Improvements in Apparatus for Fastening Envelopes, Boxes, Containers, and the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Aug., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 22nd May, 1895-Accepted, 6th July, 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Fastening Envelopes, Boxes,
Containers, and the like.
FREDERICK CHARLES LYNDE 25 Cross Street Manchester, Civil and Sanitary
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention consists in the use and manufacture of new apparatus for securing,
and detecting the opening of, envelopes boxes and other containers and to be used
also in connection with detector locks and fasteners or the like.
The objects of my invention are to enable envelopes and other containers to be
used several times over and to indicate whether such envelopes or containers have
been opened and also to indicate by whom they have been opened.
My invention may be described as follows:-
Upon a foundation preferably of stamped metal to be fixed to the body of the
envelope or container, I form a recess or groove for the purpose of receiving a bar
or bars, which may be attached in a convenient manner to the foundation or may
be independent of it. On either side of the recess or groove are raised portions for
the purpose of receiving a ring or other suitably shaped piece which is fixed to the
flap of an envelope or the lid of a box or container.
The bar or bars may be fixed to the ring or other suitably shaped piece. This
piece is then placed over the raised portions on the foundation and then the bars
are placed in position which may be either in the recess formed to receive them or
they may pass through perforations in the raised portions.
A gummed label, wafer, sealing wax or the like is caused to adhere on the
surface of the raised portion of the foundation in such a manner that the envelope,
box or container cannot be opened unless by defacing such label wafer sealing wax
seal or the like.
In the case of the bar or bars being hinged to the
holes or one of such in the flap and pass the bar or bars
of such before placing the bars in the recess or groove.
string or other suitable material for the purpose.
foundation I may fix eyelet
through such holes or one
Instead of bars I may use
It will be obvious that by fixing the apparatus over a lock or fastening the
actuation of such lock or fastening could not be effected without defacing the label
and thus be made known.
By providing labels or stamps with names or marks upon them to several people,
it would be possible to indicate by whom the label last put on was affixed.
I may also provide a lining to prevent the label from adhering to certain parts of
the apparatus.
Instead of the bar or bars as above described 1 may make the portion attached
to the flap to pass into or on to or through the raised portion of the foundation.
In the case where the bar is fixed to the ring shaped portion I may extend the
bar for the purpose of leverage and for preserving the materials from which the
envelope is made, in this case the foundation piece may be so formed as to
contribute to the same objects.
The bar or bars may be formed with spring metal or actuated by a spring or
springs. The labels wafers or seals may be perforated to facilitate defacing

page_text: I may dispense with the bar or bars and· hook the upper part of the apparatus
into the lower part or foundation & secure them with a label wafer seal or
the like.
Deted thin Ind
1904
Improvements in. Apparatus for Fastening Envelopes, Boxes,
Containers, and the like.
I FREDERICK CHARLES LYNDE of 25 Cross Street Manchester in the County
of Lancaster, Civil and Sanitary Engineer, 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 the manufacture and: use of. improved apparatus for
securing and detecting the unauthorized opening of envelopes boxes bags and other
like containers..
The principal objects of the invention are to enable envelopes, sample and other
bags, and other like containers to he used several times over, and to indicate
whether such envelopes or containers have been opened and also in some cases to
indicate by whom they have been opened.
The invention is applicable to envelopes (preferably made of leather, cloth or
other durable material) and to sample, pattern, and other bags, or cases, and to other
like containers or receptacles, which are required to be opened and closed and, used
several times over; and for the sake of illustration I will here describe the invention
(with the aid of the drawings hereunto annexed) as applied to a postal envelope,
and it will readily be understood, without further illustration, how the same
apparatus can be applied to sample and other bags and to other like container or
receptacles.
Fig. 1 on the annexed drawing represents the position of the fastening which is
attached to the body of the envelope or receptacle, and
Fig. 2 the portion of the same which is attached to the flap, cover, or lid of
the same.
Fig. 3 is an envelope with my invention shown as applied thereto, the flap being
open, and
Fig. 4 shows the same when the flap is closed and secured.
Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10, are detached views hereinafter more particularly
referred to; and
Fig. 11 is a view of an envelope fastened secured and labelled..according to my
invention.
Referring to Fig. 1, a is a foundation plate, preferably of stampedɩ metal, formed
with two semi-circular (or other suitable shaped) raised portions or projections, b
between which is a groove or recess c, for a purpose hereinafter mentioned. This
piece is attached to the body of the envelope or container (see: Fig. 3) in such a
way that the raised portions 6 project therefrom, the bottom of the groove or recess
being about level with the face of the envelope.
Referring to Fig. 2 d is a plate in the form of a ring (or other convenient form)
of such a size, and so attached to the flap of the envelope by bending over the
spikes or dents, or otherwise, (see Fig. 3) that when the flap is closed it will
encircle the two raised portions or projections b, and that. the central bar e with
which the ring d is provided will pass into the groove or recess c and the parts b
and e will then present a level surface (or nearly so) the interlocking of the parts
forming a fastening to hold the flap of the envelope in its place.

