Improvements in Apparatus for Affixing Postage-stamps and the like to Envelopes or other Articles.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Dec., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 20th Sept., 1889-Accepted, 26th Oct., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Affixing Postage-stamps and the
like to Envelopes or other Articles.
I, LOUIS JULES BORIE, of 522 Washington Street, San Francisco, California,
United States of America Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
My invention has for its object to produce a machine for fixing gummed postage
stamps on envelopes and similar packages for mailing, with considerable saving in
time and labour; and to such end it consists in certain novel construction and com-
bination of parts and mechanism, and in the production of a machine that separates
the stamp from a perforated strip or ribbon of stamps, moistens it on the gumed
side and applies it to the envelope with suitable degree of pressure to cause it to
properly adhere. The machine is also adapted for fixing to papers and packages and
other objects and articles, address labels and other labels that are gummed on the back
and partially separated from one another by lines of perforations in the same manner as
postage stamps are prepared at the present day.
The following description explains the nature of my invention, and the manner in
which I proceed to construct and produce a machine in accordance therewith.
My improved machine comprises first, a spool or reel to hold the postage-stamps or
labels in a long strip or ribbon from which they are drawn and separated one at a
time; secondly, a platen that supports and presents the end of this ribbon of stamps
in position; thirdly, a swinging presser-plate having movement in the arc of a circle
and operating to seize the end stamp or label of the ribbon and draw it forward
through a separating-device which detaches the seized stamp from tbe ribbon, then to
carry it into contact with a moistening-device that wets the gumed back, and finally
to apply it with suitable degree of pressure upon the envelope or article to be stamped
or lahelled. In connection with the oscillating presser there is a device to fix the
stamp against the bottom of this travelling presser while being carried over the
moistener; and on the other part, designated as the platen there is a device to detach
the seized stamp from the strip at the line of perforations.
On the base of the machine is a rest or flat surface at the front upon which is placed
the envelope or article to receive the stamp. A gauge is provided on this part to
assist in placing the envelope properly for stamping.
At the rear or opposite end of the base is a spool or reel to hold the strip or ribbon
of stamps, and between these two points are arranged for operation the stamp holding
platen the moistening device, and the oscillating presser plate.
The spool sets in a frame and is carried by a spindle that can be withdrawn to
The frame is fixed on top of the plate
remove the empty spool and place a full one.
that has the platen on the outer end. The rear end of this plate is attached by
pivot screws to the base plate of the machine in the lugs on the rear of the base
plate. The plate extends forward to a point behind the moistening device, and the
platen is fixed on its end. The moistener consists of the open top water box, having
a fountain roller, and a moistening roller mounted in it. Upon the bottom of the
platen are fixed upright side pieces that set on the top of the base beneath, and
support the platen in substantially a horizontal position at a suitable height to receive
the presser plate.
This presser plate has a flat bottom and is fixed in an oscillating frame composed
of the two connected levers, and the cross-pieces, and attached to the base by pivot
screws.
The cross niece at the ton forms a handle for moving the frame back and forth

page_text: on its pivots, and the presser plate is suspended from the middle cross-piece by the
lugs.
To one of the lugs is connected the end of a flat bar that is attached by its opposite
end to the upper end of an arm by a pivot screw. This arm is of equal length with
that portion of the connected levers which lies between the middle cross piece and the
pivot and at the lower end it is attached to the base by a pivot screw on a horizontal
line with the pivot of the connected levers so that these parts constitute a parallelo-
gram and as the frame is moved back the arm maintains a horizontal position and the
bottom face of the presser is kept always in like horizontal position during its
oscillations.
At the end of the movement backward, the presser-plate is brought down perpen-
dicularly upon the platen that is held up by the side piece to about a level with the
moistening roller in front, and in like manner at the termination of the forward stroke
which brings the presser plate down upon the envelope lying on the rest, it will be
seen that the bottom of this presser-plate is parallel with that surface and presses
equally upon the envelope setting under it.
The moistening-device consists of the water-box, the fountain-roller setting partly out
of the water, and a smaller roller set in loose bearings in the sides to run in contact
with the fountain-roller.
The water-box is mounted on one end of the hinged plate and is alternately
elevated and depressed in suitable time with the oscillating movements of the presser-
operating-frame for the purpose of throwing the smaller roller up into position in
front of the presser-plate and in the path of that part as it moves forward from off
the platen with the stamp held on its lower face. At the movement backward when
the presser plate is brought over the platen to seize the next stamp this smaller roller
is depressed below the plane in which the bottom of the presser travels for the purpose
of keeping this surface from being wet.
