US470743A - chapman - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

M. s. CHAPMAN.

ENVBLOPE.

Patented Mar. 15, 1892.

No Model.) Q'Sheets-Sheet 2.

M. vS. CHAPMAN.

i velope having a UNITED. STATES vPATENT OFFICE.

MARo s. onAPMAN, on MANCHESTER,,coNNEcTIeU'n ENv'ELoPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No'. 470,743, dated March 15, 1892. Application tiled October 1'?, 18891 .Serial-'Na 327,377. (No model.)

.To al? whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, MARo S. CHAPMAN, of Manchester, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented a certain new and useful'lmprovement in Envelopes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, whereby any one skilled in lthe art can make and use the same.`

The object of'the invention is to provide an envelope that shall have means for effeetually sealing it against opening without so destroymg or altering the par-ts as to prevent any resealing withoutleaving clear proof of the fact that the envelope has been tampered with.

To this'end my invention consists inan enpeculiar sealing device, as more particularly hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a de- -tail vieT of one form of envelope embodying my invention, shown with the flap open. Fig.

2 1s a plan view of same closed. Fig. 3 is a detail view, on enlarged scale, in section through the gum seal and the edge of the envelope. Fig. 4 is a detail view of a modified form of my invention, shownwith flap open` on one side. Fig. 5 is a detail view'in section, on enlarged scale, through the edge of I the envelope. Fig. 6 is a detail view of another modified form, shown with tiap open on one side. Fig. 7 is a detail view of another modified form, shown With flap open. Fig. 8

is a detail view in section through the seal' ing-edge, on enlarged scale, in position before sealing. Pig. 9 is a detail sectional View, on enlarge! scale, of the envelope sealed.

, In thi accompanying drawings the letter ct denotes the envelope or package, made, pret'- erably`, of paper and closed on three sides by folding over the tia-ps or edges, the end flaps a being folded in first, sealed together at a, and the bottom ct then folded over and sealed to the end flaps at the seams at, the edges of the bottom flap at this point being preferably serrated or roughened, so as to provide an additional safeguardA against opening. When the envelope-blank is opened ont, a broad band of gum, glue, or like adhesive material is smeared along the lines where the folds are to go, so that when the envelope is folded there is a'gnm seal b extending completely about three sides of the envelope, extending from erably so made las to have the the outer edge toa certain distance inward, the inner line of this gum seal being denoted by the dotted line b". The upper edge of the envelope is cut awayat c, so that when the top Hap cl is folded over the d are brought together and may be sealed, so thatagurn'seal is caused to extend across the top of the envelope as well as about the bottom and sides. The back of the envelope, alongI the upper sealing layer, the gum portions being indicated in the drawings by the surface shading infine lines. y

In addition to the .top iiap d the infolded gummed surfaces surface, is provided with a l bottom iap is provided with supplemental flaps e, the under surfaces of which arel gumrn'ed, so as to fold down upon the top flap after the latter has been sealed for the purpose -of affording an. additional safeguard. The supplemental flaps c are provided with an embossed device c or with a figure or mark made in a sympathetic ink that will either evaporate or flow-readily under moisture and heat, so that if any attempt is madeto unseal v the envelope the^sharpness of the embossed figure will be destroyed or the condition of the ink will disclose the fact.y Y

Theedges of the envelope on at least three sides may be provided with embossed lines f by a suitable press or embossing tool, the substance of the paper being indented in sharplydefined lines, so that it ris practically impossible to separate this gummed and embossed edge Without tearing or cutting through the substance of the papel'.

ope shown in Figs. 3 to S of the drawings. In these figures the envelope is of slightly-dit'- ferent form so far as the several end and bottom folds are concerned; but theyallembody the main features of my invention that re..

sides in the useof the solid gum seal all around the envelope, and they have the further security` the edge of the embossing. The top flaps, that are the last ones to b'e sealed, are pret`- 'opposite and contact-faces of the flaps provided with layers ofgum, so that the gnnnned surfaces may be brought together and sealed, a more thorough union of the parts being possible who.. each is provided with a layer of gum.

This feature of my invention is illustrated in the' forinofeuvelagainst opening by steaming of One feature of my improvement consists in making the top flap of the envelope with one or more deep indentations along the edge, as

' shown in Fig. 4, the edge of this indented portion being nearer the top edge ot' the venvelope than is the inner edge of the gum seal.

The object of this is to prevent any lifting of the edge of the flap and. making a cut through the seal, which n cut. may afterward beeon- 'cealed by refolding and sealing the top flap.

I claim as my invention--` 1. As an improved article of manufacture,

an envelope provided at its edge with a solid gum seal and au embossed line or lines along such seal, the upper flap having its under sur- 4face covered with an adhesive material and Vsolid gum seal and an embossed line or lines along such seal, the upper flap provided with one or more deep indentations and havingits under surface covered with an adhesive material and adapted to be sealed overa portion vof the lower flap, and the lower flap having portions adaptedto be sealed over the upper `flap, all substantially as described.

3. As an improved article of manufacture, an envelope provided about its edge with a solid gum seal and an embossed line or lines along such seal, the upper ap having its under surface covered with an adhesive material and the lower flap having portions adapted to be sealed over the upper flap, said portions being provided with a seal sensitive to moisture or heat, all substantially as described.

4. As an improved article of manufacture, an envelope provided about its edge with a solid gum seal and an embossed line or lines along such seal, the end aps having a portion of their upper surface cut away, the top flap having its under surface covered with au adhesive material and adapted to be sealed overa portion of the lower ap, and the lower flap having one or more portions adapted to be sealed over the upper flap, said portions being provided with a seal sensitive to moisture or heat, all substantially as described.

y MARO S. CHAPMAN.

Witnesses:

CHAs. L. BURDETT, ARTHUR B. JENKINS.

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