Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
1037313
The present invention relate~ t~ rubber stamp~ pre
ferably of the self-inki~g type, which are u~ed for example in .
po8t offices and i~ particular to such ~tamps which are used
for stamping dates, when cancelling postage ~tamps.
Postage ~tamps are normally cancelled in the post
office by mean~ of automated e~uipment. However, where postage ~ -
stamps are sold to collectors they are usually ~old either in
blocks of four specimens, or else they are gummed to an enve- ~
lope. I~ thi~ ~ase, collectors will usually place consider- .-
able value on the f~ct that the postage stamps have been ca~
celled by the post office on the first day upon which such
postage s1:amps were issued. Generally speaking, such franking
or cancelling of stamps on the date of is~ue has not been widely
available at branch post offices. Branch post offices do not
normally have the equipment for the applying of special cancell-
ation stamps with the date of issue shown on the stamps, and
therefore cannot normally provide this service and consequently
it is usually only available at the head office.
Self-inking rubber stamps are available for the hand
2Q cancelling of StalllpB, and some of such hand operated ~tamps do
incorporate sy~tem~ for showing the date, usually in the for~
of separate rubber belts with numerals and lettering.
~owever, collectors usually require not only a can-
cellation of the ~tamp showing the date of is~ue, but they
usually require a special cancellation stamp a~ well. This
would mean therefore that branch post office~ would b~ required
to carry a large number of hand aancelling self-inking rubber
stamps each with a different stamp image for cancelling difer-
ent i~sue~ of stamps and thi~ i8 clearly i~practicable.
~t i~ ther~fore a general ob~ective o th~ pre8ent
_
;'~ ' ' ' . , ~', : .
~1 03)'f~3~1L3
invention to provide a rubber 9tamp incorporating a series of
interchangeable ~tamp mounting blocks or plates, each block
carrying a dlfferent rubber die image, and each block pref~r-
ably being provided with a recess for receiving interchangeable
rubber indicia for showing the date.
More particularly, it i8 an objective of the invention
to provide a ~elf-inking rubber stamp having the foregoing ad-
vanftages in which the rubber indicia or plugs incorp~rate retain-
ing means for securely locking thf~mf in position in the plate.
More particularly, it is an objective of the invention
to provide a self-inking rubber stamp having the foregoing ad- .
vantagefs in which the removeable mounting plate incorpora1es a
slotted opening for rec~iving the numeral plug~, and a recess or t
well surrounding the slotted opening, in the back of the plat~
and in wh:ich the plug incorporates a generally T-shaped retain- ~-
ing member fitting within the rece.~s, with the main body vf ~he E
plug extending through the slotted opening, thereby ~ecurely ~-
retaining the plug in position in the plate.
The various features of novelty which characterize
20the invention are pointed out with particularity in thiof claims
annexed to and forming a~part of this disclosure. For a better
understanding of the invention, it~ operating advantage~f and
specific objects attained by it~ use, reference should be had
to thef accompanying drawings ~nd descriptive matter in which
there is illustrated and de~icribed ~ preferred embodiment o I
the inv~ntion. ~:
IN THE DRAWINGS s
Figure 1 is an exploded perspective illustration
showing a typical self-i~king rubber stamp, provided with an
30int~rchang~able mounting plati3 ~ccording to the invention7
f~ .
j
~373~
Figure 2 i~ an upper perspec~ive illu~tration ~h~wing
the mounting plate; -
Figure 3 i f a section along the line~ 3-3 of Figure 2;
Figure 4 i~ a top plan view of a portion of the ~elf-
. . ;.
inking rubber stamp, and, .
Figur~ 5 is a perspective illu~tration of the rubber f
numeral plug.
Referring now to Figure 1, it will be understood that
the present invention i~ illustrated a~ being applied to a sel~
inking rubber stamp. In such rubber stamps, an inking pad i9
carried in an upper portion of the stamp, and the rubber stamp
or die is rotated and pressed against the inking pad, and is f
then rotated back again and pressed downwardly against the paper .
or work piece. There are a variety of such types of self-inking
stamps available, and the type illustrated in Figure 1 is merely
exemplary of this class of rubber stamp, and is not to be regard~
ed as in any way limiting.
As shown in Figure 1, it will be seen that the form
of self-inking stamp shown incorporates a generally rectangular
housing or body 10, enclosing the inking pad 12. Two do~nwardly
dep~ndent side frame m~mbers 14-14 are provided for ~arrying a
moveable platen 16. The platen 16 i~ moveable between lower
and upper positions, the lower position being illustrated in ~ :
Figure 1.
In its upper position it i~ reversed so a~ to face the :~
inking pad 12 and b~ pre~sed again~t the pad 12 for inki~g of ~:
the stamp.
In the nor~allself-inking rubber ~tamp, a rubber stamp
or ~ie is glued to the exposed low~r face 18 of the platen 16.
The platen 16:i~ rotatably moun~ed on 8ui~abl~ rota~able. :`
3 - :
, ~. '
~i3~73~
bearing means (not shown) ~o that it can be ~wung throuqh an
arc of l80 so that it can either face downwardly a~ shown,
or upwardLy against the inking pad 12. Rotation of the platen
16 is procured through a pair of sidle plate~ 20, movement of
which is controlled by means of ~r~nnions 22 fastened on oppo-
site 3ides of frame-~ 14. It will be under~tood that there are
two such trunnions 22, on opposite sides of the side frames 14.
The side plates 20 are operated by means of the arm~ !
24 which are located on the exterior of the side frames 14,
and may slide upwardly and downwardly with respect thereto. 1 ;
A rod 26 ex~ends between side plates 20 and extends
outwardly therefrom through guide tracks 27 formed in side
frames 14, and is connected at either end to arm~ 24. The
tracks 27 are straight at each end and curved in the middle,
thereby procuring the rotary action of ~he platen.
Extending upwardly from the housing lO is a cylin~
drical column 28, surmounted by a handle 30. The handle 30 i~
connected to the two side arms 24 for driving them downwardly.
The handle 30 is hollow and may be telescoped relative
,
20 to the cylinder 28,and a compression spring located within the
:
cylinder 2% and handle 30 provides for a return action ie. ex-
tending the handle relative to the cylinder 28.
As mentioned, all of these features are essentially
standard well known elements for this type Qf self-inking rubber
stamp, and form no part of the invention. It is important to
note however that ~,uch stamps are often u~ed quite abruptly by
post office personnel so that the action of the platen 16 is
extremely rapid ancl jerky. The platen will be normally resting
in its inverted position against th9 inking!pad 12, and when ;~
the operator 81am~ the ~tamp dc~n on an envelope the platen l~
.
__ .. . .... . . ~ ... . . . . .
~L(11373~3 ` :
i~ driven downwardly and i~ then rotated 180 and then driven
down a further distance until it hits the envelope after which
the operator simply raises the handle 30 upwardly, and the
~pring action produce~ a reverse movement,almost equally abrupt.
As a result, the platen 16 is subject to very violent
blows, and the rotary movement take~ place with great rapidity.
According to the practice ~f the invention therefore .
a plurality of replacea~le rigid mount.ing plate~ 40 are provided
which are of essentially rectangular ~hape, and adapted to fit
snugly within the two end wall~ 17 of the platen 16.
On the lower face of the plate 40 there is pro~ided
a rubber die or impression 42 provided with any suitable relief
image 44 of any desired design. Such a rubber die 42 will of
course be adhesively bonded to the plate 40 in a well known manner. I
Within the relief image 44, there is provided a ~lotted ~:
opening 46 for receiving.indicia such as rubber plug members 54
providing a means for inserting the date of issue~ : I
Referring now to Figures 2 and 3, it will be 3een that
the slotted opening 46 extends through the plate 40 and i~ loc- ` -
ated within ~n enla~ged well or.rece~ 48 located in the rear .
surface o:E the plate 40.
In addition, a retaining pin 50 having an annular re-
cess 52 extend~ from the rear ~urface of the plate 40 for re-
leaseably securing the ~ame to the platen 16 in a manner to be 1.
described below. I
Figure 5 shows greatly enlarged the shape of the rubber
date plug 54, having an upper T-shaped portion 56. The main body
of the plug 54 extend~ through the slot 46, and the enlarged T- :
shaped portion 56 ~it~ within the well 48. In this way, the
rubber plug~ S4 are securoly fastened in th~ r~ce~ 46 and carmot
I
~ . .
become dislodged even during the violent and repetitive move-
ment~ of the self~inking rubber stamp apparatu~.
Preferably the body 54 of the plug i equal in length
to the depth o~ slot 46 and the thlckness o~ the stamp 42. The '.
T-shaped portion 56 is preferably o~E a thic~nes~ equal to or
slightly great~r than the depth of well 48.
In order to retain plate 40 in position on the platen
16, a pin receiving soeket 58 is provided extending complotely
through the platen 16. On the upper side of the platen 16,
as shown in Figure 4, there i3 provided a locking bar 60
having a locking recess 62 therein adapted to fit snugly around
the annular recess 52 on the pin 50.
An upstanding tongue 64 is provided at the free end
of the bar 60 wh~reby it may be swung to and fro by a finger
and thumb.
At the other end of the bar 60~ it is pivotally fast~
ened to the platen 16 by the bolt 66.- A spring 68 extends
; around the bolt 66, and engages a tan~ 70 on the bar 60 at one
; end, and the other end of the spring is secured a~ainst the
post 72 on the platen 16. A stop member 74 is provided on the
platen 16 to limit the forward ~winging mo~ement of the bar 60 t
when the pin 50 has bsen withdrawn from the hole 5B. . ~ :
If desired, the top of the pin 50 could be beveled ~.
¦ or domed ~o as to provide an automatic camming action when the ` 1
plate 40 i~ being place~d in position, and the pin 50 i~ being
placed in the hole 58., . ~ :
Sufficient plate~ 40 will be pro~ided with the sel~
inking rubber stamp unit ~o that a wide va~iety of different
~ancellation stamps mayibe made available to stamp collector~.