'
The manner in which the moistening device is applied in the present construction of
machine renders it necessary to move the moistening roller out of contact with the
bottom of the platen during the backward stroke as at such time there is no stamp
attached to the presser, and the proper operation of the parts requires this surface kept
dry and clean.
The water box is therefore elevated and depressed at suitable times to throw the
roller into and out of operation by means of the mechanism consisting of the sliding
plate having the cut away portion for a stud on the connected lever to play in,
and at opposite ends of this part there are incline upright portions, forming stops
for the stud to strike against. The plate is held by screws working in slots and
is free to slide on the base in both directions under the movement of the said lever.
Upon the inner side of this slide is a spring-tongue having one end fixed and the
other bent upwardly and terminating in a hook which sets under and is always in
position of engagement with a pivoted latch on the side of the fountain. This
latch is pivoted to an upright and its end rests in the bend of the hook by virtue
of which the sliding movement of the plate carrying with it the spring causes this
part to draw down the outer end of the latch and thus raise the point of attachment
vertically upward. The water box is thereby elevated, and held up until the slide.
plate is moved back again.
This mechanism is so arranged and timed that the smaller roller is thrown up into
the path of the presser-plate to touch the gummed back of the stamp in the move-
ment forward of the oscillating frame and is depressed and held out of contact during
the movement backward as the presser returns to take the next stamp on the platen.
The platen has raised surfaces along the sides and between them the flat surface is
of suitable length and breadth to take the stamp. The fixed bridge-plate at the back
sets across the ends of the raised sides and is held by set-screws. From the front of
this piece the spring-tongue extends forward over the centre of the platen and bears
upon the stamp beneath which is introduced from behind through the slit or space
under the bridge piece.

page_text: The oscillating presser-plate when resting above the platen at the beginning of the
operation is held by the raised sides just clear of the stamp, or in such light contact
with it that no particular degree of pressure is brought to bear upon the stamp ; but
the downward pressure produced by moving back the oscillating frame as far as it will
go, is sufficient to force into the stamp a set of four spring-pins that work through
holes in the presser and project below its bottom face a short distance. These pins
constitute the means of attaching the stamp to the face of this presser while it
moves forward over the moistening-roller and is finally brought down upon the
envelope resting on the table, and they are forced into the stamp, a suitable amount
to impale and hold it during such movement. Four pins fixed at equal distances
apart in a spring-plate are used, and the plate is made capable of yielding under
pressure when the points of the pins are brought against a hard surface, such as tho
envelope, at the end of the downward stroke of the presser, for the purpose of
stripping the stamp from them. In line with the pins when the presser rests over
the platen there are slits formed in the face of the platen so that the points of the
pins, when pressed down, meet with no other resistance than the body of the stamp
and consequently are readily forced into the stamp without yielding. The spring that
holds down the plate can be regulated to give different degrees of pressure, by means
of a screw that takes into the top of the presser through the plate.
The device for severing the seized stamp from the next one in the strip at the line
of perforations consists of a number of pins or points arranged on the end of a lever
which is pivoted under the platen and is furnished with a tail-piece extending beyond
the pivot in a curve to rest at the end on the base at a point behind the pivot. The
pins are set upright at the outer end along the front edge of the platen, and are moved
alternately up and down by the movement of the presser-plate on the pivots. By
their one movement these points are brought down below the level of the platen, and
in this position they are held clear of the stamp, while by the upward movement they
are thrown against the bottom face, or back of the stamp, and as the latter is drawn
forward from the surface of the platen the pins take into the first line of perforations
across the strip, and thus hold back that portion of the strip which is behind this line.
The forward movement of the presser carrying with it. the impaled stamp therefore
produces separation at this line, and the stamp left behind on the platen is also in
position to be seized by the presser at the beginning of the next forward stroke. The
platen and the presser-plate are held together during the first part of the oscillating
movement until the separation of the stamp from the strip takes place and this position
is maintained at such time by the locking spring secured to one side of the platen-
support and having a curved top piece that sets over the side of the presser. This
piece is capable of limited lateral play when the presser is brought down upon it for
purpose of allowing the same to spring into position under it.
the
By this means the platen is locked to the presser-plate and, rises with it during the
first portion of the oscillating movement, so that the stamp is drawn longitudinally
forward from beneath the spring-tongue and over the pins that are thrown up as the
platen is raised and catch into the perforations as the stamp passes over them. The
platen and presser-plate are thus held together until the tail of the presser slips
from under the spring-plate and the platen then drops down into place ready for
the next stroke of the presser.
