US2714984A

US2714984A - Mailing piece

Info

Publication number: US2714984A
Application number: US260800A
Authority: US
Inventors: John B Ruffalo
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1951-12-10
Filing date: 1951-12-10
Publication date: 1955-08-09
Anticipated expiration: 1972-08-09

Description

9, 1955 J. B. RUFFALO 2,714,984

MAILING PIECE Filed Dec. 10, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ADVERTISING -28 RDVERTISING v BUS! NESS REPLY ENVELOPE alumna Ro: J 21 novza-nsmc /Z7 MFGS.

ADVERTISING C FEAR 0N DOTTED LINE 9ND USE ENVELOPE BELOW 2, j 2 I-RTCT'IIQEB R o a, r:1 Fa s? I D ORDER FORM PLEASE SEND ME THE FOLLOWING ADVERTISING JOHN DOE l3--- INVENTSEQ. 20/ .1. JOHN B Run-Am Ma a RTT'OENEYS Aug. 9, 1955 J. B. RUFFALO 2,714,984

MAILING PIECE Filed Dec. 10, 1951 3 Sheefs-Sheet 2 T1Tj.E.

INVENTORS JOHN B. RuFFALo WvW' QTTORNEYS Aug. 9, 1955 J- B. RUFFALO 2,714,934

MAILING PIECE Filed Dec. 10, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 ADVERTISING TEHR 0N DOTTED LINE AND USE ENVELOPE BELOW BUS! MESS REPLY ENVE G P RICHARD ROE MFGS.

O RDER FORM RRCHHRD ROE, MFGS.

JOHN DOE 45 r INVENTOR.

JOHN 5. Eu FFQLO HTTORN EYS United States Patent Ofiice ZQ'llidlS l Patented! Aug. 9, 1955 MAILING PIECE John B. Ruifalo, Garden City, N. Y. Application December It), 1951, Serial No. 260,800 2 Claims. (Cl. 229--92.1)

This invention relates to a mailing piece and to the method for making a mailing piece. More particularly this invention relates to a mailing piece adapted to be mailed to an addressee and which comprises a business reply envelope which can be used by the addressee for the purpose of mailing a return communication to the sender of the mailing piece.

Mailing pieces of the general character to which this invention relates have been extensively used particularly in connection with advertising or the solicitation or orders. Many types of mailing pieces have been proposed and used. It is an object of this invention to provide an improved mailing piece of the type in question and an improved method for the manufacture of such a mailing piece. The improvements relate not only to the attractiveness and utility of the mailing piece but also reduction in cost so that the mailing piece can be mailed out in extremely large numbers at a very low cost.

One of the features of this invention relates to the formation of an envelope body which is comprised in the mailing piece and which comprises flap extensions of each of the opposed walls of the envelope body which extend from the mouth of the envelope body and are foldable along a foldline disposed along the mouth of the envelope body. One of these flap extensions is a reversible flap extension in that in use it is adapted to be folded back so as to overlie the envelope wall to which it is attached and is likewise adapted to be folded over the mouth of the envelope body so as to overlie the opposite wall of the envelope body. The other of the flap extensions is detachable in the sense that it can be readily detached from the mailing piece by the addressee although it serves a useful purpose as an integral part of the mailing piece as mailed out by the sender thereof in providing a closed envelope as mailed by the sender. The detachable flap extension is foldable at a foldline disposed along the mouth of the envelope body so that it may be used to cover the mouth of the envelope by folding it so as to overlie both the reversible flap extension and the wall of the envelope body to which the reversible flap extension is joined. After receipt by the addressee the detachable fiap extension can be readily detached from the mailing piece along the foldline above referred to. Further features of this invention relate to the provision of the envelope body whose lateral extent is somewhat greater than that of the flap extensions except for that part of the detachable flap extension which comprises ears whereby the detachable flap extension may be adhesively bonded to the margins of the envelope body. By the employment of flap extensions of lesser lateral extent except for the above mentioned ears comprised in the detachable flap extension the reversible flap extension when folded back on the envelope wall to which it is joined is free and without bond to any of the other parts of the mailing piece so that when the detachable flap extension is removed by the addressee it is available for use in closing the envelope body for return to the sender. At the same time the mailing piece as mailed out by the sender is held closed by the ears comprised in the detachable fiap extension in a way such that the interior is easily available for postal inspection and in a way such that the detachable flap extension can be easily freed without tearing the detachable flap extension and so that the detachable flap extension can be easily detached as an entity from the envelope body thus making the envelope body, including the reversible flap extension, ready to be mailed back to the sender.

