GB2257112A

GB2257112A - Arrays of postage stamps

Info

Publication number: GB2257112A
Application number: GB9213515A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Nigel Taylor
Original assignee: Leigh Mardon Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Leigh Mardon Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1991-06-26
Filing date: 1992-06-25
Publication date: 1993-01-06
Anticipated expiration: 2012-06-25
Also published as: GB2257112B; GB9213515D0; NZ243318A

Abstract

A composite article 1 comprises a first sheet of material having postage stamps 32 printed on one side thereof and a pressure sensitive material on the other side thereof; and a second sheet of material having a surface which is releasably secured to said pressure sensitive adhesive and wherein the postage stamps are arranged in columns and/or rows and wherein two adjacent stamps are separated from one another by a single die cut line 33 simulating the perforations of a conventional postage stamp. The die cut line defines alternating projections and recesses and may be generally sinusoidal or comprise a number of arcs, e.g. of a circle. The composite article may be folded about a fold line 43 to form a booklet of stamps. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO POSTAGE STAMPS This invention relates to postage stamps.

Applicant has considered making postage stamps in which the postage stamps have a pressure sensitive adhesive backing to enable the stamps to be adhered to an envelope, postcard or package.

However, the applicant has found several difficulties in making such stamps.

A composite article in accordance with the invention comprises a first sheet of material having postage stamps printed on one side thereof and a pressure sensitive material on the other side thereof; and a second sheet of material having a surface which is releasably secured to the pressure sensitive adhesive and wherein the postage stamps are arranged in columns and/or rows and wherein two adjacent stamps are separated from one another by a single die cut line simulating the perforations of a conventional postage stamp.

The single die cut line may define alternating projections and recesses at the adjacent edges of two adjacent stamps, the projections of one of the two adjacent stamps being located in the recesses of the other adjacent stamp.

The single die cut line may be generally sinusoidal in shape.

The single die cut line may comprise a number of chords of a circle merging generally smoothly with one another.

A composite article in accordance with another aspect of the invention comprises a first sheet of material having postage stamps printed on one side thereof and a pressure sensitive material on the other side thereof; and a second sheet of material having a surface which is releasably secured to the pressure sensitive adhesive and wherein the postage stamps are arranged in columns and rows and wherein stamps in two adjacent rows are separated from one another by a first single die cut line and stamps in two adjacent columns are separated from one another by a second single die cut line and wherein the first die cut line and the second die cut line simulate the perforations of a conventional postage stamp.

The first single die cut line may define alternating projections and recesses at the adjacent edges of two adjacent rows of stamps, the projections of one of the two adjacent rows of stamps being located in the recesses of the other of the two adjacent rows of stamps and the second single die cut line may define alternating projections and recesses of the adjacent edges of two adjacent columns of stamps the projections of one of the two adjacent columns of stamps being located in the recesses of the other of the two adjacent columns of stamps.

The first and second single die cut lines may be generally sinusoidal in shape.

The first single die cut line and the second single die cut line my comprise a number of arcs of circle, parabola or, hyperbola or ellipse merging enerally smoothly with one another.

Each postage stamp may have on the back thereof a water soluble coating and a pressure sensitive adhesive secured to the water soluble coating.

The water soluble coating may comprise polyvinyl alcohols or any other convenient water soluble material such as water soluble adhesives.

Any suitable pressure sensitive adhesive may be used.

The pressure sensitive adhesive may be secured directly to the water soluble coating but applicant has found that, by applying a barrier material to the water soluble coating and securing the pressure sensitive adhesive to the barrier material, penetration of the water soluble coating by the pressure sensitive adhesive is avoided. Suitable barrier materials include water impermeable barrier material.

With such an arrangement the usual technique of removing stamps from envelopes which involves soaking the stamps in water will result in the dissolving of the water soluble coating to allow the stamp to separate from the pressure sensitive adhesive.

In commercial practice, stamps with a pressure sensitive adhesive would normally be supplied with a releasable backing sheet. However, applicant has found several problems with releasable backing sheets. One such problem is that it is desirable to provide stamps, inter alia, in the form of a booklet containing, say, from 4 to 20 stamps as such booklets are convenient to users. It is usual for printing to appear on the outside of such booklets at least for the purpose of indicating the number and value of the stamps inside the booklet.

It is difficult, however, to print on conventional releasable backing sheets.

In another aspect of the present invention, a postage stamp is provided having on the back thereof a pressure sensitive adhesive and a releasable backing sheet having a layer adapted to readily receive printing or which has received printing and a layer of material which is such that the pressure sensitive adhesive is releasably secured thereto.

The postage stamp and backing sheet may be formed as a booklet with printing on the outside.

The backing sheet may comprise a sheet of paper capable of readily receiving printing or which has been printed on one side and wherein the other side has a release layer for pressure sensitive adhesive. The release layer may comprise a silicone material.

A composite article in accordance with the invention comprises a first sheet of material having postage stamps printed on one side thereof, wherein the other side of said first sheet of material has a water soluble coating thereon and a pressure sensitive adhesive secured to the water soluble material; and a second sheet of material having printed on one side thereof or which is adapted to readily receive printing .on one side thereof, the other side of the second sheet of material having a surface which is releasably secured to said pressure sensitive adhesive.

The first sheet of material may comprise paper of a quality suitable for postage stamps, and the second sheet of material may comprise a gloss paper.

The simulation of perforations may be such that each stamp is substantially identical to each other stamp. The perforations may be generally sinusoidal or may comprise arcs of a circle, parabola, hyperbola or ellipse. In these instances, the sinusoid or chords defining, say, bottom edges of two side by side stamps intersect with the sinusoid or arcs defining the right and left hand edges of those stamps at right angles.

