US946963A - Stamp and envelop moistener. - Google Patents

Description

F. W. GRANGER.

STAMP AND ENVELOP MOISTENBR. APPLIOATIONIIILED JUNE 15, 1908.

Patented Jan. 18,1910.

inventor:

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UNITE STATES PATET FRANK W. GRANGER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF T0 HENRY A. CLARK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

STAMP AND ENVELOP MOISTENEB.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 15, 1908.

Patented Jan. 18, 1910.

Serial No. 438,523.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK V. GRANGER, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Brooklyn, in the city of New York, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stamp and Envelop Moisteners, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

My invention relates to stamp or envelop moisteners, and more particularly to a type thereof adapted for desk use.

The main object of the invention is to provide a device of this character wherein an absorbent moistening pad will be maintained in a fixed position and constantly supplied with water, or other moistening means, by capillary action, and a platen will be spring-sustained above said moistening pad in a position to be readily depressed toward same to exert the necessary pressure upon a stamp or envelop to secure that intimate contact of the moistening pad therewith to insure a thorough dampening.

of the gum or mucilage thereon.

A still further object is to provide a device of this character wherein the platen will normally be so raised as to allow a clear field between it and the moistening pad for the insertion of an envelop or strip of stamps, and, when depressed, will not only serve to secure the desired contact of the moistening pad and envelop-flap, or stamps, but will steady the device and permit the manual withdrawal of said envelops or stamps from between the said platen and the moistening-pad without likelihood of tearing or mutilating the same.

A still further object is to provide a device of this character wherein the reservoir will be so covered as to protect articles being moistened in the device, as well as the user, and, at the same time, engage, compress and retain the moistening pad in a manner to hold the exposed surface thereof perfectly stiff so as to prevent said pad from either slipping into the reservoir or being pulled therefrom while in use. And a still further object is to provide a device of this character which will be simple in construction, compact in form, and inexpensive to produce.

The invention consists, primarily, in the combination of a stamp and envelop moistener of a reservoir and moistening pad projecting thereinto, means holding said pad against movement, pivotal arms mounted above said reservoir and said pad, a platen rotatably mounted in said arms at a point whereby it will contact with said pad when depressed, and means normally raising such arm, and in such other novel features of construction and combination of parts as are hereinafter set forth and described and more particularly pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

Referring to the drawings,-Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a stamp or envelop moistener embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof, with the platen roller partly broken away in the center; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section; and Fig. 4 is a detail on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings, a reservoir or tank is indicated at a. Preferably, this tank will be composed of heavy molded glass and may have any desired configuration, preferably being square, to provide an extended base and avoid side-toppling of the device in use. The top edge of two sides of said base, as indicated at a, is rabbeted to form a seat for the closure-cap or cover 6, and one side edge thereof is grooved, as at o to receive the edge of said cover Z), and not only form a seat therefor but to prevent said lid lifting from the reservoir when the device is in use.

The cover I) is preferably of metal and closes the entire open top of the reservoir a excepting toward one edge thereof, where space is left through which protrudes a moistening pad 0 preferably composed of a thick sheet of felt, which, in addition to having the desired absorbent qualities, is capable of such compression as to permit it to be held firmly in place, and will resist the ordinary conditions of use to an extent to give durability to the device. The fact that the lower end of this pad is always submerged in water will make it sufficiently moist at all times to avoid the accumulation and caking of the mucilage or gum, which will accumulate upon the top thereof through the continued use of the device. The pad 0 is held firmly between one side of the reservoir a and a flange d, pendent from and extending across substantially the entire width of the cover Z), the depth of said flange being sutlicient to give the desired surface contact between the retaining means for said pad and the pad, and, at the same time, compressing same without cutting into the substance of the pad. The top of the pad 0 projects above the top of the reservoir a and the cover t), that portion thereof engaged by said flange (Z being compressed to prevent any movement of the pad.

Mounted above the pad 0 and reservoir a are a plurality of oppositely disposed arms 6, spaced apart substantially the width of the said pad. These arms are pivotally mounted relative to said reservoir preferably by means of bearings 7 carried by the cover 6, the material of which said cover is made facilitating such attachment, and avoiding that complicated structure which would be necessary were it attempted to attach said arms directly to aglass base. The outer ends of the arms a have mounted therein a platen roller 9, preferably of wood, although vulcanized rubber, glass, or other substance may be substituted in lieu thereof, the point of said arms on which said platen is mounted being such as to bring said platen upon the upper surface of the pad 0 when the arms are depressed. Said platen is permitted to rotate freely in said arms so that suflicient n-essure may be exerted upon an envelop iiap, or strip of stamps by said platen and said envelop or stamps may be drawn across said pad while such pressure is thereon without encountering that resistance which would be present were the platen 9 held sta tionary. In order to permit the depression of said platen 9 so as to result in an equal distribution of the pressures exerted thereby along the entire length of the pad 0, and at the same time give such rigidity to the arms a as to prevent any distortion of the platen roller, 1 provide a crosshead h rigidly attached to or forming a part of said arms 6 and extending from arm to arm adjacent to said roller whereby both said arms may be simultaneously forced downwardly. To avoid any inconvenience to the user of the device, I make these cross-heads of a width sufficient to give a good contact surface upwardly.

