IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU- FACTURE OF ENVELOPES AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN."
Year: 1876

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Henry Hook at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st November 1876.
"
WILLIAM HENRY HOOK, of the City of London. IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF ENVELOPES AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN."
This Invention relates,―
Firstly. To the manufacture of an improved envelope with two gummed flaps so
that after the first flap has been used and opened the second flap can be used for
reclosing the envelope, and to the providing or aflixing in the crease or bend of the
said first flap a thread for the purpose of tearing or cutting open the envelope.
And, Secondly. This Invention relates to the construction of apparatus for
attaching or fixing in an expeditious manner in the crease or bend of the closing
flap or top flap of envelopes a piece of thread for facilitating the opening of such
envelopes.
The improved envelope is cut from one piece as usual, but with the bottom flap
longer than in envelopes of the ordinary kind, so that the said bottom flap extends
above the crease or bend of the top flap and partly covers or lies over said top flap,
but so as to leave the gummed edge of said top flap uncovered and ready for use. In
the crease or bend of the top flap a gumined or cemented thread is laid and secured,
and a short piece of said thread is left to extend beyond the edge of the envelope
for about half an inch, more or less, so that after the envelope has been closed and is
required to be opened the short piece of thread extending beyond the edge of the
envelope is grasped, and by a backward movement is drawn against the crease or
bend of the flap, and thereby tears or cuts open the envelope.
Previously to closing the side flaps and making up the envelope the second flap
formed on the bottom flap, as before described, is gummed on the inside and then
dried.
The apparatus by means of which the "opening thread" is attached or fixed in
the crease or bend of the flap consists of a frame or plate revolving on a spindle or
upright, and having arranged around the outer edge of said revolving plate two,
three, or more boxes or receptacles, but preferably, three or more, made to the
"
gunge or size of the envelopes, and each receptacle is formed of an upright back
plate, one side plate, and a foot plate. On the foot plate, and working through a
guide or slot in or upon said foot plate, is an upright piece or presser finger working
18

page_text: upon a spring, so as to give an adjustable pressure, and between said presser finger
and the back plate the envelope is placed in an upright position and with the top
flap open. On the upper edge of the side plate of the receptacles a guide bar is
fixed to the height of the crease or bend of the top flap, and over this guide bar the
gummed thread is passed and rides as the table or plate carrying the envelope
receptacles is revolved. A ratchet wheel and catch is arranged upon the table and
spindle or upright upon which said table revolves, so as to allow of the table
turning in but one direction.
The thread is gummed and supplied from a reel or spool, from which the end is
passed through a "tension" mounted on the edge of the gum or paste pot, and from
said tension is passed down into said pot and under a catch; eye, or loop in the
bottom thereof, and thence upwards over a small pulley or runner, and thus gums
the thread. The end of the gummed thread is fixed to the revolving table and is
passed over the guide bar on the side plate of the first envelope receptacle, the
envelope having been already placed between the presser finger and back plate.
On the table continuing to turn the thread is drawn flat and taut across the crease
or bend of the flap and adheres thereto, and as the table continues to be turned and
the envelopes to be placed in position the next envelope will be supplied with a
thread and then the next, and so on."
The edges of the back plates of the envelope receptacles are placed at about half
an inch apart, and the portions of the thread left between them form the "short
end" which is to extend beyond the edge of the envelope, and these short ends are
cut after the gummed thread has dried, and the ends are then dipped in a red or
other colored pigment or dye.