Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 15th May, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 19th Sept., 1896-Accepted, 28th Nov., 1896
A communication by DANIEL CONRAD, of Trenton, in the County of Mercer, in
the State of New Jersey, United States of America.
1, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester both in the County of Lancaster, 118, New Street Birmingham in
the County of Warwick and 322, High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to safety envelopes, and the invention consists in a novel
method of cutting and folding the paper to form the envelope, and in fastening the
same by means of eyelets or hollow rivets, all as hereinafter described and
illustrated in detail.
Figures 1,4 and 6 are face views of the envelopes before they are closed,
showing the forms in which the paper is cut and folded, and
Figures 2, 5 and 7 show the envelope closed, and the manner of fastening the
same.
Figure 3 is a transverse section on the line - of Figure 2.
As is well known, the ordinary gummed envelope can readily be opened by
subjecting it to steam or moisture in any form until the mucilage or gum with
which it is fastened is softened, when its contents can be extracted and the
envelope closed again without leaving any trace of its having been tampered with,
if the operation be carefully performed; and great losses are annually suffered by
the public from this practice by dishonest parties.
The object of the present invention is to produce an envelope and a mode of
fastening the same, which will prevent the envelope from being tampered with
or opened without showing that it has been opened, and thereby render its
contents more secure.
To accomplish this result, the blank for the envelope is cut first with the lower
edge of the two end flaps C B on a straight line, as shown in Figures 1, 4 and 6.
said lower edges, when the end flaps are folded over, extending in a straight line
across from end to end of the envelope, at the point where the fold of the lower
flap D is made when the latter is folded over; the object being to bring this lower
edge of the end flaps C B down where they will be secured by the fastening
eyelets, subsequently applied.
These end flaps C B may be gummed where their ends lap, if desired, but
whether so gummed or not, it is preferable to fasten them by means of an eyelet c
near their lower edge as shown in Figure 1, and after the flap D is folded over on
these end flaps to fasten the three together by inserting another eyelet through
all three, as indicated by the dotted circle e, Figure 1. By these means
these flaps are secured so that it is impossible to pull them out without tearing
them.

page_text: The flap E, which is usually left loose until the envelope is finally closed and
sealed, my correspondent makes of a length sufficient to reach across the envelope
when closed, and folds over the edge of the same, as shown by the dotted line in
Figure 3, the dotted line n in Figures 1, 4 and 6, indicating the point at which the
end of this flap E is folded when bent over the opposite edge of the envelope as
shown more clearly in Figure 3.
This flap E, may be narrowed at its end, as shown in Figure 1, or it may be
made the full length of the envelope, as shown in Figures 4 and 6; and if desired,
it may be gummed along its edges as indicated by the dotted lines thereon in
Figures 1 and 4.
Figure 6 represents the envelopes as constructed for use by express companies,
banks and similar institutions, it of course being made of any length and width
desired.
It is made the same as that shown in Figure 4, with the exception that the
body A and the end flaps C B are made enough wider to permit it to be folded at
the line H when the lower flap D is turned over and fastened to the flaps C B by
the eyelets c and e, the eyelet c being inserted before the flap D is folded down
upon the flaps C B and the eyelet e being inserted after the flap D is folded down,
thus fastening the three flaps together, the same as in Figure 1.
After the contents are placed in the envelope, the flap E is folded over, at the
line I, which doubles over the upper edges of the end flaps C B the same as their
lower edges are doubled over by folding the lower flap D at the line H.
It will be seen that by this construction and folding of the parts, the flaps C B
are folded over upon themselves both at their lower and upper edges, so that when
finally closed, the eyelets a which are inserted along the edge of the envelope to
fasten it, as shown in Figure 7, will pass through not only the folded edge of
flap E and the body A of the envelope, but also through the folded edges of the
flaps CB thus rendering it doubly secure. The dotted lines in Figure 6 simply
indicate the points where the eyelets will pass through the paper when the envelope
is finally sealed.
As a means of securely fastening the envelopes, small eyelets or hollow rivets
are made use of, which may be inserted and have their edges turned down upon
the paper by any suitable tool, the hand tool shown in side view in Figure 8,
being a convenient one for the purpose.
By inserting the edge of the closed envelope between the jaws Im and pressing
on the handles, the punch o makes a perforation or hole for the insertion of the
eyelets. An eyelet is then placed on the stem or guide t which is held by a spring
arm u, and being inserted in the hole, by closing the handles, the eyelet is riveted
or turned down tightly on the paper, so that it is impossible to open the envelope
or pull out the end flaps without tearing the paper, or leaving such marks as will
show at a glance that it has been tampered with.
It is of course obvious from the foregoing description that the envelopes,
whatever their size or shape may be, must be made enough wider than their
contents to permit the eyelets to be inserted without injury to the contents;
though for ordinary use the letter enclosed may be folded so as to afford
sufficient room for the insertion of the eyelets without increasing the size of the
envelope.
It is obvious that more or less of the eyelets may be used at will, and that they
may be inserted at the ends, as shown in Figure 6 if desired.
Dated this 14th day of May 1896