}n op~ratiQn, the po~t office employee will ~imply
. - 6 - :
~,
insert the correct numeral plug 54 in po~ition to show the right
date, and the plate 40 will then be placed in position, by snapp
ing the pin 50 into position ~o that the locking bar 60 and ~lot
62 engage in the groove 52 of the pin 50.
The self-inking rubber.~t~np can then be operated in
the normal way as many times aY are required for cancelling
9tamps on that particular day. If, on the next day a different
issue of stamp~ becomes available then a di~ferent plate 40
showing a different relief Lmage 44 will then be ~ubstituted,
and the correct date will be inserted in such repl~cement plate
40, a~d the operator can then proceed as before.
Clearly, the invention will be applicable to variou~
different forms of self-inking rubber stamp~, with minor modi- I
fications pos ibly being necessary in the arrangement of the
locking bar 60, or possibly being ~ubstituted by 80me other
suitable form of locking ~ystem. I
In any event however throughout the operation, the ¦ ;
numeral plugs 54 are securely held in the plate 40, and cannot
become dislodged no matter how violent the operation of the
stamp its~lf. ~ ~
The plugs ~4 will show both numerals and numerals
and months if de~ired and a complete set of such plugs 54 will
be supplied to show allithe dates requixed. The T-shaped por-
tions 56 are securely compressed between the platen 16 and the
plate 40 and prevent the plugs 54 from being! driven back into 1
- the slot 46 or from becoming loose and falling out, during use.
Only three ~uch plug~ 54 ar~ shown but more or les~ may be u~ed
depending on their width, preferably fllling the length and
width o~ the slot 46. ~ ll
Clearly, the invention wh1le belng de~cribed par~i-
~ 7 --
,, . .... ~,.. ~ , ...... . . .
.. . . .
.. . . ..
iLiD373~;B
cularly for use in post offic~s, for c~ncelling collectors
date of issue stamps, is not to be confined solely to such use
or purpose, and may have much wider application for a variety
of other types of operation. For example, mail order houses
operating under a number of different business names mlght well
find the invention useful, or there may be many other business
uses for the invention.
While the invention has been illustrated and described
as applied to self-inking stamps it is equally applicable to
simpler forms of date stamps in which a conventional separate
inking pad is used to ink the stamp. In that case the platen
of the stamp will of course be stationary and the plates will be
releasably attachable to such platen in some suitable manner
similar to that described above.
Having described what is believed to be the best mode
by which the invention may be performed, it will be seen that
the invention may be particularly defined as follows~
A rubber stamp comprising a platen, means for applying ;
said platen over a workpiece, a plurality of die support plates
for carrying different rubber die images thereon on one side
thereof, the other side being adapted to be placed on said platen,
opening means in said platen, an engageable locking
member on each said plate, oriented to pass through said opening -
~means, and a movable locking catch on said platen movable into
and out of engagement with a said locking member whereby to secure
a selected one of said plates in position on said platen, and
being readily releaseable for interchanging of said plates on
said platen.
The invention further comprises a rubber stamp having
the foregoing features and wherein said rubber stamp is of the
-- 8 --
~tr~
~ (~3~3~3
self-inking type, and incorporates an inking pad, and mechanism
for moving said platen alternately between the pad and ~aid
workpiece.
The lnvention further comprises a rubber stamp having
the foregoing features and including an opening in each said
plate for reception of interchangeable indicia therein and,
retaining means on said plate for retaining said indicia in
position.
m e lnvention further comprises a rubber stamp having
the foregoing features and including a slotted opening in each
said plate, and a recess well formed in the back of each said
plate in registration with said slotted opening, and having at
least a width dimension greater than that of said slotted opening.
The invention further comprises a rubber stamp having
~he foregoing features and including opening means formed in each
said plate for reception of indicia members therein, and including
indicia members having a main body portion adapted to fit snugly
across a dimension of said opening, whereby two or more such
lndicia members may be arranged in said opening side by side,
and including retaining means on said indicia members inter-
engaging with said plate for retaining the same in position.
The invention further comprises a rubber stamp having
the foregoing features and including a slotted opening having a
length and breadth formed in each said plate, a recessed well
formed in the other said side of said plate in registration with
said slotted opening, a plurality of indicia members, each said
member having a main body adapted to fit snugly across the width
dimension of said slotted opening, whereby several such indicia
members may be arranged side by side along the length of said
opening, and a retaining portion forming part of each said indicia
_ g _
. -- . ,.
I }, .:
~C~37;~L3
member adapted to be received in said well, and sandwiched
between said well and said platen, when the plate is in position
on the platen.
The foregoing is a description of a preferred embodiment
of the invention which is given here by way of example only. The
invention is not to be taken as limited to any of the specific
features as described, but comprehends all such variations
thereof as come within the scope of the appended claims.
-- 10 --
