Improvements in Apparatus for Containing and Affixing Adhesive Stamps.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Dec., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 24th Sept., 1896-Accepted, 31st Oct., 1896
Improvements in Apparatus for Containing and Affixing Adhesive
Stamps.
I, ARTHUR LEWIS, of 30, Wellesley Road, Princes Park, Liverpool,
Accountant and Auditor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for containing and affixing
adhesive stamps and for registering the number of stamps so affixed.
Apparatus according to this invention comprises an outer case mounted upon
suitable feet, and an inner case telescoping therein for containing the adhesive
stamps, which are stored one above the other and with their adhesive side
downwards.
Telescoping within the inner case and resting upon the pile of stamps is a
displacer, the bottom of which consists of two plates between which is disposed a
spiral spring, so that the lower plate exerts a constant pressure on the stamps.
The displacer, or a spindle formed thereon, passes through the cover of the outer
casing and is provided with a pusher plate or button.
The bottom of the stamp container is open, its rim being provided with a fringe
or partial fringe, of bristles or fine metallic points which engage with the edges
of the lowermost stamp.
"
Disposed beneath the stamp container, and between the feet of the outer casing,
is a moistening pad saturated with a non-evaporative liquid which may be of a
gummy nature. Such moistener is adapted by means of pins and inclined surfaces,
connected with the displacer, to move away from the bottom of the stamp container
upon pressure being applied to the displacer, after the manner of a self-inking
rubber stamp.
Arranged in connection with the displacer are a train of numeral discs which
register, and indicate through a glazed aperture in the outer case, each depression
of the displacer, and consequently each stamp used.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
Upon pressure being first applied to the displacer its spiral spring is compressed
and the inner casing, which contains the stamps, moves downwards until the
lowermost stamp touches the moistener. During this movement the displacer has
actuated the numeral discs before referred to and registered the action. Continued
depression of the displacer serves to move the moistener from beneath the stamps
by means of the pins and inclined surfaces connected therewith. The lowermost
and moistened stamp now comes in contact with the envelope or document to be
stamped. Further depression of the stamp container is now arrested by a suitable
stop, and further pressure on the displacer serves to press the stamp onto the
envelope or document. Upon pressure being removed, the raising of the stamp
container is effected by a suitably disposed spring. In the act of rising, the
fringed or serrated rim of the container allows the lowermost and adhering stamp
to escape but arrests the stamp immediately following it. The return action of
the displacer is effected by the spiral spring before referred to.
The cover of the outer casing is secured by a suitable lock and key.
By the use of apparatus as above described, the following advantages are
obtained :-
No matting on linking of the strmnin
волосСОРО.
Focister of the number of

page_text: stamps used is kept; a protection against theft of stamps is afforded; the apparatus
is a convenient and handy one in which to store postage or other adhesive stamps,
and it affords a rapid means of affixing adhesive stamps to a large number of
letters or documents.
As an additional security against the possibility of more than one stamp being
withdrawn from the apparatus at once, the stamps may be transfixed upon needles
projecting from the lower plate of the displacer.
The moistener may have a small liquid reservoir provided, which could be
recharged with liquid by means of a suitably disposed accessible aperture,
Dated this 23rd day of December 1895.
J. A. COUBROUGH,
Registered Patent Agent,
10 St. George's Crescent, Liverpool, Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements in Apparatus for Containing and Affxing Adhesive
Stamps.
I, ARTHUR LEWIS, of 3, John Street, Church Street, Egremont, Cheshire,
(formerly of 30, Wellesley Road, Princes Park, Liverpool), Accountant and
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 improvements in apparatus for containing and affixing
adhesive stamps and for registering the number of stamps' so affixed.
Apparatus according to this invention comprises an outer case, mounted on
suitable feet, and an inner case telescoping therein for containing the adhesive
stamps, which are stored one above the other and with their adhesive side
downward.
Within the stamp container, and adapted to press upon the pile of stamps, is a
displacer, the stem of which passes through the cover of the outer case and is
provided with a presser knob.
The bottom of the stamp container is open, its rim being fringed with bristles or
fine metallic points or ledges which engage with the edges of the lowermost stamp
in the container.
Beneath the stamp container is a moistening device consisting of two hinged
plates carrying pads of absorbent material saturated. with a non-evaporative liquid.
Such hinged plates are adapted to be opened by the downward movement of the
stamp container,
Arranged in connection with the stamp container are a train of numeral discs
which register, and indicate through apertures in the outer case, each depression of
the displacer and consequently each stamp used.
The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of an adhesive stamp machine according to this
invention, Figure 2 being a plan of same.
Figure 3 is a sentional elevation of the machine, shewing the stamp container.
Figure 4 is an underside plan of the machine.
Figure is a sectional elevation taken on the line A. B. Figure 2.
Figure 6 is a sectional plan taken on the line C. D. Figure 5.
Figure 7 is a side view,
Figure 8 is a sectional elevation of the machine, in the act of affixing the last
stamp in the container.
Figure 9 is a sectional plan taken on the line E. F. Fionre 5.

