Year: 1888

page_text: We, ALBERT BONGENDRE and MAURICE BONGENDRE, of 95 Boulevard Beaumarchais,
Paris, France, 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:-
Our invention has for its object to provide an improved envelope which can be
easily opened, that is to say, in which a simple pulling or jerking action has the
effect of opening the envelope and of extracting therefrom the contents at the same
time.
The principle which constitutes the basis of our invention consists in forming lines
of weakness by means of perforations, thus dividing the envelope as it were into two
parts in such a manner that, on the one hand, one part of the envelope is too small
by about one centimetre to hold the papers enclosed in the latter, whereas on the
contrary these papers enter the other part which can be easily detached from the body
of the envelope by a pulling action this being obtained by means of a more or less
sinuous line of perforations similar to those which separate postage stamps in sheets.
If under these conditions an envelope is to be opened, it is sufficient to seize with
one hand the impenetrable side with the papers, and with the other hand the opposite
side, then to cause a jerk or longitudinal pulling action, the small end together with
the papers is detached along the line of perforations and remains in one hand with
the said papers whilst the body of the emptied envelope is in the other hand.
It is understood that, without changing anything in the principle of the invention,
we can make our envelope of any desired shape and of any size, we can also adopt
any kind of folding device for their manufacture, and any suitable arrangements for
rendering one of the sides impenetrable.
The accompanying drawing shows the various modifications of which my improved
envelope is susceptable.
Figure 1 shows an envelope closed and
Figure 2 an envelope in course of being opened, with ordinary folding, and provided
upon the left hand edge with an internally gummed portion preventing the papers
from being inserted therein, and on the right hand side with a curved line of
perforations enabling this side to be detached as shown in Figure 2.

page_text: Figures 3 and 4 represent another form of envelope the left hand side of which,
instead of being gummed to prevent the paper entering, is simply formed angular,
the opposite side is always provided with perforations. The system of folding this
envelope differs from the folding above described, the flap serving to close the envelope
is on the side which is detached.
In Figure 5, instead of the lateral edges being closed by the folding of the paper
as in Figure 1, they are closed by gumming and if necessary to obviate any attempt
to fraud in trying to open the envelope by ungumming these edges, the latter are
goffered and cannot be gummed again after the fraud without leaving apparent traces.
In this example the right hand side is provided with a perforated line. The envelope,
to be opened, must be seized on the left hand side only at the gummed part and on
the right hand side it will be a little beyond the gummed part, but without passing
beyond the dotted line.
The form shown in Figure 6 differs from that of Figure 3 only by reason of its
symmetry the two opposite sides are angular, and the flap serving to close the envelope
is on the
upper side.
Lastly, the form shown in Figure 7 is a modification of that shown in Figure with
curved edges.
It is evident that the form of the perforations is immaterial, the small perforated
holes can be round or polygonal and of dimensions which may vary with the strength
of the
paper.
The sides which must be seized to open the envelope, and which are those above
described, can be either the long ones or the short ones.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
The combination, in envelopes of any kind, for letters, commercial papers or other
uses, of any two but opposite sides made in such a manner that one of them, by means
of interior gumming, by its angular form or any other arrangemont can be held
independently of the contents of the envelope, and that the other encloses, on the
contrary, the contents of the envelope and can be easily detached from the body of
the envelope by a pulling action owing to the provision of a line of perforations along
which the rent is to be effected as above described.
Datcu 10
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.