Improvements in Envelopes and the like.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 14th Nov., 1889-Accepted, 28th Dec., 1889
PROVISIONAL
SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Envelopes and the like.
I, ACHILLE LECLERCQ, of Roubaix, in the republic of France, Printer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The present invention relates to an improved envelope in any kind of paper destined
for the despatch of various kinds of samples.
This envelope is formed of one or two pieces of paper folded or pasted cross wise
so as to form four arms which are folded down on the centre which may or may
not be strengthened with a piece of paper, cardboard or other material according to
the purpose for which it is to be used. This strengthening piece may cover the
centre or the body of the envelope partially or wholly or may even extend over the
arms. When the envelope is folded it is kept closed by a special attachment which
does not in any way hide or cover the direction or other writing as the ordinarily
employed piece of string would do.
The envelope may consist of two strips of paper pasted together and may be
fastened or closed by an india-rubber band which is passed through four holes made
in the centre part or body of the envelope, in such a manner that when the two ends
of the band are fastened together it will form on the inside of the envelope two
horizontal lines and on the outside two vertical lines. The two latter only are
employed for closing the envelope by passing them from the back over the sides to
the front after the four arms have been folded down on the side of the centre part
showing the horizontal lines of the band.
The envelope may also be formed of a single sheet folded cross wise and may be
strengthened by a piece of cardboard or the like which is placed on the folded down
parts before the vertical parts of the india-rubber band are passed round the sides.
In a further modification a third part of the india rubber band is passed round
the envelope perpendicularly to the vertical ones and for this purpose the band is
passed through six holes in the centre or body of the envelope.
In a further modification the band is simply passed horizontally through two
holes of the centre part of the envelope and another band through four holes of the
strengthening piece and the single horizontal part of the envelope is passed over the
vertical parts of the band of strengthening piece after these have been passed round
the envelope in the manner described in the first case.
To give the envelope still further solidity the india-rubber band is passed through
eight holes in the centre of the envelope in such a manner that when the outside
parts of the band are passed round the envelope two vertical lines of the band will
cross two horizontal lines thereof.
In another form of envelope two india-rubber loops are suitably fixed to the edge
of the uppermost fold and to close the envelope are passed over two hooks or equivalent
fastened suitably to outside of the centre of the envelope.
The envelope may also be fastened with a ordinary piece of string instead of an
india-rubber band by passing the string through two holes in the centre of the envelope
so that it forms a horizontal line on the inside thereof and by making a running
knot with the string after the envelope is closed and then passing the loose end of
the string vertically round the envelope and fasten it to this knot.
I do not however confine myself to the special forms of envelope described or to
the number of holes in each envelope; neither do I limit myself to the employment
of india-rubber bands.
Dated this 91st day of February 1889.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Envelopes and the like.
I, ACHILLE LECLERCQ, of Roubaix, in the Republic of France, Printer, 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:-
The present invention relates to an improved envelope made of any kind of paper
and destined for the dispatch of various kinds of patterns or samples.
This envelope is formed with one or two pieces of paper folded or pasted cross
wise so as to form four arms or wings which are folded over the middle part, which
may or may not be strengthened by an additional piece of paper or cardboard or
other material of more or less thickness according to the purpose for which it is to
be used. The said strengthening piece of the envelope can be applied to the body
or can be extended to the wings or folding over parts. When the envelope is folded
it is kept closed by a special contrivance which does not in any way hide or cover
the direction or other writing upon the envelope as the ordinarily employed piece of
string would do.
The accompanying drawings represent the envelopes as described and differ between
themselves by the manner they are fastened as will be shown in the accompanying
drawings ;-
Fig. 1 shows an envelope A closed and seen on its upper side..
Fig. 2 represents an under-side view of the same, the dotted lines indicate the
elastic fastening placed in the interior of the envelope.
Fig. 3 shows the upper side of an envelope D provided with movable strengthening
cords.
