Improvements in or relating to Reversible Envelopes.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Mar., 1897-Accepted, 15th May, 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Reversible Envelopes.
We, FRANCIS VAN VOST SLEETH, located and doing business at 819 Market
Street in the City and County of San Francisco, State of California, United
States of America, Commercial Agent, and EMMELINE AUGUusta Haskell,
of San Rafael, in the County of Marin, State of California, United States of
America, Housewife, 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 the class of envelopes, especially adapted for mailing
purposes.
It consists in an envelope, formed of a blank with suitable flaps adapted to be bent
in either direction, to expose the obverse and reverse sides of the envelope, thereby
rendering it reversible.
The closing flap is provided, at its free edge, with a stiffening strip of suitable
flexible or pliable material, said strip extending the whole length of the flap and
projecting beyond the ends of the envelope, thus adapting said ends to be bent
around the end edges of the envelope, to close and fasten it.
The object of the invention is to provide a simple, economical and effective
envelope for articles of merchandise, textile fabrics, stationery, sample books,
color cards and all articles sent as samples or on approval, and which the sender is
desirous of having returned. These samples are very often too valuable to risk
injury or loss. By this envelope their safe return will be insured, for not only will
facility in remailing be afforded on account of its reversible feature, but the envelope
itself, being stiff and firm, will conform well to its contents, and will hold the article
flat and smooth, avoiding, in the case of photographs and cards, the necessity of using
extra cardboards, with increased postage.
In the accompanying drawings the envelope is fully illustrated.
Figure 1 is a view of the envelope, showing its obverse face, aud closed, ready
for mailing, the first instance.
Figure 2 is a view of the envelope, spread open, showing its reverse face;
the dotted lines showing the position of the flaps folded. In this view, part of
the paper wrapping of the end of strip B is broken away, to show the
narrowed end.
Figure 3 is a view of the envelope reversed, with its reverse face outermost, and
closed, ready for returning.
The envelope, designated by the letter A, is made with end flaps a, a bottom
flap a¹ and a top or closing flap a 2. In the folding of these flaps, to form the
closed envelope the end flaps are first folded upon the body portion and overlap:
then the bottom flap is folded upon the end flaps, and then the top flap is folded.
The top flap a 2 which completes the closing of the envelope, is made only about
half the width of the body portion so that it extends downwardly only to about the
middle of the envelope. To the free edge of the top or closing flap a 2 is secured
& strip B of flexible or pliable material, in practice a sheet metal strip, such, for
example, as the ordinary tin-coated sheet metal. This strip, which is, for the sake
of appearances, covered with the same material as that of which the envelope is
composed, is secured in the edge of flap a 2 in suitable manner, as by being confined
in a gummed hem thereof, and said strip is longer than the flap and the envelope,
so that its ends, as shown at b, extend beyond the ends of the envelope. These

page_text: ends which, at first are straight, are intended to be bent around the end edges of
the envelope to the front thereof, and to lie down snugly on said front, thus serving
as a fastener for the envelope, which requires no mucilage or other means of closing,
as the bent ends of strip B firmly hold it closed. The closing of the envelope is
readily effected, and its opening is as easily accomplished by simply straightening
out the bent ends of the flexible strip B.
In order to render these ends more easily bendable, we prefer, in practice, to
narrow them slightly from the general width of the strip, thus making them
more pliant and at the same time preserving the necessary stiffness of the body
of the strip. This narrowing of the ends serves the further object of permitting
the only exposed portion of the strip, namely its ends, to be more perfectly
covered with its wrapping, as the meeting edges of the latter, being carried out
full width, come in contact over a sufficient surface, to insure their adhering to
each other.
The flaps of the envelope being adapted to turn either way, and the ends of the
flexible strip being pliant in either direction, it is obvious that the envelope may
be reversed, that is to say, turned inside out. This adapts it for a return envelope,
in the furtherance of which object the envelope is to be stamped on the inside as
well as the outside, and is to be addressed ou the inside with the return direction.
Therefore, all that the receiver has to do, to return the package, is t, reverse the
envelope and refasten it over its contents.
While the foregoing description refers only to the general construction and
manner of use of the envelope, attention must now be directed to an important
feature upon which the greater part, if not all, of the utility of the envelope
deppm. As are stated, the metallic testening strip Bis located about the
median lengthwise line of the envelope. In this position, it not only serves as a
means of fastening, as before described, but it has the further and important function
of a stiffener for the envelope, and holding it rigid, throughout its entire body;
for the width of the envelope, on each side of the strip, not great enough to
permit any yielding. This is in marked contrast to a position of the metallic
strip at the top edge of a bag or similar device, where the whole body is left
unprotected and exposed to bending. On the contrary, the envelope of the present
application is sufficiently stiff and rigid throughout occasioned by the approximately
median position of the strip B, to hold its contents perfectly flat and straight and
preserve it from any injury. It is thus adapted for keeping samples smooth, but
it is especially advantageous for the transmission of valuable sample or other color
cards, photographs and similar things, and this even without the use of protecting
boards, as the metallic strip serves all the purposes of a stiffener and a protector for
the contents. Thus, all additional postage is saved, and the receiver is much more
likely to return the sample uninjured than if he were put to any trouble to rewrap it
or prepare for mail.
The envelope is made to receive its contents snugly enough to prevent movement,
as would be the case with a bag or loose wrapper; and, being intended to be
reversed, all its surfaces will, at some time, be exposed, thus rendering said surfaces,
well adapted for advertising purposes, if thought best.
Being unsealed, the envelope, though securely fastened, enjoys the lower rates of
postage.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inveu-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
1st. A reversible merchandise envelope, composed of a blank, formed with
Fuitable overlapping flaps adapted to be bent in either direction, to utilize, at
different times, its obverse and reverse sides, the closing flap of the envelope being
provided with a stiffening strip extending throughout the length of the envelope, and
having flexible or pliaut projecting ends, adapted to be bent around the ends of the
envelope, whereby said envelope is fastened."

page_text: 2nd. In a reversible merchandise envelope, having flaps adapted to be bent in
either direction, to utilize, at different times, the obverse and reverse sides of the
envelope, a stiffening strip secured along the entire free edge of the closing flup,
and lying in about the median lengthwise line of the envelope, said strip having
flexible or pliant projecting ends, adapted to be bent around the ends of the envelope,.
whereby said envelope is fastened.
3rd. A reversible merchandise envelope, as herein described, having the flexible.
fastening ends of its stiffening strip made narrower than the body of said strip, for
the purpose described.
1333 WHIC
FRANCIS VAN VOST SLEETH.
EMMELINE AUGUSTA HASKELL.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicants.