Improvements in Envelopes or Wrappers.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Nov., 1899-Accepted, 27th Oct., 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
Improvements in Envelopes or Wrappers.
I, MORTIMER LIVINGSTONE HINCHMAN, of Rutland, in the County of Rutland
and State of Vermont, United States of America, Lawyer, 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:-
The object of this invention is to so construct an envelope that any opening of
it, or tampening therewith can be readily detected, and further, to provide for
the ready tearing open of the envelope along certain lines, thus avoiding its
mutilation to any gieat extent
The invention therefore consists, hist, in an envelope or wrapper comprising a
body portion and a sealing flap, the former having an extended portion, separated
from the main body on each side of a central portion, and provided with tearing
lines, preferably formed of perforations or indentations, the said sealing flap
being provided with a gummed portion adapted to overlap the line of separation
between the body portion and its extension and having tearing lines extending
from an ungummed portion to the upper corners of the envelope, wh ch said lines
are adapted to register with the said lines of separation
Second, the invention consists in an envelope oi wrapper having its sealing flap
provided with an ungummed portion and a tearing line preferably formed of
perforations, leading from the said ungummed portion and registered, when
sealed, with the edge of the over-lapped portion
Further, the invention consists in ceitam other novel features of construction,
as will be hereinafter fully set forth and claimed.
In the accompanying diawings, forming a part of this specification,
Fig 1 is a view in 1ear elevation of an envelope constructed in accordance with
my invention, the sealing flap of the same being shown extended
Fig 2 a rear elevation of the same with the sealing flap secured down in
position
Fig 3, a view in rear elevation showing a simple form of envelope, differing
from that shown in Fig 1 in that it is without the extended detecting portions
on the tongue a*
Fig 4, a view in rear elevation showing a modification of the invention in the
form of a reinforced flap, and
Fig. 5, a view showing the invention applied to a rolled newspaper
In the drawing (Figs 1, 2 and 3.) A indicates the body proper of the envelope,
B the sealing flap, and C a foldable ungummed extension on the flap, which,
when the main flap B 18 sealed will furnish a hold for tearing open the envelope
along the lines b, b, formed preferably of perforations or indentations and extend-
ing from the extension flap C to the upper coiners of the envelope These teaming
lines register with the edge a of the body portion when the flap is sealed down
The body portion A 18 preferably formed with the bottom fold a¹ overlapping
the end folds as in the usual manner, while the flap B 1s of such shape and siz
as to have the portion b to overlap the lap of a¹ on a³, and have its edge follow
along the line of such lap The portions 61 not only form a protection to the

page_text: laps of the body of the envelope, but being gummed over their entire surface,
along the line of perforations or indentations as well as at the edges, make a
very effectual sealing flap B
For the purpose of providing means for the detection of any unlawful tamper-
ing with the envelope, the bottom fold a¹ may be formed with an extended
portion (Figs. 1 and 4), of substantially the form and size of that part of the
Alap B enclosed by the lines b and the line of its folding, which extension lies
preferably separated from the end folds a, and registers with the said enclosed
portion of the flap, so that the lines 6 lie over the lines a of separation. These
lines of separation are designed to prevent any additional resistance to the tearing
open of the envelope along the lines 6 coming as a result of the addition of this
detector portion, and also to prevent the gum from clogging the perforations of
the tearing line The form of this extension or detector portion leaves a cential
part a' at which the lines of separation terminate and merge into tearing lines a³ a
having a general outward direction and extending through to the top edge of
this portion
These lines are preferably formed by perforations or indentations,
and are connected with the separating edge of this portion by slits as a which
ensure the tearing thereof along said lines should the flap be opened Two lines
of perforations or indentations are formed in this detector portion so as to connect
the upper ends of each of said lines a³ a5 and the middle portions of said
separating edge in such a way as to make triangular-shaped forms or patteine
of the paper bounded by its edges and these lines, and intended as detectors, not
alone to indicate by the presence of teaning along the lines of perforations or
indentations that the envelope had been opened, but of opening by steaming, or
in any manner which will not cause tearing as the triangular pieces of paper are
sensative to moisture by reason of being surrounded by perforations or indenta-
tions, and will act as such indicators or detectors of any regular transmission or
handling when the envelope is placed in the hands of the person to whom it 18
addressed The indicators or detectors," so called, will form into irregular folds
or wrinkles when the flap of the envelope or wrapper has been opened surrepti-
tiously by the action of steam, chemicals, or other agencies and has been re-sealed.
