Improvements relating to Safety Fasteners for Envelopes and the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Dec., 1898
Complete Specifinntinn Laft Dond c
40CO
مد
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1000
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Safety Fasteners for Envelopes and
the like.
I, THOMAS HAWKINS, of 40, Marchmont Street, Russell Square, in the County
of Middlesex, London, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:
The object of this invention is to prevent the fraudulent opening of envelopes
and the like, without such fraud being obvious. My invention consist in the
use of short thin metal tubes having a flange at one end such as eyelets used
in boots and shoes also in the use of thin discs of metal or other suitable material.
I may use two tubes to each fastener. One of these tubes is made larger than
the other the flangeless part of the larger tube is made to pass over the flangeless
part of the lesser tube each tube is provided with two thin discs of metal or other
suitable material. One disc for each tube has a suitable hole centrally located
which may be eyeleted if desired through which the flangeless part of the tubes
project. The flange of each tube is advantageously incased between the two
discs above mentioned. In order to carry out this invention I may punch
suitable holes through the flaps or folds of envelopes or the like where the flaps
or folds overlap each other. The flangeless part of the lesser tube is passed
through the punched holes from the inside of envelope or the like, then the
flangeless part of the larger tube is passed over the flangeless part of the lesser
tube the top of the flange or dise over the larger tube being struck will cause
the flangeless end of the larger tube to come in contact with the flange of the
lesser tube. This will cause the flangeless end of the larger tube to split and
clinch to the disc or eyelet in the disc which is next to inside flap of envelope
or the like. In several modifications of this invention, I may use only one tube
for passing through the flaps or folds of envelopes. This tube is applied to
the outside flap or fold of envelope or the like. In one modification one of the
disc for the inside flap or fold of envelope has a taper projection stamped in it.
In another modification a short flangeless tube is inserted in the flangeless end
of the tube. In this case the metal disc for inside flap of envelope may have a
short cone stamped in it, or it may have a plain surface. In another modifica-
tion a short metal plug may be inserted in the end of tube and one of the inside
discs may have a plain surface. In another modification the flange of the out-
side tube may be made extra large. In this case the disc having hole for out-
side tube will not be required. In another modification the inside also the
outside flap of envelope or the like may be provided with a fixed disc having a
suitable hole centrally located and fixed to their respective places by eyelets.
In this modification either the disc with cone stamped in it or disc with a taper
projection or disc with plain surface may be advantageously held close to disc
which is eyeleted for inside flap of envelope, by a short strip of paper or the like.
In all cases the tubes for inside also for outside flap of envelopes may be fixed to
their respective places and ready for use, or may be applied to envelope or the
like when required. A cover made of paper or the like may be attached to the
outside flange or disc which may have printed matter thereon if desired. More

page_text: than one safety fastener may be used to an envelope or the like if required accord-
ing to the size and shape of envelope or the like.
1
201 L....
1909
Improvements relating to Safety Fasteners for Envelopes and
the like.
I, THOMAS HAWKINS, of 40, Marchmont Street, Russell Square, in the County
of London, Mechanical Engineer, 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:
My invention relates to improvements in safety fasteners for envelopes and
the like, and the objects of my improvements are to prevent fraudulent opening
of the envelope or tampering with the contents without such fraud or tampering
becoming known. The great advantage of my invention is the perfect security
of the fastening, which cannot possibly be undone after it is once secured, the
only way cf opening the envelope or the like being to cut or tear the paper or
other material of which it is composed. Other advantages which my invention
possesses are that it is cheap to manufacture and both easy and certain in its
action, without being at all unsightly in appearance.
I carry out my invention as follows, reference being made to the accompanying
drawing, in which
Figures 1, 2 and 3 respectively show the parts in section of three forms of
my fastener.
Figures 1, 2, and 3ª the same parts in elevation, and
Figures 1, 2 and 3 show sections of the safety fastener when closed and
keeping the flaps of the envelope or the like secured.