To avoid the inconvenience which would be attendant upon raising the platen each time it is desired to use the moistener, and permit the rapid moistening of envelops or stamps, I support the arms 6 upon a spring 2', one end of which is secured to the cover Z) and the other end of which bears upon the cross-head it. This spring normally tends to raise the arms a, the platen g and cross-head it, but said parts may be readily depressed against the tension of said spring.

In assembling the device, the absorbent;

pad 0 is first placed in the forward edge of the reservoir 64 and one edge of the cover Z) inserted in the groove 0 with the flange (Z in contact with the said pad. The cover is then permitted to drop upon the seat provided by the rabbets a, that slight forward thrust necessary to compress the cap 0 being given to it while it is being so seated. The arms 6 and their appurtenances will thus be simultaneously attached to the reservoir (5 and the platen 9 will be properly positioned relative to said pad. The spring i, as heretofore described, will normally raise the arms a and the platen g, leaving a clearance between said members whereby the flap of an envelop, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, or a strip of stamps may be readily inserted between these two members, the gummed or coated side being placed next to the pad 0. hen the envelop or stamps are so placed, the free end thereof is grasped in one hand and the other hand is used to press downward upon the cross-head h, and thus force the platen 9 into engagement with said tlap or stamps, and hold them in this position while the envelop or stamps are drawn outwardly. It will be readily observed that the pressure exerted is always under control of the user, so that there is no necessity for tearing or mutilating the envelop or stamps, or exerting sutlicient pressure to remove the gum or mucilage therefrom instead of simply moistening same. As the envelop or stamps are drawn outwardly, the flap 9 has a peripheral travel equaling the lineal travel of said envelop or stamps, thus permitting the exertion of sutlicient pressure without. as above stated, causing that frictional binding which would tend to tear or mutilate the envelop or stamps. Immediately when the envelop or stamps are free of the pad 0 or platen g, the cross-head it and arms 6 are released, the spring 2' immediately restoring these parts to normal preparatory to the next operation of the device.

It will be observed that the device herein described can be operated with great rapidity, and that this construction is such as to practically prevent any disarrangement from the mere use thereof. The construction is also such as to permit of the economical production of the device.

It is not my intention to limit the inven tion to the precise details of construction shown in the accompanying drawings, it being apparent that such may be modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is not my intention, however, to claim broadly a moistening device employing an absorbent pad and a 1'0- tary platen, although I believe it to be new in a device of this character to so construct and arrange these parts as to afford that extensive contacting area between these parts.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to have protected by Letters Patent is 1. In a stamp and envelop moistener, the combination of a reservoir, a laterally extended moistening pad projecting thereinto, means holding said pad against movement, pivotal arms mounted above said reservoir and said pad, a cross-head attached to said arms whereby a bearing is provided by means of which said arms may be simultaneously depressed, a platen roller of sub stantially the same width as said pad rotatably mounted in said arms at a point whereby it will contact with said pad when said arms are depressed, and means normally raising said arms.

2. In a stamp and envelop moistener, the combination of a reservoir, a laterally extended moistening pad projecting thereinto, a closure cap for said reservoir having a pendent flange adapted to engage said pad and press it against the wall of said reservoir and hold it against movement, pivotal arms mounted above said reservoir and said pad, a platen roller of substantially the same width as said pad rotatably mounted in said arms at a point whereby it will contact with said pad when depressed, and means normally raising said arms.

3. In a stamp and envelop moistener, the combination of a reservoir, a laterally extended moistening pad projecting thereinto, a closure cap having a pendent flange adapted to engage and compress said pad against said reservoir and hold it against movement, bearings carried by said closure cap, a plurality of oppositely disposed arms pivotally mounted in said bearings, a cross-head attached to said arms, whereby a bearing is provided by means of which said arms may be simultaneously depressed, a spring mounted on said cap, a bearing upon said cross-head normally raising said arms, and a platen roller of substantially the same width as said pad, rotatably mounted in said arms at a point whereby it will contact with said pad when depressed.

4:. In a stamp and envelop moistener, the combination of a rectangular reservoir having two of its upper edges rabbeted and a third edge grooved, a laterally extended moistening pad projecting thereinto adjacent to the remaining edge thereof, a closure cap one edge of which is adapted to fit into said groove, two other edges of which are adapted to rest upon said rabbets, and the remaining edge of which is provided with a pendent flange adapted to engage and compress said pad against said reservoir and hold it against movement, hearings on said cap, oppositely disposed arms pivotally mounted in said bearings, a cross-head attached to said arms, whereby a bearing is provided by means of which said arms may be simultaneously depressed, a spring carried by said cap and acting against said cross-head to normally raise said arms, and a platen roller of substantially the same width as said pad rotatably mounted in said arms, at a point whereby it will contact. with said pad when depressed.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto atfixed my signature this 26th day of May, 1908, in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK IV. GRANGER.

Witnesses MYRON GODFREY, E. A. ALLEN.

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