Improvements in Envelopes.
Year: 1890

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Envelopes.
1, ALBERT KIRKPATRICK MINTON, of the city of Denver, county of Arapahoe,
State of Colorado, United States of America, Express Messenger, 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 a new and improved form and construction of envelope and
its objects are to furnish an envelope which while of simple construction shall have
sealing flaps so arranged, that once sealed down, unauthorized tampering or opening
shall be impossible without the leaving of indications showing that such tampering or
opening has taken place.
To this end my invention consists in a duplex envelope or one having two pockets
or receptacles, each provided with its own sealing flap so that when either pocket is
used for the reception of valuables or manuscripts etc., its flap is sealed down within
the second pocket wherein it cannot be reached for reopening without total or partial
disruption of such second pocket, whose flap is sealed down upon the exterior of the
duplex envelope in the usual way.
In the drawings is illustrated an embodiment of my invention.
Fig. 1 thereof being a top or bird's eye view of the envelope open;
Fig. 2 is a transverse section on line- Fig. 1 ;
Fig. 3 is a plan view of one style of blank suitable therefor ;
Fig. 4 is a plan view of such blank partially folded and secured;
Fig. 5 is a cross section on the line - Fig. 1, with the safety flap 4 turned inward
into sealing position.
Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2 the referenco numerals 12 and 13 indicate the two
pockets or receptacles of the improved duplex safety envelope. These pockets lie parallel
to each other and preferably are similar and of equal size and are divided from each
other by a central partition composed of the parts 6, 8, of the blank hereinafter
described, (it may be noted that the reference numerals used in these Figs. are the
same as those used for corresponding parts in such blank). Each pocket has its own
exterior wall, 1 being that for 12 and 2 that for 13, and each wall has its own
attached sealing flap, the side 1 having the flap 3 and the side 2 the flap 4.
In practice one of the pockets, say 12 for the purpose of illustration, is to be used
for the reception of the contents to be enclosed and may be called the contents
pocket, while the other, in this case 13, is merely to receive and guard the flap of
such contents pocket. This is illustrated in Fig. 5 wherein the pocket 12 having
received the contents, money or other valuables, flap 4 is turned down within the
pocket 13 and sealed upon the interior thereof, the other flap being then turned over
and sealed in the ordinary way upon the exterior of the envelope, one flap being used
to seal its own pocket within the other pocket while the other flap seals both pockets
and the first flap and the contents within the envelope.
Supposing this outer flap to be opened as in Fig. 2, it is evident that the flap 3
cannot be got at and lifted unless the front or side 2 be at least partially destroyed,
hence there is perfect security for the envelope and its contents against anything
short of absolute theft or wilful destruction of the entire thing.
Such an envelope may be made in several ways and blanks therefor may bo
devised of various shapes and either of one or more pieces. If two envelopes of
ordinary construction of the same or even different sizes be firmly secured together,
back to back, a duplex safety envelope will be produced. For economy of labor and
material, however, in the production it is preferable that an envelope be formed from
a blank consisting of a single piece of suitable fabric, properly shaped, creased and

page_text: gummed, and an illustration of such a blank is given in Fig. 3, in which the lines
of cutting are shown in full lines, those of creasing by regular broken lines and the
limits of the gummed spaces 11 by unequally broken lines
the numeral 11
being in full lines where such gummed spaces are on the side toward the eye and in
dotted lines when on the other side.
This blank is composed of a central portion divided by a crease or folding line
into the paris 1, for forming the exterior faces of the envelope, the intension for
the sealing flaps 3, 4 being at the opposite sides thereof. At the ends of part 1 are
the flaps 5, 7, at the ends of part 2, the flaps 6, 8, the latter having interior
extensions 9, 10, formed by cutting somewhat into the flaps 5, 7, as shown. These
extensions 9, 10, are folded over upon the flaps 6, 8, and the latter folded over upon
the part 2 and secured thereto and to each other by the gummed places 11, forming
the pocket 13 which is then turned over upon the part 1. The flaps 5, 7, are then
turned over upon the outer side of part of pocket 13 and secured thereto, uniting
all the parts together and forming the other pocket 12.
It is evident that this method of folding the blank shown might be varied and
other sequences of folding and securing followed to accomplish the same object, but
the blank and the mode of its folding are sufficient and typical for showing how the
duplex safety envelope may he formed.
Such envelope may be of any desired shape, square or oblong, open at the side or
end and of any desired size.
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 :-
First A duplex safety envelope having a contents receiving pocket, a sealing
and closing flap therefor, a second pocket for receiving and guarding such flap and
a flap for such second pocket for scaling over both pockets and such first flap,
substantially as described.
Second A duplex safety envelope having outer sides 1, 2, a central dividing
wall or partition between such faces or sides and flaps 3, 4, substantially as set
forth.
Dated this 1st day
1900
In the presence of
G. J. ROLLANDET.
A. J. O'BRIEN.
ALBERT KIRKPATRICK MINTON.