US345064A

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Publication number: US345064A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1886-07-06
Anticipated expiration: 1903-07-06

Description

P. O. LIDKE.

HAND'STAMP.

(No Model.)

No. 345,064. Patented July 6, 1886.

WITNESSES $5604 4) INVENTOR v ATTORNEYS.

N. PETERS. PbvlvLilhugnphar, Wishingion. DQC,

nrrnn STATES PATENT Fries.

FRED O. LIDKE, OF VASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

HAND-STAMP.

SPHCIFICATIQN forming part Of Letters Patent No. 345,064, dated July 6, 1886,

Application filed March 2, 1886. Serial No. 193,800. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED O. LIDKE, of Washington city, District of Columbia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Hand- Stamps, of which the following is a description.

My invention is an improvement in handstamps, and particularly in that class of such stamps employed by the Government for canceling and marking postagestamps. The stamp now generally used for such purpose is provided with a circular series of characters, usually letters, denoting the place of mailing, which letters are cut by hand and at great expense. In such case, also, whenasingle letter becomes broken, worn, or otherwise useless, it destroys the usefulness of the stock, which must be cast aside and a new one procured.

Myinvention seeks to provide a simple construction by which the letters may be formed separately from and be self-retaining in the stock, and it has for further objects other improvements, as will be pointed out.

The invention consists in certain features of construction and novel combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described.

In the drawings, Figures 1 and 2 are face views of my stamp. Fig. 3 is a detail View of the stamping-strip with an integral rimstrip. Fig. 4 shows the stamp-strip with a separated rim. Figs. 5 and 6show the stamps without the canceling portions, and Figs. 7 and 8 are views illustrating processes in the preparation of the stamp now commonly used. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of my stamp, showing the cover-plate. Fig. 10 is a detached section on line as m, Fig. 9, with dotted lines, illustrating the manner ofremoving the datingbars. Fig. 11 is a detached cross-section of the stock shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the stampstrip being removed. Fig. 12 is a central longitudinal section of the stamp; and Fig. 13 shows the stamp-strip in connection with a stock having a core on which the strip binds, all of which will be described.

In the construction of the stamp now gen erally used, the face of the stock B is first planed offlevel, and then cut by the lines, as

shown in Fig. 7, which leaves the elevated portion 1, which serves to cancel the stamp, and the raised'ring 2, on which is cut by hand the name of the mailing-place; and surrounding this part 2 is a rim, 3. Now, it will be seen the parts 4 4 are usually chiseled away, as shown in Fig. 8, which operation requires time and care to prevent damage to the raised portions 1, 2, and 3. In such case, also, the stamp, after the letters are cut, is subjected to the tempering-lire, and it sometimes happens that such fire cracks the fine lines in the letters or elsewhere and destroys the stamp, resulting in a loss of all the work previously performed.

In my invention the stock is formed with a socket, A, fitted to receive the stamp-strip B. This strip when used simplyfor marking purposes may be formed plain, as shown in Fig. 1; but it is preferred to form'it with letters, figures, or other characters, as the circumstances may require. This stamp-strip is formed into the desired shape, which may be approximately circular, as preferred, or triangular, oval, or other suitable shape, its ends approaching each other, so that when forced toward each other or apart they will have a force and tendency to resume their normal position and so operate to retain the strip in place. The formation of the characters on the strip is preferably accomplished by passing it after it is annealed between roller-dies, thus rolling the letters onto the strips. The strips are then bent around a former, or in other suitable manner, into the desired shape of a normal external size, slightly greater than the socket A, and tempered, so that when compressed and slipped into the socket and released they will of their own tension be held in place.

\Vhile it is preferred to follow the abovedescribed method of forming the strip, it will be understood that such part may be stamped, punched, or otherwise formed into the desired shape and in a continuous band, which subsequently is separated by an opening, forming the separated ends,which approach each other, and will operate by tension to bind the strip in place when in use.

It will be understood that the rim 0 may be formed integral with the stock; but it is preferred to form it integral with the strip B, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. It may be formed separately, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, under certain circumstances. By thus forming the rim separately from the stock the surface of the latter in front of the portion 1 may be cut off in a lathe or other machine, and much more expeditiously than in the common construction; also, by either of these constructions, when the rim becomes worn or broken it may be replaced at a small expense without involving the necessity of a new stock.

As an instance in which the use of a rim separate from the strip would be useful, it may be stated that when in the use of a stampstrip with an integral rim the rim becomes broken, the broken rim may be cut from the stamp-strip and the latter be used with a separate rim, as shown in Fig. 2.

Practical experience has demonstrated that one of the stampstrips complete will not cost more than the expense of cutting a single letter on the stock now used, so that when the letter ing of a stamp constructed according to my invention becomes useless, it may be replaced by a new strip at a trifling expense, the same stock being retained. It will also be seen that my invention may be applied to the worn-out or other stocks now in common use by simply boring or cutting away the fixed type-bearing ribs or strips thereof and fitting one of my.

stamp-strips in place, as will be understood. It will be understood, also, that the stampstrip may be applied to the simple handstamps, such as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, and independent of the canceling portion 1.

- It is usual to form the stock with an opening or openings, D, leading into the socket A and fitted to receive the dating figures and letters.

To enable the convenient application of these parts, I provide the cover plate E, supported and rotatable above the stock. This plate E has an opening, 6, which may be turned to register with or away from the opening I). In use the plate E is adjusted with its opening 0 in register with the opening D. The dating block or characters may then be adjusted through opening 0 into or out of place for use, when by turning the plate E the dating block or characters when adjusted for use may be held in place. This forms a simple and convenient means of securing the dating-characters, and will be fully understood from the fore going in connection with Figs!) and of the drawings.

It will-be understood that by my invention several strips may be employed one within the other, and be held by their own tension.

It is manifest that instead of securing the stain p-stri p in place by the outward tension of the ends, such strip might be caused to encircle a central core, and be secured by its contracting tension when expanded, as will be understood from Fig. 13; but I prefer the construction and arrangement previously described.

Having thus dcscribedmy invention, what I claim as new is- 1.. A stamp-strip formed of metal and suitably shaped, with its ends approaching each other, and constructed substantially as de scribed, whereby it will be self-retaining in operative position, substantially as set forth.

2. The combinatioinwith the socketed stock, of a stamp-strip formed of metal and sprung 'into the socket of the stock, whereby it may F. c. LIDKE.

Vitnesscs:

E. L. We rrn, 1?. B. TURPIN.