The composite article may be folded to form a booklet. For this purpose, a fold line or a line of preferential folding may be provided.

The composite article may have an aperture at one end or apertures at opposite ends to allow the composite article to be hung from a hook.

The invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference tithe accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a composite article in accordance with the invention, Figure 2 is a cross-section on line II-II in Fig. 1, Figure 3 is an enlarged plan view of the composite article, of Fig. 1, and Figure 4 is an enlarged plab view of the die cut lines.

The composite article 1 illustrated in Figure 1 is in the form of a booklet of stamps comprised of two leaves 2 and 3 folded about a fold line 43.

The leaves 2 and 3 are substantially identical and have writing or other indicia 31 printed on their inside pages, writing or other indicia 30 printed on their outside pages and also postage stamps 32 printed on the inside pages. The individual stamps 32 are defined by die cut lines 33.

The leaves 2 and 3 have portions 14 and 15 which carry slots 16 and 17 by means of which the composite article may be hung on a hook. The portions 14 and 15 may be torn off along lines of preferential tearing 4,1 and 42.

The composite article 1 is comprised of two sheets of material 11 and 12 which are secured together as will be explained.

Referring now to Figure 2, the sheet 11 has an upper surface which bears the printing or other indicia 31 and the postage stamps 32 on a layer of postage stamp quality paper 21. The lower surface of the paper 21 carries a water soluble 22, a barrier layer 23 and a pressure sensitive adhesive layer 24.

The die cut lines 33 penetrate the paper 21 and also the layers 22,23 and 24.

The sheet 12 has a lower surface which bears the writing or other indicia 30 on a layer 27 of good quality gloss paper. The upper surface of the sheet 12 has a layer 26 of release material for the pressure sensitive adhesive and the adhesive layer 24 is secured thereto.

In use, the stamps 32 may be readily peeled off the sheet 12 and stuck to an envelope, postcard or package by means of the adhesive layer 24.

If desired, the envelope, postcard or packaging material of the package may be soaked in water and this will cause the water soluble layer 22 to dissolve to allow the stamp 32, without the layers 22,23 and 24, to be preserved by a philatelist.

Figure 3 shows the composite article of Figure 1 in greater detail. Stamps 32a,32b,32c and 32d are shown on leaf 2. The stamps 32a and 32b can be considered to be in one row and the stamps 32c and 32d can be considered to be in another row. Further, the stamps 32a and 32c can be considered to be in one column and the stamps 32b and 32d can be considered to be in another column.

The stamps 32a and 32b are separated from stamps 32c and 32d by a first die cut line 33a and the stamps 32a and 32c are separated from stamps 32b and 32d by a second die cut line 33b.

The preferred die cut lines 33 which define individual stamps 32 are shown in greater detail in Fig. 4.

Each of the die cut lines 33a and 33b are substantially identical ' and are comprised of successive substantially semi-circular portions which merge substantially smoothly with one another.

Those substantially semi-circular portions are located on imaginary axes 51 and 52 and define each of the stamps 31a-d to have edges comprised of semi-circular projections such as 53 and semicircular recesses such as 54. Such projections and recesses simulate perforations.

It is to be noted that two lines 33a and 33b meet, at the intersection 56 of the stamps 32a-d substantially at right angles. Similar intersection occurs at other corners of the stamps.

Alternatively to the semi-circular portions, the lines 33a and 33b might be generally sinusoidal or may be arcs of a circle, parabola, hyperbola or ellipse of size less than a semi-circular arc.

Claims

1. A composite article comprising a first sheet of material having postage stamps printed on one side thereof and a pressure sensitive material on the other side thereof; and a second sheet of material having a surface which is releasably secured to the pressure sensitive adhesive and wherein the postage stamps are arranged in columns and/or rows and wherein two adjacent stamps are separated from one another by a single die cut line simulating the perforations of a conventional postage stamp.

2. A composite article as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the single die cut line is such as to define alternating projections and recesses at the adjacent edges of the two adjacent stamps and wherein the projections of one of the two adjacent stamps are located in the recesses of the other of the two adjacent stamps.

3. A composite article as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the single die cut line is generally sinusoidal in shape.

4. A composite article as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the single die cut line is comprised of a number of arcs of a circle, parabola, hyperbola or ellipse merging generally smoothly with one another.

5. A composite article comprising a first sheet of material having postage stamps printed on one side thereof and a pressure sensitive material on the other side thereof; and a second sheet of material having a surface which is releasably secured to the pressure sensitive adhesive and wherein the postage stamps are arranged in columns and'rows and wherein stamps in two adjacent rows are separated from one another by a first single die cut line and stamps in two adjacent columns are separated from one another by a single die cut line and wherein the first die cut line and the second die cut line simulate the perforations of a conventional postage stamp.

6. A composite article as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the first single die cut line is such as to define alternating projections and recesses at the adjacent edges of two adjacent rows of stamps and wherein the projections of one of the two adjacent rows of stamps are located in the recesses of the other of the two adjacent rows of stamps and wherein the second single die cut line is such as to define alternating projections and recesses of the adjacent edges of two adjacent columns of stamps and wherein the projections of one of the two adjacent columns of stamps are located in the recesses of the other of the two adjacent columns of stamps.

7. A composite article as claimed in Claim 5 or 6, wherein the first single die cut line and the second single die cut line are generally sinusoidal in shape.

8. A composite article as claimed in Claim 5 or 6, wherein the first single die cut line and the second single die cut line are comprised of a number of arcs of a circle, parabola, hyperbola or ellipse merging generally smoothly with one another.

9. A composite article substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.