IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR STAMPING LETTERS POSTAL CARDS AND OTHER ARTICLES AND FOR COUNTING THE SAME PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO MECHANICALLY OR ELECTRICALLY WORKED COUNTERS AND THEIR ACCESSORIES FOR OTHER PURPOSES "
Year: 1883

page_text: "
LETTERS PATENT to Albert Hoster of 144 High Holborn in the County of
Middlesex Engineer-for an Invention of 'IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
OR APPARATUS FOR STAMPING LETTERS POSTAL CARDS AND OTHER ARTICLES
AND FOR COUNTING THE SAME PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE
APPLICABLE TO MECHANICALLY OR ELECTRICALLY WORKED COUNTERS AND
THEIR ACCESSORIES FOR OTHER PURPOSES "
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Albert Hoster at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th January 1883.
ALBERT HOSTER of 144 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex Engineer
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR STAMPING LETTERS POSTAL
CARDS AND OTHER ARTICLES AND FOR COUNTING THE SAME PARTS OF WHICH
IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO MECHANICALLY OR ELECTRICALLY WORKED
COUNTERS AND THEIR ACCESSORIES FOR OTHER PURPOSES "
This invention relates to certain improvements in and additions to the machines
at present in use for mechanically stamping or printing the date and place of
reception and delivery on letters and postal cards and other 'similar articles and
for cancelling the postage stamps thereon at post offices or for other similar
purposes whereby greater efficiency and certainty of action in such machines aro
obtained by ensuring a more perfect impression and the more accurate presentation
to the stamping die of the letter or article to be stamped whilst an economy is
effected in the number and cost of manufacture of the dies and other parts
employed and the number of letters or other similar articles passed through the
machine is accurately counted and indicated by an improved counter worked from
the machine by an electro magnet or otherwise.
In my improved machine the letters may be brought under the die by elastic
fingers mounted on endless travelling bands as at present so as to draw the letter
forward a certain distance until it encounters a moveable fork or rake worked by
a cam such fork or rake rising from below to above the surface of the table so as
to arrest the letter or other article in the exact proper position under the stamping
and cancelling die.
At this moment a spring carrying a small roller or suitable equivalent is pressed
down upon the article by the motion of the hereinafter described new stamping
arrangement thus holding the article in its place whilst it is presented to the stamp

page_text: "
this spring rising from the article so soon as the impression is made, thus holding
the letter down in a state of rest. I combine with the above described arrangement
one or more additional segmental rubber covered discs partly cut away or notched
at one portion of the periphery and rotating in contact with the feeding table or
existing roller so as to take the article away as soon as it has been stamped. This
die in lieu of being rounded on the face or forming a segment of a circle and
working in combination with an opposing roller as heretofore is carried by a
peculiar vibrating lever and has a flat face and is pressed down on the lotter
whilst the letter or other article is in a state of rest by the action of a cam or of
two or more revolving tappets so as to stamp two or more lettors at each complete
revolution of the machine
The letter is supported whilst being stamped on a yielding bed by preference
composed of ordinary wire-card as such surface is less liable to soil the back of the
letter in case of its becoming accidentally inked. The die may be fitted so as to
work in a stationary guide or which I prefer it may be mounted on the end of
a vibrating lever worked by the before mentioned tappets or by an arrangement
of bell crank or otherwise fitted at its end to one or more of the shafts in the
machine or otherwise. A yielding arm forming the upper part of the said lever
receives the direct pressure of the tappets so that letters of different thicknesses
can be stamped. The yielding bed or surface on which the letter rests whilst
being stamped permits of the die making a more perfect impression in cases where
the surface is uneven as for example where the impression comes over the edge
of any of the flaps of an envelope. A self acting inking roller passes once over
the face of the die when in its elevated position and then makes a pause whilst
the die is descending and rising again the roller passing back and inking the dic
again so soon as the latter is at its bighest position.
This inking roller is mounted on a stud pin moving to and fro along a slotted
guide and actuated by a lever and cam. A self acting spring catch on the end
of the stud pin facilitates the removal and replacement of the inking roller when
required.
In some cases I employ in addition to the before mentioned fingers and pair
of notched rubber or segmental discs a special feeder either rotating or reciprocating
faced with rubber on its acting face and worked by a cam or occentric.
Each letter passed through the machine whether before or after being stamped
is counted by an improved arrangement of counting mechanism which is equally
applicable to various other purposes where an accurate counter is required
for the purpose of recording any regular or irregular or non-continuous motion
or pressure.
This counter may be worked by mechanical connection with the aforesaid
stamping or other machine or apparatus with which it may be employed namely
by means of a lever or bell crank fitted in or under the feeding table and so
weighted or held in position by a stop that one of the arms slightly projects above
the said feeding table so that when the letter or other article passes this arm is
depressed and by this movement its other end is brought in contact with the
hereinafter described ratchet or counting arrangement thus pushing or drawing the
disc slide of the indicator and so recording the number or numbers.
I prefer however to actuate the said counting arrangement by a battery and
electro magnet or magnets when it is applied to a letter stamping or similar
machine in which case each letter as it enters or leaves the machine and whilst it
is carried forward over the stamping table either by the rubber fingers or the said
discs and is thus slightly pressed down causes one end of the lever or bell crank as
above described to be deflected whilst its other end is brought in contact with a
yielding spring which is connected with one of the wires leading to the battery
thereby establishing a circuit through an electro magnet. The lever or bell crank
and its support I prefer to be of non-conducting material. The said lever or bell
crank is fitted at its centre with a metal bush which I connect with a strip of good
conducting and resisting metal (such as platinum) passing down the sides or back

page_text: or both of the said lever. The pin passing through the centre supporting this
lever or bell crank I connect with the other wire leading to the other pole of the
battery. When the lever or bell crank is depressed as above described the circuit
is established by the contact of the metal at the back or sides of the lever or bell
crank with the spring. The circuit remains unbroken whilst contact is kept the
spring allowing the lever or bell crank to move as far as may be necessary thus
perfectly ensuring that whilst one article whatever its size is passing only one
contact is made and kept and consequently no errors can be made. As soon as the
letter or article has passed and the pressure is relieved from the lever or bell crank.
a spiral or other spring draws or pushes the said lever or bell crank into its original
position thus breaking the contact.
The armature of the above mentioned electro magnet is connected to a slide or
lever which carries the actuating pall of the first wheel of the counter. This pall
engages in succession with ratchet teeth on the axle of the said wheel whilst two
detents engaging with corresponding stop teeth hold the wheel perfectly steady
after each movement and during the time the pall is making its back stroke
whatever may be the speed of working. The slide may either be worked by a
spring in one direction or it may receive a positive motion in both directions from
separate electro magnets. By this peculiar arrangement of pall and detents the
wheel is prevented from making either more or less than a given movement at
each acting stroke of the pall. I may also employ a self acting arrangement for
releasing the electric battery employed in connection with the before mentioned
counting arrangement or in connection with an electric counter for any other
purpose in case of polarization after it has performed a given amount of work as
for example after any given number has been counted by the counter whether such
number represents letters or post cards or other articles passed through the
aforesaid stamping or similar machine or represents revolutions or other movements
regular or irregular of any other machine or apparatus or of some portion thereof.
For this purpose I so arrange as to make and break contacts in connection with
one of the counting wheels of the series constituting the counter and with two
separate batterics or series of cells so that the connection with one battery or
series of cells working the counter shall be broken and at the same time the
connection with the second or reserve battery or series of cells shall bo established
so soon as a given number has been counted thus allowing the first battery time to
recover itself whilst the second battery takes up the working of the counter and
vice versa. Or the making and breaking of the contacts in connection with one of
the counting wheels may be caused by bringing into action as required a separate
electro magnet which shall so act upon a pin or lever as to bring it within or throw
it out of the range of a rotating cam or eccontric worked in any convenient manner
provided the said cam or eccentric when acting upon the lever be caused to elevate
or lift the electrodes by the aid of suitable or any well known winding or elevating
mechanical appliance out of one of two batteries and at the same time to lower the
electrodes into the second or reserve battery thus causing the two batteries to
work alternately and effecting the change at any given period of time regulated by
the apparatus itself in a self acting manner.
Referring back to the hereinbefore described stamping machine I propose to fit
or attach to the bar carrying a moveable flap for the purpose of allowing the
rubber fingers to slide over and so draw only one letter each time onto the feeding
table as at present in use a fork or similar arrangement and I so regulate the
movement of this bar and flap as to allow the flap to go forward or backward just
as much as may be required to allow the letters or similar articles to pass through.
This addition also obviates the danger at present existing of easily damaging tho
said bar or tap or of injuring the hands of the operator by its present free
swinging motion.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Albert Hoster in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 17th July
1883.
ALBERT HOSTER of 144 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Engineer,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR STAMPING LETTERS POSTAL
CARDS AND OTHER ARTICLES AND FOR COUNTING THE SAME PARTS OF WHICH
IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO MECHANICALLY OR ELECTRICALLY WORKED
COUNTERS AND THEIR ACCESSORIES FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
My said invention relates to improvements on and additions to the stamping
machines heretofore proposed and described in the Specifications to Letters Patent
numbered 3902 A.D. 1880 and 640 A.D. 1882 for mechanically stamping or
printing the date and place of reception and delivery on letters and postal cards
and other similar articles and for cancelling the postage stamps thereon at post
oflices or for other similar purposes whereby the said operations are accomplished
in a more efficient and expeditious manner and the number of letters or other
similar articles passed through the stamping machine can be if required accurately
counted and indicated. My said improvements have reference more particularly
to the general arrangement of the stamping apparatus to the devices for feeding
and arresting the letters or other articles to be stamped, to a device for delivering
the same when stamped also to the mechanism for inking or coloring the stamping
die, to the mode of mounting and actuating the said die and to a peculiar arrange-
ment of counting mechanism to be worked either electrically, pneumatically,
hydrostatically, or by mechanical connections from the stamping machine.
And in order that my said invention may be fully understood I shall now proceed
more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to the
several figures on the explanatory sheets of drawings hereunto annexed the same
letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the corresponding
figures.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of one arrangement of my improved stamping
machine.
Figure 2 is a corresponding plan of the same.
Figure 3 is a vertical section taken along the line 1-2 in figure 2.
Figure 4 is a vertical section taken along the line 3-4 in figuro 2 both these
sections being viewed from the driving end of the machine.
Figures 5 to 16 inclusive represent various details and modifications of parts of
the stamping machine hereinafter more fully referred to.
The stamping mechanism illustrated by figures 1 to 16 is actuated by the eccentric
or cam a¹ (figure 4) fast on the main shaft a, the roller a³ of the slide block a² is
raised slowly by the curved part of the eccentric or cam a' which effects the lifting
of the slide block with the stamping die b fixed thereto (figures 5 and 6). This
movement causes the tension of the india rubber band or other spring a* which is
attached to the stud a³ of the slide block a² and to the stud as of the guide a².
As soon as the roller a³ has arrived at that part of the eccentric or cam a¹ which
is cut off nearly radially the slide block a³ is caused to descend suddenly by the
tension of the india rubber band or spring a whereby the stamping die 6 which
may be of any ordinary construction is brought down upon the letter to be stamped
or cancelled, or upon any other similar article to be stamped. For printing
purposes it will be found advantageous to have arranged under the letter, card,
bill, or other article a bed or bearer c consisting of a piece of ordinary wire carding
band or of bristles set vertically: The force of the blow of the stamping die may

page_text: be regulated by means of the pressure sustaining plate al and elastic washer a³
which latter can be lifted or lowered by the screw nuts aº. The lever a" serves
to stop the action of the stamping mechanism as represented in detail on a larger
scale at figures 6; 7 and 9. Figures 8 and 9 represent a modification of the
mechanism which admits the guide a7 and the sliding block a being turned aside
or placed at any desired angle to facilitate the insertion of the type into the die.
The guide a' carries a bolt as which turns in the stationary bracket a¹ attached
to the frame of the machine and is arrested in the required position by means of
the set screw a".
The wire card or bristles forming the stamping bed c (figures 3 and 4) forms for
the letters to be stamped or cancelled an elastic bed or support whilst the wire or
bristle ends moreover allow any stamping ink or color that may be accidentally
dropped on the bed to adhere to their circumference without soiling the surface
of the bed. The stamping die (figures 10, 11, and 12) which I prefer to use but
to which I lay no separate claim is attached to the lower part of the sliding
picce a by the set screw a¹³ (or mounted on the end of the lever z in figure 13)
and may consist of the type plate b² hinged to the plate 63. The latter is provided
with a short stud which is free to turn in the tubular stud b' formed with a flange
resting on the part 63 as soon as the cross pin b fastened to the moveable ring b
arranged around the tubular stud b' of the flange or tube plate is sufficiently lifter!
to be clear of the cross groove in the top of the short stud. The tubular stud b¹
in order to guide the axial movement of the ring b is to be provided with axial
slots through which the cross pin 6' passes. A spiral spring 60 resting within the
tubular stud b' presses against the said cross pin b and the bottom of the socket of
the sliding piece a² ensures the type block being kept in the desired position.
When the plate 63 is turned sufficiently to cause the flanch of the tubular stud b to
become disengaged from the groove 67 formed in the elevated part of the type
plate 62 opposite to the hinge thereof the typo plate 6 will be free to swing out
(Figure 12) in order to admit of the composition of the types.
