Improvements in Envelopes.
Year: 1891

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Envelopes.
I, HENRY Fox Post, of Paterson, in the County of Passaic and State of
New Jersey, United States of America, Artist, do hereby declare the nature of
my invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The object of my present invention is to facilitate the opening of envelopes.
I attain the object sought by devices that are illustrated in the accompanying
drawing which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.
Fig. 1 shows an envelope embodying my invention, in which figure the envelope
is closed and sealed.
Fig. 2 shows the parts of Fig. 1 in which figure the envelope is open with a part
of the fold reinoved and
Fig. 3 is a part view, with the envelope closed, my invention being applied in
such figure.
A represents an envelope of any size in the interior of which envelope, at one end
of the same, under the fold B and between said fold and part E of the envelope
I arrange a cylindrical severing wire or opener D.
This opener or severing wire D which possesess sufficient fineness, to présent a
sharp cutting surface to that part of the envelope to be cut or severed, I secure at
one end of the same at e, by turning a portion of the wire over, and on the fold B
with a slight inward tendency thereon as shown.
In this position the severing wire or opener D is held fixed at e, by the lower
edge of the said fold B, and is adapted in such position, to offer sufficient resistance
to admit of the severing and separating of the parts in the operation of opening the
envelope.
The opposite hook end of the metallic opener D I turn over upon the fold B of the
envelope, for a considerable distance and place the same in the position shown, the
hook portion being inward in which position and shape that end of the severing wire
or opener D, is adapted to remain indefinitely under the flaps C. F. without being
disturbed after the envelope has been closed and sealed.
That the position of the operating end of the severing wire, may be known, and
easily picked up, I carre a thumb notch E, in each of the parts C. F. of the
envelope A, which carvings or notches are made to correspond with each other
when the envelope is closed, and which are adapted to expose to view that part of
the opener Dat between the parts hg, of the envelope.
This cylindrical severing wire or opener D, which always presents a like cutting
surface to the parts of the envelope to be severed and separated in the opening operation,
is drawn by the thumb at from the carvings or thumb notches E in an outward
and in a downward direction, which action at upon the opener D, by the thumb i
draws the end at g, from under the flaps C. F and brings the severer or opener D,
at, into severing contact with the parts of the envelope to be separated, when the
same is drawn by the thumb and finger as in Fig. 3 until the end of the envelope is
open, after which the contents may be withdrawn at pleasure.
It will be seen that the carvings or thumb notches E, when taken in connection
with the metallic severer or opener D, form one of the important features of my
Invention as they not only expose to view the position of the opener, but also
nvite and accommodate the action of the thumb in the operation of opening the
envelope.
The parts of the envelope A are secured by the usual adhesive material,
ndicated by dotted lines

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:
1...
The combination with an envelope provided with the corresponding thumb
notches E E in its side and covering flap respectively and having no notches or
perforations in its front face, of the opening wire D, having one end hooked ate and
secured inside the lower-corner of the envelope, and its other end.bent double and
exposed through the said notches and with its extreme end hooked-and-concealed
inside the envelope substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this Eighth day of June 1891.
H. B. BARLOW,
Agent for Applicant.