US853500A - Stamp-affixer. - Google Patents

Description

PATEN TED MAY 14, 19071 o. A. oRAwPoRD. STAMP AFPIXER. P PLIOATIDII FILED IAN. 13, 1908.

llllllllllllll il aucune? 4 CLIFTON A. CRAWFORD, OF ZION CITY, ILLINOIS.

STAM P-AFFIXER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 14, 1907.

Application filed January 13, 1906. Serial No. 295,910-

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, CLIFTON A. CRAW- FORD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Zion City, in the county of Lake and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Stamp-Aflixer, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in stamp-allixers.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of stamp aflixers, and to provide a sim le and comparatively inexpensive device, a apted to be used on a desk, table or other support without clamping it or otherwise securing it to the same, and capable of enabling the stamps or gummed labels to be conveniently and rapidly affixed to letters, packages, catalogues and the like.

A further object of the invention is to providea .stamp aiiixer of this character, which will be capable of any adjustment to adapt it for aflixing stamps or labels to letters or packages of various sizes, and which will moisten the surface to which the stamp or label is to be ailixed as the letter, package, or the like is placed in position to receive the stamp or label.

Another object of the invention is to provide a stamp a'l'lixer having means for holdin a supply of stamps, and adapted to enable the same to be readily placed in position for a'liixing them to letters, packages, etc.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and pointed out in the claims hereto appended; it being understood that various changes in the form proportion, size and minor details of construction within the scope of the claims may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a stamp aflixer constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail lan view, illustrating the arrangement of the combined guide and gage with relation to the table and thelplunger. Fig. lis a vertical sectional viewon the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawing.

1 designates a base on one end of which is mounted a cabinet 2, having a plurality of drawers 3 and designed to contain a su ply of stamps, but although the device is a ap ted particularly for applying stamps to letters and various ackages, yet it will be readily understoodp that it may be advantageously employed for a'l'lixing gummed la bels to various articles. Rising from the base at an intermediate point is a standard or support 4, provided at the top with a horizontal projecting arm 5 and having a longitudinal groove or recess 6, in which is pivotally mounted a lever 7. The lever 7, which is designed for actuating a plunger 8, is arranged at an inclination when the plunger is in its lowermost position, as illustrated in full lines in Fig. 2 of the drawing, and is fulcrumed near its upper end on a transverse pin or pivot 9, and its short upper arm is connected by a pivot 10 to the lower end of a vertically reciprocatable operating rod 11. The standard or support 4 is approximately L- shaped, and the groove 6 extends from the top to the bottom of the same at the up er face thereof, and it is covered by a metallic face plate 12, having a longitudinal slot 13 at its lower portion to permit the lower arm of the lever to swing upward through it to the position illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 2 of the drawing. The standard or support may however, be constructed in any other desired manner as will be readily understood.

The operating rod extends through an opening of the arm 5, and it is normally supported in an elevated position by means of a coiled spring, 14 which en ages a shoulder 15 of the operating rod and which is housed within a sleeve 16.'

The sleeve 16 extends through the arm 5, and its lower end is provided with an inwardly extending flange or portion 17 to form aseat for the lower end of the coiled spring. The operatin rod is provided at its upper end with a hea 18, and it is adapted to be depressed by the hand to throw the plunger 8 upward.

The plunger 8 is arranged within a vertical casing 19, which is rectangular in cross-section to conform to the configuration of a TOO stamp and which is open at the top as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, but a casing of any other desired form may be provided to con form to the configuration of a label. The plunger is provided with a tapered opening 2() to receive one end of the lever' 7, which is provided with an anti-friction device 21, preferably in the 'lorm oll a wheel as shown in F ig. 2. By this construction. motion is communicated from the lever to the plunger with a miniinum aifnount of iriction.

The upper end of theplunger has ar'llat stamp receiving face, and the vertical casing, which forms a guide for the plunger, is provided at the iront or side with a door 22, hinged at the lower edge 23 and adapted to be opened to permit a number of stamps to be readily placed within the casing upon the plunger. The door 22 is locked in its closed position by 'means of a hook 25 or other suitable fastening device. The hook is mounted on one of the rigid walls of the casing 19, and it engages a projection 26, extending from the proximate edge of the door 22.

