US3187988A - Refund coin carrier and mailer - Google Patents

Description

June 8, 1965 w. T. GELLER I 3,187,988

REFUND COIN CARRIER AND MAILER Filed June 19, 1963 Fig. 4

I II [III [IA/[Ill Ill/l/l/l/I/I/ 1 I/fII/II III/ III Il l'l III/Ill] William 7-' Gel/er INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,187,988 REFUND CQEN CARREJER AND MA'ILER William T. Golfer, 493 Foch Blvd, Mineoia, NE. Filed June f9, 1963, Ser. No. 2S9,lld2 2 Claims. (El. Z292.9)

who has purchased a newly advertised product with the p understanding that upon compliance with prescribed requirements (mailing a box top, label or the like to the producer or merchandiser) a cash refund will follow in regular order of business.

Assuring safe delivery of a refund coin to the place of residence of an expectant recipient has always posed a cash handling problem and is of vital concern to the sender, the receiver and, what is equally if not more significant, to the U.S. Post Office and its aifiliates. Prior art coin cards, wrappers and containers are unpopular and have not met with widespread adoption and use because they not only do not solve the problem, they tend to promote .pilfering. Prior art adaptations are usually characterized by a coin pocket or pockets, sometimes by a flat-faced card on which the coin is taped and held and generally analogous constructions wherein it is not difficult for 0116110 either see or feel the outline of the coin only to be likely'to pilfer the coin despite the likelihood of being caught or charged with tampering with the mail. There are, of course, many aspects to the overall problem but no effort will be made here to dwell upon this aspect of the matter other than to state that it is an objective in the instant matter to effectually cope with the problem by offering for use an efiicient and reliable refund mailer as will be hereinafter more specifically set forth.

It follows that the instant endeavor has to do with an innovation, a refund mailer coinrcard which, in keeping with the invention under advisement, must be mailed from the advertisers place of business to the recipient customer by placing it in a duly, stamped sealed and addressed envelope to assure safe delivery of the same to the residence of the recipient.

While the sealed card containing envelope is an indispensable factor in assuring a desirably successful result it will be understood that it is primarily the refund mailer which is the article of chiefest importance in the instant matter. Briefly and in respect to this aspect of the overall concept novelty is predicated on a structurally and functionally novel card which is designed and adapted to be inserted for enclosed mailing in a conventional stamped, sealed, first-class envelope. This card is characterized by f-oldable overlapping non-transparent panel portions whose opposed overlapping surfaces are securely fastened together in a feasible and reliable manner to define and provide a tamper-proof coin holding and transmitting packet. The panel portions permit the coin to be sandwiched and retentively :held therebetween while being transmitted intact through the mails, the fastening means for the panel portions preventing the coin from shifting from its given position whereby to thus effectually assist in rendering the packet, when properly handled, pilfer-pr-oof and such that it may be approved and endorsed by all parties concerned.

More explicitly, the invention resides in the stated card which is preferably rectangular in its flatwise or blank form. This cardboard (or equivalent) blank has a foldline at the center and running lengthwise which divides the same into duplicate panel portions each rectangular in plan. The overlapping or interior surfaces ice of the panel portions are Wholly coated with pressure:

tions together and seals the coin in its given position therebetween. It should be noted that the nature of the adhesive is such that it does not adhere directly to the coin. Hence when the packet is received, the envelope opened and the packet removed from the envelope the construction of the component parts thereof do not hinder or hamper ones efforts to successfully dislodge and free the coin for ready pocket or other use.

Then, too,'novelty is predicated on the construction stated wherein the exterior surfaces of the panel portions are appropriately textured to carry printed ads. This advertising matter is a part of the overall cornmercializing program.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective which shows the refund mailer or refund coin concealing, carrying and mailing card and which suggests the advertising media F and shows a severable portion peeled back (which can be done easily because of the perforated line) and ex-,

, posing the coin for removal;

FIGURE 2 is a view in perspective showing the intact ready-tofold blank, that is, the construction thereof before it is folded into halves and provided with the coin to function as the refund mailer of FIG. 1;

FIGURE 3 is a view which ties in, so to speak, with FIG. 1 in that it shows the mailer intact and sealed in a conventional appropriately sized envelope with a portion of the corner of the envelope broken away to expose a corner portion of the mailer; and

FIGURE 4 is an exaggerated section taken on the section line 44 of FIG. 1.

