AN IMPROVED STAMP-HOLDER AND CUTTER
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Gedge, of the Firm of John Gedge & Son, of
4, Wellington Street South, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Patent
Agents, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED STAMP-HOLDER AND CUTTER."
-A communication to me from abroad by Denis Nefflier and Pierre
Blandin. both residing at Dijon, in the Empire of France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Gedge at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 24th
September 1859.
I, JOHN GEDGE, of the Firm of John Gedge & Son, of 4, Wellington Street
South, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agents, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED STAMP-HOLDER AND
CUTTER," communicated to me from abroad by Denis Nefflier and Pierre
Blandin, both of Dijon, in the Empire of France, to be as follows:-
This stamp-holder, which is intended to contain and cut postage or other
stamps, is composed of an outward casing or box of any convenient shape, a
partition dividing it into two (or four if desired) compartments for holding the
cut stanips. A longitudinal groove cut in each side of the box alows a stamp

page_text: piece to slide, and so bring up the number of stamps cut. A knife for cutting
right and left, and nippers for drawing up the stamps are fitted on a metal
apparatus sliding within a cylinder; a small roller is fixed within the cylinder,
on which is wound the sheet of stamps; or instead of winding the stamps on
the roller by hand, they may be fitted thereon by the aid of a thin metal
cylinder cleft or slotted in its entire length, and through the lips of this cleft
the edge of the sheet of stamps may be passed on to the roller.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Gedge in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
22nd March 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
GEDGE, of the Firm of John Gedge and Son, of 4, Wellington Street South,
Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agents, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said John Gedge, Her special licence that I, the said John
Gedge, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said John Gedge, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, 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 of "AN
IMPROVED STAMP-HOLDER AND CUTTER," communicated to me from abroad by
Denis Neffier and Pierre Blandin, both residing at Dijon, in the Empire
of France, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Gedge,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 John Gedge, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed
and forming part of this Specification, and to the figures and letters of.
reference placed thereon :-
The object of this Invention is to afford, in a single apparatus, a receptacle
for stamps, and the means of cutting and dividing them, and as such apparatus
will somewhat vary in its construction according to the number of stamps-it
is intended to receive, and whether it is to be carried in the pocket, to be used
in an office, or elsewhere, such variation in construction will be best understood
by the following description of the Drawings, premising that although postage
stamps only are therein mentioned, this Invention is equally applicable to
stamps of every other denomination. The Drawings shew seven different
stamp-holders.
Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, shew a holder having two compartments destined to
receive two denominations of stamps, of which each compartment will hold ten.
This holder is of nearly oval section, made of mahogany, and of an elegant and
convenient form. Figure 1, elevation; Figure 2, vertical section; Figure 3,
plan; and Figure 4, horizontal section. a, box of mahogany (or other
material if preferred; b, partition separating the holder into two distinct
compartments; c, wooden nippers, furnished with a button, destined to seize
the band of stamps and bring it to the desired position; d, steel mountings,
the upper carrying the knife; c, steel knife, forming scissor for separating the
stamps.
Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8, shew a holder having four compartments, and more
especially suitable to merchants and others using daily a large quantity of
stamps of various denominations. Figure 5, elevation; Figure 6, plan;
Figure 7; vertical section; and Figure 8, horizontal section.. f, box forming
the body of the holder; 9, copper mountings, the upper supporting the
moveable knife on a steel plate intended to form scissor. This plate is itself
capable of turning on the upper mounting, carrying the knife with it, and thus
presenting it to each compartment. The lower mounting is hinged to permit
the introduction of the rolled sheets of stamps into the holder. h, steel knife
for separating the stamps; i, wooden nippers for seizing the stamps and bringing
them into the required position for cutting; j, rectangular openings for the
passage of the bands of stamps; k, circular opening for introduction of the
sheets of stamps; 1, springs and rochet to arrest the knife and its plate im-
mediately in front of the openings.
Figures 9, 10, 11, and 12, shew a double cylinder stamp-holder, to be used

page_text: principally by vendors of stamps, it being easy with this instrument to give out
quickly and without fear of error the exact number required, as by simply
moving the small cranks the whole of the stamps of both denominations may
be run out of the box. Figure 9, elevation; Figure 10, plan; Figure 11, end
view; and Figure 12, vertical section. m, box of the apparatus, the parts m¹
being hinged to permit the introduction of the bands of stamps; n, cylinders
upon which the bands roll, being first gummed end to end; o, wooden
cylinders mounted with india-rubber, drawing by pressure the band of stamps,
and presenting to the knife those which are to be cut; p, steel knife; q, copper
mountings for closing the box; r, cranks of the four cylinders.
Figure 13 elevation, and Figure 14 plan, of a simple stamp cutter, the
shape and form of which is similar to the double one.
Figure 15, elevation of a small pocket double cylinder stamp-holder exactly
similar in construction to the large double cylinder holder, but of smaller
dimensions; Figure 16 end view, and Figure 17 plan, of same.
Figure 18 elevation, and Figure 19 plan, of a large stamp cutter, nearly
resembling the double cylinder one, but intended to roll an entire sheet of
stamps around its axle. A second wooden roller covered with glass paper
drags the stamps with it in its movement, and presents them to the knife.
The cranks of the double cylinder cutter are here replaced by keys which
permit more certain action upon the sheets of stamps; s, box of the large
stamp cutter hinged to permit the introduction of the sheets of stamps. t knife
to separate the rows of stamps; u, copper mountings for closing the box; v,v', keys
for moving the rollers; the key vis fixed against the cylinder, around which the
sheets are rolled, and v' against the cylinder which sends them out.
The cylinder destined to receive the stamps is shewn in elevation, Figure 20,
in plan, Figure 21, in section through the centre, Figure 22, and in horizontal
section, Figure 23; it may be made of wood, copper, or other material, and is
essentially composed of a box or pipe with a rectangular slit; in the interior
is a wooden, iron, or other shaft on which the margin of the sheets of stamps
is glued or gummed; this shaft is extended so as to carry at its upper part a
button, by which it is turned, in order that the sheet of stamps may roll
around it. A, cylinder of wood, copper, or other material; B, iron or wooden
shaft or axle on which the margin of the sheet of stamps is gummed; C, button
for rolling up the sheet; D, mountings or closing of cylinder. The sheets of
stamps may also be fixed on the axle of the cylinder. by means of a tube giving
friction.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, I would "have it

page_text: distinctly understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details herein
given and illustrated in the annexed Drawings, as variation may be made
therefrom (such as dispensing with the knife when a stamp-holder only is
required) without departing from the Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Gedge, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-second day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty.
Witness,
W. E. GEDGE,
Patt. Agent,
4, Wellington St., Strand.
JOHN GEDGE. (L.S.)