page_text: A communication by DANIEL CONRAD, of Trenton, in the County of Mercer, in
the State of New Jersey, United States of America.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester both in the County of Lancaster, 118, New Street, Birmingham in
the County of Warwick and 322, High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Civil 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 :-
This invention relates to safety envelopes, and the invention consists in a novel
method of cutting and folding the paper to form the envelope, and in fastening the
same by means of eyelets or hollow rivets, all as hereinafter described and illus-
trated in detail in the drawings accompanying the Provisional Specification, in
which,
Figures 1, 4 and 6 are face views of the envelopes before they are closed,
showing the forms in which the paper is cut and folded; and
Figures 2, 5 and 7 show the envelope closed, and the manner of fastening the
same;
Figure 3 is a transverse section on the line -x of Figure 2.
As is well known, the ordinary gummed envelope can readily be opened by
subjecting it to steam or moisture in any form until the mucilage or gum with
which it is fastened is softened, when its contents can be extracted and the
envelope closed again without leaving any trace of its having been tampered with,
if the operation be carefully performed; and great losses are annually suffered by
the public from this practice by dishonest parties.
The object of the present invention is to produce an envelope and a mode of
fastening the same, which will prevent the envelope from being tampered with or
opened without showing that it has been opened, and thereby render its contents
more secure.
To accomplish this result, the blank for the envelope is cut first with the lower
edge of the two end flaps C B on a straight line, as shown in Figures 1, 4 and 6,
said lower edges, when the end flaps are folded over, extending in a straight line
across from end to end of the envelope, at the point where the fold of the lower
flap D is made when the latter is folded over; the object being to bring this lower
edge of the eud flaps C B down where they will be secured by the fastening
eyelets, subsequently applied.
These end flaps CB may be gummed where their ends lap, if desired, but
whether so gummed or not, it is preferable to fasten them by means of an eyelet c
near their lower edge as shown in Figure 1, and after the flap D is folded over on
these end flaps to fasten the three together by inserting another eyelet through all
three, as indicated by the dotted circle e, Figure 1. By these means these
flaps are secured so that it is impossible to pull them out without tearing
them.
The flap E which is usually left loose until the envelope is finally closed and
sealed, iny correspondent makes of a length sufficient to reach across the envelope
when closed, and folds over the edge of the same, as shown by the dotted line
in Figure 3, the dotted line n, in Figures 1, 4 and 6, indicating the point at which
the end of this flap E is folded when bent over the opposite edge of the envelope
as shown more clearly in Figure 3.

page_text: This flap E may be narrowed at its end, as shown in Figure 1, or it may be
made the full length of the envelope, as shown in Figures 4 and 6; and if desired,
it may be gummed along its edges as indicated by the dotted lines thereon in
Figures 1 and 4.
Figure 6 represents the envelopes as constructed for use by express companies,
banks and similar institutions, it of course being made of any length and width
desired.
It is made the same as that shown in Figure 4, with the exception that the
body A and the end flaps C B are made enough wider to permit it to be folded at the
line H when the lower flap D is turned over and fastened to the flaps C B by
the eyelets c and e, the eyelet c being inserted before the flap D is folded down
upon the flaps C B and the eyelet e being inserted after the flap D is folded
down, thus fastening the three flaps together, the same as in Figure 1.
After the contents are placed in the envelope, the flap E is folded over, at the
line I, which doubles over the upper edges of the end flaps C B the same as their
lower edges are doubled over by folding the lower flap D at the line H.
It will be seen that by this construction and folding of the parts, the flaps C B
are folded over upon themselves both at their lower and upper edges, so that
when finally closed, the eyelets a, which are inserted along the edge of the
envelope to fasten it, as shown in Figure 7, will pass through not only the folded
edge of flap E and the body A of the envelope, but also through the folded edges
of the flaps C B thus rendering it doubly secure. The dotted lines in Figure 6
simply indicate the points where the eyelets will pass through the paper when the
envelope is finally sealed.
As a means of securely fastening the envelopes, small eyelets or hollow rivets
are made use of, which may be inserted and have their edges turned down upon
the paper by any suitable tool, the hand tool shown in side view in Figure 8, being
a convenient one for the purpose.
By inserting the edge of the closed envelope between the jaws l m and pressing
on the handles, the punch o makes a perforation or hole for the insertion of the
eyelets. An eyelet is then placed on the stem or guide t which is held by a spring
arm u, and being inserted in the hole, by closing the handles, the eyelet is riveted
or turned down tightly on the paper, so that it is impossible to open the envelope
or pull out the end flaps without tearing the paper, or leaving such marks as will
show at a glance that it has been tampered with.
It is of course obvious from the foregoing description that the envelopes,
whatever their size or shape may be, must be made enough wider than their
contents to permit the eyelets to be inserted without injury to the contents;
though for ordinary use the letter enclosed may be folded so as to afford
sufficient room for the insertion of the eyelets without increasing the size of the
envelope.
It is obvious that more or less of the eyelets may be used at will, and that they
may be inserted at the ends, as shown in Figure 6 if desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion 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 :-
1. An envelope having its end flaps C B formed with their lower edges on a
line with the point at which the lower flap D is bent when folded down into
position.
2. An envelope provided with a loose flap E of sufficient width to permit it to
reach across the envelope and have its end folded over the edge of the envelope
when closed, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3. The means berein described of securely fastening said envelopes, which
consists in the insertion, through the folded envelope and the flap thereof, of
eyelets or hollow rivets more or less in number, substantially as shown and
described.

page_text: 4. The improved manufacture of envelopes, cut and folded substantially in the
manner set forth, and fastened by means of eyelets or hollow rivets whereby the
envelope cannot be tampered with or opened by dishonest parties without
showing at a glance that it has been opened, thus rendering the coutents more
secure.
Deted this 18th day of September 1896
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.