IMPROVEMENTS IN INSTRUMENTS OR APPARATUS FOR STAMPING, APPLICABLE TO POSTAL AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Henry Gardner; of the Firm of Hughes and
Kimber, of West Harding Street, Fetter Lane, in the City of London,
Manufacturer, and Charles English, of Ladbroke Villas, Notting Hill, in
the County of Middlesex, Stationer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN INSTRUMENTS OR APPARATUS FOR STAMPING, APPLICABLE TO POSTAL AND
OTHER PURPOSES."
Sealed the 19th April 1865, and dated the 21st October 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Henry Gardner
and Charles English at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
.with their Petition, on the 21st October 1864.
We, CHARLES HENBY GARDNER, of the Firm of Hughes and Kimber, of
West Harding Street, Fetter Lane, in the City of London, Manufacturer,
and CHARLES ENGLISH, of Ladbroke Villas, Notting Hill, in the County of
Middlesex, Stationer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN INSTRUMENTS OR APPARATUS FOR STAMPING, APPLICABLE TO
POSTAL AND OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
Heretofore stamps or stamping surfaces have been in a piece with or
rigidly affixed to their shanks or handles.
:

page_text: Now our Invention consists in forming the stamping or marking surface
separate from the rigid shank or handle, and in combining or connecting the
said surface with the shank or handle by a spring, that is to say, the spring is.
interposed or fitted between them so as to form a connection, junction, or joint;
a spiral spring is recommended. Or instead of a spring a tubular or annular
piece of caoutchouc or other flexible material may be used in like manner so
as to be interposed between the stamping surface and the handle or shank,
and form a connection or joint between them.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Henry Gardner and Charles English in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 21st April 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, CHARLES
HENRY GARDNER, of the Firm of Hughes and Kimber, of West Harding
Street, Fetter Lane, in the City of London, Manufacturer, and CHARLES
ENGLISH, of Ladbroke Villas, Notting Hill, in the County of Middlesex,
Stationer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said Charles Henry Gardner and Charles English; Her special licence
that we, the said Charles Henry Gardner and Charles English, our execu-
tors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Charles Henry
Gardner and Charles English, our 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 "In-
PROVEMENTS IN INSTRUMENTS OR APPARATUS FOR STAMPING, APPLICABLE TO POSTAL
AND OTHER PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said
Charles Henry Gardner and Charles English, our executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under our or their hands and seals, or under the
hand and seal of one of us or them, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within

page_text: .
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
:
KNOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Charles Henry Gardner and
Charles English, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had
to the accompanying Drawings, that is to say :-
Heretofore stamps or stamping surfaces have been in a piece with or rigidly
affixed to their shanks or handles.
Now our Invention consists in forming the stamping or marking surface
separate from the rigid shank or handle, and in combining or connecting the
said surface with the shank or handle by a spring, that is to say, a spring is
interposed or fitted between them so as to form a connection, junction, or joint.
A spiral spring is recommended. Or, instead of a spring a tubular or annular
piece of caoutchouc or other flexible material may be used in like manner so
as to be interposed between the stamping surface and the handle or shank, and
form a connection or joint between them.
Having thus set forth the nature of our Invention we proceed with reference
to the Drawings to describe more particularly the mode in which it may be
carried into effect.
Figure 1 is an elevation of a stamp or stamping instrument constructed ac-
cording to our Invention.
A is the shank or handle; B, is the stamping surface impressed with or
bearing any desired device. The shank or handle A, and the stamping surface
B are not in a piece or rigidly connected together as is usual, but they are
connected together by a spiral spring C; whereof one end is held in eyes d,
fixed to the handle A, and the other end is held in a slot formed in the body
of the stamping surface B.
Figure 2 is an elevation of a stamp also constructed according to our Inven-
tion. In this arrangement the handle A and stamping surface B are not
rigidly attached, but they are connected together by a caoutchouc tube or ring
E, cemented at one end to the handle A, and at the other end to the neck of
the stamping surface B.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same may be performed, we declare that we claim as our improvements in
instruments or apparatus for stamping,-
First, connecting the handle or shank with the stamping or marking surface
by means of a spring, substantially as described.
".

page_text: *. Second, connecting the handle or shank with the stamping or marking surface
by means of a flexible tube or ring, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Henry Gardner, for myself, and
behalf of the said Charles English, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twentieth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
1. thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
Witness,
E. D. PASS.
C. H. GARDNER. (L.s.)