IMPROVEMENTS IN STAMPS FOR POSTAGE REVENUE, AND OTHER LIKE PURPOSES
Year: 1877

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Robert Lake at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd May 1877. A communication from
abroad by James Sangster, Robert Dunbar, and George H. Dunbar, all of
Buffalo, New York, United States of America.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN STAMPS FOR POSTAGE REVENUE,
AND OTHER LIKE PURPOSES." [A communication from abroad by James, Sangster,
Robert Dunbar, and George H. Dunbar, all of Buffalo, New York, United States
of America.]
This Invention relates to postage, revenue, and other stamps. Its object is to
prevent the washing or otherwise cleaning of the stamp after cancellation, and it
comprises a postage or other stamp having the printed surface composed of two
or more different materials, one kind of which is without color, and of itself
is never intended to show or be visible, and is capable of absorbing water only to
such an extent that it will stand nearly as much rubbing to remove the printing
ink above it as would be required to remove the cancelling ink, which may reach
the paper through the numerous interstices between the lines of the printing ink,
which forms the stamp and the first material, the other kind being the ordinary
printing ink used for that purpose, or other oily resinous ink.
The first is printed, ruled, or otherwise produced upon the paper in straight,
wavy, circular, parallel, or irregular lines, or in small dots covering as much of the
surface of the stamp as may be desired; or said lines or dots may be arranged in the
form of designs, if necessary, after which the usual postage or other stamp, design,
or its equivalent for the purpose, is printed thereon by means of the well-known
printers' ink for that purpose, or any other suitable oily or resinous ink. The object
of this treatment is to so make the face of the stamp that when an attempt is
made to wash out the cancelling ink, the first material will dissolve and allow those
portions of the stamp, printed with ordinary or oily printing ink overlaying it, to
be washed out, so as to expose the paper below it, while those parts which do not
overlay the first material, and are consequently in direct contact with the paper,
remain, thereby leaving only parts of the oily ink, and effectually destroying the
appearance of the stamp.

page_text: Lines printed or otherwise produced on the face of the stamp in the soluble
material are without color, and are not intended to be visible. This is the first
operation, and prepares the paper to receive the printing of the postage stamp
The interstices
design with the ordinary printing ink used for that purpose.
between these lines afford openings both for the printing ink and the cancelling
ink employed to reach the paper, and thereby become more firmly fixed. This
arrangement also affords greater facilities for the water or other fluid to pass
through the numerous interstices or openings between the lines to reach the
soluble material, and undermine those parts of the oily or resinous ink overlaying
the lines of the said soluble material, when an attempt is made to wash the
cancelling mark off.
The soluble inaterial employed may be made with water and gum arabic, starch,
gelatine, dextrine, or other equivalent material for the purpose. Sugar or other
similar material may be added to increase its affinity for water if required, but it
should not be too sensitive so as to be affected by the least moisture, enough only
of such material being mixed with the water to ensure its running or printing well,
and the removal of the portions of the oily ink, while the cancelling ink is being
washed off.
If desired, any particular part of the stamp may be made to wash out, so as to
show the word "cancelled," figures, numbers, or the amount of the stamp.