A further feature of the preferred embodiments of this invention resides in the inclusion in the detachable flap extension of a prolongation beyond the ears comprised in the detachable flap extension which may be used for such advertising or other indicia as may be desired and which is adapted to become folded during the method of manufacture so as to be disposed within the mailing piece as sent out by the sender and closed by the union of the ears comprised in the detachable flap extension with the margins of the envelope body. A further feature of this invention resides in that the foregoing features and advantages are afforded while enabling the surface of the reversible flap extension to be viewed through a window aperture in the detachable flap extension. In this way the mailing piece can be completely made up and sealed by the manufacturer so that all that remains to be done by the sender of the mailing piece is to place the name and address of the addressee on the surface of the reversible flap extension through the window aperture in the detachable fiap extension. In this way the mailing piece may be addressed to the addressee by the sender and when the business reply envelope is returned by the addressee to the sender the name and address of the addressee will already appear so that the name and address of the addressee will be known to the sender upon the return of the business reply envelope to the sender. This is made possible by applying the name and address of the addressee only once to the mailing piece as mailed out to the sender.

Further features and advantages of this invention relate to the manufacture of the mailing piece in a very economical way from a very simple form of paper blank. The paper blank may be cut from the paper so as to reduce wastage of paper to a minimum. Moreover, in

the manufacturing operation all that is required is to bond certain marginal portions of the blank as by applying adhesive in a narrow band along the margins of the blank which constitute the portion thereof constituting the en velope body and to the ears comprised in the detachable flap extension. This operation may be carried on continuously in a very simple and economical way. All that is involved to complete the mailing piece in condition for mailing is thereafter to run the blank with the adhesive applied thereto through any well known type of folding machine adapted to produce transverse folds in the blank at the proper locations as will be illustrated more in detail in connection with the description of the exemplary embodiments of this invention which appear below.

Further objects, features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description of certain exemplary embodiments of this invention which are shown in the accompanying drawings wherein Fig. 1 is a plan view showing one side of the paper blank which has been cut to the desired contours for producing the mailing piece;

Fig. 2 is similar to Fig. 1 but shows the opposite side of the paper blank;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the paper blank 70 with the first fold therein whereby the envelope body is produced;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the paper blank after having been subjected to the second folding opera tion;

Fig. is a perspective view showing the paper blank after having been completely folded so as to be in form ready for mailing;

Fig. 6 is a schematic sectional showing taken on the line 66 of Fig. 5 which shows the relative positions of the panels as disposed in the mailing piece shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a schematic showing similar to Fig. 6 after t the detachable flap extension has been removed and with the reversible flap extension folded over the mouth of the envelope body so as to provide a return envelope;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a paper blank illustrating a simpler embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the opposite side of the blank shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view on a larger scale showing the paper blank of Figs. 8 and 9 after having been subjected to the first or preliminary fold for forming the envelope body, and

Fig. 11 is a plan view of the mailing piece formed after having completed the folding of the blank shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10.

