Mailing assembly

Two or more initially independent mailable items, each containing or carrying separate and usually different communications are banded, or otherwise held together, for mailing as a single mailing piece. One of the independent mailable items may carry postage in stamp or in printed postage indicia form as well as address information on one of its exposed faces. Alternatively such postage and address information may be carried by a band, or other means, utilized for holding the otherwise independent items together. The assembly is intended primarily but not exclusively, for use in mailing third class mailing material and allows plural, independent communications items to be mailed, under existing United States government postal rate schedules, at less total cost than if each independent communications item were to be mailed separately.

This invention relates to a mailing assembly and, more particularly to an 
assembly of two or more initially independent, mailable items, such as 
letter sheets, postal cards, booklets or envelopes, banded, or otherwise 
held together for mailing as a single mailing piece. Each of the items 
usually contains or carries communication material which differs from the 
communication material contained or carried by the other item or items. 
The purpose of my mailing assembly is to allow plural individual, and 
initially independent communications items, each usually, but not 
necessarily, containing or carrying different communications material, for 
example, advertising material, to be transported under existing United 
States government postal rate schedules through the United States mails 
and delivered to the same address for a lesser cost than if each of such 
material-containing or carrying items is mailed individually. 
The mailing assembly described herein, while specifically designed for use 
in mailing third class mailing material through the United States mails, 
is not to be considered to be limited to third class mail since, as the 
description proceeds, it will be clear that my invention is also useful 
when mailing mail other than third class mail. 
The following example will illustrate one use of my novel mailing assembly. 
Under current United States postal rates the postage cost for mailing a 
first class letter weighing one ounce or fraction thereof is thirteen 
cents. Thus, whether a letter weighs one-half of an ounce or a full ounce 
it costs the same to mail it. With my invention two, or conceivably even 
more, letters are assembled together so as to use to a mailer's advantage, 
the weight/price structure of the postal rates. For example, two first 
class letters each weighing three-eights of an ounce can be mailed to the 
same address using the inventive concepts set forth herein for a postage 
cost of thirteen cents, whereas sending the same two letters separately 
would cost a mailer twenty six cents for postage. 
One object of the invention is to provide means whereby plural, different 
advertising or other communications items may be mailed at a total cost 
which will be considerably less than if each of such items is mailed 
separately. 
Another object of the invention is to allow plural individual advertising 
offerings to be mailed together at a postage cost which will be 
considerably less than the cost at which such offerings could previously 
be mailed separately. 
Another object of the invention is to provide a mailing assembly including 
individual material-containing envelopes which is acceptable for mailing 
through the United States mails. 
A further object of the invention is to provide a mailing assembly 
consisting of two or more individual, enveloped, advertising offerings 
which are banded, or otherwise attached together, for mailing as a single 
mailing piece at a total cost which is less than if each individual 
enveloped offering is mailed separately. 
Another object of the invention is to provide a novel mailing assembly 
whereby plural, individual publications, or communications such as, but 
not limited to both enveloped or wrapped or non-enveloped and non-wrapped 
letters, letter sheets, booklets, brochures, newsletters, postal cards, 
pamphlets, magazines, newspapers, books, advertisements, and the like, can 
be sent through the mails at less total cost than if each individual 
publication or communication is mailed separately. 
Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the remainder of 
the specification and from the drawings and claims which form a part of 
this application.

Referring now to the drawings, FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 show a first illustrative 
embodiment of my invention. More specifically, numeral 1 designates a 
first mailing envelope, and 2 designates a second mailing envelope. 
Envelopes 1 and 2 may be of identical construction, or may differ in type 
and size as discussed further hereinafter. 
The envelopes utilized in practicing my invention may be conventional 
paper, windowed-type, flap-closing envelopes. However, other materials 
than paper, for example, plastic may be used as the stock material from 
which the envelopes are made, and non-windowed and even flapless envelope 
types can be utilized in practicing my invention. 
The specific envelopes illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings are 
of the paper, windowed, flap-closing type. 