The letters postal cards or other similar articles to be stamped are raised by hand
along a feeding trough towards the plate d³ (figure 3) which is attached to the
rocking spindle d³. A hook or stop d fastened to the frame of the machine and
entering a hole or recess in the shaft d³ will arrest the plate d in a position
corresponding with the inclination of the letters in the pile or bundle. The elastic
fingers d catch the uppermost letter of the pile in the manner described in the
Specification to Letters Patent No 640 A.D. 1882 and the roller or discs d' which
rotate in a direction opposite to the course of the fingers & prevent more than one
letter being taken from the pile at the same time. The fingers d to which I lay-
no separate claim serve to transport the letter to the bed c but a little before or
while the letter is arriving the bed c the stops e which constitute an important,
feature of my said invention (see figures 3 and 4 and enlarged detail plan figure 16)
are caused to project through the feeding table f of the machine and arrest the
letter in the exact proper position required under the die b. This may be effected.
in the following manner-The plate e' to which are fastened the fingers e may be
adjustably secured to the lower horizontal part of the L shaped vertical sliding
piece e. The latter is coupled by the connecting rod e³ with the lever c³ (figures 1
and 2) fixed at the extreme end of the rock shaft et. Another lever eⓇ which is
also attached to the shaft e is raised or lowered by means of the eccentric or.
cam 7 (figures 2 and 3) on the main shaft a. The spring es (figure 1) attached to
the lever e aud to the frame of the machine serves to draw the lever es downwards.
and consequently acts contrary to the cam e'
When the letter has been stamped the arresting fingers or stops e withdraw and
the letter will now be thrown off the machine by means of the elastic rotating.
fingers g g (figures 2 and 3) It will be preferable to make these fingers of strips.
of india rubber in order that they may adapt themselves to different thicknesses of
letters.
"
In stamping large and. heavy letters the modification shown in figure 14 might :

page_text: be preferable for taking off the letters directly from the discs d'. To the eccentric
rod of an eccentric h³ of the shaft there is fastened a lever h the fork-shaped
end of which rests on the shaft a serving as fulcrum for the lever action the result
of which is that the elastic finger h' having caught the upper letter of the pile will
slide only a short way on the table f until the letter has attained the required
position and will then be suddenly lifted.
Also a spring with roller may be employed actuated by a cam fixed to a shaft a
or for the purpose of arresting the letter after it has been disposed by the
fingers d on the bed c.
The mechanism for inking or coloring the stamping die consists of the cam i on
the shaft a pressing against the upper part of the double armed lever i¹ (Figure 4)
the india-rubber band i connecting the other arm of the lever to the frame of
the machine and acting in an opposite direction to the cam the lover which is
drawn upwards by a suitable spring and is attached to the lowest end of the
lever and slides along the guide the height of which guide may be adjusted or
regulated by the nuts. At the extreme end of the lever i³ is arranged at right
angles the hollow pivot (figure 15) on which the inking or coloring roller turns
the construction of the latter is shown also in figure 15 and is similar to the inking
roller referred to in the Specifications to Letters Patent No 3902 A.D. 1880 and
No 640 A.D. 1882. A small spring bent upwards at its outer end is fastened
in such a manner in the hollow pivot that the hooked end projects beyond the
same. By pressing down the booked end of the spring is the same will be brought
within the inner periphery of the hollow pivot thereby allowing the inking
roller to be readily released and removed but whilst in its normal position (as
shown in figure 15) the spring is prevents the slipping off of the inking roller from
its pivot.
The cam i is so shaped as to impart a to-and-fro motion to the inking or coloring
roller which allows of a more equal distribution of the color over the surface of the
dio than has hitherto been obtained. A special arrangement of the stamping device
is shown in figure 13. The spiral spring z¹ draws upwards the one armed lever s
to the free end of which is attached the die b; to the lever z is also attached a flat
spring the motion of which is regulated by the screw 2³. A knob is formed on
the outer end of the spring 2 against which the cams or tappets & act when the
shaft a rotates pressing thereby the die on the letter with a yielding pressure.
In lieu of using a hollow inking roller carrying its own ink for inking the die
as heretofore proposed any ordinary inking roller may be used in combination
with a separate stationary ink reservoir said roller deriving its movement from the
slide which carries the stamping die and which slide may be actuated in any conve-
nient manner or the inking roller may be moved over the face of the die by a cam
or other convenient mechanism. The stationary ink reservoir is situate near to
one side of the die and is made with a perforated bottom covered on the under side
with felt or absorbent material. It should be attached to the framing or othor
suitable part of the machine near to the die so that its underside will be on a level
or thereabouts with the face of the die when in its elevated position. The inking
roller may be carried between two arms jointed to the lower end of a suspended
lever working on a fulcrum at its upper end and connected directly to the slide or
other convenient moving part of the machine by a link or other connector. A
spring is attached to the carrying arms of the inking roller for holding said roller
in contact with the bottom of the ink reservoir or trough and with the face of the
stamping die as the roller passes along them. In its passage along the underside
of the ink reservoir the inking roller takes up ink or color and applies the same to
the face of the die by passing over it. I may also employ a rotary or partial
rotary motion in lieu of a rectilinear reciprocating motion for passing the inking
roller underneath the ink trough and die. In order to obtain a yielding pressure
of the die the slide carrying the same may be caused to yield slightly against the
resistance of a spring when the die is brought in contact with the article to be
stamped. This may be accomplished by connecting the slide at its upper end with

page_text: the free end of a horizontal lever arm pivotted at its opposite end to any fixed
support in the machine the said lever and with it the slide being drawn downwards
in order to give the impression by a helical or other spring attached to the free end
of the lever which protrudes through the upper end of the slide. The slide may be
elevated as herein before described by a cam on the main shaft acting against a
roller carried by the slide itself or by another modification the free end of the
horizontal lever may be made to extend sufficiently beyond and through the slide
to admit of the extremity of such lever being connected with a crank pin in a disc
mounted on the end of the main shaft of the machine the connecting rod or link
being jointed so as to allow for the are described by the end of the lever in its
upward and downward movements. By this modification a positive motion can be
imparted to the slide both in its upward and downward movement but in order to
obtain the desired yielding action of the slide its upper end through which the
aforesaid lever passes is caused to bear against the underside of a strong blade
spring attached to the upper side of the lever and capable of being adjusted to give
any required amount of resistance. This lever passes through a longitudinal slot
in the slide so as to allow the slide a slight amount of vertical play under the
pressure of the said spring. The elastic stamping bed should be capable of being
readily removed and replaced by sliding it into a holder fitted with a catch and
capable of vertical adjustment on a fixed block secured to the bed plate or other
suitable part of the machine.