The card or blank as an entity and as illustrated in FIG. 2 is approximately 5%" by 5%" considered in its fiatwise form. This card or blank is conveniently denoted as an entity by the numeral 6. One flat size face, which may be conveniently referred to as the front 8, is smooth and calendered and suitably prepared to recelye the advertising whether it be printed or otherwise displayed thereon. The opposite face or surface denoted at 10 is completely or fully coated with latex-gum and which may be appropriately designated here as a pressure-sensitive adhesive. The adhesive per se is denoted at 12. The numeral 14 designates a foldline which is positioned midway between the lengthwise marginal edges whereby to thus transform the overall blank into half-sections or rectangular panel portions 16 and 18. The panel portion 16 is provided midway between its left and right end portions with a right angularly disposed perforated line 20 which 1's at right angles to and therefore opens at its outer end through the coacting free edge 22. A like or corresponding perforated line 24 is provided midway between the left and right ends of the panel portion 18 and here again the outer end of this line opens through the coacting marginal edge 26. The refund coin 1's denoted at 28 in FIG. 1 and it will be clear that the coin is to have a specified place of attachment which as illustrated in FIG. 1 happens to be in line with the oppositely aligned perforated lines 20 and 24. In fact it is best to place the coin approximately as illustrated with one half to the left and the other half to the right of the coacting lines 20 and 24.

Experimental use has shown that the particular pressure sensitive adhesive 12 sticks only to itself and'therefore does not alfect the coin which is sandwiched between the halves or panel portions in the manner illustrated. This is true even after the coin has been pressed firmly between {p the folded cards and thus readied for mailing, as indicated in FIG. 3. Therefore by tearing the severable portions of the respective halves either one or both as suggested in FIG. .1 easy access'can be had to the coin after the packet has been removed from the envelope A as shown in FIG. 3. The envelope is a conventional gum-sealed type and is of the size shown to fittingly receive the refund mailer with requisite nicety.

It is submitted that a careful consideration of the specification in conjunction with the illustrativeQbut not restrictive, views of the drawing will enable the reader to obtain a clear and comprehensive understanding of the inventive concept and features and advantages attending the same. Thereforejamore extended description is thought to be unnecessary. a a

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art,.it is not desired to lirnit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may he resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A refund coin carrier and mailer comprising: an easy-to-use card adapted for enclosed mailing in a conventional stamped, sealed envelope addressed to the recipient of a refund coin, said card having foldable overlapping panel portions whose opposed overlapping surfaces are fastened together in a manner to define and provide a tamperproof coin holding and transmitting insert for said envelope, said panel portions permitting the coin to be sandwiched and retentively held therebetween while being transmitted intact through the mails and also preventing the coin from shifting from its given position and thus rendering said insert substantial-1y pilferproof, said card being made from a rectangular cardboard blank having a median fold/line dividing said blank into said panel portions each rectangular in plan, said overlapping surfaces. constituting the interior surface and being wholly coated with pressure-sensitive adhesive Which effectively sticks the panel portions together and seals the coin in its given position therebetween but is such in character that it does not adhere directly to the coin and hence does not binder and hamper the recipient in dislodging and freeing t-hecoin for ready pocket use, the exterior surfaces of the panel portions being calendered and smooth, the median portion of at least one panel portion being provided with a line of perforations extending at right angles from the free lengthwise edge and defining and providing an accessible easy-to-tear area With which the inserted coin is aligned for ready nnhampered removal, and the median portion of the other panel portion being likewise constructed, the respective perforated lines being opposite and aligned with each other.

