GB2433026A

GB2433026A - Stamp positioner

Info

Publication number: GB2433026A
Application number: GB0525015A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Martin Charles Reed
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-12-07
Filing date: 2005-12-07
Publication date: 2007-06-13
Also published as: GB0525015D0

Abstract

A stamp positioner comprising a base 1, two fence rails 2 and two arms 3 4 arranged perpendicular to each other, the arms having numerical scales 6 on them. Each arm has a sliding mechanisms 5 and means for providing friction (4 figure 2) between within the sliding mechanism. Preferably the cross sectional shape of the sliding mechanism prevents the removal of the sliding mechanism from the fence rail other than at the end. The friction mechanism may contain an internal spring. There may be locking screws to engage the sliding mechanism with the fence rail (Figure 2 & 3). The stamp positioner is for use with ink stamps to position the stamp in the correct place on a piece of paper (or equiv). Measurements are made on both rules 3 4 and the position recorded in a table (Figure 5).

Description

P7 Page 1

STAMP POSITIONER

This invention relates to a device for accurately creating multiple position references for rubber stamped images when creating greetings cards, invitations, posters and similar visual media by means of inked rubber stamps.

The hobby of rubber stamping images to produce the above mentioned visual media on paper, card and other pnntable sheet materials has grown significantly along with the expansion of the whole hobbies industry in recent years. Market research indicates that there are products referred to as stamp positioners' on the hobbies market but that these are all based on the use of a clear acrylic (or similar) sheet of material and a set square or T' square like component which has to be laboriously placed and positioned over the original image to locate the position for each stamp impression. Multiple copies can only be produced in a time-consuming manner by reference to the original image to re-position the set square and manually holding it in position for each of the rubber stamps required to create one copy of the original image.

This invention, together with the use of a simple stamp position chart' enables the user to make a large number of copies of any single design which incorporates multiple stamped images by defining the exact position on the work sheet for each rubber stamp used to make up the complete design. The numerical position reference for each of the stamps in a single design is provided by the scale on each cursor and reference to the simple data noted on the stamp position chart'. The horizontal and vertical cursor arms (Cursor A' and Cursor B') can be easily repositioned to define the exact position for each stamp as in the original design so that multiple exact copies of the original design can be produced. In use, a work sheet of pnntable material (paper, card etc.) is placed onto the platen/base and positioned with its left hand and upper edges in contact with the left hand and top fence-rails of the Stamp Positioner. The user will ink one of the rubber stamps to be used in making up the complete work and place it onto the work sheet in the required position. Whilst holding the rubber stamp in this position, the user then slides the two cursors until they are in contact with the two most convenient sides of the rectangular mount of the rubber stamp. The stamp is then removed from the work sheet and the numerical position references are read from the scales on cursor A' and cursor B' and noted onto the Stamp Position Chart' (Marked I in Figure 5) together with a dot in column four of the chart to confirm the stamp position in relation to the crossed cursor arms. This process is then repeated with all the rubber stamps required to complete the design. By later re-positioning the two cursor arms in accordance with the recorded data for each rubber stamp, the original design can be reproduced easily and accurately in large quantities, as required.

Page 2 The invention is now described by reference to the following drawings:-Figure 1 shows the overall configuration of the invention and the arrangement of component parts in relation to each other.

Figure 2 shows one of the cursor sliding mechanisms and one method of providing a sliding and locking action by means of a leaf spring.

Figure 3 shows an alternative cursor sliding mechanism to figure 2.

Figure 4 shows another alternative cursor sliding and locking mechanism.

Figure 5 shows a stamp position chart which might be used in conjunction with the invention to record data for future use.

A flat rectangular platen or base of A4 size (marked 1' in figure 1) has raised fence-rails along its top and left hand edges (marked 2' in figure 1).

A horizontal dear acrylic cursor (Cursor A') (marked 3' in figure 1) and a vertical dear acrylic cursor (Cursor B') (marked 4 in figure 1) are mounted respectively on the left hand and top fence-rails by means of a sliding mechanism (marked 5 in Figure 1) which allows them to be moved by hand over the whole surface area of the platen/base whilst each remaining perpendicular to the fence/rail onto which they are mounted. By this means, the cursors can be made to cross at any point on the platten/base but will always remain at 900 each to the other. Each cursor carries a dimensioned scale (marked 6 in figure 1) so that their position in relation to the base/platen and each other can be defined by reading off the reference dimension on each scale at the point where they cross. Each cursor also has sufficient thickness to provide a vertical surface against which the rectangular mount of a rubber stamp can easily be positioned.

