US200418A - Improvement in hand branding-stamps - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES' PATENT' OFFICE.

HORACE WICKHAM, JR., OF WAUKEGAN, ASSIGNOR OFONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO HENRY P. CALDWELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN HAND BRANDING-STAMPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 200,418, dated February 19, 1878 application filed April 1o, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HORACE WICKHAM, Jr., of Waukegan, Lake county, State of Illinois, have invented. a Hand BrandingStamp, of which thefollowing is a specification:

The object of my invention is to produce a hand branding-stamp or branding-iron that can practically be made use of by the different governments to eectually cancel any kind of postage or revenue stamp, so as to make their reuse impossible.

There arev several other uses to which this hand-stamp can be applied, among which I may mention the use by bankers and others, to prevent the raising of checks, by railroads to date tickets, 85o., by cigar-manufac turers to brand cigar-boxes, and any of the uses to which a branding-stamp or branding- 'iron can and may be applied.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of the invention. Fig. 2is a sectional view of the stamp divided lengthwise through the center. Fig. 3 is the cap B. Fig. 4 is a type enlarged.

The following is a true and exact description of' my hand brandingstamp, and a mode of making and using the same.

In the drawing, H is a handle, to be made of any good non-conductor of heat. To said handle H is connected a metal base, K, by means of a pin, I, (or by any other suitable means,) whereby a slight play is given to the skeleton base K, so that it can adjust itself to a surface if it is not brought squarely down.

B is a metal cap screwed (or otherwise attached) to the skeleton base K, and holds the hard metal types A A in an upright position upon the base-plate D. The plate D is supported by resting upon the skeleton base K.

The types A A A have a flange on both sides, to prevent them from falling out through the slots n n n in the cap B. The cap B has one or more slots, n n n, straight across its face, (or they maybe curved, circular, or otherwise, as may be desired,) through which the types A A A project, so as to be ilush with the raised border L, which is around and upon the face of the cap B. Y

A pipe, C, passes through the handle H, one end of which projects into the hollowr of the base K, on which end is placed one (or more, if desired) burner, J. The other end projects from the upper end of the handle H, to which end is attached a flexible tube, E, which conducts a supply of gas to the pipe C, which supplies the burner J.

It will readily be seen that a flexible tube is one of the essential features of my invention, Y

for without it my hand-stamp would prove im practicable. With aileXible tube ahand branding-stamp or branding -iron can be turned, moved upward or downward. In fact, it can be used in any direction desired or required.

A reservoir to receive compressed gas may be attached to this hand branding-stamp or branding-iron, at the end of the tube C marked N in the drawing, Without a flexible tube; but using a flexible tube with a reservoir somewhat removed I consider superior to this mode. My hand branding-stamp can be made in any size or shape desired or required, according to the purpose for which it is designed.

In order to have a perfect combustion of the gas when ignited at the burner J, the base K is to be made in a skeleton form, for the purpose of allowing the greatest possible amount of air to come in contact with the gas issuing from the burner J, so that a free and imconfined combustion of the gas can take place. If the base K is not so constructed, imperfect combustion takes place, and the desired result is not obtained.

Operation: The desired name, date, &c., being in their proper position, one end of the iiexible tube is then connected with a supplyfount, (of gas.) The other is then connected to the end of the tube C. rlhe gas being then turned on, the burn er J is then lighted through the skeleton base K. The flame made by the burner J heats the plate D, by which means the heat is communicated to the types A A and cap B, and raised border L, and to the parts below the handle H. It is then ready for use. To use it, press the face of the stamp against the object to be marked. Upon so doing a fac-simile of the letters and devices will be scorched or burned upon or into the object pressed against.

It is obvious that the longer the stamp is held upon the object the deeper will be the impres- 6l 2. Thecombination ofthe skeleton base K, tube C, flexible tube E, handle H, burner J, cap B, plate D, and types A A, substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

HORACE WIOKHAM, JR.

Witnesses E. M. SOLOMON, F. O. CALDWELL.

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