IMPROVEMENTS IN SECURING ENVELOPES, CASES, COVERS, OR WRAPPERS."
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Tomlinson, of Kimberley, in the County of
Nottingham, Gentleman, and Thomas Brassington, of the Town and
County of the Town of Nottingham, Gentleman, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SECURING ENVELOPES, CASES, COVERS, OR WRAPPERS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Tomlinson and
Thomas Brassington at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 12th July 1864..
We, JOHN TOMLINSON, of Kimberley, in the County of Nottingham,
Gentleman, and THOMAS BRASSINGTON, of the Town and County of the Town
of Nottingham, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SECURING ENVELOPES, CASES, COVERS, OR WRAPPERS," to be
as follows:-
Our improvements consist in inserting a narrow strip of metal through a
series of slits cut in the lower fold of the envelope, case, cover, or wrapper, and
securing the strip therein by turning the ends over on the inside and retaining
it in position by a piece of paper, linen, cotton, or other convenient material.
Partly or wholly over the said strip, on the inside of the envelope, case, cover,
or wrapper, the upper flap of the envelope, case, cover, or wrapper has a strip
of metal passed through a slit from the inner side; this strip is prevented
from falling out by a strip of linen or other material passed through slits in
the end of the strip on the inside of the envelope, case, cover, or wrapper; the

page_text: strip of linen or other material is attached by gum, glue, or other agent. In
the end on the outer side of the upper flap a tongue is cut, so that when the
strip is pushed through a slit in the lower flap lying parallel to the first-
mentioned strip, and past the lower side of the first-mentioned strip, the tongue
which stands up a little will pass inside the first-mentioned strip, and firmly
secure the envelope, case, cover, or wrapper.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Tomlinson and Thomas Brassington in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 12th January 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN
TOMLINSON, of Kimberley, in the County of Nottingham, Gentleman, and
THOMAS BRASSINGTON, of the Town and County of the Town of Nottingham,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said John Tomlinson and Thomas Brassington, Her special licence that
we, the said John Tomlinson and Thomas Brassington, our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said John Tomlinson and
Thomas Brassington, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SECURING ENVELOPES, CASES, COVERS, OR WRAPPERS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that we, the said John Tomlinson and Thomas Brassington, our
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our or their
hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us or them, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said John Tomlinson and Thomas Brassing-
ton, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in

page_text: and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is
to say:-
Our improvements consist in inserting a narrow strip of metal through a
series of slits cut in the lower fold or folds of an envelope, case, cover, or
wrapper, and securing the said strip therein by turning the ends over on the
inside, and retaining it in position by a piece of paper, or linen, or cotton, or
other textile fabric or metal. Partly or wholly over the said strip, on the
inside of the envelope, case, cover, or wrapper, the upper flap of the envelope,
case, cover, or wrapper has a strip of metal passed through a slit from the
inner side; this strip is prevented from falling out by a strip of linen or other
convenient material passed through slits cut in the end of the strip on the
inside of the envelope, case, cover, or wrapper, such strip of linen or other
material is attached or caused to adhere to the envelope, case, cover, or
wrapper by gum, glue, or other equivalent agent. In the end on the outer
side of the upper flap a tongue is cut, so that when the strip is pushed
through a slit in the lower flap lying parallel to the first-mentioned strip, and
past the lower side of the first-mentioned strip, the tongue which stands up a
little will pass inside the first-mentioned strip, and will firmly secure the
envelope, case, cover, or wrapper.
Having thus set forth the nature of our Invention, we now proceed more
fully to describe the manner of performing the same, with reference to the
Drawings.
These Drawings represent our Invention as applied to the securing of
envelopes. We do not think it necessary to illustrate our method of applying
our improvements for securing cases, covers, or wrappers, as the several parts
employed for securing envelopes may in like manner and with equal facility
be employed for securing cases, covers, or wrappers.
The first method we employ for carrying out our Invention may be thus
explained:-Figure 1 represents the outside of the upper flap of an envelope;
through this flap two slits are cut, which may be hidden by a printed, stamped,
or other label B, and the slits also pass through a piece C¹ of calico, linen, or
other convenient substance, gummed, glued, or otherwise caused to adhere to
the under side of the flap. Through these slits is passed a piece of thin metal C,
of the form shewn in Figure 3, which represents the under side of the flap;
this piece C is somewhat larger at one end than at the other end, which is
made narrow, as shewn, in order to facilitate the insertion of such narrow
end into a slit F, which is cut through the lower flap D of the envelope (as
seen at Figure 2), and likewise through a piece E made of calico, linen, or