Referring to the embodiment of this invention shown in Figs. 1 to 7 the paper blank from which the mailing piece is produced is indicated generally by the reference character and for convenience the parts thereof will be described in connection with panels separated by fold or crease lines which are indicated by dotted lines in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4. The panels which in the mailing piece constitute the envelope body are

panels

21 and 22 which are joined at the foldline 23. The panel 24 is the reversible flap extension and is united with the panel 21 along the foldline 25 which in the completed mailing piece is disposed along the mouth of the envelope body. It may be noted that the panel 24 constituting the reversible flap extension is narrower than the

panels

21 and 22 so that the margins thereof are inset from the margins of the

panels

21 and 22. Moreover, the panel 24 is somewhat shorter than the panel 21 so that its extension from the panel 21 is slightly less than the length of the panel 21. However, the panel 24 may, if desired, be substantially the same length as the length of the panel 21. In this connection when reference is made herein or in the claims to the length of the panel elements the reference is to the dimension in the longitudinal direction of the paper blank as a whole. Similarly when reference is made to the width of the parts the reference is to the dimension extending transversely of the paper blank considered as a whole.

In the embodiment under present consideration the detachable flap extension consists of

panels

26, 27 and 28. The panel 26 is joined to the panel 22 along the foldline 29 which is disposed transversely along the mouth of the envelope body in the completed mailing piece. Preferably this foldline is somewhat weakened as by perforation or other similar expedient so as to facilitate the ready detachability of the detachable flap extension from the envelope body along the foldline 29.

The panel 26 is narrower than the

panels

21 and 22 as shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 2 except for the cars 30 on the opposite sides thereof and in the region of the cars 30 the panel 26 is of substantially the same width as the

panels

21 and 22 which constitute the envelope body in the completed mailing piece. In the panel 26 there is the window aperture 31 whose utility will be more apparent in connection with the description appearing hereinbelow respecting the folding of the blank. The panel 26 as shown in the drawings is of substantially the same length as that of the

panels

21 and 22 with the result that the ears 30 are substantially spaced from the panel 22 by a distance that is less than the length of the panel 22.

The

panels

27 and 28 which are comprised in the detachable flap extension and which constitute a prolongation beyond the ears 30 are adapted to be folded along the

foldlines

32 and 33 as will be described below in connection with the folding operations.

Before the manufacture of the mailing piece from the blank is undertaken suitable printed matter may be placed on the parts. Thus it is important to print upon the panel 21 the address of the sender so as to facilitate the mailing of the business reply envelope comprised in the mailing piece back to the sender by the recipient of the mailing piece. Similarly the panel 26 of the detachable flap extension may carry the return address of the sender as indicated for in the completed mailing piece this panel is exposed and is on the same side of the mailing piece at which the address of the addressee is visible. As shown in Fig. 2 the reversible flap extension may carry appropriate printed matter such, for example, as an order form. As above mentioned in the embodiment shown a portion of the surface of the reversible flap extension is exposed through the window aperture 31 in the panel 26 and the name and address of the addressee may be applied thereto either before the mailing piece is manufactured from the blank although this is preferably done after the manufacture of the mailing piece from the blank has been completed. In this way an order form may be provided which includes the name and address of the addressee already afiixed thereto. The printing on the reversible flap extension is normally on the surface thereof that is not exposed to View when the return envelope comprised in the mailing piece is used by the recipient for mailing it back to the sender.

In the embodiment shown appropriate printing material such as advertising may be applied to both sides of the

panels

27 and 28 and to the side of the panel 26 which is normally not exposed to view when the mailing piece is mailed out. The panel 26 may carry an appropriate legend such as tear on dotted line and use envelope below so as to make the intended use of the business reply envelope comprised in the mailing piece apparent to the recipient.

The folding of the blank shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is illustrated in connection with Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6. Adhesive material 34 is applied to the margins of the

panels

21 and 22 and to the ears 30. Preferably the application of the adhesive occurs immediately prior to the folding operation so that the folding operation can be carried on thereafter while the adhesive is in a tacky condition. As shown particularly in Fig. 2, the adhesive 34 is applied in a narrow band whose width is equal to or somewhat less than the extent by which the margins of the

panels

21 and 22 and the cars 30 protrude beyond the margins of the flap extensions. In this way the blank can be moved through appropriate applicator apparatus in a continuous manner and preferably with simultaneous application of the adhesive to both sides of the portions of the blank referred to. This can be done very rapidly and the rest of the blank does not have any adhesive applied thereto. However, as also shown in Fig. 2 the end of the reversible fiap extension 24 may have adhesive 34a applied thereto for use by the recipient of the mailing piece when the return envelope comprised in the mailing piece is mailed back to the sender by the recipient of the mailing piece. The adhesive 34a may be applied in a separate operation and permitted to dry before the folding operation takes place.

