An Improved Fastening Device, chiefly Designed for Securing Envelopes, Sample-bags, Postal-bags, and the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: An Improved Fastening Device, chiefly Designed for Securing
Envelopes, Sample-bags, Postal-bags, and the like.
I, JOHN TOMLINSON, of 9, Red Lion Passage. Holborn, in the County of London,
Wholesale Stationci, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows
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My invention relates to an improved fastening device which is chiefly designed
for securing envelopes, sample-bags, postal-bags, parcel-post bags and the like,
in such a manner that, when once closed and fastened thereby, they cannot be
opened without either cutting or tearing the material of which they are composed
o destroying or damaging the fastener and thus preventing their being again
closed. Faudulent or unauthorized opening of such envelopes, bags or the like
without certainty of detection 18 thus effectually prevented.
My improved fastening device comprises an evelet-headed or flanged piece
preferably secured to the flap of the envelope or other article and having a shank
which is bent to a kind of hook-shape somewhat like that of a lacing-hook for
boots, and which is made with shoulders or projections so bent or curved upward
and of such dimensions that they can be forced through an eyelet fixed in the
body of the envelope or other article and will then spring outward and, by a
suitable pressure upon the head or flange of the fastener and upon the eyelet,
can be flattened or spread out so that they will extend laterally or iadially beneath
the said evelet. The flap of the envelope or other article can thus be secured
to the body thereof (either with or without the use of adhesive material) in such
a manner that it cannot be opened without either cutting or tearing the material
of the envelope or other article or forcing the said hook-shaped shank out of
the eyelet, in which operation the aforesaid shoulders or projections would be
broken off, o1 would be bent downward so that the envelope or other article
could not again be fastened thereby
In some cases I make my fastener with more than one shank, each shank being
made straight and provided with a bent or upwardly turned shoulder or projection
or I make it with a double shank both parts of which are provided with a bent
or upwardly turned shoulder on projection for the purpose above specified The
neck of the shank or shanks in either case should be of such width as to fit the
evelet closely enough to prevent lateral movement of the said headed piece within
the eyelet The said shank or shanks should also be of such form that they will
present a 1ounded lower surface to the material of the envelope or other article
and will therefore not be hable to injure the same when the pressure requied
for fastening the envelope on other article is applied
The said headed or flanged piece 18, if desired, made separate or detached so
that, when it is to be used, it can be passed through the two parts of the envelope
or other article and the shoulders or projections then expanded or spread out
ntioned

page_text: My improved fastening device can also be applied to straps or bunds or other
articles for which it is adapted
Dated the 23rd day of December 1898
D YOUNG & Co,
11 and 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant
An Improved Fastening Device, chiefly Designed for Securing
Envelopes, Sample-bags, Postal-bags, and the like.
I, JOHN TOMLINSON, of 9, Red Lion Passage, Holborn, in the County of London,
Wholesale Stationer, 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 fastening device which is chiefly designed
for securing envelopes, sample-bags postal bags and the like in such a manner
that when once closed and fastened thereby, they cannot be opened without either
cuiting on tearing the material of which they are composed or destroying or
damaging the fasteners and thus preventing then being again closed
Fraudulent or unauthorized opening of such envelopes, bags on the like, without
certainty of detection is thus effectually prevented
My improved fastening device comprises an eyelet headed or flanged piece
preferably secured to the flap of the envelope or other article and having a shank
which is bent to a kind of bookshape somewhat like that of a lacing hook for
boots, or the shank may project at any angle that would be convenient for inter-
tion, and which 18 made with shoulders of projections so bent on curved upward
and of such dimensions that they can be forced through an eyelet fixed in the body
of the envelope or other article and will then sping outward and by a suitable
pressure upon the head or flange of the fastener and upon the evelet, can be
Hattened or spread out so that they will extend laterally on radially beneath the
said evelet The flap of the envelope or other article can thus be secured to the
body thereof (either with or without the use of adhesive material in such a
manner that it cannot be opened without either cutting or tearing the material of
the envelope or other article or forcing the said hook shaped shank out of the
evelet, in which operation the aforesaid shoulders or projections would be bioken
off, or would be bent downward so that the envelope or other article could not
again be fastened thereby
In some cases I make my fastener with more than one shank cach shank being
made straight and provided with a bent on upwardly turned shoulder or projection
oi I make it with a double shank, either or both parts of which are provided
with a bent on upwardly turned shoulder or projection for the purposes above
specified
The neck of the shank or shauks in either case should be of such width as to fil
the eyelet closely enough to prevent lateral movement of the said headed piece
within the eyelet The said shank or shanks should also be of such form that
they will present a rounded lower surface to the material of the envelope o
other article and will therefore not be liable to injure the same when the pressure
required for fastening the envelope or other article is applied
The said headed or flanged piece may if desired be made separate or detached so
that when it is to be used it can be passed through the two parts of the envelope

page_text: or other article, and the shoulders or projections then expanded or spread out
as above mentioned.
In the accompanying drawings I have shown my improved fastener as applied
to an envelope by way of example.
Figure 1 is a side view on an enlarged scale of the fastener before the same is
applied to the envelope.
Figure 2 is a view of the same looking from the left of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is an illustration of an envelope with my fastener attached, the flap
of the envelope being raised to show the hook.
Figure 4 is a transverse section of the fastener showing the hook engaged
with the eyelet, and
Figure 5 is a view of the same looking from the left of Figure 4
Like letters of reference denote corresponding parts in the several figures.
The eyelet A is formed with a shank or hook B formed preferably with
points b, b, at the sides and with a bent or curved top as shown. This eyelet
is secured in the flap of the envelope by flanging the same in a well known
manner, the hook being inside the flap and occupying such a position that it can
pass through the eyelet C which is secured in the body of the envelope To seal
the envelope, the hook is passed through the eyelet hole C and pressure is applied
on the back, whereby the curved head of the hook is flattened and the points b, b,
are thus caused to spread laterally so that they cannot then be withdrawn through
the eyelet hole, and the envelope cannot be opened without tearing it or destroying
the fastener.
My improved fastening device can also be applied to straps or bands or other
articles for which it is adapted
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
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1. An improved tastening device comprising an eyelet headed or flanged piece
preferably secured to the flap of the envelope or other article and having a shank
or hook with shoulders or projections that can be forced through an eyelet fixed
in the body of the envelope or other article, and then flattened, substantially as
described and for the purpose specified
2. A fastener with a double shank, either or both parts of which are provided
with a bent or upwardly tuned shoulder or projection, substantially as, and for
the purposes, specified
3. A fastener with headed or flanged piece made separate or detached, sub-
stantially as described
4 The improved means for fastening envelopes, sample bags, postal bags and
the like substantially as herein described.
Dated this 22nd day of September 1899
JOHN
TOMLINSON,
9, Red Lion Passage, London.