The extended portion C of the sealing flap, as before stated, is adapted, to be
folded under when the flap B 18 being sealed down For the purpose of so securing
it it may be gummed on its inner face, and when thus folded make a reinforce-
ment for the flap and present an ungummed face to the portion a* of the envelope
The flap B is secured down on the detector portions, which are either gummed
for this purpose, or else the flap 18 properly gummed to secure the folded over
extension C, as well as the said detector portions By this peculiar method of
sealing the flap B 18 not secured to the envelope body A at the center, but a
sufficient portion is left loose to permit the finger nail or a portion of the finger
to slip under the same to grasp it to open the envelope As the said flap B 18
pulled back it tears along the lines b, b, and the body portion a³ secured thereto,
tears along the lines of perforations or indentations as a which communicate with
the slits aa that start the tearing action When the flap B is fully opened
along its tearing line the whole upper portion of the envelope body has been
torn away and remains sticking to the severed portion of the envelope, thus
indicating that the envelope has been opened and preventing it from being closed,
because there is no portion of the envelope to which the body portion can be
secured The perforations are placed sufficiently near together to cause them
when pulled upon to separate, and thus indicate that the envelope has been
tampered with or opened
+6
The reinforcing of the portion of the flap B enclosed by the tearing lines b b
may be extended to the entire surface of such portion in the preferred form of
the invention illustrated as shown in Fig 4, by making the extension flap C of
such size and form as to correspond with such portion when folded over upon it.
In this form the gum is preferably applied to the detector portion of the
body of the envelope

page_text: In Fig 5, I have shown the invention embodied in a newspaper wrapper which
18 open at its ends, but in other respects is similar to the envelope shown in
Fig 2, being provided with the sealing flap B, having the extension C, the
portions bb, and the body portion a
It will be seen from the foregoing that by the employment of my improved
envelope or wrapper, letters can be readily torn open without destroying the
envelope as a closure, while correspondence, or other communications, are fully
protected against any unlawful examination while en route through the mail, as
any attempt to open the envelope or wrapper will so tear or injure or change
the appearance of the same that any unauthorized or unlawful opening thereof,
or theft therefrom may be easily discovered when the letter reaches its destination
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 18.
1 An envelope or wrappei comprising a body portion and a sealing flap provided
with a centrally ungummed portion, and having tearing lines formed therein
and terminating at said ungummed portion, adapted to register with the edge of
the body portion, substantially as and for the purpose set forth
2 An envelope or wrapper comprising a body portion having a central upper
extension thereof, and a sealing flap having an ungummed portion, adapted to
cover said extension, and having teang lines extending from said ungummed
portion and on each side thereof to the upper corners of the envelope and adapted
to register with the upper edge of said body portion, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth
3 An envelope comprising a body portion and a sealing flap, the former being
provided with an extension having a central portion, and side portions separated
from the body as far as said cential portion along the upwardly extending tear-
ing lines, the said sealing flap having an ungummed portion to cover said central
portion, and a tearing line on each side thereof adapted to register with the lines
formed by the separation of the said extension from the body portion, substan-
tially as described and for the purpose set forth
4 An envelope having its bottom fold provided with a portion adapted to
extend beyond the end folds, he separated from said folds, and provided with
upwardly extending tearing lines connecting the line of separation between it
and the end folds, and sealing flap adapted to be secured down from the lap of
the bottom fold on the end folds, and provided with ungummed portion extending
therefrom to the upper corners of the envelope and register with said lines of
separation between the body portion and its extension, substantially as described
and for the purpose set forth.
5 An envelope or wiapper comprising a body portion and sealing flap, the former
having a portion thereof adapted to be overlapped by, and torn away with the
sealing flap, the said sealing flap having tearing lines enclosing a portion adapted
to correspond and register with the said detachable portion and having a foldable
extension substantially conforming to and registering with the said portion of the
flap enclosed by the tearing lines, as for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 6th day of November 1899
BOULT, WADE & KILBURN,
Agents for the Applicant