IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR AFFIXING POSTAGE STAMPS AND OTHER ADHESIVE AND NON-ADHESIVE LABELS TO LETTERS AND DOCUMENTS, AND FOR REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE NUMBER OF SUCH POSTAGE STAMPS OR LABELS USED
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Thomas Davis, of Camberwell, in the County
of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR AFFIXING
POSTAGE STAMPS AND OTHER ADHESIVE AND NON-ADHESIVE LABELS TO LETTERS
AND DOCUMENTS, AND FOR REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE NUMBER OF SUCH
POSTAGE STAMPS OR LABELS USED."
Sealed the 31st January 1865, and dated the 2nd August 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Thomas Davis at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
2nd August 1864.
I, HENRY THOMAS DAVIS, of Camberwell, in the County of Surrey, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR AFFIXING POSTAGE STAMPS AND OTHER ADHESIVE AND NON-ADHESIVE
LABELS TO LETTERS AND DOCUMENTS, AND FOR REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE
NUMBER OF SUCH POSTAGE STAMPS OR LABELS USED," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of a square outer case of brass, bronze, or other
metal, on the bottom of which is affixed a metal plate. On this plate is fixed
a square block of wood or metal, which rises in the centre of the outer case
with a vacuum round it, the surface of the block being just above the top of
the outer case. Inside the front of the outer case a brass roller is placed on
an axle running through the sides of the outer case and near the top, the ends
of which axle. are fitted with nuts and screws for the purpose of fixing the
said axle in its proper position when adjusted in the openings made for it in

page_text: the sides of the case. On the end of the roller is a cog wheel, and on the
inside of the case a tumbler is placed so as to act upon the cogs. Corre-
sponding with this roller, and running parallel to it, is a similar one on the
lower part of the inside of the case, but without the cog wheel, and which
roller runs on an axle passing from side to side of the case. On these rollers
I place an endless band, on which is printed or written a consecutive number
of figures of any amount I may require. These numbers are placed on the
band so as to appear through an opening made in the front of the case for
that purpose.
Inside the outer case is another case of brass or other metal divided into
two parts, the larger part being open at each end and fitted exactly to the
size of the block, and also fitted with flanges or stops on the bottom outside
edge to prevent it being pressed out of the outer case by a spiral or other
spring, and which spring or springs keep the inner case up. The smaller
division of the inner case is closed at the bottom and also within a short
distance of the top, leaving a small trough running parallel. In this trough
in a small roller of brass, glass, or other material, and covered with flannel or
other absorbent material, and which roller I describe as the guard roller. On
the outside of the inner tube and in front of this guard roller is a small
chamber having perforations into the tube so as to admit of water, gum-
water, mucilage, or other adhesive substance flowing to and from the chamber.
Above this chamber is fixed a roller which I call the damping roller, of brass,
copper, or other material, and covered with sponge, flannel, or other absorbent
material. This damping roller is worked on an axle resting in springs placed
'at the sides of the case or chamber; or, instead of this damping roller, I can
use sponge or other absorbent substance placed in the chamber for moistening
the letter or document. The inner case is covered by a lid with a spring or
other hinge, the front of which lid is bent slightly up and resting on the top
surface of the damping roller. On the side of the lid a small plate is
attached, which plate is also fixed to the axle of the damping roller, so that
the lid upon being pressed down presses the damping roller into the chamber
for the purpose of its absorbing such moisture as may be required. The
inside of the tube which passes up and down the fixed block is made of
the exact size of the labels required to be affixed, and which are placed in the
tube or inner case face downwards. The letter, card, or document to be
stamped is passed with either hand over the damping and guard roller, and
under the lid, the other hand pressing down the inner case until the letter
card, or document comes in contact with the top label or stamp, to which i
attaches itself. The hand being removed the inner case, springs up, leaving