Envelope 1 includes a front face 3, a rear face 4 and a flap 5. Similarly, 
envelope 2 includes a front face 6, a rear face 7 and a flap 8. The front 
face of envelope 1 carries on its upper right hand corner at 9 printed 
postage indicia, for example, to show that third class bulk rate postage 
has been prepaid, or appropriate postage stamps. A return address may or 
may not appear at location 10 on face 3 as desired. 
Numeral 11 in FIG. 1 designates a transparent or cutout window through 
which an address 12 carried by the communications material, for example, 
advertising matter 13 within envelope 1 may be read. Envelope 2 also 
contains communications material, now shown, which normally is of a 
different character, for example, is advertising a different goods or 
service, than the communications material in envelope 1. 
In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3 the front 6 of envelope 2 and the backs 4 
and 7 of both of envelopes 1 and 2 need carry no indicia whatsoever, 
although advertising or other indicia may be provided thereon if desired. 
Flaps 5 and 8 may or may not carry the usual gummed adhesive area (not 
shown) for use in sealing the envelopes depending on the class of mail in 
which my invention is to be used. For example, if my mailing assembly is 
to be used in third class mailing no adhesive area is necessary since 
envelopes 1 and 2 need only be closed, but not sealed. If my mailing 
assembly is to be used for first class mailing, than an adhesive area, as 
described, would be provided and envelopes 1 and 2 would normally be 
sealed when mailed. 
In order to hold envelopes 1 and 2 together during their transportation 
through the mails, a strip or band 14 of paper or plastic material is 
placed tightly around envelopes 1 and 2 as best shown in FIG. 2. Such band 
14 is conveniently formed of a strip of one of the materials just 
mentioned above which has its two free ends overlapped and adhesively 
secured together, as at 15, in the case either paper or plastic material 
is used, or alternately heat-sealed together in the case plastic material 
is used. 
Band 14, alone, in many instances is sufficient to hold envelopes 1 and 2 
and their contents securely in assembled relation during their transit 
from sender to addressee through the mails, particularly when envelopes 1 
and 2 are identical duplicates. However, in those mailing situations where 
several handlings are anticipated, or when envelopes 1 and 2 are of 
different sizes or shapes, the integrity of my mailing assembly during its 
transit from sender to a designated address or addressee through the mails 
may be rendered more positive by the use of at least two of the three glue 
spots 16, 17, and 18. Glue spot 16 may be utilized to affix band 14 to the 
front 3 of envelope 1, while glue spot 18 may be utilized to affix band 14 
to the flap 8, or alternatively to the back 7 of envelope 2. Glue spot 17 
may be utilized to affix the back of envelope 1 to the front of envelope 
2. 
When the mailing assembly of FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 is to be assembled and used, 
envelopes 1 and 2 are first printed exteriorly as desired, and are then 
individually filled with whatever communications materials it is desired 
to mail. The material 13 in envelope 1 will carry delivery address indicia 
12 visible through window 11. The flaps 5 and 8 are then closed and 
sealed, if desired, and envelope 1, after having had appropriate postage 
indicia or stamps placed or printed thereon, is positioned in engagement 
with envelope 2 as shown, either with or without glue spot 17 interposed 
between envelopes 1 and 2. Then band 14 is formed into a closed loop 
around envelopes 1 and 2 either with or without the utilization of glue 
spots 16 and 18 shown, and my mailing assembly is now ready for transport 
from the sender to the designated address or addressee. 
Upon receipt by the addressee, it is only necessary, if glue spots 16, 17 
and 18 are not used, to slide envelopes 1 and 2 out of band 14 in order to 
then open the envelopes to gain access to the material therein. If glue 
spots 16 and/or 17 and/or 18 are used, the envelopes can still be slid out 
of band 14 after enough shearing force is developed to rupture whatever 
glue spots are utilized. Since glue spots 16, 17 and 18 are quite small in 
extent, only a relatively small force is required to rupture them. 
