An Improved Hand-stamp, adapted to Print the Letters of the Alphabet and Numerals.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Jan., 1890'
Complete Specification Left, 24th Sept., 1890-Accepted, 1st Nov:; 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION..
An Improved Hand-stamp, adapted to Print the Letters of the
Alphabet and Numerals.
I FREDERICK JAMES BOWDITCH, of No. 1 Waldo Road, College Park Kensal
Green, London in the County of Middlesex, Eating House Keeper do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
I construct of wood or metal and india rubber or gelatine composition a hand
stamp by means of which the alphabet and numerals may be printed without stencil
plates or ordinary type'and I construct it in the following manner.
I take a piece of wood or metal and shape it in the form of a cross as shown in
Fig. 1, size varying according to the pattern of letters I wish to print, this I dress
and form one end in such a manner that it can be readily grasped by the hand as
shewn at A Fig. 1..
I then cut a slot at the top as shewn at B Fig. 1 the arms marked C Fig. 1 being
made to revolve by means of a wheel marked D Fig. 1.
I then shape three pieces of india rubber or gelatine composition, as shewn in
Fig. 2 and marked A. B. C., of a size and design varying according to the size and
pattern of letters I wish to print these I call the type.
I then attach the type to the arms and top of the cross as shewn in Fig. 3 and
marked A. B. C. the apparatus is then complete and ready for inking and printing 5
different characters as shewn in Fig. 4 and marked 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
These characters either used singly or in combination will enable the operator to
print the letters of the alphabet and numerals in any order required without the
apparatus leaving the hand."
And the improvements and advantages claimed for this my invention are that by
means of it the alphabet and numerals may be printed in any order required, without
the apparatus leaving the hand, and that it entirely obviates the necessity of keeping
a separate stencil plate or stamp for printing each letter or numeral.
And that it is an invention which supersedes stencil plates for marking and
numbering bags, or boxes, printing window tickets, and brief notices, being useful in
short for any purpose where bold lettering is essential, and that thus it will be found
desirable for all offices, warehouses, shops, timber and builders' yards, and all places
in which lettering is sometimes required, being always ready at hand and practically
indestructible.
Dated this tat don
1800
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Hand-stamp, adapted to Print the Letters of the
Alphabet; and Numerals.
I FREDERICK JAMES BOWDITCH of No. 1 Waldo Road College Park Kensal Green
London in the County of Middlesex, Eating House Keeper 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 :-
I construct of wood or metal and india rubber or gelatine composition a hand
stamp by means of which the alphabet and numerals may be printed without stencil
plates or ordinary type and I construct it in the following manner.
I take a piece of wood and shape and dress it in the form of a handle, size varying,
as shewn at Fig. 1.
I next take a piece of brass tubing Fig. 2, size varying, and flatten it from the
D

page_text: top to about an inch from the bottom, I then file away the edges of the flattened
part as shewn at A Fig. 2 and drill two small holes at the top, marked B, and a
larger hole through the centre at C this I call the holder. (The holder may also be
cast from any metal.)
I then shape two pieces of brass, as shown at Fig. 3, size varying, and braize a
screw to the centre of each as denoted at A these I call the mounts.
My spindle bar Fig. 4 I make from a piece of brass tubing and turn a thread in
the centre as shewn at A.
I next make a brass disk Fig. 5, size varying, and drill a holo through the centre
at A this I call the spindle wheel.
I then mould or shape three pieces of india rubber or gelatine composition as
shewn at Fig. 6 and marked A. B. C., size varying, according to the design of letters
I wish to print, these I call the type.
Aniline dye of any color may be incorporated with the gelatine composition.
I fix my holder on the top of the handle as shewn at Fig. 7 marked A the spindle
wheel is next placed in the centre of the holder as denoted by B and the spindle bar
passed half way through both as shewn at (I then attach one of the mounts to
each end of the spindle bar by inserting the screws as shewn at D.
I next place the type marked A Fig. 6 in the top of the holder and secure it with
small rivets as shown at E Fig. 7.
The type marked B and C are then glued to the mounts as shewn at F Fig. 7, my
stamp is then complete and ready for inking.
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
1. That it prints five different characters as shewn in Fig. 8 and marked
ABCDE, which characters either used singly or in combination will enable the
operator to print the alphabet and numerals in any order required without the stamp
leaving the hand.
2. The distinctive features of my stamp are the spindle carrying the type marked
B. C. Fig. 6 which on being rotated enables the operator to print the characters
carried by same in any position required without changing the position of the hand.
3. The ends of the type marked A Fig. 6 being formed at an angle.
4. The type Fig. 6 marked A. B. C. when made with gelatine composition,
incorporated with aniline dye, renders inking unnecessary the type only needing to be
slightly moistened with water to make an impression.
5. And that it entirely obviates the necessity of keeping a separate stamp or stencil
plate for printing each letter of the alphabet or numerals, and that it will be found
desirable for all offices, warehouses, shops, timber and builders' yards, for marking or
addressing bags, boxes, parcels &c., printing window tickets and brief notices, being
useful for any purpose where bold lettering is sometimes required, it being always
ready at hand, cleanly in use, inexpensive to buy and practically indestructible.
Dated this 24th day of September 1890.
FREDERICK, JAMES BOW DITCH.