US2097916A - Envelope - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 2, 1937. c. F. ELMORE 2,097,916

ENVELOPE Filed May 8, 1956 IE/Gf. .Z I s Charlajfvwfe Patented Nov. 2, 1937 ENVELOPE Charles F. Elmore, Evanston, Ill., assignor of one-half to Bernard W. Bcman, Oak Park, Ill.

Application May 8, 1936, Serial No. 78,630

6 Claims.

This invention relates to duplex envelopes, or duplex containers, for mailing purposes, in which there is a relatively small letter compartment, auxiliary to a main large compartment for matter that can go through the mails without being sealed.

Generally stated, the object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved construction and arrangement whereby said letter compartment is formed from a single thickness of paper, a single at sheet, having gummed edge portions that are pasted upon the outer surface of a relatively large envelope, or upon the outer surface of a box or package, and which is provided with a flap to seal the entrance after the letter is placed inside, whereby the outer wall of the larger envelope, or other container, forms the inner wall of said relatively small compartment, thus providing a relatively inexpensive construction for an envelope or mailing container of this general form. n

It is also an object to provide certain details and features of construction tending to increase the general efficiency and desirability of a duplex envelope construction of this particular character.

To the foregoing and other useful ends, the invention consists in matters hereinafter set forth and claimed and shown in the accompanying no drawing, in which- Fig. 1 is a perspective of a complete duplex envelope embodying the principles of the invention, showing the same with its smaller compartment in closed and sealed condition.

Fig. 2 is a similar view, with certain portions of the envelope structure shown broken away for convenience of illustration, and with the flap of the smaller compartment shown in open position.

Fig. 3 is an inside view of a single sheet or thickness of paper from which the smaller compartment is made.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section on line 4 4 in Fig. 2 of the drawing.

As thus illustrated, the invention comprises a single sheet or thickness of paper, having a body section i, provided at each end With a flap 2 gummed on the inner surface thereof, and having its lower edge provided with a similar ap 3, also gummed on the inner surface thereof. Near the upper edge of the sheet, there is an entrance slot 4, through which a letter can be inserted into the letter compartment thus formed. The upper edge of the sheet or main section I has a sealing flap 5 integral therewith, which is gummed on its outer surface. as shown at 6 in Fig. 3 of the drawing, and which is adapted to fold along the line l, sovthat this ap can be folded down over the slot 4 to seal the smaller compartment. 'I'he blank thus formed can be secured to the outer surface of a larger envelope 5 8, by pasting the flaps 2 and 3 on the surface thereof, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, thus providing a relatively small compartment on the outside ofthe envelope, and a letter can be inserted through the slot 4 into the l0 smaller compartment, and the latter can then be sealed by moving the ap 5 into the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing, and by causing its gummed inner surface to adhere to the outer surface of the section I of the sheet. It is also 15 obvious that the strip of paper between the slot 4 and the fold line 'l can also be gummed, on the inner surface thereof, and thus made to adhere to the ,outer surface of the said large envelope. Thus, the smaller compartment is entirely on the 20 outer surface and entirely outside of the large envelope 8, preferably on the face thereof, although the invention could be used on the back or rear side of the envelope. In this way, the side wall of the large envelope forms the inside 25 wall of the smaller compartment, and for forming the latter, only the single sheet or thickness of paper, shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing, is necessary. The relatively large envelope 8 may have an ordinary ap 9 at one end thereof, to be 30 folded and fastened in closed position by any suitable or desired means, leaving the larger compartment accessible forthe purpose of inspection of the second or third class mail matter enclosed therein. 35

While the invention is shown and described in connection with the large envelope 8, forming the larger compartment of the duplex envelope, it is obvious that the label or paster, formed by the single sheet of paper with its main section 40 l, can be pasted upon the outer surface of a box or package, or other container, to form an auxiliary letter compartment, with a place for separate postage on each compartment, and with a placefor the address on the smaller compart- 45 ment. Also, it will be understood that any suitable adhesive can be used between the edge portions of the sheet and the outer surface of the envelope or other container.

If the flap 5 is pasted down over the entrance 50 4, the compartment is then sealed or inaccessibly closed, but if the flap is merely tucked into the entrance 4 then the compartment is not sealed but merely accessibly closed.

What I claim as my invention is: 55

1. Means for forming a letter compartment on the outer surface of a relatively large envelope, or on the surface of a box or package or other container, comprising a single sheet of paper formed with integral gummed edge portions of single thickness for pasting upon the outer surface of said envelope or other container, having an entrance slot in an integral portion near one edge thereof, so that said slot is entirely external of andV precludes entrance therethrough to the interior of said envelope or other container, and having said one edge provided with an integral flap for closing said entrance, whereby said sheet forms the outer wall of the letter compartment, while an imperforate outer wall of the envelope or other container forms the inner Wall of said letter compartment, but with only single thickness edges for said letter compartmentupon the outer surface of the envelope or other container.

2. A structure as specified in claim 1, said single thickness edge portions being in the form of end and bottom flaps for the section of paper forming the outer wall of the letter compartment.

3. A structure as specied in claim 1, said single thickness edge portions being in the form of end and bottom aps for the section of paper forming the outer Wall of the letter compartment, with a gummed section between said entrance and the fold line of said sealing flap, whereby the sheet is attached at all four edges thereof to the outer surface of the envelope or other container, leaving only said entrance through which to obtain access to said letter compartment.

4. Means for forming a letter compartment on the outer surface of a relatively large envelope, or on the surface of a box or package or other container, comprising a single sheet of paper formed with integral gummed edge portions of single thickness for pasting upon the outer surface of said envelope or other container, having an entrance slot in an integral portion near the upper edge thereof, so that said slot is entirely external of and precludes entrance therethrough to the interior of said envelope or other container, and having its 'upper edge provided with an integral flap for closing said entrance, whereby said sheet forms the outer wall of the letter compartment, while the outer wall of the envelope or other container forms the inner wall of said letter compartment, but with only single thickness edges for said letter compartment upon the outer surface of the envelope or other container.

5. A structure as specified in claim 4, said slot being parallel with and spaced a distance from the fold line of said closing flap.

6. A structure as specified in claim 4, said closing flap being gummed to seal said entrance.

CHARLES F. ELMORE.

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