Apparatus for Damping Envelopes and the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Dec.,
1898
Complete Specification Left, 28th Aug., 1899-Accepted, 4th Nov., 1899
PROVISIONAL DIEVITICATION
Apparatus for Damping Envelopes and the like.
I, CONRAD COUNT VON KANITZ, of Melkof, Mecklenburg, in the German Empire,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus for damping envelopes and the like.
Apparatus for damping envelopes and the like as heretofore made and wherein
the envelope to be moistened is applied to a moistening or damping cushion which
is either of the shape of the part to be damped or has its moistening surface made
to correspond with the surface to be damped by a pattern-plate or the like
fitted thereto, the said envelope being then pressed against the moistening
cushion by moving down a cover or a pressure plate, possess disadvantages which
almost exclude them from practical use, such disadvantages being that the cover
which, when pressed downwards, always comes into contact with the moistening
surface, becomes wet upon the pressure surface and, when next brought into
operation, moistens or soils the outside of the envelope or the like which is placed
in the apparatus. As this is the part of the envelope with which the fingers are
brought into contact for gumining down the flap, it is almost impossible to pre-
vent the soiling of the said flap so that the envelope acquires a dirty appearance.
Now, this disadvantage is obviated by the apparatus forming the subject of
this invention by providing the pressure surface of the cover with a layer of a
material which takes up or absorbs water but which does not give it up when
next used so that it is not possible for the outside of the envelope to be wetted
by the cover.
I have found in practice that a suitable material from which to make the absor-
bent layer comprises a small-meshed fabric, such for example as wire gauze, and
I therefore provide the cover of my apparatus upon the pressure surface with a
covering of wire gauze.
This action of the wire gauze can be explained by saying that on account of the
rounded portions of the pressure surface any moisture which may be transferred
from the damping cushion to the said gauze does not spread laterally but upwards.
As an example I will now describe a damping apparatus provided with this
arrangement, the apparatus chosen being of the kind wherein the extent of the
moistening surface is confined by a suitable pattern plate or the like which is
applied to the moistening or damping cushion.
The apparatus consists of a box or case which also serves as the water con-
tainer and in which is fitted a device in the form of a plate provided with perfora-
tions, the said plate resting upon feet or projections on the sides of the case.
Upon this flat plate there lies a sheet of porous, absorbent material preferably
a sheet of felt, the said sheet being at such a height above the bottom of the box
that it, together with its support, lies above the surface of the water in the said
box.
The porous sheet is fed with water from the reservoir by means of suction fila-
ments or the like which dip into the water. Furthermore, the superfluous water
can always flow away through the openings in the plate or support.

page_text: The envelopes or the like to be moistened or damped are placed upon the damp-
ing sheet.
The extent or shape of the damping surface is limited by a pattern-plate or the
like which lies upon the damping sheet and is suitably secured to the case of the
apparatus, the said pattern having a shape corresponding to that of the envelope
flap and being provided with projections or stops to enable the envelope to be
placed exactly in position. The envelope is laid upon the pattern-plate in such a
manner that the gummed portion projects over the edge of the pattern-plate. The
projecting portion of the flap is then 'pressed upon the damping sheet by means
of the cover of the apparatus which for this purpose is preferably fitted to hinges
and is normally returned to its open position' by means of springs so that the
apparatus is always ready for use..
The cover which serves as the pressure plate is provided upon its pressure
surface with wire gauze or with a similarly acting fabric or gauze which does
not deposit any moisture, which may be obtained from the damping cushion, upon
the envelope to be damped or moistened.
To damp or moisten envelopes, post-cards, etc., upon the front at the part upon
which the stamp is to be applied, I can employ a pattern-plate having a hole or
opening which corresponds to the size of the stamp. By applying the label,
envelope, etc., upon this pattern-plate which is also provided with projections or
stops a portion of the envelope or label corresponding to the size of the opening
or hole is brought into contact with the damping surface when the cover is turned
down and is thereby moistened or damped.
The pattern-plates are interchangeable and the apparatus can always be pro-
vided with pattern-plates corresponding to the shapes of the envelopes or the
like to be damped or moistened.
As already mentioned the apparatus can be made in other forms that described
being only given as an example.
I, CONRAD COUNT VON KANITZ; of Melkof, Mecklenburg, in the German Empire,
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:---
This invention relates to apparatus for damping envelopes and the like.
Apparatus for damping envelopes and the like as heretofore made and wherein
the envelope to be moistened is applied to a moistening or damping cushion which
is either of the shape of the part to be damped or has its moistening surface made
to correspond with the surface to be damped by a pattern-plate, stencil-plate or the
like fitted thereto the said envelope being then pressed against the moistening
cushion by moving down a cover or a pressure plate, possess disadvantages which
almost exclude them from practical use, such disadvantages being that the cover
which, when pressed downwards, always comes into contact with the moistening
surface, becomes wet upon the pressure surface and, when next brought into
operation, moistens or soils the outside of the envelope or the like which is placed
in the apparatus. As this is the part of the envelope with which the fingers are

