Improvements in Moistening Devices for Gummed Surfaces
Year: 1891

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Moistening Devices for Gummed Surfaces.
A communication from HERMANN THIER, of Koenigstein, in the German
Empire, Manufacturer.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of 323, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
M.I.M.E., 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:-
The object of the present invention is to improve the existing apparatus for
moistening gummed surfaces which mainly consist of a movable roller suspended so
as to be partly immersed in water. The chief disadvantage of these apparatus is
that the articles to be moistened such as postage stamps, labels and the like have to
be applied directly to the surface of the wet roller and chiefly adhere thereto more
firmly than is convenient, in fact can only with difficulty be removed again in
some cases. Besides the gum that is left behind by the stamps or the like soils the
roller in a short time.
This invention effectually removes these drawbacks and will be best understood
by reference to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal and
Fig. 2 a cross section, Fig. 3 a plan and Fig. 4 a perspective view, and consists of
a water-reservoir or box a provided with a lid or top which only leaves a
small portion of the circumference of the roller r exposed for use. The lid
assumes somewhat the shape of a roof its four sides 61 62 63 rising obliquely
towards the surface of the roller. To make use of the moistening device the
stamp or other article m which is to be moistened is placed upon one of the two
inclined sides of the lid adjoining the roller c longitudinally and then
moved up the incline towards the roller. In the meantime the roller c having a
cranked wire d for its spindle will be pushed to the opposite side a sufficient
distance to press firmly upon the roof portion. When the stamp or the like is
moistened by passing over the rotating roller c it is stripped off the opposite side
of the lid.
Without the inclined margins of the lid the stamp or the like as it would have
to be applied directly to the surface of the rotating roller would be carried along
with the latter and with it immersed in the water as the whole of its surface
adheres to the roller.
To further assist the operation and to ensure the uniform moistening of the
roller surface strips e e are arranged underneath the edges of the roof along the
roller and extending nearly to the bottom of the box or reservoir. These strips
are made of a sponge-like material and whenever the roller is displaced to one side
or the other the corresponding strip is compressed between the roller and the edge
of the lid or roof whereby it is enabled to strip off the stamp or the like.
addition to this the said strips serve for keeping the roller in a clean condition
by removing through friction any adhesive substance that may remain behind
upon it after use.
In
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:-
In moistening devices for gummed surfaces comprising a rotary roller the arrange-
ment of inclined surfaces ('62) rising towards the roller and enabling the article to
be moistened to be slid up one of the inclines 6' passed over the roller c and stripped
off the opposite incline the roller c being at the same time adapted to yield or
D

page_text: to be displaced by means of its spindle d partaking of the nature of a spring
whereby the removal of the stamp from its surface by contact with the opposite
edge b³ is ensured the whole substantially as described and illustrated in the accom-
panying drawings.
Dated this Tenth day of March 1891
i
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.