IMPROVEMENTS IN ENVELOPES OR BAGS FOR POSTAL AND OTHER USES
Year: 1877

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Alexander Melville Clark at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th March 1877. A communication
from abroad by Rodorick Crysler Carter, of the City of Kingston, County of
Frontenac, Province of Ontario, Canada.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middle-
sex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ENVELOPES OR BAGS FOR POSTAL AND
OTHER USES." A communication from abroad by Roderick Crysler Carter, of the
City of Kingston, County of Frontenac, Province of Ontario, Canada.
This Invention has for its object to allow of the examination of the contents of
an envelope or bag used for postal purposes, or for filing office documents, or for
containing flour, confections, and similar merchandise, whereby after examination
the envelope or bag can be readily refastened; and it consists of an envelope or bag
having a flap or flaps at one end or side, such flap or flaps capable of being fastened
and refastened by a buckling device or adhesive matter, and in perforating said
envelopes in the back or front, or both, to expose the contents.
According to one arrangement the envelope or bag is provided with a flap having
extending edges which are folded and passed under a loop, which is formed by
incising the back of the envelope at suitable distances apart and in length, corre-
sponding to the width of the flap, which is gummed to or forms an integral part of
the front face of the envelope. The edges of the flap after passing through the loop
are folded outwardly, thus preventing its withdrawal until the edges are folded to
correspond with the width of the flap, or the flap may have an arrow-headed end
and slits be formed in the back of the envelope, the upper slit in length being of the
breadth of the head, and the lower slit of less length, whereby by an angular
movement the head will pass through both slits and fasten by engagement with the
lower one. The arrow-headed flap may also engage in a T slot cut in the back of
the envelope. The flap may also be formed with a keeper piece cut from it which
engages with the loop in the back of the envelope to prevent its withdrawal until
the barb is pressed' thereunder.
In another arrangement the flap after passing through the loop is folded through
a slit made in the flap, or the flap may have a fastening strap piece projecting
therefrom, which strap passes through a loop that enters an opening cut in the flap.
A broad flap may be fastened in like manner, the strap piece being cut from the
Дар.

page_text: A modification of the above flap consists in the use of a detached slip instead of
the strap.
The flap may also be fastened by a button-shaped piece cut from the back of the
envelope and passing through a slit in the flap, or an eyelet holding a paper button
may be attached to the envelope, and a button hole be provided in the flap.
A string may also be laid under a series of perforations in the flap to facilitate
the opening of the envelope by cutting the flap at the perforations; or instead of
perforating the flap it may have a notch and string to facilitate opening, the flap
being gummed below and above the string.
The envelope may also have two, three, or more flaps, to be fastened by gumming.
One flap is fastened by the sender and is broken by the examiner, who fastens the
contents by an unused flap.
The gummed flaps may also be formed one within the other, one of which is
sealed while the other is for sealing after examination of the contents of the
envelope.
A supplementary gummed flap may also be attached to an ordinary envelope
which flap is first used and then the ordinary flap.
Further, in order to allow the contents of the sealed envelope to be viewed per-
forations of any suitable form and size may be made through both faces of the
envelope, or in one side only.