IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE MORE EFFECTUALLY SECURING OR FASTENING ENVELOPES OR OTHER LIKE RECEPTACLES, AND THE MORE SECURELY AFFIXING POSTAGE STAMPS OR OTHER ADHESIVE LABELS
Year: 1859

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Simon Lee Trotman at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 4th February
1859.
I, SIMON LEE TROTMAN, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Merchant,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE
MORE EFFECTUALLY SECURING OR FASTENING ENVELOPES OR OTHER LIKE RECEPTACLES,
AND THE MORE SECURELY AFFIXING POSTAGE STAMPS OR OTHER ADHESIVE LABELS,"
to be as follows (that is to say):-
This Invention consists, first, in forming envelopes or other like enclosures
with a tuck or tongue gummed on both sides and a pocket in the back of the
envelope into which the tongue is inserted when the envelope is closed. The
pocket which receives the tongue of the flap of the envelope is formed by
means of a small piece of paper, cloth, or other suitable material placed on
the inner side of the back of the envelope.
And, secondly, the gum or other soluable matter used for securing envelopes
or other like enclosures, and for attaching postage and receipt stamps or other
small labels. It is proposed to protect from the external action of steam or
other moisture by coating or covering so much of one surface of the paper or
other material as may be required to cover the gum when the envelope is
closed with a waterproof material such as varnish, drying oil, oil paint, or
other suitable proofing; when the proofing is applied to the same surface
as the gum it is then first coated with the proofing and afterwards with the
gum or other suitable adhesive substance. But when the proofing is applied

page_text: to the reverse side to that in contact with the gum, it can either be applied
before or after the adhesive soluable substance.
And thirdly, in the peculiar construction of a small instrument to facilitate
the application of postage stamps, receipt stamps, and other adhesive labels.
This instrument consists of a small box or chamber, into which the postage
stamps or other labels are introduced face downwards. This box is provided
with a piston having a hollow piston rod, which works through a stalk or
handle attached to the back of the depot which contains the labels. This
receptacle is closed on the side to which the stalk is attached, but open on the
face. The piston rod extends a little above the stalk, and is provided with a
spring to keep the piston up against the bottom of the box when not pressed
down by the hand or other means. The top of the stalk is provided with a
small elastic air chamber into which the head of the hollow piston rod projects.
On one side of the little box a sponge or other suitable substance is placed
for the purpose of damping the surface to which the label is to be affixed, and
on another side a small roller is mounted for the purpose of pressing the label
down when applied.
If (say) a number of postage stamps be placed within the small box (which
is made just sufficiently large to admit of their being laid flat therein) and
the sponge on the outside of the chamber containing the labels to be moistened,
the instrument is ready for use. When it is desired to apply a stamp, all that
is required is to moisten the corner of the letter with the sponge and then
apply the open end of the box containg the stamps to the moistened surface,
press the elastic air chamber on the top of the stalk with the band, when the
first stamp will be forced against the letter by the action of the air, and upon
the air chamber being a little further compressed the hand will act against the
top of the piston rod, by which additional pressure may be applied. By merely
relieving the air chamber from pressure on withdrawing the instrument, all
the stamps, except the one attached to the letter, will be retained in the box by
the action of the air. If the stamp should not have adhered sufficiently to the
letter the dry roller is passed over the face of it.
If preferred the surface or edge of the box may be covered with india-rubber
or other suitable elastic substance, or the edges of the box may be provided
with a few bristles which will act as an additional security against more than
one stamp leaving the machine at a time.