In place of, or in addition to glue spot 16, I may utilize an adhesive 
sticker 90 to secure band 14 to face 3 of envelope 1 as shown in FIG. 1, 
wherein part of the adhesive 91 which covers the entire back side of 
sticker 90 is shown in adhesive engagement with envelope face 3, while 
another part of the adhesive 91 on the back of sticker 90 is shown to be 
overlapping and adhesively secured to band 14. 
It will be further noted, in reference to FIG. 1, that sticker 90 engages 
band 14 in such fashion as to secure the exposed end of band 14 to the 
unexposed end of band 14. Such securement of the ends of band 14 by 
sticker 90, as just described, can be used in addition to the securement 
obtained by the adhesive at 15, in order to reinforce the joinder obtained 
by 15, or, in some instances, if desired, adhesive 15 can be eliminated 
and sticker 90, alone, can be utilized to join the ends of band 14 
together so as to form the endless loop shown. 
The United States Postal Service is now using gummed indicia bearing 
stickers of the type shown at 90 to convey various information to its 
personnel while mail is being sorted, routed, and handled. For example, a 
blue sticker, of the type shown, which has the letter "F" printed thereon 
is used to indicate that all of the mail in a particular bundle, to which 
the sticker is applied, is to be delivered to the same addressee. Since in 
many instances in the utilization of my novel mailing assembly all of the 
individual mailing items contained within band 14 will be delivered to the 
same addressee, sticker 90 may not only serve as a primary or secondary 
securement means, but sticker 90 may also serve to advise mail handlers 
that all of the material within band 14 is to be delivered to the same 
addressee. Another benefit derived from the use of sticker 90 flows from 
the fact that a mail handler seeing such a sticker will be alerted so that 
band 14 will not be broken by postal service personnel. This alerting of 
mail-handling personnel will help to insure that each mailing assembly 
will be delivered to the intended addressee intact. 
In FIG. 4, I show an alternate embodiment of my mailing assembly. This 
embodiment differs from the embodument of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 in that strip 
or band 24 is located around the lengths of envelopes 1 and 2 instead of 
around the widths as is the case with band 14 in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. In 
addition sticker 90 is used in this embodiment as the sole means to fasten 
the ends of band 24 together, thereby doing away with the necessity of 
providing an adhesive or heat-sealed area on band 24 such as at 15 in FIG. 
1. Further, envelope 1 in FIG. 4 is non-windowed, and neither it, nor 
envelope 2 carry delivery address information or postage stamps or 
indicia. Rather, the address 92 to which the mailing assembly of FIG. 4 is 
to be delivered is printed directly on band 24, and the postage stamps or 
indicia 9 are also located on band 24, as shown. 
The assembly and use of the mailing assembly depicted in FIG. 4 will be 
easily understood considering the description already set forth 
hereinabove relative to the embodiment of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. 
FIG. 5 shows a further embodiment of my envelope assembly which differs 
from the embodiment of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, previously described, in that 
glue spots 16, 17 and 18 are not necessary, and because strips or bands 34 
and 34', which tightly encircle envelopes 1 and 2 to hold them together, 
are transparent and are located diagonally around the envelopes rather 
than being oriented either vertically as in FIG. 1, or horizontally as in 
FIG. 4. Bands or strips 34 and 34' are transparent so that indicia, for 
example, address indicia, which underlies bands 34 and 34' can be read 
through band 34 and 34'. Both of bands 34 and 34' may be utilized, as 
shown, or alternatively, either band 34 or band 34' may be used alone if 
desired. No glue spots, such as spots 16, 17 or 18 normally need to be 
utilized in this embodiment, although such spots can be used if desired to 
more securely attach the assembly together. 
FIG. 6 shows yet another embodiment of my invention wherein two bands or 
strips are employed to secure envelopes 1 and 2 together. Band or strip 44 
runs horizontally around envelopes 1 and 2 like band 24 in FIG. 4, and 
band or strip 54 runs vertically around envelopes 1 and 2 like band 14 in 
FIG. 1. No glue spots, such as spots 16, 17 and 18 normally need to be 
utilized in this embodiment, although, again such spots may be used if 
desired. For example, it may be desirable to utilize one glue spot 19 
between bands 44 and 54 at one of their crossing points. 
