bottom, thereby causing the said lever to feed the stamp strips D3 through the
guide pieces m³, m³, and the slot 1.5 as before.
The lever J 3, in this form is constructed in two parts, the upper of which is
pivoted midway of its length and has its lower end screw-threaded to receive
adjustably a cylindrical turnbuckle t³, into whose lower end is also screwed the
lower portion of the lever 4. Within the lower portion 4, of the lever is slidably
arranged a headed rod R 3 having a brush, at its lower protruding end S³. A pin T3
passed laterally through the rod t plays in a slot in the said lower portion of the
lever and thus prevents the turning of the rod and insures the correct operation of
the brush at its end. It will be seen that by manipulation of the turnbuckle, the
length of the lever J 3 may be varied.
Secured to a suitable bracket on the casing of the apparatus is a lug or arm u³,
by means of a pivot the forward portion of said lug resting upon a pin u4 to
maintain it in the proper lowered position. This lug is in the path of the said
pin T 3, in the rod in the lower portion of the lever J3, which said pin extends
outwardly and when the lever is moved forward moves below the lug u³, and raises
it, allowing it to again fall to its place. When the lever J 3 is returned the said
pin rides over the lng u³, and thus raises the rod on the lever and the brush
thereon from engagement with the stamps in their receptacle. When the lever is
again in its retracted position the pin T3 will have passed entirely over the lug
and the brush be again in engagement with the stamps.
In this modification the block e 3, is secured to the rod L 3, by screws et con-
sequently being adjustable to regulate the swinging of the lever according to the
length of the stamps to be fed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A device of the class described comprising a stamp receptacle, means for
feeding the stamps therefrom, a presser acting to affix the stamps, an atomizer
arranged to contribute moisture, and a lever in operative relation to the presser and
having an extension to operate the atomizer.
2. Å device of the class described comprising a stamp receptacle, means for
feeding the stamps therefrom, a presser acting to affix the stamps, an atomizer
having an air bulb and arranged to contribute moisture, a projection on the presser,
and a lever in the path of the said projection, said lever having operative connection
with the feeding mechanism and the atomizer.
3. A device of the class described comprising a stamp. receptacle, means for
feeding the stamps therefrom, a presser acting to affix the stamps, an atomizer

page_text: arranged to contribute moisture, a lever in operative relation to the presser and
having an extension to operate the atomizer, and means for rendering the feed
mechanism inoperative at times.
4. A device of the class described comprising a stamp receptacle, means for
feeding the stamps therefrom, a presser acting to affix the stamps, an atomizer
having an air bulb and arranged to contribute moisture, a projection on the presser,
a lever in the path of the said presser, said lever having operative connection with
the feeding mechanism and the atomizer, and means for rendering the feed
mechanism inoperative at times.
5. A stamp affixing machine comprising a reel; feed rollers delivering through a
slot in the frame of the device, a slotted metallic plate secured over the said slot in
the frame, a spring-controlled actuating rod having a beveled block thereon, a
lever pivoted adjacent to the said rod and adapted to be operated by the said block
an atomizer arranged near the said lever, a plate connecting with the lever and
adapted to operate the atomizer, a connecting rod joining the lever to the arm of a
clutch engaging with a gear wheel which meshes with a gear upon one of the feed
rollers, in such mauner as to turn the same in but one direction, pipes leading from
the air bulh of the atomizer, and from the water reservoir, to a point in front of
the stamp feed, and a pressing block upon the lower end of the said rod having a
cutter blade thereon, substantially as shown and described.
6. A stamp affixing machine comprising a reel, feed rollers delivering through a
slot in the frame of the device, guides intervening the reel and the feed rollers,
a slotted metallic plate secured over the said slot in the frame, a vertically movable
spring controlled actuating rod carrying a block beveled at the lower portion,
thereof, a lever pivoted adjacent to the said rod and adapted to be operated by the
said block, an atomizer supported upon a bracket near the said lever, a plate
secured to an arm connecting with the said lever and adapted to operate the said
atomizer, a connecting rod joining the said lever to the arm of a clutch engaging it
with a gear wheel, which meshes with a gear upon one of the feed rollers, in such
manner as to turn the same only upon the downward movement of the said rod, the
said connecting rod being adjustably secured to the said clutch arm, pipes leading
from the air bulb of the atomizer and from a water reservoir to a
point in front of
the stamp feed, the said pipes being arranged to spray a portion of the envelope or
package to be stamped, and a pressing block upon the lower end of the rod, having
a sharpened cutter blade thereon, substantially as shown and described.
7. A device of the class described comprising a stamp receptacle, means com-
prising rolls for feeding the stamps therefrom, a presser acting to affix the stamps,
an atomizer having an air bulb and arranged to contribute moisture, a projection
of the presser, and a lever in the path of the said projection said lever having
operative connection with the feeding mechanism, and means for separating the
said feeding rolls at times, to prevent feed of the stamps.
8. A device of the class described comprising a stamp receptacle, means
comprising rolls for feeding the stamps therefrom, a presser acting to affix the
stamps, an atomizer having an air bulb and arranged to contribute moisture, a
projection on the presser, a lever in the path of the said presser, said lever having
operative connection with the feeding mechanism and the atomizer, and means for
separating the feed rolls at times to prevent feeding of the stamp.
9. A stamp affixing machine comprising a spring-controlled actuating rod
carrying a pressing block and cutter blade, a block on the actuating rod, a lever
pivoted adjacent to said rod and in the path of said block, and adapted to be forced
rearwardly by the downward movement thereof, a feed roller arranged to bear
upon the stamps, a clutch connecting with the lever and adapted to turn the said
roller in a forward direction only; smaller rollers arranged in front of the feed
roller and gearing therewith, a slotted plate secured in front of the said rollers and
a stamp box adapted to receive strips of stamps, having a spring bottom therein to
hold the said stamps upwardly against the feed roller, and a plurality of friction
rollers arranged near the top of the box, substantially as shown and described.

page_text: 10. In a stamp affixing machine, the combination with a spring-controlled
actuating rod, a stamp holder, feed rollers, a cutter and pressing block, connecting
to the actuating rod, of a moistening device comprising an air cylinder having a
valve therein, a piston working in the said cylinder and resting in an arm secured
to the actuating rod, a catch adapted to cause the said piston to be depressed at
the first movement only of the actuating rod, and pipes leading from the said
cylinder and from a water reservoir to a point below the stamp feed, substantially
as shown and described.
11. A stamp affixing machine comprising a spring controlled actuating rod
carrying a pressing block and cutter blade, and having thereon an arm and a
bevelled block, a lever pivoted adjacent to the said rod, having a friction roller
thereon, and connecting by means of a clutch to a feed roller, in such manner as to
turn the same in a forward direction only, a pair of rollers gearing with the said
feed roller and having guides at either side thereof, a slotted plate secured in front
of the said guides, a stamp receptacle adapted to receive strips of stamps, having a
spring thereon supporting a false bottom and adapted to hold the stamps upwardly
in engagement with the feed-roller, a plurality of friction rollers arranged near the
top of the stamp box, an air cylinder arranged near the actuating rod having a
piston working therein and resting in the arm upon the rod, a catch upon the rod,
a catch upon the piston rod by means of which the said piston is depressed only
upon the first movement of the rod, an inwardly opening valve in the bottom of
the cylinder, and pipes leading from the same and from a water reservoir to a point
below the delivery slot, substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 31st day of July 1895.
HUGHES, ELI & HUGHES,
76, Chancery Lane, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.