page_text: other convenient substance on the inside of the envelope. In this piece of
metal C are punched or otherwise formed three tongues, the upper one lies
upon the calico, linen, or other convenient substance C¹; when the piece C is
inserted in the two slits, and the centre tongue is turned down upon such
calico, linen, or other convenient substance, the piece of metal C is thereby
secured in the upper flap of the envelope, and the third or lowest tongue,
when the thin end of the piece C is passed through the slit F, will prevent the
piece C from being withdrawn until the envelope is destroyed.
A second method of carrying out our Invention is shewn at Figures 4, 5,
and 6. Figure 4 represents the inside of the upper flap of an envelope, and
Figure 5 the lower portion of the envelope; Figure 6 is an inside view of each
of them when they are secured together. In this instance the piece C has
three tongues, and is secured to and in the upper flap of the envelope by means
of the broad top of the piece C, and the upper tongue is turned up, as seen
at Figure 4; the piece C is passed through two slits in the upper flap, and
through a piece of calico or other woven or textile material D. The lower
portion of the envelope is also provided with a strengthening piece of calico
or other woven or textile material E, and likewise with a piece of thin metal F
lying between the back of the envelope and the calico or other woven or textile
material D, as shewn at Figure 5.
A third method of carrying out our Invention is shewn at Figures 7 and 8,
which represent respectively the outside of the back of an envelope and the
inside of an envelope when the upper flap is closed and secured in its place by
means of a thin piece of metal C, which is of a similar shape to the pieces C
previously described, and is pushed through a slit on the lower side of a
stamped or printed or otherwise ornamented label D, which is caused to
adhere to the outside of the flap; and this thin piece C is also pushed through
a slit in the lower part of the back of the envelope, whence it passes under a
loop of thin metal F attached to the inside of the lower part of the envelope;
the loop of metal F is covered by a piece of calico or other woven or textile
material; the thin end of the piece of metal C is passed under a loop of metal E
secured in the flap of the envelope, from which it is prevented from being
withdrawn by the tongue, as shewn at Figure 8.
A fourth method of carrying out our Invention is represented at Figures 9
and 10; at Figure 9 the upper flap is turned up, and shews the piece of
metal C, which is passed through two slits in the flap, and is prevented from
falling out by a piece of calico or other woven or textile material D passed
through two slits in one end of the piece C, and gummed, glued, or otherwise
secured to the inside of the upper flap. The piece C has a tongue at the

page_text: narrowed end, which narrowed end is passed through a slit in the lower part
of the envelope above a piece of calico or other woven or textile material E
gummed, glued, or otherwise secured to the outside of the envelope on its
lower part, which has also four slits cut in it; through these slits is passed a
piece of thin metal F, which is secured in it by turning down the ends on the
inside of the envelope (as seen in Figure 10). This piece of metal F has a
piece punched or otherwise cut out near the centre of its length, so that as
the piece C is pushed through the slit above the piece E on the outside of the
envelope, the tongue in the piece C will prevent its withdrawal, as it will
catch or hook on to the edge of the perforated piece F.
Figures 11 and 12 shew a fifth method of carrying out our Invention. The
pieces C and D are similar to those shewn in Figure 9; the piece C is passed
between two pieces F and G ; the tongue in the piece C when the envelope is
secured lies upon the piece G on the inside of the envelope, as shewn at
Figure 12; the piece F is passed through two slits in the lower part of the
envelope, and is secured therein on the inside of the envelope by the ends
being turned down, as shewn.
A sixth method of carrying out our Invention is represented in Figures 13
and 14, which shew the outside and the inside of a secured envelope, wherein
we employ a spring, pointed pin, or cotter, shewn separately at B, Figure 14;
we push the point of this pin or cotter through the upper perforation of an
embossed or otherwise ornamented shield, disc, label, or other device or
appliance made of metal or other material, and through the upper flap of the
envelope, and then through the lower flap or flaps, again through the upper
flap and the lower perforation, and thence through the lower flap or flaps of
the envelope until the spring point has passed through each perforation, when
the envelope will be secured.
A seventh method of carrying out our Invention consists in the employment
of a thin piece of metal C, seen at Figure 15, which metal I pass through
two slits cut in the upper flap of an envelope A, and also through two slits cut
in a strengthening piece B, and secure the piece C therein by turning up one
of two tongues D, cut, punched, or otherwise formed therein. The lowest of
the two tongues will hook on to one side of a slit cut in a piece of thin
metal E, which metal is secured in the lower part of the envelope and in a
strengthening piece F by being passed through four slits in the same, and the
ends of the piece E being turned over on to itself, as represented at Figure 16,
where the piece C is shewn in the position it occupies when the envelope or
other covering is secured.
Figures 17 and 18 represent two other shaped pieces of thin metal which

page_text: we substitute in lieu of the piece C shewn at Figures 15 and 16, either of
which two pieces may be secured in the upper flap of an envelope by being
passed through two slits in the same, the upper end being then turned down,
and the lower ends are passed through a slit in a piece of metal secured to
the lower flaps of an envelope. Figure 17 shews a tongue at each side of the
piece, and Figure 18 likewise shews a tongue at each side and also a tongue
in the centre of the piece, all which said tongues act in the same manner as
the tongue shewn at Figure 16, when the envelope is secured; or instead of
the upper ends of the piece shewn at Figures 17 and 18 being secured as
above described, each of the ends may have two tongues formed in each of
them, by means of which they may be secured in the upper or opposite flap of
the envelope.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same may be performed, we declare that we claim the arrange-
ments herein-before described for securing envelopes, cases, covers, or
wrappers.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Tomlinson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
Witness,
GEO. JON. ROBINSON,
Patent Office,
Nottingham.
JOHN TOMLINSON. (L.S.)