AN IMPROVED ENVELOPE FOR LETTERS
Year: 1845

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDMUND
MORGAN, of Tenby, in the County of Pembroke, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Ninth day of October, in the ninth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Edmund Morgan, Her especial license, full power, sole privilege and authority,
that I, the said Edmund Morgan, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
and such others as I, the said Edmund Morgan, my exors, administrators, or
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at
all times during the term of years therein mentioned, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "AN IMPROVED ENVELOPE FOR LETTERS;"
in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso obliging me, the said
Edmund Morgan, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be

page_text: enrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent,
as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at
Jarge appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Edmund Morgan, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, is particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference being
had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon (that is to say):-
This improvement consists in the production of a novel form or shape cut
out of paper, and afterwards folded up to constitute an envelope or receptacle
for enclosing a note, letter, or small package, to be sealed and conveyed by
post or otherwise. This novel form is shewn in the accompanying Drawing,
at Fig. 1, which represents the piece of paper cut to the desired shape, the
dotted lines marking the parts and directions in which the folds are intended
to be made, in order to double up the paper into the rectangular form shewn
at Figs. 2 and 3, the former representing the back of the envelope, with a
seal in the middle, the latter the face of the envelope, on which the direction
is to be written and the post office stamp attached. In cutting a sheet of paper
into pieces or forms like that represented at Fig. 1, various convenient means
and apparatus may be resorted to; for I would observe, that I do not intend
to confine myself to any precise mode of cutting, as it is the form or shape
represented at Fig: 1 which I consider to be a new Invention for the purpose
of being folded into an envelope or letter case, in the way described and
exhibited in Figs 2 and 3. I have, however, formed a tool of steel, having
a sharp edge, like that shewn in plan and longitudinal section at Figs. 4 and 5,
well suited to the purpose of cutting a great number of these envelopes at one
operation from a pile of paper, that is, from a heap consisting of a great many
sheets of paper piled one upon another. In using this instrument its cutting
edge is to be placed downward upon the pile of paper. The pile of paper with
the cutting tool are then together to be put into or under a press of any
convenient construction, where, by the power of the press acting upon the
back of the cutting tool, it will be forced through the pile of paper so as to
cause a great number of pieces formed as Fig. 1 to be cut out of the pile
at one operation. Having cut the pieces of paper into the shape described
and shewn at Fig. 1, cach being intended to constitute one envelope, I then
coat each piece on one side only with gummy matter or cement at such parts as

page_text: are stained with a pale yellow colour, and marked a, b, and c, c. The cement
which I prefer to use is that commonly employed for the backs of post office
stamps, but I do not intend to confine myself to that material, as any other
adhesive matter may answer the purpose, provided it will dry quickly and
attach the edge of the paper securely, and I should prefer the cement to
be as nearly colourless as possible. The form or piece of paper at Fig. 1
having been thus prepared, I then, fold at the dotted line the part d, d, d, d,
down upon the part e, e, e, e, and when this is done, proceed to fold the lateral
flap parts f and g, at the dotted lines, down upon the back of the part d, and
by wetting the cement at a and b, stick the flaps securely to the back of the
envelope, and by these means produce a letter case, as Fig. 2, closed and
secured on all sides, except at the end h, which is a flap to cover the opening
left for the admission of the letter or other article to be enclosed in the
envelope. As it may be considered desirable, more for the sake of appear-
ance than security, to place a wax scal upon the back of the envelope, that
may be done at any convenient time of leisure by the parties intending to use
them, and the envelopes will then be kept thus apparently sealed, but I
generally attach a fancy wafer or adhesive medallion in imitation of a seal, in
the middle of the back of the envelope, over the junction of the flaps, as
represented in Fig. 2. The envelope is then ready for use at a moment's
notice, and the letter or other matter being introduced at the opening in the
end, and the cement c being moistened, the flap h is folded down upon the
face of the letter, by which the contents of the envelope become sealed up
securely, as shewn at Fig. 3. A post office stamp, if necessary, may be stuck
on the right-hand top corner of the face of the envelope, which will nearly
cover and hide the joint.
Having now described the manner of making and using my improved
envelopes for letters I desire it to be understood that the features of
novelty which I claim under the above in part recited Letters Patent are, the
form or shape in which the pieces of paper are cut out, in order to constitute
folding flaps, and the way in which they are folded and the edges of their
flaps attached to the outer part of the paper, for the purpose of producing
convenient and secure envelopes for letters.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edmund Morgan, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of March, One thousand eight
hundred and forty-six.
EDMUND (L.S.) MORGAN.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the saine Twenty-sixth day of March,
in the year above mentioned, the aforesaid Edmund Morgan came before our
Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained, in form above written.
And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of
the Statute in that case made and provided.
Inrolled the Sixth day of April, in the year above written.