Simplified, self-inking hand stamp

Claim 1

A hand stamping device comprising: a frame means (3) for carrying a stamping block and an ink storage block thereabove; a stamping block (4) of porous material held within said frame means and disposed so that a surface of the block is exposed for the stamping function; an ink storage block (5) mounted within said frame means and in abutting relation to said stamping block so that ink may readily transfer from said ink storage block to said stamping block; a top plate (6) having a pair of opposingly disposed side walls (8a) depending from said top plate (6) said top plate and side walls being inserted over said frame means and cooperating with said frame means to hold said stamping block and ink storage block in fixed position within said frame means, said top plate being provided with an aperture therein; a tube (7) affixed to said top plate and communicating at one end with the aperture therein; an outer frame (11) inserted over said top plate and provided with an aperture that is aligned with the aperture of said top plate, said outer frame having a pair of opposingly disposed depending side walls (11a, 11a), the height of said side walls being greater than the height of the depending side walls (8a) of said top plate 6 so as to maintain said stamping block above the lower edges of said outer frame side walls when the stamping block is in an inoperative position; a tubular portion (10) integrally connected with said outer frame and extending from the aperture therein, said tubular portion (10) slidably receiving the tube (7) therethrough, the slidable relation of said tube within said tubular portion thereby enabling sliding displacement of said top plate (6) relative to said outer frame (11), said tube protruding through said tubular portion and out of the end upper thereof; a grip (12) fixedly connected to the protruding end of said tube (7) extending from said tubular portion and said grip slidably operates with respect to said tubular portion; shoulder means formed on said grip to obstruct continued slidable movement of the grip with respect to on the tubular portion; and a spring means having one end thereof abutting said shoulder means and the other end thereof resting on said tubular portion so as to maintain and resist movement of said grip with respect to said tubular portion, thereby maintaining said grip in raised position unless pressure is applied to said grip to push said grip toward said top plate, said spring and the surfaces abutting the ends thereof cooperating to maintain said stamping block in a raised, inoperative position.