US70147A - Charles f - Google Patents

Description

uiten tetra 4@attent @fitte CHARLES E. STEEL, OE BROOKLYN, NEW YORK. Letters .Patent No. 70,147, dated October l22, 1867.

IMPROITBMENT IN THE MANUIAGTURE 0I' POSTAGE-STAMPS.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CON CERN: f

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. STEEL, of the' city'of Brooklyn, in the county of Kingspand State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in the Manufacture of Postage-Stamps, applicable, also, to

other stamps, druggists labels, etc.; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof. i

The object of my invention is to produce a stamp which shall stick better than usual, and which it shall be impossible to fraudulently remove and use again. Many eiiorts have been before made in this-direction, but the diiference in the dryness between the recently-applied cancelling-ink and the long-before-applied ink of the printing so greatly facilitates the removal of the former that it is'frequently easy to wash oii cancelling-ink with so simple chemicals as common soap and water, even when the eancelling-'inkis of the same kind and quality as the ink with which the stamp is printed.

A part of my invention consists in embossing or partially breaking thepaper, so as to Open the texture of the paper along certain lines, without removing any part thereof. This causes `the stamp, label, etc., to stick better, and allows the oil of the cancelling-ink, when such is used, to strike in very deeply.

Another portion of invention consists in applying. the gum to such stamps prior to the breaking operation. This'avoids itstoomuch filling such broken places, and impairing its appearance on the front side.

Another portion of my invention consists in smoothing the paper again after the embossing or breaking, landprior to the printing. This allows it to be printed better, and to present a more finished appearance.

And another portion4 of my invention consists in leaving certain parts of the stamp, so broken, in a clean or 'unprinted condition. This allows such part to absorb the cancelling-ink still more perfectly, when suchis used.

My improved stamp maybe more cheaply produced than any stamps adapted to effect this purpose which are known to me.

I will first describe whatl consider thebest means of carrying out myinvention, and will afterwards designate the points therein which I believe to be new. lThe accompanying drawings form a part of tbis's-peciiication.

Figure 1 is a-face view. of my stamp complete. Figure 2 represents a cross-section of the stamp on line s s, when made 'according .to a portion of my invention. A l s Figure 3 is a cross-section when made according to the preferable plan.

I Figure 4 is a greatly-misguided cross-section, showing the paper in itsoriginal condition.

Figure 5 represents the same gummed, the gum being represented in red.

Figure 6 represents the same embossed.

Figure 7 represents the same after having been again iiattened, ready for use.

Figure 8 represents the vsame after printing. The printing-ink is shown in blue.V

Figure 9 represents the same after the cancelling-ink is applied, and

Figure 10 represents the same after the cancelling-ink is washed o" from the surface, showing its retention in the body of the paper. i

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in the several figures where they occur.

I select suitable paper, and, applying the gum on one face, let it dry. I then press the entire sheet between embossed plates, or pass it through between embossing-rollers. I then flatten a portion or the whole of the paper, so as to nearly remove all indications of. the embossing, except that the tibre of the paper remains dis-` turbed, and partially broken. After this I print on the surface thus prepared.

' I esteem it greatly preferable to' leave a. portion of each stamp unprinted, and untouched either, by the printing 'device or the flattening device, but some of thev advantages of my invention may be attained without thus proceeding..

I do not deem it necessary to describe the devices for embossing, iiattening, printing, etc., as they may be of any convenient character known to mechanics; but I prefer surface-printing, as it is more easy by that style of printing to leave a portion of each stamp 4untouched and unaffected. l

The ordinary surface of a stamp which is printed by a plate is more compressed than usual. When paper is intensely compressed by the severe contact of the polished plate therewith it becomes more dense and impervious; and when upon the surface of paper so compressed is laid,as usual, nearly a continuous coating of thick ink-that used in printing the stamp proper-and the same is allowed time to become thoroughly dried, it is difficult for the cancelling-ink -to strike into the material of the paper. But inmy stamp, made in the manner which I-most prefer, the paper is not compressed by the plate, and is not covered with well-dried ink at the points referred to, but, on the contrary, it is strained open, and formed into cavities sufficiently large to offer freeaccess to the oil, and to the coloring matter of the cancelling-ink.

Referring to the drawings, A is the main printed surface ofthe stamp, printed by surface-printing, or from a plate, or otherwise, with any ordinary or required devices. The whole or a portion of the remaining surface B is covered with sharp and clearly-defined elevations and depressions, produced by embossing with dies or rollers, not represented. The depressions are marked b, and are, in these drawings'distributed in regular order. At the points or along the lines @t m, between the depressions and the elevations, the' material of the paper is so greatly strained and expanded -in the act of embossing that its fibre is partly broken, and the material is left at those points more open or porous than usual. The entire surface A has also been at a previous period embossed, (in a style similar to b b, m m, or di`erently,) but these embossed elevations and depressions have all been nearly or quite obliterated by having been subsequently pressed down and attened. As a result of the whole, it follows that the area A is printed as usual and appears as usual, exceptthat the lines, partially broken ytherein, are somewhat open to receive the cancelling-ink, and that the area B is unprinted, and is still more lopen to receivecancelling-ink along the partially-broken lines therein.

