An Envelope Ensuring Detection of Tampering with Contents.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Mar., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Envelope Ensuring Detection of Tampering with Contents.
FREDERICK ALFRED YOUNG, 9, Gloucester Road, Phillip Lane, South Totten-
ham, Poor Law Officer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
-
An envelope the cover of which has attached or fixed, or made a perforated "or
otherwise ticket, tail, or appendage, which ticket or appendage enters an open-
ing when put or placed in the envelope at back and is then fastened. The pro-
tection afforded is that any foreign party attempting to tamper with the envelope
when once sealed the ticket or tail or appendages creates a colorable mark, or
otherwise on the contents of the envelope and further the cover or ticket tail or
appendage becomes disconnected. The top of the said tongue etc. is per-
forated or otherwise and its lower part is gumed on one side and the inner
side bears or contains a colorable matter, fluid, or substance, and if an
attempt is made to open with with heat or dampness etc. the matter fluid or sub-
stance will mark contents of envelope or otherwise if an attempt is made to open
envelope with any article or instrument it will tear or break off (the ticket tail or
appendage) from the cover of envelope.
95th Manal 1000
FREDERICK ALFRED YOUNG.
An Envelope Ensuring Detection of Tampering with Contents.
I, FREDERICK ALFRED YOUNG, 9, Gloucester Road, Phillip Lane, Tottenham,
Poor Law Official, County of Middlesex, 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:-
My invention relates to an envelope ensuring detection of tampering with
contents, the object being to provide means for indicating that an attempt has
been made to interfere with what has been placed in the envelope. In carrying
my invention into effect I proceed in or in about the following manner, making
reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 shows a perspective
view of one of my improved envelopes open and Fig. 2 a front view of such an
envelope closed. I provide the flap a with an attached or integral tongue, tail
or the like band I provide the back of the envelope with a horizontal slit e to
receive the tongue b. The tongue 6 is perforated across its width as at d and
coated on its outer surface with a suitable adhesive material and on its inner
surface with a black or coloured material e of such a character as to be readily
Price 8d.1

page_text: removeable when moistened. The length of the tongue b and the position of the
perforations & and the slit c are such that when the tongue is placed in the slit e the
perforations & will be out of sight. In use and assuming the envelope to con-
tain what it is intended to hold, the adhesive substance outside is moistened
and b pushed into the slit e and the whole pressed together. If an attempt is
made to withdraw the tongue bit will most probably tear along the perforations d
and if moisture or steam be had recourse to the black or coloured material e will
soil the contents.
There may be more than one tongue and its corresponding slit and the
slit or slits c may be elsewhere placed than at the back of the envelope, the form
of the flap a and length of 6 being arranged accordingly. There may also be
more than one line of perforations d.
I do not confine myself to the precise shapes and relative proportions shown
in the drawing, as they can be varied without departure from the essential
feature of the invention.
:
:
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. Providing the backs of envelopes and like receptacles with a longitudinal
slit and the Hap with an attached or integral tongue, tail or the like to
enter the said slit, the said tongue or the like being perforated across
its width and coated on its outer surface with an adhesive substance
and on its inner surface with a black or coloured material easily remove-
able when moistened, the tongue and its perforations being destined to enter
the said slit and its adhesive surface to attach to the inside of the back of the
envelope and the black or coloured substance to come in contact with the con-
tents of the envelope, the whole substantially as described. in the above specifi-
cation and exemplified in the accompanying drawing.
2. Providing the backs of envelopes and like receptacles with more than one
such slit and the flap with more than one such tongue as is mentioned in the
above Claim 1 and described in the above specification.
3. Providing envelopes and like receptacles with a slit or with slits placed
elsewhere than at the back of the said envelope or like, substantially as described
in the above specification.
4. Envelopes and like receptacles constructed substantially as described in the
above specification and exemplified in the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 1st day of November
1898.
HUGHES & YOUNG,
23, Coleman Street, E.C., Agents.