US2469251A - Envelope - Google Patents

Description

E. R. WHITE May 3, 1949.

ENVELOPE Filed Dec 2l, 1945 Patented May 3, 1949 U N [TED STAT ES PAT ENT l: FICE ENVELOPE Edward R. White, New Rochelle, N. Y. Application December 21, 1945, Serial No. 636,302.

Q'Clainis. l

This invention relates to envelopes and more particularly to means securing the contents in the same.

Theobject of theinvention is to utilize the material necessary for a blank form of an ordinary envelope, and provide therefrom the necessary parts to seal the envelope.

The invention consists in providing the usual enveloping member closed at all sides, excepting for the-ap end, with a sheath at the flap end, this sheath having an entrance slot, a tongue being pro-vided to enter the slot and be held by the sheath, the tongue bridging the open end of the envelope. The tongue is provided with means for securing the envelope against accidental opening, or the tongue may be made in two parts, one for detachable closing the open end. of the envelope, and the other tongue for sealing the envelope. The tongue may be placed off center to the slotA in the sheath to provide a friction hold.

The invention will be further described hereinafter, embodiments will be shown in the drawings, and the invention will be finally pointed out in the claims.

1n the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is' a perspective view of the improved envelope, showing in full lines the tongue inserted, and in dotted lines the tongue when extracted;

Fig. 2 is a partial longitudinal section taken A on line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is al diagrammatic drawing of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a transverse end section taken on line Ali-i of l;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged View of. the tongue in the sheath;

Fig.A 6 is a plan of the shown1 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a partial perspective View of a modified form of tongue;

Fig. 8 is a rear view of the structure of Fig. 7 in. sealed` position;

Fig. 9 is a front view of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 isa section taken on line Ill--I 0 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 11- is another modified form of the tongue;

Fig. l2 is still another modified form of the tongue, and

Fig: 13 is a modi-fied form of the` sheath ap.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the various'4 views.

Referring to the drawings, the` blank for the envelope shownv inf Figs. ly to 4, is shown in Fig. 6. 'If'hisblankf` has aA front portion lil., a baci: portion Il, anda cooperatingl backv portion I2, these back portions II` and; |52 extending` laterally of theblank for the envelope front portion I. The lower part of the front portion IE)l is provided with a flap I3. The backl portions II and i2 areV provided with lanes I4- of adhesive. The upper part ofA the front portion I8 is provided with a flap I5, which is used; to forni a sheath with the inside of the front |10. At the junction of the front I0 and the sheath member I5,a curved slot I6 is cut as shown in Fig. 6, forming an extension or sheath flapl I1 of the front portion Ill. This sheath flap IT may have the shape of the sheath flap I'Ia, shown in Fig. 13 viewed from the front of the envelope. The back portion II has an extension 2U integral therewith, and this is preferably provided with a snuous shapedv side 2i. member I8 is preferably provided with spots 22 of adhesive. The adhesive lane I4 extends along the marginal portion of the back portion i l, and over the tongue 20. The lane M extendsalso on to the extension as at 22a. Crease or bendv lines are provided, namely I3a for the ap I3; 12a for the back portion I2; IIa for the other back portion II; I5a for the sheath forming fiap I5; and Zila. for tongue re-inforcing member I8 enable the parts described to be folded in the desired envelope positions, in the manner welli known.

The re-inforcing member I8. is folded along the line 26a and reinforces the lateral edge portion of the back portion II, the adhesive holding the parts together. The nap I3 is folded along the line |30.; then the two back portions II and IZ are folded along the lines Ila and I2a and secured to the flap I3 by the adhesive in the lanes,

Thereby the envelope pocket is formed. When so folded, the sheath forming member I5* is inserted into the envelope pocket as shown in, Fig. 2, and the tongue 20 extends out of the pocket as shown in dotted lines in` Fig. 1.

After the contents have been inserted into the envelope proper, the sheath forming flap I5 having been tucked in to form the sheath inside of the envelope, the tongue 20 is inserted into, the slot I5. The tip of the tongue 20 strikes.

` the extension Il', and is guided thereby in order to enter the sheath formed by the frontportion IB and by the inner flap I5. The base of the. tongue 2B isi disposed slightly off center or slightly displaced so as to take the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5. After the tongue 20 has` been completely inserted it is released and then. it springs into. the position. shown. infull lineay in Fig. 5.y This facilitates the entrance.y of' the. tongue into the slot, andgives. a good holding action.` The tongue 20 has. aVV curvedA part Z1 A tongue reinforcing;

which also acts as a camming lock preventing the tongue from coming out or being forced out` by the contents of the envelope. If desired, the adhesive spot 22 on the rear of the tongue may be moistened, and then pressure will cause the tongue to adhere, and thereby seal the envelope. It will be noted that the tongue 22 bridges the open end of the envelope, as shown in Fig. 4.

In the modified form shown in Fig. 7, the tongue is formed of two loose parts 2t and 2l, the tongue 25 being guided by the sheath ap l'i and entering the slot it as described, and the tongue 27 entering a slot 28 in the front wall lil, the

tongue 2l being provided with a spot 29 of adhesive, to seal the envelope if desired. Both tongues 2t and 2 may be inserted into Vthe slot I6 if desired, which enables the envelope to be openable. Figures 7 to 10 show the double tongue embodiment.

