IMPROVED READY-OPENING ENVELOPE OR BOX FOR POSTAL AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
"
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, Fel. Inst. P.A. of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, and of
323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex; Civil Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said invention for IMPROVED READY-OPENING ENVELOPE OR
BOX FOR POSTAL AND OTHER PURPOSES" (a communication from abroad by William
Goodbody of the city, county, and State of New York, in the United States of
America, Clerk,) to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an open-ended unsealed envelope, or box, especially
adapted for mailing samples of merchandise, circulars, et cetera, in form to permit
of ready inspection by the officials of the Post Office.
Its object is to simplify the construction of such an envelope or box, and to
provide a simple, secure, yet readily detachable fastening for its open end or ends.
It consists in forming a tongue upon one or both ends of the outer fold of the
body of the envelope, or box, said tongue being adapted to overlap the end flap of
the envelope, when closed, and enter transverse slits cut through said flap, and
through the body of the envelope, under the tongue.
In the practice of the invention, the two main folds, forming the body of the
envelope or box, are made of uniform width, and are folded in the customary
manner, to overlap at the back of the envelope or box. At one end of the outer
over-lapping fold, if the envelope is to be left unsealed at one end only, or otherwise
at both ends thereof, a narrow tongue or strip is separated from the body of the
fold by a straight cut extending from the outer end of the fold for an inch, more
or less in ward, so that the tongue is left free to bend up when the edge of said fold
is pasted down upon the underlying fold.
Slits, slightly longer than width of the tongue, are cut transversely at right
angles with the straight edge of the outer fold both through the flap to be left
unsealed, and through the body of the underlying fold, in such position as that

page_text: when the flap is folded over to close the open end or side of the envelope, the slits
shall register with each other and with the tongue, so that the latter may be readily
inserted through them both.
If one flap only is to be left unsealed, to be locked by a tongue, the remaining
flap may be gummed in the usual manner for sealing after the envelope is filled;
but preferably both ends may be arranged to be secured by a tongue and slits.
Instead of forming the tongue integral with the outer fold on the back of the
envelope, by dividing a strip from the fold, the tongue may consist of a separate
piece, pasted or otherwise secured at one end upon the outer fold in line with the
slits so as to admit of ready insertion therein.
Where the flaps are placed at the long sides of the envelope instead of at its
narrower ends, the tongue becomes re-inforced by the sealing of the gummed flap,
which when it is closed, will overlap the tongue and being pasted down thereon,
will stiffen and strengthen it.
If desired, the tongue may be made to lock itself when it enters the slit, by
means of a notch cut on one edge of the tongue, leaving an offset on said edge,
the slits being so cut as that one end of the slit, when the tongue is entered therein,
shall be in line with the bottom of the notch only instead of with the outer edge
of the tongue, or of its offset on that side. Hence, when the tongue is slipped into
the slits, the offset will lock with the end of the slit, and thus prevent a withdrawal
of the tongue except it be moved laterally far enough to permit the offset to clear
the end of the slits.
+
When the postal authorities wish to examine the contents of the envelope or box
thus constructed, they can readily do so, by withdrawing the tongue at either
unsealed end, thus liberating the flap, and thereby opening the package, which
may as easily be closed, and secured again, by folding down the flap, and re-inserting
the tongue.

page_text: ">
I WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON Fel. Inst. P.A. Agency for Foreign. Patent
Solicitors 6 Lord Street Liverpool, Lancashire, and 323 High Holborn, Middlesex,
Civil Engineer do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for "IMPROVED
READY-OPENING ENVELOPE OR BOX FOR POSTAL AND OTHER PURPOSES (A. com-
munication from abroad by William Goodbody, New York, United States, Clerk)
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 open-ended unsealed envelope or box especially.
adapted for mailing samples or merchandise circulars etcetera. In form to permit
of ready inspection by the officials of the Post Office. Its object is to simplify
the construction of such an envelope or box and provide a simple secure yet readily
detachable fastening for its open end or ends.
. It consists of an envelope provided with a tongue upon the back thereof, whose
free end extend towards the outer edge of the envelope in position to pass through
slits or openings so cut both in the overlapping flaps and in the back of the
envelope as that they will register, when the flap is closed, both with each other
and with the tongue. The tongue when inserted through the slit, will lock and
fasten down the flap, and admits of being readily withdrawn to liberate the flap
in order to open the package. The envelope may be constructed with a locking-
tongue as described, at each end thereof, and may also be constructed not only in
flat form, but also in the form of a box, as hereinafter fully described.
In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the blank which,
properly. folded, will constitute the improved envelope. Figure 2 is a similar view
of the back of said blank when folded to form the envelope, the envelope being
shown as completed, with its unsealed end locked. Figure 3 illustrates the inven-
tion as applied to an envelope made to open at the sides instead of the ends.
Figure 4 illustrates its application to an envelope in box form unsealed at both
ends; and Figure 5, a modification in which the tongue is fastened upon the
envelope, instead of being made integral therewith, and is notched to lock in
the slits.
A, Figure 1. represents the paper blank cut out ready for folding into an
envelope; B B', its main folds, which are brought together to overlap on the
back of the envelope, as shown in Figures 2 and 5, and are then pasted down
the one upon the other, to form the body of the envelope; C, its gummed sealing-
flap, and D the flap for closing its unsealed end.
At one end or side of the outer fold B', if the envelope is to be left unsealed at
one end only (see Figures 1, 2, and 3) or otherwise at both ends thereof, (see
Figure 4) a narrow tongue or strip, E, is separated from the body of the fold by
a straight cut, f, extending from the outer end of the fold more or less inward, so
that the tongue is left free to bend up when the edge of said fold is pasted down,
upon the edge of the underlying fold.
"