In order to facilitate the accurate adjustment of the position of the moveable
stops which serve to arrest the letter or other article in its exact proper position
for being stamped the said stops are caused to work through slots in the delivery
table and are fixed in a metal plate p carried in and made adjustable along a slot 8
in a cross piece formed on the lower end of the vertical slide e³ (figures 1 and 3)
such slot being made parallel longitudinally with the delivery table as shown in
the detail (6gure 3) hence the adjustment of the stops longitudinally along the
table in order to bring them nearer to or further from the die will not alter the
height of the stops above the table and will enable the impression to be made at
any desired place on the letter or other article. A. thumb screw serves to fix the
adjustable metal plate carrying the stops in its adjusted position. The correct
lateral position of the pile of letters as presented to the fingers & is ensured by the
adjustable lateral guage w in the feed trough as shown in figures 1 and 2. I prefer
that each letter as it is taken from off the pile and brought with its forward edge
against the moveable stops by the action of the fingers & carried by the endless
travelling chain or band as hereinbefore described and illustrated by figures 1, 2
and 3 shall be drawn underneath two thin stationary slightly curved metal blade
springs d³ (Figure 3) disposed longitudinally along the feed table one on each side
of the path of the fingers d said springs being fixed at their rear ends (which are
curved upwards) to any suitable fixed part of the machine whilst their free ends
press gently down and lie flat upon the surface of the table. The said blade
springs exert a slight pressure upon the letter and hold it down flat during its
passage along the table until it encounters the stops e e such pressure or frictional
hold being continued after the impression has been made and the stops have
moved out of the way whereupon the rotating flexible elastic delivery fingers g g
herein before mentioned in reference to figures 2, 3, and 3ª in their revolution
round the shaft a exert an indirect pressure on the letter through the said blade
springs upon which they bear but so soon as they have passed the ends of the
blade springs d³ and come into direct contact with the letter they flick it from
under the springs by their springing or recoil action on leaving the surface of the
table and discharge the letter into a box or other convenient receptacle. The con-
struction and arrangement of these delivery fingers in connection with the said
blade springs are shown in the detail figure 3º. The fingers may consist of short
lengths of rubber g attached to the ends of two arms, g revolving loosely on the
main shaft a and connected by a helical or other tension spring g³ with one of the
carrying pulleys de of the endless chain or band on which the feeding fingers d are

page_text: mounted so that g and g¹ will be drawn round along with the said pulley do and
will be free to yield or drag more or less on encountering the resistance of the
table until such resistance is overcome by the tension spring g³ when the arms fly
back to their normal position against a stop g³ on the pulley this action being
repeated as each letter is delivered.
In lieu of using the rotating elastic flicking fingers the delivery of the stamped
letters may be effected by one or more additional endless bands carrying fingers
and disposed on each side of the driving pulley of the endless chain or band and
fingers shown in figure 3 'the said additional bands with their fingers being
carried by an additional shaft and pulleys and being so disposed that the fingers
thereof shall draw the letters by a positive motion from off the stamping bed into
a suitable receptacle. By slight modifications of the herein before described letter
stamping machinery it may obviously be applied to various other analogous
purposes such for example as printing bill and letter heads and cards and
embossing and perforating metals or other substances. The chief distinguishing
feature of my said letter stamping machinery is the combination therewith of the
moveable adjustablo stops for arresting the letter in its exact proper position for
being stamped. The following is the order of its operations 1 The stamping
die is inked whilst elevated. 2nd The letter is fed forward and arrested in its
proper position under the die. 3rd The die descends and stamps the letter.