Fig. 4 represents the upper side of the envelope B as closed.
Fig. 5 represents the under side of the envelope B as open.
Fig. 6 is the same as above, with dotted lines to indicate the elastic fastening
on the back.
Fig. 7 shows the upper side of an envelope M as closed the under side of same
envelope is represented in figure 8.
Fig. 9 shows the upper side of the strengthening card or plate.
Fig. 10 represents the upper side of an envelope R the under-side of the same
is shown in fig. 11.
Fig. 12 view of the inside of the above with dotted lines to indicate the hidden
elastic fastening.
Fig. 13 is an upper side view of an envelope F, fig. 14 showing the underside of
the same.
Fig. 15 shows an envelope P closed and seen from the upper side.
Fig. 16 is an underside view of the same.
Figs. 17 and 18 show an envelope A' respectively half open and closed.
Fig. 19 represents an envelope B'.
Fig. 20 represents an envelope K'a.
The envelope of the figs. 1 and 2 may consist of two strips of paper gummed or
pasted cross-wise together and closed by means of an elastic fastening which passes
through four holes in the envelope, the two ends are subsequently fastened together
so that in the inner side of the envelope they describe two horizontal lines while on
the outer they form two vertical lines. The two last named are only used to close
the envelope and this is done by, after having folded down the sides of the
envelope on the contents which are to be sent away (the superior or larger parts
being the last to be thus folded) arranging the elastic fastening across the back of the
envelope.
The second type of envelope D (fig. 3) consists of a single sheet folded in cross-
wise; the closing of this envelope is arranged in a manner more complicated than the
preceding one, being provided as it is with a removable strengthening plate which
is placed over the folding ends of the envelope before the bringing forward of the two
vertical fastening bands from the back of the envelope.

page_text: The third type of envelope B (figs. 4, 5 and 6) is arranged as the former one
but with the object of rendering it more solid a third elastic band perpendicular to
the other two is placed over the envelope. This band forms a continuation of the
two previous ones on the back of the envelope before closing the same, the three bands
are placed in the shape of a double Ţ thereon the three ends pass through six holes
formed in the body of the envelope.
The fourth type of envelope M (figs. 7, 8 and 9) consists of two strips of paper
cross-wise gummed or otherwise secured together the body of the envelope has one
elastic band which passes simply through two holes, the removable strengthening card
or plate has four holes through which one of the bands passes in the same order and
the ends are fastened together in the same manner as in the first type A. The plate
is placed over the folded-in side of the envelopes which contains the material to be
despatched and the vertical bands of the plate or cards hereafterwards placed over
and round the envelope.
These elastic bands now cover the horizontal band which is on the body of the
envelope and has therefore to be placed over the same to bring it over the envelope.
In this position the two vertical bands of the body of the envelope are held by the
two ends of the horizontal band and the whole is solidly kept together as the two said
vertical bands cannot be displaced before the horizontal band is turned back over the
body of the envelope.
The fifth type of the envelope R (figs. 10, 11 and 12) consists of a single sheet of
folded and strengthened paper and is so arranged as to attain the maximum of
solidity, and for this purpose has four elastic bands fixed on and passing through
eight holes in the body of the envelope in such a manner as to describe a rectangular
figure at the back of the same. After having closed the envelope and the strengthening
plate has been applied the four elastic bands are placed over the plate beginning
with the larger ones when placing them around the envelope, the remaining bands
being thereafter in the same way placed over the other ones.
The thus closed envelope is completely held together in all its parts and there is no
cause to apprehend any part of it becoming detached. These five types of envelopes
irrespective of the manner in which they are closed each presents a
surface whereon any writing can be inscribed without having to take the fastenings
into account.
perfectly free
In the sixth type of envelope F (figs. 13 and 14) the closing is effected by means
of two bands which are attached one to the longitudinal folding edges and the other
to the lateral folding edges; these edges for this purpose may if necessary be provided
with strengthened pieces. The bands are attached to two loops or other holders
situated in any desired position on the body of the envelope a single holder will be
found sufficient for closing both the ends and sides.
