Safety Envelopes.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Mar., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 1st Dec., 1891-Accepted, 2nd Jan., 1802
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Safety Envelopes.
THEODORE WITTKUGEL Mechanician of Rosemont Green Hill Road
Harlesden N.W. in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows
My invention is an improvement in envelopes for enclosing letters or corre-
spondence for transmission by post or otherwise and has for its object to give
additional security to the contents of the envelope during transit or at other times,
especially when the letter or correspondence is of a valuable or private nature.
I carry my improvement into effect by cutting and gumming the flaps of an
envelope so that two flaps, the open one and the one opposite to it, overlap and
interlock each other, or that they overlap each other only in one or more places,
or that all four flaps overlap each other in rotation after the envelope is closed and
gummed down.
In the first case the flap which is left open for the insertion of the letter and the
one opposite to it must extend for about three quarters of an inch, either more or
less, beyond the centre, they are then cut in one line and in a direction parallel to
their folds as far as the centre, or each cut may terminate in a small hole in the
centre. These cuts are made in opposite directions, one from right to left and the
other from left to right, so that when the flaps are closed they can be hooked into
each other and so gummed down that they will then overlap and interlock one
another.
In the second case the open flap or the one opposite to it has a smaller pro-
jecting flap either on one side or in the centre and the one opposite to it has also
one or two smaller projecting Haps in such a position that when the envelope is
closed they will pass each other and when gummed down the two opposite flaps
will be overlapped in one or more places by the small projecting flap or Haps.
In an official envelope opening at the end a cut is made lengthways in the top
side flap at each end to a depth corresponding with the depth of the top and
bottom flap, so as to form a strip about half an inch broad in the centre. These
strips are gummed down over the top and bottom flaps after the two latter have
been closed and secured by gum, thus the top and bottom flap will be overlapped
by a strip.
In the third case where all four flaps overlap each other in rotation the gum is
applied to one edge of each flap, the first flap is then held by the second, the second
by the third and the third by the fourth, the latter is the flap which is left open
till the letter has been inserted in the envelope and when closed the fourth flap is
secured by the first flap which has a cut or a recess, the gummed edge extends
only that far on the first flap and it can be turned back to allow the fourth flap to
pass, the gummed portion of the latter extends beyond the centre of the envelope
so far till it meets the cut in the first flap.
Dated this 3rd day of March 1891.
THEODORE WITTKUGEL.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Safety Envelopes.
THEODORE WITTKUGEL, Mechanician, of Rosemont, Green Hill Road,
Harlesden, N.W. in the County of Middlesex, 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 is an improvement in envelopes for enclosing letters or corre-
spondence for transmission by post, or otherwise, and has for its object to give
additional security to the contents of the envelope during transit, or at other
times, especially when the letter or correspondence is of a valuable or private
nature.
I carry my improvement into effect by cutting and gumming the flaps of an
envelope so that two flaps overlap and interlock each other; or that they overlap
each other only, in one or more places; or that they are overlapped by one or
more strips, formed of the side flap or flaps; or that all four flaps overlap each
other in rotation, after the envelope is closed and gummed down.
In the accompanying drawings Figs. 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9, the thin and broken
lines represent gummed edges, the former being marked on the open flap with
the letter (i).
Fig. 1 represents an open envelope so cut and arranged that the top flap (a) can
be overlapped and interlocked by the bottom flap (6). A cut marked (g) is for
this purpose made in each of the above flaps (a) and (b), parallel to their folds
and extending from the edge to the centre (e), the cut in flap (a) being in an
opposite direction to the cut in flap (). The broad portion of the lower flap (6)
would be gummed down by the manufacturer on side flaps (c) and (d), but only
as far as the cut, leaving the upper portion of flap (6), in a straight line with the
cut, unfastened, so that it can be turned back and pushed aside, as far as the cut
will allow, when the envelope is to be closed.
When the envelope is to be closed the gummed edge (i) on the broad portion of
the top flap (a) should be moistened as far as the cut on one side, and to a
corresponding distance from the fold on the opposite side of (a), and then pressed
down on the side flaps (c) and (d), the portion of (a) and (b) above the cut being
left dry to allow them to pass each other without sticking. As soon as they have
passed and hooked into each other their gummed edges are also moistened and
pressed down, the two flaps (a) and (b) will then be overlapped and interlocked,
and the closed envelope will have the appearance of Fig. 2.