2. Refund coin carrying and intact mailing means comprising a sealed envelope of a substantially conventional type and characterized by a receptacle portion and acommon scalable closing flap, and an insert enclosed in said envelope, said insert comprising a cardboard blank having a median foldline dividing said blank into duplicate panel portions, said panel portions having overlapping surfaces wholly coated with pressure sensitive adhesive causing said surfaces and panel portions to adhere together and to in such manner seal and retain a given refund .coin in a predetermined position between said panel portions, said adhesive media having such properties as are required to cause the same to adhere directly to opposite sides of said coin but only temporarily, whereby to enable one to open the envelope in a usual manner, remove the return coin holding card and dislodge and free the coin with the surfaces of the coin substantially unaffected by the aforementioned adhesive media, the exterior surfaces of the panel portions of said card being calendered' and smooth, also being flat and having predetermined advertising media displayed for viewing thereon, the median portion of at least one panel portion being provided with a line of easy-to-tear perforations, extending at right angles from a free lengthwise edge of said one panel portion and defining and providing an accessible area with which the aforementioned inserted coin is alignable and is thus made accessible for unhampered removal of said coin by the recipient of the package.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,110,939 9/14 Jones 22969 1,999,660 4/ 35 Mosely et al 206-46 2,168,873 8/ 39 Cohen 229-92'.9 2,209,601 7/40 Heywood 229 92.s 2,889,039 6/ 59 Schladermundt et a1. 206-63.2

FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A REFUND COIN CARRIER AND MAILER COMPRISING: AN EASY-TO-USE CARD ADAPTED FOR ENCLOSED MAILING IN A CONVENTIONAL STAMPED, SEALED ENVELOPE ADDRESSED TO THE RECIPIENT OF A REFUND COIN, SAID CARD HAVING A FOLDABLE OVERLAPPING PANEL PORTIONS WHOSE OPPOSED OVERLAPPING SURFACES ARE FASTENED TOGETHER IN A MANNER TO DEFINE AND PROVIDE A TAMPERPROOF COIN HOLDING AND TRANSMITTING INSERT FOR SAID ENVELOPE, SAID PANEL PORTIONS PERMITTING THE COIN TO BE SANDWICHED AND RETENTIVELY HELD THEREBETWEEN WHILE BEING TRANSMITTED INTACT THROUGH THE MAILS AND ALSO PREVENTING THE COIN FROM SHIFTING FROM ITS GIVEN POSITION AND THUS RENDERING SAID INSERT SUBSTANTIALLY PILFERPROOF, SAID CARD BEING MADE FROM A RECTANGULAR CARDBOARD BLANK HAVING A MEDIAN FOLDLINE DIVIDING SAID BLANK INTO SAID PANEL PORTIONS EACH RECTANGULAR IN PLAN, SAID OVERLAPPING SURFACES CONSTITUTING THE INTERIOR SURFACE AND BEING WHOLLY COATED WITH PRESSURE-SENSITIVE ADHESIVE WHICH EFFECTIVELY STICKS THE PANEL PORTIONS TOGETHER AND SEALS THE COIN ITS GIVEN POSITION THEREBETWEEN BUT IS SUCH IN CHARACTER THAT IT DOES NOT ADHERE DIRECTLY TO THE COIN AND HENCE DOES NOT HINDER AND HAMPER THE RECIPIENT IN DISLODGING AND FREEING THE COIN FOR READY POCKET USE, THE EXTERIOR SURFACES OF THE PANEL PORTIONS BEING CALENDERED AND SMOOTH, THE MEDAIN PORTION OF AT LEAST ONE PANEL PORTION BEING PROVIDED WITH A LINE OF PERFORATIONS EXTENDING AT RIGHT ANGLES FROM THE FREE LENGTHWISE EDGE AND DEFINING AND PROVIDING AN ACCESSIBLE EASY-TO-TEAR AREA WITH WHICH THE INSERTED COIN IS ALIGNED FOR READY UNHAMPERED REMOVAL, AND THE MEDIAN PORTION OF THE OTHER PANEL PORTION BEING LIKEWISE CONSTRUCTED, THE RESPECTIVE PERFORATED LINES BEING OPPOSITE AND ALIGNED WITH EACH OTHER.

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