US1117969A

US1117969A - Envelop-lock.

Info

Publication number: US1117969A
Application number: US81764914A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles C Buckner
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1914-02-09
Filing date: 1914-02-09
Publication date: 1914-11-24
Anticipated expiration: 1931-11-24

Description

Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

ENVELOP LOCK. APPLIoATloN FILED Plum, 1914.

/Z Inventor Attorneys THE MORRIS PETERS C0., FHOTO-LITHO., WASHINGYON, D, c

CHARLES C. BUCKNER, OF TEXARKANA, TEXAS.

ENVELOP-LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

Application filed February 9, 1914. Serial No. 817,649.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES C. BUGKNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Texarkana, in the county of Bowie and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Envelop-Lock, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention appertains to a sealing or locking device for envelops and other containers, and aims to provide a novel and improved means for locking or sealing the closure flap of an envelop, whereby the envelop cannot be opened without tearing or mutilating the same, so as to be apparent to the recipient of the envelop.

Another object of the present invention is to provide locking means within thev interior of the envelop in connection with a keeper carried by the flap, novel means being providedfor actuating the said locking means' from the exterior of the envelop, when the flap is closed, to enable the said locking means to be engaged to the keeper of the flap for locking or sealing the flap.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide in a device of the nature indicated, actuating means for the locking means, which may be exposed on the exterior of the envelop, prior to the locking or sealing of the envelop for mailing or transmission, 'and whereby the actuating means may be destroyed for further use when the envelop is mailed or started in transit. i

'It is also within the scope of the present invention to provide an envelop lock or seal of comparatively simple, compact and inexpensive construction, and which will also be simple7 convenient, practical and eiiicient in its use, the present device being readily applicable to various envelops or containers for the purposes indicated.`

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without Y departing from the spirit ofthe invention.

The invention has been illustrated in its preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure l is a back view of an envelop having the improved lock applied thereto. Fig. 2 1s a fragmental inside view of the back of the envelop, illustrating the parts in locked' or sealed condition. Eig. 3 is an enlarged sectional detail taken on the line 3`3 of Fig. 2, the several parts being shown o n an exaggerated scale. Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 8.

The envelop to which the present lock is applicable is of the ordinaryl sort, and as illustrated embodies the front or face l and the back 2, the front or face l having the usual closure flap 3 vfoldable over the mouth of the envelop and against the back 2. It is to be understood, however, at the outset, that the present lock or seal is applicable to various envelops or other containers, as will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

In carrying out the present invention, the back 2 of the envelop or container is preferably, although not necessarily, reinforced upon the interior and intermediate its ends, by a sheet of paper or other suitable material 4 pasted or otherwise secured to the back adjoining the mouth of the envelop. The back 2 of the envelop and the reinforcing piece 4 are provided with an elongated opening or slot 5 over which 3 is adapted to swing when the closure flap is folded over the back.

A slide or latch 6, constructed or fashioned from a suitable plate or strip, is slidably or the closure flap movably mounted upon the interior of the back 2, or the reinforcing piece 4, by means of a strip of suitable paper or other material 7 having its end portions pasted or otherwise secured to the inner side of the back 2 at one side of the slot 5, the intermediate or central portion of the strip 7 being oset to form a guide or slideway 8 for the slide or latch 6. The slide or latch 6 is movable upon the inner side of the reinforcing piece 4 with one end portion of the slide or latch disposed over or adjoining the slot or opening 5. The said end of the slide or latch 6 is provided with an opening 9, and the latch or slide is provided with the tongue 10 projecting into the opening 9 and adapted to be moved to and from the slot or opening 5 in the back of the envelop.

ln order tov actuate the slide or latch .6, cords or other

flexible elements

11 and 12 are connected to the respective ends of the latch or slide 6, and are normally threaded outivardly through apertures 13 provided in the back of the envelop beyond the ends of the slide or latch, so that the free or terminal portions of the

cords

11 and 12 may be disposed upon the exterior of the envelop, as seen in Fig. 1. lt is evident, at this point, that by pulling the

respective cords

11 and 12, the latch or slide 6 may be moved in either direction, to either project the tongue 10 across the slot 5, or to retract the tongue away from the slot, as suggested in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

