An Attachment to Envelopes for the Purpose of Expeditiously Opening them after being Fastened.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 11th June, 1895-Accepted, 13th July, 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Attachment to Envelopes for the Purpose of Expeditiously
Opening them after being Fastened.
I, THOMAS DE RENZY HARMAN of Hereford Street, Christchurch, Canterbury
in the Colony of New Zealand, Solicitor, 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 usual mode of opening envelopes when fastened or sealed is by tearing with
the fingers or by the use of a paper knife or some other such like instrument; by
the former means the envelopes are mutilated and become almost useless; and
by the latter means, it not unfrequently happens that not only does the envelope
get cut, but the contents share a similar fate, and when envelopes contain cheques
or other valuable papers this is a very troublesome matter; and further, where it
is desired, or necessary (as in banks) to file the envelopes received, it becomes a
very troublesome matter when the envelopes are thus mutilated.
It is very important that where envelopes are required to be filed they should be
retained in as perfect a form as possible.
Now the object of my invention is to enable envelopes, when fastened or sealed,
to be expeditiously opened without tearing or mutilating them or their contents.
It consists simply of attaching, by means of any suitable adhesive substance, under
the fold or flap of the envelope, a piece of cotton, thread, twine or any such like
suitable material (depending upon the size and substance of the envelope) one end
of which is left projecting past the edge of the envelope on either side but
preferably on the right hand side when looking at the address on the envelope,
so that when it is desired to open the envelope (after being fastened or sealed) it
is only necessary to take hold of the projecting piece of cotton (or other material)
and pull it outwards from the top edge of the envelope when it will cleanly and
neatly cut open the envelope at the fold without the slightest risk of injuring the
contents and enabling the envelope to be retained in a perfect state and
consequently much better suited for filing than is the case at present.
My invention will be readily understood by reference to the annexed drawings
wherein:
Fig. 1 is a view of the backside of an envelope opened, showing the piece of
cotton, thread, twine, or other suitable material attached in position.
Fig. 2 is a view of the front side of an envelope when closed, showing the
projecting end of the said piece of cotton, thread, twine or other suitable material.
A is the piece of cotton, thread, twine or other suitable material which is laid
the full length of the fold of the envelope B and projecting a short distance
beyond one side as shown and secured to the envelope by any suitable adhesive
substance.
To open the envelope (after being fastened or sealed) it is only necessary to take
hold of the projecting piece of cotton or other material and pull outwards and
toward the opposite upper corner (in the direction shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2)
when it cuts open the envelope cleanly and neatly, leaving no jagged edges and
without any risk of damaging the contents of the envelope.
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 :-
Attaching to the underside of the fold or flap of envelopes by means of any

page_text: suitable adhesive substance, a piece of cotton, thread, twine or any other suitable
material for the purpose of expeditiously and cleanly opening such envelopes when
fastened or sealed up and without the risk of cutting or mutilating their contents,
substantially as herein described and illustrated in the annexed drawings.
Dated this 29th day of April A.D. 1895.
THOMAS DE RENZY HARMAN.