IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SELF-INKING HAND STAMPS
Year: 1864

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Edward Newton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
15th January 1864.-A communication from abroad by Auguste Louis
Risbourg, of Rue St. Sebastien, Páris, in the Empire of France.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SELF-INKING
HAND STAMPS," to be as follows:-
The instrument which forms the subject of the present Invention consists of
a handle upon which the hand is made to press for the purpose of inking the
stamp and giving it an axial motion. Inside this handle is screwed a rod
which at its lower end carries the ink reservoir, a coiled or india-rubber spring
bearing upon a shoulder upon this rod causing the handle again to rise when
the pressure of the hand is removed. The ink reservoir or vessel is divided by
a circular partition into two compartments, to each of which ink is supplied by
a separate aperture, by means of which ink of one colour may be supplied to
one part of the stamp and another colour to another part.
The stamp is mounted upon two gudgeons, through one of which an axial
motion is communicated to the stamp when required by depressing the handle.
For this purpose the gudgeon carries at its extremity a small plate having a
groove in which works a pin on a lever attached to the handle of the instru-
ment, the pin passing through this lever and taking at its other end into the
inclined groove of a plate mounted on the outer extremity of the gudgeon.

page_text: This plate is also provided with an oval-shaped groove, and upon pressure
being applied to the handle the pin will descend with it and enter the two
vertical grooves. On the pin leaving the inclined vertical groove in the outer
plate and entering the oval groove, the pin, and also the handle of the instru-
ment will be caused to rise again by the action of the spring, the pin rising
on that side of the instrument to which the handle is inclined; but as the
other extremity of the pin is engaged in the groove of the inner plate this
plate will be carried with it to the extent of half a revolution. The plate will
then resume its vertical position and a fresh operation be recommenced.
As a modification of this arrangement the stamp may be actuated by
double mechanism, but in this instance it is only made to turn in one direction
in order to simplify the working of the instrument. In this instance the
handle is hollowed out for the reception of the ink reservoir, which consists of
an india-rubber tube which extends down to a disc of cork forming the upper
part of the inking pad, which is enclosed in a suitable vessel. The india-
rubber tube is closed by means of a cork or stopper, and the whole is made
secure by the top of the handle (which is made in two pieces) being adjusted
by means of a bayonet joint. The construction and operation of this instru-
ment are very similar to that above described, and which was actuated at one
side only. In this instance, however, the springs (of which there are two) for
causing the handle to rise, are situate at each side and outside of the handle,
and have inside of them small cylinders and pistons (attached respectively to
the handle and actuating mechanism) to allow them free play. Attached to
the sides of the cases of these springs are small vertical rods which act upon
the mechanism for actuating the stamp. Of course it will be understood that
in this instance the guide groove for imparting axial motion to the stamp will
be semi-ovular instead of a complete oval.