page_text: Figure 10 is an underside plan of the stamp container, and Figure 11 is a
modification of same.
a represents the outer case, standing on the feet a', and provided with a door a²,
which may be secured by the lock a³. The case a is preferably formed of metallic
tube, with a cape and ledges f which latter abut against and guide the container b.
Within the case a are the stamp container b and displacer c. d is the moistening
device.
The container b consists of a length of round tube b¹ surrounding a similar
length of oblong tube 62 whose internal dimensions coincide with the area of a
postage stamp or other stamp or label which the machine is to contain. The
container has free vertical movement in the ledges f of the cise a, its upward or
return movement being effected by the elastic band springs y disposed between the
outer and inner tubes of the container b, and coupling the pins, fixed in the walls
of the container, with the pins i, fixed in the cape of the case a. A feather j
formed on the outer tube 6' and travelling in the notch k in the ledges f, prevents
rotary movement of the container b. Surrounding the orifice of the inner or stamp
containing tube 6 is a fringe or row of steel points, pins, or bristles, 1, upon
which the stamps rest. Such points I may form part of the bottom plate 6³ of the
container, or may be inserted therein, or be cemented thereto, or be nipped between
two plates. In place of a fringe of points ?, I may employ two rounded ledges or
lips, each lip being provided with a single point 1, as shewn in Figure 11. In
this case the stamp edges rest upon the rounded lips or ledges 1, the function of
the points being to guide inclined or partially displaced stamps into their correct
position.
The displacer e comprises a hollow stem c¹ preferably formed of round metallic
tube, provided with a presser knob c² and n presser foot c³ on the bottom of which
is formed a projecting elastic surface of adapted to press upon the stamps in the
container b. The displacer stem c¹ has free vertical movement in the collar el
formed on the cap e, its upward or return movement being due to the elastic band
springs m, coupling the pin n, fixed in the collar e', with the pin o, fixed in the
stem c. A piu p, fixed in the container 6 and working in a slot p¹ in the stem c¹,
limits the travel of the displacer c in the container b and prevents it from reaching
and injuring the fringe of points l.
The damping device d consists of two pads d' of absorbent material, carried by
plates d' hinged to the case a. As the container b descends, the lowermost stamp
comes in contact with the moistened pads, by which it is damped. Continuing to
descend, the container pushes the hinged plates d open. Projections d³ on the
plates dabut against the side of the container, as shewn in Figure 8, and hold the
moistened pads away from the container. The projections d³ lie in the holes 64 in
the bottom plate 6s of the container when the lowermost stamp is being moistened
and before the hinged plates d² begin to open. The pads d¹ may be moistened
with any non-evaporative liquid. The plates d' are closed by the springs d*.
On the inside of the door a³ is provided a counter, q, of ordinary construction,
which is actuated by the pawl on the container b each time the latter is depressed.
The numeral discs of the recorder indicate through the apertures q¹ the number of
depressions and consequently the number of stamps fixed by the machine.
The operation of the machine is as follows:--
The container 6 having been charged with postage stamps or other adhesive
labels or stamps, the counter q is set at zero, the door a³ is closed and locked, and
the machine placed in position on the envelope or other surface to be stamped,
and pressure is applied to the knob c³. When the presser foot reaches the
uppermost stamp in the container 6 the latter is pressed bodily downwards.
During this movement the lowermost stamp momentarily impinges against the
moist pads d' which are then opened by the container. The counter q is meanwhile
actuated by the pawl r. The descent of the container continues until its bottom
plate rests upon the envelope, continued pressure on the displacer c therefore
takes effect on the stamps alone and serves to press the lowermost and moistened

page_text: stamp firmly upon the envelope. When pressure is removed from the displacer
the springs g and m cause the displacer and container to return to their raised
position. In this movement the fringe of points 1, or the lips 1, allow the adhering
stamp to escape from their grasp, but arrest the succeeding stamp. By preference
the springs m of the displacer are stronger than the springs g of the container, in
order that the displacer may, when pressure is removed, commence to recoil before
the container does, and thus prevent the edges of the adhering stamp from being
held or nipped between the points 1, or ledges l, and the pile of stamps, when the
container moves upward.
In place of bristles or metallic points, a narrow ledge may be formed round the
orifice of the stamp container.
Where desired a bolt, accessible from the interior of the case a, may be adapted
to lock the container or the hinged damping devices in their raised position, thus
preventing unauthorized use of the machine.
The feet of the case a may be adapted to form a guide to assist in placing the
machine in position on an envelope.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
A machine for containing and affixing adhesive stamps, comprising an outer
case having a door provided with a lock; a stamp container controlled by springs
and adapted to work telescopically within said case, the orifice of said container
being provided with bristles, lips, or ledges on which the stamps rest; a counter
arranged to record each complete movement of the machine; a stamp displacer
controlled by springs and consisting of a presser knob, stem, and presser foot
adapted to work telescopically in said container; and a moistening device consisting
of hinged plates with pads of absorbent material; all in combination and adapted
to operate substantially as and for the purposes herein described with reference to
the drawings hereto annexed.
Dated this 23rd day of September 1896.
J. A. COUBROUGH,
Registered Patent Agent, (Qual. by Exam.)
10, St. George's Crescent, Liverpool, Agent for the Applicant.