Figures 4 and 5 are views of an envelope containing my present improvements,
showing the fastener open and closed respectively,
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
My invention can be carried out in various forms, but in all cases the outer
flap and also the inner flaps or folds are punched (preferably during the process
of manufacture) cach with a small hole (or more than one), the hole of the outer
flap registering accurately with the hole of the inner flap when folded down.
These holes may or may not be eyeletted, as desired, but for ordinary purposes
it would be unnecessary.
According to my invention, I take a small hollow rivet, somewhat like a
lace-boot eyelet, consisting of a tubular portion A, preferably slightly tapering
to its smaller end, and a small flange and pass it through the hole of the
(preferably) outer flap C, where it is held in place by a canvas or other suitable
backing of sufficient size to more than cover said flange. This constitutes
one portion of my fastener.
The other portion of my fastener, attached to the other flap of the envelope,
is shown in several forms. According to the form shown in Figures 1, 1 and 1,
there is provided a flat edged disc or plate E with a small raised tapered por-
tion F in its centre. It is secured in the envelope by a paper or other backing G,
the raised portion F projecting slightly through the hole of the flap or folds of
the envelope or the like The raised portion Facts as a spreader for the
rivet A, and the flat part E as an anvil.
According to the form shown in Figures 2, 2" and 26, the plate E has a
raised tapered portion F in its centre but before applying the anvil plate E, I
pass over it an annular disc or washer H, and then secure them both in the

page_text: envelope by a paper or other backing G. The washer H is raised or dished
around the edge of its hole as shown, so as to allow sufficient space for the
edge of rivet A to spread underneath same, when forcibly pressed down over the
spreader F.
According to the form shown in Figures 3, 3 and 3b, the guide and
spreader F is an independent short tube separate from the anvil E, which in
this case may be a small thin piece dished or turned up or not at its edge. The
tube is slightly smaller at its upper edge than the tube A but widens out
at the bottom into a curve so as to cause the edge of tube A when pressed over
same to split and spread horizontally under the washer H.
The envelope as it appears with my improved fastener attached is shown open
and closed in Figures 4 and 5.
In order to fasten the envelope, it is simply necessary to close the flaps to-
gether, (the tube or rivet A being thus brought down upon the guide and
spreader F), and press down upon the canvas or equivalent D with a hard object
such as a coin. The bottom edge of the tube A will then easily spread and
become directed, in the form shown in 1', underneath the edge if the hole in
the lower flap, curling around until its edge butts against or bites into the
under edge of the flap at about a right angle, and in the form shown in
Figures 2 and 3 under the washer H.
The spreaders F F¹ may be hollow or solid or open or closed at the top as
desired, and the washer H and anvil E or E¹ may be either flat or turned up
at their outer edges. When the anvil is turned up at its edge, it serves to keep
the washer H in place.
When convenient, I may employ any particular form of my fastener with or
without a washer. When dispensing with the use of the washer H, the turned-
up edge of the anvil serves to keep the flaps of the envelope or the like raised,
so that the lower edge of rivet A may more easily enter underneath same.
The parts of my fastener may be stamped out at one operation from some
(preferably) very ductile or thin metal.
The envelopes may be supplied for use with the parts already fixed therein
as shown in the drawings.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. In safety fasteners for envelopes and the like, the anvil E substantially as
described.
2. In safety fasteners for envelopes and the like, the guide and spreader F
whether hollow or solid or open or closed substantially as described.
3. In safety fasteners for envelopes and the like, the combination of Claims 1
and 2.
4. In safety fasteners for envelopes and the like, the annular disc or washer H
substantially as described.
5. In safety fasteners for envelopes and the like, the combination with
Claim 3 of the tube or rivet A B substantially as described.
6. In safety fasteners for envelopes and the like, the combination with
Claim 5 of the washer H substantially as described.
Dated this 18th day of September 1899