4th The die rises. 5th The stops retire 6th The stamped letter still retained by
the slight friction of the two flat springs is delivered into any convenient receptacle.
The said operations are repeated one or more times at each revolution of the
machine and when desired each letter may be accurately counted as it passes along
the feeding or delivery table of the machine.
I shall now proceed to describe my peculiar counting mechanism which I propose.
to use in combination with a letter stamping or other similar machine for the
purpose of accurately counting and indicating solely the amount of work actually
performed at any given machine (as for example the number of letters postal cards
or other articles passed through or operated upon by a letter stamping or a letter
counting machine) independently of the speed or number of revolutions or other
movements of the machine itself although the same or similar counting and
indicating mechanism may obviously be used if desired for counting revolutions
but it is the peculiar combination and arrangement hereinafter described whereby
I am enabled to count or indicate independently of the movements of the machine
only the work actually performed that constitutes the distinguishing feature of this
part of my invention.
My peculiar counting apparatus consists of two combined groups of mechanism
namely the counter or indicator proper which may be of any well known
construction (although I prefer the peculiar arrangement hereinafter described)
and the means whereby the working of the said counter is governed by the work
turned out by the machine.
Figures 17, 18 and 19 (Sheet 4) represent respectively a sectional elevation plan
and front view of so much of a letter stamping inachine for example or of a simple
letter counting machine alone for counting letters and other articles (without
stamping) as is necessary to illustrate the application thereto of my automatic
counting arrangement and its modus operandi.
a is the feed or delivery table or surface of a letter stamping or other machine
over which pass the letters postal cards or other articles to be stamped and counted
or counted alone which machine for the sake of convenience I shall hereinafter
designate as the "stamping machine" although the application of my peculiar
automatic counting arrangement is not restricted to a letter stamping machine
alone as will be readily understood. To a pin or fulcrum bon the underside of the
table a of the machine there is hung a bent lever having two arms c and d a portion
of the arm c which may be rounded slightly as shown at cl working through a
slot in the table and being caused to project above the surface of the said table
(when no letter or other article is resting upon or passing over the lever) by the

page_text: action of a spring of the tension of which can be adjusted by shifting one end
thereof to one or other of the series of holes in the fixed bar g or otherwise. The
arm & is situate beneath the table and the fulcrum pin which is supported by a
bracket h on the underside of the table passes through a metal bush in the elbow
of the lever such bush when the lever is of non-conducting material (and is working
by electrical agency) being connected with a platinum or other metal plate i
attached to the said lever. When working by an electric current I prefer the
bracket h to be of non-conducting material. When the arm c is depressed by the
passage over it of a letter or other article whilst in the act of being drawn over
and gently pressed down upon the table by any suitable or well known contrivance
an electric contact is established between the metal plate i and a spring or strip of
platinum or other metal attached to the bracket and in circuit with the battery
but when the letter or other article has passed the rounded part c¹ of the arm cor
so long as no letter is passing over the said arm this contact is broken by the
drawing down of the arm d by its spring producing a corresponding elevation of
the arm c and the current is consequently interrupted. It is this making and
breaking of contact which is caused to operate the counter electrically as will be
hereinafter described. The circuit will remain established so long as the letter or
other article is passing over the arm c of the lever whatever may be the dimensions
of the letter or the time required for its passage but will be interrupted the
moment the letter has passed.
I shall now proceed to describe a mode of electrically working my improved
counting apparatus from a letter stamping machine. Figure 20 (Sheet 5) is a
general plan (full size) of the counter proper and parts connected therewith which
for convenience may be enclosed in a lock-up box or case as shown. Figure 21 is a
corresponding sectional elevation thereof-Figure 22 (sheet 4) is a detail plan
drawn to an enlarged scale of a portion of the counter proper. Figure 23 is a
front elevation thereof disconnected from the actuating electro magnet. 7 is an
electro magnet the armature m of which is pivotted at n and is connected in any
suitable manner by an adjustable connector n¹ with a slide or its equivalent o upon
which is mounted a spring pall p for actuating or rotating step by step the first
dial q of the counter proper. The slide o is drawn outwards and maintained in
that position each time and so long as the electro magnet is excited but when the
current is interrupted the slide is allowed to move inwards in which position it
remains until the electric circuit is again established. The pall p on the slide o
thus engages in succession with the teeth of the small ratchet wheel r fast on the
boss of the wheel or dial q mounted loose on the axle or stud centre of the said
wheel. 8 and t are two detents which operate alternately and serve to hold the
wheel or dial q perfectly steady after each movement and during the time the
pall p is making its back stroke whatever may be the speed of working. The
detent 8 engages into the ratchet teeth r and the detent t into the teeth or notches
of a wheel u mounted on the same axis. When the slide o is moved outwards or
in the direction of the arrow by the action of the electro magnet on its armature
the pall p moves the first wheel or dial q round a certain distance the detent s
being at the same time freed from the ratchet teeth r by the spring and the
detent t engaged with one of the teeth in the wheel the lever t¹ carrying the
detent t being moved by the slide o simultaneously with the the pall p but when
the electric current is interrupted and the slide o is allowed to make its return or
back stroke by the action of the spring o' or otherwise in order to enable the
all p to take up another tooth in the small ratchet wheel r the detent 8 then
engages with the ratchet teeth r whilst the detent t is simultaneously disengaged
from the teeth in the wheel u in readiness for re-engagement therewith on the
outward movement of the slide o so as to prevent the dial q from moving more
han one tooth at a time as the said pall and detents in conjunction with the
atchet teeth and u constituto a species of dead beat or escapement movement.
