Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Dec., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 31st Jan., 1895-Accepted, 13th Apr.,
1895
I, JOHN HENRY BUCKLEY, of Milltown, in the County of Middlesex, State of
New Jersey, United States of America, Foreman, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to safety envelopes, and has for its object to provide a
simple and cheap device of this character which cannot be opened without
detection, and cannot in any event be opened by the aid of steam.
The invention consists of an improved and simplified body, three flaps of which
are provided with slots, and the remaining flap with a tongue of greater diameter
than the same and having hinged flanges, which are manipulated until inserted in
the slots and thereupon hold all four of the flaps together, the tongue not being
removable, and therefore being necessarily destroyed to open the envelope.
Hitherto attempts have been made to gum in ordinarily shaped tongues, but the
essential feature of my invention is the novel construction of the tongue shown,
whereby mucilage is not relied upon to prevent the opening, there being great
prejudice in the trade against all envelopes embodying such as a detector, owing
to the readiness with which such mucilage is melted, and often the hard adhesive
material cleverly cut by a thin sharp knife thereby successfully separating the
parts joined.
In the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1 is a plan view of an envelope embodying my invention, in blank form.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the envelope in the act of being closed.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the closed envelope.
In the practice of my invention, I form the envelope of a rectangular paper
body A, baving approximately rectangular side flaps B, B3¹ and bottom flap C.
In each of the flaps B, B, and C are formed the longitudinal slots D, in such
position as to align when the flaps are folded upon the body A, as ordinarily.
Projecting from the top of the said body A is the upper flap E, of the usual
triangular shape, provided with a straight tongue F, having side flanges F' hinged
thereto and extending from the top thereof, almost to the junction of the flap E
therewith, where said flanges form square shoulders F³.
The main portion of the tongue is of exactly or substantially equal width to
that of the slots D, and the flanges F¹ are adapted to fold thereon to enter the
slots, said flanges elso having tapered sides F at the points thereof, to prevent
engagement with the edges of the slots while the tongue is being inserted.
Upon the inner side of all three edges of the bottom flaps C and of the outer
edges of the flap B', I apply a coating of gum or other adhesive material G.
The operation of the device is as follows. The envelope is formed from the
blank by folding the flap B upon the body A, the flap B₁ upon the flap B and
secured by moistening the gum, and the bottom flap C is then folded over and
also attached by moistening the gun. The envelope is then complete, the several
slots Daligning, and the envelopes are ready for the market, in which form they
are sold.
It being desired to use the envelope, the intended contents of the envelope are
inserted therein, and the flap E then folded downward, the hinged flanges F¹ of

page_text: .
the tongue F folded upon the upper surface thereof, and said tongue inserted
through the slots D, which is easily effected, as the flanges when folded, stiffen the
same. The said flanges are then opened out to a level with the tongue F by means
of a knife or of a special swiveled or rotary instrument designed for this purpose,
and as the tongue proper is of the same width as the slots D, said flanges will
project wholly beyond the sides of the slots and effectually hold said tongue in
place and in enlockment with the several flaps. the square shoulders F' preventing
the egress of the said tongue, and it being of course impossible to refold the
flanges.
Ready detection of any opening of the envelope is therefore enabled, as if the
flap E is lifted the main body of the tongue adjacent to the shoulders F³ will tear,
or if it is attempted to pull the tongue itself out on a horizontal plane, the junction
of the flanges and the tongue being naturally weakened by the fold, the said flanges
will be partially severed from the main body of the tongue.
•
It will be understood that I gum the flaps B and C solely to provide a more
commercially complete, compact, and perfect envelope to hold the flaps together
before sealing as such gumming is not essential to prevent the opening of the flaps
and could admittedly be steamed as ordinarily; it being the primary object of my
invention to supply the demand for a safety envelope which does not rely on or
even require the use of mucilage.
Dated this 27th day of November 1894.
I JOHN HENRY BUCKLEY of Milltown, in the County of Middlesex, State of
New Jersey, United States of America Foreman, 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:-
This invention relates to safety envelopes, and has for its object to provide a
simple and cheap device of this character which cannot be opened without
detection, and cannot in any event be opened by the aid of steam.
The invention consists of an improved and simplified body, three flaps of which
are provided with slots, and the remaining flap with a tongue of greater diameter
than the same and having hinged flanges, which are manipulated until inserted in
the slots and thereupon hold all four of the flaps together, the tongue not being
removable, and therefore being necessarily destroyed to open the envelope.
Hitherto attempts have been made to gum in ordinarily shaped tongues, but the
essential feature of my invention is the novel construction of the tongue shown,
whereby mucilage is not relied upon to prevent the opening, there being great
prejudice in the trade against all envelopes embodying such as a detector, owing
to the readiness with which such mucilage is melted, and often the hard adhesive
material cleverly cut by a thin sharp knife thereby successfully separating the
parts joined.
In the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1 is a plan view of an envelope embodying my invention, in blank form.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the envelope in the act of being closed.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the closed envelope.
In the practice of my invention, I form the envelope of a rectangular paper
body A, having approximately rectangular side flaps B, B' and bottom Hap C.
In each of the flaps B, B and C are formed the longitudinal slots D, in such
position as to align when the flaps are folded upon the body A, as ordinarily.

