Improved Means for the Fastening of Envelopes, Postal Wrappers, and Newspaper Bands and the like.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Sept., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 25th June, 1889-Accepted, 27th July, 1889.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for the Fastening of Envelopes, Postal Wrappers,
and Newspaper Bands and the like.
I WILLIAM HENRY HOOK, of Fairholme, Elsie Road, East Dulwich, in the County
of Surrey, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
My invention relates to improved means for the closing or fastening of envelopes,
postal wrappers, newspaper bands and the like, and has for its object to dispense
with the use of gum or other adhesive material for the outer and closing flap of
an envelope, postal wrapper or band and yet to so fix such flap that it will be
impossible to open the envelope for instance once closed, without tearing the same,
which would indicate that an attempt at opening the same has been made, or other-
wise that the said envelope has been tampered with.
"
In carrying my invention into practice I form an envelope in all respects similar to.
envelopes hitherto used, with three flaps gummed or glued, but I somewhat alter the
shape of the closing or outer flap thereof which instead of terminating centrally
in a point, terminates in a triangular piece, whose sides have two small flanges
which are folded inside the said piece when the envelope is ready to be closed; this
piece being merely inserted in a slit or opening, having the shape of two semi-circles
which secures the same.
When an attempt is made to withdraw the closing or outer flap of the envelope
thus formed, after the same has been closed, the upper edges of these small flaps will
abutt against the upper edge of the slit and prevent the egress of the outer flap, unless
the latter is torn off.
In the case of postal wrappers, I cut moreover on each side of the centre of the
under flap thereof, two rectangular slits and I disengage by another. cut, the ends of
the central pieces between these slits, forming tongues which are passed through the
papers, inclosed and maintain them in position while they can be withdrawn by the
postal authorities in order to ascertain whether the said papers are suitable to be
transmitted by book post.
Datad this 25th day of Santambar 1888
HUGHES & SON,
5, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for the Fastening of Envelopes, Postal Wrappers,
and Newspaper Bands and the like.
I WILLIAM HENRY HOOK, of Fairholme, Elsie Road, East Dulwich, in the County
of Surrey, Gentleman, 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 improved means for the closing or fastening of envelopes,
postal wrappers, newspaper bands and the like and has for its object to dispense with
the use of gum or other adhesive material for the outer and closing flaps of an
envelope, postal wrapper or band and yet so fix such flap that it will be impossible to
open the envelope for instance, once closed, without tearing the same, which would
indicate that an attempt at opening the same has been made or otherwise that the said
envelope has been tampered with.

page_text: In carrying my invention into practice I form an envelope in all respects similar
to envelopes hitherto used, with three flaps gummed or glued, but I somewhat alter
the shape of the closing or outer flaps thereof, which instead of terminating centrally
in a point, terminates in a triangular piece whose sides have two small flanges
which are folded inside the said piece when the envelope is ready-to be closed, this
piece being merely inserted in a slit or opening having the shape of two semi-circles,
which secures the same.
When an attempt is made to withdraw the closing or outer flap of the envelope
thus formed, after the same has been closed, the upper edges of these small flaps
will abutt against the upper edge of the slit and prevent the egress of the outer flap,
unless the latter is torn off. In the case of postal wrappers, I cut moreover on each
side of the centre of the under flap thereof, two rectangular slits and I disengage by
another cut, the ends of the central pieces between these slits, forming tongues
which are passed through the papers enclosed and maintain them in position, while
they can be withdrawn by the postal authorities in order to ascertain whether the
said papers are suitable to be transmitted by book post.
On the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 shews an envelope constructed according to
my Invention, opened out, Fig. 2 being a view of the same only closed, and Fig. 3 a
view of a postal wrapper opened out, which can be gummed or pasted in the ordinary
manner or the same mode of fastening can be used as shewn in Fig. 1 in which case
no gumming is required.
In Fig. 1, A. A.represent the three inner or gummed flaps while B is the outer
or closing flap having the piece C (shewn closed ready for insertion) which fits in
the slit D. thereby firmly closing the envelope.
In Fig. 2 the flaps A. A. are shewn folded over and gummed and the flap B folded
over them with the piece C inserted in the slit. D and folded or straightened out.
In Fig. 3, E. E are the tongues, which when the wrapper is folded over the papers
enclosed, are passed through the said papers, thereby maintaining them in position
and preventing them from falling out.
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 :-
The improved means for the fastening of envelopos postal wrappers, and news-
paper bands, and the like, as herein before described and shewn and for the purpose
set forth.
Dated this 251
1000
HUGHES & SON,
5, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.