IMPROVEMENTS IN APPA- RATUS FOR AFFIXING STAMPS AND LABELS TO LETTERS AND DOCUMENTS
Year: 1857

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by George Brook Price at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 7th May
1857.
I, GEORGE BROOK PRICE, of the Town and County of Bedford, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPA-
RATUS FOR AFFIXING STAMPS AND LABELS TO LETTERS AND DOCUMENTS," to be as
follows, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to a contrivance which is especially intended to be
used for affixing adhesive postage stamps to letters, but which is also available
for attaching stamps and labels under other circumstances, so as to do away
with the ordinary tedious manual process of affixing such things. Under one
modification, this apparatus consists of a base block of wood, in the centre of
which is fixed down a solid rectangular piece of metal, wood, or other sub-
stance, the upper surface of which projects to a short distance above the level
of the surrounding base, and is of a size and shape corresponding to the stamp
to be used. This block is surrounded by an open rectangular case of metal,
open at the top and bottom, with slots for perforations on the upper surface of
the sides to admit air. The inside of this case or box being nicely fitted to the
block, a space or recess is left all round the fixed metal block, between the.

page_text: vertical sides of the block and the surrounding wood of the base piece, this
recess being to allow of the vertical descent of the open case, until when at the
bottom of its travel the upper surface of the open case shall be on a level with
the surface of the fixed block. Flanges are formed round the bottom edge of
the open case, and suitable springs are fitted in the recess to bear the latter
upwards, provision being made in the shape of stops for preventing the open
case from being forced too high by the spring action. The postage stamps are
deposited in a pile with their faces downwards in the open case, so as to rest
upon the block inside.
The letter to be stamped is first of all moistened in any convenient way,
and the corner to be stamped is then pressed down upon the open top of the
case by means of a plate suspended over it, and acting upon a hinge, for the
convenience of filling the box. This pressure causes the case to descend
against the upward pressure of its springs until the surface of the letter comes
in contact with the uppermost stamp of the pile upon the block, and this
stamp therefore at once attaches itself to the moistened surface of the letter;
when the pressure is removed the open case springs up again, leaving the rest
of the stamps behind. The letter may be moistened in various ways whilst it
is held in the left hand.
According to one arrangement, the base may be contrived as a water trough, 2
with a sponge dipping into the water and rising a little above the level of
outside case. The latter is drawn over this sponge, and then applied in the
way herein-before described.
Under another modification, the inside block is made to ascend whilst the
outside case remains fixed, the lever for raising it acting upon the plate 2
suspended over the box, thereby bringing it down upon the letter, at the same
time the inside block is made to rise and carry the pile of stamps..