Improvements in Apparatus for Damping Postage Stamps, Envelopes, and the like.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Aug., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 20th May, 1891-Accepted, 20th June, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Damping Postage Stamps, Envelopes,
and the like.
I, WILLIAM THOMAS SHAW, of 110 Bunhill Row in the City of London,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In the Specification of a former Patent granted to me dated the 15th day of
December 1887 No. 17292 I described an inkstand in which the ink in the dipping
well always remained at the same level being supplied from a reservoir in which
there was pivotted a semi-solid of revolution of half the specific gravity of
the ink.
The apparatus which forms the subject of the present invention works upon the
same principle. There is a reservoir in which is pivotted about its axis a semi-
solid of revolution of half the specific gravity of the water or other liquid in
the reservoir. The reservoir communicates with a small well above which is
mounted a box or tray containing a sponge or pad, the pad being connected
by a wick to the liquid in the well. In this way the pad is always maintained
at the same degree of dampness since the height of the liquid in the well
remains constant. A lid is provided to the box to prevent undue evaporation
from the pad.
D
1 ..
1
2
1000
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Damping Postage Stamps, Envelopes,
and the like.
"
I, WILLIAM THOMAS SHAW, of 110 Bunhill Row in the City of London,
Manufacturer, 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 :-
In the Specification of a former Patent granted to me dated the 15th day
of December 1887 No. 17292 I described an inkstand in which the ink in the
dipping well always remained at the same level being supplied from a reservoir
in which there was pivotted a semi-solid of revolution of half the specific gravity
of the ink.
The apparatus which forms the subject of the present invention works upon the
same principle. There is a reservoir in which is pivotted about its axis a semi-
solid of revolution of half the specific gravity of the water or other liquid in
the reservoir. The reservoir communicates with a small well above which is
mounted a box or tray containing a sponge or pad, the pad being connected
by a wick to the liquid in the well. In this way the pad is always maintained at
the same degree of dampness since the height of the liquid in the well remains
constant. A lid is provided to the box to prevent undue evaporation from
the pad.
The drawing shews a vertical section of an apparatus constructed according to
this invention. a is the reservoir. b the float which is the half of any solid of
revolution such for example as a sphere or a cylinder. The float b is provided with
trunnions c about which it can turn. d is an air inlet, and e is a well connected to
the reservoir by the duct f. gg shews the height at which the liquid is always
maintained by the float. is a box or tray at the top of the well, in it is a pad i of

page_text: felt, sponge or other material. This pad is provided with a wick j which dips into
the liquid in the well. is the lid of the box.
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. The combination of a liquid containing vessel, a float of half the specific
gravity of the liquid and of the shape obtained by halving a solid of revolution by
a plane passing through its axis, such float being pivotted in the vessel and free to
turn about the said axis, and an absorbent pad in connection with the liquid in the
vessel.
2. The combination of a liquid containing vessel, a float of half the specific
gravity of the liquid and of the shape obtained by halving a solid of revolution by
a plane passing through its axis, a well communicating with the vessel, a tray or
box above the well, an absorbent pad in the tray or box and a wick from the pad
to the liquid in the well.
Dated the 17th 1
r A
1001
WM. THOS. SHAW.