Die stamping and printing methods and apparatus

Claim 1

DIE STAMPING AND PRINTING APPARATUS COMPRISING A DIE PLATE ADAPTED TO BE RECIPROCATED BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN A COMBINED STAMPING AND PRINTING POSITION AND AN INK APPLYING POSITION, SAID DIE PLATE HAVING AN UPPER SURFACE, STAMPING MEMBERS, SAID STAMPING MEMBERS EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM SAID UPPER SURFACE AND HAVING UPPER STAMPING EDGES LOCATED ABOVE SAID UPPER SURFACE, A PRINTING DEVICE INCLUDING A PRINTING MEMBER HAVING AN UPPER PRINTING SURFACE, SAID PRINTING DEVICE BEING CARRIED BY SAID DIE PLATE AND MOUNTED FOR LIMITED UP AND DOWN MOVEMENT WITH RESPECT TO SAID UPPER SURFACE, SAID UPPER PRINTING SURFACE BEING ABOVE SAID UPPER SURFACE, SAID PRINTING DEVICE NORMALLY BEING IN THE DOWN POSITION AND BEING IN SAID DOWN POSITION AT SAID PRINTING POSITION, INK APPLYING MEANS AT SAID INK APPLYING POSITION, SAID INK APPLYING MEANS HAVING AN INK APPLYING SURFACE, SAID INK APPLYING SURFACE BEING ABOVE SAID PRINTING SURFACE WHEN SAID PRINTING DEVICE IS IN SAID DOWN POSITION, AND MEANS ESTABLISHING MAGNETIC ATTRACTION BETWEEN SAID INK APPLYING MEANS AND SAID PRINTING DEVICE, WHEREBY AT SAID INK APPLYING POSITION SAID PRINTING MEMBER IS RAISED INTO CONTACT WITH SAID INK APPLYING SURFACE AND INK IS APPLIED TO SAID PRINTING SURFACE OF SAID PRINTING MEMBER.