Improvements in Devices for Opening Envelopes, Wrappers, and the like.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 16th June, 1896-Accepted, 1st Aug., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Devices for Opening Envelopes, Wrappers, and
the like.
I, FRANK EUGENE MUNN, Manufacturer, of 1267, Broadway, New York City,
in the County and State of New York, United States of America, 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 an improved device for opening envelopes, wrappers,
boxes, or packages of any description, and it has for its object to provide an
opening device which will virtually form a portion of an envelope or wrapper, box,
or package, being so attached thereto that when the envelope is employed as
a receptacle, or when a wrapper is placed around a package or box, the opener will
be in such a position that it may be readily grasped and drawn in direction of one
or the other end or the side of the envelope or wrapper to sever the same and
disclose the contents or the article enveloped without injury to said contents
or article.
A further object of the invention is to provide for an anchorage of the opening.
devices at one or at both ends, or at any point intermediate of the ends.
The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several
parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth and pointed out in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts
in all the figures.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of an envelope, showing the opener at one end and
as partially withdrawn from the envelope;
Figure 2 is a side elevation of an end portion of an envelope, parts being broken
away to show the opener in its normal position at the end of the envelope, it being
capable of location at other points if desired;
Figure 3 is a sectional view similar to that shown in Figure 2, but illustrating
the application of the opener in an endless or continuous form instead of the single
form shown in the other figure;
Figure 4 is a perspective view illustrating the application of the opener to the
wrapper or label;
Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, but illustrating the opener anchored at
one end by coiling the wire or material upon itself beneath the wrapper;
Figure 6 is a view illustrating the opener applied to a package, and showing a
hook-shaped anchorage at one of its ends;
Figure 7 is a view illustrating the application of the opening device to a box, and
showing one end as anchored by a substantially V-shaped enlargement;
Figure 8 illustrates the application of a single strand opener to an envelope, in
which one end of the opener has been drawn from the envelope, and showing at said
end an essentially T-shaped anchoring enlargement; and
Figure 9 illustrates the application to a box of the form of opener shown in
Figures 1 and 2.
The opening device may be placed at the top or bottom of an envelope, or
at either end, or at any point where it may be desirable to place it. The said
opener in one form consists of a strip or piece of fine wire B, which is located
within the envelope preferably close to one of its edges, and the ends of the wire

page_text: are formed into loops A; but it will be understood that the wire may be so placed
on the envelope that the loops A may be carried beyond and in close engagement
with the outer face of the envelope at a point between its ends or between its
side edges.
Each loop, in the form of the opener shown in Figures 1 and 2, consists of three
parallel strands, which enclose and lie close to the stock of the envelope. The said
loops A are ordinarily each formed by passing the end of the wire out through the
envelope to the exterior thereof, then bending it inwardly to form a member 10,
which lies parallel with the body of the wire and on the outside of the envelope,
then passing it through the envelope to the interior of the same, and finally bending
it outwardly, forming the member 11, which lies within the envelope and parallel
with the body of the wire, as shown in Figure 2.
If in practice it is found desirable any number of loops may be formed in the
body portion of the wire between the end loups, or but a single loop may be formed
in the strip and be visible from the outside of the envelope, the other end of the
wire or strip being likewise secured to the envelope.
By securing the wire to the envelope as above described, it will be firmly and
securely held in place, the formation of the loop effectually preventing it from
becoming accidentally loosened or detached; and owing to the size of the loops and
the fact that they hug the envelope closely, they will not protrude beyond the
outer face of the envelope to any appreciable extent, and certainly not sufficiently
to be caught by any mail matter, or by any object with which the envelope may be
brought in contact in transportation or storage.
In the application or operation of this device, to open the envelope, package or
box to which it is applied, all that is necessary is to grasp the exposed member of
one of the loops and draw the loop upward, and the body of the wire outward and
downward, as shown in Figure 1, whereupon the body portion of the wire will cut
the edge of the envelope as it frees itself, the cut being a clean one; in fact, the
opening of the envelope is accomplished in a smooth manner and without injuring
the contents of the envelope.
In Figure 3 I have illustrated a means whereby the wire within the envelope
may be made with a double strand, B', the ends of the wire being connected by a
knot 12, or in any approved manner. In Figure 4 the single wire is shown
as applied to a wrapper C, and in such application the loops A will be exposed at
the exterior of the wrapper, and the aforesaid loops are preferably located one at
each end and may extend beyond the edges of the wrapper, as shown in said
Figure 4, or may be placed in any desired position relative to said edges, as for
example being within the edges as illustrated in Figure 9, where the device is
shown applied to a box. It will be understood that while a thin or light wire is
preferably employed as the opening medium for envelopes or wrappers, other
material adapted for the purpose may be substituted if found desirable.
In Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8, I have illustrated various modifications of the opener,
in each of which a single wire strand B is used, mainly located within the envelope
or beneath the wrapper or covering for a package, box, etc. In each instance the
wire is carried out through the material of the envelope or wrapper, and bent upon
itself at or near one or both ends to form one or more exterior loops A, as cited
with reference to the other figures of the drawing previously described. It is
especially designed in the construction shown in Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8, to provide
a secure anchorage for one or both ends of the wire straud in a practical, simple,
durable and economic manner.
With reference to the construction shown in Figure 8, after the loop is formed
the wire is again returned within the envelope and is bent upon itself to form an
inner short member 13 and a longer return member 14, thereby producing within
the envelope or wrapper, and usually at or near the terminals of the wire a
substantially T-shaped head or anchoring enlargement.
In Figure 5, in which the opener is shown applied to a wrapper, the wire
strand B is anchored at one end only. At its fastened end the wire is carried out