page_text: Projecting from the top of the said body A is the upper flap E, of the usual
triangular shape, provided with a straight tongue F, having side flanges F¹ hinged
thereto and extending from the top thereof, almost to the junction of the flap E
therewith, where said flanges form square shoulders Fª.
The main portion of the tongue F is of exactly or substantially equal width
to that of the slots D, and the flanges F are adapted to fold thereon to enter
the slots, said flanges also having tapered sides F at the points thereof, to
prevent engagement with the edges of the slots while the tongue is being
inserted.
Upon the inner side of all three edges of the bottom flaps C and of the outer
edges of the flap B¹, I apply a coating of gum or other adhesive material G.
The operation of the device is as follows. The envelope is formed from the
blank by folding the flap B upon the body A, the flap B₁ upon the flap B and
secured by moistening the gum, and the bottom flap C is then folded over and also
attached by moistening the gum. The envelope is then complete, the several
slots D aligning, and the envelopes are ready for the market, in which form they
are sold.
It being desired to use the envelope, the intended contents of the envelope are
inserted therein, and the flap E then folded downward, the hinged flanges F" of the
tongue F folded upon the upper surface thereof, and said tongue inserted through
the slots D, which is easily effected, as the flanges when folded, stiffen the same.
The said flanges are then opened out to a level with the tongue F, and as the
tongue proper is of the same width as the slots D, said flanges will project
wholly beyond the sides of the slots and effectually hold said tongue in place
and in enlockment with the several flaps, the square shoulders F preventing
the egress of the said tongue, and it being of course impossible to refold the
flanges.
Ready detention of any opening of the envelope is therefore enabled, as if the
flap E is lifted the main body of the tongue adjacent to the shoulders F will tear,
or if it is attempted to pull the tongue itself out on a horizontal plane, the junction
of the flanges and the tongue being naturally weakened by the fold, the said flanges
will he partially severed from the main body of the tongue.
It will be understood that I gum the flaps B and C solely to provide a more
commercially complete, compact, and perfect envelope to hold the flaps together
before sealing as such gumming is not essential to prevent the opening of the flaps
and could admittedly be steamed as ordinarily; it being the primary object of my
invention to supply the demand for a safety envelope which does not rely on or
even require the use of mucilage.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
1. A safety envelope comprising a central body having side and bottom flaps,
folded thereon and provided with aligning slots, an upper flap, a tongue upon said
upper flap of substantially equal width with and adapted to enter the slots, and
flanges hinged to each side of the tongue and folding thereon, and adapted when
opened to project beyond said slots to engage the edges thereof and lock the flaps
together, as well as to prevent the withdrawal of the tongue, substantially as shown
and described.
2. A safety envelope comprising a central rectangular body having side and
bottom flaps folded thereon and secured together and provided with aligning longi-
tudinal slots therein, an upper flap secured to said body, a straight tongue projecting
from said upper flap, of substantially equal width with, and adapted to enter the
slots, flanges binged to each side of the tongue from the top thereof approximately
to the junction of the flap therewith, said Hanges being adapted to fold on said
tongue to enter the slots, and when opened out to project beyond the said slots to
engage the edges thereof and lock the flaps together, tapered side portions upon

page_text: the upper ends of said flanges to prevent the same from catching between the flaps,
and square shoulders upon the lower ends thereof to prevent the withdrawal of the
tongue without tearing off the flanges, substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 31st day of January 1895.
TANTCATT