The device is provided in advance of the casing 19 with a bottle holder or casing 27, consisting of parallel side walls and a connecting outer end wall 28, which extends above the side walls and which has a bracket 29 secured to it. A bottle 3() is arranged within the holder or casing 27, and is provided with'areduced neck 31, receiving` a stopper of anysuitable construction and adapted to permit the bottle to be readily filled with water. The bottle, which is rectangular in cross-section, is provided at its inner side contiguous to the plunger casing, with a transversely disposed upwardly extending wick tube 32, which receives a wick 33. The wick 33, which extends into the bottle,rprojects from the wick tube, and is adapted to moisten thesurfaee of the envelop or package to which a stamp is to be aiiixed.

The bracket is provided at its upper edge with a dove-tailed rib or portion 34, which engages a dove-tailed groove 35 of a table 36, and the latter is slidably connected with the bracket and extends inward over the bottle as shown. The table is adapted to be readily drawn outward to permit the removal of the bottle, and it may be entirely detached from the bracket when desired.

The letter or package to which the stamp is to be ailixed is placed on or supported by the table 36, and it is moved inwardly or rearwardly over the same to place it over the plunger casing, and this movement carries the stamp receiving surface over the wick 33, whereby the requisite moisture is supplied to the said envelop or ackage. Y

In order to enabllje a letter, ackage or the like to be properly positions with relation to the upper end of the casing 19, a gage 37, anda combined gage and guide 38 are employed. The gage 37, which is L-shaped,

consists of a depending vertical stop portion and a horizontal attachment portion. The attachment portion is secured to the lower .face of the arm 5 by means oi' a threaded pin or bolt 39, and a nut 40. The pin or screw extends through a longitudinal slot 41 oi the arm, and the nut 4() engages the upper 'face of the latter. By adjusting the gage 37 toward and from the plunger casing, a stamp may be placed on an envelop or package the desired distance from one end of the same. flhe nut 40 is preferably provided with a milled edge to enable it to be conveniently operatech but it may be of any desired construction.

The combined guide and gage 38 consists oi a vertically disposed plate having its iront edge 42, curved outward laterally of the de vice, and the said guide and gage 3S is provided at its inner or rear portion with a substantially L-shaped shank 43 disposed horizontally. The shank extends from the combined guide and gage 38 to the plunger casing, and it is provided with a slot 44, through which extends a screw 45, which is mounted on the plunger casing and which is provided with a suitable nut 46 for engaging the shank 43 of the combined guide and gage. Any other suitable means su ch as a set screw may be provided. The out-turned edge 42 of the combined guide and gage 38 guides an envelop or package inwardly, and the com bined guide and gage limits the lateral move- .nient of the envelop or package and enables the stamp to be aflixed the desired distance from one of the side edges oi. the same. When it is desired to stamp envelops of a certain size, the gage 37 and the combined guide and gage 38 are adjusted, and the stamps may be rapidly applied to the said envelops as hereinafter explained.

The stam .s are placed within the upper portion` of t e casing 19 upon the plunger 8 with their gummed face uppermost, and when the. operating rod is depressed, the plunger is thrown upward, and the gummed face of one of the stamps is carried into contact with the moistened surface of an envelop or packa e, and such stamp 1s caused to adhere to t e same. After'a stamp has been affixed to an envelop or package, the coiled spring will return the plunger and operating rod to their initial positions, as soon as the latter is relieved of pressure.

The envelops or packages are held against upward movement by an adjustable abutment 47, which is in the form of a horizontal block or plate and which is provided at its upper face with a socket 48 for the reception of a ball 49 of an adjusting screw 50. The adjusting screw 50 extends through the front end of the supporting arm 5, and it engages with suitable screw threads of the same. It is provided at its upper end with a milled head 51, or other suitable device for enabling it to IOO IIO

be readily adjusted, and it is locked in its adjustment by means of a nut 52, arranged on the adjusting screw at the upper face of the arm 5,` and adapted to engage the latter. The abutment is provided with a pair of guide rods 53, which are located at opposite sides of the adjusting screw 5() and which slide in the suitable guide openings 54 of the arm 5. The ball and socket connection between the adjusting screw and the abutment provides' for a swivel or pivotal motion between those parts, yand the guide rods hold the abutment against rotary movement, 'when the screw is adjusted to raise and lower the same.