While the adhesive applied in the manner above described is in a tacky condition the blank is first folded along the foldline 23 to the position shown in Fig. 3 so as to bring the adhesive 34a applied to the margins of the

panels

21 and 22 into contact for bonding these margins together, thus providing an envelope body which is closed at the bottom along the foldline 23 and which is closed along the margins by the adhesive bond. Thus the

panels

21 and 22 provide the envelope body having an open mouth at the top thereof. According to the exemplary embodiment under present consideration the blank is next folded along the foldline 32 to the position shown in Fig. 4, thus bringing the reversible flap extension 24 between the

panels

26 and 27.

The final folding operation occurs at the foldlines disposed along the mouth of the envelope body; namely, at the foldline between the reversible flap extension 24 and the panel 21 of the envelope body, at the foldline 29 between the detachable flap extension 26 and the panel 22 of the envelope body and at the foldline 33 between the

panels

27 and 28. After this folding operation has been completed the mailing piece is then in the form shown in Figs. 5 and 6. When the folding operation has thus been completed the adhesive carried by the ears will come in contact with and become bonded to the margins of the envelope body formed from the

panels

21 and 22, more particularly the margins of the panel 21; and the mailing piece is then ready for dispatch. If the name and address of the addressee was placed on the reversible flap extension of the blank before the folding operation, then the name and address of the addressee will appear in the window aperture 31 of the mailing piece as shown in Fig. 5. However, in normal practice the mailing piece is made up complete leaving blank the portion of the reversible flap extension which is exposed through the window aperture 31. In such case the mailing piece lends itself to being passed through an addressing machine which applies the name and address of any desired number of different addressees on the exposed surface of the reversible flap extension provided by the window aperture 31.

When the mailing piece is received by the addressee it is a very simple matter by the insertion of ones finger or a letter opener to detach the ears 30 from the margins of the envelope body, thus bodily releasing the detachable flap extension as an integral unit so that the advertising carried on the different panels thereof may be readily apparent to the recipient of the mailing piece. If the recipient of the mailing piece is interested in send ing a reply then all that is necessary is to detach the detachable flap extension along the foldline 29 thereby leaving a complete business reply envelope consisting of an envelope body and the flap 24 which can then be reversed so as to fold it over the mouth of the envelope in the usual way. The parts as thus positioned for return of the envelope comprised in the mailing piece are indicated schematically in Fig. 7. When the adhesive 34a is applied at the end of the reversible flap extension 24 this adhesive may be used to seal the reversible flap extension against envelope body and the envelope will carry the address of the sender on the opposite side. If desired the adhesive 34a may be omitted and the reversible flap used by tucking it into the mouth of the return envelope that is comprised in the mailing piece. Moreover, when the reversible flap extension has printing thereon corresponding to an order form or the like the nature of the order can be indicated thereon and the name of the recipient of the mailing piece will already appear on the order form so that his identity and address will be apparent. At the same time the envelope comprised in the mailing piece may be used for inserting a check or money order or any matter to be enclosed. If desired one or more of the panels of the detachable flap extension can be made up in form for insertion in the envelope and return to the sender. For example, the panel 28 could be made readily detachable along the foldline 33 and may be provided with suitable blanks for use in ordering. In such case the detached panel or panels can be inserted in the return envelope when it is mailed to the sender of the mailing piece. If desired the panel 22 may have a slot 46 therein which provides an opening for postal inspection when the mailing piece is mailed out.

While in the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 7 the preferred folding sequence has been described, the blank LII d may be folded in other ways. Thus before the

panels

27 and 23 are folded along the foldline 32, the panel 24 may first be folded back so as to overlie the panel 21. When so folded a portion of the surface of the panel 27 will underlie the window aperture .31 in the panel 26 and in such case the name and address of the addressee can be applied to this portion of the surface of the panel 27. Moreover, in such case the panel 27 or both of the

panels

27 and 28 could be printed as an order form that is detachable and adapted to be inserted in the return envelope comprised in the mailing piece. Alternatively before the detachable extension is folded along the foldline 32 it may be folded along the foldline 33 and thereafter folded along the foldline 32 either before or after the panel 24 is folded back so as to overlie panel 21. By folding the detachable flap extension in the last mentioned way after having previously folded the panel 24 back so as to overlie panel 21, then a portion of the surface of panel 28 will be visible through the window aperture 31 in panel 26 and may have the name and address of the addressee applied thereto. In such case, as indicated above, the balance of the panel 28 either alone or in combination with the panel 27 could be used as an order form.

While the prolongation of the detachable flap extension is shown as consisting of two panels it is apparent that the panel 28 may be omitted and in such case the blank may be folded so that the panel 27 will either immediately underlie the panel 26 or will be disposed between the panel 24 and the panel Zl. On the other hand panels additional to

panels

27 and 28 may be employed which are adapted during the folding of the blank to become folded so as to become disposed between the envelope body and the panel 26.

A simpler embodiment of this invention is shown in Figs. 8, 9, 10 and 11. The portion of the blank which constitutes the envelope body of the mailing piece consists of the

panels

35 and 36 which are joined together along the foldline 37. The reversible flap extension 38 is joined to the panel 35 along the foldline 39. The detachable flap extension 40 is joined to the panel 36 along the foldline 41. The

panels

33 and 40 which constitute the reversible flap extension and the detachable flap extension, respectively, are narrower than the

panels

35 and 36 except for the ears 42 comprised in the detachable flap extension. The detachable flap extension may have the window aperture 43 therein. The panels may have appropriate printing thereon as referred to hereinabove in connection with Figs. 1 to 7 and as illustrated in Figs. 8 to 11. Thus the panel 35 may have the return address of the sender thereon which address also appears on the detachable flap extension 40 above the window aperture 43. The other side of the detachable flap extension may have suitable advertising material thereon r and the reversible flap extension may have appropriate printing thereon such as an order form.

In using the blank shown in Figs. 8 and 9 adhesive material may be employed in the form of marginal bands 44 to the margins of the

panels

35 and 36 and to the ears 452 in the manner hereinabove described. Similarly adhesive 45 may be applied to the end of the reversible flap extension 38.

Using the blank shown in Figs. 8 and 9 the blank is first folded along the foldline 37 as shown in Fig. 10 to bring the adhesive carried by the margins of the

panels

35 and 36 together so that these margins may be bonded together thereby forming the envelope body. Only one additional folding step is required in connection with this embodiment; namely, the folding of both the reversible flap extension and the detachable flap extension along the

parallel overlying foldlines

39 and 40 so as to fold the reversible flap extension 38 back to position overlying the panel 35 and so as to fold the detachable flap extension 40 over the mouth of the envelope and so as to overlie the detachable flap extension 33 while at the same time bringing the adhesive carried by the ears 42 into contact with the margins of the envelope body to secure the parts in folded position in the manner described more in detail hereinabove. When the folding has been completed the parts are as shown in Fig. 11 and the mailing piece is ready to be sent out after having placed the name and address of the addressee on the surface of the reversible flap extension which is visible through the window aperture 43 in the detachable flap extension. As in the embodiment shown in connection with Figs. 1 to 7 the recipient of the mailing piece merely releases the ears 42 and upon detaching the detachable flap extension along the foldline 41 is provided with a return envelope of the character and for the purposes above described and illustrated in connection with Figs. 1 to 7.

