IMPROVEMENTS IN ENVELOPES OR WRAPPERS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the.
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ENVELOPES OR WRAPPERS." A communication from abroad by Jean Baptiste
Depelley, of Paris, in the Republic of France, Clerk in the General Post Office
in Paris.
led the 9th November 1877, and dated the 28th May 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th May 1877.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex;
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ENVELOPES OR WRAPPERS." A communication
from abroad by Jean Baptiste Depelley, of Paris, in the Republic of France, Clerk'
in the General Post Office in Paris.
..
This Invention has for its object the provision of means for reproducing upon a
letter, document, or other article contained in an envelope or wrapper, an impression
of the dated stamp of the post office, which is applied externally on the said
envelope or wrapper in order to enable the indications of the date of posting and
the post office which has received the letter or document to be preserved; and it
consists in applying on the interior side of the envelope or wrapper, either over the
whole surface or only on the part on which the stamp which it is desired to reproduce
is applied, coloring matter, the tint of which may be varied as required, which,
coloring matter, by contact, imparts to the letter or other article contained in the
envelope or wrapper a clean and durable impression of the stamp. The address
itself is likewise reproduced by these means..
The substance employed may vary as to its composition or as to its color provided.
that it enables the desired object to be obtained. A substance similar to that used
for paper for taking impressions or non-drying printers' ink, that is to say, ink
made with non-drying oil, will answer the purpose.
3

page_text: The Invention is applicable to envelopes or wrappers of every description and of
any form and dimensions; it enables not only the post office stamps to be reproduced
but also any stamps of a public office or private establishment, which may be found
advantageous in many instances..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 27th
.November 1877.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex.
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ENVELOPES OR WRAPPERS." A communication
from abroad by Jean Baptiste Depelley, of Paris, in the Republic of France, Clerk
in the General Post Office in Paris. "'
!
The said Invention relates to improvements in envelopes, having for their object
obviating the inconvenience attending the use of the ordinary envelopes in that no
trace is left upon the letters or other objects which they contain of their passage
through the post office, whereas an authentic indication of the same is of the greatest
importance in transactions. which are conducted by correspondence.
According to the said Invention the impression of the dated stamp, with which
the envelope is externally stamped on its passage through the post office, is repro-
duced upon the letter or other object contained within the said envelope. This result
is obtained by applying directly to the inner side of the envelope, either over its
whole surface or over a portion only of such surface, a colouring matter similar to
that used in the manufacture of paper for reproducing impressions, and which, under
the pressure of the dated stamp in the act of stamping the exterior of the envelope,
produces an impression of the same upon the letter or other object contained in the
envelope. The address itself may also be reproduced upon the contents of the
envelope by these means.
The process is applicable to envelopes or wrappers of every description, and
although it is more particularly intended for reproducing the post office stamps; it
may be employed in all cases in which it is desirable to reproduce any kind of
stamp..
-
. '
The coloring matter or preparation capable of reproducing the impressions to be'
received upon the exterior of the envelope may be applied to the envelope by a
typographical, lithographical, or other printing process, or by a process analagous to
that employed for producing the black borders of mourning stationery, or in any
other suitable manner.
:
Having now described and, particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent is, an envelope or wrapper prepared in such a manner that
the impression of the dated stamps of the post office of other stamps shall be

page_text: reproduced upon the letter or other object contained in the said envelope or wrapper,
substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this my Speci-
fication set my hand and seal, the Twenty-seventh day of November, One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.).