US2167908A - Postage stamp container and affixer - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 1, 1939. s. G. RICHARDS v POSTAGE STAMP CONTAINER AND AFFIXER Filed April 18, 1938 iii Patented Aug. 1, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE POSTAGE STAMP CONTAINER AND AFFIXER The object of my invention is to provide a container of simple, durable and inexpensive construction and which may conveniently be held in an operators one hand and into which an operator may readily and easily insert a roll of postage stamps with his other hand and with the outer end stamp projected into the discharge passageway of the device and in position to be engaged by the operators thumb on the hand which holds the container, and whereby the operation of loading the container ready for use is quickly and easily performed.

A further object is to provide improved means for conveniently and easily advancing or retarding the strip of postage stamps to position where the perforated line between the individual stamps is accurately aligned with the cutting edges of the stamp cutting and affixing device so that stamps are not mutilated, and further to provide simple and easily operated means for firmly clamping the strip of stamps and covering and protecting both surfaces of the strip of stamps adjacent the stamp that is projected beyond the device, so that there is no danger of the strip of stamps moving during the act of tearing off the projected stamp, and so that moisture applied to the projected stamp will not reach the stamps adjacent thereto.

A further object is to provide improved and simplified means for closing the open side of the container after a roll of stamps has been placed therein and at the same time closing the slot at the side of the stamp guiding and clamping device, and providing a convenient handle for use in removing the detachable side of the container.

111 the accompanying drawing Figure 1 shows a side elevation of my improved postage stamp container and afiixer grasped in an operators hand and having the cover removed, the stamp guide and clamping member being shown in section;

Figure 2 shows a side elevation of same with the cover in the position in which it is placed on the container before being turned to clamping position;

Figure 3 shows a top view illustrating the stamp guiding and aflixing member;

Figure 4 shows a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 shows a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 shows a sectional view on the line 66 of Figure 2; and

Figure '7 shows a side view of the inner side of the detachable cover member.

Referring to the accompanying drawing I have used the reference numeral II] to indicate generally the stamp container. It is cylindrical in outline and open at one side. At the open side I provide a series of lugs ll projected inwardly. Affixed to the container and projected tangentially from it is the stamp guiding member l2, having upwardly extended sides 13 and inwardly extended marginal edges [4 spaced apart from the member l2. The outer edge is straight and at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the guide l-Z.

Near the end of the guide l2 adjacent the container I preferably provide a raised, longitudinally-arranged rib I5 for purposes hereinafter .made clear.

As shown in Figure 2 the upright side member- 43 is cut away adjacent the body of the container, for purposes hereinafter made clear.

The outer portion of the container is made of resilient metal and is extended tangentially substantially parallel with the guide l2, and is in-' serted under the marginal edges l4, thus forming a clamping member Hi. This clamping member is formed with an opening at ll.

The cover member is indicated generally by the numeral l8 and has on its inner surface a discshaped member 19 having a series of outwardly extending lugs 20 spaced apart from the cover, as shown in Figure 6. It also has at one side an outwardly projecting handle and closure member 2!. The shape of this member 2| is such that" when the cover is in closed position it will overlap the open side of the guide member and form a closure for it, and it also forms a convenient handle for rotating and clamping the cover memher in position.

The roll of stamps is indicated generally by the numeral 22, and the projecting strip of stamps in the guide member is indicated by the reference numeral 23. Afiixed to the central portion of the container is a post 24 adapted to receive the roll of stamps and to support the roll centrally and rotatably Within the container.

In practical use a roll of stamps may be very conveniently and. easily loaded into the container by simply removing the side of the container and placing the roll of stamps on the post 24. While this is being done a portion of the strip of stamps is projected from the roll, the operator may readily and easily hold the container in one hand, as shown in Figure 1, with his thumb extended partly through the opening l1. With the operators other hand the roll is grasped and the extended strip of stamps may be easily guided through the opening between the side wall l3 and the body of the container so that this extended strip of stamps may be projected under the operators thumb which grasps the container. When this has been done the operator applies the cover member. This is done by placing it on the container in the position shown in Figure 2, and then grasping the handle member and rotating it to position covering the opening in the side of the guide member l3, and when this has been done the roll of stamps will be completely enclosed and protected, and the cover will be held in position by the coacting lugs II and 20. Then the operator may, with the thumb extended through the opening l1, advance or retract the projected strip of stamps until the stamp at the end has its perforated edge exactly in line with the straight outer end of the guide device and the clamping member l6. This may be easily and conveniently accomplished because the rib l5 separates the body of the gummed side of the stamps from the guide member l2 and thus reducesfriction. When the projected stamp is in its proper position, then the operator simply presses his thumb downwardly and thereby moves the end of the yielding clamping member IE to position lying fiat against the top surface of the strip of stamps, and forces the outer portion of the strip of stamps firmly against the top surface of the guide member l2. In this way the stampsare firmly held so that the operator may readily and easily moisten the gummed portion of the projected stamp, affix it to a letter and then tear it off along the perforated lines. It will always be torn straight along this line because the operator uses the straight edge of the guide and clamping member for this purpose.

When water is being applied to the gummed side of the stamp no water can enter or engage the stamps that are within the guide and clamping device because the clamping member completely and fully covers the upper surface of the stamp and holds the gummed surface of the stamp firmly against the adjacent surface of the guide member.

I have found in practical use that an operator, with my improved device, can easily and accurately affix a large number of stamps in a minimum of time, and more particularly, with my device the stamps are always torn off accurately along the perforated line and the unused stamps within the container and guide are never injured becauseof moisture applied thereto, when wetting the gummed portions of the projected stamp.

I claim as my invention:

1. A postage stamp container and afiixer, comprising a cylindrical body portion open at one side and having a fixed post at its central portion to receive a roll of stamps, a detachable cover for the open end of the body, said body and cover having co-acting locking lugs to secure the cover in position on the body, and said cover also having a projecting handle and cover device fixed thereto, a guide device projected from the periphery of the body and having its side edges extended upwardly and then inwardly toward each other, a portion of the side of the guide member adjacent the body being open and said projecting handle and cover device being shaped to cover said open portion of the guide device when in position on the body, and a yielding top member for the guide device formed with a slot and inserted below the inwardly extended edges of the guide member.

2. A postage stamp container and aflixer, comprising a container body open at one side to receive a roll of postage stamps, a guide member projected from the container and having a flat top surface, a spring stamp-clamping member positioned above the guide member and substantially parallel therewith and yieldingly held away from the guide member and movable toward and from the guide member, said spring stampclamping member having an opening through which an operators thumb may be inserted to engage a strip of stamps in the guide member, whereby the strip of stamps may be freely moved within the guide member to advance or retract the stamps and when in the desired position it may be firmly grasped and held by pressure of the operators thumb on the spring clamping member.

3. A postage stamp container and aifixer, comprising a container body open at one side to receive a roll of postage stamps, a guide member projected from the container and having a flat top surface, a spring stamp-clamping member positioned above the guide member and substantially parallel therewith and yieldingly held away from the guide member and movable toward and from the guide member, said spring stampclamping member having an opening through which an operators thumb may be inserted to engage a strip of stamps in the guide member,-

whereby the strip of stamps may be freely moved within the guide member to advance or retract the stamps and when in the desired position it may be firmly grasped and held by pressure of the operators thumb on the spring clamping member, said guide member being formed with side members extended upwardly and then inwardly over the spring clamping member to enclose a strip of stamps therein and protect them from being wetted when water is applied to the stamps.

SAMUEL G. RICHARDS.

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