To extract envelopes 1 and 2 from the banding means shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 
a person can either cut or tear the bands, or alternately, bands 44, 54 
can be slipped off after any glue spots, e.g. 19, are sheared, and plastic 
band 34' can be stretched slightly so that it can then be slipped off. 
Band 34 can be made of stretchable or non-stretchable transparent 
material, as desired. 
FIGS. 7 and 8 show another embodiment of my invention in which top and 
bottom holding strips 74 and 64, respectively, are utilized to hold 
envelopes 1 and 2 together for mailing. Strip 64 is attached to the bottom 
of the front face 3 of envelope 1 by means of a glue spot 23, and to the 
bottom of the rear face 7 of envelope 2 by means of a glue spot 22. Strip 
74 is attached to the top of the front face 3 of envelope 1 by a glue spot 
20 and to the rear face 7 of envelope 2 below the lower edge of flap 8 by 
a glue spot 21. If flap 8 has been previously adhesively sealed to rear 
face 7, then strip 74 can be made shorter and attached by a glue spot to 
flap 8. One or more folded, adhesive-backed stickers 90', similar to 
stickers 90, previously described, can also be used, as shown in FIG. 7, 
in addition to, or as substitutes for strips 64 and 74 in holding 
envelopes 1 and 2 together. Stickers 90' may or may not carry indicia on 
their exposed faces, as desired. Stickers 90' can also be similarly used 
on any of the other illustrated embodiments of the invention, if desired. 
FIG. 7 is partly broken away to show an address 50 printed on the front 6 
of envelope 2 to a different addressee than the addressee seen in the 
address 12 visible through window 11. Address 50, it will be noted, is 
hidden from view once envelopes 1 and 2 have been attached together into a 
mailing assembly, and remains hidden until such assembly is disassembled 
normally by the addressee of envelope 1. 
FIGS. 9 and 10 show another embodiment of my invention in which a single 
holding strip 84 is utilized which only partially encircles envelopes 1 
and 2. One end of strip 84 is attached to the front face 3 of envelope 1 
by a glue spot 27, and the other end of strip 84 is attached to the front 
face of envelope 1 by a glue spot 25. An additional glue spot 26 may be 
utilized to attach a central portion of strip 84 to the rear face of 
envelope 2 if desired. 
The individual envelopes 1 and 2 of FIGS. 7 and 8 can be separated either 
by severing strip 74 between glue spots 20 and 21 and strip 64 between 
glue spots 22 and 23, or by manipulating envelopes 1 and 2 so as to shear 
off enough of the four glue spots 20, 21, 22 and 23 to allow envelopes 1 
and 2 to be separated. 
The individual envelopes 1 and 2 of the mailing assembly of FIGS. 9 and 10 
can be separated, if glue spot 26 is not utilized, either by severing 
strip 84 between glue spots 27 and 25, or by shearing at least one of the 
two glue spots 27 and 25. If glue spot 26 is used, then envelopes 1 and 2 
can be separated by severing band 84 between spots 26 and 27, and between 
25 and 26, or by shearing off any two of the three glue spots 25, 26 and 
27. 
Although envelopes 1 and 2 have been shown in the drawings as being the 
same size and shape, it is not necessary that two identically sized and 
shaped envelopes be used. For example envelope 1 of FIG. 1 could 
conceivably be longer, but of the same width as envelope 2. Also envelopes 
1 and 2 can be made of different materials. For example, envelope 1 may be 
made of paper, and envelope 2 may be made of a transparent plastic such as 
polyethylene, as in U.S. Pat. No. Re. 26,371 granted to me on Apr. 9, 
1968. 
FIG. 11 shows, utilizing the embodiment of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 by way of 
example, how supplemental informative or advertising indicia can be 
applied to the rear face 7 of envelope 2. For example, 29 designates a 
return address which is a duplicate of return address 10 on face 3 of 
envelope 1. Numeral 30 designates a delivery address which is a duplicate 
of address 12 on advertising matter 13; and 31 is illustrative of various 
types of informative and/or advertising indicia that may be placed at 
various locations on rear face 7 of envelope 2. 
In the event envelopes other than a window-including type are utilized for 
envelopes 1 and 2, then the delivery address can be printed directly on 
the face 3 of envelope 1, or can be printed on a conventional gummed label 
such as 28 in FIG. 9 which label is adhesively fixed to the front face 3 
of envelope 1. 
It is also within the purview of my invention to place the backs of 
envelopes 1 and 2 in engagement during the formation of the various 
mailing assemblies disclosed rather than having the front face of envelope 
2 always contact the rear face of envelope 1 as shown. The illustrated 
embodiments and orientations of envelopes 1 and 2, however, are normally 
preferred. 
It is also within the purview of my invention to utilize initially 
independent mailable items other than enveloped material in practicing my 
invention. FIG. 12 is similar to FIG. 1 to 3 except that a banded mailing 
assembly of two postal cards 101 and 102 are utilized in lieu of the two 
communications containing envelopes 1 and 2 of FIG. 1. Face 103 of card 
101 may have printed, or otherwise attached thereon the requisite address 
and postage indicia or stamps necessary to properly direct the assembly of 
FIG. 12 to an addressee. Alternatively the requisite address and postal 
indicia just discussed can be placed on band 104 as in the embodiment of 
FIG. 4. 
FIG. 12 is shown only partially assembled for clarity. However, it will be 
understood that the mailing assembly of FIG. 12 is readied for mailing 
merely by moving each end of band 104 in the direction of the arrows 
adjacent thereto until cards 101 and 102 are in firm engagement, after 
which the ends of band 104 are fastened together by one of the methods set 
forth hereinabove, so that band or strip 104 forms a closed loop, as 
previously described. Card 102, may, or may not, carry postal or address 
indicia, as desired. 
FIG. 13 is quite similar to the embodiment of FIG. 12, except that instead 
of the postal cards of FIG. 12, a single fold-including communication item 
201, for example a brochure, and a bound or unbound book or booklet formed 
of folded sheets 202 and 203 are shown in the process of being assembled 
into a unitary mailing assembly by means of strip or band 204. Either face 
205 of sheet 203, or band 204 can carry the requisite address and postal 
indicia or stamps, as desired, and as previously described. If a binding 
such as adhesive or stitching is utilized to hold sheets 202 and 203 
together, such binding will normally be located at the location 
represented by 206. 
FIGS. 14, 15 and 16 show an embodiment of my invention wherein envelopes 
301 and 302 are of different sizes with envelope 301 being both of lesser 
length and of lesser height than envelope 302. This contrasts, for 
example, with the embodiment of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 wherein both of envelopes 
1 and 2 are of the same size. In addition the embodiment of FIGS. 14, 15 
and 16 also differs from the embodiment seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 in other 
respects. In the embodiment of FIGS. 14, 15 and 16 envelope 301 is 
oriented with its flap-including edge upward while envelope 302 is 
oriented with its flap-including edge downward. In addition the 
flap-including side of envelope 301 engages the flap-including side of 
envelope 302. Finally, the gummed indicia-bearing sticker 390 shown in the 
embodiment of FIGS. 14, 15 and 16 not only is utilized to hold the 
overlapped ends of transparent or non-transparent band 314 together in a 
manner similar to the way in which sticker 90 does in the embodiment of 
FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, but, in addition, sticker 390 is related to envelopes 
301 and 302 in such manner that the gummed side thereof also engages and 
holds both of envelopes 301 and 302 substantially immovable relative to 
each other and relative to band 314 during mailing. 
