IMPROVEMENTS IN POSTAL CARDS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN POSTAL CARDS." A communication from abroad' by
Charles K. Marshall, of Vicksburg, Mississippi, George Elliot, of the City and
State of New York, and Mary Boyd Cummings, of Washington, District of
Columbia, all in the United States of America.
Sealed the 5th February 1878, and dated the 16th August 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th August 1877.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN POSTAL CARDS." [A com-
munication from abroad by Charles K. Marshall, of Vicksburg, Mississippi, George.
Elliot, of the City and State of New York, and Mary Boyd Cummings, of
Washington, District of Columbia, all in the United States of America.]
This Invention relates to a postal card provided with two stamps, which may be
arranged at the opposite ends of the same face of the card, or one on each face, one
stamp being designed to carry the card containing the inquiry or other written or
printed matter from any person to his correspondent, and the duplicate stamp to
repay its return with the correspondent's reply, and with duplicate spaces for a
double address, and duplicate spaces, one on which to write for the information.
sought, and the other for the response thereto.
The ordinary and well established usage of society renders it almost obligatory in
business and professional correspondence when a person writes to another, seeking
information in regard to a matter in which he alone is interested, that be should
forward the means necessary to defray the postal expense which a reply involves.
When such correspondence is conducted by letter, custom requires a stamp to be
enclosed; but previous to this Invention no attempt to successfully provide the
means for forwarding, in connection with a single postal card, a stamp to pay return
postage has been made. And it is the successful meeting of this want which, in

page_text: view of the general use of postal cards, is now almost universally felt that not only
constitutes the novelty of this Invention, but imparts to the same its chief value
and importance.
.
In forwarding to a correspondent an ordinary postal card to be returned with an
answer to the information sought, in order to protect its stamp it should be enclosed
in an envelope, which necessitates the use of an extra stamp, thereby increasing the
postage; while with my improved card the cost of postage is not increased, and
thus what has long been considered a great desideratum is now furnished for all
correspondence now carried on through the medium of postal cards.
.
According to this Invention, on the face of the card are placed two stamps, one
above and at the right hand corner, and the other in the same position when the
card is reversed to be used for the return address. The spaces for the double
address may be ruled or lined.
The back of the card is blank, and has spaces opposite the address, one for the
inquiry or other information sought, and the other for the reply.
In a modification of this improved postal card, instead of having the duplicate
stamps on the face of the card I stamp the reverse side of the card as well as what
is ordinarily termed its face. In this case one side is used for the information
sought and the address, and the other for the return address and the reply.
In carrying this Invention into practise I adopt a single card of either the present
size and weight of postal cards, or of a size and weight which will be, say, about
one-third more than the present single card, to make the card with an area equal to
what is now generally used.
"
It will be seen that my postal card is in no sense two postal cards, each of which
is of the legalized size and weight of the known postal cards of this and foreign
Governments, but it is a single card not to be folded, and of the size and weight to
be determined by the Government sanctioning its use, and adapted for doing the
work of two single cards.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th
February 1878.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN POSTAL CARDS." A com-
munication from abroad by Charles K. Marshall, of Vicksburg, Mississippi, George
Elliot, of the City and State of New York, and Mary Boyd Cummings, of
Washington, District of Columbia, all in the United States of America.
This Invention relates to a postal card provided with two stamps, which may be
arranged at the opposite ends of the same face of the card, or one on each face, one
stamp being designed to carry the card containing the inquiry or other written or
printed matter from a person or party to his correspondent, and the duplicate stamp
to prepay its return with the correspondent's reply, and with duplicate spaces for a
double address, and duplicate spaces; one on which to write for the information
sought, and the other for the response or reply.
The ordinary and well established usage of society renders it almost obligatory in
business and professional correspondence when one person writes to another, seeking
information in regard to a matter in which he alone is interested, that he should
forward the means necessary to defray the postal expense of a reply. When such
correspondence is conducted by letter, custom requires a stamp to be enclosed; but
previous to this Invention no attempt to successfully provide the means for
forwarding, in connection with a single postal card, a stamp to pay return postage
has been made. And it is the supplying of this want which, in view of the general
use of postal cards, is now almost universally felt that constitutes the novelty of
this Invention, and imparts to the same its chief value and importance.
In forwarding to a correspondent an ordinary postal card to be returned with an
answer, in order to protect its stamp it should be enclosed in an envelope, which
necessitates the use of an extra stamp, thereby increasing the postage; while with
my improved card the postage is not increased, and thus what has long been
considered a great desideratum is now furnished for all correspondence carried on
through the medium of postal cards.

page_text: be cancelled by the act of directing the card; that is to say, by writing across the
words "post card;" or the stamps may be arranged as in the other cards represented
in the Drawing.
In carrying this Invention into practice it is not designed to have two postal
cards united, and both of such cards of equal size and weight, but I adopt a single
card of either the present size and weight of postal cards, or of a size and weight
about one-third more than the present single card, and thus ensure convenience for
handling at the distributing post offices. A card of this size will not cost for its
manufacture over one-third more than the present single postal card, and yet it will
be capable of doing double work, as herein described, and will be provided with
two postage stamps, one for carrying it forward and the other for paying the return
postage for the reply, which is to be written upon the unoccupied portion of the
card. It will therefore be seen that my postal card is in no sense two postal cards,
each of which is of the legalized size and weight of the known postal cards of this
and foreign Governments, but it is a single card not to be folded, and of the size
and weight to be determined by the Government sanctioning its use,
and adapted
for doing the work of two single cards.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
correspondents, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it to be understood
that I claim,—
First. An unfolded or unfoldable postal card consisting of the sections A, B, C, D,
and the duplicate stamps, whereby communications can be made and replies returned
by the use of a single card, as above described.
Second. A section of a single postal card with a writing surface to receive the
address and the written communication of the person sending it, and a stamp for
paying the postage, in combination with a duplicate section of said postal card,
which duplicate is an extension on the same plane of the first-mentioned section of
'the postal card, and is attached thereto and spread out when posted, and is used
when received by the person to whom the communication is addressed for writing a
reply and an address upon, and for paying the return postage, all as and for the
purpose described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.