page_text: Slits or elongated openings, W W₁, slightly longer than the width of the tongue E,
are cut at right angles with the straight edge of the outer fold B¹ both through the
flap D to be left unsealed, and through the body of the underlying fold B, in such
position as that when the flap D is folded over to close the open end or side of the
envelope, the slits W W shall register with each other and with the tongue E, so
that the latter may be readily inserted through them both, as shown in Figures 2. 3.
and 5 and at one end of Figure 4.
For mailing purposes it is sufficient to leave one flap, D, only unsealed, to be
locked by a tongue E, the remaining flap C being sealed after the envelope is filled;
but, if preferred, both ends may be arranged to be secured by the tongue and slits,
as illustrated in Figure 4.
Instead of forming the tongue integral with the outer fold B¹ on the back of the
envelope by dividing a strip, E from the fold, as described, the tongue may consist
of a separate piece E¹ (Figure 5) pasted or otherwise secured at one end upon
the outer fold B₁ in line with the slits W W', so as to admit of ready insertion
*therein.
Where the flaps are placed at the sides of the envelope, as shown in Figure 3,
instead of at its ends, as shown in Figure 2 the tongue E becomes re-inforced by
the sealing of the gummed flap C, which, when it is closed, will overlap the
tongue, and being pasted down thereon, 'as illustrated in Figure 3 will stiffen
and strengthen it.
"
If desired, the tongue may be made to lock itself when it enters the slit by
means of a notch m cut on one edge of the tongue, leaving an offset n (see dotted
lines Figure 5) on said edge, and the slits W. W₁, are so cut as that one end of the
slit, when the tongue is entered therein, shall be in line with the bottom of the notch
only, instead of with the outer edge of the tongue or of its offset on that side.
Hence, when the tongue is slipped into the slits, the offset n will lock with the
end of the slit and thus prevent a withdrawal of the tongue except it be moved
laterally far enough to permit the offset to clear the end of the slits.
If the postal authorities wish to examine the contents of the envelope when in
use they can readily do so by withdrawing the tongue E at the unsealed end, thus
liberating the flap D, and thereby opening the envelope and may as easily close
and secure the same by folding down the flap and reinserting the tongue E..
Where the envelope is to be used for samples of seeds or other fine, loose material
which might sift out through the slit or opening W₁, which is cut through the
inner wall of the envelope, the flap, D may be confined by inserting it under a
strip, G (see Figure 4) pasted at its ends upon the envelope but left unconfined in
the centre to allow the flap to slip under it.
The construction of an envelope with an unsealed or open flap provided with a
tongue projecting therefrom to pass into a slit in the body of the envelope is not
herein broadly claimed as new, since various forms of envelopes have been designed
and used provided with a tongue upon the open flap. The present improvement
differs from these, in that the tongue for locking the open flap is formed upon the
body of the envelope and in position to pass and extend towards the outer edge
of the envelope as it engages the flap instead of towards the centre, so that the
contents of the envelope shall, in bearing upon the end of the tongue; have a
tendency to draw it inward and retain it securely..
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner, the same is to be performed, as communicated
to me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is
1st. An envelope constructed with a tongue made to project from the back and
to extend toward its open end, and with transverse slits or openings to receive said
tongue formed, the one in or upon the body of the envelope between the tongue
and the open end, and the other in the flap adapted to close said open end, and in
position to register with the first when the flap is closed, all substantially in the
manner and for the purpose herein set forth.
1
TU

page_text: 2nd. An envelope-blank constructed of a body, A, back folds B B¹, flaps C. D,
and a tongue, E, formed upon the outer edge of the outer or over-lapping back
fold, B¹, by a slit, f, extending inward from the lateral edge parallel with the outer
edge of said fold, and which is provided with transverse openings W W¹, formed
respectively in or upon the inner or underlying back fold, B, and in the flap D,
closing over there-on in position to register with each other and with the tongue
when the envelope is folded and closed, all substantially in the manner and for the
purpose herein set forth.