The tongue 30 in Fig. 11 may be provided with a notch 3l, and this is engaged by the folded portion of the sheath ap l5, when the tongue is inserted. Or, the tongue 3| of Fig. l2 may be without curves or notch, and has even or straight sides, and may then be inserted into the sheath` portion.

The tongues 3i) and 3l of Figures 11 and 12 are given as examples. Either may be provided with sinuous curves, or made in two parts as described; or the tip may be made flat, as shown for instance in Fig. 7. Or, the tongue 26 or 2l, or the tongue 2E?, may have its ends curved or pointed as shown in Figs. 11 and 12.

The important feature is the provision of the sheath by bending over a ap of one end f the front portion i9, in the embodiments shown, and providing an entrance slot for the sheath, and providing a tongue on the opposed rear or back portion, so that the tongue bridges the open end of the envelope and enters into the slot and is frictionally engaged by the sheath portion, whereby a simple and efficient closure of an envelope is provided. The tongue is made of material which is otherwise wasted, when the usual closing flap l is out from the blank. The envelope may be used in the mails without the contents emerging, as the tongue in the sheath provides a secure closing member.

When the double tongue as shown in Fig. 7 is preferred, the blank of Fig. 6 is provided with a slit for the length of the tongue along the score line 23a.

The invention has been described in connection with a single seam envelope, but it is applicable to a double side seam envelope, in which case the tongue is secured preferably by an adhesive to the back portion, so as to enter the slot in the sheath, which slot may be straight, instead of curved, if so desired.

The word envelope includes articles commonly known in the trade as bags, for shipment of merchandise, which bags are made by the identical envelope making machinery.

I have described several forms of my invention, but obviously various changes may be made in .the details disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention as set out in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a single seam envelope consisting of a single front, two side flaps on the sides of said front permanently joined at their free ends to form, the back, a bottom flap folded over the two side flaps forming the back and permanently joined thereto, and aap extending from the front beyond the back and having a fold line adapted to form a closingiiap for the envelope, the combination of a sheath formed by the clos"- ing flap placed between the front and back with a slot on the fold line of the closing flap, a tongue ap on one of the side flaps substantially of a length equal to the length of the closing nap and of a width substantially equal to the width of the slot, whereby the entrance of the tongue ap into said slot, and the bridging of the space between the front and the closing flap and the engaging of the sheath, the front and back are held closed without the need of other fastening means.

2. The structure of claim 1, in which said tongue has a width at its base substantially equal to the length of the slot and has a curved portion at one side of the tongue.

3. The structure of claim l, in which said tongue has a curved portion of sinuous shape and a narrower part at its base of substantially the length of the slot.

The structure of claim 1, in which said tongue has a curved portion of sinuous shape, the curved edge of the tongue being out of alignment with an edge of said slot, and the part of the tongue at its base registering with one end of the slot.

5. The structure of claim 1 in which said tongue has a curved portion of sinuous shape, the curved edge of the tongue being out of alignment with an edge of said slot, and a spot of adhesive on one side of said tongue.

6. The structure of claim 1, in which said tongue has a curved portion of sinuous shape, the curved edge of the tongue being out of alignment with an edge of said slot, and a spot of adhesive on one side of said tongue, said tongue being formed of superposed parts, one of which enters said slot of said sheath, and said first body portion having a slot near the edge slot engaged by the other tongue.

'7. The structure of claim 1, in which the front has an extension along the slot extending beyond the edge of the front to act as a guide for the entrance of the tongue into said slot.

8. As an article of manufacture, a blank for a single seam envelope, comprising a front portion, surroimded by side nap portions and a bottom ap portion, scored `to be bent to form an envelope with adhesive to join said ilap portions to form a single seam envelope with three ends closed and one end open, another flap portion adapted to be bent inside the envelope forming a crease and a sheath along one edge of the front portion at the open end, and having a slot in the crease, one of the envelope forming side ap portions having an extension `parallel with the sheath forming nap portion, to utilize the material of one of the side flaps ordinarily waste, to form a tongue of substantially the same length of the sheath flap and of a width substantially the same as the slot.

9. In an envelope consisting of a single front, two side aps o-n the sides of said front, a bottom nap folded over thetwo side flaps and permanently joined thereto the form the back, and a flap extending from the front beyond the back and having a fold line adapted to form a closing flap for the envelope, the combination of a sheath formed by the closing flap placed between the front and back with a slot on the fold line of the closing flap, a tongue nap on the back flaps substantially of a length equal to the length of the closing nap and of a width substantially equal to the Width of the slot, whereby by the entrance of the tongue ap into said slot, and the bridg- 5 ing of the space between the front and the closing ap and the engaging of the sheath, the front and back are held closed Without the need of other fastening means.

EDWARD R. WHITE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the flle of this patent:

Number 6 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Sales Apr. 13, 1909 Caldwell June 3, 1913 Bergstrom Apr. 13, 1915 Carr et al June 13, 1916 Kramer Feb. 25, 1919 Gay May 13, 1919 Sperpan Sept. 21, 1926

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