IMPROVEMENTS IN ENVELOPES POR LETTERS AND OTHER DOCUMENTS
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Gedge, of No. 4, Wellington Street South,
Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ENVELOPES POR LETTERS AND OTHER DOCUMENTS."--A
communication from Ferdinand Thénard, of Paris, in the Empire of
France.
Sealed the 23d February 1858, and dated the 25th August 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Gedge at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
25th August 1857.
I, JOHN GEDGE, of No. 4, Wellington Street South, Strand, in the County
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ENVELOPES FOR LETTERS AND OTHER DOCUMENTS," com-
municated to me by Ferdinand Thénard, of Paris, in the Empire of France,
to be as follows:-
I propose, firstly, to introduce a letter into its envelope, the envelope being
previously sealed.
Secondly, to open the envelope without breaking the seal.
Thirdly, to preserve the envelope when opened with post mark, stamp, seal,
and address, intact, it forming also a cover to the letter, and being attached
to it.

page_text: Fourthly, in some cases, further to secure the inviolability of the letter, by
closing it with the postage stamp. The envelopes may be of any form or
size, but the form of envelope shewn in the Drawing hereunto annexed will
best illustrate my Invention.
Figure 1, in which shews an envelope cut into shape but not folded; a, a,
silken thread or wire; c', c², c³, portions of the paper to be folded over in
forming the envelope; d, piece gummed on both sides, in folding the envelope
the piece c' is first turned on to the part e; c² is then folded on to c', and c³ on
to, the seal being then put on the whole bas the appearance shewn at
Figure 2. The letter is then folded and placed in the envelope at f, the
gum on the piece d is wetted, and the piece turned in on the letter, to which
and to c¹ it firmly adheres, and the envelope becomes perfectly closed, as
shewn, Figure 3. To open the envelope draw the silk by either of its ends
a, a, from the envelope, which it will destroy on all the sides to which it has
been gummed, and the letter be opened as shewn at Figure 4, a, a, being the
silk withdrawn after cutting three sides of the envelope; g, the envelope, the
uncut end adhering to the back of the letter; h, the letter as unfolded. In
the Drawing I have shewn an envelope open in its breadth for the intro-
duction of the letter, but it may be in its length if preferred. I also in some
cases turn the gummed piece over on to, instead of into the envelope, and
otherwise modify the arrangement I have here described. In sealing the
envelope I use a form which prevents spreading of the wax, and renders the
impression more perfect.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Gedge in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th
February 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
GEDGE, of Number 4, Wellington Street South, Strand, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of. Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Gedge, Her special licence that I, the said John Gedge,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Gedge, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time

page_text: 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
ENVELOPES FOR LETTERS AND OTHER DOCUMENTS," a communication from Ferdinand
Thénard, of Paris, in the Empire of France, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John Gedge, my executors or administrators,
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 Inven-.
tion, 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 Gedge, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (reference being bad to the Drawing hereunto annexed), that is to
say:
The improvements consist, firstly, in making the envelope so that a letter or
note can be introduced therein after the envelope shall have been sealed.
Secondly, that the envelope is so made that it can be opened, and the letter
read without breaking the seal.
Thirdly, the preservation of the envelope when opened with post mark,
stamp, seal, and address, intact, it forming also a cover to the letter, and being
attached to it.
Fourthly, in some cases further to assure the inviolability of the envelope
it is closed by a postage stamp. The envelopes may be of any form or size,
but I prefer the form of envelope shewn in the Drawing, and it best illustrates
the Invention.
Figure 1 shews an envelope cut into shape but not folded. a, a, is a thread
of silk, wire, or other material running round the sides of the envelope,
(secured thereto by any adhesive substance), with small ends projecting;
c1, c2, c, portions of the paper or flaps to be folded over; d, piece forming
(when closed) part of the front of the envelope, the part c¹ is first turned
over the part e; c is then folded on to c', and c³ on to c², the seal being then
put on the whole the envelope assumes the appearance of Figure 2. The
letter is then folded and placed in the envelope at the piece d is then
wetted, and turned over on the letter and upper portion of envelope (see
Figure 3), to both of which it adheres, the envelope is now closed; or the
piece d may be so arranged as to turn over to the address side, and then the

page_text: postage stamp or stamps can be put on the upper right hand corner of the
envelope as usual, and will form an additional security for the letter inside.
It will be observed that this envelope is secured at all its parts, and offers no
edges to be torn up as in the ordinary envelope. To open the envelope draw
the silk by either of its ends a, a, down the sides of the envelope which it
will tear open, and the letter will appear with the envelope attached as at
Figure 4. I have shewn an envelope opening at its breadth for the intro-
duction of the letter, but the opening may be left in its length if preferred.
In applying wax for seals I use a tin form, (as do engravers and others) to
insure the wax from spreading irregularly, and to obtain a more perfect seal.
Having now described the nature of the Invention communicated to me by
Monsieur Thénard, I desire it to be understood, that I do not confine myself
to any form, shape, or size of envelope. And I claim the exclusive use of
the thread of silk, wire, or other material marked a, a, in the Drawing with
the disposition of the part marked d, the first for opening, and the latter for
securing the envelope and letter as herein-before described and shewn in the
Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Gedge, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
Witness,
W. E. GEDGE,
4, Danes Inn, Strand.
JOHN GEDGE (L.S.)