Improvements in Electric Date and Time Hand Stamps.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Jan., 1889
Complete Specification Left 21st Oct 1889-Accented 14th Dec. 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Date and Time Hand Stamps.
CHARLES ADAMS-RANDALL No. 15 Montpelier Square Brompton, London Electrical
Engineer and Inventor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to an improved date and time hand stamp, arranged to be
used similarly to an ordinary dating rubber hand stamp and to be actuated wholly or
partially automatically.
The object of the invention is the production, more particularly, of a cheap, efficient,
date and time hand stamp, by means of which impressions can be readily taken giving
date and time to the minute, the samo to be operated more or less automatically
from a clock, by the agency of Electricity.
My invention consists generally ;
First In making the type and operative parts as small, light, and compact as possible
consistent with durability and enclosing the same in a suitable case or holder, that
can be readily taken in the hand and moved about and used to make impressions
therefrom upon, slips, cards, letters, packages etc., rapidly and at will.
Second In the combination of such or similar electric date and time hand stamp
of a flexible electric conducting cord that will permit of its free movement from place
to place within reasonable limits.
Third In combination with such or similar Electric date and time hand stamp
of a suitable inking pad or device whereby the marking parts can be inked at will.
Fourth-The combination with such or similar Electric date and time hand stamp
of a controlling circuit-closing clock, battery, and proper electrical connections.
To this end, the invention consists generally in constructing an electric date and
time hand stamp, by fulcrumming a series of printing wheels, from which impressions
may be taken giving the year, month, day, meridian, hour and minute, said wheels
being made preferably of rubber, or some light metal like aluminium, upon a central
shaft common to all, or in such a manner that an impression can be taken from all
simultaneously, with means for holding the same in normal position, and electrical
devices for automatically moving the minute wheel each minute, or once in periods of
five, ten or fifteen minutes, with means for automatically moving the hour-wheel
hourly, the day month & year wheels being moved preferably, manually, and com-
bining and enclosing the same in a suitable case or holder that can be readily taken in
the hand and moved about, for the purposes of inking from a suitable inking-pad,
and for taking impressions, the same having suitable electrical connections to a clock
and battery in circuit with the Electro-magnet in the hand-stamp, such clock being
constructed to transmit a current from the battery every minute or at regular
predetermined intervals of time. The stamp can be made also to give impressions
of names, addresses, or technical terms, simultaneously with the impression giving date
and time.
January 21 100.
C. ADAMS-RANDALL.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Date and Time Hand Stamps.
I, CHARLES ADAMS RANDALL, of 15 Montpelier Square, Brompton, in the County
of Middlesex, Electrical Engineer and Inventor, 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 :-
My invention relates to electric date and time stamps of the kind or class described
D
1177

page_text: in the specifications of former Letters Patent Nos. 15,717 dated November 16th 1887,
and 7308 dated 17th May 1888 granted to me.
In the said former specifications I have more particularly described stamps wherein
the type-wheels are arranged in a box or case beneath an impression-lever.
Now the object of my present invention is the production of a cheap and efficient
date and time hand-stamp, by means of which impressions can be readily taken
giving the date and time of day, and which can be used similarly to an ordinary
dating hand-stamp, and the operation of which will be wholly or partially
automatic.
For this purpose I make the type and the operating parts as small, light and com-
pact as is practicable consistent with strength and durability, and I enclose the same
in a suitable case or holder which can be readily taken in the hand and freely moved
about, and can be used for making impressions upon cards, letters, packages and the
like rapidly and at will. Moreover I combine with the electric date and time hand-
stamp a flexible electric conducting cord that will-permit the free movement of the
stamp from place to place within reasonable limits. I also combine with the electric
date and time hand-stamp, a suitable inking pad or device whereby the marking parts
can be inked at will, and a controlling circuit-closing clock and battery, and suitable
electrical connections.
In the accompanying drawings I have shown how my said invention may be con-
veniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a front elevation, and,
Figure 2 a side elevation showing one form of my electrical date and time hand stamp
the outer case being removed.
Figures 3 and 4-are-side elevations, partly in vertical section, illustrating details of
construction.
Figures 5 and 6 show, in side and front elevation, the hand-stamp complete.
Figure 7 is a representation of an impression formed by my improved stamp.
Figure 8 is a side elevation,
Figure 9 a front elevation, and
Figure 10 a rear elevation, showing another form or modification of my electrical
hand stamp.
Figure 11 shows in detail, part of the mechanisin for operating the type wheels.
Figure 12 is a horizontal section drawn to an enlarged scale, showing parts of the
apparatus illustrated in Figures 8, 9 and 10.
Figure 13 is a side elevation of one of the type-wheels hereinafter referred to.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
A is a metal frame in which the mechanism of the stamp is suitably arranged and
which is enclosed in a case A¹ of metal, wood, vulcanite or other suitable material so
shaped that it can be conveniently grasped by the hand.
B, B are the coils of the electro-magnet for operating the mechanism. a, b, c, d
represent respectively the minute, hour, day, and month type-wheels, which are
mounted upon a shaft C upon which they can be revolved. The minute wheel a is
provided with a ratchet wheel a¹ serving as a feed wheel and having as many teeth as
there are characters upon the wheel a, the number of teeth in this case being sixty.
