A NEW AND USEFUL MACHINE FOR AFFIXING POSTAGE STAMPS TO LETTERS
Year: 1858

page_text: application for Letters Patent was not given within the time prescribed
by the Act.)
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by George Knowles Snow at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 31st
May 1858.
BE IT KNOWN, that I, GEORGE KNOWLES SNOW, of Watertown, in the
State of Massachusetts, of the United States of America, have invented "A
NEW AND USEFUL MACHINE FOR AFFIXING POSTAGE STAMPS TO LETTERS ;" and I do
hereby declare that the nature of the same, and the manner in which it is to
be performed, are fully described and represented in the following Specification
and the accompanying Drawings, of which Figure 1 is a top view; Figure 2, a
side elevation; Figure 3, a rear elevation; Figure 4, a front elevation; and
Figure 5, a vertical section of it.
The machine, as exhibited in the Drawings, is very efficient in operation,
and calculated for use in post offices or merchants' counting rooms, as well as
elsewhere, particularly where it may be desirable to post stamp letters with
expedition. A is a frame or table constructed with two standards B, B, for
supporting the fulcrum shaft a of a hand lever C. It is also made with a
rising or ledge D, and two depressions or sunken spaces E, F.
The space E is to contain an elastic bed or cushion G, made of vulcanized
india-rubber or other suitable material, while the space F is to hold a sponge
or other absorbent substance, wet with water or a liquid. These spaces, as

page_text: well as the ledge or gauge D, are to be arranged with reference to the
standards B, B, as shown in the Drawings. The said lever C carries a
platen II, whose inner edge operates or is provided with a shear or cutting
edge d, or a means of causing another shear or cutter I, arranged at the rear
part of the clastic bed, to operate or separate a postage stamp from a strip of
such when placed between the bed and platen, and the latter is forced down
On the shaft a, and so
upon or toward the former, or a letter laid thereon.
as to freely rotate thereon, is a feeding roller K, furnished with an elastic
periphery, such roller being placed directly over the table, and provided with a
ratchet L. A spring pawl M extends from the lever C, and works in the
teeth of the ratchet. The lever C may also carry a small drum or roller N,
which, when the machine is in use, may have a strip of postage stamps
wound on it. A spring o projecting from the lever, and bearing on the outer
periphery of the wound strip, serves to keep the drum from being revolved too
fast while the machine is being used.
In order to prepare this machine for operation, the strip of stamps should
be led from the drum N downward against the rear edge of the feed roller,
and between such feed roller and the table, as well as between two parallel
guides or ledges b, b, arranged on and projecting above the table, as shown in
Figures 1 and 3. By raising the lever C, the feed roller will be turned, and
cause the strip to advance over the shear or cutter I, and upon the bed or
cushion G; after the strip has been so moved far enough to bring the cutter
directly between that postage stamp at the end of the strip and the second
one, the machine will be ready for fixing the first stamp to a letter.
The arrangement of the strip on the drum, should be such as to cause its
pasted or sized side to be uppermost, when a postage stamp is laying on the
elastic bed. Such being the condition of things, the operator should take hold
of the lever C with his left hand, while the letter to be post stamped should
be held in bis right hand, and with its superscribed face downward. Next
he should lay and press on the damping sponge of the recess F, that part of
the surface of the letter which is to receive the stamp. In this manner he
will wet such part of such surface, and prepare it for the reception of a stamp.
This having been done, he next should lay the wet surface on the postage
stamp lying on the elastic bed, taking care to bring the edge of the letter
against the ledge or gauge D. Next, with his left hand he should bear the
lever downward, so as to press the lever upon the postage stamp, and cause
the latter to be cut from the strip and made to adhere to the letter. The next
time the lever is elevated, auother postage stamp will be advanced toward and
upon the bed, so as to prepare the machine for post stamping another letter

page_text: A person after a little practice with this machine will post stamp letters very
expeditiously.
I claim the combination of feeding mechanism, shearing or cutting mecha-
nism, a platen and bed applied together, so as to constitute a machine for
affixing postage stamps to letters, substantially as described.
I also claim the arrangement of the feeding mechanism, the platen, and
the shear or shears, with respect to the lever and the bed, substantially as
specified, whereby by the reciprocating motions of the lever, results will take
place as set forth.
I also claim the gauge D in combination with the bed or the table and the
post stamping mechanism.
I also claim combining with the post stamping apparatus or in one frame
with it, a means of damping or wetting the surface, or that part of a letter on
which a stamp is to be affixed, as described.