A feature of this invention is the cursor sliding mechanism (Marked I in Figure 2) which has a slightly oversized female dovetail groove (Marked 2 in Figure 2) which fits onto a fence-rail of male dovetail section. (Marked 3 in Figure 2). A leaf spring affixed into the top of the sliding mechanism groove (Marked 4 in Figure 2) applies downward pressure to the smooth flat top of the dovetail sectioned fence-rail thus pulling the sliding mechanism upward and creating friction between the opposed angled faces of the two dovetails to lock' the sliding mechanism into position on the fence-rail. A light manual downward pressure applied to the sliding mechanism compresses the leaf spring slightly and releases the friction between the angled dovetail faces so that the sliding mechanism can be moved easily along the fence-rail. When the downward pressure on the sliding mechanism is removed, the force of the Page 3 internal leaf spring again raises the sliding mechanism and applies frictional pressure to the faces of the dovetails, thus locking the sliding mechanism and its cursor (Marked 5 in Figure 2) into position.

In an alternative embodiment of this invention, the cursor sliding mechanism (Marked I in figure 3) has a simple oversized rectangular slot (Marked 2 in Figure 3) by which each Cursor arm is mounted onto its relevant fence-rail (Marked 3 in Figure 3). The slot in the sliding mechanism has an internally mounted leaf spring (Marked 4 in Figure 3) which bears on the outer surface of the fence-rail. The pressure of this leaf spring causes friction at its own contact points with the fence-rail and between the other internal face of the slot and the opposed face of the fence-rail. By selection of spring pressure the resultant frictional resistance to movement of the cursor(s) along the fence-rail(s) can be arranged to provide easy movement by hand whilst ensuring that the cursor(s) (Marked 5 in Figure 3) are not accidentally moved by, for instance, light touch, gravity or vibration.

In a further alternative embodiment of this invention, the cursor sliding mechanism (Marked I in Figure 4) incorporates a spring clip (of the type generically referred to as a crocodile dip') (Marked 2 in Figure 4) WhiCh has one blade attached to the sliding mechanism and forming one side of the groove which fits over the fence-rail (Marked 3 in Figure 4). When the sliding mechanism is in position on the fence-rail, the second blade of the spring clip (Marked 4 in Figure 4) bears on the outer face of the fence rail with the resultant friction locking the sliding mechanism and its cursor (Marked 5 in figure 4). into a fixed position. When the two outer ends of the spring clip (Marked 6 in figure 4) are squeezed together, the two blades of the spring dip are opened and the friction on the fence-rail is removed thus allowing the sliding mechanism to be moved along the fence rail. When the two outer ends of the spring dip are released, the dip again closes under its own spring force and clamps the sliding mechanism into a fixed position on the fence-rail.

In a further alternative embodiment of this invention, the cursor sliding mechanism incorporates a horizontally positioned locking screw in its outer wall which, when tightened onto the outer surface of the fence-rail, clamps the sliding mechanism into position. When the screw is loosened, the sliding mechanism can be moved along the fence-rail to a new position when re-tightening of the screw will re-lock the sliding mechanism into position.

A Stamp Positioning Chart' (which can be supplied as an accessory to the stamp positioner or drawn by the user) (Marked I in Figure 5) can be used with the Stamp Positioner to permanently record the numerical position references of each stamp used in each individual design. The chart also allows for the position of the stamp(s) in relation to the cursor arms to be Page 4 recorded (top left, top right, bottom left, or bottom) right by means of entering a simple dot in column four of the Stamp Positioning Chart which has a cross to represent the crossing of the horizontal and vertical cursors. By this means, the exact position of any stamp in any design can be permanently recorded for use in future accurate reproduction of the design. \ /

Claims

Page 5

CLAIMS

1. A stamp positioner comprising a flat platen or base incorporating fence-rails along two sides, two cursor arms arranged at 900 with numerical scales, sliding mechanisms for each cursor arm, means for providing friction within each sliding mechanism for each cursor arm.

2 A stamp positioner according to claim 1, in which the cross sectional shape of the slot in the sliding mechanism and the fence-rail (e.g. dovetail) prevent the removal of the sliding mechanism from the fence rail other than at the end of the fence-rail 3 A stamp positioner according to claim 2 in which the sliding mechanism incorporates an internal spring to provide an upward force to the sliding mechanism to increase sliding friction.

4 A stamp positioner according to daim I in which the sliding mechanisms incorporate locking screws to engage with the fence-rails.

A stamp positioner according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 which includes a pre-printed pad of stamp position charts.