CERTAIN NEW AND USEFUL IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PRINTING SURFACES OR CANCELLING REVENUE OR OTHER STAMPE
Year: 1866

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Thomas Smith Hudson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and Declaration,
on the 23rd June 1866, pursuant to the 9th Section of the Patent Law
Amendment Act, 1832.
TO ALL PERSONS TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, BE
IT KNOWN, that I, THOMAS SMITH HUDSON, of the State of Massachusetts,
of the United States of America, have made a new and useful Invention of
"CERTAIN NEW AND USEFUL IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PRINTING SURFACES
OR CANCELLING REVENUE OR OTHER STAMPE," and I do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed,
to be fully set forth and described in the following Specification, reference
being had to the accompanying Drawings making part thereof.
Pine 871

page_text: Figure 1 is a side elevation; Figure 2, a transverse section, and Figure 3.
a horizontal section of a printing or cancelling machine or stamp provided
with my Invention: Figure 4 is a top view; Figure 5. a bottom view: and
Figures 6 and 7 are transverse and vertical sections of its type chase;
Figures 8 and 9 are end views, and Figure 10, a side elevation of one of the
movable types of such chase.
In the said Drawings A denotes the frame of the machine. it being pro-
vided with a bed a. on which the paper to be imprinted or that carrying a
stamp to be cancelled is to rest while receiving an imprint. The said frame
supports a ubular plunger B. provided with an elevating spring b: the said
plunger also has a head for receiving the blow of a person's hand when
brough down upon the plunger for the purpose of depressing it toward the
bed. In the lower part of the plunger there is a socket to receive and hold
a type chase ', which is retained in place in the socket by a clamp screw i
screwed into the plunger and against or into the chase. The said chase
usually form with certain stationary types or printing devices extending from
its lower face, and also with one or more recesses or spaces k, k, tor receiving
and holding one or more movable types d. d. such as, for instance. would be
employed for printing the name of, or the figures or characters indicative of a
year.
Each of the said type recesses make tapering or dovetailed both
longitudinally and transversely, or so as to hold the type from dropping
vertically through it and from falling laterally out of it, or inward toward the
printing wheel chain or chain wheel which works through the chase. Each
of the said movable types d, d, I construct of a shape to correspond with the
recess destined to receive it, that is to say, when the recess is dovetailed, both
longitudinally and transversely, so as to hold the type in directions above
set forth. make the types dovetailing both longitudinally and transversely.
so as to fit closely into and to the recess, as shown in the Drawings. Between
the type holding recesses of the chase there is a passage through the chase.
such passage being for the reception of a printing wheel or a polygonal sprocket
wheel, and an endless chain m, the latter being arranged so as to extend around
the perimeter of the sprocket wheel 1. and that of another such wheel m', both
the said wheels and the chain being arranged within the plunger in manner as
represented in the Drawings. The said endless chain m contains thirty-one links.
which have projecting from them figures for printing the various numbers from
one to thirty-one. indicative of the days of a month. An inking ribbon D applied
to wind on two spindles q. r, arranged in manner as shown in the Drawings,

page_text: extends underneath and across the printing surface of the chase. such ribbon
being covered with a pigment or composition which will off-set" when
pressed against paper by the chase and its types. The said printing ribbon is
principally supported within one or more covering cases applied to the plunger,
and so made as to prevent dust from gathering on the rolled up parts of the
ribbon. Although one single case for such purpose may be applied to the
ribbon and the plunger. I prefer to employ two separate cases or boxes, as
shown at E. E. which are arranged so as to project from opposite sides of the
plunger, or a collar F encompassing the same, and held in place thereon by
the screw which fastens the type chase to the plunger. Each of the said cases
or boxes E. E. carries one of the winding spindles q. r. of the inking ribbon.
which attached at its ends to the two spindles is wound on one, and from
thence is to be unwound by and wound up on the other as circumstances may
require, in order to supply the type with the necessary amount of off-setting
matter. On each spindle is a friction spring s. which is arranged between
the milled head of the spindle and a movable head or cap of the box E.
and presses against the two. The opposite end of the box is a stationary
cap or cover, the spindle passing through it, and being provided with a hole
extending fransversely through it, close to and outside of it, such hole being
for reception of a split or cut ring w, or its equivalent, which serves to hold
the spindle in place against the pressure of its spring. The cap which is
to be so fitted to the box as to be easily removed from it with the spindle is
held in place by the spring. The ribbon goes through a slot or opening made
in the side of the box, and opening through the end which receives the
movable cap. The object of making each of the inking ribbon boxes with a
removable cap and winding spindle is to enable the ribbon to be easily
removed from and applied to the boxes, and previously to being applied to
them to be wound on one of the spindles. This saves many inconveniences
which would otherwise result. A spring latch e' fastened to the interior sur-
face of the plunger passes laterally across the wheel m', and into one of its
notches, such wheel being constructed with a notch d', formed in it for each
angle or side of its perimeter. From thence the spring latch e' goes through
and extends from a vertical slot made through the side of the plunger. By
pressing the latch downward it may be moved out of the notch so as to
permit the wheel and chain to be revolved, but when in either of the notches
the latch serves to arrest the revolution of the wheel. The wheel m' is fixed
on a rotary spindle f, provided with a milled head g', which serves to enable
a person to give motion to the spindle, and thereby move the chain as circum-
stances may require; the latch may be arranged outside of the plunger, and