This movement of the platen as it is detached from the presser causes the pins to
be drawn down below the surface so that the front edge of the stamp seized by the
presser shall be drawn forward without catching in the beginning of the movement
forward at the next stroke of the presser.
In arranging stamps or labels for this machine, they are prepared in long strips
or ribbons and wound upon spools or reels with the backs suitably gummed and the
stamps or labels partly detached by lines of perforations after the manner of
separating postage stamps at the present day. The end of a strip is introduced
under the cross-piece at the back of the platen and the front edge of its first stainp
is set forward to the front of the platen with the gummed side downward. By

page_text: moving the handle back and forth with a full stroke the first stamp is seized by the
presser-plate and is successively drawn from beneath the spring tongue, moistened on
the back and pressed down upon the envelope or paper, which is presented on the
table at the front of the machine.
Dali, au
Dhan 1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Affixing Postage Stamps and the
like to Envelopes or other Articles.
I, LOUIS JULES BORIE, of the City and County of San Francisco, State of
California, one of the United States of America, Gentleman 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 :-
My invention has for its object to produce a machine for fixing gummed postage
stamps on envelopes and similar packages for mailing, with considerable saving in
time and labour; and to such end it consists in certain novel construction and
combination of parts and mechanism, and in the production of a machine that
separates the stamp from a perforated strip or ribbon of stamps, moistens it on the
gummed side and applies it to the envelope with suitable degree of pressure to cause
it to properly adhere. The machine is also adapted for fixing to papers and packages
and other objects and articles, address labels and other labels that are gummed on
the back and partially separated from one another by lines of perforations in the
same manner as postage stamps are prepared at the present day.
The following description explains the nature of my invention, and the manner
in which I proceed to construct and produce a machine in accordance therewith.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the complete machine taken from the right hand
side.
Figure 2 is an elevation taken from the opposite side.
Figure 3 is a top view, or plan of the machine.
Figure 4 is a vertical section, on a larger scale, through the principal parts of the
machine, in a longitudinal direction.
Figure 5 is a transverse section through the sectional view figure 4 at the lineæa,
showing the moistening fountain removed and the vertically-oscillating presser resting
upon the stamp-holding platen.
Figure 6 is a perspective view, on a larger scale, of the oscillating-presser-plate.
Figure 7 is a similar view of the platen that holds and presents the stamps to the
presser.
My improved machine comprise first, a spool or reel to hold the postage-stamps or
labels in a long strip or ribbon from which they are drawn and separated one at a
time secondly, a platen that supports and presents the end of this ribbon of stamps
in position; thirdly, a swinging presser-plate having movement in the are of a circle
and operating to seize the end stamp or label of the ribbon and draw it forward
through a separating-device which detaches the seized stamp from the ribbon, then to
carry it into contact with a moistening-device that wets the gummed back, and finally
to apply it with suitable degree of pressure upon the envelope or article to be stamped
or labelled. In connection with the oscillating presser there is a device to fix the
stamp against the bottom of this travelling presser while being carried over the
moistener; and on the other part, designated as the platen there is a device to detach
the seized stamp from the strip at the line of perforations.
On the base A of the machine is a rest or flat surface A* at the front upon
which is placed the envelope or article to receive the stamp. A gauge X is provided
on this part to assist in placing the envelope properly for stamping.

page_text: At the rear or opposite end of the base is a spool or reel B to hold the strip or
ribbon of stamps, and between those two points are arranged for operation the stamp
holding platen D, the moistening device, and the oscillating presser plate E.
The spool sets in a frame Band is carried by a spindle 132 that can be withdrawn
to remove the empty spool and place a full one. The frame B is fixed on top of
the plate 1x that has the platen D on the outer end. The rear end of this plate is
attached by pivot screws D² to the base plate of the machine in the lugs A² on the
rear of the base plate. The plate Dx extends forward to a point behind the
moistening device, and the platen D is fixed on its end. The moistener consists of
the open top water box M, having a fountain roller N, and a moistening roller P
mounted in it. Upon the bottom of the part D are fixed upright side pieces G G
that set on the top of the base A beneath, and support the part D in substantially
a horizontal position at suitable height, to receive the presser plate E. This part É
has a flat bottom and is fixed in an oscillating frame composed of the two levers HH,
and the cross pieces H* F, and attached to the base A by pivot screws h h.
The bar Hat the top forms a handle for moving the frame back and forth on
its pivots, and the presser plate is suspended from the middle cross-piece F by the
lugs e e.