Fig. 3 represents an open envelope so arranged that the top and bottom flaps
can be overlapped, the bottom flap by two small projections (a 2) and (a 3) on the
top flap (a), and the top flap by one larger projection (62) on the bottom flap (b).
The bottom flap (6) is gummed down by the manufacturer on the side flaps (c)
and (d), with the exception of its large projection (62), which is left free for
overlapping.
When the envelope is to be closed the gummed edges (i) on the top flap (a),
and its two projections (a 2) and (a 3), are moistened, the large projection (62)
on bottom flap (b) is raised to allow flap (a) to pass, the latter is then pressed
down on the side flaps (c) and (d), and the small projections (a 2) and (a3), on the
bottom flap (6), which they overlap. The gummed edge of the large pro-
jection (62) is next moistened and pressed down on the top flap (a) which will
then also be overlapped, and the closed envelope will have the appearance
of Fig. 4.
Fig. 5 represents an open envelope so arranged that the top and
can be overlapped, the bottom flap (b) by the projection (a 2) on the
and the top flap (a) by the projection (62) on the bottom flap (6).
bottom flaps
top flap (a),
The bottom

page_text: flap (6), with the exception of its projection (62), is gummed down by the
manufacturer on the side flaps (c) and (d).
When the envelope is to be closed, the gummed edge (i) on the top flap (a) and
its projection (a 2) are moistened, the projection (62) is raised to allow the top
flap (a) to pass, which is then pressed down on the side flaps (c) and (d), and the
projection (a 2) on the bottom flap (b), which will then be overlapped. The
gummed edge of the projection (2) is next moistened and pressed down on the top
flap (a), which will then also be overlapped, and the closed envelope will have
the appearance of Fig. 6.
Fig. 7 represents an official envelope open at one end. At the closed end flap (b)
is shown to be overlapped by a strip (c2). The strips (c2) and (e 3) have been
formed by cuts in flap (c), to a depth corresponding with flaps (b) and (a) when
closed. Flap (c) overlaps flap (d) by the width of the strips (c2) and (3).
Flap (c), with the exception of the strips, has been gummed down on flap (d).
Strip (c2) has been gummed down on flap (b) after (b) itself has been gummed
and closed. Strip (c 3) is left free. Thus far the envelope has been prepared by
the manufacturer.
To close the envelope the gummed edges (i) on flap (a) are moistened, the
strip (c 3) must be raised, or turned back, to allow flap (a) to pass. Flap (a) is
then pressed down on flap (c) and (d). The gummed edges of strip (3) are next
moistened and pressed down on flap (a), when the latter will be overlapped by a
strip, in the same manner as has been done on flap (b) by the manufacturer.
The closed envelope will have the appearance of Fig. 8.
Fig. 9 represents an open envelope so cut and arranged that one side of each
flap is overlapped by the following one in rotation. Flap (d) is gummed on
flap (b), and flap (b) on flap (c). Flap (c) has a cut (g) corresponding in depth
with the edge of flap (a) when closed. Flap (c) has thus one portion (c2),
extending from the bottom of cut (g) to the corner (4), which can be turned back
as far as the dotted line (").
When the envelope is to be closed the gummed edge (i) on flap (a) is moistened,
the portion (c2) turned back to allow (a) to pass, and (a) is then pressed down on
flap (d) and on the centre portion of the envelope. The gummed edge of the
turned back portion (c2) is next moistened and pressed down on (a). Each flap
will then be overlapped on one side by the next in rotation, as stated above, and
the closed envelope will have the appearance of Fig. 10.
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 arrangement for further securing the last closed flap, or flaps, of an
envelope after it, or they, have been gummed down by the overlapping of it, or
them, in one, or more places by gummed strips, or projections, of any size, or
shape, the strips, or projections, being themselves part, or parts, of the flaps of the
envelope which is made in one piece.
2. The arrangement for interlocking two flaps of an envelope, in addition to the
overlapping, as herein before described.
Deted this 1st day of December 1891
THEODORE WITTKUGEL.