page_text: the remaining stamps in the case, the letter, card, or document being with-
drawn over the rollers, the surface of the label or stamp attached to the letter,
card, or document is damped and firmly affixed. The inner case upon its
springing up after the label is attached moves the tumbler already described
in the outer case, and this acting upon the cog wheel moves it one cog, and
thereby moving the band on the rollers indicates on the index in the outer
case that a stamp has been taken, and a registry is thus kept of the number:
of stamps or labels used.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Thomas Davis in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
2nd February 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
THOMAS DAVIS, of Camberwell, in the County of Surrey, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters:
Patent, bearing date the Second day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of Hcr.
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Henry Thomas Davis, Her special licence that I, the said Henry
Thomas Davis, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as:
I, the said Henry Thomas Davis, 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
for "IMPROVEMENTS. IN APPARATUS FOR AFFIXING POSTAGE, STAMPS AND OTHER
ADHESIVE AND NON-ADHESIVE LABELS TO LETTERS AND DOCUMENTS, AND FOR REGIS.
TERING OR INDICATING THE NUMBER OF SUCH POSTAGE STAMPS OR LABELS USED,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry Thomas Davis,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,'
or one of their bands 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 Henry Thomas Davis, do hereby,
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same

page_text: is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, that is to say :-
This Invention consists of an apparatus composed of an outer case of brass,
bronze, or other metal or material, as represented at a, Figures 1 and 2 of the
annexed Drawings, which are sectional views taken at right angles to each
other. On the bottom of this case is screwed or otherwise fixed a metal
plate b, Figure 5, which supports a pedestal c of wood or metal in the interior
of the outer case a. Inside the front of the outer case a is a roller d, mounted
on an axle running through the sides of the outer case, and near the top
thereof; the ends of the axle are fitted with tightening nuts and screws for
fixing the axle in proper position when adjusted in openings e, e, made for it
in the sides of the case a. On one end of the roller d is a ratchet f, and on
the inside of the case a paul or tumbler g, which takes into the ratchet.
Corresponding with the roller d, and parallel to it, is a similar roller on the
lower part of the. inside of the case. a, but without a ratchet; this roller is
carried by an axle passing from side to side of the case. On the rollers
d and h I place an endless band i, on which is printed or written a consecutive
number of figures of any required amount so as to be visible through an
opening in the front of the case.
Inside the outer case a is another case k, represented in section in Figure 3,
and in front elevation in Figure 4. The case k is divided into two parts l, m,
the larger part 1 is open at each end with slots n in the side to admit the air,
and is fitted exactly to the size of the pedestal c. It is also fitted with
flanges o and with stops p on the bottom outside edge to prevent it being
pressed out of the outer case by a spiral or other spring q, which spring is
fitted over the pedestal c, and acts against the bottom of the inner case k, so as
to keep it pressed up. The smaller part m of the case k is closed at bottom.
At the top is a small roller or pad r, of flannel, sponge, or other absorbent.
material, which I call the damping roller. The part m of the case k is kept
supplied with water, gum-water, mucilage, or other adhesive substance, in.
which the roller r dips. The inner case k is covered by a lid s with a spring.
or other hinge t. The front of the lid is bevilted. or chamfered, as shewn in
Figure 3 and in Figures 6 and 7, which are respectively an elevation and;
vertical section of the apparatus. complete. The case / is free to move up
and down the pedestal c within the outer case a, and is made of the exact size.
of the labels required to be affixed. The labels are placed in the case k face
downwards, and rest on the pedestal c.
C
The action is as follows:-The letter, card, or document to which the label

page_text: is to be affixed is passed over the damping roller or pad r and under the lid s;
the inner case k is then pressed down by means of the knob w until the letter,
card, or document comes in contact with the top label or stamp in the case k,
which becomes attached to it as soon as the pressure is removed. The inner
case k is forced up by the spring and leaves the remaining labels on the
pedestal c. As the letter, card, or document is being withdrawn over the
roller r the surface of the label or stamp attached to it is damped and firmly
affixed. The inner case in its upward motion after the label has been
attached moves the paul g in the outer case a, and causes it to turn the
ratchet fone tooth; the band i on the rollers d and h is thereby moved so as
to present another number at the opening ; in the outer case. The number of
stamps or labels used is thus registered or indicated.
The apparatus may be made without the registering or indicating
mechanism.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim the apparatus for
affixing stamps and other labels to letters and documents, with or without the
mechanism for registering or indicating the number of labels used, and
arranged and acting substantially as herein-before described with reference to
the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Thomas Davis, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Second day of February, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-five.
HENRY THOMAS DAVIS. (LS.)