page_text: over the exterior of the wrapper to form the loop A, and then is returned upon the
inside and bent upon itself to form practically a coil 15, serving as the anchoring
enlargement. The other end of the wire is shown as simply passed out through the
wrapper.
In Figure 6 the wire strand is formed into an exterior loop A at or near both
ends, the body of the wire lying beneath the covering for a box or package. At
one or both ends of the wire, after the loops are formed the wire is again returned
beneath the wrapping material, and is bent to the shape of a hook 16, serving also
as an anchoring enlargement. In Figure 7 the body of the wire strand is placed
between the covering of a box and its inner surface at that point where the lid and
body join. The wire is bent to form one or more loops A upon the exterior, and
at or near one or both terminals of the wire it is bent beneath the covering to a
substantially V-form, as shown at 17, to hold the wire temporarily in place. It.
will be understood that the terminals of the wire may be otherwise formed than.
shown, but either one or both ends of all single strand wires are preferably provided
with an anchoring enlargement or head of some description.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-.
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is,-
1. An envelope or package opener, constructed substantially as herein shown
and described.
2. In an envelope, wrapper, or the like, an opener consisting of a wire located'
partially interiorly and partially exteriorly in and upon the said envelope or
wrapper, a portion of the said wire being anchored within the said envelope or
wrapper, substantially as described.
3. In an envelope, wrapper, or the like, an opener consisting of a wire located
partially within and partially without the envelope or wrapper, the terminal of
the said wire being anchored within the envelope or wrapper, substantially as.
described.
4. In an envelope, wrapper, or the like, an opener consisting of a wire located
partially within and partially without the envelope or wrapper, one end of the said
wire being located within the envelope or wrapper, and provided with a head of
greater diameter than that of the opening of the envelope or wrapper through.
which the said end is passed, substantially as described.
5. In an envelope, wrapper or the like, an opener consisting of a wire located
partially within and partially without the envelope or wrapper, and having an end
bent upon itself within the envelope or wrapper, forming an anchoring enlargement,.
as and for the purpose specified.
6. In an envelope, wrapper or the like, an opener consisting of a wire located
partially within and partially without the envelope or wrapper, having an end bent
upon itself to cross the opening in the envelope or wrapper, through which the
wire is passed, whereby an anchor is formed in the wire within the said envelope
or wrapper, against which tension may be exerted when the said wire is drawn.
outward for the purpose of cutting the material of which the envelope or wrapper
is constructed, as set forth.
7. The combination, with an envelope, wrapper, or the like, of an opener con--
sisting of a fine wire, the main portion of which lies on the inside of the envelope
or wrapper, each end of the wire being passed outside of the envelope or wrapper,.
then bent backward and passed inside of the same, and then again bent so as to
run parallel with the main portion of the wire, whereby closed loops, consisting of
three substantially parallel strands are formed, the strands enclosing and lying
close to the stock of the envelope or wrapper, substantially as described.
8. An envelope, wrapper, or other covering for mail matter, or matter for
transportation, and an opening device consisting of a strip of metal or other-
material, having its body portion contained in or beneath the envelope or wrapper,
loops being forined in the length of the strip, which extend over the outer face of

page_text: the enveloping material, the said loops being so placed that they will not be
disturbed by frictional contact with adjacent objects, yet being so defined that they
may be readily picked up, as set forth.
Dated this 16th day of June 1896.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.