The cancelling-ink may be applied in any convenient manner, either upon the. embossed surface alone, or promiscuously upon this and the other surfaces. The cancelling-ink, striking upon the embossed surface, enters the cavities and remains there, and washing will not remove it. Furthermore, the embossing so far weakens the paper that the stamp will not bear the same amount of severe washing as ordinary stamps,y but will fall in pieces.

I believe that my stamp cannot be peeled 'from the paper by soaking without tearing at the embossed points,

and I am positive, from repeated trials, ,that the provision for absorbing and retainingt'he cancelling-ink is very successful.

I propose to Hatten a portion ofthe paper in the interior of the space B, which is in the form of a numeral or numerals, indicating the value. This surface is marked C in the drawing, and is in the form of the numeral 3, indicating that this stamp is a three-*cent stamp.

By the use of yellow paper, prepared with fugitive colors, or the ordinary coloring'matter employed in the manufacture of yellow paper, Iam able to produce my stamps in such condition that the application of diluted acids, or any other of the ordinary chemicals employed to aid in the removal of cancelling-ink, will be shown and indelibly recorded by changing the colorrof the stamp. I

The lines of puncture-s nearly separating the several stamps one from the other are indicated by D. These are produced by dies, acting in the same manner as has been long practisedv in the production of stampsor the same dies may be also employed to flatten the surface, and thus, byadditional labor on the dies, I can decreasethe labor of printing and treating the stamps.

I have proved, by experiment, that there is an increased degree of adhesiveness attained by this system of breaking paper and iiattening it out again, and that it has the effect of an unsized paper, and is superior to an unsized paper, because unsized paper will not hold but absorbs the grim into its body.` By first applying the gum, and then giving it the soft natu're by meshing and breaking, as described, I obtain the adhesion due to unsized paper without the disadvantage. The breakage, as described, is different from simply pcrferating paper, because perforating does not Vaffect the whole body of the paper, while this straining and expansion does. consider it also an important point that these stamps, beingn'asl1ed or soaked so as to remove the gum from them, cannot be regummed iit for sale, as the gum will penetrate to the face of the stamp and injure its appearance.v

The printing may be done, with some success, directly upon the embossed or partially-broken material, before it is compressed or flattened again into the plane form. In other words, the compressing may be done by the operation of printing, or embossing on an embossed surface, but I prefer to flatten beforehand, as described.

Some of the advantages due to certain features of my invention may be separately enumerated,- as follows First. By reason of the fact that the paper of my stamp is partially broken along the lines m, I am able t0 make the paper more flexible and elastic, and less liable to loosen itself by shrinkage in drying; and also am able to insure the destruction of the stamp in any effort to fraudulently remove it, by -making'the stamp too weak to be removed entire; and also to insure that there shall be cavities and ragged fractures in the paper,

which cavitieswill remain unfilled until the cancelling-ink is applied, andvvill afterwards hold the same, so that it cannot be washed away or otherwise removed.

Second. `By reason of the fact that the' gum is laid en my stamp before the embossing or partial breaking of the paper, I am able to avoid the filling. of the cavities with gum. Theordinary wetting of the stamp to apply-it commences to soften the gum on the outside, and does not soften it so much as to cause the gum to penetrate the fractures, and the fractures remain open, in the same condition as if no gum were applied.

Third. By reason of the attening of my stamps after theirv partial breakage or disturbance along the lines m, as described, I am able to print on the partially-broken surface as perfectly as if it had not been disturbed, While cavities are still allowed to remain partially but not entirely closed, to weaken the stamp and to receive and hold the cancelling-ink, as specified.

Fourth. By reason of the fact thatVV the portion B of my stamp is left unlattened and unprinted, I am able to insure a, still greater degree of permeability in the material of` the stamp to receive and retain the cancelling-ink.

Having new fully described my invention, what I claim nfs new therein, 'and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows: l 4

1. I claim a. postagefstnnep, or equivnlent printed paper, harinr the paper partially broken, opened, and weakened along the lines m, substantially ns'end forthe purpose herein set-forth.

2. I claim in the abone applying the gum or equivalent adhesive material before such treatmentof the paper, as and for the purposes herein specified..

3. I elaim, in connection with the above steps, the ilzrttening of the whele er a portion of the surface of' the pnper prior to the printing operation, as und for the purpose herein explained. y

4. I claim leaving a spziee, Il, which is embossed and partially brokeinns indicated, und :not flattened or printed, substantially ns and for the purpose herein specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto put my naine in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHAS. F. STEEL.

Witnesses:

C. O. LIVINGS, W. C. Dm'.

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