An Improved Combined Letter Sheet and Envelope available for Halfpenny or Penny Postage.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Nov., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 21st July, 1900-Accepted, 6th Oct., 1900
An Improved Combined Letter Sheet and Envelope available for
Halfpenny or Penny Postage.
I, HENRY HERMAN ALEXANDER SCHWARZ, of 6.1, Queen's Park Terrace, Brighton,
in the County of Sussex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention relates to sheets of letter paper which require no envelopes,
having gummed side flaps attached to them, by which the closing or fastening can
be effected.
My letter sheet consists of a sheet of writing paper quite plain at top and
bottom, and arranged to fold into four equal or nearly equal parts, each of the full
width of the sheet and about a fourth of its length.
For clearness, I will number the parts, 1, 2, 3, 4 reckoning from the top or
head of the sheet. No. 2 has the side flaps one at each end, and these being two.
are smaller than the usual flap of an envelope:
When folding the sheet, No. 1 part folds over No. 2, and No. 4 folds over
No. 3, and both 4 and 3 fold together over 2 and against the back of No. 1. This
effectually conceals the writing
When used as a letter for a penny stamp, the side flaps are gummed down over
the back of No. 3, thus securing the whole firmly together. When used for a
halfpenny stamp, the side flaps are inserted between the ends of parts 3 and 4, and
they hold the whole neatly together.
The penny stamp can, if preferred, be placed over one of the gummed end flaps
and the letter addressed on the side where the flaps lie. Or it can be put on the
back of No. 2 part and the letter addressed there.
Dated this 2nd day of November 1899
S. S. BROMHEAD,
Agent for Applicant, 33, Cannon Street, London, E.C.
An Improved Combined Letter Sheet and Envelope available for
Halfpenny or Penny Postage.
I, HENRY HERMAN ALEXANDER SCHWARZ, of 61, Queen's Park Terrace, Brighton,
in the County of Sussex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:
V. incantion snusists of un imunored latton chaat at audiname

page_text: use, folds up and is sealed as a letter; or after folding up can, if desired, be
secured in such manner as to be available for halfpenny postage.
The sheet is capable, in both cases of enclosing a duplicate of itself, and when
closed and sealed leaves convenient access for a finger in opening; said access in no
wise interfering with the security of the seal.
My letter sheet, as above, consists of a rectangular sheet of note-paper, or indeed
of any suitable paper, having two projecting gummed side flaps, the whole so cut
and fashioned as to provide, in itself, said conditions.
For ordinary use the sheet is issued folded in the middle, and each half of the
sheet, thus divided, bears a score marked across it, parallel to the fold and being
placed about midway between the fold and the edge of the sheet.
The scores may be marked on the inside or outside of the sheet, but preferably
on the inside, and should be of such nature as to induce the paper to fold along
their edges without breaking, when the sheet is bent, and should not impair the
flatness of the sheet.
If a special folder is used with the sheet the two scores are not needed, for in
such case the folder doubles the paper at the places where scores would otherwise
be placed.
The efficiency of this self-sealing-sheet is not impaired by the absence of the
scores, and they are added merely to facilitate the folding-up of the sheet when
using fingers only, each half of the sheet, of itself, doubling along a score and
taking up its correct position, without adjustment, when pressure is applied.
They may be omitted if desired. The two scores are so placed on the halves of
the sheet that in doubling the paper by them, top and bottom edges nearly, but
not quite come to meet at the middle fold, the small space left between the edges
being allowed for play in the folds of the closed package.
Where scores are not provided, the person folding up the sheet for pcst, without
a folder, would be guided by the middle crease, bringing top and bottom edges
nearly up to the same in folding.
When closed, the width of the flaps corresponds exactly to the depth of the
letter and thus score or fold falls at one end of the flaps and the middle fold of
the sheet at the other.
Having written a letter on the gummed side of the open sheet, it is first doubled
at the scores (or their positions) then folded together, and finally sealed by the
flaps.
The writing inside is thereby completely concealed, and can only be brought
to view again by breaking the fold of the Haps.
If the communication (being of the nature sanctioned by the postal authorities)
is intended for halfpenny post, the sheet is folded as before, but the flaps instead
of being gummed down, are tucked under the fold opposed to them. Thereby the
sheet is neatly and effectively closed for transmission, without being actually
sealed, and can at all times be opened and closed again without damage.
If one sheet does not suffice for a letter, another duplicate sheet may be covered
on both sides with writing and enclosed both sheets being folded up as one,
and the flaps of the inner one either torn off or folded in. Or a stamped sheet may
be enclosed for return message.
Referring to the accompanying illustration and numbering the quarters of the
sheet 1, 2, 3, 4 No. 1 being the top quarter-No. 2 bears the gummed side flaps
Nos. 3 and 4 form the bottom half of the sheet.
The scores are marked between 1 and 2 and between 3 and 4.
In closing 1 is doubled on 2, 4 on 3.
The double portions then being folded together along the middle crease of the
sheet, the gummed flaps are fastened on the back of 3 or are tucked under 3.
The writing covers 1, 2, 3, 4, and the address appears on the back of 2.
The relative dimensions of parts of the sheet may be varied and in one form
No. 4 is made equal in size to Nos. 2 and 3 together and on being doubled in,

page_text: closes the small aperture left between top and bottom edges of the ordinary closed
sheet. In this case No. 4 is always doubled before No. 1.
For money order enclosures this form offers advantages over the ordinary form
of the sheet.
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 self-sealing letter sheet available for halfpenny or penny
postage.
(2) The particular method of folding, closing, and sealing of the sheet above
described and represented in the accompanying drawing.
(3) A sheet with or without creases or scores.