To one of the lugs and at ex is connected the end of a flat bar I, that is attached
by its opposite end to the upper end of an arm J by the pivot screw j. This
arm Jis of equal length with that portion of the arm H which lies between the
point and the pivot h, and at the lower end it is attached to the base by a pivot
screw kon a horizontal line with the point ; so that these parts constitute a
parallelogram and as the frame H H is moved back the arm I maintains a horizontal
position and the bottom: face of the presser is kept always in like horizontal position
during its oscillations.
At the end of the movement backward, the presser-plate is brought down per-
pendicularly upon the platen D that is held up by the supports G to about a level
with the moistening roller P in front, and in like manner at the termination of the
forward stroke which brings this part I down upon the envelope lying on the rest A*,
it will be seen that the bottom of this presser-plate is parallel with that surface and
presses equally upon the envelope setting under it.
The mostening-device consists of the water-box M, the fountain-roller N setting
partly out of the water, and a smaller roller P set in loose bearings in the sides m, m
to run in contact with the fountain roller N. The water-box is mounted on one
end of the hinged plate R and is alternately elevated and depressed in suitable time
with the oscillating movements of the presser-operating frame H H for the purpose
of throwing the roller P up into position in front of the presser-plate and in the
path of that part as it moves forward from off the platen with the stamp held on its
lower face. At the movement backward when the presser plate is brought over the
platen to seize the next stamp this roller P is depressed below the plane in which
the bottom of the presser travels for the purpose of keeping this surface from being
wet.
The manner in which the moistening device is applied in the present construction
of machine renders it necessary to move the moistening roller out of contact with
the bottom of the platen during the backward stroke as at such time there is no
stamp attached to the presser, and the proper operation of the parts requires this
surface kept dry and clean.
The water box is therefore elevated and depressed at suitable times to throw the
roller into and out of operation by means of the mechanism illustrated more
particularly in Figures 2, 3 and 5, consisting of the sliding plate S having the cut-
away portion S* for a stud L on the arm H to play in and at opposite ends of this
part there are incline upright portions S* S* forming stops for the stud to strike
against. The plate is held by screws t t working in slots and is free to slide on the
base A in both directions under the movement of the arm H. Upon the inner side

page_text: of this slide is a spring-tongue having one end fixed and the other bent upwardly and
terminating in a hook S3 which sets under and is always in position of engagement
with a pivoted latch T on the upright R* at the side of the fountain. This part T is
pivoted at Tx to the side of the fountain and its end T2 rests in the bend of the
hook S by virtue of which the sliding movement of the plate carrying with it the
spring causes. this part to draw down the outer end of the latch and thus raise
the point of attachment Tx vertically upward. The fountain M is thereby elevated,
and held up until the slide-plate S is moved back again. Figures 2 and 4 of the
drawing represent the position of these parts when the fountain is depressed and its
roller is out of the path of the presser.
This mechanism is so arranged and timed that the roller P is thrown up into the
path of the presser-plate to touch the gummed back of the stamp in the movement
forward of the oscillating-frame and is depressed and held out of contact during the
movement backward as the presser returns to take the next stamp on the platen.
The platen has raised surfaces D³ along the sides, and between them the flat
surface D is of suitable length and breadth to take the stamp. The fixed bridge-
plate U at the back sets across the ends of the raised sides, and is held by set-
screws U. From the front of this piece the spring-tongue U extends forward over
the centre of the platen and bears upon the stamp beneath which is introduced from
behind through the slit or space under the bridge piece.
The oscillating presser-plate when resting above the platen at the beginning of the
operation is held by the raised sides D just clear of the stamp, or in such light
contact with it that no particular degree of pressure is brought to bear upon the
stamp but the downward pressure produced by moving back the oscillating
frame H H, as far as it will go, is sufficient to force into the stamp a set of four
spring-pins E2 E2 that work through holes in the presser and project below its
bottom face a short distance. These pins constitute the means of attaching the
stamp to the face of this presser while it moves forward over the moistening-roller
and is finally brought down upon the envelope resting on the table A*; and they are
forced into the stamp, a suitable amount to impale and hold it during such movement.
Four pins fixed at equal distances apart in a spring plate e² are used, and the plate is
made capable of yielding under pressure when the points of the pins are brought
against a hard surface, such as the envelope, at the end of the downward stroke of
the presser, for the purpose of stripping the stamp from them. In line with the pins
when the presser rests over the platen there are slits d³ formed in the face of the
platen so that the points of the pins, when pressed down, meet. with no other resistance
than the body of the stamp and consequently are readily forced into the stamp
without yielding. The spring e¹ that holds down the plate e² can be regulated to give
different degrees of pressure, by means of the screw e that takes into the top of the
presser through the plate.
