US186179A - Improvement in branding-stamps - Google Patents

Description

T. F. TAYLOR.

BRANDIN'G STAMP.

Patented Jan. 9, 1877.

IVE NTU 32" WITNESSES,

N.PETER9, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPNER, WASHINGTON D C,

UNITEE STATEs PATENT QEEIOE THEODORE F. TAYLOR, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN BRANDING-STAMPS.

Specification formingpart of Letters Patent No. 186,179, dated January 9, 1877; application filed November 24, 1876.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THEODORE F. TAYLOR, of Richmond,'in the county of Henrico and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Canceling Stamps and Checks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in devices for canceling stamps and checks; and it consists in a device to be used for canceling stamps, but more particularly for use in the prevention and detection of forgery and chan ging denominations of drafts, checks, and all other valuable documents.

In carrying out my plan I use a face-plate that is placed on a plane with the face of the plunger, and secure the platinum wire to the face of the plumger, on a facing of mica, by means of small loops of platinum wire, and have the connections to the battery so arranged that the circuit is completed and the wire made red, hot before it touches the paper.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my device, and Fig. 2 is a similar view of the reverse side. Fig. 3 is an inverted view of the base of the plunger. Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional views of the base.

a represents a suitable base, towhich an ordinary stamp, c, of any desired construction, is secured, The base I) of the plunger d is made of wood or other non-conducting material, up through which, to any suitable distance, pass the two metallic rods e, which are placed sufficiently far apart to prevent the electricity from passing directly from one to the other. At their upper ends these two rods are connected to or come in contact with the two tips g h, which project out through the sides of the base, so as to receive the electricity from the two wires 5 j. The tip 9 has its wire 5 clamped to it by means of a screw, while the tip h, which projects from the opposite side of the base, is entirely disconnected from its wire 7', except when the plunger is depressed. This wire j, unlike the other, is a spring, which is wrapped around a non-conducting substance, I, so as to hold it in position, and passes forward under the projection m, so as to hold its front end depressed just below the tip it. In this position the circuit is broken, and remains so until the plunger is depressed, when the tip h comes in contact with the wire and completes the circuit. As soon as the plunger is thrown upward again by its spring the circuit is again broken. On the under side of the base I) is secured a plate of ivory, bone, or other non-conducting substance, n, and to the lower side of this plate is secured a plate of mica, s. Fastened to the face of this mica is a fine platinum wire, 0, which may be arranged so as to form any figure, letter, monogram, or other device. This wire is here shown as bent into a curved or zigzag shape, and is fastened to the face of the plate 8 by means of small loops 1, which have their ends in contact with the rods 6. By flattening this wire 0, or making any peculiar marks upon it, it is evident that a means of detection is afl'orded that can never be counterfeited. As soon as the plunger is but partially depressed and the circuit formed, the wire 0 instantly becomes white hot, and scars the surface of any paper or other substance it may come in contact with. As the wire 0 is very fine it is just sufficient to sear the face of the paper in such a manner that the mark can never be erased without at the same time destroying or injuring the paper. When applied to the cancellation of stamps the face of the stamp is spoiled without the slightest injury to the letter to which it is attached.

This invention will be found especially valuable to banks, for the purpose of preventing the words and figures on checks from being raised. Mica is used in this connection because it is not only a non'conductor of heat, but because it is not burned by the wire.

Ivory or bone is used as a backing for the mica because they are tough, can be made of any degree of thickness, and are non-condoctors of electricity.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim- 1. The platinum wire 0, secured to its faceplate bymeans of the loops 1, which have their ends come in contact with the rods 0, as shown.

2. In a canceling device, a fixed face or bedplate, placed on a plane with the face of the stampor plunger, a platinum wire, 0, attachments to a battery, and a circuit-closer that completes the circuit, so as to heat the wirebefore it comes in contact with the paper, as specified.

3. A plate of mica, .9, attached to the lower side of the plunger, in combination with a platinum wire, 0, substantially as specified.

4. The combination of a plate of ivory, bone, or other non-conductor, n, with a plate of mica, s, and a platinum wire, as shown.

5. The combination of the base 6, rodsa,

tips 9 h, and wires 17 the wire j being made" to act as a circuit-closely su bstantiallyas specie I fied.

In testimony thatI claim the foregoing I l have hereunto set myhand this 24th day of November, 1876.

Witnesses: t

Row. M. BARR, FRANK M. BUBNHAM.

THEODORE TAYLOR.

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