The minute wheel a is also provided with a cam a³ shown more clearly by dotted
lines in Figure 3. The hour wheel b is likewise provided with a ratchet-wheel or
feed-wheel having twenty four teeth.
A pawle is provided which engages with the teeth of the feed-wheel a' and which
is pivoted to a rod e arranged to move up and down in bearings f, f1 formed with
or attached to the frame A. This rod is connected by a swivel-joint to the
armature B¹ of the electro-magnet B, which armature is pivoted at B' to the
frame A. An adjustable stop-screw e³ more clearly shown in Figure 4, is provided
to limit the return or operative movement of the rod e', the said rod being provided
with a retracting spring g and a stop-pin h. A corresponding operating rod i and
pawl are provided in connection with the hour-wheel b, the said rod i also being
arranged to move up and down in the bearings f; ƒ''. An adjustable stop-screw k, a

page_text: retracting spring g₁ a limiting stop-pin 4¹, and a cam-screw I, are moreover com-
bined with the said rod i and pawl A.
The type-wheels c, d for the day and month respectively are to be operated or
adjusted by hand and may be held or retained in any desired position by either of the
devices shown or referred to in the said former specifications.
To the bottom of the frame A a name plate m of soft India-rubber is attached
which protects the type-wheels but yields sufficiently to permit the inking of the
wheels by means of an ink-pad and the taking of impressions from the said type-
wheels.
The type-wheels may be made of metal, India-rubber or other suitable material.
In some instances a fifth wheel is provided for the years. In the apparatus shown
in Figures 1 to 6, however, the years are printed from figures inserted in or formed
on the name plate m; or such figures may be secured to the frame in any suitable
manner, so that an impression will be obtained substantially as represented in
Figure 7.
In the modification of my invention illustrated in Figures 8 to 13, there are five
type-wheels, a, b, c, d, d', for printing respectively the minute, hour, day, month and
year, and the said type-wheels, the electromagnets and other parts of the mechanism
are all arranged in the lower part of the frame A. The year and month wheels d', d,
have each twelve characters, and are held in any desired position by a pin n passed
through the frame A and into holes (Figure 13) in the type-wheels, a spring
finger n' keeping the pin n in position. The day-wheel e may be secured to prevent its
rotation, in any suitable manner, the wheels c, d and are turned or adjusted as
required by hand.
A shaft p is secured in the frame A, and has pivoted thereon
the minute type-wheel feed-lever e¹, the hour type-wheel feed-lover i and two
auxiliary levers 9 connected together by a cross-bar and supported upon the
shaft p.
These levers q which I term "safety levers" are held in their normal position by
flat-springs q secured to the frame and together with projections A² at the rear of the
frame A serve as feet or supports for the apparatus, the said levers being provided with
India-rubber foot-pieces or pads q which in use, as the type-wheels are moved down-
ward by means of the handle A on the frame A, yield to permit the inking of the
type-wheels upon an inking pad and the taking of impressions therefrom. Stop-pins »
are provided to limit the motion of the said safety-levers.
The electric current is conveyed to the electro-magnet B by means of flexible
conducting wires s (Figure 8) passing through the handle A³, the said wires or
conductors being connected with a suitable battery and with a controlling time-piece
or clock.
The cam a shown by dotted lines in Figure 11 is secured to the minute type-
wheel a.
The position of this cam and of the lever i, feud-pawl and cam screw
when the last division on the minute wheel is reached in this case corresponding to
the 59th minute is shown in Figure 11. The next movement of the minute type-
wheel will cause the partial rotation of the cam a' so that the screw will drop from
the highest to the lowest part of the said cam. The downward movement of the lever i
is thus permitted under the action of a spring secured in any convenient manner
to the frame so as to partially rotate the hour wheel b.
Figure 12 shows a horizontal section of part of the frame A the armature B' of
the electro-magnet B, the minute type-wheel feed-lever e' the hour type-wheel feed-
lever i and the safety levers q upon the shaft p.
It will be understood that what I term non-interfering devices, acting substantially
as described in the said former specifications, may be provided, also that the safety-
levers or a single safety lever can be arranged inside the frame with some minor
modifications, and that, if desired, a suitable case may be employed to cover or enclose
the whole-apparatus.
The operation of the mechanism is substantially similar to that of the mechanism
described in the said former specifications.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed I wish it understood that
1 claim
First. An electric date and time hand-stamp, that is to say, an electric date and
time stamp in which the operating mechanism is enclosed in à case or frame designed
to be held in the hand, for the purpose above specified.
Second. An electric date and time hand-stamp connected with a source of electricity
and with a controlling time-piece by means of flexible conductors, so that it can be
moved freely from place to place within the lintit of the said flexible conductors,
substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.
Third. A hand-stamp having type formed on or secured to the underside of its
frame or case and provided with type-wheels and with mechanism whereby the said
wheels or some of them will be adjusted by electricity, for the purpose above
specified.
Fourth. The improved electric date and time stamp constructed substantially as
described with reference to Figures 1 to 6 or with reference to Figures 7 to 13 of the
accompanying drawings and operating as, and for the purpose, above specified.
i
Dated this 19th day of October 1980
CHARLES ADAMS-RANDALL.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.