US1879965A - Method and means for handling metered permit mail - Google Patents

Description

25 by the mailer,

' 30 to present the matter 7 the Patented Sept. 27, 1932 rArsN'r orricr.

RALPH Gr. WHITLOCK, 015 LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA METHOD AND MEANsFOR HANDLING METERED PERMIT MAIL Application filed January 2, 1929. Serial No. 329,783.

This invention relates to a method and means for handling permit metered mail which operates to the advantage and convenience of both the postmaster and official 5 mail handlers and the mailer or metered permit holder.

Under the conditions upon which mailings of certain matter will be accepted under permit without stamps affixe'd as provided by section 452, Postal Laws and Regulations,

clause 4, paragraph C, the matter, regardless of its class or kind of device used in printing the indicia, must be presented at the post ofiice or station thereof designated by the postmaster. In a. few unusual situations where it seems to be advantageous to the post ofiice itself, certain pick-up arrangements exist where such cases exist ment under such arrangements and precautions as may be prescribed in each case, but in no instance may the matter be picked up unless turned over to the pick-up carrier or his representative, together with the statement of mailing provided for herein. i

In compliance with such regulations either the mailer, or his representative, is required station designated by the postmaster or a pickup carrier is required to attend the mailer.

Among the objects of my invention is to provide a method and means which will expedite the handling and dispatch of permit metered mail; to provide forthe placement of such mail by the mailer accompanied with required mailing statement directly into the custody of the postal authorities upon posting at any authorized depository for delivering to the postmaster by any authorized collector, and to provide for the transmission of the mail matter, as received by the pick-up privilege may V 20 be continued in the discretion of the departat a' post office, or

the postmaster directly to the so called railway mail service.

To the above purposes my invention consists in the novel steps in a method of handling metered permit mail and the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts of a mailing package for the practice of steps of the 'method as hereinafter fully, clearly and concisely described, definitely pointed out in my claims and illusv trated by the accompanying drawings, (2 sheets), in which i V Fig. 1 is an elevationof the face, or address side, of a package, for use in the practice of my method and invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the package and mailing statement taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the back of the package, showing the means for transmitting the mailing statement from the permit holder to the postmaster.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing a modified, or alternative, form of the package.

Fig. 5 is an elevation showing the back of 7 the package shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an elevation representing the -mailing statement.

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line 7 -7 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, by numerals, 10 designates the container for the mail matter, which in the form shown is an ordinary,

commercial envelope, having a flap 11 and 3 means, such as the metallic fastener 12 for securing the flap to the envelope body.

On the face of the envelope there is indicia 13 limiting the use of the package to metered permit mail; indicia 14 providing for designation of the'number and destination of contained mail pieces; indicia 15 providing for the identification of the permit holder, or mailer; indicia 16, providing for the address of the postmaster; indicia 17 providing ofli- .report of mailer of this envelope.)

cial custody of the package, when posted, and indicia 18 providing return notice to the mailer.

The drawings show the indicia as fragments only of a form which for example may be substantially as follows:

Return in 1 day to Penalty for private use to avoid Payment of Postage $300.00

Pick-up package for permit metered-mail Only POSTMASTER Metered mail division This envelope contains Pieces of mail for r and Pieces of inail for and Pieces of mail for and .All mail in this envelope is First Class, properly addressed to destination as above indicated with ostage full re aid and may be delivered directly p yp p to R. M. S. (Detachable for this maillng attached to reverse side M Holder of permit No. i

N. B, Mail for city and local delivery should not he placed in the same envelope with other mail for distant points b ut should be placed in a separate envelope and marked local" or city in the above space provided for destination. If no destination is given, separation will be made at the post ofiice.

' fastener for holding the enclosure flat against the container whereby the enclosure will be least likely to be accidentlyseparated from the container.

The enclosure is provided for the purpose of transmitting the mailing statement 19 shown in Fig. 6, which is the official form 3602-.A entitled Statement of mailing, which by attachment to the container 10 bearing the postage 'indici a, becomes with the container matter under the custody of postal authorities.

In the forms of package and mailing statements shown in Figs. 4 to 7 the container 10 has its flap 11 secured to the body as by the gummed surfaces 21, shown only by dotted lines in Fig. 5, and the'mailing statement itself is secured to the flap as by a gummed surface 22 and is separable from the container as by a tear line 23.

I The physical means operate and the meth od s practiced substantially in the following manner.

The maller or metered permit holder, takes the printed substance of 1 a number of mail pieces bearing addresses and postage indicia, faces and sorts same as to destination and places same in the package, which is addressed to a postmaster and bears postage indiciar Then fills out the mailing statement as usual, and designates upon the package the number of contained mail pieces and their destinations and deposits the package with the statement attached in any official depository for collection and delivery to the postmaster by any authorized carrier.

The postmaster upon receipt of the package need only remove the mailing statement, for his record, and transmit the mail pieces as sorted by the mailer directly to the railway mail service according to destination.

lclaim: V V

1. A pick-up package for permit metered mail comprisingv anenvelope having a flap and means for securing the flap to the en- .velope body and bearing indicia denoting addressto a postmaster, denoting the number and destination of contained mail pieces and indicia placing the package in the custody of the postal authorities when posted; a mailing statement having a margin for attachment to the envelope flap and there being an opening in the envelope body to receive the Opposite margin of the statement.

2. Incombination, a container having an opening; a flap for closing said opening;

there being a slot in said container substantially parallel with said opening; and

an envelope having one end connected to said flap and its opposite'end extended into said slot for holding said envelope flat against an outer face of said container.

3. In'combination, a container having a flap at one end thereof and a seam extending substantially transversely across said container, there being a slot in said container extending in a direction substantially transversely of said seam; and'an envelope having one end extendedinto said slot and hav- 1 in g its other end connected to the flap of said container. r

4. In combination, a relatively large envelope having an opening along an edge thereof; a flap adapted to'fold'against the back of said envelope to close said opening, there being a slot'in said container spaced from said flap; a; detachable insert, one end of which is adapted to be positioned relative to said-big envelope by extending into said slot; and means for securing the other endof said insert beneath said flap to said big envelope. 7

5. In combination as in claim 4 in which said last mentioned means comprises a quickly detachable metal clasp.

6. In combination, a relatively large envelope having an opening; a flap adapted to fold against the back of said envelope to close said opening,

there being a slot in said contamer spaced from said flap; and a statement of mailing, one end of which is adapted to extend into said slot and the other end of which is adapted to be secured to said flap when the latter is closed, there being perforations formed in said statement of mailing to permit this to be torn 0E and removed from said slot by the proper authority.

7 In combination, a relatively large envelope having an opening; a flap adapted to fold against the back of said envelope to close said opening, there being a slot in said container spaced from said flap; a smaller envelope, one end of which is adapted to bepositioned relative to said big envelope by extending into said slot; and a clasp for securing the other end of said small envelope and said flap to said big envelope, said small envelope being quickly detachable from said clas 11 i testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my signature this 29th day of December, 1928.

RALPH G. WHITLOCK.

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