Motion is transmitted from the first wheel of tho counter to the rest of the series by
iny well known arrangement used in counting mechanism as for example by a

page_text: Q
single tooth and notch at vengaging at each complete revolution of the first wheel
or dial with one of a series of spur teeth in the adjoining wheel and so on
throughout the series as is well understood in counting machines the indicated or
counted number being shown through a series of openings w one for each dial in a
cover plate x.
I have indicated by diagram plan at figure 24 (sheet 4) the mode of establishing
the electric circuit from the battery A through the bent lever or finger in the table
of the stamping or other machine at B and through the electro magnet at C for
actuating the counter at D. One pole of the battery A is connected by a wire to
the pin or fulcrum b and through it to the platinum or other metal plate i on the
before mentioned bent lever or finger cd-The other pole of the battery is connected
through the switches E and F and electromagnet C to the metal spring on the
bracket h the switch E under the control of the attendant being interposed in the
circuit if desired. This switch may be again connected to the lock-up switch F
inside the box or casing containing the counter 'and under the sole control of the
superintendent of the stamping department. Thus it will be seen that when the
arm c of the bent lover is depressed the circuit is established by the contact of the
plate i on the lever with the spring or strip k. This circuit remains unbroken so
long as the contact is maintained or the arm c is. depressed. The spring or strip /
by yielding allows the arm & of the said lever to move as far as may be necessary
thus effectually ensuring that whilst one article or letter whatever its size is passing
over or in contact with the arm c only one contact is made and maintained
⚫ consequently errors in counting are prevented. So soon as the letter or other
article has passed and the pressure is relieved from the arm c of the bent lever the
spiral or other spring f draws or pushes the bent lever d into its original position
again thereby breaking the circuit at ik and by releasing the armature of the
electro magnet allowing the slide o of the counter to move inwards and the
actuating pall p to take up another tooth on the small ratchet wheel r of the first
counting dial 9. In case the attendant should require to stop the counter as for
example in the event of a letter not being properly stamped he can instantly
break the circuit by the switch E and in the event of the machine being left
unattended for a time the superintendent by so turning the lock-up switch F by
the aid of a key as to break the circuit can ensure that no tampering with the
counter shall take place as the counter cannot be worked again until the circuit
has been again established by the superintendent.
Figure 25 shows a mode of actuating the slide o of the counter from the bent
lever cd by a pneumatic airangement consisting of a bellows 3 connected with the
said slide and inflated by the compression of an air chamber 4 by the arm d of the
lever or in lieu of air water or other liquid may be employed. This figure also
shows (in dotted lines) a mode of actuating the said slide o mechanically by con-
necting it directly with the arm d of the bent lever. It is obvious that the slide o
of the counter may be worked by a positive motion in both directions in lieu of by
a spring in one direction as shown as for example by the use of two electro-
magnets acting alternately on the one armature but in opposite directions.
By the combination of the above described counting arrangement with a letter
stamping or other similar machine the machine itself is enabled to count accurately
each letter postal card or other article as it enters or leaves it, and to cause the
number of articles passed through the machine at any time during the working
thereof to be indicated a result which has not hitherto been obtained in this class
of machinery.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect I would observe in conclusion that I am aware it has been proposed in the
specification to Letters Patent No 3902. A.D 1880 to employ in a machine for
stamping letters postal cards and other similar articles a reciprocating stamping
arrangement and therefore I do not claim broadly the combination with such a
machine of a reciprocating stamping arrangement irrespective of the mode of

page_text: mounting and actuating the same but what I consider to be novel and original and
therefore clain as the invention secured to me by the herein before in part recited
Letters Patent is :-
First. The improvements in stamping machines for stamping letters postal cards
and other like articles with the date and place of reception and delivery and for
cancelling the postage stamps thereon and for other analogous stamping purposes
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by my drawings.