The closure flap 3 is provided With an inner keeper for engagement by the latch or slide 6, and to this end, a plate ll is dis'- posed upon the other side of the flap 3 and is provided with an instruck tongue 15 engaging through the slot or slit in the flap 3, the tongue l-being formed or bent to provide a keeper 16 upon the inner side of the flap. rl`he keeper 16 is adapted to be proj jected or inserted through the slot 5 when the closure flap 3 is closed. The upper or free end of the tongue 15 is anchored in place, by means of opposite extending tingers 1'? bent from the plate lll and overlapping the keeper tongue 15 adjoining its upper or free end, the upper or free end 13 of the tongue 15 being bent back over the overlapped lingers 17. rlhe keeper 16 is oset inwardly from the closure flap, to

readily pass through the slot 5 when the flap is closed, the dimensions of the parts being somewhat exaggerated in Figs. 3 and 1l, for the purpose of clearness. A reinforcing sheet 19 is pasted or otherwise secured upon the inner side of the closure tlap 3, to assist in anchoring or securing the keeper plate 1li upon the outer side of the closure flap, and the plate .111, is preferably covered by means of facing sheet 2O pasted or secured in any other suitable manner upon the outer side of the closure flap over the plate lil.

llfhen the envelop is open, the slide or latch 6, constituting the locking or sealing ineans is slid longitudinally, to retract the locking tongue 10 from over the slot 5, whereby the keeper 1o will pass through the slot 5 and opening 9 of the latch or slide 3 when the flap 3 is closed. yllhen, by drawing or pulling the cord 11 through the respective aperture 13, the slide or latch v6 may be slid, so as to project the locking tongue 10 through the keeper 16, as seen in Fig. 2, to thereby lock the closure Hap in closed position. lifter the closure flap has -been locked `or sealed, in the manner indilarmes cated, the actuating

cords

11 and 12 are cut or severed at the apertures 13 which will cause the inner portions of the said cords to drop away from the apertures 13 as seen in Fig. 2, and consequently, the latch or slide 6 can no longer be actuated from the eX- terior. lt is preferable to crush the locking device by pressing the same together, whereby the keeper and slide or latch 6 Will be engaged together in such a manner as to avoid the disengagement of the slide or latch 6 from the keeper. ln the manner indicated the envelop or container may be locked or sealed in a convenientand eflicient manner, to prevent ythe envelop from being tampered With, by malicious or unauthorized persons Without detection. To open the envelop, it is necessary to tear or destroy the same.

The present locking device is particularly useful upon envelops for transmitting money or other valuable, to eliminate the necessity of sewing and then sealing the closure flap with Wax, as is common practice. rllhe cord 12 may be dispensed With if desired, but it is of advantage, inasmuch as it permits the slide or latch G to be moved readily to opened or unlocked position, prior to the final sealing or locking of the closure flap.

Having thus vdescribed the invention, What l claim as neu7 is 1. The combination With an envelop including a closure flap and having an opening in its back, of a keeper carried the flap and insertible through the said opening, locking means movably mounted Within the envelop and engageable With the said keeper, and severable actuating means connected to the aforesaid means and passing outwardly through the envelop for engaging the aforesaid means with the keeper'.

Y 2. rl`he combination with an envelop including a closure flap and having an` opening in its back, of a keeper carried by the closure flap and insertible through the said opening, a locking member movably mountv.

ed Within the envelop and having a portion insertible through the said keeper, and a severable cord connected to the said mein* ber and threaded through the envelop for moving the said member into engagement with the keeper.

3. lThe combination with an envelop including` a closure flap and having a slot in its back, of a keeper carried by the flap and insertible through the said slot, a latch slidable upon the inner side of the back adjoining the said slot and having means engageable through the said keeper, and an actuating cord attached to the latch and threaded through the back of the envelop for sliding the latch into engagement with the keeper.

4. The combination with an envelop inoluding a Hap and having a slot in its back, of an inner guide carried by the said back adjoining the slot, a slide movable in the said guide and having an opening adjoining the said slot and a tongue projecting into the said opening, a keeper carried by the Hap and projeotable through the said slot and opening to be engaged by the said tongue, and a severable cord connected to the slide for moving the same to engage the 10 tongue to the keeper.`

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

CHARLES C. BUCKNER. Witnesses:

S. J. MoRRIss, ED. WATSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 1D. C.