Improvements in Apparatus for Fastening and Addressing Envelopes, Boxes, Containers, and the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Oct., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 10th July, 1895-Accepted, 24th Aug., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Fastening and Addressing
Envelopes, Boxes, Containers, and the like.
FREDERICK CHARLES LYNDE 25 Cross Street, Manchester, Consulting
Sanitary Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows: :-
My invention consists in the use and manufacture of new apparatus for securing
and detecting the opening of envelopes, boxes and other containers, and to be used
also in connection with detector locks and fasteners or the like.
The objects of my invention are to enable cuvelopes and other containers to be
used several times over & to indicate whether such envelopes or containers have
been opened and also to indicate by whom they have been opened.
My invention may be described as follows:-
Upon a foundation preferably of stamped metal to be fixed to the body of the
envelope or container, I form a recess or groove for the purpose of receiving a bar
or bars, which may be attached in a convenient manner to the foundation or may
be independent of it. On either side of the recess or groove are raised portion or
portions for the purpose of receiving a ring or other suitably shaped piece or
pieces which is fixed to the flap of an envelope or the lid of a box or container.
The bar or bars may be fixed to the ring or other suitably shaped piece. This
piece is then placed over the raised portion or portions on the foundation & then
the bars are placed in position which may be either in the recess formed to receive
them or they may pass through perforations in the raised portions.
A gummed label, wafer, sealing wax or the like is caused to adhere on the
surface of the raised portion of the foundation in such a manner that the envelope,
box or container cannot be opened unless by defacing such label, wafer sealing wax
or the like.
In the case of the bar or bars being hinged to the foundation I may fix eyelet
holes or one of such in the flap & pass the bar or bars through such holes or one of
such before placing the bars in the recess or groove. Instead of bars I may use
string or other suitable material for the purpose.
It will be obvious that by fixing the apparatus over a lock or fastening the
actuation of such lock or fastening could not be effected without defacing the
label & thus be made known.
may
By providing labels or stamps with names or marks upon them to several people,
it would be possible to indicate by whom the label last put on was affixed.
also provide a lining to prevent the label from adhering to certain parts of the
apparatus.
Instead of the bar or bars as above described 1 may make the portion or
portions attached to the flap to pass into or through the raised portion or portions
of the foundation. In the case where the bar is fixed to the ring shaped portion
may extend the bar for the purpose of leverage & for preserving the materials
rom which the envelope is made, in this case the foundation piece may be so
ormed as to contribute to the same objects.
The bar or bars may be formed with spring metal or actuated by a spring or
prings. The labels wafers or seals may be perforated to facilitate defacing them.
I may dispense with the bar or bars & hook the unner nart of the ennaratus

page_text: into the lower part or foundation & secure them with a label, water, seal or
the like.
In order to prevent the addressing of the envelope defacing it I may insert a
label or labels in a guarded slit or slits & I may secure a specially shaped label or
labels by forming a hole or holes therein & placing the hole over within the clip or
clips before described or I may have labels with or without holes & fasten them by
means of the clip pressing upon the label or by means of the label being punched
by the clip or by an independent clip.
The guard or guards to slit or slits are formed by a sheath of paper canvas or
other suitable material so folded & fastened together so that although a cut be
made in the envelope by the slit, communication with the interior is prevented
by the sheath which I may construct by bending the material from which it is
made in a peculiar manner so that its cross section 'may approach the shape of the
letter V.
...
4
".
When the sheath or sheaths are affixed to the envelope, it or they form
receivers for the end of the labels & so hold the labels in position. It is obvious
that these guarded sheaths may be used in connection with any envelope & that
they may be placed either on the front side or back of such envelopes or on both
& may be either secured or not by the fastening of the envelope box or other
container.
I may so fold the envelope that certain portions are constructed with three fold,
four fold or five fold thicknesses of material.
Or I may form a slit or 'slits in such a manner that a label tape or its equivalent
may be passed througli and over and into such slit or slits & when united with
itself or with the clip, it will prevent the opening of the clip without detection.
This arrangement would permit of sealing wax or wafers being used as well as an
adhesive label'or either.
In the case where an adhesive substance is used, I may cover the exposed
surface of the label with a substance which will cause the printed or impressed
matter to become defaced when damped so as to indicate if the label has been
wetted with the object of unsticking it.
I may produce the object of my invention by varying the above arrangement by
piercing holes in the flap and under portion of the envelope in such a manner that
a tape of paper metal or other material or its equivalent may be threaded through
such holes & its ends fastened by a label sealing wax or other adhesive substance,
or I may secure these ends or the portions near to the ends between two adhesive
labels with or without sealing wax on either or both sides.
I may make the tape combined with the label in one piece & I may form an
extra thickness both on the flap or other portion of the envelope so as to
strengthen it where necessary.
I may instead of a label use a special disc to receive the sealing wax adhesive
label or equivalent & prevent it spoiling the envelope.
In place of the tape I may substitute wire, string or the like. The tape or label
or both may be perforated.
The holes in the envelope may be set at an angle to each other so that the tape
when threaded through may lay side by side or the holes may be so placed that
the ends of the tape may cross each other or lay evenly one on the other or I may
fix two or more loops through the under portion of the envelope & form corre-
sponding holes in the flap, so that when the envelope is closed the loops project
through the flap. A tape of paper or other material may then be threaded through
the loops & the ends fastened down, to a disc or label by means of an adhesive
label, sealing wax or the like.
1
I may form an enlargement near the centre of or at the end of the tape which
would serve the same purpose as a disc or label or I may modify the above
arrangement by forming corresponding loops preferably of metal upon the flap to
fit between the loops on the under portion & so permit a wire, string or tape to
pass through both sets of loops & thus fasten the envelope. The string or wire
"
"