While it is normally desirable to employ a window aperture in the detachable flap extension this is not necessary in the practice of this invention for the detachable flap extension can be made continuous and the name and address of the recipient placed directly thereon. In such case the recipient would have to indicate his name and address in some other way on an order form or the like which is returned to the sender in the return envelope that is comprised by the mailing piece or the name and address of the addressee could be affixed in some other way by the sender before the mailing piece is sent out as, for example, by placing the name and address of the addressee on the back wall of the envelope body as illustrated in Fig. 8, i. e. applied to the panel 36, in such position as to be covered when the reversible flap extension is folded over the back wall for mailing the return envelope back to the sender. In such case the name and address of the original addressee will be observable by the sender when the return envelope is opened after return to the sender. The name and address of the addressee as so located can be placed above a communication such as a letter as the salutation therefor and the letter can, if desired, be continued onto the reversible flap extension. However, it is usually preferable to use the window aperture so that the name and address of the addressee as applied in a single operation prior to mailing will appear in clearly legible form on the reversible flap extension which is part of the return envelope that is returned to the sender of the mailing piece or on some other part of the mailing piece as hereinabove described in connection with the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 7.

While it is normally preferable to provide the mailing piece as hereinabove described so that the detachable flap extension can be secured in place, thus constituting the mailing piece complete in itself for mailing without use of an envelope, the mailing piece made as described hereinabove may, if desired, be placed on an ordinary envelope and mailed out as an enclosure in an ordinary envelope. In such case it would not be necessary to apply adhesive to the cars 30 of the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 7 or to the ears 42 of the embodiment shown in Figs. 8 to 11, although in such case, since the ears would not have functional utility, it is preferable to omit such ears from the blank from which the mailing piece is folded. Moreover, in such case the window aperture in the detachable flap extension would not serve a useful purpose and would normally be omitted. Thus, for example, if the ears 42 and the window aperture 43 are omitted from the detachable flap extension 40 of the embodiment shown in Figs. 8 to 11, a mailing piece is afforded which can be mailed out in an ordinary envelope and which is very desirable and convenient in that a return envelope is provided by the single folded sheet constituting the enclosure merely by detaching the detachable flap extension 40. In such case if the name and address of the addressee are placed on the panel 36 constituting the back wall of the body of the return envelope as shown in Fig. 8 they will be ascertainable by the original sender when the return envelope is mailed back to him, and if desired, they can be used as the salutation address of a letter or the like as hereinabove described.

While it is normally preferable in the practice of this invention to first cut the paper blank to the ultimate dimensions for producing the mailing piece and then apply the adhesive to the longitudinal margins of the blank in the manner above described, the blank with the adhesive thereon can be produced in other ways. For example, a sheet of paper can be used having throughout the full width desired for the body portion of the return envelope and adhesive may be applied in narrow bands along the entire length of the margins. Thereafter, and preferably after the adhesive has become dry, portions of the margins carrying the adhesive can be cut away so as to produce the blanks as, for example, in the forms shown in Figs. 2 and 9. If the adhesive has been dried prior to folding then the adhesive can be activated as by moistening prior to folding. Moreover, any other suitable way of making the blank with the adhesive carried on the portions above described may be employed. Any suitable type of adhesive may be used such as a Water activatable adhesive. However, an adhesive soluble in any other solvent may be used or alternatively an adhesive of the pressure sensitive type or of the heat activatable type may be employed.

Moreover, the marginal portions of the blank may be joined or attached together by means other than the employment of an adhesive, as by suitable mechanical bonding means. For example, the surfaces of the margins of the envelope body which are opposed to each other in face-to-face relation may be secured together by a crimping or perforating operation as is well known in the art. Such operation can be carried out so as to result in such displacement and interlocking of the fibers of the contacting paper sheets as to cause them to become secured together with sufiicient tenacity for mailing purposes. The ears of the reversible flap extension may be similarly mechanically bonded to the margins of the envelope body. When the margins of the blank which are to be secured together are secured together by an operation such as crimping or perforating, the crimping or perforating step may be carried out sequentially as the folding operations are performed or the folding may be completed and the margins of the envelope body as well as the ears secured in place by a single crimping or perforating operation which, if desired, can conveniently be carried out as the folded blank emerges from the folding mechanism. Other mechanical bonding means such as staples could also be employed.

