IMPROVEMENTS IN ENVELOPES, AND IN THE MEANS EMPLOYED FOR SECURING THEIR CONTENTS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ENVELOPES, AND IN THE MEANS EMPLOYED FOR SECURING
THEIR CONTENTS."-A communication from abroad by Emile Granier
and Henry Lowenberg, both of 13, Boulevart St. Martin,
Paris.
Sealed the 27th August 1869, and dated the 6th March 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville
Clark at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 6th March 1869.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ENVELOPES, AND IN THE MEANS EMPLOYED
FOR SECURING THEIR CONTENTS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in envelopes and also in the
means of securing their contents. I make the envelope of paper, linen,

page_text: or other suitable material, and of such form that the wafer, wax, gum,
or other substance employed for sealing will adhere both to the envelope
and to its contents. The envelope is thereby firmly attached to the
contents, so that their separation would destroy the seal connecting them,
the traces of which would remain on the contents.
Any suitable means may be employed for sealing this improved
envelope, but in order to prevent any attempt at tampering with the
seals I provide a transparent wafer or seal or I make that portion of
the envelope where the seal is usually applied transparent, and on this
transparent seal, or on the transparent portion of the envelope, on the
under side, I apply thin coat of gum or other adhesive substance, on
which gum I print by means of non-reversed type any suitable number,
letter, monogram, ornament, or other device, or the gum may be applied
after printing the design, so as to be visible through the transparent
portion.
In order to render the same adhesive I may apply another coat of
gum on the impression, or I may prepare the ink employed for the same
with an adhesive and soluble matter.
In order to secure the improved envelope it is simply necessary to
moisten slightly (as in the case of ordinary adhesive envelopes or
postage stamps) either the transparent seal or the transparent portion
of the envelope, and then apply one or the other to the part to be
secured or closed. The characters printed on the under side of the
seal or envelope will thus be transferred by slight pressure simul-
taneously to the envelope and its contents. In this manner the
envelope and its contents are so united that it is impossible to separate
them by any chemical or mechanical agency without destroying the
seal which connects them. This improved system effectually puts a
stop to the tampering prevalent with ordinary envelopes which consists
in opening one of the ends and thus obtaining access to the contents,
the latter can then be replaced, and the opening closed again, by
gumming or otherwise, without leaving any traces of the contents
being tampered with, while the ordinary wafer seal may be unfastened
and resealed without difficulty.
The chief features of this Invention therefore consist,-
1st. In making envelopes of such form that the seal serving to close
them shall adhere both to the contents and to the envelope.

page_text: 2ndly. In the application of an adhesive transparent wafer or scal
or in rendering the adhesive portion of the envelope transparent, and
printing marks or characters on such adhesive surface, so that they may
be transferred simultaneously. to the envelope and its contents, which
are thus united, it being impossible to separate them by moisture or
otherwise without destroying the seal.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alexander Melville Clark, in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 3rd September 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,.
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Alexander Melville Clark,
Her special licence that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I; the said
Alexander Melville Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercisc, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle.
of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ENVELOPES, AND IN THE MEANS
EMPLOYED FOR SECURING THEIR CONTENTS," a communication to me from:
abroad by Emile Granier and Henry Lowenberg, both of 13, Boulevart
St. Martin, Paris; upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Alexander Melville Clark, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or tlieir, or one of their hands and seals; should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement (that is to say):-
This Invention relates to improvements in envelopes and also in the
means of securing their contents. I make the envelope of paper, linen, or
other suitable material, and of such form that the wafer, wax, gum, or
other substance employed for sealing will adhere both to the envelope and
its contents. The envelope may be thereby firmly attached to the con-
tents so that their separation would destroy the seal connecting them, the
traces of which would remain on the contents.
Any suitable means may be employed for scaling this improved
envelope, but in order to prevent any attempt at tampering with the
seal I provide a transparent wafer or seal, or I make that portion of
the envelope where the seal is usually applied transparent, and on this
transparent seal (or on the transparent portion of the envelope) on the
under side I apply a thin coat of gum or other adhesive substance, on
which gum I print by means of non-reversed type, any suitable number,
letter, monogram, ornament, or other device (or the gum may be applied
after printing the design), so as to be visible through the transparent
portion.
In order to render the same adhesive I then apply another coat
of gum on the impression, or I may prepare the ink employed for this
purpose with an adhesive and soluble matter.
In order to secure the improved envelope it is simply necessary to
moisten slightly (as in the case of ordinary adhesive envelopes or
postage stamps) either the transparent seal or the transparent portion
of the envelope, as the case may be, and then apply it to the part to be
sealed or closed. The characters printed on the under side of the seal
or envelope will thus be transferred by slight pressure simultaneously to
the envelope and its contents. In this manner the envelope and its
contents are so united that it is impossible to separate them by any
chemical or mechanical agency without destroying the seal which
connects them. This improved system effectually puts a stop to the
tampering prevalent with ordinary envelopes, which consists in opening
one of the ends and thus obtaining access to the contents, after which
the latter can be replaced, and the opening closed again, by gumming
or otherwise, without leaving any traces of the contents having been

page_text: tampered with, while the ordinary wafer seal may be unfastened and re-
sealed without difficulty.
Having described the nature of this Invention and the manner of
performing the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to
be protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,
securing the contents of envelopes by the application of an adhesive
transparent wafer or seal (or by rendering the adhesive portion of the
envelope transparent), on which transparent adhesive surface are
printed marks, devices, or characters, to be transferred simultaneously
to the envelope and its contents, which are then united, it being im-
possible to separate them by moisture or otherwise without destroying
the seal, all as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of August,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
nine.
Witness,
JAMES DAISH,
53, Chancery Lane,
London.
A. M. CLARK. (L.S.)