A Novel Construction of Safety Fastener for Envelopes.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Mar., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 14th Dec., 1889-Accepted, 18th Jan., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Novel Construction of Safety Fastener for Envelopes.
1, ABSALOM ELIJAH WEBB of 118 Southgate Road, Middlesex, Gentleman do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to render envelopes secure against the flaps being
tampered with or the contents extracted without destroying the envelope itself.
For the purpose of my invention, I dish a disc shaped washer and I arrange two
tubes in the under or hollow portion but in line with each other. One of said tubes
has its opening in the flange of the washer.
I also make a central projection on or to a plate or disc, said projection being
passed into the central hole of the washer disc and having a hole through it sidewise
corresponding to the tubes of the washer disc for the reception of a wire which locks
the two pieces closely in contact.
For using my fastener, I take an envelope which has a hole punched in all the
four flaps, then place the bottom plate inside the envelope, so that the projection
appears through said holes, I then place the washer disc on the envelope flaps and
force it down until the projection, which is in the central hole, is about level with the
top surface of the washer disc, I then push a piece of wire into the exposed hole
of the tube from the side or flange and feel for the aperture in the projection, into
and through which, the wire is forced and into the tube on the opposite side of the
dished hollow.
The length of the wire is such that it can be entirely covered and enclosed by the
tubes and cannot be extracted.
H. GARDNER,
166, Fleet Street, London, Agent for the said Absalom Elijah Webb.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Novel Construction of Safety Fastener for Envelopes.
I, ABSALOM ELIJAH WEBB, of 118 Southgate Road, Middlesex, 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 :-
The object of this invention is to render Envelopes secure against the flaps being
tampered with, or the contents extracted without destroying the Envelope itself.
For the purpose of my invention and as I show in the annexed drawings,
Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, I dish a disc shaped washer A and I arrange two tubes B, B, in the
under or hollow portion and in line with each other. One of said tubes has its
opening in the flange C of the washer A.
I also make a central projection or stud, D on, or affix one to a plate or disc E, said
projection D being passed into the central hole F of the washer disc and having a
hole G through it sidewise corresponding to the tubes B, B, of the washer disc A for
the reception of a wire H which locks the two pieces closely in contact.
Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8 show a slight modification in which the dished washer A is
recessed for the reception of two wires H, H, so shaped that when the stem D of the
plate E is forced into the hole or recess of the washer disc, the wires H, H, spring
into the side holes F of the stem D to lock the fastener.
For using my fastener, of the first described kind I take an Envelope which has a
hole punched in all the four flaps, I then place the bottom plate inside the Envelope

page_text: so that the projection appears through said holes, I then place the washer disc on the
Envelope flaps and force it down until the projection which is in the central hole is
about level with the 'top surface of the washer disc, I then push a piece of wire
(straight or bent) into the exposed hole of the tube from the side or flange and fool
for the aperture in the projection, into and through which, the wire is forced and into
the tube on the opposite side of the dished hollow.
The length of the wire is such that it can be entirely covered and enclosed by the
tubes and cannot be extracted.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The appliance or fastener shown at Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 on the annexed
drawings, for the purpose described.
2. The modification of said fastener, as
annexed drawings for the purpose set forth.
The 14th day of December 1889.
shown at Figures ·5, 6, 7 and 8 of the
H. GARDNER,
1'66, Fleet Street, London, Agent for the said Absalom Elijah Webb.