Improvements in Devices for Moistening Gummed Surfaces.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Sept., 1896.
Completa Cannifination Loft 07th
1007
2nd
1007
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Devices for Moistening Gummed Surfaces.
I, JAMES HENRY CHAMBERLAIN of Frankfort in the County of Clinton, Indiana,
U.S.A., Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The device of this invention is designed mainly for moistening the gummed sur-
face of envelopes, and postage stamps. It consists of an elongated bottle or flask
screw threaded at top for the reception of a screw cap from the bottom of which a
hollow slotted sleeve or socket projects down into the bottle which is supplied with
water. The downwardly projecting sleeve is filled with a wick of absorbent
material such as sponge and the wick extends from the sleeve to the outside of the
cap. The slot in the sleeve or socket permits the passage of water to the wick
which at the point outside the cap may be applied to gummed surfaces for moist-
ening the same. For the purpose of regulating the access of water to the top of
the wick, the inside of the cap is fitted with wedges which are released from or
tightened up against the wick according as the cap is slackened or screwed down.
Instead of the wick being placed in a sleeve, it may dip direct into the water and
may be in one piece or several pieces united or not at the upper end.
Dated this 4th day of Santambor 1896
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
89, Chancery Lane, London, W.C, Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements in Devices for Moistening Gummed Surfaces.
I, JAMES HENRY CHAMBERLAIN of Frankfort in the County of Clinton, Indiana,
U.S.A., 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:-
The object of this invention is to provide means for moistening the gummed
edges of envelopes and for moistening postage stamps preparatory to sealing the
envelope and attaching the stamp thereto, the purpose being to provide an in-
strument which will contain the requisite moisture and obviate the necessity of
touching the tongue or mouth to the envelope or stamp.
Figure 1 in the accompanying drawing is a view in elevation, partially in
vertical section, of my improved device.
Fig. 2, is a detail in vertical section of a modified construction.
Fig. 3, is a detail view showing the outside appearance of the same construction
shown in Fig. 2. and

page_text: Fig. 4, is a detail in vertical section of a second modified form of moistening
apparatus.
A represents the base or body portion of my device, which will be elongated
and hollow, forming a vessel to contain the liquid to be used in moistening the
envelope stamp or flap, and will be elongated in order to afford a convenient hand-
hold for convenience in using the device. The vessel A will terminate at its
mouth with the outside threads a. The vessel will be made from any suitable
material, but preferably of glass.
B is the cap made from metal, rubber, or any suitable material, and will con-
sist of the wedge-shaped upper part b, having the opening 6 through its middle
portion and having the circular threaded flange at the base of the wedge-shaped
part, adapted to fit over the threaded mouth of the vessel A.
C is a stem secured to the socket 67 of the cap and extends down into the in-
terior of the vessel or bottle A. The stem is hollow and forms a continuation of
the tubular opening 6 through the cap. The stem and the opening 6' are filled
with a wick of any absorbent material c, perferably sponge, and that portion occu-
pying the opening 6' in the cap will be forced in very solidly in order to compress
the wick and prevent the too rapid absorption and discharge of water there through.
The wick is made to project beyond the nozzle, and being moist will damp the gum
on the envelope or postage stamp when it is drawn across the said gummed sur-
faces. The stem C is provided with the longitudinal slot ca, in order to afford a
more extended contact to the water with the wick. By this use of a stem and wick
the liquid, generally water, contained in the vessel A will be supplied in sufficient
quantities and will be prevented from escaping too freely. In order that the
amount of flow of the liquid may be somewhat regulated, the stem C will be loosely
inserted in the socket 67 and the lower end of the stem made to bear against
the bottom of the vessel A, so that by screwing the cap B further down upon the
vessel A the stem will be forced farther into the socket 67, thereby crowding the
sponge or other material forming the wick tighter into the opening b¹.
In the modification shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the cap B is hollow and screws on to
the vessel A', as clearly shown in the drawing. A cotton wick will preferably be
used in this case, which will project through the opening in the top of the nozzle
and will extend down into the vessel. Two wedges E and E will be placed in the
nozzle, one on each side of the wick, and these wedges will be forced toward each
other and toward the wick by the pressure of the upper end of the vessel A¹,
which bears against the wedges and will force the wedges up when the cap or
nozzle is screwed on to the vessel A¹.
In the modification shown in Fig. 4, a wedge-shaped support G is secured to
the body As, and over this the wick C7, preferably of the same material as the
common flat lamp-wick, is stretched, the two ends depending into the liquid in the
vessel. A wedge-shaped nozzle or cap B fits onto the end of the vessel 1ª and
impinges the wick between the support G and the said nozzle. By pressing the
nozzle farther down onto the vessel the wick will be more tightly compressed and
the flow of liquid by capillary action retarded.
The base of the bottle A will be flat, in order that it may be used as a folder to
press the flap of the envelope down after the gum has been moistened.
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:-
In a device for moistening gummed surfaces, the combination with an elongated
vessel to contain the liquid, of a nozzle adjustable thereon and filled with an absor-
bent material extending outside of the mouth of the nozzle and into the vessel and
a stem movably secured within the opening in the nozzle and extending down into
the vessel and terminating against the bottom of said vessel, said stem being filled

page_text: with said absorbent material and having openings through its wall, substantially
as described and shewn.
Dated this 27th day of May 1897.
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
89, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.