While this invention has been illustrated in connection with certain specific embodiments thereof it is to be understood that this has been done merely for illustrative purposes and that the specific embodiment shown and described may be varied. Thus, it is apparent that the dimensions of the mailing piece may be varied as desired and that the walls of the envelope body may be united along their sides in other ways. Moreover, the detachable fiap extension can be held folded to the position above described by different means coacting between the detachable flap extension and the envelope body, although it is preferable to employ as such means an adhesive or other securing means that is so localized that ready separation of the detachable flap extension from the envelope body is permitted. Further in this connection the use of adhesive or other securing means so as to be localized adjacent the bottom of the envelope body is preferred for holding the detchable flap extension against the envelope body, and this especially the case when the detachable flap extension comprises a folded-under prolongation of the7kind described and shown in connection with Figs. 1 to I claim:

1. A folded paper mailing piece comprising a preformed return envelope, said mailing piece comprising an envelope body having opposed walls which are joined at the bottom of the envelope body by a foldline and which are secured together in iace-to-face relation along each side margin thereof, the walls of the envelope body being free at the top thereof to constitute the mouth of the envelope body, a first flap extension extending from the top of one of said walls which is folded back at a foldline disposed along the mouth of the envelope body so as to overlie the wall from which it extends, said first flap extension being substantially narrower than said envelope body with the side margins thereof inset from the side margins of the envelope body and with the extremity thereof overlying said envelope body, and a second fiap extension extending from the top of the other wall of the envelope body and detachably connected thereto at a foldline disposed along the mouth of the envelope body, said second flap extension being folded along said foldline over the mouth of said envelope body in overlying unsecured relation with respect to said first flap extension and being narrower than said envelope body with the side margins thereof inset from the side margins of said envelope body except for a pair of oppositely disposed ears comprised in said second flap extension which overlie the side margins of the envelope body and which are secured to the side margins of the envelope body adjacent the bottom thereof and said second flap extension comprising a prolongation beyond said ears which is folded under about the extremity of said first flap extension so as to be disposed between said first flap extension and the wall of the envelope body from which said first flap extension extends.

2. A foldable mailing paper blank comprising an elongated rectangular strip having spaced transverse foldlines dividing the strip into at least four consecutive panels, the second and third panels being of equal length and width, a strip of adhesive extending along the marginal edges of said second and third panels, the first panel having a width no greater than the distance between the adhesive strips and a length no greater than that of the said second panel, said fourth panel being of a width no greater than the distance between the strips of adhesive and of a length substantially equal to that of the second panel, said fourth panel adjacent the end remote from the third panel having ears projecting from the sides thereof giving the fourth panel an overall width substantially equal to the second panel, said ears having adhesive applied thereto, the foldline between the third and fourth panels being a weakened line, and the extremity of the first panel hav ing a strip of adhesive applied thereto, said second and third panels being adapted to form the body of an envelope when the blank is folded along the foldline between said panels, the fourth panel being adapted to function as an initial sealing flap for said envelope body utilizing said adhesive applied to said ears and the first panel being adapted to function as a sealing flap for the envelope body when the fourth panel is separated along said weakened line from said third panel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 127,330 Fletcher May 28, 1872 1,518,183 Dailey Dec. 9, 1924 1,591,231 Otis July 6, 1926 2,016,063 White Oct. 1, 1935 2,317,335 Whitman Apr. 20, 1943 2,355,348 Welliver et al Aug. 8, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS 4,857 Great Britain 1903 1,895 Great Britain 1909 163,901 Great Britain June 2, 1921