A New or Improved Postal Envelope.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Sept., 1893-Accepted, 21st Jan., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Postal Envelope.
I, HUGH 'ROWLAND OWEN, of 4, Duke Street, Charing Cross, London, W.C.,
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:-
This invention relates to improvements in, or connected with, envelopes and
has for its object to provide means whereby such envelopes can be more readily
opened than heretofore and their contents removed, while at the same time the
task of replacing such contents within opened envelopes will be rendered more
expeditious and easy than was heretofora possible with the old form of envelope.
In order that this my said invention may be the more readily understood and
carried into practical effect, reference is hereby made, to the accompanying sheet
of illustrative drawings, wherein :-
Fig. 1, is an elevational view of an envelope made in accordance with my inven-
tion.
Figs. 2 and 3, being similar views of opened envelopes shewing the manner in
which the envelope is opened, Fig. 3, more particularly shewing the arrangement
for facilitating the replacing of the contents of the envelope, while, Figs. 4, 5,
and 6, are modification of Fig. 1.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, of the drawing, a represents an ordinary corres-
pondence envelope, through the top or bottom of which is fastened by mucilage
or the like, the string, cotton, or other suitable material b. Such top or bottom of
the envelope, according to where the string, cotton, or other suitable material b
is situated, is perforated at or near the centre as at c, such perforations extending
through both sides of the said envelope a. These perforations c may take the
form of a V-pattern (Fig. 1) or be of semi-circular form as shewn in Fig. 2, or
they may be caused to assume any other suitable or convenient design.
In operation, the envelope a is opened by drawing the string, cotton or other
suitable material b through the top or bottom of the envelope, according to where
the said string or cotton for instance is situated, thereby slitting such envelope
open, while at the same time the perforated portion is torn off, leaving a recess
which exposes a portion e of the contents of the envelope and thereby enables such
contents to be readily and quickly extracted.
In the modified form of envelope shewn by Fig. 3, I perforute the said envelope a
in a manner similar to that described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2, with this
exception, that whereas in the before mentioned examples the perforations extend
in the same line through both back and front of the envelope, in the form shewn by
Fig. 3, I perforate the back of the envelope higher up (or it may be lower down)
than the front of same, thereby leaving one of the edges of the perforated portions
projecting above the other edge c. By this means a guiding ledge f is provided
against which the letter or the like to be replaced within the envelope a can rest
or abut, thereby rendering it a matter of simplicity and ease to insert such letter
or the like within the opened envelope.
C
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page_text: Referring to Fig. 4, of the drawings, I have there shewn the perforations c
arranged in V-form, the perforations upon side of the envelope a being
carried down farther than upon the other side, while in Fig. 5, one set of
perforations (the front set) are shewn as being nearer the right hand side of the
envelope than the back set of perforations. In Fig. 6, this arrangement is
reversed. In all these modifications as exemplified by Figs. 4, 5, and 6, I have
shewn the corners and centre of the envelope a as being perforated horizontally
at in order to assist the operation of the cotton, string or the like b. In Figs. 5,
and 6. I have shewn the front perforated portion torn away in order the better to
explain my invention.
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
CLAIMS.
1. In envelopes, the combination with the slitting string, cotton, or other suit
able material 6 of perforations c extending through the back and front of the
envelope, whereby a portion d can be readily removed in order to expose a portion
of the contents of said envelope, substantially as described with reference to
Figs. 1 and 2, of the drawings.
C
2. In envelopes, the provision of a guiding ledge f, formed by perforating the
envelope near the top or bottom, through back and front, one set of perforations
being higher up than the other set c¹, substantially as and for the purpose
described and as illustrated by Fig. 3. of the drawings.
3. In envelopes, the modifications described with reference to Figs. 4, 5, and 6,
of the accompanying drawings..
Dated this 30th day of September 1898.
HUGHES & YOUNG,
55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for Applicant