Improvements in Appliances for Moistening or Gumming Envelopes, Stamps, and for similar purposes.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Jan., 1839 -Accepted, 26th Aug., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION,
Improvements in Appliances for Moistening or Gumming Envelopes,
Stamps, and for similar purposes.
I, WALTER H. KNAUBER, of Milwaukee, in the County of Milwaukee and
State of Wisconsin, United States of America, Gentleman, 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:-
This invention relates to improvements in envelope and stamp moisteners, and
the object thereof is to provide a simple and cheap device which may be rapidly
and conveniently manipulated to moisten the envelope or stamp, and which may
also be used to contain mucilage and distribute the same, as desired for use.
With the above object in view, the invention consists of a reservoir adapted
to contain water when the device is used as a stamp moistener. and mucilage when
used as a mucilage receptacle, an outlet tube carried by said reservoir and having
a perforated end, a pad or sponge secured at the outer end of the outlet tube and
adapted to receive water or mucilage therefrom, a. cap for encasing the sponge
when the device is not in use, a keeper to receive the finger of the operator,
said keeper consisting of parallel arms secured at one end to the reservoir and
at their opposite ends connected by a ring and also connected intermediate their
ends by a ring in which the finger is adapted to be positioned.
The invention further consists in the improved construction, arrangement and
combination of parts, hereinafter fully described and afterward specifically
pointed out in the claims.
In order to enable others, skilled in the art to which my invention most nearly
appertains, to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe its con-
struction and operation, having reference to the accompanying drawings, forming
part of this specification, in which:-
Fig. 1 is a perspective view, showing my invention in operation..
Fig. 2 is a similar view of my improved moistener.
Fig. 3 is a vertical, longitudinal sectional view, showing the cap in position.
Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view, showing the reservoir and the outlet tube,
with the moistening pad or sponge removed.
Like letters of reference mark the same parts wherever they occur in the
various figures of the drawing.
Referring to the accompanying drawings, A indicates the reservoir, which is
spherical in contour, although, of course, the same may be of any desired form,
the same being provided with the filling orifice B, which is closed by the stopper C,
and with the outlet tube D having its closed outer end provided with perfora-
tions E.
This outlet tube is screw-threaded on its exterior, as illustrated at F, to receive
the cap G, which is adapted to enclose the sponge or moistening pad H. said
sponge being secured at its inner end in a collar I, which is screw-threaded and
engages the forward screw-threaded reduced portion J of the outlet tube, a space
being provided between the sponge and the perforated end of said tube, so that

page_text: the water may pass from the reservoir through the perforated outlet tube and into
said space to be absorbed by the sponge.
Secured at one end to the exterior of the reservoir on the opposite side thereof
from the outlet tube, are the arms K, which diverge slightly at their opposite ends,
where they are connected by the ring L, a similar ring M connecting said arms
intermediate their ends.
In operation, the reservoir is filled with water, the cap removed, and the fore-
finger of the user inserted through the rings, with the tip thereof engaging the
reservoir, when the sponge or moistening pad may be drawn across the stamps or
envelopes, the operation being quickly performed. It will be readily understood
that instead of water, mucilage might be placed within the reservoir and the
device used as a mucilage holder, and also that instead of the arms connected by
the rings, a tapered tube might be provided to receive the finger of the user.
From the above description, it will be seen that I have produced a very simple
device for moistening stamps and envelopes, the same being quickly and readily
manipulated.
While I have illustrated and described the best means now known to me for
carrying out my invention, I do not wish to be understood as restricting myself
to the exact details of construction shown and described, but hold that any slight
changes or variations, such as might suggest themselves to the ordinary mechanic,
will properly fall within the limit and scope of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
-
1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a reservoir having
an outlet, a moistening pad arranged in said outlet, and a keeper carried by the
receptacle to be engaged by the finger of the operator, substantially as set forth.
2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a reservoir having
an outlet, a moistening pad arranged in said outlet, a keeper consisting of arms
secured at one end to the reservoir and diverging at their opposite ends, rings
connecting said arms at their outer ends and intermediate their ends, substantially
as set forth.
3. A device of the character described, comprising a reservoir provided with
an outlet tube having a perforated outer wall, a moistening pad arranged in front
of said perforated outer wall, a cap adapted to enclose said moistening pad, and
a keeper adapted to receive the finger of the operator, substantially as set forth.
4. In a device of the character described, the combination of a reservoir pro-
vided with an outlet tube, having a perforated outer wall, said outlet tube being
screw-threaded and reduced adjacent its outer end, a moistening pad holder adapted
to engage said screw-threaded reduced portion, a cap adapted also to engage the
screw-threaded outlet tube and enclose the moistening pad, and a keeper adapted
to be engaged by the finger of the operator, substantially as set forth.
5. In a device of the character described, the combination of a reservoir pro-
vided with a filling orifice and an outlet tube having a perforated outer wall, a
screw stopper closing the filling orifice, a pad arranged in front of the perforated
end of the outlet tube, a cap adapted to enclose the moistening pad, and a keeper
carried by the reservoir adapted to be engaged by the finger of the operator,
substantially as set forth.
Dated this 26th dox of Tonu 1800