Several other advantages flow from the embodiment set forth in FIGS. 14, 15 
and 16. First, because the flap-including side of envelope 302 is turned 
inwardly so as to engage the flap-including side of envelope 301, the 
entirety of face 306 can be utilized for exhibiting exposed advertising or 
other indicia when band 314 is made of transparent material, or 
alternatively all of face 306, except for the portion covered by band 314 
can be utilized for exhibiting exposed advertising or other indicia as 
desired, when band 314 is made of non-transparent material since all of 
the postage for this mailing assembly is either carried by sticker 390, as 
described hereinafter, or is carried by the front face 303 of envelope 1, 
as at 9 on envelope 1 of FIG. 1, or by band 314 as has been previously 
discussed relative to 9 on band 24, for example. Secondly, by inverting 
envelope 301 relative to envelope 302, flap 305 of envelope 301 is made to 
engage a non-flap-including area on the rear face 307 of envelope 302. 
Likewise flap 308 of envelope 302 is made to engage a non-flap-including 
area on the rear face 304 of envelope 301 with the result being a more 
uniform thickness mailing assembly than the somewhat tapering assemblies 
illustrated by FIGS. 2, 8, 10 and 17. The advantage flowing from the 
opposite positioning of the flap edges of envelopes 301 and 302 as best 
shown in FIG. 15 is that, more complete mailing assemblies of this type 
can be packed in a given space than if both flap edges of each of envelope 
301 and 302 are positioned at the same side as in FIGS. 2, 8, 10 and 17. 
If desired, opposite positioning of envelope flap edges as described 
relative to FIG. 16 can be utilized in any of the previously described 
envelope-including embodiments. 
FIG. 17 illustrates another way envelopes 301 and 302 can be positioned 
while still leaving all or substantially all of face 306 exposed for 
advertising or other indicia. In FIG. 17, it will be noted the 
flap-including sides of envelopes 301 and 302 are in engagement with each 
other so that face 306 is exposed as just described. If desired the 
envelopes in any of the previously described envelope-including 
embodiments can be positioned with their flaps in engagement as described 
relative to FIG. 17 if only two envelopes are utilized. 
The envelopes of FIGS. 14, 15, 16 and 17, if desired, can also be oriented 
so that the flap of the front envelope engages the face of the back 
envelope which is the orientation broadly illustrated in the embodiments 
of FIGS. 2, 8 and 10. 
FIG. 18 shows an orientation of envelopes 301 and 302 wherein the front 
face of envelope 302 engages the rear or flap-including side of envelope 
301. Four different orientations of two engaging flip-including envelopes 
are thus illustrated in end views FIGS. 2, 8, 10, 15, 17 and 18. The 
envelopes 301 and 302 as oriented in FIG. 18 may be held together as a 
single mailing piece in several of the different ways, previously 
described, and illustrated, for example, by utilization of the band 314 
and sticker 390, in a manner similar to that illustrated in FIGS. 15 and 
17. 
Because sticker 390 adhesively engages both of envelopes 301 and 302 and 
band 314 in FIGS. 14, 15, 16 and 17, glue spots such as at 16, 17 and 18 
in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 are not usually required with the embodiments 
illustrated in FIGS. 14, 15, 16 and 17 although if unusually rough 
mail-handling is anticipated, one or more of such spots can be used, as 
deemed necessary 
The manner in which access is gained to the contents of the individual 
envelopes of FIGS. 14, 15, 16 and 17 by an addressee, or addressees in 
cases where a different addressee is designated on envelope 302 than that 
for envelope 301, will be apparent from the description given hereinabove 
relative to other embodiments of my invention. 
Although each of the embodiments illustrated show only two separate or 
individual mailable items bound into each of my mailing assemblies, it 
should be understood that more than two such items can be utilized in the 
formation of any of my illustrated mailing assemblies. Also, as previously 
described relative to FIG. 7, it is not necessary that all of the separate 
items of each mailing assembly be destined for the same addressee. By way 
of example, three separate enveloped advertisements each weighing 
one-quarter of an ounce, can each have one of their exposed envelope faces 
provided with a different name and the common address of one of three 
different persons in a family all residing at a single address. These 
three enveloped advertisements, which advertisements may or may not be for 
the same goods, would then be banded, or otherwise attached together, as 
above described, after being oriented so that only one name and address 
face on one of the envelopes is visible. Assuming that this assembly is to 
be mailed as first class mail, and assuming that the band or other 
attaching means weighs less than one-quarter ounce, it will be understood 
that this assembly can be mailed for the current one ounce or fraction 
thereof postage rate of thirteen cents whereas if each of the three 
enveloped advertisements were to be mailed separately the postage charge 
would be three times as much or thirty nine cents. The potential reduction 
in postage expenditures, when utilizing my assembly is, therefore, quite 
great. Also the total cost of mailing my assemblies is still considerably 
less than mailing the individual items thereof separately, even though the 
cost of the banding or other fastening means and their emplacement must be 
included in the total cost of utilizing my novel assemblies, because the 
cost of the banding or other fastening means and their employment is 
considerably less than the postage savings realized when utilizing my 
invention. 
