Improvements in Postal Envelopes.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Jan., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 7th Oct., 1889-Accepted, 9th Nov., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Postal Envelopes.
I, JOHN OWDEN O'BRIEN, M.I.M.E., of the firm of Wm. P. Thompson & Co., of
Manchester, Liverpool and London, in the Counties of Lancaster and Middlesex,
respectively, Patent Agents (a communication from abroad by Martin Fuld, of
2, Place de la Madeleine, Paris, in the Republic of France) do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows
The object of this invention is to provide an envelope for enclosing letters that
will be safer and more convenient in use.
Envelopes as at present generally used are sealed or closed with a flap which falls
upon the back and is there secured by gum or mucilage leaving the other side for the
address.
The
By this invention the envelopes are formed with the closing flap turned to fasten
upon the front or same side as that upon which the address is written. The flaps
which enclose the ends of the envelope will preferably be secured to the other side.
The paper for the envelope will be cut with two side flaps to cover the ends,
which will be gummed down into position on one side. These flaps will be shorter
than in the ordinary envelope, as the closing flap does not fasten to them.
part of the paper forming the two sides of the envelope will be about the same
size, but one will carry the side flaps and the other the sealing flap which falls over
upon the front and is there secured. The sealing flap, like the side ones, will be
shorter than that of the ordinary envelope, and is provided with gum or other
mucilage to fasten it. Instead of being fastened down with gum it may be fastened
by the postage stamp being placed upon it.
The following advantages are considered to attach to the envelope:
(a) The gummed surface will be shorter on the scaling flap than in the ordinary
envelope.
(4) The stamp may be used to secure it without gum.
(c) It will be less liable to be opened without detection, as the stamp can be placed
across the flap taking the place of a seal.
(d) The address stamp and seal of the envelope can all be examined at the same
time without turning it to examine the back.
(e) The envelope may be addressed, sealed and stamped without turning it over,
and this while the address is wet.
Dated this 8th day of January 1889.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Manchester.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Postal Envelopes.
1, JOHN OWDEN O'BRIEN, M.I.M.E., of the firm of W. P. Thompson & Co., of
Manchester, Liverpool and London, in the Counties of Lancaster and Middlesex,
respectively, Patent Agents, (a communication from abroad by Martin Fuld of 19
Rue de Peletier, Paris, in the Republic of France,) 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 object of this invention is to provide an envelope for enclosing letters or
other documents that will be more convenient than many which are now in use.
Postal envelopes are at present generally constructed with all the flaps meeting
on the back and are sealed or closed by a top flap which falls upon the back and

page_text: is there secured to the others by gum mucilage or the like leaving the other or
address side without any flap thereon or adhering thereto.
By this invention the envelopes are formed with the closing flap turned to fasten
upon the front or same side as that upon which the address is written.
The invention will be fully described with reference to the accompanying
drawings in which are shown several forms of envelope constructed according to my
invention.
Fig. 1, commercial envelope of form I most prefer.
Fig. 2, extended plan of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3, ditto court envelope showing modified way of folding.
Fig. 4, long envelope with side flap.
Fig. 5, ditto of modified form.
Fig. 6, finished envelope closed with postage stamp.
These envelopes are formed with the top or closing flap
to fasten on the front
or address side of the envelope while the other flaps B, B₁ fasten on the back as
heretofore. The paper out of which the envelope is to be formed is cut into one of
the forms shown preferably Fig. 2. The parts C and D will form the body of the
envelope, C the front, D the back and the two side flaps B, B¹ will be turned over
onto the back D and cover the ends. These will be gummed down into position
upon and secured to the back, they are preferably shorter than in the ordinary
envelopes now in use as the closing flap does not cover thereon or fasten to them
though they may be made to extend across the back D if desired. The parts C
and D of the paper forming the front and back of the envelope will be of about
equal size, the front carrying the side flaps B, B1, and the back the top flap A
which is the sealing flap. The sealing flap, like the side ones, will preferably be
shorter than that of the ordinary envelope, and is provided with gum or other
mucilage to fasten it. Instead of being fastened down with gum it may be fastened
by the postage stamp being placed upon it, see Fig. 6. The front C may if desired
be cut away under part of the sealing flap A as indicated by the dotted lines c or d
Fig. 2 but for security it is better as shown in the full lines.
The side flaps may be cut at adjoining sides as in Fig. 3 but no special advantage
arises therefrom.
The gum should be applied to the sealing flap as shown at a in the several figs. in
a semi-circular form as it allows for the insertion of a paper knife or the like for
opening the envelope when required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
An envelope with top or sealing flap turning over and closing upon the front
substantially as described and indicated in Figs. 1 to 6.
Dated this 26th day of September 1889.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6, Bank Street, Manchester, Patent Agents.