page_text: may then be prevented from being withdrawn by means of an adhesive label, seal
of wax or the like.
I may form the loops by pressing them out in a sheet or sheets of metal or other
suitable substance so that a rigid base is formed by the metal.
When fastened the ends of the tape may be allowed to project over the point of
sealing so that by pulling both ends simultaneously the seal may be easily broken.
I may so attach an address label cut to a special form & pieced with one or more
holes, to the envelope, so that the label may be locked upon the closing of the
envelope. In order to still further secure the label I may fix a hook or hooks or
equivalents or loop or loops upon the envelope which when in connection with the
label will secure it in position.
I may fix one or more of these fastenings to an envelope in any convenient
positions.
Dated this 10th day of October 1894.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Fastening and Addressing
Envelopes, Boxes, Containers, and the like.
FREDERICK CHARLES LYNDE 25 Cross Street Manchester, Consulting
Sanitary Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
The objects of my invention are to enable envelopes and other containers to be
used several times over by inscribing the address and affixing stamps upon a
detachable and re-usable label, so constructed that it is applicable to and can be
used in conjunction with my invention for securing envelopes boxes containers and
the like referred to in application for Letters Patent No. 15969, 1894.
One convenient form of such detachable and re-usable label is shewn at Figure 1.
and will be readily understood by reference to Figure 2 which illustrates the label
when attached to a re-usable envelope.
These labels may be made of metal, stiff paper or other suitable material &
usable on each side having near to the bottom or sides one or more holes punched
of keyhole or of other suitable shape (see Fig. 1) which I use to secure the
lower or side portions of the label to the reusable envelope by passing the hole
over a button, hook or suitable attachment fixed to the body of the envelope, see
(Fig. 2) which illustrates one of such holes with the label in position on the
envelope.
At the upper part of the label I make a large hole or holes which is or are
passed over the raised portion of the clip upon the envelope before closing the
same shewn at (C. Fig. 1) and at C Fig. 2).
In combination with this method of fastening I may use flaps slits or pockets as
indicated by the dotted lines (see F 2). Across the centre of the upper hole or
holes I may have a cross bar for the purpose of intercepting sealing wax passing
on to the bottom of the recess of the clip.
I have devised a particular and special form of folding envelopes, which I have
alluded to in my Provisional Specification, and which facilitates the objects in
carrying out my invention. I take the material from which the envelopes are
made and fold it in accordance with the dotted lines see (Fig. 3) thus insuring a
doubled edge wherever an edge is exposed to wear. This prevents the fraying of
the material, & is absolutely necessary for the purpose of my invention, as without
such special folding, envelopes intended to be reused will not withstand the wear
requisite.

page_text: Referring to (Fig. 3) the portions scored indicate the particular & special
folding which I have invented and which permits only of doubled edges being
exposed throughout.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
CLAIMS.
1. I claim the manufacture and use of an improved detachable, re-usable &
reversible label, at one end of which is a button-hole or holes & the other end of
which is provided a hole or holes as and for the purposes described.
2. I claim a detachable, re-usable and reversible label, having
across the centre of the hole or holes as and for the purposes described.
a bar or bars
3. I claim the special manner which I have devised for folding the material into
envelopes whereby, the doubled edges and manifold thickness of material are
secured as described.
Dated this 9th day of July 1895
FRED. C. LYNDE.