It is to be understood that communications-containing envelopes of one type 
or another, postal and other cards, letters, letter sheets, news-letters, 
folders, books, booklets, newspapers, brochures, pamphlets, 
advertisements, and mailing sheets, and other printed or non-printed 
publications or communication items, as well as merchandise samples can be 
mixed as a user's whims or desires dictate within a given mailing 
assembly. It is also to be understood that any desired informative 
information can be placed on the various bands, stickers, and strips 
described. For example, a caution to postal personnel can be imprinted on 
band 14 whether sticker 90 is utilized or not, stating: "POSTAL 
PERSONNEL--DO NOT REMOVE BAND. ALL FOR SAME ADDRESS--". 
In some instances where handling abuse in the transit of a mailing assembly 
from sender to receiver is expected to be minor, only a glue spot, such as 
glue spot 17 in FIG. 1, will be sufficient to retain envelopes 1 and 2 
together for use as a mailable assembly. 
It should be noted that tying or banding together of plural mailable items 
to aid in the sorting and/or other handling of such items for delivery 
from a sender to the postal service or during that transit through the 
mails is not in itself new since such tying or banding has been utilized 
for many years by senders and by the postal services both in the United 
States and abroad. However, as far as I can determine, I am the first to 
propose a mailing assembly and a method for using such assembly wherein 
plural, initially independent mailable items are banded or otherwise 
associated or fastened together into an assembly by a sender, and wherein 
such banded or otherwise fastened assembly remains intact until it reaches 
its ultimate destination and is disassociated again into independent items 
by the addressee or some other person at the ultimate destination. 
Further, I believe that I am the first to propose a mailing assembly of 
the type described herein which can be used in such manner that the total 
cost for mailing a plurality of initially independent mailable items will 
be considerably reduced from what the total cost of mailing each of the 
independent mailable items separately would be even though the cost of 
providing and emplacing the banding or other attaching means must be 
included when determining the total cost of mailing my novel assemblies. 
An independent mailable item is defined herein as unattached enveloped or 
non-enveloped matter, usually, but not necessarily a printed or written 
communication, which may be provided with an address and which will be 
accepted by the United States Postal Service for transmission and delivery 
when properly addressed and when the requisite postage charges for such 
item have been paid. 
It will be apparent from the preceeding description that the delivery 
address and postage need be viewable prior to delivery to the delivery 
address from only a single side of any of the various mailing assemblies 
now described. Thus, a user has the options of providing or not providing 
address or addressee information on the independently mailable items 
contained in any given assembly other than the item including such single 
viewable side. Further, as should now be clear from the preceeding 
description, addressee information if utilized on those independently 
mailable items other than the item including the above-noted single 
viewable side need not be the same as that which can be read from such 
single viewable side. 
As previously mentioned the postage 309 for the mailing assembly shown in 
FIGS. 14, 15, 16 and 17 can, if desired, be carried solely by sticker 390. 
Such postage 309 can be either in stamp form, or can be in printed indicia 
form as is often used in pre-paid postage situations. Sticker 390 can, in 
fact, even be short strips of pre-paid postage bearing gummed tape of the 
type dispensed by metered mail machines. 
Numeral 311 in FIG. 14 denotes a window in envelope 301, and 312 denoted 
address information carried by communications material within envelope 301 
viewable through window 311.