The device for severing the seized stamp from the next one in the strip at the
line of perforations consists of a number of pins or points p p arranged on the
end of a lever Q which is pivoted at Q under the platen and is furnished with a
tail-piece extending beyond the pivot in a curve to rest at the end on the base A
at a point behind the pivot. The pins pp are set upright at the outer end along
the front edge of the platen, and are moved alternately up and down by the move-
ment of the presser plate D× on the pivots D2. By their one movement these
points are brought down below the level of the platen, and in this position they
are held clear of the stamp, while by the upward movement they are thrown against
the bottom face or back of the stamp, and as the latter is drawn forward from
the surface of the platen the pins take into the first line of perforations across the
strip, and thus hold back that portion of the strip which is behind this line. The
forward movement of the presser carrying with it the impaled stamp therefore
produces separation at this line, and the stamp left behind on the platen is also in
position to be seized by the presser at the beginning of the next forward stroke.

page_text: The platen D and the presser plate E are held together during the first part of the
oscillating movement until the separation of the stamp from the strip takes place,
and this position is maintained at such time by the locking-spring V secured to one
side of the platen-support G G and having a curved top piece that sets over the
side of the presser, as shown in Figures 5 and 7. This piece is capable of limited
lateral play when the presser is brought down upon it for the purpose of allowing
the same to spring into position under it.
By this means the platen is locked to the part E and rises with it during the first
portion of the oscillating movement, so that the stamp is drawn longitudinally
forward from beneath the spring-tongue U and over the pins that are thrown up as
the platen is raised and catch into the perforations as the stamp passes over them.
The platen D and presser plate E are thus held together until the tail of the presser
slips from under the spring-plate V and the platen then drops down into place ready
for the next stroke of the presser.
This movement of the platen as it is detached from the presser causes the pins p
to be drawn down below the surface so that the front edge of the stamp seized by the
presser shall be drawn forward without catching in the beginning of the movement
forward at the next stroke of the presser.
In arranging stamps or labels for this machine, they are prepared in long strips
or ribbons and wound upon spools or reels, with the backs suitably gummed and the
stamps or labels partly detached by lines of perforations after the manner of separating
postage stamps at the present day. The end of a strip is introduced under the cross-
piece at the back of the platen and the front edge of its first stamp is set forward to
the front of the platen with the gummed side downward. By moving the handle
back and forth with a full stroke the first stamp is seized by the presser plate and
is successively drawn from beneath the spring tongue, moistened on the back and
pressed down upon the envelope or paper, which is presented on the table A* at the
front of the machine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what mannor the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
First. The machine for affixing gummed stamps or labels to envelopes, papers and
other articles, consisting essentially of a stamp-holding platen D, capable of a limited
vertical movement and having a device for temporarily confining the stamp on its
surface, the oscillating presser-plate E provided with a device for seizing and fixing
the stamp to its bottom face when pressed down upon the face of the platen and
having movement in a vertical are from the platen forward over a
moistening device
and down upon a table or surface adapted to support the envelope or article to be
stamped or labelled, a device operating at the front of the platen to separate the seized
stamp from the next one of the strip and means whereby the moistening device is
thrown into action to wet the gummed side of the stamp in the movement forward of
the presser-plate and is drawn away out of contact in the return movement, constructed
substantially as herein before set forth.
Second. In a machine for affixing postage stamps and gummed labels the com-
bination of a spool for holding the stamps or labels previously prepared in the form of
a long strip or ribbon having the width of one stamp or label and with lines of per-
forations that partially separate the stamps from one another, the supporting platen D
having a separating device to catch into the perforations between one stamp and the
next, the swinging presser-plate having oscillating movement in a vertical arc from
the platen forward and down upon a surface A* on which the envelope or article to
be stamped is laid, and provided with a device to seize the stamp presented to it by
the platen and temporarily fix the same against its bottom face, a moistening device
consisting of a fountain, a fountain-roller and a moistening-roller and means by which
the moistening-roller is thrown into and out of action, and a locking device to lock
the presser to the platen during the first portion of the forward stroke of the presser

page_text: for the purpose of producing a sliding movement of this part on the platen by which
the stamp is drawn off and separated from the strip, substantially as described, for
operation as set forth.
Dated this 20th day of September 1889.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.