Second. The application and use to and in the aforesaid class of machines of a
flat faced stamping device mounted on the end of a vibrating lever or upon a slide
and receiving an up-and-down or a backward-and-forward motion from a cam
tappet or crank pin working in conjunction or not with a spring and driven from
a shaft in the machine substantially as specified.
Third. In the aforesaid class of machines the combination of a spring with the
vibrating lever or with the slide which carries the stamping die or similar device
for the purpose of enabling a yielding pressure to be imparted thereto substantially
as specified.
Fourth. The application and use in the aforesaid class of machines of a stamping
bed composed of wire-card or of wires or bristles set on end in the form of a brush
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Fifth. In the aforesaid class of machines the combination with a flat faced
stamping device having an up-and-down or a backward-and-forward motion of an
inking or coloring roller caused to travel across the face of the die in conjunction
or not with a stationary inking pad or surface by the direct action of the vibrating
lever or slide which carries the die or by a separate cam substantially as specified.
Sixth. In the aforesaid class of machines the use of moveable stops projecting
through the delivery table either from below upwards or from above downwards
worked by a cam for arresting and maintaining the letter or other similar article in
its exact proper position for being stainped substantially as specified.
Seventh. Making the said moveable stops adjustable so as to enable the
impression to be made at any desired distance from the forward edge of the letter
substantially as specified.
Eighth. In the aforesaid class of machines the application and use of the
frictional retaining flat blade springs for holding down flat upon the table the
letter or similar article until it is stamped and ready for delivery substantially as
specified.
Ninth. In the aforesaid class of machines the combination of the frictional
retaining flat blade springs-a feeding device-and the delivery device-con-
sisting of elastic fingers or strips of india rubber or other elastic material mounted
on rotating arms or of delivery fingers similar to the feeding device and mounted
on additional endless travelling bands or chains substantially as specified.
Tenth. The peculiar stamping device for producing a short elastic pressure of the
stamping die consisting of the eccentric or cam a¹ on the shaft a the slide a' with
roller a and adjustable elastic washer as the guide a with pressure sustaining
plate a the india rubber band or other spring at and the stamping die bas
hereinbefore described and illustrated by figures 1 to 9 of my drawings.
Eleventh So mounting the guide a that it can be readily adjusted to and fixed
in any desired angle for facilitating the insertion of the types into the die by the
combination of the stud centre a¹³ the bracket a" and the set screw a us
herein before described and illustrated by figures 8 and 9 of my drawings.
Twelfth. The peculiar combination of stamping lever raised by the spring 2¹
and lowered by a cam or tappets pressing on the adjustable flat spring * as
herein before described and illustrated by figure 13 of my drawings.
Thirteenth. The application and use of the fingers g g' for throwing the letters
or other articles out of the machine into a suitable receptacle as described and
illustrated at figures 2 and 3 of my drawings.
Fourteenth. The forked shaped lever h with fingers h' actuated by the eccentric h*

page_text: for transporting or feeding heavy letters or other like articles towards the stamping
table as herein before described and illustrated by figure 14 of my drawings.
Fifteenth. The peculiar inking or coloring device composed of the lever i on the
main shaft a the double armed lever i the spring the lever ³ raised by means
of the spring the hollow pivot and the adjustable guide as hereinbefore
described and illustrated by figures 3, 4 and 15 of my drawings.
-
Sixteenth. The hollow pivot with the catch spring for holding the inking
roller as herein before described and illustrated by figure 15 of my drawings.
Seventeenth-In the aforesaid class of stamping machines the imparting a to-
and-fro motion to the inking or coloring roller across the flat face of the die
combined or not with a perforated ink reservoir by connecting the said roller by
levers or other mechanical equivalent with the said slide as specified.
Eighteenth. The combination with the feed or delivery table of a machine for
stamping letters postal cards and other articles and for counting the same of a
lover arm so placed and mounted as to be depressed or moved by each letter or
other article as it comes in contact with the lever arm during its passage across the
said table in conjunction with a Counter governed or actuated by the movement
alone of the said lever arm in any convenient manner whether by direct mechanical
connection by an electric current or by pneumatic or hydrostatic pressure
substantially as heréinbefore described.
Nineteenth. The application and use of the above mentioned lever arm in
conjunction with a suitable counter for the purpose of counting and indicating the
number of articles passing through a machine without reference to the number of
revolutions performed by the said machine or for counting and indicating any
regular, irregular or non-continuous successive movements or pressures.
Twentieth. The peculiar arrangement of counter embracing the combination of
the pall p mounted on an actuating lever or slide o the detents 8 and t and the
ratchet wheels r and u arranged and caused to work together substantially as and
for the purpose herein before described and illustrated by my drawings.
In Witness whereof I the said Albert Hoster have hereunto set my hand and
seal this sixteenth day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and eighty three.
LANDE TRANIND