An Improved Envelope-opener.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Mar., 1896
Complete Specification Left, '6th May, 1896-Accepted, 5th Sept., 1896
An Improved Envelope-opener.
We HENRY JOB WATTS of 13 Princes Row, Buckingham Palace Road in
the County of London Grocer MORGAN THOMAS GAMESON of the same place
Chemist and WILLIAM HASLAM of 31 St. Oswald's Road West Brompton in the
said County of London Stationer do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
Improved envelope opener by which letter can be opened immediately without
using knife or any other outside instrument for cutting the envelope, or without
having the trouble of tearing the envelope with the fingers.
It consists of a thin piece of cardboard or other suitable material (hereinafter
called the cutter) which is enclosed in the envelope. The envelope is on one of
its edges, provided with a small cut or opening. The cutter is so shaped that its
exact position in the envelope is secured, and its weight rendered the smallest
possible. The edge of the cutter, which is placed next to the above mentioned cut
in the envelope is of a cuneiform shape, the top of the wedge being about "wide
and a little prolongated, so that the total length of the cutter from its base to the
top of the cuneiform part is a little greater than the corresponding dimensions of
the envelopes. On its base (viz. opposite the cuneiform edge) the cutter has a
large incision for the purpose mentioned below.
The use of the envelope opener is as follows:
The cutter is placed in the envelope in such a way that the small cut in the
envelope, is filled up by the prolongated part of the cuneiform end of the cutter
which will project a little from the envelope.
In order to open the letter, take hold of the small projecting part of the cutter,
and hold the letter at its opposite end, when the above mentioned incision will
cause the cutter to be left free. Now by pulling the cutter straight out the edges
of its cuneiform part will easily cut the edge of the envelope and the letter
is open.
Dated this 10th day of March 1896.
HENRY JOB WATTS.
MORGAN THOMAS GAMESON.
WILLIAM HASLAM.
An Improved Envelope-opener.
We HENRY JOB WATTS of 13 Princes Row, Buckingham Palace Road in
the County of London Grocer, MORGAN THOMAS GAMESON of the same place
Chemist and WILLIAM HASLAM of 31 St. Oswald's Road, West Brompton in the
said County of London Stationer 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 :-
Improved envelope opener, by which letters can be opened immediately, without
using knife or any other outside instrument for cutting the envelope or without

page_text: having the trouble of tearing the envelope with the fingers and which can also be
adapted for use as a letter correspondence or Christmas card. It consists of a
thin piece of cardboard or other suitable material (hereafter called the cutter
see A A A A Fig. 1) which is enclosed in the envelope (see B B B B Fig. 1).
The envelope is on, one of its edges, provided with a small cut or opening (a).
The cutter is so shaped that its exact position in the envelope is secured, and
ite weight rendered the smallest possible as shewn in the drawing by way of
illustration. The edge of the cutter which is placed next to the above mentioned
cut in the envelope is of a cuneiform shape. The top of the wedge (b) being
about wide and a little prolongated, so that the total length of the cutter from
its base to the top of the cuneiform part is a little greater than the corresponding
dimensions of the envelope. On its base (viz. opposite the cuneiform edge) the
cutter has a large incision (c) for the purpose mentioned below.
The use of the envelope opener is as follows.
The cutter is placed in the envelope in such a way that the small cut in the
envelope is filled up by the prolongated part of the cuneiform end of the cutter
which will project a little from the envelope.
In order to open the letter, take hold of the small projecting part of the cutter,
and hold the letter at its opposite end, when the above mentioned incision (c) will
cause the cutter to be left free. Now by pulling the cutter straight out the edges
of the cuneiform part will easily cut the edge of the envelope and the letter
is open.
The cutter can also be used for advertisements as a Christmas New Year birthday
or other card, or for other printed matter.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
1. An improved envelope opener, by which letters can be opened immediately
without using knife or any other outside instrument for cutting, or without having
the trouble of tearing the envelope with the fingers, by simply pulling a cutter of
a special construction (as above described and shewn in the accompanying drawing)
and which is enclosed in the envelope.
2. That this is the first envelope opener invented in this form.
3. That the euvelope is instantly opened without the aid of any instrument other
than the cutter.
4. That the cutter can be used as an advertising medium also utilised as a Xmas,
New Year, birthday or correspondence card etc.
5. That the cutter can be applied to any envelope in any shape to open
any side.
Dated this 15th day of May 1896.
HENRY JOB WATTS.
MORGAN THOMAS GAMESON.
WM. HASLAM.