US2317497A - Envelope - Google Patents

Description

A. M. THOMPSON ENvELoPE Filed Mann '21, 1942 IN V EN TOR. MMT/201572525023,

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" Que Patented Apr. 27, 1943 ENVELOPE Allan M. Thompson, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Gaw-OHara Envelope Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application March 21, 1942, Serial No. 435,652

Claims.

This invention relates to envelopes adapted more particularly for the mailing of small individual cards such, for example, as automobile drivers license cards and the like.

To obviate addressing the envelope, such envelopes are usually of the Window type which expose the address on the mailing material itself as the address for the envelope. It not being feasible to make the envelopes small enough to t the cards, because such small sizes are not adapted to the routine of the Post Office Department, and since a small card in a large envelope would become displaced from in front of the Window, thereby leaving the envelope Without an address, my present invention is designed to retain a small card in a large envelope in position to expose the address thereon through the Window of the envelope.'

One of the primary purposes of my invention is to provide an envelope which will facilitate the introduction of the small card or other enclosure into the envelope and will also facilitate the proper positioning of such card therein, so as to expose the address through the Window.

, Another purpose is to provide an envelope which will securely hold the positioned small enclosure against displacement from its predetermined position in the envelope and which is capable of being economically manufactured.

Still another purpose is to provide an envelope which will afford provision for postal inspection, thereby enabling the cards or other enclosures to be mailed as third class matter, with a resultant saving in postage.

To facilitate an understanding of my invention, I have illustrated on the accompanying drawing a preferred embodiment thereof, referring to which,

Fig. 1 is a face view in perspective of an en.- velope construction in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear View of the envelope before the back flap has been faced down and with the closure flap open;

Fig. 3 is a sectional View on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a rear view of the envelope blank with the gum applied thereto.

Referring to the drawing more in detail, reference character 5 indicates the front Wall of the envelope provided with a window 6 which is disposed nearer to one of the corners of the envelope than to any of the other corners and is in proximity to one end of the envelope. While the Window is illustrated on the drawing as being located substantially in the upper lefthand quarter of the envelope face, it should be understood that it may be located nearer either end and nearer to or farther from the upper edge of the envelope.

The window 6 may be of the open type or preferably comprises an opening cut 1n the envelope material and covered by a patch of transparent material applied to the inner face of the front wall in the usual manner. r

The back wall of theenvelope comprises a flap I extending from one end of the iront wall to at least within the boundaries of the card to be mailed, a flap 8 extending from the opposite end, and a back flap 9 extending from one' lon-v gitudinal edge of the front Wall. The end ilaps l and 8 are adapted to be folded against the front Wall and, if flap 1 is long enough, it willv overlap flap 8, as illustrated in Fig. 2. The back flap 9 is then folded down over the end llapsl this flap to be released and pulled out for inspection purposes of the envelope contents by the insertion of a ringer or an implement between the flaps 8 and 9 so as to break the gum spot attachment,

A strip of gum I3 is applied either to the rear face of the front Wall or to the inner face of the end flap 'I so as to securely fasten the end flap 'I and the front wall together intermediate the ends of the envelope along a line extending diagonally of the envelope, as indicated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. This diagonally disposed connection provides a stop against which a corner I3 of the card or other enclosure I4 (Fig. 2) abuts When inserted through the open edge of the envelope into position to present an address on such enclosure for exposure through the window.

It Will be observed that the diagonally disposed stop I3 abuts against one corner of the inserted enclosure and, in conjunction with the end flap 8 and closure flap I5 securely retains the enclosure against displacement and insures the exposure at all times of the address through the Window. Furthermore, the inclination of the stop i3 facilitates the proper positioning of the enclosure in the envelope, since When the enclosure is slid along the stop as far as .possible it is automatically disposed in the requisite position. The inclined stop therefore facilitates the loading of such envelopes and reduces the time required for loading the envelopes in quantities,

After the enclosure has been positioned, the closure flap I is folded over the outer face of the back flap 9 and the envelope is sealed by means of the gum l5 with which the closure flap is equipped.

It should be apparent from the foregoing that I have provided an envelope of a size acceptable to the postal authorities adapted to retain in position a small card or other enclosure therein, so as to expose the address thereon for observation through the window. My improved envelope provides for postal inspection, thereby rneriting a low postage rate, and envelopes constructed in accordance with my invention can be manufactured at low cost. The space within the envelope at the opposite end from the window may serve to contain other matter desired to be mailed with the card.

'I'he size, shape and proportions of the various elements of the envelope may, of course, be varied within wide limits without exceeding the scope of the invention as dened in the following claims.

I claim:

1. An envelope comprising a front wall defined by fold lines and provided with a window adjacent one end thereof, a long iiap and a short nap extending from the respective ends of said front wall and integral therewith along fold lines, said Window being disposed adjacent the end of said front wall having said short flap a back flap extending from an edge of the front Wall and proportioned to overlie said long and short end flaps, adhesive attaching said back flap to said end flaps, a strip of diagonally disposed adhesive positioned between said window and the fold line of said long ilap connecting the long end flap to the front wall to provide a stop for retaining a relatively small enclosure against displacement from a predetermined position in said envelope, so as to expose an address thereon through said window, and a closure iiap positioned to overlie and be attached to said back flap.

2. envelope comprising a front Wall provided with an elongated window adjacent one end thereof for the exposure of an address on a small enclosure adapted to be disposed within the envelope, a back consisting of a long end ilap, a relatively short end ap, and a back flap, said long end ap being attached by a diagonally disposed strip of gum to said front wall to retain said enclosure against displacement, said diagonal strip of gum being positioned between said window and the opposite end of said envelope and extending on an angle of about 45 to said elongated window and a closure flap positioned to overlie and be attached to said back.

3. An envelope comprising a iront wall provided with a window disposed in proximity to one corner thereof, a back Wall, and a closure flap, said back wall and front wall being connected intermediate their ends by a diagonally disposed strip of gum providing a stop positioned between said window and the corner of said envelope diagonally opposite to said o-ne corner and disposed on an angle of about 45 across said front wall to retain a relatively small enclosure in position in the envelope with an address on said small enclosure exposed through said window.

e. An envelope comprising a front wall, a back wall, and a closure flap, said front wall being provided near one end with a window, and said front and back walls being connected intermediate their ends by a diagonally disposed strip of gum positioned between said Window and the opposite end of said envelope and extending on an angle of about 45 to the ends of said envelope to retain a relatively small enclosure in position to expose an address thereon through said window.

5. An envelope comprising a front wall provided with a Window adjacent one end thereof, a back Wall consisting of a long end ap, a relatively short end flap and a back flap, said long end ilap being connected intermediate its ends to said front wall by a diagonally disposed strip of gum positioned between said Window andthe opposite end of said envelope and providing a stop for holding a relatively small enclosure in a predetermined position in the envelope against lateral and longitudinal displacement when the envelope is closed, said back nap being permanently secured to said long end flap and being secured by a gum spot to said short end flap to enable release of the short end flap for inspection purposes, and a closure flap overlying and secured to the back flap.

ALLAN M. THOMPSON.

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