page_text: To secure this fastening from being opened without detection, and at the same
time to allow of the envelope being used several times over, a gummed label,
(Fig. 5) or a wafer, seal, or the like, is stuck on or over the fastening in such a
way that the parts 6 and e cannot be separated without tearing or defacing the
label, or destroying the wafer or seal, which will indicate that the envelope has
been opened, or that an attempt has been made to open the same.
By providing gummed labels or stamps with names or marks on them, relating to,
or known by, several people, it would be easy to indicate (when desirable) by whom
the label last put on was affixed.
I may also provide a lining to prevent the label or seal from adhering to certain.
parts of the fastening.
It will be evident that the precise form of the two parts of the apparatus may be
varied to a considerable extent without in any way departing from the distinctive
feature of my invention, which is that certain parts of the fixed and movable
portions of the fastening interlock so as to present a level or flush surface (or
nearly so) upon which a gummed label, wafer, seal, or equivalent may be caused to
adhere in such a way that the fastening cannot be opened without destroying or
defacing the said label, wafer, or seal.
For example-the plates may be octagonal as shown at Fig. 6, and there may be
three projections, 6 on one plate and two bars e, on the other, or they may be made
hexagonal with triangular projections as shown at Fig. 7, or of any other convenient
or desirable form, and two or more fastenings may be applied to the same envelope
or container.
Or the plate attached to the flap or cover may be provided with a hinged lever or
bar only, as shown at f (Fig. 8) without the enclosing ring. In some cases I prefer
to make the bar e or with spring sides, and to make the grooves or recesses c
slightly undercut, or otherwise, so that the bar will spring, or snap, in and out, so
that it has no tendency to open of itself.
Sometimes I hinge two bars g to the foundation plate a or on the body of the
envelope as shown at Fig. 8+ which when they are turned upon their hinges can
pass through two holes in the flap as it is closed over. The bars are then folded
down into the recess between the two projections 6 as shown, and secured by a
label, wafer, or seal, as before. Or I may dispense with the bar or bars, and hook
the upper part of the fastening which is made with a hooked bar 6* see Fig. 9, into
the lower part or foundation which is made with a groove or recess d* and secure
them with a label wafer seal or the like.
In order to prevent the frequent addressing of the envelope from defacing the
same, I propose to use detachable labels which may be inserted in guarded slits or
pockets provided outside the envelope for that purpose as indicated by dotted lines
on Fig. 11 or otherwise temporarily attached but I prefer to provide stiff paper or
other labels (see Fig. 9*) having near the bottom a small slit k which is passed.
over a hook button or clip / fixed to the body of the envelope (see Fig. 10 side
view), and a larger hole m near the top which is passed over the raised portions or
projections 6 before the flap is closed (see Fig. 11).
Ör other simple means may be devised for attaching the outer end or sides of
such renewable label for addressing the envelope or other like container.
Each label can be used several times over.
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 :-
An improved fastening for envelopes, boxes containers and the like, consisting of
two plates or parts one furnished with raised portions or projections, with a recess
or recesses between them, and the other provided with a bar or bars or projections
corresponding with the recess or recesses, so that when the latter is placed over the
former, the raised portions and the bars combined shall present surfaces upon or

page_text: over which can be fixed a gummed label, wafer, or seal so as to secure the same in
such a way that the two parts of the fastening cannot be separated without
destroying or defacing the said gummed label, wafer, or seal.
Dated this 21st day of May 1895.
GEO: DAVIES & SON,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for the Applicant.