US551709A

US551709A - Envelope-fastener

Info

Publication number: US551709A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1895-12-17
Anticipated expiration: 1912-12-17

Description

{No Model.) I W. BARNARD.

I ENVELOPE PASTENER; No. 551,709. Patented Dec. 17, 1895.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM BARNARD, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ENVELOPE-FASTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 551 ,709, dated December 17, 1895.

Application filed January 8, 1895. Serial No.'534,1'75. (N0 ode -l To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I,WILLIAM BARNARD, a subject of the Queen of England, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Envelope-Fasteners, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved form of envelope for the mailing of catalogues, pamphlets, samples of merchandise, &c., of such construction that the envelope may be readily opened and closed and its contents be examined by the postoffice officia-ls if necessary.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of sufficient of an envelope to illustrate my invention, the end flap of the envelope being opened. Fig. 2 is asimilar view showing the envelope closed and ready for mailing. Figs. 3 and 4 are perspective views of modifications of parts of the closing-clasp.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the body portion of an ordinary envelope, having a flap or lappet a at one end. At the central point of the flap is secured a small disk b projecting slightly beyond the point of the flap and having an integral stem or neck portion 1) secured to the flap in any suitable manner as, for instance, as shown in Fig. 1, wherein the edges of the flap are twined over and pasted down over the edges of the base of the portion b or the neck may be provided with suitable spurs to engage the flaps or be riveted thereto, if desired.

On the back of the envelope, immediately under the point of the flap when closed, is a thin strip of metal 0, the central portion of which is secured to the envelope by passing it through small slits formed in the back of the envelope, as shown in Fig. 1, or, as illustrated in Fig. 4, the central portion of the strip may have integral spurs c to engage in the envelope or it may be secured by riveting if desired. The opposite end portions 61 d of the strip are free, and as the strip is preferably formed of sheet-brass or similar metal these ends may be bent overthe point of the flap and when so bent will remain in position without any auxiliary fastening device.

In closing the envelope the flap a with its disk I) is first folded down, and then the ends d. d of the strip 0 are twined up over the point of the flap on opposite sides of the neck portion 1), the bending-line of the points being nearly parallel to the edges of the flap, so that they will firmly bind upon said flap and hold it closed. The disk I) being at the point of the flap and slightly projecting beyond the point will be held in position by the bending of the points d, and it will be impossible to open the envelope until the points are again bent back and opened. For further security the disk I) may then be turned back and bound upon the crossed ends of the strip G, or the disk I) may be in the form of an enlarged head, as shown at b in Fig. 5.

It is not absolutely necessary for the security of the fastening that the ends (Z d shall cross each other, as the strips may be made only of sufficient length to bend over the edge of the flap, as will be readily understood.

With an envelope of this kind the contents of the envelope may be very readily examined, while at the same time the danger of accidental opening of the envelope is reduced to a minimum, as the ends of the strip 0 can only be bent back by the employment of some little force.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an envelope, the combination of the main body portion, the flap, a disk secured to and projecting slightly beyond the point of the flap, and metallic fingers secured to the body of the envelope and adapted to be bent at crossing angles over the edge of the flap and oneach side of the point of the latter, substantially as specified.

2. In an envelope, the combination of the main body portion, the flap, a metallic disk 11 secured to and projecting slightly beyond the point of the fiap, a neck portion b on said disk, the metallic strip 0 secured at its center to the body of the envelope and having free end portions (1, cl, adapted to be bent over the edge of the fiap on either side of the neck portion 1) to confine the flap in position substantially as specified.

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

WILLIAM BARNARD.

WVitnesses:

O. J. ANDERSON, B. '1. BETTS.