IMPROVEMENTS IN AND IN THE METHODS OF CLOSING ENVELOPES.
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Coope Haddan, of 67, Strand, in
-
A
the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND IN THE METHODS OF CLOSING ENVELOPES.".
communication from abroad by Félicien Dangoise, of Brussels, in
Kingdom of Belgium.
Sealed the 18th February 1874, and dated the 3rd September 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Coope Haddan
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 3rd-September 1873.
I, JOHN COOPE HAŋdan, of 67, Strand, in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND IN THE METHODS OF CLOSING ENVELOPES,” a commu-
nication to me from abroad by Félicien Dangoise, of Brussels, in the
Kingdom of Belgium; to be as follows:-
The improvements consist in furnishing envelopes with an outer
cover or covers, or otherwise forming them of one or more pieces out,

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said John Coope Haddon in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 3rd March 1874..
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
5 COOPE HADDAN, of 67, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria by Her
Letters Patent bearing date the Third day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs, and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said John Coope Haddan, Her
special licence that I, the said John Coope Haddan, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Coope Haddan, my 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 AND IN THE METHODS OF CLOSING
ENVELOPES," a communication to me from abroad by Felicien Dangoise,
of Brussells, in the Kingdom of Belgium, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John Coope Haddan, my executors or admini-
strators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, 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 I, the said John Coope Haddan, 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 and
by the following statement :—
The improvements consist in furnishing envelopes with an outer
cover or covers, or otherwise forming them of one or more pieces, out,

page_text: stamped, shaped, or otherwise formed, and in securing their edges
(margins) by means of metal eyelets or eyelet holes, and laces, (string,
cord, thread, or such like) gum, or other adhesive material, or by
stamping, or in making such edges (margins) serrated, perforated,
honeycombed, fluted, and sometimes using adhesive material mixed 5
with coloring material, so that such envelopes may be more effectually
closed than heretofore, the contents protected, and tampering, with a
view to opening, easily discernible.
The following instances will serve to illustrate how the improvements
may be carried into effect. To an ordinary envelope, with letter 1
enclosed, I attach a sheet of paper having the marginal edges made
capable of adhesion, and enclose the envelope in the sheet of paper,
which is folded over and stuck down by means of the adhesive material,
so as to form a double envelope, or an envelope with an outer cover,
which may be closed for dispatch.
Sometimes I prepare an envelope with adhesive material on the
marginal edges, and either before or after adhesion I flute the edges.
In other cases I employ a sheet, forming letter and envelope, the
marginal edges of which are supplied with adhesive material and
pierced with holes or serrated.
Again I sometimes form an envelope of two pieces, one fixed over
the other, placing between them an ordinary letter or other enclosure;
the marginal edges after being stuck together by gum or other
convenient adhesive material are to be or may be impressed or stamped
with any desired design.
And sometimes I form an envelope of two pieces or of one piece,
with metallic eyelet holes near the outer or marginal edges, any
convenient number being used.
And I sometimes make an envelope in one or two pieces, fastened
by means of a lace, or thread, or cord. The envelopes or covers are
to be made of paper, linen, cloth, parchment, or of any convenient and
suitable material.
· The accompanyng Drawings are appended to further illustrate the
1

page_text: In Drawing No. 1, Figure A shews in the unfolded or open condition
improved shape of paper to form letter and envelope in one. The
dotted line & indicating the line or position of an intended fold er
doubling, which will bring the paper into or produce the shape shewn at
3 Figure B. The dotted lines e, in Figures A and B, indicate the position
of a further intended fold or doubling, which will bring the paper into
or produce the shape shewn at Figure C. Certain lines of piercings or
perforations (the purpose of which is herein-after stated) are represented,
and these are intended to range with each other in the folded condition.
) The marginal edges, strips, or surfaces f to g, thence to h, and thence
to i, on one side of the paper, between the edges and perforations (see
Figure A), are to be gummed or prepared with suitable adhesive cement,
and allowed to dry before use of the paper.
When written on, or when required to serve as an envelope or
5 enclosure, the paper may be folded as above described, and the gummed
marginal strips being just previously wetted will secure the marginal
strips brought to and pressed against them. And when it is desired
to open the envelope the marginal strips may be torn off along the
lines of perforations shewn in Figure O.
In Drawing No. 2 Figure 1 shows unfolded and Figure 2 folded
condition of another improved shape of paper to form letter and
envelope in one. In this case the folded condition occupying about
one-eight instead of about one-fourth of the unfolded; a, a, a,- in
Figure 1, denote the marginal edges, strips, or surfaces, to be gummed.
Figures 8 and 4 shew unfolded and folded conditions respectively of
another improved shape of paper to form letter and envelope in one;
k, k, and I, 1, are further or extended gummed marginal edges, strips,
or surfaces, intended to fold or lap completely round the edges. The
serrations at % may be used at 7, or the plain margin at 7 may be
P adapted at k, or any convenient marginal form may be substituted
instead of serrations. Perforations are not represented, but these may
be employed to to assist properly tearing in opening or may be omitted in
other cases as well as in this case. In any case the margins may
after folding, and while the gum or cement is moist, be impressed by
a seal or stamp, which will render it almost impossible to open the

page_text: envelope surreptitiously or otherwise than by tearing off the margins,
:as described.
Figures 5 and 6 shew another improved form of envelope, made of
two pieces of paper of the same dimensions, gummed at their four
marginal edges or surfaces, three being gummed together on coming
out of the machine, and one remaining open to receive a letter, but to
be closed when the envelope is used. One or moreof the margins to
be torn away for opening. The lettering or device "Felicien Dangoise"
in Figure 6 indicates the use of a seal or stamp, as above explained.
Figure 7 is an illustration of the application of laces (string, cord,
thread, or such like) in production of an improved envelope, suitable
for containing valuables, or where more than ordinary security is
desired against bursting open. Linen cloth paper will be generally
convenient as the material, two pieces being used, gummed at the margins,
as before, one margin being left unclosed before use; all the margins
being perforated after (sometimes before) the two pieces are joined,
-and-metal eyelets being sometimes applied. The lace being passed
through the holes may have its ends secured by a wax or other seal,
applied on or against the envelope, or carried by themselves and loose
or separate from the envelope.
The method of crossing the laces round the edges or across one or
both faces of the envelope may be varied at pleasure, according to the
degree of security desired:
It is to be understood that the Invention includes the combination
as well as the separate employment of all or some of the several im-
provements, so far as such combination may be found convenient or
desirable, and that, subject to this understanding, I claim as con-
stituting the said Invention the manufacture of and methods of closing
envelopes or papers which when folded are to constitute envelopes,-
Firstly: By making them of one sheet or piece of paper, or suitable
material, with gummed edges or margins, as above set forth and
described.
And, secondly. By making them of two sheets or pieces of paper,
or suitable material, of equal or approximately equal dimensions, the
one being laid over the other, and the two secured together by gummed

page_text: edges or margins, and sometimes by laces (string, cord, thread, and
such like), as herein-above set forth and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Coope Haddan, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Third day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.