There are several different types of the envelope which are closed also by means
of holders but in these latter types the holders are attached to the bands instead of to
the envelopes and these may be described as follows
;-
The envelope A' (figs. 17 and 18) consists of one sheet of paper cut in the shape
of a cross and having attached to it on the inner folding end an elastic band upon
which is a hooked fastener while the exterior folding end is provided with an aperture
through which the hook of the fastening is passed in order to effect the closing of
the envelope. Fig. 17 represents the envelope half open.
Fig. 18 is a closed envelope and on its folded end is an elastic band provided with
a fastener which is engaged with an aperture and so holds the last part folded over on
to it.
Another arrangement practically similar to that last described has a strengthening
card or plate placed inside the envelopes and upon the material to be sent.
The type B (fig. 19) has a fastening device similar to those of the last two examples.
In this arrangement three of the folding parts are gummed or otherwise secured
together so as to form a pocket, the opening to which may be at one of its horizontal
edges as in fig. 19 or vertical edges as in fig. 20. The fastener upon the elastic
band may be replaced by an aperture or loop to be used in combination with a hook

page_text: fixed upon the folding end as shown in type K'a (fig. 20) and will be found
sufficient to close the envelope by passing simply the loop of the elastic band over the
hook.
In order as much as possible to diminish the cost price all the rubber or elastic
appliances can be replaced by ordinary string as in type P (figs. 15 and 16) which
besides being applied in the particular manner there shown can also be applied in
the same way as is herein described with reference to the other forms of envelopes.
In the application of this system shown in figs. 15 and 16 the string is passed through
two holes in the body of the envelope in order to form a horizontal line in the
interior of the same and is fastened on the upper side of the removable strengthening
plate (if such be used) and arranged with a slip knot in which one end of the
string is placed and fixed upon the envelope after it has been passed round the
same.
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 1
claim is ;-
1. An envelope with four folding ends gummed or otherwise secured together to
form a bag or pocket or not secured together and with a body which may be
strengthened and with or without a removable strengthening card or plate on the
inner or outer side, the envelope being formed of one sheet of paper cut in the shape
of a cross or of two sheets secured together cross wise in combination with two elastic
bands for closing the said envelope substantially as herein described and illustrated in
the accompanying drawings.
2. An envelope with four folding ends gummed or otherwise secured together to
form a bag or pocket or not secured together and with a body which may be
strengthened and with or without a removable strengthening card or plate on the
inner or outer side, the envelope being formed of one sheet of paper cut in the shape
of a cross or of two sheets' secured together cross wise in combination with three
elastic bands for closing the said envelope substantially as herein described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. An envelope with four folding ends gummed or otherwise secured together to
form a bag or pocket or not secured together and with a body which may be
strengthened and with or without a removable strengthening card or plate on the
inner or outer side, the envelope being formed of one sheet of paper cut in the shape
of a cross or of two sheets secured together cross-wise in combination with four
elastic bands for closing the said envelope substantially as herein described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
4. An envelope with four folding ends gummed or otherwise secured together
to form a bag or pocket or not secured together and with a body which may be
strengthened and with or without a removable strengthening card or plate on the
inner or outer side the envelope being formed of one sheet of paper cut in the shape
of a cross or of two sheets secured together cross-wise in combination with an elastic
band cooperating with a hook, loop or fastener fixed to the envelope for closing the
said envelope substantially as herein described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
5. An envelope with four folding ends gummed or otherwise secured together to
form a bag or pocket or not secured together and with a body which may he
strengthened and with or without a removable strengthening card or plate on the inner
or outer side the envelope being formed of one sheet of paper cut in the shape of a
cross or of two sheets secured together cross-wise in combination with an elastic band
carrying one or more hooks loops or fasteners for closing the said envelope substantially
as herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 14th day of November 1480
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.