Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Jan., 1898-Accepted, 26th Mar.,
1898
I, HEINRICH WESEMANN, of Bisdorf, near Borne, in the German Empire,
Manufacturer, 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 :-
My invention relates to improvements in envelopes or closed wrappers for letters
or the like passing through the post, and has for its object, to provide means
whereby it becomes impossible that the contents of such envelopes or wrappers
can be surrepticiously removed in transit without such removal becoming known to
the addressee.
In order that my improvements in such envelopes and wrappers may be fully
understood, reference is hereinafter made to the accompanying drawings, of
which,
Fig. 1 is a front view of an ordinary letter envelope, to which the improvements
constituting my invention have been added, Figs. 2 and 3 being diagrams,
illustrating two of many ways (other than that shewn in Fig. 1) in which my
invention may be carried into effect.
My invention consists in forming or providing in the front of an envelope A, at
the place usually covered by the postage stamp, two or more slits, slots, or holes B,
of any shape size, or configuration, but all located within an area capable of being
entirely covered by the said postage stamp or stamps, as indicated by dotted
outline at C, and in practice my said improvements operate as follows.
It is usual to stamp letters and other postal packages as the last proceeding prior
to posting, when the said envelope or the like has been sealed down enclosing the
letter or other document, and assuming such to be the procedure, the fixation of
the said stamp C over the perforations or the like B, in the envelope A, would
cause so much of the adhesive portion of the said stamp as would be over the said
apertures B, to adhere to the letter or the like in the envelope A, after which it
would be impossible to remove the said letter from the envelope without rupturing,
at the points of adhesion, either the said letter or the like or the stamp C, and as
the latter is usually the thinnest, it would almost invariably happen that the stamp
would be torn, or have as many ruptures or holes made therein as there were
apertures B, in the envelope A, thus establishing irremediable evidence that the
contents of the envelope had been removed.
I may find it convenient to arrange the apertures B in the form of slots or
elongated openings as at Fig. 2, placed either longitudinally or transversally of the
envelope A, as shewn, or the said apertures may be circular holes, arranged as at
Fig. 1, or rectangular and arranged as at Fig. 3, or any desired combination of
such or other methods of arranging these, as may be most convenient or suitable,
according to the number of stamps employed, or the size of the envelope or
Cover

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
In an improved envelope or cover for letters and other postal packages, the use and
application of holes, slots, or other apertures in the said envelope, adapted to be 5
covered by the postage stamp or stamps employed, substantially for the purposes
herein set forth, and shewn by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 28th day of Januar 1908
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
1, Broad Street Buildings, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.