page_text: brought into contact for gumming down the flap, it is almost impossible to pre-
vent the soiling of the said flap so that the envelope acquires a dirty appearance.
Now, this disadvantage is obviated by the apparatus forming the subject of
this invention by providing the pressure surface of the cover with a layer of a
material which takes up or absorbs water but which does not give it up when
next used so that it is not possible for the outside of the envelope to be wetted
by the cover.
I have found in practice that a suitable material from which to make the absor-
bent layer comprises a small-meshed fabric, such for example as wire gauze, and
I therefore provide the cover of my apparatus upon the pressure surface with a
covering of wire gauze.
This action of the wire gauze can be explained by saying that on account of the
rounded portions of the pressure surface any moisture which may be transferred
from the damping cushion to the said gauze does not spread laterally but upwards.
In the drawing:-
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section:
Figure 2 a plan with the cover removed:
Figure 3 a transverse vertical section with the cover raised; and
Figure 4 a perspective view illustrating an example of a damping apparatus
provided with this arrangement, the apparatus chosen being of the kind intended
to be used for damping envelopes on the gummed surfaces of the flaps and on that
part of the front surface to which the stamp is to be gummed. In both these
cases the extent of the surface to be moistened is limited by a stencil-plate of
corresponding form laid upon the damping cushion.
Figure 5 represents a side elevation and plan view of an apparatus for damping
stamps in which the employment of a stencil-plate is dispensed with. This form
of apparatus can be employed wherever the whole surface of an object (as for
example, an adhesive label, a stamp, etc., etc.,) has to be damped.
The apparatus consists of a box or case a which also serves as the water con-
tainer and in which is fitted a device in the form of a plate 6 provided with
perforations f, the said plate resting upon feet or projections on the sides of the
case a.
Upon this flat plate there lies a sheet c of porous, absorbent material preferably
a sheet of felt, the said sheet being at such a height above the bottom of the
box a that it together with its support 6, lies above the surface of the water in the
said box a.
The porous sheet c is fed with water from the reservoir a by means of suction
filaments or the like d which dip into the water. Furthermore, the superfluous
water can always flow away through the openings f in the plate or support b.
The envelopes or the like to be moistened or damped are placed upon the damp-
ing sheet c.
The extent or shape of the damping surface is limited by a pattern-plate,
stencil-plate or the like g which lies upon the damping sheet c and is suitably
secured to the case of the apparatus, the said pattern having a shape corresponding
to that of the envelope flap and being provided with projections or stops a
to enable the envelope to be placed exactly in position. The envelope u is laid
upon the pattern-plate g in such a manner that the gummed portion as shewn in
dotted lines in Figure 4 projects over the edge of the pattern-plate. The project-
ing portion of the flap is then pressed upon the damping sheet c by means of the
cover h of the apparatus which for this purpose is preferably fitted to hinges i
and is normally returned to its open position by means of springs so that the
apparatus is always ready for use.
The cover h which serves as the pressure plate is provided upon its pressure
surface with wire gauze y or hair gauze or cloth or with a similarly acting fabric
or gauze which does not deposit any moisture, which may be obtained from the
damping cushion c, upon the envelope to be damped or moistened.
To damp or moisten envelopes, post-cards, etc., upon the front at the part upon

page_text: which the stamp is to be applied, the pattern-plate which is shewn at the right
hand of Figure 4 can be employed the said pattern-plate having a hole or open-
ing m which corresponds to the size of the stamp. By applying the label,
envelope, etc., upon this pattern-plate which is also provided with projections or
stops a portion of the envelope or label corresponding to the size of the opening
or hole m is brought into contact with the damping surface when the cover is
turned down and is thereby moistened or damped.
The pattern-plates g and I are interchangeable and the apparatus can always
be provided with pattern-plates corresponding to the shapes of the envelopes or
the like to be damped or moistened.
By the side of the larger cover a smaller one h¹, Figure 4 is arranged, and this
has its pressure surface similarly covered with wire gauze y. This smaller cover
serves for damping stamps, small labels, and so on. They are laid with their
gummed surfaces on the damping-cushion c and the whole of this surface is
pressed against the damping cushion, and so equably moistened all over, by
pressing down the cover h¹.
:
Figure 5 shows an apparatus of this kind, intended for damping stamps, alone
without the envelope-holder, and in this particular form of damping apparatus
the stencil-plate is dispensed with.
As already mentioned the apparatus can be made in other forms; those
described being only given as examples.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
Apparatus for moistening or damping envelopes stamps, and the like wherein
the pressure plate h of the apparatus is provided upon its pressure surface with a
layer n of wire gauze, hair gauze or cloth or another similar fabric or gauze for
the purpose of preventing any moisture which may have been taken up by the
pressure plate from the damping cushion being deposited upon the envelope or
the like which is thereby kept clean.
DOL
f Amount 1800
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.