Improvements in Stamp Affixing Machines.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Sept., 1897-Accepted, 6th Nov., 1897
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COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Stamp Affixing Machines.
I, WILLIAM AUSTIN CARNEY, of the City of Santa Paula, in the County of
Ventura and State of California, United States of America, 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:-
My invention relates to an improvement in Stamp Affixing Machines, the object
being to provide a means for automatically dampening the paper and affixing a
stamp and causing the parts to resume their normal positions. With these objects in
view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and com-
bination of parts which will be hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a view in section of the machine.
Figs. 2 and 3 are detail views.
A represents the body or frame of the stamp affixing machine. This is in the
general form of a vertical frame, open on two sides, and oblong in horizontal
cross section:
Plunger B is fitted to the interior of the elongated portion of the body or frame,
and is constructed to move up and down therein, it being guided in its movements
by the said elongation. Suspended from the lower end of the plunger by means
of the straps or supports 2, 2, is a detachable chamber 3 for the reception of
stamps, and wherein the plunger B has also vertical movement. The chamber
is slotted longitudinally on two sides, as at 4, 4, and pins 5, 5. on two sides of the
lower end of the plunger fit in said slots. Hinged catches 6, 6, are attached at
two sides of this chamber, over said slots, and springs, as at 7, 7, cause these catches
normally to remain close against the sides of the chamber. The lower ends 8, 8,
of these catches extend inward slightly to support and hold the stamps. When.
forced open by the pins 5, 5, the catches just clear the stamps, thus permitting the
escape of the stamps one by one from the chamber. To hold the stamps at
the bottom of the chamber, a follower 9 is placed within the chamber, above the
stamps, and is adapted to move freely.
The stem 10 of the plunger is hollow, and has connected with its upper end a
handle which is preferably made of wood, 11, and removable therefrom. The
stem is longitudinally slotted on each side, as at 12, 12, and inside of the tubular
stem is a spiral spring 13, one end of which bears on a pin 14, which extends
through the upper or elongated portion of the frame or body and also through the
slots 12, 12, and the upper end of the spring abuts against the upper end of the
closed tubular stem. The function of this spring is normally to hold the plunger
upward and to return it to this position when the pressure from it is removed.
Attached to two sides of the chamber and extending upwardly there-
from are rods 15, 15, which pass through openings in the collar 16

page_text: on the tubular stem. On these rods are light spiral springs 17, 17, and the lower
ends of these springs rests on the collars 18, 18, on said rods, and the upper ends
The function of
of these springs abut against the collar on the tubular stem.
these springs is to exert pressure on the chamber, in the act of affixing a stamp,
so as to cause the chamber to remain against the paper until the catches 6, 6, are
permitted to spring inwardly and resume their normal positions and thus support
the stamps within the chamber when the plunger rises.
A box 19 is pivoted to turn freely upon the shaft 20, and this shaft is journalled
in said machine at one side thereof and out of the way of the plunger. The box carries
a moistening sponge which is adapted to moisten the paper and be moved backward
out of the way of descending plunger. For rocking said shaft, to move the sponge
cup outward and inward, a crank arm 21 is attached to one of the outer ends of
the shaft, and this arm is connected with a rod or pitman 22 which extends from
said crank arm to a pin 23 in the outer edge of the collar 16 on the tubular stem, so
that the sponge cup is operated by the movement of the plunger.
The stamps are placed in the chamber 3 with mucilage side downward. The
chamber can be filled through its open lower end by depressing the plunger, invert-
ing the machine, and shoving up the chamber until the catches thereon engaged
with the pins on the lower part of the plunger. Then by allowing the plunger to
rise the catches spring inwardly and support and hold the stamps. This ascent
of the plunger causes the sponge cup to resume its normal position directly beneath
the chamber. Then to affix a stamp, the operator forces the plunger downward
until the chamber rests upon the paper, when the pins on the lower part of the
plunger cause the hinged catches to open, thereby permitting a stamp, by the
blow of the plunger, to be stuck to the dampened paper, which was moistened by
the sponge cup as it retreated. The plunger is then permitted to rise and the
several movable parts resume their normal positions.
It is evident that slight changes might be made in the form and arrangement of
the' several parts described without departing from the spirit and scope of my
invention, and hence I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction herein
set forth, but,
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1st. In a stamp affixing machine, the combination with a frame or body por-
tion, and a spring-actuated plunger sliding up and down therein of a removable
stamp magazine devices for detachably connecting it to the plunger and springs
connected with the magazine for retaining it yieldingly in position relative to the
plunger when the latter operates to slide in the magazine.
2nd. In a stamp affixing machine the combination with a frame or body por-
tion, and a plunger having projections thereon, of a stamp magazine having
vertical slots out through which the projections extend and through which they
slide, and spring actuated latches normally closing the slots in the magazine and
projecting beneath the stamps, said catches inclined at their upper edges whereby
they are caused to open or swing aside as the projections on the plunger engage
them.
1
3rd. In a stamp affixing machine, the combination with a frame or body por-
tion, and a plunger operating therein, of a stamp magazine detachably connected
with the plunger and in which the plunger slides, said magazine having rods
which pass loosely through a collar on the plunger rod, and springs which bear
on the collar.
4th. In a stamp affixing machine, the combination with a frame or body por-
tion, a plunger, a stamp magazine suspended on the plunger, said magazine
having rods which extend loosely through a collar on the plunger, and springs
surrounding these rods and bearing downwardly upon the rods and upwardly

page_text: upon the collar, of a rocking stamp moistener, and means extending from the
collar to the moistener to rock the latter over as the plunger is depressed.
Dated this 28th day of September 1897.
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
17 Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C., Agents to the Applicant.