AN IMPROVED LABEL DAMPER
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Baddeley, of No. 13, Angell Terrace,
Islington, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, for the Invention
of "AN IMPROVED LABEL DAMPER."
Sealed the 5th August 1853, and dated the 16th June 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Baddeley
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 16th June 1853.
I, WILLIAM BADDELEY, of No. 13, Angell Terrace, Islington, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "AN IMPROVED LABEL DAMPER" to be as follows:-
Within a vessel of earthenware, glass, or metal, capable of holding
water, I mount a series of rollers consisting of a large central roller
furnished with a handle for turning it round, and three smaller rollers,
one on each side, and one below the large roller. I pass an endless
band round the three small rollers to enclose them, which band passes
down under the central roller, the lower part of which is immersed in
On placing a label in contact with one side of the large
roller, and turning the handle, the label will be carried down under the

page_text: thoroughly wetted for use on the opposite side of the roller.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Baddeley in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 16th December 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
WILLIAM BADDELEY, of No. 13, Angell Terrace, Islington, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the sixteenth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said William Baddeley, Ifer special licence that I,
the said William Baddeley, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said William Baddeley, my executors, administra-
tors, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein ex-
pressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED LABEL DAMPER,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Baddeley,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Baddeley, do hereby de-
clare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof (that is to say):
Within a vessel of earthenware, glass, or metal, capable of holding
water, I mount a series of rollers consisting of a large central roller,
furnished with a handle for turning it round, and three smaller rollers,
one on each side, and one below the larger roller. I
pass an endless

page_text: band round the three small rollers to enclose them, which band passes
down under the central roller, the lower part of which is immersed in
the water. On placing a label in contact with one side of the large
roller, and turning the handle, the label will be carried down under the
roller through the water, and will be brought up and delivered
thoroughly wetted for use on the opposite side of the roller.
And in order that the nature of my Invention may
be more fully
understood, reference is had to the Drawings hereto annexed, and to
the letters and figures marked thereon, that
to say:
Figure 1, is an external clevation (full size) of a label damper
constructed agreeably to my Invention; Figure 2, is a section of the
same; and Figure 3, a plan view with the cover removed. The same
letters refer to similar parts in each of these figures. A, A, is a cistern
or reservoir for holding water, constructed of earthenware, glass, or any
other suitable material; B, B, is a cover; C, is a central roller mounted
on a spindle, which turns in bearings in the sides of the reservoir A, A;
D, D, are two small rollers, the axes of which rest upon shelves e, c, on
each side within the reservoir; F, is another roller, the axes of which
play in two vertical slots 9; H, is a handle for turning the central
roller C. An endless band i, i, i, passes under the roller C, and
encloses the rollers D, D, and F, so that when the roller C, is turned
round, the other rollers turn round also. In the cover B, B, there are
two apertures I, and O. Water being placed in the reservoir to about
the level of the shelf e, the instrument is ready for use. The postage
or other stamp or label to be damped being put into the opening I,
and the handle H, turned in the direction of the arrow, the label will
pass down under the roller C, through the water, up on the opposite
side, and out through the opening O, properly damped for affixing.
When the water sinks below the point of contact of the rollers
C, and F, the label will not then pass through the water, but will,
nevertheless, be effectually damped by contact with the wet surfaces of
the rollers F, and C, so long as any water touches the roller F.
Another form of this label damper is shewn by Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7,
of the accompanying Drawings. Figure 4, being an external elevation ;
Figure 5, a section; Figure 6, a plan view; and Figure 7, an end view
of the apparatus detached from the containing vessel. A', is a cup or

page_text: vase of glass, earthenware, or other suitable material; B, the cover;
c, c, is a metal ring which carries the spindle of the roller C', and
also two guide wires d, d; D', D', are two small tubes or rollers with-
out axes, which are supported by and turn upon the horizontal portions
of the guide wires d, d; F, is a tube or roller rotating beneath the
roller C', and within the circular part of the guide wires d, d. An
endless band i, i, i, passes under the roller C¹, enclosing the tubes or
rollers D, D, and F, and communicating to them any motion given
to the rollers C', by the handle H; I, and O, are two apertures in the
cover B¹, for the entrance and exit of the label to be damped. The
vase A¹, being charged with water, the stamp or label is put in at the
opening I, and the handle II, turned in the direction of the arrow,
when the label will be carried down between the rollers C', and F¹, and
projected, properly damped, through the opening O. In order to
ensure the effectual damping of the label when the water is low in
the reservoir I sometimes surround the tube or roller F, with linen or
other textile fabric, by which means the action of the instrument is
maintained so long as any water remains in contact with the roller F¹.
The object of this label damper is to moisten the label stamp or ticket
simultaneously on both sides, whereby all tendency of the label to curl
up by unequal expansion of the upper and lower surfaces is prevented,
and perfect adhesion ensured.
What I claim as new and of my Invention is, the construction of a
rotary label damper, whereby the label is wetted on both sides, either
by passing down through water, or between the surfaces of wetted
rollers, substantially as herein-before described and shewn.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Baddeley, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
Witness,
A. BADDELEY.
WILLIAM BADDELEY. (L.S.)