US372685A - Combined letter-sheet and envelope - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

H. D. LEFEVRE.

COMBINED LETTERSHEET AND ENVELOPE. 180.872.885. PatemedNov18, 1887.

N. ruins. Phollmwgmpher. washingmn. DA Cv NTTEE STATES PATENT Errea.

HENRY D. LEFEVRE, OF BAY CITY, MICHIGAN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 372,685, dated November 8, 1887.

Application tiled December 14, 1886. Serial No. 221,534. (No model.)

LTo all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, HENRY l). LEFEVRE, a citizen of the United States, residing` at Bay City, in the county of Bay and State of Miehigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Letter-Sheets and Envelopes; and l do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, suoli as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the saine, reference being had to the accompany ing drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in combined letter-sheets and envelopes; and it consists, chiefly, in the construction and arrangement of the several parts, as l hereinafter more fully describe and claim, and the object of my invention is to provide a combined letter-sheet and envelope that will present all the advantages of the security of the ordinary en'- velope and separate sheet, and also the advantage of being easier to fold and seal and to open after sealing, besides requiring less material and labor to be used in its construction than in an ordinary separate sheet and envelope.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure l represents my improved letter-sheet and envelope folded for mailing. Fig. 2 is the same partly folded. Fig. 3 is the same open for writing. Fig. etshows the device folded for mailing without sealing. Fig. 5 is the same partly folded. Fig. 6 is a modified form of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 shows the device in the form of an envelope for mailing mattei' without sealing.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

a represents the top or head portion of the sheet, and upon the opposite side of which the address is to be written.

b is an extended portion of the top a, and upon which the writing is to be placed. This sheet is divided with ruled linesp,in the usual manner, except at the proper point for folding, to indicate which the lines are broken or dotted, as Z m, which are used in the writing in the same manner as the solid lines, the space between each being the same. These dotted lines are arranged so that each outer portion to be folded is one space narrower than the one nearer the head a, so that by folding the outer portion, 0, at Z, the edge of the part o reaches within one space of the line m., and, folded again, reaches nearly to the line u, and

Vis then folded upon the head portion a.

c is a flap extended from the upper edge of the head portion a opposite the sheet b, and is folded at the dotted line q upon the parta and the already folded portion b, as shown in Fig. 2, and is provided with an opening, f, located in a position to bein the central portion of the part c when the flap c is folded.

d is a iiap extending from one end of the portion a, and folds at the line r over and upon the part c, before folded upon the portions a and b, and is provided with an opening, g, which, when the flap is folded, opens directly into the opening f and leaves a portion, b, of the folded part b, beneath the openings, uncovered by the flaps c and d.

e is a flap extending from the head portion a and from the end opposite the flap d, and is folded at the dotted line s upon the portions b, c, and d, already folded. The outer end of the flap e is provided with a circular piece, 7L, the diameter of which is slightly smaller than the openingsg and f, so that the under side of the part h being gum ined and pressed into the Openings g and j', it comes upon and adheres to the portion b', which appears beneath .thc openings and securely seals the sheet in the form shown in Fig. l.

t is a U-shaped cut made in the flap @,with the ends of the out a short distance from the point of joining the flap c with the circular piece h,and forming the piece z', having a free end which remains as a portion of the tlap e until the letter is to be opened or unsealed. Then the sealed package is pushed or bent upward from beneath, slightly raising the free end of the piece fi, which is then caught by the finger and thumb and torn away, as shown by the dotted lines in Figs. l and 2. This leaves the letter-sheet free and clear of all sealing or fastening,and can in no way tend to injure the writing thereon.

The sheet and envelope may be folded and secured, for sendingprinted matter by mail without sealing, by passing, after folding, the piece h through the openingsf and g,and folding it back beneath the flap e, as shown by the IOO dotted lines in Figs. @L and 5. This arrangement forms a complete and secure package, which may be opened for inspection by turning back to its original form' the piece 7a, and may be again secured without trouble or mutilation, and other matter may be inserted with and folded with the sheet in the sanne manner as'with an ordinary envelope; and the package is opened by the receiver by tearing away the piece fi, as before described, which renders the operation of opening the envelope much quicker and easier than with the ordinary methods.

The envelope may be used separately,if desired, by reducing thelength of the sheet b and placing it in the forni of a flap, u.

For some uses the sheet may be perforated on the line n at the joining with the head portionva., so that the sheet may be easily torn away from the head portion, and the sheet is then in proper forrn for filing away; or, if desired, the lines g, r, and s may be perforated, and flaps c, d, and e may l[hen be torn off, which leaves the sheet and head portion in proper form for filing away.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. In a combined letter-sheet and envelope,

the headportion a and the sheet portion b,-

extending from one side edge of the head portion, in combination with a iiap, c, extending I erases from the opposite side edge of the head portion and provided with an opening, f, a flap, d, extending from one end of the head portion and provided with an opening, g, and a ap, c, extending from theopposite end of the head portion and provided on its outer free end with a gunlnied portion, h, of a dimension less than the openings fand g, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a combined letter-sheet and envelope, the head portion a, the sheet b,connected with and folded upon the head portion, the ap c, connected with the opposite side edge of the head portion and provided with the opening f, and folded upon the sheet b, the ap d, connected with one end of the portion @,and provided with an opening, g, and folded upon the flap c, and a flap, c, connected with the opposite end of the head portion and provided on its outer end with the gunirned portion h, passed through the openingsf and g, and secured to the folded sheet, in combination with a portion, z', of the flap e, partially cut out and with its inner side adhering to the Hap near the portion h, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses. v I

HENRY D. LEFEVRE.

Witnesses:

JAs. E. THOMAS, "W: H. POWER.

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