page_text: operate in the head g', which may be made with notches in its circumference
arranged at equal and proper distances apart for determining the desirable
degrees of movement of the chain, but I prefer to arrange the latch in the
manner as represented in the Drawings, and to have it operate with the
chain wheel as it will be less liable to be injured, and will adjust the wheel
with all desirable precision. The bed a for supporting the paper to be printed.
or the stamp to be cancelled may be fixed to the base ("¹of the frame
of the machine so as to be immovable relatively thereto. but prefer
to apply such bed a to such part (" by means of a semispherical or convex
projection extended from the bed (which in this case may be supposed
to be a circular plate) into a concave cup or recess g² made in the base (".
In other words, the bed is raised somewhat off the base, and supported thereon
by a joint somewhat analogous to a ball-and-socket joint, the parts of the joint
being held in connection by a screw . going through a hole in the base.
and being screwed into the projection F. such hole being so made as in
render the bed not only capable of being revolved. but of being rocked or
tilted in either direction laterally in order to accommodate the stamp to be
cancelled or the paper to be printed to the printing surface of the type, and
thus cause the imprint to be evenly made. Instead of a movable type placed
in the chase. and for indicating or printing the name. or designating
character of a month, a prismatic wheel may be employed, such wheel having
twelve faces, carrying types or printing projections for printing the names or
designating characters of the several months of the year. Such a wheel and
its mode of application and auxiliary mechanism are shown in Figures 11.
12, and 13, the first of such Figures being a front elevation, and the second
and third vertical sections of a plunger. having such wheel and its operative
mechanism connected with it. and its type chain. In such Figures the
prismatic type wheel is shewn at a, as fixed to an arbor b. on which the
lower type chain carrying wheel revolves. The endless type chain is
shown at d, it being in all respects like that herein-before described. The
wheel is placed alongside of the type chain. and its carrying wheel
the arbor is extended through and out of the plunger B, and has a register
wheel fixed on it. such register wheel having twelve notches made in its
circumference. and at equal distances apart: these notches may be numbered
from one to twelve. A spring catch fixed to the plunger by operating in
either of the notches serves to fix the register wheel, and of course the type
wheel in position. By disconnecting the catch from the register wheel the
type wheel may be put in revolution as circumstances may require.
The
mode or modes I have adopted for conveniently making the printing wheels
and

page_text: and chains for stamping or printing apparatus of the kind above described
may be thus explained.
Figure 14 is a side elevation, and Figure 15 an edge view of a printing
polygonal or prismatic wheel of my improved kind.
In making such a printing wheel I combine with a plate, prism, or cylinder
a printing band or chain formed of the thin sheet metal. and having printing
types or projections raised or formed on it by means of one or more punches
and one or more dies, such raised types being subsequently faced by being
ground, planed, or reduced so as to bring their printing surfaces into one
plane and give the requisite finish and form to them for printing letters,
figures. or other devices designed to be printed by them. A chain of printing
links so made, or a thin band or strip of metal having types formed on it in
manner and by means of punches and dies as described. is to be laid or
spread on the outer surface of the printing plate cylinder, wheel, or prism,
and is to be fastened thereto by solder or other suitable means, so as to con-
stitute with the said supporting material a printing wheel, prism. or implement.
If desirable, the incavo parts of the types may be filled with solder or other
suitable metal or composition before application of the sheet, band. belt, or
chain to the surface destined to carry and support it. In the said Figures
14 and 15. A represents a printing chain made as described, and applied to
the perimeter of a prismatic wheel B, the hinges of the recesses being received
in corresponding concavities made at the vertices of the angles of the perimeter
of the wheel.
The above-described mode of making a printing plate cylinder or prism is
particularly applicable to the production of printing wheels or devices used in
cancelling machines employed for cancelling postage or revenue stamps. and
rendering their production when printing wheels or prisms are employed in them
cheaper than they can be made by carving the types on their wheels or prisms,
or by the usual process of electrotyping, or by founding the wheels and type
in one piece.
Figure 16 denotes a face view. and Figure 17 a section of a type plaic
made in accordance with my improvement, which consists in raising the
printing surfaces from the sheet of metal by means of one or more dies. or a
punch suitably formed. and afterwards on the part or parts so raised making
a printing face by planing, filing, or reducing the same so as to remove the
round edges and produce even and flat and defined surfaces suitable for
printing the intended letter or letters, figure or figures. It is well known
that letters or figures cannot be easily struck up from a thin plate of metal by

