IMPROVEMENTS IN TUT o.
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Henry Booth, of No. 2, Swanville Place,
Rathmines, Co. Dublin, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
TUT
o. Arrnrne 11
Scaled the 28th January 1876, and dated the 14th August 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Henry Booth
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 14th August 1875.
I, GEORGE HENRY BOOTH, of No. 2, Swanville Place, Rathmines,
Co. Dublin, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ENVELOPES," to be as follows:-
This Invention of improvements in the manufacture of envelopes has
for its object to produce an envelope wherein letters, remittances, or
other things may be sent through the post or otherwise with greater
safety than heretofore, said envelope being expressly designed not only
to securely hold its contents but also to render tampering impossible
without leaving such indications as shall render it apparent even to the

page_text: most casual observer that improper attempts have been made to gain
access to the contents of the envelope. For these purposes I form in
one piece of paper or other suitable material the front of the envelope,
a deep top flap whose sides run for some distance in line with those of
the body of the envelope, a bottom flap or back part of all but equal
width and depth to the ultimate width and depth of the finished
envelope, and two narrow side flaps. I coat the entire inner surfaces
of the top flap and two side flaps with adhesive substance or composition
containing alum to give it additional tenacity, and I fold the two side
flaps over and cause them to firmly adhere throughout their entire areas
to the bottom flap, which in my improved envelope is in reality no
longer a flap but constitutes a strong entire back, on to which the top
flap when closed is throughout its entire surface caused to adhere with
great tenacity.
By the improved manufacture of envelopes above described greatly
increased strength and security are attained in conjunction with con-
siderable economy in paper, and the number of flaps available for
tampering with is reduced.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Henry Booth in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 10th February 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
HENRY BOOTH, of No. 2, Swanville Place, Rathmines, Co. Dublin, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her 1
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said George Henry Booth, Her
special licence, that I, the said George Henry Booth, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George
Henry Booth, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully

page_text: might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ircland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ENVELOPES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said George Henry Booth, 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 Invention, 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Henry Booth, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof and the Sheet of Drawings therein
referred to (that is to say)
This Invention of improvements in the manufacture of envelopes has
for its object to produce an envelope wherein letters, remittances, or
other things may be sent through the post or otherwise with greater
safety than heretofore, said envelope being expressly designed not only
to securely hold its contents but also to render tampering impossible
without leaving such indications as shall render it apparent even to the
most casual observer that improper attempts have been made to gain
access to the contents of the envelope. For these purposes I form in
one piece of paper or other suitable material (Fig. 1) the front (A) of
the envelope, a top flap (B) whose sides run for some distance almost
in line with those of the body of the envelope, a bottom flap or back (C)
of all but equal width and depth to the ultimate width and depth of
the finished envelope (Fig. 2), and two narrow side flaps (D). I coat
the entire inner surfaces of the top flap B and two side flaps D, with the
exception of a small portion of the right side flap from the perforation
downwards, with adhesive substance containing a strong solution of
gum acacia, to every three parts of which I add one part of the
following composition:-Five ounces of shellac, one ounce of borax, and
one ounce of alum, boiled in one pint of water until completely dissolved
to give it additional tenacity; and I fold the two side flaps D over and
cause them to firmly adhere throughout their entire areas, with the
exception of the above described portion to the bottom flap C, which in
my improved envelope is in reality no longer a flap but constitutes a

page_text: strong entire back, on to which the top flap B when closed is throughout
its entire surface caused to adhere with great tenacity. The perforation
on the lower portion of the left side flap of the hercin-before described
envelope is introduced to facilitate the opening of said envelope by the
proper party for whom it may be intended.
In a modified form of my improved envelope I coat with the herein-
before described adhesive composition, or with ordinary gum, the entire
surfaces of the two side flaps, and so much only of the top flap as will
when the envelope is closed just cover the slits cut in the bottom flap
of the envelope. In this form of envelope I omit the perforation in the
lower part of the left side flap.
In my improved envelope I make slits in the bottom flap, as
indicated by the dotted lines in the accompanying Drawing (Fig. 1)
for the purpose of further rendering tampering impossible by the
introduction of any instrument underneath the flaps, for it will be
obvious that on such instrument being inserted between the top and
side flaps it will make its way underneath the bottom flap through the
said slits, causing it to tear, and thus shew that attempts have been
made to open the envelope.
I am aware that envelopes have been made in various ways with top
flaps, bottom flaps, and side flaps, and to this I lay no general claim,
my Invention being confined to the improved manufacture of envelopes
above described and shewn, by which greatly increased strength and
security are attained in conjunction with considerable economy in paper,
and the number of flaps available for tampering with is reduced.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Henry Booth, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
six.
GEORGE HENRY BOOTH. (L.S.)