IM- PROVEMENTS IN ADHESIVE STAMPS OR LABELS FOR POSTAL, REVENUE, AND OTHER PURPOSES, AND IN MEANS FOR CANCELLING OR DEFACING THE SAME
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, &
Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN ADHESIVE STAMPS OR LABELS FOR POSTAL, REVENUE, AND
OTHER PURPOSES, AND IN MEANS FOR CANCELLING OR DEFACING THE SAME." A
communication from abroad by Avery Belcher Foster, of Providence, Rhode
Island, United States of America.
Sealed the 8th September 1877, and dated the 24th May 1877;
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th May 1877.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents;
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ADHESIVE STAMPS OR LABELS
FOR POSTAL, REVENUE, AND OTHER PURPOSES, AND IN MEANS FOR CANCELLING OR
DEFACING THE SAME." [A communication from abroad by Avery Belcher Foster, of
Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America.]
The object of this Invention is to prevent the re-use of postage or other adhesive
stamps or labels, and consists chiefly in so arranging the adhesive material around
the border of the stamp that the central portion of the stamp will not be secured
when the stamp is secured by the adhesive material, thus leaving the central portion
of the stamp loose, to be operated upon by any suitable eraser to effectually deface
the stamp, and prevent its re-use.
The stamps are provided at their back with any suitable adhesive material, pre-
ferably a material which, by being slightly moistened, will cause the stamp to firmly
adhere;
but instead of covering the whole of the back of the stamp with such
adhesive material; only a border at or near and around the edges of the stamp is
provided with adhesive material. This material is placed on the stamps whilst they.
are in sheets by any suitable machine or apparatus, either by printing the adhesive
material upon the stamp, or by brushes or rollers arranged to apply the adhesive
material to the stamps.
When the whole stamp is secured by adhesive material it becomes difficult to
remove a portion of the stamp, as all parts are firmly secured, but when the greater
portion is left loose, any punching, tearing, or cutting implement will readily:

page_text: remove a portion of the stamp. The said stamp cannot then be re-used, as it cannot
be restored to its original condition by washing, as the cut out portion cannot be
replaced.
To facilitate the cancelling of the stamp the cancellor or eraser is secured in the
stamping implement by which the stamp is marked or defaced, so that at one
operation the letter on which the stamp is applied is marked, and the said stamp is
cancelled. A round hole is cut out by a punch having a partial rotation imparted
to it by forcing the stamp on the letter, and a cut made by a cutter having a
lateral motion, whilst a cross cut is made by a suitable cutter. A portion of the
central loose portion of the stamp may then be readily removed, and the said stamp
permanently destroyed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 23rd
November 1877.
"
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. IMPROVEMENTS IN ADHESIVE STAMPS OR LABELS
FOR POSTAL, REVENUE, AND OTHER PURPOSES, AND IN MEANS FOR CANCELLING OR
DEFACING THE SAME." A communication from abroad by Avery Belcher Foster, of
Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America.
The object of this Invention is to prevent the re-use of postage or other adhesive
stamps or labels, and the said Invention consists chiefly in so arranging the adhesive
material around the border of the stamp, that the central portion of the stamp shall
not be secured when the stamp is secured by the adhesive material, thus leaving
the central portion of the stamp loose, to be operated by any suitable eraser to
effectually deface the stamp, and prevent its re-use..
The stamps or labels are provided at their back with any suitable adhesive
material, preferably a material which, by being slightly moistened, will cause the
stamp to firmly adhere; but instead of covering the whole of the back of the stamp
with such adhesive material, only a border at or near and around the edges of the
stamp is provided with adhesive material. This adhesive material is applied to or
placed on the stamps whilst they are in sheets by any suitable machine or apparatus,
either by printing, or by brushes or rollers arranged to apply the adhesive material
to the stamp, as herein-after described.
In the accompanying Drawing,
Figure 1 represents the face of a postage stamp, and Figure 2 the back of a sheet
of postage stamps, the sectional margin representing the adhesive material.
Figures 3, 4, and 5 represent the stamps when cancelled by different kinds of
erasers, by which the central loose portion of the stamp is sufficiently mutilated to
prevent its re-use.
When the whole stamp is secured by adhesive material it becomes difficult to
remove a portion of the stamp, as all parts are firmly secured, but when the greater
portion is left loose, any punching, tearing, or cutting implement will readily
remove a portion of the stamp. The said stamp cannot then be re-used; it cannot
be restored to its original condition by washing, as the cut out portion cannot be
restored.

page_text: By this Invention the Post Office Department may save large sums of money, of
which it is now defrauded by the re-use of stamps.
a represents the adhesive stamp; b, b, b, the margin covered with paste or other
adhesive material; c, c, c, the portions cut out by the cancelling instrument.
To facilitate the cancelling of the stamp the cancellor or eraser is secured in the
stamping implement by which the stamp is marked or defaced, so that at one
operation the letter on which the stamp is affixed is marked, and the said stamp is
cancelled. A round hole, shown in Figure 3, is cut out by a punch having a partial
rotation imparted to it by forcing the stamp on the letter, and a cut is made, as in
Figure 4, by a cutter having a lateral motion, whilst a cross cut, shown in Figure 5,
is made by a suitable cutter. In cither case a portion of the central loose portion of
the stamp may be readily removed, and the stamp permanently destroyed.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,
First. A postage or other adhesive stamp or label on which the adhesive material
is placed along the margin of the stamp, only leaving the central portion free from
adhesive material, as and for the purpose described.
Second. The stamp or label pasted along the margin only, and which may be
destroyed by a cutting, tearing, or perforating instrument at the central or unpasted
portion, as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
WM. ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)