US518109A - Letters - Google Patents

Description

(No Modgl.) I v FASTENING DEVICE "FOR ENVELOPES -LETTERS, 6:0. No. 518,109. Patented Apr. 10,1894.

N WITNESSES: I INVENTOI? J M 6201421272 6772272016.

\ BY W g Y ATTORNEYS.

'I'NI NATIONAL Lmwuumma coMPANY. WAsx-uumou. n. c.

NITE STATE-s PATEN Fries.

FASTENING DEVICE FOR ENVELOPES, LETTERS, 86C- SPECIFICATION forrning part of Letters Patent No. 518,109, dated April 10, 1894.

Application filed August 10, 1 893 To alt whom it may concern:

0 Be 1t known that I, GEORGE F.'LEMMON, residing at St. Augustine, in the county'of St. Johns and State of Florida, have invented a 5 new and Improved Fastening Device for Envelopes, Letters, &c., of which the following is a specification.

I My invention is in the nature of a metallic seal more especially adapted for use in conneotion with letters, inolosed papers, envelopes, postage stamps, &c., but also'capable for use to receive delicate material, soft or thin articles and the like.

My invention has for its object to provide a d ev1ce ofthis character which will serve as a simple and efiective locking means, whereby the contents of the envelope and the stamp are secured to such envelope, in such a manner that the said envelope cannot be open ed, or the contents tampered with without injury thereto. Witlrother objects in view, which will hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the peculiar and novel arrangement and combinatlon of parts, such as hereinafter described and pointed out in theclaims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a stamped envelope and my improved fastening devices as applied for use. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the fastening plates. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of a pair of such fasten- 1ng plates on an enlarged scale as applied to an envelope and its contents. Fig. 4 is a 1ongitudinal section of the same taken on the line 44 Fig. 3. Figs. 5 and 5 are views on an enlarged scale of a portion of the plate illustrating the preferred construction of the prongs. Fig. 6 is a view of a modified shape of one of the fastening plates. Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view hereinafter specifically referred to. r

My improvement consists primarily, of a fasteningplate formed of some light metal, preferably aluminum, and such plate has a series of prongs struck up and bent in reverse directions, whereby it can be readily attached at one side to the letter, or other article, while the other side can be secured to the envelope or other object, or serve asa receiving or hold- SerialNo.482,837. (NomddeL) ing portion, for the postage stamps, orna mentation tag, and the like.

Referring to the accompanying drawings A indicates one of my improved fastening plates, which may, in practice, be square, circular, oblong, or any desired ornamental shape, and is usually made in diiferent sizes, for use, with difierent sized envelopes, packages, time.

By reference to Fig. 2, it will be noticed that the plate A has stamped up at its outer edges a series of prongs B, which project downward from face a of the plate, and a series of prongs O whichproject up from such face near the central portion thereof. Grooves D and E are also formed on the face a at points inside the prongs B and C, the purpose of which will presently appear. The prongs B and C may be formed of the ordinary tang as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, butI prefer in practice to form such prongs of the shape shown in Figs. 5 and 5*, by reference to which it Will be noticed that the base of the prong has a contracted neck, whereby shoulders I) are formed, which serve to retard the withdrawal 0f the same from the article to which it is secured, and as a further means of holding such prongs from withdrawal without tearing or marring the article or paper, I form them with serrated edges b as shown.

, In the practical construction of the plates they are usually made when used for sealing envelopes or other closed packages in sets or pairs, 1'. 6. two plates adapted to be closely clamped together are used, and such plates have their prongs and grooves projected from the body proper, so that they will be alternately disposed when laid together-as shown,

in the diagrammatic view Fig.7, and when used for such purpose one of such plates is used as what I term an inner and the other an outer plate,-it being manifestly understood from the drawings that either of such plates may be used as an inner or outer plate.

In operation, when used as an envelope, postage stamp, and letter seal, the inner plate is first secured by its prongs B, to the letter or other desired inolosure, the prongs B being clamped down by any suitable press or other means, after which the inolosure or letter and the plate with its outer prongs 0 still projected, is inserted in the envelope, after which by pressure the prongs are forced through the rear side of the envelope and clamped thereto, thereby securing the contents to the envelope in such a manner that such envelope must necessarily be mutilated before the contents could be removed. The flap of the envelope is then folded down, and the other plate is laid over such folded edge and to register with inner plate, and the stamp forced down over the central or outwardly projecting prongs C, after which the outer plate is pressed by any suitable hand press against the inner plate, and owing to the grooves in the inner plate, the prongs B on the outer plate will the more readily puncture the envelope, and as they strike the base of such grooves will be quickly and efiectively turned and clamped under the inner face of the envelope, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, it being obvious that at the same time the outer prongs C will be turned down to clamp the stamp in place.

It will be readily seen from the foregoing that the use of sealing wax, gum and the like can be dispensed with, and by providing the prongs with serrated portions or barbs as shown they will have double the holding power on the material or articles inclosed between the pronged plates, and as such plates are compactly pressed together, they will not mar the front face of the envelope and interfere with the proper addressing of the same.

thus described my invention, what Havin T in Letters Pat- I claim, and desire to'secure by cut, is-

1. An improved fastener for envelopes letters and postage stamps, comprising an inner plate having projecting prongs at one side adapted to be secured to the letter or inclosure and outwardly extending prongs adapted to be secured to the envelope, an outer plate having prongs on its under face to engage the envelope and prongs on its outer face to receive and clamp the postage stamp all substantially as shown and for the purposes described. j

2. An improved fastener for letters envelopes and postage stamps, comprising an inner plate having projecting prongs on one face near its outer edges, and prongs projected from its opposite face, grooves in such faces, running parallel with such prongs, a second or outer plate having prongs projected from its opposite faces, and running grooves parallel to such prongs, said prongs and grooves being arranged alternately to the prongs and grooves in thelower plate, whereby the prongs of one plate will engage the grooves in the other plate when both plates are pressed together all arranged as and for the purposes shown and described.

- GEORGE F. LEMMON.

Witnesses:

FRED G. DIETERICH, SOLON G. KEMoN.

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