It will be seen that the device is adapted to be used on a desk, table or other supporting surface without fastening it to the same, and is provided with means Yfor enabling a letter, package or the like to be properly positioned with relation to the plunger, and that a stamp may be accurately ai'lixed to such package or letter by a single stroke or movement of the operating mechanism. Also it will be clear that the device is adjustable to receive letters, packages, catalogues and various other articles, and that the placing ot such articles in position over the plunger also operates to meisten the surface to which the stamp is to be a'llixed.

Having thus Jfully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a device of the class described, the combination with a base, a casing open at the top and provided at one of its walls with a door to enable stamps or labels to be placed within the casing, a standard rising from the base and having a horizontally projecting arm extending to a point above the casing and provided with an abutment, a plunger operating within the casing andI located beneath the said abutment, means mounted on the standard for operating the plunger, and a gage located between the standard and the casing and adjustably mounted on the arm of the former.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a base, a standard rising 'from the base and having an arm, a table also mounted. on the base, a casing arranged'between the standard and the table and having an open top located beneath the said arm, a plunger operating within the casing, operating mechanism mounted on the standard Jfor actuating the plunger, an abutment located above the casing, and adjusting means mounted on the arm and connected with the abutment for raising and lowering the same.

3. In a device of the class described, the

vcombination of the plunger, an abutment located above and spaced from the plunger, means for supporting a letter over the plunger rotary adjusting means for varying the distance between the abutment and the letter supporting means, and guiding means connected with the abutment for holding the same against rotary movement.

4. ln a device of the class described, the combination of a plunger, means for supporting a letter over the plunger an abutment located above and spaced from the letter supporting means, an adjusting screw connected with the abutment for varying the space between the same and the letter supporting means, and one or more guide rods connectedwith the abutment for holding the same against rotary movement.

5. ln a device of the class described, the combination of a casing open at the top and adapted to support a letter over the plunger, a vertically reciprocatable plunger Operating within the casing, a support located above and spaced from the casing, an abutment also located above the casing and. spaced 'from the letter supporting means, an adjusting screw mounted on the support and connected with the abutment, and one or more guide rods aHiXed to the abutment and slidable on the support.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of a plunger, an adjustable abutment located above the plunger, a table spaced from the plunger, and moistening means located in the space between the table and the plunger. A

7. The combination of a casing open at the top and adapted to receive stamps or labels, a plunger operating .within the casing, a standard having an arm extending over the open top of the casing and provided with an abutment, means for operating the plunger, a table, and a combined guide and gage adjustably mounted on the casing and spaced from and arranged in parallelism with the side edge of the table and adjustable toward and from--I the same.

8. The combination of a casing open at the top and adapted to receive stamps or labels, a plunger operating within the casing, a standard having an arm extending over the open topu of the casing and provided with an abutment, means for operating the plunger, a table, a combined guide and gage adjustably mounted on the casing and spaced from and arranged in parallelism with the side edge of the table and adjustable toward and from the same, and a gage adjustably mounted thereon and depending from the standard.

9. ln a device of the class described, the combination with a base, of stamp or label aliXing means, a table spaced from the said means, a closed receptacle removably mounted on the base and provided with a wick tube arranged in the space between the afhXing means and the table, the latter having its inner portion arranged over the said. receptacle and being movable outwardly to permit the receptacle to be removed.

10. In a device of the class described, the

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combination with stamp or label aliixing means, of a holder or casing open at the top, a receptacle arranged `'Within the holder or casing and having a projecting Wick, and a table extending over the holder or casing and movable therefrom to permit the receptacle yto be placed in and removed from the holder or casing.

l1. In a device of the class described, the combination With stamp or label ailixing means, of a holder or casing open at the top, a receptacle arranged Within the holder or casing and having a projecting Wick, a bracket extending from the casing or holder, and a table slidably interlocked with the bracket and extending inward over the open part of the casing or holder.

l2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a plunger, of a vsupporting arm located above the plunger, an abutment depel'lding from the supporting arm, and a depending gage adjustably connected With the supporting arm.`

13. A device of the class described, coniprising a base, a cabinet mounted on the base, a casing spaced from the cabinet, a standard lwheel located Within the tapered opening of the plunger for engaging the upper and lower Wall of the opening to positively move the plunger in each direction, and an operating rod connected with the other arm of the lever. In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, and have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of tvvo Witnesses.

CLIFTON A. CRAWFORD.

Witnesses A. C. CnnIsTnNsoN, T. H. HOIMNGSHEAD.

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