page_text: a punch or die, so as to have printing faces produced by the female die, and
this on account of the roundness of the edges of the projecting types or figures
which naturally results from the fact that the metal when forced into the
female die by the punch cannot be made to completely fill such die, but is
left with edges more or less round. whereby it is rendered unfit for being used
as a type. To complete it for such use it has to be reduced to a depth sufficient
to remove this roundness of the edges, and create on it a smooth flat surface:
this reduction I effect by planing. filing, or grinding the type to the extent.
required. Figure 18 denotes a section of the type as formed in the die, the
pari removed being that situated above the dotted line a. a.
With my improvement in making the type am enabled to produce it
much cheaper than by the usual process of either founding or chiselling the
letters, and thus to make type for hand stamps at rates which very materially
cheapen such articles to the community, and cable An in to generally
used. which could not be the case were if necessary to make the thin endless
type chains or wheels by forming the printing parts thereof by chiselling them
by hand from the various links, a process which besides being very expensive
could not be done without very much difficulty. In making a type chain or
a printing band or strip I, after the letters or figures may have been punched
or raised thereon by dies, grind down or reduce them all to one plane, and
for this purpose the chain composed of links with one or more letters or
figures raised on each by means of punches and dies may be laid in a groove
formed in a metallic plate provided with suitable guides. on which a filing
or planing tool may travel, and be guided while being used in reducing the
type, or removing the surplus from each required to bring its face to a level,
or in one plane with all the rest of the faces of the other types, and to
sufficiently form the faces for printing the letters or figures with suitable
defined edges.
The frame A of the cancelling or printing stamp, represented in Figures 1,
2, and 3, I construct with a trough or type holder a provided with a cover b*,
the same being as shown in Figure 19, which is a longitudinal section of the
frame; this trough serves to hold the spare types indicative of the months
and years, or those of the years only as may be required. To the bottom or
base C of the said frame AI apply one or more elastic cushions or india-
rubber feet s. 2. to relieve the hand of a person from the concussive effects of
a blow of it on the head of the plunger.
Having thus described my mechanism for cancelling stamps, or printing
as specified what thereof I claim as my Invention is as follows:-

page_text: I claim the combination of the endless chain of types, and its carrying
mechanism with the plunger.
I also claim the combination of the endless chain of types, and its carrying
mechanism. with the plunger and the chase, the whole being arranged as
specified.
I also claim the combination of the endless chain of types and its carrying
mechanism with the chase, the plunger, and the printing ribbon, arranged
substantially as set forth.
I also claim the combination of the type chamber in the neck of the frame,
with the endless chain of type. its carrying mechanism, the chase and the
plunger, arranged to operate as described.
I also claim the combination of one or more elastic cushions or masses of
india-rubber or the equivalent thereof, with the frame A and the plunger of the
press, such cushion or cushions being arranged at the bottom of such frame,
and being for the purpose specified.
I also claim the combination of a spring latch or its equivalent, with the
type chain and its carrying wheels, such catch being to operate with one of
such wheels as described.
I also claim the arrangement of the spring latch. viz.. within, and so as to
project from the plunger and operate directly with one of its type chain
carrying wheels as specified.
I also claim the application of the bed a to the stand or frame A, so as to
he adjustable in manner and under circumstances substantially as set forth, it
being also capable of being revolved transversely.
I also claim the improved manufacture of printing type made substantially
as described. viz.. by the process of stamping the letter or letters, or figure or
figures from a plate or piece of metal by dies, and substantially reducing the
metal or raised device or devices thereof, in manner and for the purpose or
purposes set forth.
I do not claim an engraved or carved type or printing cylinder or prisin;
nor do I claim a printing cylinder type or prism made by casting metal in a
melted state into a mould; nor do I claim a stereotype plate and a backing
fixed together, whether such backing be a plate, cylinder, or prism.
I claim the new manufacture of printing or type wheel prism. cylinder, or
plate, consisting of the supporting part B (Figures 14 and 15), and the
printing band or chain A.. made with concavo-convex types and applied to
such part B substantially as described.
I also claim the combination as well as the arrangement of the prismatic
printing wheel and its adjusting mechanism (shown in Figures 11, 12, and 13,)

page_text: with the endless chain of type, its carrying mechanism. and the plunger, or
the said plunger and chase, as explained.
I also claim the movable type as made with the longitudinal and transverse
dovetails, or their mechanical equivalents. for the purposes set forth.
I also claim the type chain as made with one or more type sockets or
recesses, dovetailed longitudinally and transversely, or so as to hold the type
in manner as specified.
I also claim the combination of one or more covering boxes or cases with
the inking ribbon when used with printing mechanism. for the purpose
substantially as described.
I also claim the ribbon box or case as constructed with the ribbon receiving
opening, the movable cap, and winding spindle. and its holding ring or the
equivalent thereof, the whole being substantially as specified.
witness whereof. I. the said Thomas Smith Hudson have herennin
set my hand and seal, this First day of June. One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-six.
THOMAS SMITH EDSON. (L.s.)