Improvements in and relating to Postal Envelopes.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Postal Envelopes.
I, AGNES LOUISA DRURY, of 122, Queen's Road, Bayswater, London, Authoress,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to envelopes for containing letters and other documents,
and for covering them during transmission by post. "Envelopes made in accordance
with this invention are closed by means of the postage stamp or stamps. There
are no gummed flaps to be licked or otherwise moistened.
The envelopes are made with five folding parts or leaves, two of which are more
in the nature of flaps. One of the leaves which, for convenience in description,
may be termed leaf No. 1, is folded on another leaf which may be described as
No. 2. One of the smaller leaves or flaps which may be called leaf No. 3, and is
a continuation of leaf No. 2, is then folded over leaf No. 1 and is fixed to it by
gum or other suitable adhesive. A fourth leaf is then folded to cover leaves
Nos. 1 and 3. This fourth leaf is gummed at one end to leaf No.
and along
one side to the flap leaf No. 3. The bag is now complete; the fifth leaf, which
is the closing flap, being free. It is a continuation of leaf No. 2.
The shape and dimensions of the envelope blank, or sheet when cut, vary accord-
ing to the size of envelope required. In the case of an ordinary "square" envelope
adapted to take a sheet of "note" size folded once, the leaf No. 2 which constitutes
the back of the envelope body is square and is slightly larger than the folded
sheet of note paper. Leaves Nos. 1 and 4 are approximately the same shape and
size as leaf No. 2, except that in leaf No. 4 one corner is cut away diagonally.
The leaf or flap No. 3 is of approximately the same length as one side of leaf No. 2,
but is of short depth. The leaf or flap No. 5 is equal in length to one side of
the leaf No. 2. It is deeper than leaf No. 3 and is cut from each corner to a
triangular shape.
In other shapes and sizes of envelope the shapes and dimensions of the body
and leaves are modified to meet the cases.
In closing the envelope, the free flap is partly tucked under leaf No. 4 which,
as also the flap, is so shaped that their edges cross one another diagonally. Over
this crossing place is fixed the stamp which adheres to the flap and also to the
leaves Nos. 3 and 4.
The contents of the envelope cannot be withdrawn, otherwise than by cutting
the envelope, unless the stamp be first removed or divided.
The leaf No. 1 may have a piece or pieces cut out of it to reduce weight.
Dated this 22nd day of April 1898.

page_text: Improvements in and relating to Postal Envelopes.
I, AGNES LOUISA DRURY, formerly of 122, Queen's Road, Bayswater, London,
but now of Loughtonhurst, West Cliff Gardens, Bournemouth, Authoress, 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:
This invention relates to postal envelopes for containing letters and other docu-
ments and provides an envelope which can be closed effectively by means of the
postage stamp or stamps so that there are no gummed flaps to be moistened.
The envelope is made from a single blank sheet of paper having three large
folding flaps or leaves and two smaller ones. One of the larger leaves is folded
over the body or main leaf and a small flap at the side is folded over this. The
third leaf is then folded down and gummed to the side flap and the lower edge of
the second leaf, the remaining flap, which serves to close the envelope, being
passed under the covering leaf which is cut away at one corner to allow the stamp
to be affixed at this corner to the covering leaf, the closing flap and a small part
of the side flap. With this arrangement it is impossible to obtain access to the
inside of the envelope without cutting the flap.
In order that this invention may be more clearly understood, reference is had
to the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings on which Fig. 1 shows the blank
from which the envelope is made, Fig. 2 shows the envelope in course of formation,
and Fig. 3 illustrates the complete envelope in its closed position.
A is the central leaf which forms the back or face of the complete envelope.
The leaf B is a continuation of this at one end and at one side is the third leaf C
which as shown is formed with the cut away corner c. At the other side of A. is
the narrow side flap D and at the end is the closing flap E which is preferably
cut in a triangular or pointed form.
Το form the envelope the leaf Bis folded over oll top of A,
and the flap D is then folded over the edge of B as shown in Fig. 2.
The third leaf C is then folded over and fixed by gumming to the parts B and D.
The gummed portion c¹ is shown in dotted lines. The envelope is then complete
and to close it after its contents have been inserted, the closing flap E is placed
under the upper edge of the leaf C, the cut-away portion of which enables this
to be done easily leaving a corner of the closing flap exposed as well as a small
part of the side flap D. The rectangle in the corner shows where the stamp will
be affixed to the three parts C, D and E and that there is no possibility of opening
the flap E or otherwise obtaining access to the inside of the envelope without
cutting some part of it.
The leaf B may if found desirable be cut away at 6 to reduce the weight of the
envelope.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
'
(1) An improved postal envelope formed from three main flaps or leaves and a
side flap, which are folded over each other and affixed together and a closing. flap
adapted to be passed under the upper leaf, which is cut away, at the corner and
to be held in closed position by a postage stamp substantially as and for the
purposes specified.

page_text: (2) The improved postal envelope in which the closing flap is passed under
the face of the envelope and is held in a closed position by means of the postage
stamp, formed substantially as described with reference to the drawings.
Dated this 23rd day of January 1899.
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, London, Agent for the Applicant.