Improvements in Pincers for Pressing Lead and other like Seals.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Feb., 1898-Accepted, 23rd Apr., 1898
COMPLETE DI MUITIVATIO
Improvements in Pincers for Pressing Lead and other like Seals.
I, LOUIS LEMER, of Quai de Lourmel 1, Nantes (Loire Inferieure), in the
Republic of France, Trader, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
The pincers or tongs used for pressing or squeezing the lead used in sealing
goods are intended not only to flatten these leads so as to incorporate the cord or
line used as a ligature in their substance, but also to mark on the surfaces of the
lead seals denoting the origin and date of despatch of the merchandise.
These ordinary pincers consist essentially of two arms A and B jointed one to the
other. One of the arms A, which for the sake of simplicity I will call the fixed
arm, has a block a fixed upon it, the other arm B is arranged so as to act by its
head B¹ on a lever C which forms part of the head A¹ of the arm A, i.e., jointed to
this latter; this lever C carries the block b. The pressing of the lead takes place
between the two blocks a and b when, after having opened the arms A and B to a
suitable distance, they are again forced together to return them to the position
they are shown to occupy in Figure 1 of the attached drawing.
Pincers made on the principle I have just described present several disad-
vantages, of which the following one of the most serious.
The direct friction of the cam-shaped head B¹ of arm B against the block carrier C
results in causing rapid wear of the two surfaces of the parts thus brought in
contact, whilst it increases the play or free space between the blocks a and b. The
pincers thus soon get out of working order.
The object of my invention is chiefly to remedy the above drawback.
To effect this I have made in one part of the block carrier C, (shown in detail
in plan in Figure 2, and in lateral elevation in Figure 3) a bearing c. This bearing
is moveable and is formed by a small plate of tempered steel dove-tailed into the
block carrier properly so-called. The wear and tear of this small piece of steel is
quite inappreciable, but however great this wear and tear may become it is sufficient
merely to replace this small piece of steel, the cost of which is insignificant, instead
It should be remarked that the
of having to replace the entire block carrier.
block carrier in its movements (both for pressing-i.e. approaching the
arms B and A to one another as well as for the reflex action due to spring R,
Figure 1) always moves between the cheeks a¹ of the head A'; it follows that the
little plate c, being continually gripped between these cheeks, cannot escape
laterally. However, in order to withdraw it it will suffice to draw out the pin A
around which C pivots, and the block carrier can then be withdrawn from the.
pincers.
On the other hand, in the portion b¹ of the head B¹, traced in form of a cam to
enable the two arms A and B to be opened and closed, I have also placed a
removeable bearing d. This latter is formed by a roll of steel well tempered, which
can rotate in a cell or alveole sunk in the cam b¹. The roll or cylinder is geared
laterally into the aforesaid alveole (Figure 4), then the arms A and B are adjusted
by means of the pin E which acts as a joint. Hence whatsoever may be the

page_text: positions in which the arms A and B are respectively placed - even if they are put
in the position shown in Figure 5-a portion of the roll will always be retained
laterally by the cheeks a¹. The roll d of tempered steel has not only the advantage
of forming a removable part, which can be replaced in case of wear and tear
without its being necessary to replace the entire arm B, but it also substitutes a
rolling friction for the sliding friction which the cam b¹ exercises directly in the
pincers hitherto made, and consequently it diminishes both the wear and tear of
the surfaces in contact and the effort to be made in order to make the blocks b and a
approach one another.
:
Another serious drawback to the ordinary pincers is that the blocks a and b, of
which 6 is incorporated with the block carrier C whilst a the other is fixed to a
spur on the head A¹, are made once for all for a minimum thickness of lead; in- a
word their stretch or span cannot be regulated. Now these blocks get worn out
and it happens that in a short time on being closed they do not exert a sufficient
pressure unless the thickness of the lead to be pressed is reduced:
Hitherto the only way of remedying this evil has been by replacing the block a
either because it had become worn out, or because its normal distance from the
block b no longer corresponded to the thickness of the lead to be pressed and
sealed.
To meet this objection I have devised the means of placing in the head A' of the
arm A a block the height of which can be regulated at will, without having to
withdraw it from the pincers, by simply manipulating a screw and a pin permanently
.fixed to the pincers.
This adjustable block is shown in elevation in Figure 1, a longitudinal section
being given in Figure 6.
The block a can be raised or lowered in an opening or groove of the spur a² of
the head A¹. To this effect it is threaded on the inside and screwed on to a rod F
to the lower part of which there is fixed, by means of a pin g, a roller G. The non-
threaded portion of the rod F bears by a collar f on the base of the groove of the
spur a², whilst the roller G bears the end of this spur. On the other the surface of
the block A is cut according to a generatrix, in a groove which caps a snug H fixed
to the spur a². It follows that on turning the roller the block a is made to rise or
to fall according to the path of rotation. On the exterior lateral surface of the block
there is a bearing I on which rests the end of a screw i for fixing the block in the
position it is desired to give it so as to obtain perfect pressure and a clear repro-
duction of the seals.
The ease with which this block a can be withdrawn by merely opening the
screw also presents this great advantage that this block can be changed each day
for another bearing the date that is required. In the pincers now used this operation
necessitates the taking to pieces of the whole tool.
A final improvement, which is not without a certain importance, consists in the
special shape I have given to the blocks a and b. As shown by the figures, these
blocks have respectively the shape of a stamp and its matrix. It follows that the
lead P, pressed between these blocks, takes the form shown in section by Figure 7
and in plan by Figure 8. The ligature L is also incorporated therewith by a fold
which renders any slipping impossible. Contrary to that which takes place on
pressing by merely approaching two entirely flat surfaces, all possibility of fraud.
is quite out of the question.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
claim is :-
1. In pincers for pressing leaden or other like seals, the block-carrier having a
removable bearing interlocking therewith, and the arrangement in the head B¹ of
the movable arm B of a removable roller bearing, thereby introducing rolling
instead of sliding contact between these two surfaces, substantially in the manner
and for the purposes herein described and illustrated.

page_text: 2. In pincers for pressing leaden or other like seals, the arrangement enabling
the span of the pressing blocks to be adjusted consisting in providing the blocks
with a side groove guided by a snug or feather fixed to the head of the arm, and
providing the said block with an internal thread to engage with a threaded stud
secured in the block-carrier of the pincers, substantially as described and
illustrated.
3. In pincers for pressing leaden or other like seals, the peculiar die and matrix
form of the impression blocks, such that as they impart an undulatory or uneven
form to the seal and ligature confined therein to prevent the latter being pulled out
and thus prevent fraud, substantially in the manner herein described and set
forth.
Dated this 8th day of February 1898.
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
No. 22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.