Improvements in Sheets of Postage Stamps or the like and Covers therefor, and in Binding the said Sheets and Covers to form Books.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Jan., 1898-Accepted, 12th Mar., 1898.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sheets of Postage Stamps or the like and Covers
therefor, and in Binding the said Sheets and Covers to form
Books.
We, FRANK GUNN FARNHAM, Manufacturer, and ALEXANDER FARNHAM,
Solicitor, respectively of Honesdale and Wilkesbarre, both in Pennsylvania,
United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:
This invention relates to the production of postage stamps in sheets adapted to
be made up into books so as to facilitate the handling and transportation of the
stamps and prevent the waste now common by reason of the stamps sticking
together and to other surfaces.
The object of the invention is to provide a simple form of cover in which the
stamps may be readily and cheaply secured to form a book which may be subse-
quently divided into a number of smaller books of varying sizes according to the
number and value of the stamps desired by the purchaser.
The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 represents a view of the outside of the cover before folding or cutting.
Figure 2 is a view of the opposite side of the cover with a sheet of stamps
arranged according to this invention secured thereto.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of one of the books complete.
Figures 4, 5 and 6 show exterior views of the book of Figure 3.
A sheet of stamps, as now printed, has a margin all around the outside with
the stamps arranged in adjacent rows and divided by perforations. The sheet of
stamps produced according to this invention and used for making small books of
stamps has a margin all around the outside and is preferably sixteen stamps wide
and twenty-four stamps long, making a sheet of three hundred and eighty-four stamps,
but it may be printed any convenient width or length and of any desired denomi-
nation. Next to the side margins there are two rows of stamps b, b, separated
from each other by the ordinary rows of perforations c, c, and next to the second
row occurs an unprinted and imperforate space & running lengthwise of the sheet
and about five sixteenths of an inch wide. Next to this space d there are four
rows of stamps e, e, e, e, separated by the ordinary rows of perforations; then
another unprinted space and then follow two additional rows of stamps which
reach to an unprinted space in the middle of the sheet which is about one and
one half inches wide, the purpose of which will be hereinafter explained.
d
The cover blank F in which the stamps are to be held is preferably of a prepared
paper to which stamps will not adhere, and is the full size of the sheet of stamps
before the outer margins have been removed from the latter. The back of the
cover blank is printed to indicate the lines on which it is to be divided, to form

page_text: the smaller books; also the number, kind and value of the stamps contained in
each book.
The cover blank is scored or indented longitudinally at proper intervals to facili-
tate binding into book form. Flaps P are provided at the sides in line with the
side margins on the sheet of stamps, and also at the center of the cover blank in
line with the unprinted space h in the middle of the sheet of stamps, so that when
subdivided the flaps will fold over and cover the edges of the books as shown in
Figures 3 to 6. The flaps P¹ may be dispensed with if desired in preparing the
cover blank F in which case the wide space h in the middle of the sheet of stamps
and the wide margins need not be provided. The flaps are preferred however as
they serve to better protect the stamps in the books.
In making the books, the end margin of the stamp sheet and the corresponding
part of the cover blank together with a sheet of paraffined paper or the like are
first perforated simlutaneously or separately as shown by the openings 1, any
number of these perforations being employed. The stamp sheet is then laid upon
the cover blank with the paraffine paper interposed next the gummed surface and
the package thus formed is placed upon a suitable carrier provided with pins
which pass through the perforations and hold all the sheets in alignment. The
package is then ted beneath a suitable sewing or stapling machine and the
fastenings, as at e¹, applied.
The large book thus formed is now subdivided into smaller books on the lines
indicated. These are then trimmed and all superfluous parts removed, and folded
along the line d in the center of the imperforate space when they are ready for
distribution among the post offices throughout the country. For example, a sheet
of 384 2 cent stamps when divided will make 32 small books each having the
length of 3 stamps and a width of 4 stamps comprising one sheet of twelve two
cent stamps of the actual value of 24 cents, and these books will be sold at a small
advance over this sum. A larger book would contain two sheets of the same size
as above, with a thin sheet of prepared paper between, and a still larger book four
sheets with two sheets of prepared paper between, each book of course being sold
at a proper advance over the value of the stamps. If the cover blank F is not
of a previously prepared paper then the assembling would begin with a sheet of
prepared paper laid first upon the inside of the cover or its equivalent, and a sheet
of stamps is laid with the gummed face down on the inside of the cover blank.
The spaces d and offer a strong surface by which the stamps may be bound to
the cover and act also as hinges for folding and holding the two halves of each
sheet together, so that should all the stamps on one side of a single leaf in a book
be removed, those on the opposite side would still remain in the book. The inven-
tion is not confined to this size of sheet, as it will be seen that the unprinted
spaces on the cover blank, the corresponding spaces on the sheet of stamps, and
the number and denomination of the stamps may be varied. The small books
may be made up of one cent stamps or two cent stamps, or of ones and twos in
combination, to secure a certain value, and of a size adapted for the vest pocket
or purse, and for convenience in remitting small amounts by mail. The cheap-
ness of the covers admits of them being thrown away after the stamps have been
used. For use in large business and banking institutions, it is preferable to
use a book of the value of five and ten dollars, made up, of sheets of the value of
one dollar each, or five two cents stamps long and ten wide before folding.
In order to keep the books closed I may use an elastic band 2, held to the back
by a strip 3 as in Figure 5.
Instead of the flap P and the rubber band fastening above described the con-
struction shown in Figure 6 may be employed in which the flap P is made of
reduced size and is provided with an extending tongue which is fitted to a slit
made in the folded part of the cover.
The space 4 (Fig. 4) on the outer cover of the book may be utilized for advertis-
ing purposes, while the space 5 may be used to indicate the number of stamps
contained in the book and their denomination together with the price of the book.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
1. The improvement relating to postage and other stamps which consists in
arranging and dividing a sheet of stamps and a cover therefor in such manner
that said sheet and cover may be folded and formed into a book; substantially as
described.
2. A stamp sheet having one series of narrow spaces in the body thereof dividing
adjacent rows of stamps; a second series of spaces wider than the first along which
said sheet is folded to form a book and a third series of spaces wider than the first
and second series extending around the edges and centrally of said sheet, sub-
stantially as described.
3. In combination with the stamp sheet of Claim 2, a cover blank corresponding
thereto and adapted to be divided into sections to form books, substantially as
described.
4. In combination with the stamp sheet and cover blank of Claims 2 and 3 the
wide spaces on the cover blank providing for the formation of flaps on the small
books, substantially as described.
5. A stamp book comprising a cover, a sheet or sheets of stamps secured within
said cover, said stamp sheet having a central imperforate line for the fastening
devices, substantially as described.
6. The improved mode of arranging and binding postage and other stamps,
substantially as described and illustrated in the drawings.
Dated this 2nd day of January 1898
SLOAN & LLOYD BARNES,
Castle Chambers, 26, Castle Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicants.