Year: 1897

page_text: We ROWAN JOHNSTON, and HENRY HAMILTON MCCULLOCH, Gentlemen, of Calgary,
Alberta, in the North West Territories, Canada, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:
--
This invention relates to an improved envelope which, when once properly
fastened, cannot be opened or tampered with without the knowledge of the person to
whom it is sent.
The Invention comprises a suitable blank, of preferably strong paper stamped or
otherwise cut to the required shape, and folded so that its central part forms the
front or face of the envelope. The central square part has flaps projecting from its
four sides. The flap on the left (looking at the outer surface of the blank when
open) is shaped in such manner that when folded inwards it engages a slit formed
in the flap of the opposite right hand side and interlocks therewith. The lower flap
has an extending piece which, when the flap is gummed over the other two, reaches
beyond the top edge of the envelope, and when the top flap (which is of the usual or
other preferred shape) is gummed down passes over it and is gummed down to
the face of the envelope at the place where the postage stamp is usually fixed.
When the stamp is affixed over the extension of the lower flap, the envelope cannot
be opened without tearing the stamp. The left hand flap may also have a piece
extending from its side, and adapted to be gummed beneath the postage stamp.
Dated this 7th dow of January 1907
We, ROWAN JOHNSTON, and HENRY HAMILTON MCCULLOCH, Gentlemen, of Calgary
Alberta, in the North West Territories, Canada, 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 :-
This invention relates to an improved envelope which, when once properly fastened,
cannot be opened or tampered with without tearing or injuring it in such a way as
to render detection possible.
Reference being had to the drawings, Fig. 1 illustrates the blank as it is cut or
stamped from a sheet of paper.

page_text: Fig. 2 shews the obverse side of the blank and illustrates the first stage in the
process of folding it to form the envelope.
Fig. 3 shews the completed envelope ready for the insertion of enclosures.
Fig. 4 is a rear view of the finished and sealed envelope, and
Fig. 6. is a front view thereof.
By this invention, the blank A is cut or stamped from paper and is formed with
flaps B, C, D, and E which are subsequently folded at those parts indicated by dot
and dash lines. The place for the stamp may also be indicated by printed lines at
those places marked F.
The flap B (Fig. 2) is first folded over, as shewn, and the flap C folded over onto
it and gummed thereto; its projecting tag G being folded around to the front face
of the envelope and gummed.
The flap D (Fig. 3) is then folded up over and gummed to the flaps B, C with the
exception of its projecting tag H which is left unstuck though gummed, until the
envelope is finally sealed.
To seal the envelope, the flap E is folded over the flaps C, D beneath the tag H
and gummed in the usual way. A slit I permits the flap E to readily fold over the
flap D. The tag H is then gummed down over flap. E and its end folded and
gummed over to the front face of the envelope, and tag G as shewn in Fig. 5; the
stamp J being gummed over the two tags G, H as indicated by dotted lines.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
The herein described envelope substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore
described and illustrated in the drawings hereunto annexed.
Dated this 9th Day of October 1897.
W. H. MUNNS,
Agent for Applicants.